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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-12, 14-22 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Silva et al. U.S. PGPub 2022/0149641 A1 (hereinafter Silva).
Regarding Claim 1, Silva teaches a power station assembly (Silva, Fig. 1; Title) comprising a plurality of expansion batteries (Silva, Figs. 1-9 and 20-29 and 32, Elements 120; Paras. [0058] and [0101], “battery expansion module”) each comprising a battery system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3077, “Battery Pack”; Paras. [0009], [0070] and [0087], “battery expansion module’s battery”), a power station (Silva, Figs. 1-19 and 32, Elements 110; Para. [0057], “portable power charger”) couplable to the plurality of expansion batteries to receive power therefrom (Silva, Paras. [0063] – [0066]), the power station comprising an onboard battery system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3015, “Battery Pack”; Para. [0087], “main unit battery pack”), and a control system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3010, “Main Unit MCU”; Para. [0087], “MCU”) configured to determine how many expansion batteries of the plurality of expansion batteries are electrically coupled to the power station (Silva, Para. [0087], Lines 1-10, “number of connected modules”, and Para. [0091]), determine a battery level of the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station (Silva, Paras. [0083] - [0087]), and calculate a battery level available to the power station by adding together the battery level of the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station (Silva, Para. [0015], Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 2, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is configured to determine the battery level of the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station as a percent battery level (Silva, Para. [0087] and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 3, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the power station further comprises an automatic display, and the control system is configured to operate the automatic display to display the battery level available to the power station (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Regarding Claim 5, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 3/1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is further configured to determine a battery level of the onboard battery system and operate the automatic display to display the battery level of the onboard battery system (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Regarding Claim 6, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the power station further comprises at least one power output receptacle powered by the onboard battery system, and the control system comprises an inverter to convert DC power from the onboard battery system to AC power supplied to the at least one power output receptacle (Silva, Figs. 2, 5, 9, 12-13, 15 and 32, Element 510; Para. [0057], “AC connectors”, and Para. [0071]).
Regarding Claim 7, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is further configured to determine a battery level of the onboard battery system (Silva, Para. [0019]), and calculate the battery level available to the power station by adding together the battery level of the battery system of each of the expansion batteries electrically coupled to the power station and the battery level of the onboard battery system (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 8, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is configured to calculate the battery level available to the power station independent of any electrical loads on the power station (Silva, Paras. [0066] and [0098]).
Regarding Claim 9, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Silva teaches further comprising a parallel link configured to couple the power station to another power station (Silva, Fig. 30, Elements 3035, 3065 and 3085 “Main Connection Channel”; Paras. [0088] and [0094]).
Regarding Claim 10, Silva teaches a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program (Silva, Para. [0019]) for calculating and displaying the state of charge available to a power station (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]), the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to determine a number of expansion batteries electrically coupled to and configured to provide power to the power station (Silva, Para. [0087], Lines 1-10, “number of connected modules”, and Para. [0091]), each expansion battery comprising a battery system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3077, “Battery Pack”; Paras. [0009], [0070] and [0087], “battery expansion module’s battery”), determine a state of charge of the battery system of each expansion battery (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]), and calculate the state of charge available to the power station by adding together the state of charge of the battery system of each expansion battery (Silva, Para. [0015], Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 11, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to control a display panel to display the state of charge available to the power station (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Regarding Claim 12, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 11/10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the state of charge available to the power station as a percentage of a capacity of the battery system of one expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station (Silva, Para. [0087] and Para. [0091]), and control the display panel to display the state of charge available to the power station (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Regarding Claim 14, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a state of charge of the power station (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]), and control a display panel of the power station to separately display the state of charge of the power station and the state of charge available to the power station (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 15, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 14/10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a state of charge of an onboard battery system of the power station, and calculate the state of charge available to the power station by adding together the state of charge of the battery system of each expansion battery and the state of charge of the onboard battery system.
Regarding Claim 16, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 15/14/10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to operate a power inverter of the power station to convert DC power from the onboard battery system of the power station and the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station to AC power (Silva, Figs. 2, 5, 9, 12-13, 15 and 32, Element 510; Para. [0057], “AC connectors”, and Para. [0071]).
Regarding Claim 17, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 10. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a state of charge of the battery system of each expansion battery by accessing a battery gauge stored in a control system of each expansion battery (Silva, Para. [0015], Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 18, Silva teaches a power station (Silva, Figs. 1-19 and 32, Elements 110; Para. [0057], “portable power charger”) connectable to one or more expansion batteries (Silva, Figs. 1-9 and 20-29 and 32, Elements 120; Paras. [0058] and [0101], “battery expansion module”), the power station comprising an onboard battery system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3015, “Battery Pack”; Para. [0087], “main unit battery pack”), an automatic display (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]), at least one power output receptacle powered by the onboard battery system (Silva, Figs. 2, 5, 9, 12-13, 15 and 32, Element 510; Para. [0057], “AC connectors”), an external battery port electrically connectable to one or more expansion batteries each comprising a battery system (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 150; Para. [0057], “power output connector”), and a control system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3010, “Main Unit MCU”; Para. [0087], “MCU”) electrically coupled to the onboard battery system (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3015, “Battery Pack”; Para. [0087], “main unit battery pack”) and the external battery port (Silva, Fig. 30, Element 3005, “DC Output”; Paras. [0068] and [0084] – [0085]), the control system programmed to determine an energy level of the onboard battery system (Silva, Para. [0019]) and the battery system of each of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port (Silva, Paras. [0083] - [0087]), calculate the combined energy level of the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port (Silva, Para. [0015], Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]), and operate the automatic display to display the energy level of the onboard battery system and the combined energy level of the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port (Silva, Para. [0087], “SOC”, Para. [0088], “work together to provide output power”, and Para. [0091]).
Regarding Claim 19, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 18. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system comprises an inverter coupling the onboard battery system and the external battery port to the at least one power output receptacle (Silva, Figs. 2, 5, 9, 12-13, 15 and 32, Element 510; Para. [0057], “AC connectors”, and Para. [0071]).
Regarding Claim 20, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 18. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the onboard battery system comprises a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (Silva, Para. [0061]).
Regarding Claim 21, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 18. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system calculates the combined energy level of the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries independent of any electrical loads on the at least one power output receptacle (Silva, Paras. [0066] and [0098]).
Regarding Claim 22, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 18. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is programmed to operate the automatic display to display the combined energy level of the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port as a percentage of a maximum energy capacity of the battery system of a single expansion battery of the one or more expansion batteries (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Regarding Claim 24, The teaching of the Silva reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 18. Furthermore, Silva teaches wherein the control system is further programmed to calculate the total energy level of the onboard battery system and the battery system of each of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port, and operate the automatic display to display the total energy level of the onboard battery system and the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port (Silva, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-11, 14 and 32, Element 130; Para. [0057], “LCD display” and Para. [0075]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 4: Though the prior art discloses a power station assembly with a power station with battery and expansion modules with batteries and control to share power for a variety of different loads and display to display battery level available, it fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations of claim 4, and further including the combination of:
wherein the control system is configured to:
calculate the battery level available to the power station as a percent battery level relative to a capacity of the battery system of a single expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station; and
operate the automatic display to display the percent battery level at higher than 100% when a combined battery level of the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station is greater than the capacity of the battery system of the single expansion battery.
Claim 13 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 13: Though the prior art discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions for a power station assembly processor to determine a number of expansion batteries connected and a state of charge of the batteries within each expansion unit with display to display the state of charge of each battery, it fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations of claim 13, and further including the combination of:
wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the percentage is greater than 100% when the state of charge available to the power station is greater than the capacity of the battery system of the one expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station.
Claim 23 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 23: Though the prior art discloses a power station assembly with a power station with battery and expansion modules with batteries and control to share power for a variety of different loads and display to display battery level available, it fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations of claim 23, and further including the combination of:
wherein the control system is programmed to cause the automatic display to display the percentage as higher than 100% when the combined energy level of the battery systems of the one or more expansion batteries electrically connected to the external battery port is higher than the maximum energy capacity of the battery system of the single expansion battery.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Workman et al. U.S. PGPub 2013/0183562 teaches a modular and portable battery pack power system.
Luangrath et al. U.S. PGPub 2021/0376635 teaches a stackable power pack with additional power modules.
Nguyen U.S. PGPub 2019/0319231 teaches a modular power storage system.
Jensen et al. U.S. PGPub 2021/0050725 teaches a stackable power system with additional power modules.
Vasefi et al. U.S. PGPub 2021/0273464 teaches a stackable power system with additional power modules.
Stacey et al. U.S. PGPub 2018/0006470 teaches a modular energy storage system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY D ROBBINS whose telephone number is (571)272-7585. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM - 6:00PM Tuesday-Saturday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached at 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JERRY D ROBBINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859