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 .
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) 1-3, 5-14 and 16-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2019/0123404 A1, cited on a previous PTO-892) in view of Liu et al (WO 2022/021201 A1, cited on a previous PTO-892).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Kim et al teaches: A system (see Figs. 2-7) and method comprising: a battery (110-1 to 110-n); at least one component electrically coupled to and powered from the battery (a low voltage load, see para. 0073); 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); the coil has a resistance (see R in Fig. 5 and paras. 0092-0093), 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); and a power management system (BMS 200, including S-BMS 210-1 & M-BMS 220) communicatively coupled to the 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 (BMS 200, including S-BMS 210-1 & M-BMS 220, controls operation of the battery on a variety of factors, including temperature, see paras. 0060-0064, 0066, 0073, 0087-0095).
Kim et al does not teach a specific temperature reporting system, and thus, does not specifically teach: 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 controlling power delivered and consumed based on the temperature of the coil.
Liu et al teaches: a device (see Fig. 2) and method (see Fig. 4) for measuring the temperature of an electronic device having a coil, battery, and other components (see the last paragraph on page 5 of the translation, since Liu et al states that the coil temperature can affect the battery, then the battery temperature will likewise affect the coil, thus the coil and battery are located proximate to each other such that a temperature of the coil is indicative of a temperature of the battery), using a coil resistance and battery temperature reporting system (a temperature detector that includes a voltage measurement module, a current measurement module and a temperature calculation module, see the third full paragraph on page 6 of the translation) electrically coupled to the coil (L2) and configured to: monitor a direct current resistance of the coil (L2); and estimate a temperature of the coil based on the direct current resistance (see the first full paragraph on page 6 through the second full paragraph on page 8 of the translation, and the description of Fig. 4 on page 10 of the translation); and controlling operation of the system, including controlling power delivered and consumed, based on the temperature of the coil (the coil temperature is monitored so as to provide timely safety protection measures, see the second full paragraph on page 8 of the translation. Since the wireless power charging operation is one of the causes of coil heating, see the paragraph bridging pages 5-6 of the translation of Liu et al, the use of safety protection measures suggests to one of ordinary skill in the art to limit or stop charging, which is a means of controlling power delivered and consumed).
In view of the teachings of Liu 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 of Kim et al, 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 controlling power delivered and consumed based on the temperature of the coil, since Liu et al teaches that monitoring the temperature of the coil provides a more accurate and timely temperature measurement than conventional temperature detectors (see the second through sixth paragraphs on page 2 of the translation).
Kim et al states that the battery management system 200 includes temperature as part of the battery pack information (see para. 0060) and controls charging and discharging of the battery pack 100 using the battery information (see para. 0066). Kim et al does not explicitly teach how the battery temperature is obtained, but mentions hardware including sensors in para. 0202. Thus, it appears that a conventional temperature sensor may be used. Liu et al teaches that monitoring coil parameters, including DC resistance & current and calculating a temperature based on temperature-coefficients provides a more accurate and timely temperature measurement than conventional temperature detectors (see the second through sixth paragraphs on page 2 of the translation). Both Kim et al and Liu et al have coils located proximate a battery, such that the temperature of the coil and battery influence each other, and the temperature of the coil can be considered indicative of the temperature of the battery.
Since the batteries of Kim et al already include coils mounted to their surface, one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date would be motivated to combine the coil temperature monitoring of Liu et al with the system of Kim et al, in order to achieve a more accurate and timely temperature of the batteries.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Clam 1 and the method of claim 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 (a DC voltage based on a DC current, see the third through sixth full paragraphs on page 6 of the translation of Liu et al); and estimating the direct current resistance based on the electrical bias and the electrical signal (see the paragraph bridging pages 6-7 of the translation of Liu et al).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 2 and the method of claim 13, wherein the electrical bias comprises an electrical current and the electrical signal comprises an electrical voltage (see the third through sixth full paragraphs on page 6 of the translation of Liu et al).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 12, wherein the coil is integral to a wireless charging subsystem of an electronic device comprising the system (see paras. 0066 & 0071 of Kim et al).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 12, 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).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 12, further comprising a battery modeling subsystem configured to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model associated with the coil based on the temperature (see Fig. 5 and paras. 0080, 0092-0093 of Kim et al and Figs. 2-3, the first two full paragraphs on page 6 and the paragraph bridging pages 6-7 of the translation of Liu et al. The use of circuit equivalents, obtaining temperature coefficients of resistance of the coil and impedance-temperature tables represent a modeling subsystem to calculate parameters of an equivalent circuit thermal model based on coil temperatures).
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 12, 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 (see paras. 0075-0076 and 0093-0094 of Kim et al).
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and the method of claim 12, 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 (less than a reference value, see paras. 0075-0076 and 0093-0094 of Kim et al).
Regarding claims 10 and 21, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 1 and 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 (see Fig. 5 and paras. 0080, 0092-0093 of Kim et al and Figs. 2-3 and the first two full paragraphs on page 6 and the paragraph bridging pages 6-7 of the translation of Liu et al).
Regarding claims 11 and 22, Kim et al as modified by Liu et al teaches: The system of Claim 10 and 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 (see Fig. 5 and paras. 0080, 0092-0093 of Kim et al and Figs. 2-3 and the first two full paragraphs on page 6 and the paragraph bridging pages 6-7 of the translation of Liu et al).
Claim(s) 4 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2019/0123404 A1, cited on a previous PTO-892) in view of Liu et al (WO 2022/021201 A1, cited on a previous PTO-892) as applied to claims 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Frank et al (WO 2023/052066 A1, cited on a previous PTO-892).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, the teachings of Kim et al as modified by Liu et al, as applied to claims 1 and 12, have been discussed above.
Kim et al as modified by Liu 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 Kim et al as modified by Liu 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 2 of the remarks, filed April 17, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al in view of Betzner have been fully considered and are persuasive. It is agreed that Betzner did not clearly state that a DC resistance of the coil was monitored, since Betzner did not state whether DC or AC current was used. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kim et al in view of Liu et al, as presented above.
In response to applicant’s argument that Kim’s coils are not integral to a wireless charging system that wirelessly charges the device’s battery from an external charging source (see page 11 of the remarks), it is noted that claims 5 and 16 do not recite any external charging source, only a wireless charging subsystem. As applicant acknowledges, Kim et al’s coils wirelessly transfer energy between battery modules, this can be considered a wireless charging subsystem. Furthermore, it is noted that Liu et al teaches an external wireless charging source, the power transmitter shown in Fig. 2.
In response to applicant’s argument that Kim’s coils are not NFC coils used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system, (see page 11 of the remarks), it is noted that claims 6 and 17 do not recite what device the NFC coils are communicating with. As applicant acknowledges, Kim et al’s NFC coils are used to communicate information between battery modules and battery management systems. Thus, the NFC coils are used for communication of an electronic device comprising the system, as recited in claims 6 and 17.
Applicant’s other arguments are considered moot in view of the new grounds of rejection presented above.
Conclusion
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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