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 § 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 and 3-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamazaki US 20210354803.
Regarding claim 1, Yamazaki discloses a fully integrated compact power module, comprising:
a housing [housing of cabinet 1];
a battery system [battery 53] disposed in the housing and configured to selectively supply electrical power to at least one component or system [par. 0059], the battery system comprising one or more batteries or battery packs [par. 0037]; and
a fuel agnostic generator [AC generator 51] disposed in the housing, the fuel agnostic generator coupled to the battery system and being adjacent to the one or more batteries or battery packs, the fuel agnostic generator further configured to selectively burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power to charge the battery system [pars. 0046, 0056].
Regarding claim 3, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more inlets that allow airflow into the housing [par. 0035], one or more outlets that allow the airflow to escape from the housing, and one or more exhaust outlets, wherein the one or more inlets are oriented towards a primary direction of travel, and wherein the one or more outlets are disposed on a different side of the housing from the one or more inlets [par. 0056].
Regarding claim 4, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more electrical ports through which the battery system supplies the electrical power, the fuel agnostic generator supplies the generated electrical power, or a combination thereof to at least one component or system [par. 0050].
Regarding claim 5, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, wherein the battery system comprises a battery management controller configured to selectively control an amount of the electrical power supplied from the one or more batteries or battery packs, the battery management controller being disposed in the housing [par. 0050, ECU 61].
Regarding claim 6, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, wherein the battery system comprises a battery cooling system to regulate a temperature of the one or more batteries or battery packs [par. 0037].
Regarding claim 7, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 6, wherein the battery cooling system comprises one or more battery cooling heat exchangers [par. 0037, 0048].
Regarding claim 8, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, wherein the battery system is configured to supply the electrical power to at least one component [par. 0059] or system of the vehicle [vehicle claimed in the alternative], at least one component or system independent of the vehicle through the one or more electrical ports, or a combination thereof.
Regarding claim 9, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of fuel agnostic generators disposed in the housing, coupled to the battery system, and configured to burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power to charge the battery system [Fig. 1, three generators shown. Pars. 0031, 0032].
Regarding claim 10, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, further comprising: a cooling system coupled to the fuel agnostic generator and configured to regulate an operating temperature of the fuel agnostic generator [par. 0037].
Regarding claim 11, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 10, wherein the cooling system comprises one or more heat exchangers configured to expel heat generated by the combustion of the one or more fuels by the fuel agnostic generator [par. 0037, 0048].
Regarding claim 12, Yamazaki discloses the fully integrated compact power module of claim 1, further comprising: a system controller that executes instructions to control operation of the fully integrated compact power module [par. 0050, ECU 61].
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2, 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki, US 20210354803 in view of She, US 20210194258.
Regarding claims 13, 2, 14, Yamazaki discloses a system
one or more fully integrated compact power modules [Figs. 1, 2A cabinet 1, par. 0034], each fully integrated compact power module comprising: a housing [housing of cabinet 1];
a battery system [battery 53] disposed in the housing and configured to selectively supply electrical power to at least one component [par. 0059] or system of the vehicle [vehicle claimed in the alternative], at least one component or system independent of the vehicle, or a combination thereof, the battery system comprising one or more batteries or battery packs [par. 0037]; and
a fuel agnostic generator [AC generator 51] disposed in the housing [par. 0034], coupled to the battery system, and configured to selectively burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power to charge the battery system [pars. 0046, 0056].
Yamazaki is silent regarding the use of cabinet 1 on a vehicle.
She discloses the use of power generation and battery for a truck [abstract, Fig. 1].
Yamazaki and She are analogous power generation means for supplying power to loads.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize Yamazaki’s power generation system in cabinet 1 mounted on She’s truck (Fig. 1) for the benefit of offering additional/ redundant power for refrigeration needs onboard the truck [e.g., see She, par. 0003].
Regarding claims 15-20, Yamazaki discloses all limitations as recited (see similarly corresponding claims rejected above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272- 8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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 contacted at 571-272-2312. 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.
RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859