DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This is in response to an amendment/response filed on 7/8/2026
Hereon, claims 1-17 are currently pending; claims 1-17 are rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi et al, (Choi US 20210008994).
As for claim 1, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 7 and 8 a charge system comprising: electric vehicle supply equipment including a pair of mechanical couplers (ref’s first connector and second connector) on opposite ends thereof each configured to mechanically engage with a charge port of a vehicle and a pair of electrical couplers each configured to electrically connect with a vehicle such that a pair of vehicles can exchange power, and a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting a difference between voltages (via ref’s proximity voltage) associated with the electrical couplers, cause a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change to signal one of the pair of vehicles to discontinue (via ref’s disconnected state) providing power (par.0088-0097,0101-0106]).
As for claim 2, Choi discloses and shows in Fig. 1 the electric vehicle supply
equipment includes a switch and wherein causing the voltage associated with one of the
electrical couplers to change includes closing the switch.
As for claim 3, Choi discloses and shows in Fig. 1 the electric vehicle supply
equipment includes a voltage source, and wherein closing the switch connects the voltage source to the one of the electrical couplers.
As for claim 4, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 1,4 mechanical couplers each include a latch (implied via hardware configuration) and wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment is configured such that the voltages associated with the electrical couplers is same while the latches are mechanically engaged with respective charge ports of the pair of vehicles.
As for claim 5, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 1,4 equipment is configured such that disengagement of the latch results in a change in voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers.
As for claim 6, Choi discloses and shows in Fig. 1 the change is in increase in
voltage.
As for claim 7, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 7 and 8 a method comprising: responsive to detecting (via ref’s proximity voltage) a difference between voltages associated with electrical couplers (ref’s first connector and second connector), on opposite ends of electric vehicle supply equipment, that are each configured to electrically connect with a vehicle such that a pair of vehicles can exchange power via the electric vehicle supply equipment, causing a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change to signal one of the pair of vehicles to discontinue (via ref’s disconnected state) providing power (par.0088-0097,0101-0106]).
As for claim 8, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 7 and 8 the causing includes closing a switch of the electric vehicle supply equipment.
As for claim 9, Choi discloses the causing includes connecting a voltage
source of the electric vehicle supply equipment to the one of the electrical couplers.
As for claim 10, Choi discloses voltages are same while latches on the
opposite ends of the electric vehicle supply equipment are engaged with charge ports of the pair of vehicles.
As for claim 11, Choi discloses responsive to disengagement of one of the
latches, changing a voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers.
As for claim 12, Choi discloses the changing is increasing the voltage.
As for claim 13, Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 7 and 8 Electric vehicle supply equipment comprising: a cord set including a pair of mechanical couplers (ref’s first connector and second connector) configured to mechanically engage charge ports of vehicles and circuitry configured to electrically connect with the vehicles to permit the vehicles to power exchange, a power source, and a controller programmed selectively electrically connect the power source to some of the circuitry based on whether voltages (via ref’s proximity voltage) associated with the circuitry are same (par.0088-0097,0101-0106]).
As for claim 14, Choi discloses and shows each of the mechanical couplers includes a latch and wherein the cord set is configured such that disengagement of one of the latches results in a change in at least one of the voltages.
As for claim 15, Choi discloses and shows the change is an increase.
As for claim 16, Choi discloses and shows the voltages are same during the power exchange.
As for claim 17, Choi discloses and shows comprising a switch, wherein selectively electrically connecting the power source to some of the circuitry includes selectively closing the switch.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/8/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicants’ argument that
Choi does not compare the two coupler voltages to each other and does not determine whether those two voltages differ from one another. The claimed detection of a difference between voltages associated with the electrical couplers is therefore missing
Choi also fails to disclose the claimed signaling step
The examiner respectfully disagree and submits,
I & II Choi discloses and shows in Figs. 7 and 8 a charge system comprising: electric vehicle supply equipment including a pair of mechanical couplers (ref’s first connector and second connector) on opposite ends thereof each configured to mechanically engage with a charge port of a vehicle and a pair of electrical couplers each configured to electrically connect with a vehicle such that a pair of vehicles can exchange power, and a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting a difference between voltages (via ref’s proximity voltage) associated with the electrical couplers, cause a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change to signal one of the pair of vehicles to discontinue (via ref’s disconnected state) providing power (par.0088-0097,0101-0106]). Furthermore, Choi discloses compare the two coupler voltages (ref’s first connector and second connector) and signaling step (via ref’s controller) (par.0088-0097)
For at least the reasons provided above, the applicant arguments regarding independent claims are not persuasive. The applicant argues that dependent claims are patentable for similar reasons and are also not persuasive. The applicant further argues that since dependent claims depend on the argued independent claim; they are patentable at least by virtue of their dependencies. Since the applicant's arguments regarding independent claims are not persuasive, the applicant's arguments regarding dependent claims are also not persuasive.
Accordingly, the rejection is still proper and thus maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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