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 Status
Claims 1 and 3-20 are pending. Claim 2 is canceled. Claims 1, 3-4, and 7 are amended. Claims 12-13, and 15-20 are previously presented. Claims 5-6, 8-11, and 14 are original.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to arguments that primary reference KIM does not disclose the subject matter of canceled claim 2 which has been incorporated in claim 1, it is first noted that, in KIM, the “slave communication units” 230, 330 are interpreted as the claimed first and second segment communication units, and the “BMS” 220, 320 are interpreted as the claimed battery charge controllers (see Figure 3). Paragraphs 0072 and 0078 disclose the “slave communication units” 230, 330 and the “BMS” 220, 320 are in communication with each other. Paragraphs 0065-0066 disclose said communications are carried out via a set of communication lines between the “slave communication units” 230, 330 and the “BMS” 220, 320, as the SPI or I2C communications would each include multiple “communication lines”, and therefore reads on the claimed set of communication lines. While the claim recites the set of communication lines are “coupled” to positive and negative nodes of the corresponding group of battery cells, the claim does not recite the communication between the “slave communication units” 230, 330 and the “BMS” 220, 320 passes through the positive and negative nodes of the corresponding group of battery cells. Also, the term “coupled” as used in claim 1 is not interpreted as requiring a direct connection, but rather a suitable definition would be “joined, linked, or connected either directly or indirectly through intermediate components”. Based on this interpretation of the term “coupled”, the communication lines between “slave communication units” 230, 330 and the “BMS” 220, 320 are indirectly coupled to the positive and negative nodes via the “slave communication units” 230, 330, and also via the “BMS” 220, 320, as each of the “slave communication units” 230, 330 and the “BMS” 220, 320 have direct connections to the positive and negative nodes of the corresponding group of battery cells as shown in Figure 3. It is therefore maintained that KIM discloses the features incorporated into claim 1, within the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 5/18/2026. These drawings are unacceptable. While various box elements of the replacement drawings included descriptive text labels, some unlabeled box elements remain (see objection to drawings below).
The drawings are objected to for containing “unlabeled generic box elements” (see 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, Figure 1; 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, Figure 2; 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, Figures 3-4; and 115, 118, 701, 702, 703, and the boxes located in elements 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, Fig. 7). Correction is required in accordance with 37 CFR 1.83 as stated below.
Further, 37 CFR 1.83 – Content of Drawing:
(a) The drawing in a nonprovisional application must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. However, conventional features disclosed in the description and claims, where their detailed illustration is not essential for a proper understanding of the invention, should be illustrated in the drawing in the form of a graphical drawing symbol or a labeled representation (e.g., a labeled rectangular box). In addition, tables that are included in the specification and sequences that are included in sequence listings should not be duplicated in the drawings.
(b) When the invention consists of an improvement on an old machine the drawing must when possible exhibit, in one or more views, the improved portion itself, disconnected from the old structure, and also in another view, so much only of the old structure as will suffice to show the connection of the invention therewith.
(c) Where the drawings in a nonprovisional application do not comply with the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the examiner shall require such additional illustration within a time period of not less than two months from the date of the sending of a notice thereof. Such corrections are subject to the requirements of § 1.81(d).
[31 FR 12923, Oct. 4, 1966; 43 FR 4015, Jan. 31, 1978; paras. (a) and (c) revised, 60 FR 20195, Apr. 25, 1995, effective June 8, 1995; para. (a) revised, 69 FR 56481, Sept. 21, 2004, effective Oct. 21, 2004; para. (a) revised, 78 FR 62368, Oct. 21, 2013]
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-8, 10, and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KIM (Pub. No.: US 2017/0047759; cited on IDS with date 5/12/2023; cited in previous office action).
Regarding claim 1, KIM discloses a battery management communication system (¶ 0019: an energy storage system (ESS) includes: a plurality of battery packs connected to each other in series; a master communicator configured to output a first data signal via a current path along the plurality of battery packs; and a controller configured to control the master communicator to output the first data signal, wherein each of the plurality of battery packs includes: a battery including at least one battery cell; a slave communicator connected to the current path to detect the first data signal; and a battery management system (BMS) configured to receive the first data signal from the slave communicator, and to control an operation of the battery according to the first data signal) comprising:
a control unit (500, Fig. 3) configured to receive information from each of a plurality of battery cells (¶ 0072: Each of the batteries 210 and 310 includes at least one battery cell; ¶ 0078: BMSs 220 and 320 monitor states of the batteries 210 and 310, and transmits results of the monitoring to the slave communication units 230 and 330, respectively. The slave communication units 230 and 330 may receive the results of the monitoring of the batteries 210 and 310, and may generate second data signals respectively including information about the states of the batteries 210 and 310; ¶ 0079: second data signals generated by the slave communication units 230 and 330 may be output to the current path and transmitted to the master communication unit 400. The second data signals may be transmitted to the control unit 500 via the master communication unit 400), the battery cells configured to be coupled together in series (¶ 0084: the plurality of battery packs are connected in series to each other), and wherein the control unit is further configured to generate instructions to control the plurality of battery cells (¶ 0069: master communication unit 400 outputs a first data signal via a current path that is formed along the plurality of battery packs 200 and 300. The control unit 500 controls the master communication unit 400 to output the first data signal; ¶ 0073: first data signal may include…control signals for the batteries 210 and 310);
a plurality of segment communication units comprising at least a first segment communication unit (230, Fig. 3) and a second segment communication unit (330, Fig. 3; ¶ 0071: first battery pack 200 and the second battery pack 300 include the batteries 210 and 310, the slave communication units 230 and 330, and the BMSs 220 and 320, respectively);
wherein the first segment communication unit (230) is configured to provide for communication between the control unit (500) and a first cell group (210, Fig. 3; ¶ 0078: BMSs 220 and 320 monitor states of the batteries 210 and 310, and transmits results of the monitoring to the slave communication units 230 and 330, respectively. The slave communication units 230 and 330 may receive the results of the monitoring of the batteries 210 and 310, and may generate second data signals respectively including information about the states of the batteries 210 and 310; ¶ 0079: The second data signals generated by the slave communication units 230 and 330 may be output to the current path and transmitted to the master communication unit 400. The second data signals may be transmitted to the control unit 500 via the master communication unit 400), the first cell group comprising two or more of the plurality of battery cells (¶ 0072: see above) and wherein the first segment communication unit is configured to receive the information from and provide the instructions to at least one battery charge controller (220, Fig. 3) configured to individually control the charge of, and collect said information from, said two or more of the plurality of battery cells in the first cell group (¶ 0072: BMSs 220 and 320 receive the first data signal from the slave communication units 230 and 330, and control operations of the batteries 210 and 310 in response to the received first data signal; ¶ 0078: BMSs 220 and 320 monitor states of the batteries 210 and 310, and transmits results of the monitoring to the slave communication units 230 and 330, respectively); and
wherein the second segment communication unit (330) is configured to provide for communication between the control unit (500) and a second cell group (310, Fig. 3; ¶ 0078: see above; ¶ 0079: see above), the second cell group comprising two or more of the plurality of battery cells different to those of the first cell group (¶ 0072: see above) and wherein the first segment communication unit is configured to receive the information from and provide the instructions to at least one battery charge controller (320, Fig. 3) configured to individually control the charge of, and collect said information from, said two or more of the plurality of battery cells in the second cell group (¶ 0072: see above; ¶ 0078: see above); and
a main communication unit (400, Fig. 3) configured to couple to the control unit and the plurality of segment communication units (¶ 0079: second data signals generated by the slave communication units 230 and 330 may be output to the current path and transmitted to the master communication unit 400. The second data signals may be transmitted to the control unit 500 via the master communication unit 400);
wherein said information from each of a plurality of battery cells is configured to be received by the control unit:
from the at least one battery charge controller of the first cell group via the first segment communication unit and the main communication unit (¶ 0078: see above; ¶ 0079: see above); and
from the at least one battery charge controller of the second cell group via the second segment communication unit and the main communication unit (¶ 0078: see above; ¶ 0079: see above); and
wherein said instructions configured to be generated by the control unit are:
provided to the at least one battery charge controller of the first cell group via the main communication unit and the first segment communication unit (¶ 0069: see above; ¶ 0073: see above); and
provided to the at least one battery charge controller of the second cell group via the main communication unit and the second segment communication unit (¶ 0069: see above; ¶ 0073: see above);
wherein the first segment communication unit (230) includes a first set of communication lines to communicate with said at least one battery charge controller of the first group (220; ¶ 0065: BMS 120 and the power line communication unit 130 may communicate with each other via a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) technique; ¶ 0066: BMS 120 and the power line communication unit 130 may communicate with each other via the SPI technique, but the interface technique is not limited to the SPI technique. For example, the BMS 120 and the power line communication unit 130 may communicate with each other via any suitable communication interface technique including an Inter Interface Circuit (I2C) technique; one of ordinary skill would recognize SPI and I2C each includes a “set of communication lines”), said first set of communication lines coupled (the term “coupled” is not interpreted as directly connected, but rather is interpreted as joined, linked, or connected either directly or indirectly through intermediate components), respectively, to a first-group-positive node (labeled “+” in Fig. 3) and a first-group-negative node (labeled “-” in Fig. 3), wherein the first-group-positive node is configured to couple to a positive power output terminal of the first group of battery cells and wherein the first-group-negative node is configured to couple to a negative power output terminal of the first group of battery cells (the ends of battery cell group 210 are the positive and negative power output terminals); and
wherein the second segment communication unit (330) includes a first set of communication lines to communicate with said at least one battery charge controller of the second group (320; ¶ 0065-0066: see above), said first set of communication lines configured to couple, respectively, to a second-group-positive node (labeled “+” in Fig. 3) and a second-group-negative node (labeled “-” in Fig. 3), wherein the second-group-positive node is configured to couple to a positive power output terminal of the second group of battery cells and wherein the second-group-negative node is configured to couple to a negative power output terminal of the second group of battery cells (the ends of battery cell group 310 are the positive and negative power output terminals).
Regarding claim 4, KIM discloses the at least one battery charge controller of the first group comprises a single battery charge controller (220, Fig. 3) having connections to positive and negative terminals of each of the battery cells of the first group; and wherein the at least one battery charge controller of the second group comprises a single battery charge controller (320, Fig. 3) having connections to positive and negative terminals of each of the battery cells of the second group; and wherein communication between the single battery charge controller of the first group and the first segment communication unit is via said first set of communication lines of the first segment communication unit; and wherein communication between the single battery charge controller of the second group and the second segment communication unit is via said first set of communication lines of the second segment communication unit (¶ 0056-0058).
Regarding claim 5, KIM discloses at least one of the first segment communication unit and the second segment communication unit are configured to communicate with said main communication unit, to convey said information and said instructions, via a power line, wherein said power line comprises wiring that is configured to couple the plurality of battery cells to a load (¶ 0035, 0054, 0085-0089).
Regarding claim 6, KIM discloses at least one of the first segment communication unit and the second segment communication unit are configured to communicate with said main communication unit to convey said information and said instruction via a communication line separate from a power line that comprises wiring that couples the plurality of battery cells to a load (¶ 0086-0089: the example of Figure 5 shows that the “second data signal” is conveyed via a “communication line” that is separate from a “power line”, e.g., the “power line” being the line connecting element 400 to the positive node “+” of element 1000, the positive node “+” located on the right side of Figure 3).
Regarding claim 7, KIM discloses the first segment communication unit includes a second set of communication lines, separate from the first set of communication lines, to communicate with said main communication unit, wherein at least one communication line of the second set of communication lines is coupled to a first power line node of a power line, wherein said power line comprises wiring that is configured to couple the plurality of battery cells to a load (¶ 0035, 0054, 0085-0089).
Regarding claim 8, KIM discloses the second set of communication lines comprises a first communication line and a second communication line, wherein the first communication line comprises the at least one communication line coupled to the first power line node, wherein said second communication line is coupled to the second segment communication unit (¶ 0035, 0054, 0085-0089).
Regarding claim 10, KIM discloses said second communication line is coupled to the second segment communication unit via the first-group-negative node (¶ 0085-0089).
Regarding claim 12, KIM discloses said information from each of a plurality of battery cells comprises one or more of: state of charge information indicative of the state of charge of each battery cell; voltage information indicative of the voltage across each battery cell; current information indicative of one or both of a current into or out of each battery cell; cell temperature information indicative of the temperature of each battery cell (¶ 0018, 0027, 0050).
Regarding claim 13, KIM discloses said instructions generated by the control unit are configured to be addressed by the main communication unit such that each of said instructions is routed to the at least one battery charge controller associated with an individual cell via the segment communication unit of which the individual cell is part (¶ 0075-0077).
Regarding claim 14, KIM discloses each of the plurality of segment communication units are configured to, on receipt of one of said instructions from the control unit, determine whether or not the instruction is addressed to an individual battery cell of the cell group associated with the segment communication unit and, based on said determination being indicative that the individual battery cell of the cell group is associated with the segment communication unit, forward the instruction to the battery charge controller associated with said individual battery cell (¶ 0075-0077).
Regarding claim 15, KIM discloses a electrically powered vehicle or energy storage system including the battery management communication system of claim 1 (¶ 0035-0040, 0068-0069).
Regarding claim 16, KIM discloses the at least one battery charge controller of the first cell group and the at least one battery charge controller of the second cell group are part of the battery management communication system (¶ 0068-0072).
Regarding claim 17, KIM discloses the at least one battery charge controller of the first cell group and the at least one battery charge controller of the second cell group are part of the plurality of battery cells that couple to the battery management communication system (¶ 0050, 0054, 0070).
Regarding claim 18, KIM discloses plurality of battery cells comprise electrochemical battery cells (¶ 0052).
Regarding claim 19, KIM discloses the segment communication units are coupled with the main communication unit in a loop for communication (¶ 0086-0089).
Regarding claim 20, KIM discloses an energy storage system including the battery management communication system of claim 1 (¶ 0035-0040, 0068-0069).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM as applied to claims 1, 4-8, 10, and 12-20 above, and further in view of ERHART (EP3471186; cited on IDS with date 5/12/2023; copy provided by Applicant; cited in previous office action).
Regarding claim 3, KIM discloses the battery management communication system as applied to claim 1, but fails to disclose the at least one battery charge controller of the first group comprises a plurality of battery charge controllers, each of which being integrated with a respective one of the battery cells of the first group, and wherein the first segment communication unit is configured to communicate with said plurality of battery charge controllers via the first set of communication lines; wherein the at least one battery charge controller of the second group comprises a plurality of battery charge controllers, each of which being integrated with a respective one of the battery cells of the second group, and wherein the second segment communication unit is configured to communicate with said plurality of battery charge controllers via the first set of communication lines.
ERHART discloses the at least one battery charge controller of the first group comprises a plurality of battery charge controllers (70, Fig. 2), each of which being integrated with a respective one of the battery cells of the first group (10, Fig. 2), and wherein the first segment communication unit (90, Fig. 2) is configured to communicate with said plurality of battery charge controllers via the first set of communication lines (¶ 0036-0037). Providing a battery charge controller for a respective battery cell as disclosed in ERHART for the plurality of groups of KIM teaches the recitations the at least one battery charge controller of the second group comprises a plurality of battery charge controllers, each of which being integrated with a respective one of the battery cells of the second group, and wherein the second segment communication unit is configured to communicate with said plurality of battery charge controllers via the first set of communication lines.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the plurality of battery charge controllers each corresponding to a respective battery cell of ERHART into the battery management communication system of KIM to produce an expected result of a battery management communication system including a plurality of battery charge controllers each corresponding to a respective battery cell. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to provide superior monitoring, protection, and/or cell balancing.
Claim(s) 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM as applied to claims 1, 4-8, 10, and 12-20 above, and further in view of SAKAI (US Pub. No. 2010/0111201; cited in previous office action).
Regarding claim 9, KIM discloses the battery management communication system as applied to claim 8, but fails to disclose the system includes an inductor between the first power line node and the first-group-positive node.
SAKAI discloses the system includes an inductor (26/L1, Fig. 3A) between [a first node] and [a second node] (inductor L1, which is part of element 26 in Figure 1, is located between nodes 18 and 28 as shown in Fig. 1; ¶ 0038-0039 discloses the inductor prevents a power line communication signal from propagating to an undesired part of the circuit). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the inductor of SAKAI between the first power line node and the first-group-positive node of SAKAI for similar purposes/functionality.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the inductor of SAKAI into the battery management communication system of KIM to produce an expected result of a battery management communication system including an inductor. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to control the propagation of the power line communication signals (SAKAI, ¶ 0004-0009) within the battery management communication system of KIM.
Regarding claim 11, KIM discloses the battery management communication system as applied to claim 8, but fails to disclose the system includes an inductor between the first-group-negative node and the second-group-positive node.
SAKAI discloses the system includes an inductor (26/L1, Fig. 3A) between [a first node] and [a second node] (inductor L1, which is part of element 26 in Figure 1, is located between nodes 18 and 28 as shown in Fig. 1; ¶ 0038-0039 discloses the inductor prevents a power line communication signal from propagating to an undesired part of the circuit). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the inductor of SAKAI between the first-group-negative node and the second-group-positive node of SAKAI for similar purposes / functionality.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the inductor of SAKAI into the battery management communication system of KIM to produce an expected result of a battery management communication system including an inductor. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to control the propagation of the power line communication signals (SAKAI, ¶ 0004-0009) within the battery management communication system of KIM.
Conclusion
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 MANUEL HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9a-5p ET.
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, Drew Dunn can be reached at (571) 272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Manuel Hernandez/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 8/17/2026
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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