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 .
Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the amendment, filed on June 10, 2026, which has been entered in the file. Claims 1-38 are pending.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-24 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-22 of copending Application No. 18/313,975 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-24 of the present application are a broader version of, and are anticipated by, claims 1-22 of the ‘975 application. Note that claims 1 & 4 of the present application are anticipated by claim 1 of the ‘975 application, claims 2, 3, and 5-12 of the present application are anticipated by claims 2-11, respectively, of the ‘975 application, claims 13 & 16 of the present application are anticipated by claim 12 of the ‘975 application, and claims 14-15 and 17-24 of the present application are anticipated by claims 13-22, respectively, of the ‘975 application.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Pending claims of the instant application: Pending claims of ‘975:
1. (Original) A system comprising: a coil; and a coil resistance and temperature reporting system electrically coupled to the coil and configured to: monitor a direct current resistance of the coil; and estimate a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance.
4. (Original) The system of Claim 1, further comprising a battery located proximate to the coil such that the temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery.
2. (Original) The system of Clam 1, wherein monitoring the direct current resistance comprises: measuring an electrical signal associated with the coil responsive to an electrical bias driven on the coil; and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal.
3. (Original) The system of Claim 2, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage.
5. (Original) The system of Claim 4, wherein the battery is thermally coupled to the coil via a thermal compound.
6. (Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device comprising the system.
7. (Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system.
8. (Original) The system of Claim 1, further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature.
9. (Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil resistance and temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil.
10. (Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil resistance and temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature.
11. (Original) The system of Claim 1, wherein estimating the temperature of the coil comprises estimating the temperature based on the direct current resistance and initial thermal parameters associated with the coil.
12. (Original) The system of Claim 11, wherein the initial thermal parameters comprise a value of the direct coil resistance recorded at a known temperature of the coil and a conductive coefficient of the coil.
13. (Original) A method comprising: monitoring a direct current resistance of a coil; and estimating a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance.
16. (Original) The method of Claim 13, further comprising locating the coil proximate to a battery such that the temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery.
14. (Original) The method of Clam 13, wherein monitoring the direct current resistance comprises: measuring an electrical signal associated with the coil responsive to an electrical bias driven on the coil; and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal.
15. (Original) The method of Claim 14, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage.
17. (Original) The method of Claim 16, further comprising thermally coupling the battery to the coil via a thermal compound.
18. (Original) The method of Claim 13, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device.
19. (Original) The method of Claim 13, wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device.
20. (Original) The method of Claim 13, further comprising calculating parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature.
21. (Original) The method of Claim 13, further comprising driving electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil.
22. (Original) The method of Claim 13, further comprising driving electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature.
23. (Original) The method of Claim 13, wherein estimating the temperature of the coil comprises estimating the temperature based on the direct current resistance and initial thermal parameters associated with the coil.
24. (Original) The method of Claim 23, wherein the initial thermal parameters comprise a value of the direct coil resistance recorded at a known temperature of the coil and a conductive coefficient of the coil.
1. A system comprising: a battery; at least one component electrically coupled to and powered from the battery; a coil located proximate to the battery such that a temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery; a coil resistance and battery temperature reporting system electrically coupled to the coil and configured to: monitor a direct current resistance of the coil; and estimate a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance; and a power management system communicatively coupled to the coil resistance and battery temperature reporting system, the battery, and the at least one component and configured to control power delivered and consumed by the battery and the at least one component based on the temperature of the coil.
2. The system of Clam 1, wherein monitoring the direct current resistance comprises: measuring an electrical signal associated with the coil and responsive to an electrical bias driven on the coil; and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal.
3. The system of Claim 2, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage.
4. The system of Claim 1, wherein the battery is thermally coupled to the coil via a thermal compound.
5. The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device comprising the system.
6. The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system.
7. The system of Claim 1, further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature.
8. The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil resistance and battery temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil.
9. The system of Claim 1, wherein the coil resistance and battery temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature.
10. The system of Claim 1, wherein estimating the temperature of the coil comprises estimating the temperature based on the direct current resistance and initial thermal parameters associated with the coil.
11. The system of Claim 10, wherein the initial thermal parameters comprise a value of the direct coil resistance recorded at a known temperature of the coil and a conductive coefficient of the coil.
12. A method comprising: monitoring a direct current resistance of a coil located proximate to a battery such that a temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery; estimating a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance; and controlling power delivered and consumed by the battery and at least one component electrically coupled to and powered from the battery based on the temperature of the coil.
13. The method of Clam 12, wherein monitoring the direct current resistance comprises: measuring an electrical signal associated with the coil and responsive to an electrical bias driven on the coil; and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal.
14. The method of Claim 13, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage.
15. The method of Claim 12, wherein the battery is thermally coupled to the coil via a thermal compound.
16. The method of Claim 12, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device.
17. The method of Claim 12, wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device.
18. The method of Claim 12, further calculating parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature.
19. The method of Claim 12, further comprising driving electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil.
20. The method of Claim 12, further comprising driving electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature.
21. The method of Claim 12, wherein estimating the temperature of the coil comprises estimating the temperature based on the direct current resistance and initial thermal parameters associated with the coil.
22. The method of Claim 21, wherein the initial thermal parameters comprise a value of the direct coil resistance recorded at a known temperature of the coil and a conductive coefficient of the coil.
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)(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, 6, 9, 11-15, 18, 21, 23 and 24 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Swaans et al (US 2024/0120149 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 13, Swaans et al teaches (see Figs. 1, 2a, 2b, 5b, 6a and 6c) a system and method comprising: a coil (coil unit 100; 200); and a coil resistance and temperature reporting system (means for resistance measurement 96) electrically coupled to the coil and configured to (see Fig. 5b): monitor a direct current resistance of the coil (see para. 0080-0083); and estimate a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance (see paras. 0018, 0062, 0073, 0077, 0079, 0080-0086 and 0094).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Swaans et al teaches the system of Clam 1 and the method of claim 13, wherein monitoring the direct current resistance comprises: measuring an electrical signal associated with the coil responsive to an electrical bias driven on the coil; and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal (the change in resistance of the coil may be monitored by measuring the voltage and current in the system, see para. 0083).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Swaans et al teaches the system of Claim 2 and the method of claim 14, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage (the change in resistance of the coil may be monitored by measuring the voltage and current in the system, see para. 0083).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, Swaans et al teaches the system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 13, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device (wireless power receiver device 10) comprising the system (see Fig. 1 and paras. 0036-0040).
Regarding claims 9 and 21, Swaans et al teaches the system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 13, wherein the coil resistance and temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil (see paras. 0077 and 0080-0083).
Regarding claims 11 and 23, Swaans et al teaches the system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 13, wherein estimating the temperature of the coil comprises estimating the temperature based on the direct current resistance and initial thermal parameters (for example, room-temperature resistance) associated with the coil (see para. 0077).
Regarding claims 12 and 24, Swaans et al teaches the system of Claim 11 and the method of claim 23, wherein the initial thermal parameters comprise a value of the direct coil resistance recorded at a known temperature (for example, room-temperature) of the coil and a conductive coefficient of the coil (for example, the coefficient of copper) (see paras. 0077 and 0097).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 4, 7, 8, 10, 16, 19, 20 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swaans et al (US 2024/0120149 A1) in view of Kim et al (US 2019/0123404 A1).
The teachings of Swaans et al, as applied to claims 1 and 13, have been discussed above. Swaans et al also teaches a battery (16) that is connected to the coil (14) (see Fig. 1 and para. 0040), but is not specific as to the relative locations of the battery and coil within the device.
Swaans et al does not specifically teach: (claims 4 and 16) further comprising a battery located proximate to the coil such that the temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery; (claims 7 and 19) wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system; (claims 8 and 20) further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature; (claims 10 and 22) wherein the coil resistance and temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature.
Kim et al teaches: A system (see Figs. 2-7) and method comprising: a battery (110-1 to 110-n); a coil (215-1 to 215-1n, 215-2 to 215-2n) located proximate to the battery such that a temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery (215-1 and 215-2 are placed on a first surface 111 and second surface 112, respectively, of battery 110-1, see Figs. 4A & 4B and para. 0082); a battery temperature reporting system (while Kim et al is not specific as to how the temperature is obtained, the BMS 200 acquires a temperature of the battery, see paras. 0060, 0087-0095 & 0202); wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system (see para. 0064 of Kim et al); further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature (the M-BMS 220 and S-BMS 210-1 through S-BMS 210-n acquires information and performs a calculation to model the coil thermal temperature, see Fig. 5 and paras. 0080, 0086-0093 of Kim et al); wherein the battery temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature (less than a reference value, see paras. 0075-0076 and 0093-0094 of Kim et al).
In view of the teachings of Kim et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the system and method of Swaans et al: (claims 4 and 16) further comprising a battery located proximate to the coil such that the temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery; (claims 7 and 19) wherein the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system; (claims 8 and 20) further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature; (claims 10 and 22) wherein the coil resistance and temperature reporting system is further configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature; in order to control the temperature of the battery and increase the lifespan of the battery (see para. 0075 of Kim et al).
Claim(s) 5 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swaans et al (US 2024/0120149 A1) in view of Kim et al (US 2019/0123404 A1), and further in view of Frank et al (WO 2023/052066 A1).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, the teachings of Swaans et al as modified by Kim et al, as applied to claims 4 and 16, have been discussed above.
Swaans et al as modified by Kim et al does not specifically teach wherein the battery is thermally coupled to the coil via a thermal compound.
Frank et al teaches a system and method for monitoring a battery (12) temperature, wherein the battery (12) is thermally coupled to a temperature sensor (22) via a thermal compound (32, see Fig. 2, the abstract and the last full paragraph on page 2 of the attached translation).
In view of the teachings of Frank et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the system and method of Swaans et al as modified by Kim et al, wherein the battery is thermally coupled to the coil via a thermal compound, since this would fill any gaps between the coil and the battery (see the last full paragraph on page 2 of the attached translation of Frank et al), thereby resulting in more efficient and accurate heat transfer.
Claim(s) 25-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2019/0123404 A1) in view of Provencher et al (US 2018/0013311 A1).
Regarding claims 25 and 32, Kim et al teaches a system and method (see Figs. 2-7) comprising: a coil (215-1 to 215-n, 215-2 to 215-2n); a wireless charging circuit electrically coupled to the coil (M-BMS 220 and S-BMS 210-1 & 210-n include wireless charging/discharging circuitry, see para. 0071) and configured to receive electrical energy from a source of electrical energy (for example, a corresponding battery module 110-1 to 110-n) and control delivery of the electrical energy to one or more components (for example, an adjacent battery module or other loads of the system connected to the battery modules) of an electronic device (see para. 0056 for examples of devices) via the coil, wherein the coil is configured to wirelessly receive the electrical energy from the source of electrical energy (for example, one battery module may wirelessly receive electrical energy from an adjacent battery module that serves as a source of electrical energy for the receiving battery module, see paras. 0071-0073); and a coil heating subsystem configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil (M-BMS 220 and S-BMS 210-1 & 210-n include a coil heating subsystem to heat the coils and battery modules, see paras. 0075-0076 and 0093-0094 of Kim et al).
Kim et al does not specifically teach that the current to drive electrical current to the coil to heat the coil is other than electrical current provided by the wireless charging circuit.
Provencher et al teaches (see Figs. 1-3 & 5) a system and method including a device (24) comprising a battery (34) and coil (28), where electrical current other than electrical current provided by a wireless charging circuit (power transmitting device 12) is used to drive the coil to heat the coil (when battery 34 is cold, drive circuit 76 may apply a DC current to coil 28 in order to heat the coil and battery, see paras. 0011-0013, 0023, and 0025-0026).
In view of the teachings of Provencher et al’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the system and method of Kim et al: that the current to drive electrical current to the coil to heat the coil is other than electrical current provided by the wireless charging circuit, since this would provide the ability to heat the battery and coil without the need to charge or discharge adjacent batteries.
Regarding claims 26 and 33, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 25 and the method of claim 32, wherein the one or more components of the electronic device comprise a battery (battery modules 110-1 to 110-n, see Figs. 2 & 3).
Regarding claims 27 and 34, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 26 and the method of claim 33, wherein the coil is configured to transfer to the battery heat generated from electrical current driven to the coil see paras. 0075-0076 and 0093-0094 of Kim et al).
Regarding claims 28 and 35, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 27 and the method of claim 34, wherein the wireless charging circuit is further configured to control delivery of the electrical energy to the battery such that the battery is charged from the wireless charging circuit when a temperature of the battery is above a minimum temperature (see paras. 0066-0077 of Kim et al).
Regarding claims 29 and 36, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 26 and the method of claim 33, wherein the coil heating subsystem is configured to drive electrical current from the battery to the coil in order to heat the coil (drive circuit 76 may apply a DC current from the battery 34 to coil 28 in order to heat the coil and battery, see Figs. 1-3 and paras. 0011-0013, 0023, and 0025-0026).
Regarding claims 30 and 37, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 25 and the method of claim 32, further comprising a temperature reporting subsystem configured to estimate a temperature of the coil (while Kim et al is not specific as to how the temperature is obtained, the BMS 200 acquires a temperature of the battery, and thus, the associated coils, see paras. 0060, 0087-0095 & 0202).
Regarding claims 31 and 38, Kim et al as modified by Provencher et al teaches the system of Claim 30 and the method of claim 37, wherein the coil heating subsystem is configured to drive electrical current to the coil in order to heat the coil in response to the temperature falling below a threshold temperature (see paras. 0066-0077 of Kim et al).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-10 of the remarks, filed June 10, 2026, with respect to the amendments to claims 25 and 32 overcoming the objection to the drawings and the rejection of claims 25-38 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a), have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection to the drawings and the rejection of claims 25-38 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) has been withdrawn.
The provisional rejection of claims 1-24 under nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1-22 of co-pending Application number 18/313,975 is maintained, since Applicant has not filed a terminal disclaimer or argued against the rejection.
Applicant's remaining arguments filed June 10, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument against the rejection of claims 1 and 13 (and dependent claims) under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Swaans et al (US 2024/0120149), that Swaans et al fails to teach “monitoring a direct current resistance of the coil” since Swaans et al uses a coil unit that has strands for heating and strands for wireless power transfer, Swaans et al performs resistance measurement on the heating strands and not the wireless power strands, it is noted that claims 1 and 13 do not require any particular structure of the coil. The coil could be a single strand, multiple strands, etc. Claims 1 and 13 also do not require any wireless power transfer. In fact, the specification states that the coil resistance and temperature reporting system may be independent of wireless charging, in embodiments in which wireless charging is not implemented within a device (see page 7, lines 15-19, of the specification filed on May 08, 2023). The specification also states that a coil may be used exclusively for temperature sensing, thus separating the functions between wireless charging and temperature sensing (see page 14, lines 8-13, of the specification filed on May 08, 2023). Thus, the structure and method of Swaans et al meets the claimed invention as recited in claims 1 and 13.
In response to Applicant’s argument that claims 6 and 18 recite that “the coil is a Near Field Communication (NFC) coil used for communication of an electronic device” and Swaans et al has no NFC capability whatsoever (see page 12 of the arguments filed June 10, 2026), it is noted that this is not what claims 6 and 18 recite. Claims 6 and 18 recite that the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device comprising the system. Since the strands (112 & 114) in the coil unit (100; 200) of Swaans et al are twisted together (see para. 0046) and provided in a device (wireless power product 10; 20), the coil can be considered integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device comprising the system. Thus, the structure and method of Swaans et al meets the claimed invention recited in claims 6 and 18.
Applicant’s arguments against the rejection of claims 4, 7, 8, 10, 16, 19, 20 and 22 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swaans et al in view of Kim et al (US 2019/0123404) and the rejection of claims 5 and 17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swaans et al in view of Kim et al, further in view of Frank et al (WO 2023/052066) are directed to Kim et al and Frank et al failing to cure the deficiencies of Swaans et al as applied to claims 1 and 13. This argument is not persuasive, since Swaans et al meets the limitations of claims 1 and 13, as discussed above.
In response to Applicant’s argument that claims 8 and 20 are allowable on their own merits, since Kim et al does not disclose any battery modeling subsystem that calculates parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model (see pages 13-14 of the arguments filed June 10, 2026), Kim et al describes how the battery management systems (M-BMS 220 and S-BMS 210-1 through S-BMS 210-n) acquire information and perform calculations to model the coil thermal temperature (see Fig. 5 and paras. 0080 and 0086-0093). Since claims 8 and 20 do not recite any particular structure of the battery modeling subsystem or any particular steps to perform the calculation, Kim et al meets the claimed limitations. The calculations performed by Kim et al can be considered calculating parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model, since a calculation is performed to determine the temperature.
In response to Applicant’s arguments against the rejection of claims 25-38 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al in view of Provencher et al (US 2018/0013311) (see pages 14-15 of the arguments filed on June 10, 2026) that Kim et al’s coils transfer energy bidirectionally between adjacent battery modules within the same system for battery balancing purposes and Kim et al’s coils are not integral to a wireless charging subsystem that wirelessly charges the device’s battery from an external source, it is noted that the claims do not require the source of electrical energy to be an external source. As recognized by the Applicant, one battery module of Kim et al may serve a wireless power source for another battery module which wirelessly receives and is charged by the source (see paras. 0066-0073). Since the claims do not recite any particular structure of the source of electrical energy or that the source is an external source, Kim et al meets these claimed limitations.
It is also noted that claim 25 recites that the coil is “configured” to wirelessly receive the electrical energy from the source of electrical energy. The coils (215-1 to 215-n) of Kim et al are configured to wirelessly receive the electrical energy from the source of electrical energy in that the coil meets the claimed structure and performs the claimed function.
In response to Applicant’s arguments against combining an external power source as taught by Provencher et al with Kim et al (see pages 15-16 of the arguments filed on June 10, 2026), it is noted that the claims do not require an external power source or wireless charging of a single-device battery from an external charging source. Furthermore, line 1 of claim 25 recites “A system comprising:”, thus, the source of electrical energy is necessarily part of the system. Applicant’s drawings do not appear to show any source of electrical energy and the only mention of a source in the specification appears to be to “a charging source” on page 5, lines 25-29 of the specification filed on May 08, 2023. Thus, if applicant decides to amend the claims to recite an “external” source of electrical energy, please explain how the originally filed disclosure would support this limitation.
Applicants are reminded that the examiner must give the claims their broadest reasonable interpretation, and that it is improper for the examiner to import limitations from the specification into a claim (see MPEP 2111.01).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The attached publication “Principle of Operation of a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)” discusses that common RTDs use a coil of wire and take a measurement using a small DC current. The resistance of the coil in the RTD varies with temperature and a voltage drop over the RTD is used to calculate an approximate temperature of the coil in the RTD.
Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jared Fureman whose telephone number is (571)272-2391. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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