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 .
1. Claims 1-20 have been presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. Acknowledgement is made to the information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/12/2024. The information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
3. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (DE 10 2014 107 153 A1), hereinafter Zhao, the examiner referencing the provided machine translation included in the IDS, filed 4/12/2024.
Regarding claim 1, Zhao discloses a charging system comprising:
a mobile charging apparatus (28 – movable charging device) including a charging plug (52 – end effector) configured to connect to a charging port (160 – vehicle charging plug/receptacle) of a vehicle (12 - vehicle) for charging a battery in the vehicle [0028, 0032, 0052, & 0053]; and
a control module (34 – charging controller) in communication with the mobile charging apparatus [0029 & 0039], the control module configured to:
receive a charging request signal from a vehicle control module of the vehicle or a user device [0039-0041];
in response to receiving the charging request signal, determine a location of the charging port of the vehicle [0039, 0043, & 0046]; and
control the mobile charging apparatus to move adjacent to the charging port of the vehicle based on the determined location of the charging port [0039, 0043, 0045, & 0046].
Regarding claim 2, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein: the mobile charging apparatus includes a movable arm connected to the charging plug; the movable arm includes at least one actuator; and the control module is configured to control the at least one actuator to align the charging plug with the charging port of the vehicle [0036-0038 & Figs. 3 & 4].
Regarding claim 3, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 2, wherein: the movable arm includes a sensor positioned adjacent to the charging plug; the sensor is configured to detect a user input applied to the charging plug when a user moves the charging plug; and the control module is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the user input and control the at least one actuator to move the charging plug based on the received signal [0039-0042].
Regarding claim 4, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 3, wherein the user input includes at least one of a torque and a force applied to the charging plug [0034, 0036, & 0040-0042].
Regarding claim 5, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: receive vehicle data from the vehicle control module or the user device; and determine the location of the charging port of the vehicle based on the vehicle data [0039, 0043, & 0046].
Regarding claim 6, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor in communication with the control module, the at least one sensor configured to detect the location of the charging port of the vehicle, wherein the control module is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor indicative of the detected location and determine the location of the charging port of the vehicle based on the received signal [0039-0042 & 0046-0049].
Regarding claim 7, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to transmit a confirmation request signal including the determined location of the charging port to the vehicle control module or the user device, thereby prompting a user to confirm the determined location of the charging port [0039-0042].
Regarding claim 8, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: receive a battery charge status signal from the vehicle control module when the charging plug is connected to the charging port of the vehicle; and transmit a disconnection request signal to the vehicle control module or the user device in response to the received battery charge status signal, thereby prompting a user to disconnect the charging plug from the charging port of the vehicle [0034-0036, 0039, & 0051].
Regarding claim 9, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to: receive a confirmation disconnection signal from the vehicle control module or the user device based on user input; and control the mobile charging apparatus to move away from the vehicle in response to the confirmation disconnection signal [0034-0036, 0039, & 0051].
Regarding claim 10, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: receive a battery charge status signal from the vehicle control module when the charging plug is connected to the charging port of the vehicle; and control the mobile charging apparatus to disconnect the charging plug from the charging port in response to the received battery charge status signal [0038-0042 & 0051].
Regarding claim 11, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to control movement of the mobile charging apparatus based on user input received from the vehicle control module or the user device [0039, 0043, 0045, & 0046].
Regarding claim 12, Zhao discloses a method of controlling a mobile charging apparatus (28 – movable charging device), the mobile charging apparatus including a charging plug (52 – end effector) configured to connect to a charging port (160 – vehicle charging plug/receptacle) of a vehicle (12 - vehicle) for charging a battery in the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving a charging request signal from a vehicle control module of the vehicle or a user device [0039-0041];
in response to receiving the charging request signal, determining a location of the charging port of the vehicle [0039, 0043, & 0046]; and
controlling the mobile charging apparatus to move adjacent to the charging port of the vehicle based on the determined location of the charging port [0039, 0043, 0045, & 0046].
Regarding claim 13, Zhao discloses the method of claim 12, wherein: the mobile charging apparatus includes a movable arm connected to the charging plug; the movable arm includes at least one actuator; and the method further comprises controlling the at least one actuator to align the charging plug with the charging port of the vehicle [0036-0038 & Figs. 3 & 4].
Regarding claim 14, Zhao discloses the method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving a signal from a sensor positioned adjacent to the charging plug, the signal indicative of a user input applied to the charging plug when a user moves the charging plug; and controlling the at least one actuator to move the charging plug based on the received signal [0039-0042].
Regarding claim 15, Zhao discloses the method of claim 12, wherein determining the location of the charging port of the vehicle includes receiving vehicle data from the vehicle control module or the user device and determining the location of the charging port based on the vehicle data [0039, 0043, & 0046].
Regarding claim 16, Zhao discloses the method of claim 12, wherein determining the location of the charging port of the vehicle includes receiving a signal from at least one sensor indicative of a detected location of the charging port and determining the location of the charging port based on the received signal [0039-0042 & 0046-0049].
Regarding claim 17, Zhao discloses the method of claim 12, further comprising: receiving a confirmation disconnection signal from the vehicle control module or the user device based on user input; and controlling the mobile charging apparatus to move away from the vehicle in response to the confirmation disconnection signal [0034-0036, 0039, & 0051].
Regarding claim 18, Zhao discloses the method of claim 12, further comprising: receiving a battery charge status signal from the vehicle control module of the vehicle when the charging plug is connected to the charging port of the vehicle; and controlling the mobile charging apparatus to disconnect the charging plug from the charging port in response to the received battery charge status signal [0038-0042 & 0051].
Regarding claim 19, Zhao discloses a charging system comprising:
a mobile charging apparatus (28 – movable charging device) including a movable arm and a charging plug (52 – end effector) connected to the movable arm, the movable arm including at least one actuator, the charging plug configured to connect to a charging port (160 – vehicle charging plug/receptacle) of a vehicle (12 - vehicle) for charging a battery in the vehicle; and
a control module (34 – charging controller) in communication with the mobile charging apparatus [0029 & 0039], the control module configured to:
receive vehicle data from a vehicle control module of the vehicle [0039-0041];
determine a location of the charging port of the vehicle based on the vehicle data [0039, 0043, & 0046];
control the mobile charging apparatus to move adjacent to the charging port of the vehicle based on the determined location of the charging port [0039, 0043, 0045, & 0046]; and
control the at least one actuator to align the charging plug with the charging port of the vehicle [0039, 0043, 0045, & 0046].
Regarding claim 20, Zhao discloses the charging system of claim 19, wherein: the movable arm includes a sensor positioned adjacent to the charging plug; the sensor is configured to detect a user input applied to the charging plug when a user moves the charging plug; and the control module is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the user input and control the at least one actuator to move the charging plug based on the received signal [0039-0042].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAULTEP SAVUSDIPHOL whose telephone number is (571)270-1301. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F,7-3 EST. If the examiner cannot be reached by telephone, he can be reached through the following email address: paultep.savusdiphol@uspto.gov
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone and email are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael G. Lee can be reached on (571) 272-2398. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAULTEP SAVUSDIPHOL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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