DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on April 24th 2023 and December 5th 2023 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7-10, 12-13 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mu (US 20200304026 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Mu teaches a direct current (DC) boost charging (DCBC) system for a high voltage (HV) battery system (570) of an electrified vehicle (150), the DCBC system comprising:
a charging module (510) comprising:
(i) an isolated DC-DC converter (540) connected to the HV battery system (250),
(ii) bypass switches (552) connected to the HV battery system (570) and in parallel with the DC-DC converter (see Fig. 5), and
(iii) a power factor correction (PFC) module (530) connected between
(a) an input DC voltage (506) and
(b) the DC-DC converter (540) and the bypass switches (552) (see Fig. 5);
and a controller (178) configured to:
command the PFC module (530) to boost the input DC voltage (506) to a higher DC voltage appropriate for recharging the HV battery system (570);
and command the bypass switches to temporarily close thereby bypassing the DC-DC converter for recharging the HV battery system using the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module (¶[22] “Control circuitry 178 can select one of the AC-to-DC, native, and legacy paths by selectively activating contactors 170. Depending on which contactors are turned ON or OFF, current is forced to flow through the desired path to ensure that the DC voltage is provided to battery 176 at its native voltage level”)(¶[39] “Power is routed from DC input 506, through contactors 550 to filter 520, and then to circuitry 530, which boosts the power from the legacy voltage level to the native voltage level. The power signal, which is now at the native voltage level, is provided directly to battery 570 via contactors 552”).
Regarding Claim 3, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein the charging module is an existing on-board charging module (OBCM) (168) or integrated dual charging module (IDCM) of the electrified vehicle (150) (¶[3] “The circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use the onboard charging system to provide a voltage boosting path to increase the charge voltage from a legacy voltage level (e.g., a relatively low voltage level) to a native voltage level (e.g., a relatively high voltage level)”).
Regarding Claim 4, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein each of the bypass switches is one of
(i) an electro-mechanical relay (¶[36] “Circuitry 500 can include … bypass contactors 552”, a contactor is a type of electromechanical relay that interrupts current flow, see ¶[21] of the specification),
(ii) a solid-state switch, and
(iii) back-to-back power transistors.
Regarding Claim 7, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle (150) is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) comprising one or more electric traction motors (172) (¶[19] “Motor 172 may represent the one or more motors used to propel system 150. Motor 172 may be, for example, a three phase induction motor”) powered by the HV battery system (¶[19] “Battery 176 may be a relatively high voltage battery that supplies power to the motor, which propels the car”).
Regarding Claim 8, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle (150) does not include a standalone or dedicated DC boost charger (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 9, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle does not include a power inverter module (PIM) configured as a DC-DC boost converter (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 10, Mu teaches a method of integrating and utilizing direct current (DC) boost charging (DCBC) into an existing charging module for a high voltage (HV) battery system (470, see Fig. 4) of an electrified vehicle (150), the method comprising:
providing the existing charging module (400) comprising a power factor correction (PFC) module (430) connected to an input DC voltage (406) and a DC-DC converter (440) connected to the HV battery system (470);
obtaining a DCBC integrated charging module by modifying the existing charging module (400) by isolating the DC-DC converter (540, see Fig. 5) and adding bypass switches (552) connected to the PFC module (530) and the HV battery system (570) in parallel with the isolated DC-DC converter;
and utilizing the DCBC integrated charging module by
(i) commanding, by a controller (178, Fig. 1) of the electrified vehicle, the PFC module to boost the input DC voltage to a higher DC voltage appropriate for recharging the HV battery system (¶[39] “Power is routed from DC input 506, through contactors 550 to filter 520, and then to circuitry 530, which boosts the power from the legacy voltage level to the native voltage level. The power signal, which is now at the native voltage level, is provided directly to battery 570 via contactors 552”), and
(ii) commanding, by the controller, the bypass switches to temporarily close thereby bypassing the DC-DC converter for recharging the HV battery system using the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module (¶[22] “Control circuitry 178 can select one of the AC-to-DC, native, and legacy paths by selectively activating contactors 170. Depending on which contactors are turned ON or OFF, current is forced to flow through the desired path to ensure that the DC voltage is provided to battery 176 at its native voltage level”)
Regarding Claim 12, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein the existing charging module is an existing on-board charging module (OBCM) (400 in Fig. 4, 168 in Fig. 1) or integrated dual charging module (IDCM) of the electrified vehicle (150) (¶[3] “The circuitry and methods according to embodiments discussed herein can use the onboard charging system to provide a voltage boosting path to increase the charge voltage from a legacy voltage level (e.g., a relatively low voltage level) to a native voltage level (e.g., a relatively high voltage level)”).
Regarding Claim 13, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein each of the bypass switches is one of
(i) an electro-mechanical relay (¶[36] “Circuitry 500 can include … bypass contactors 552”, a contactor is a type of electromechanical relay that interrupts current flow, see ¶[21] of the specification),
(ii) a solid-state switch, and
(iii) back-to-back power transistors.
Regarding Claim 16, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle (150) is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) comprising one or more electric traction motors (172) (¶[19] “Motor 172 may represent the one or more motors used to propel system 150. Motor 172 may be, for example, a three phase induction motor”) powered by the HV battery system (¶[19] “Battery 176 may be a relatively high voltage battery that supplies power to the motor, which propels the car”).
Regarding Claim 17, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle (150) does not include a standalone or dedicated DC boost charger (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 18, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein the electrified vehicle does not include a power inverter module (PIM) configured as a DC-DC boost converter (see Fig. 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 2 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mu (US 20200304026 A1) in view of Fuchs et al. (US 20180138730 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu does not explicitly teach wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC, the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V, and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V.
Fuchs teaches wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC (¶[3] “The two components transform the incoming current to the direct current which is required to charge the battery and which has, for example, a voltage of 800 V”), the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V (¶[13] “the charger according to aspects of the invention can process as an input current … direct current in the voltage range from 400 to 800 V”), and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V (¶[12] “Finally, a boost converter is provided which generates the necessary voltage, e.g. 800 V, for the high-voltage battery”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mu to incorporate the teachings of Fuchs to provide wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC, the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V, and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V in order to match customary voltage ranges in the art, as described in Fuchs ¶[13].
Regarding Claim 11, Mu teaches the method of claim 10.
Mu does not explicitly teach wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC, the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V, and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V.
Fuchs teaches wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC (¶[3] “The two components transform the incoming current to the direct current which is required to charge the battery and which has, for example, a voltage of 800 V”), the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V (¶[13] “the charger according to aspects of the invention can process as an input current … direct current in the voltage range from 400 to 800 V”), and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V (¶[12] “Finally, a boost converter is provided which generates the necessary voltage, e.g. 800 V, for the high-voltage battery”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mu to incorporate the teachings of Fuchs to provide wherein the HV battery system is rated at 800 volts (V) DC, the input DC voltage is approximately 400 V, and the higher DC voltage generated by the PFC module is approximately 800 V in order to match customary voltage ranges in the art, as described in Fuchs (¶[13]).
Claim(s) 5-6 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mu (US 20200304026 A1) in view of Pastor et al. (US 20190202300 A1)
Regarding Claim 5, Mu teaches the DCBC system of claim 1.
Mu further teaches wherein the charging module further comprises
(i) an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter (520) and switches (550) connected between the input DC voltage (506) and the PFC module.
Mu does not teach wherein the charging module further comprises
(ii) a pair of capacitors connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches.
Pastor teaches wherein the charging module further comprises
(ii) a pair of capacitors (26, ¶[23] “DC link capacitor 26 is one or more bulk capacitors”) connected between
(a) the PFC module (24, part of PFC stage 14) and
(b) the DC-DC converter (28), and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter (30) connected between
(c) the HV battery system (12) and
(d) the DC-DC converter (28).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mu to incorporate the teachings of Pastor to provide
wherein the charging module further comprises(ii) a pair of capacitors connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter;
in order to provide stable voltage on both sides of the DC-DC converter.
The combination of Mu and Pastor teaches that the pair of capacitors is connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches.
Regarding Claim 6, Mu in view of Pastor teaches the DCBC system of claim 5.
Mu further teaches wherein each of the bypass switches is one of
(i) an electro-mechanical relay (¶[36] “Circuitry 500 can include … bypass contactors 552”, a contactor is a type of electromechanical relay that interrupts current flow, see ¶[21] of the specification),
(ii) a solid-state switch, and
(iii) back-to-back power transistors.
Regarding Claim 14, Mu teaches method of claim 10.
Mu further teaches wherein the DCBC integrated charging module further comprises
(i) an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter (520) and switches (550) connected between the input DC voltage (506) and the PFC module (530) (see Fig. 5),
Mu does not teach wherein the DCBC integrated charging module further comprises(ii) a pair of capacitors connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches.
Pastor teaches wherein the DCBC integrated charging module further comprises(ii) a pair of capacitors connected (26, ¶[23] “DC link capacitor 26 is one or more bulk capacitors”) between
(a) the PFC module (24, part of PFC stage 14) and
(b) the DC-DC converter (28), and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter (30) connected between
(c) the HV battery system (12) and
(d) the DC-DC converter (28).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mu to incorporate the teachings of Pastor to provide wherein the DCBC integrated charging module further comprises
(ii) a pair of capacitors connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter;
in order to provide stable voltage on both sides of the DC-DC converter.
The combination of Mu and Pastor teaches that the pair of capacitors is connected between
(a) the PFC module and
(b) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches, and
(iii) an HV DC EMI filter connected between
(c) the HV battery system and
(d) the DC-DC converter and the bypass switches.
Regarding Claim 15, Mu in view of Pastor teaches the method of claim 14.
Mu further teaches wherein each of the bypass switches is one of
(i) an electro-mechanical relay (¶[36] “Circuitry 500 can include … bypass contactors 552”, a contactor is a type of electromechanical relay that interrupts current flow, see ¶[21] of the specification),
(ii) a solid-state switch, and
(iii) back-to-back power transistors.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AIMAN BICKIYA whose telephone number is (571)270-0555. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 - 6 PM EST.
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/A.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859