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 Objections
Claim 18 objected to because of the following informalities:
As per Claim 18:
Line 4, the period at the end of the line should be a comma.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 7-9, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Najmabadi et al., hereinafter Najmabadi, US Patent No. 10,230,254 in view of Ling et al., hereinafter Ling, US Publication No. 2022/0329195.
Regarding Claim 1, Najmabadi teaches an energy transfer system of a vehicle, comprising:
a multi-winding motor including a first set of windings and a second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 21-26, see electric motor 42 having two sets of windings 52 and 54), the multi-winding motor connected to a battery system (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein the electric motor 42 is connected to a traction battery 46);
a first inverter connected to the first set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 56 connected to a first set of windings 52);
a second inverter connected to the second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 58 connected to a second set of windings 54); and
a controller configured to receive a request for transfer of energy, put the multi-winding motor into a charging mode (Najmabadi Fig. 5 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein a controller operates to put the system into a charging mode), and control the first inverter and the second inverter to control a charging current through the multi-winding motor at a desired power when the multi-winding motor is in a zero-torque condition (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled by the charger to control a charging current when the vehicle is not in a traction mode, i.e. zero torque), wherein the controller is configured to control the charging current through the first inverter and second inverter so that the multi-winding motor functions as a transformer (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 47-59, wherein the electric motor is used as a transformer), the control of the first inverter and the second inverter providing for power transfer between the first set of windings and the second set of windings (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled to provide for the transfer of power between the windings).
Najmabadi does not explicitly teach wherein the controller is configured to control the charging current through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis.
Ling teaches wherein the controller is configured to control the charging current through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis (Ling paragraphs [0047]-[0048], wherein current vectors through the rectifier/inverter are controlled such that the current vectors associated with each set of winding units is symmetrical about the direct axis).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Najmabadi and Ling to because the combination would allow the implementation of the zero torque mode during charging as taught by Najmabadi with the technique of controlling current vectors to be symmetrical such that no torque is produced by an electric motor as taught by Ling, yielding the predictable results of a known technique to implement operational modes to produce desired functionality.
Regarding Claim 7, Najmabadi further teaches a switch configured to selectively connect the first inverter to the battery system (Najmabadi Fig. 7, see switch S4’), the switch configured to be closed when the vehicle is in a propulsion mode (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 21-36, wherein in traction mode, the S4’ switch is closed to connect the battery to the inverter).
Regarding Claim 8, Najmabadi further teaches wherein the charging current is an AC current (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 60-67, wherein the power source is AC), the switch is configured to be open to put the multi-winding motor into the charging mode (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the switch is set to an open position between the battery and inverter and closed between the battery and power source to couple the battery with the power source), and the controlling of the first inverter and the second inverter includes operating the first set of windings and the second set of windings as an isolated transformer to transfer power between the first set of windings and the second set of windings (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled by the controller using the electric motor as a transformer).
Regarding Claim 9, Najmabadi teaches a method of transferring energy to or from a battery system of a vehicle, comprising:
receiving a request for transfer of energy at a controller connected to a charging system of the vehicle (Najmabadi Col. 1, Lines 40-48, wherein a controller operates responsive to a charge mode specification/request), the charging system including a multi-winding motor including a first set of windings and a second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 21-26, see electric motor 42 having two sets of windings 52 and 54), a first inverter connected to the first set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 56 connected to a first set of windings 52), and a second inverter connected to the second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 58 connected to a second set of windings 54), wherein the multi-winding motor is connected to the battery system (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein the electric motor 42 is connected to a traction battery 46);
putting the multi-winding motor into a charging mode (Najmabadi Fig. 5 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein a controller operates to put the system into a charging mode); and
controlling the first inverter and the second inverter to control a charging current through the multi-winding motor at a desired power when the multi-winding motor is in a zero-torque condition (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled by the charger to control a charging current when the vehicle is not in a traction mode, i.e. zero torque), wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that the multi-winding motor functions as a transformer (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 47-59, wherein the electric motor is used as a transformer), the controlling of the first inverter and the second inverter providing for power transfer between the first set of windings and the second set of windings (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled to provide for the transfer of power between the windings).
Najmabadi does not explicitly teach wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis.
Ling teaches wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis (Ling paragraphs [0047]-[0048], wherein current vectors through the rectifier/inverter are controlled such that the current vectors associated with each set of winding units is symmetrical about the direct axis).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Najmabadi and Ling to because the combination would allow the implementation of the zero torque mode during charging as taught by Najmabadi with the technique of controlling current vectors to be symmetrical such that no torque is produced by an electric motor as taught by Ling, yielding the predictable results of a known technique to implement operational modes to produce desired functionality.
Regarding Claim 15, Najmabadi further teaches wherein the charging system includes a switch configured to selectively connect the first inverter to the battery system (Najmabadi Fig. 7, see switch S4’), the switch configured to be closed when the vehicle is in a propulsion mode (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 21-36, wherein in traction mode, the S4’ switch is closed to connect the battery to the inverter).
Regarding Claim 16, Najmabadi further teaches wherein the charging current is an AC current (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 60-67, wherein the power source is AC), and putting the multi-winding motor into the charging mode includes opening the switch (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the switch is set to an open position between the battery and inverter and closed between the battery and power source to couple the battery with the power source), and controlling the first inverter and the second inverter includes operating the first set of windings and the second set of windings as an isolated transformer to transfer power therebetween (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled by the controller using the electric motor as a transformer).
Regarding Claim 17, Najmabadi teaches a vehicle system comprising:
a memory having computer readable instructions (Najmabadi Col. 2, Lines 29-49, see storage media); and
a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions (Najmabadi Col. 2, Lines 29-49, see processing device), the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform a method including:
receiving a request for transfer of energy at a controller connected to a charging system of the vehicle (Najmabadi Col. 1, Lines 40-48, wherein a controller operates responsive to a charge mode specification/request), the charging system including a multi-winding motor including a first set of windings and a second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 21-26, see electric motor 42 having two sets of windings 52 and 54), a first inverter connected to the first set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 56 connected to a first set of windings 52), and a second inverter connected to the second set of windings (Najmabadi Fig. 6, see inverter 58 connected to a second set of windings 54), wherein the multi-winding motor is connected to the battery system (Najmabadi Fig. 6 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein the electric motor 42 is connected to a traction battery 46);
putting the multi-winding motor into a charging mode (Najmabadi Fig. 5 and Col. 5, Lines 36-46, wherein a controller operates to put the system into a charging mode); and
controlling the first inverter and the second inverter to control a charging current through the multi-winding motor at a desired power when the multi-winding motor is in a zero-torque condition (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled by the charger to control a charging current when the vehicle is not in a traction mode, i.e. zero torque), wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that the multi-winding motor functions as a transformer (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 47-59, wherein the electric motor is used as a transformer), the controlling of the first inverter and the second inverter providing for power transfer between the first set of windings and the second set of windings (Najmabadi Col. 5, Lines 36-59, wherein the inverters are controlled to provide for the transfer of power between the windings).
Najmabadi does not explicitly teach wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis.
Ling teaches wherein the charging current is controlled through the first inverter and second inverter so that a first current vector associated with the first set of windings and a second vector associated with the second set of windings are symmetric about a d-axis (Ling paragraphs [0047]-[0048], wherein current vectors through the rectifier/inverter are controlled such that the current vectors associated with each set of winding units is symmetrical about the direct axis).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Najmabadi and Ling to because the combination would allow the implementation of the zero torque mode during charging as taught by Najmabadi with the technique of controlling current vectors to be symmetrical such that no torque is produced by an electric motor as taught by Ling, yielding the predictable results of a known technique to implement operational modes to produce desired functionality.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 10-14, and 18-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 2, the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the following claim limitations:
wherein the controller is configured to control the charging current based on a reference charging current value derived from a calibration of an optimal value of a d-axis current and an optimal value of a q-axis current, the optimal values determined based on a power transfer capability of the multi-winding motor.
Regarding Claim 10, the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the following claim limitations:
wherein the control of the charging current is based on a reference charging current value derived from a calibration of an optimal value of a d-axis current and an optimal value of a q-axis current, the optimal values determined based on a power transfer capability of the multi-winding motor.
Regarding Claim 18, the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the following claim limitations:
wherein the control of the charging current is based on a reference charging current value derived from a calibration of an optimal value of a d-axis current and an optimal value of a q-axis current, the optimal values determined based on a power transfer capability of the multi-winding motor. wherein the reference charging current value is a minimum magnitude of the charging current that can be applied to achieve a desired charging power.
Claims 3-6, 11-14, and 19-20 would be allowable based on their dependency to Claims 2, 10, and 18, respectively, for the reasons stated above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC D LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7098. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday.
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, Jack Chiang can be reached at 571-272-7483. 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.
/ERIC D LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851
Prosecution Insights