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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-6, 8-13, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Bouman et al. (US 2013/0049677 A1).
Re Claim 1: Bouman teaches a charge system for a vehicle (see 100, 300, 302 fig.1, 5 para 0029), comprising: a charge port including a plurality of terminals (see para 0023-0026; para 0025 at least three contacts for AC power and pair for DC power); and a switch arrangement operable to, as a result of an AC power source being electrically connected with the terminals(see 301, 302, 303, 200, AC/DC fig.1, 100 fig.4 para 0029-0031, 0048-0050, 0065-0066) The switch couples the power input from the connector 200 to the charger 302 when there is an AC input, and directly 303 to the battery when there is a DC input(para 0048)) , configure the terminals to pass three-phase AC current for an onboard charger of the vehicle (see fig.6 para 0023-0026, 0064-0066), the power may be AC, multiphase AC or DC. The charge controller knows (via a vehicle communication system or some other information source, such as a detection system) whether AC or DC power is on the line. When AC current is supplied, the power bus of the system is disconnected from the power selector (and thus from the charger) and the On-Board charger is switched on by the charge controller. If DC power is supplied to the connector, the on-board charger is switched off and the DC power is routed straight to the vehicles power bus. In some cases, the on-board charger can be connected to the connector at all times, because it can handle DC power on its input or even in some situations operate with DC on its input (para 0065). and as a result of a DC power source being connected with some of the terminals, configure the some of the terminals to pass DC current for a traction battery of the vehicle (see fig.5-6 para 0026, 0030-0031, 0049, 0065-0066) The switch 301 detects if DC power is available for example by communicating with the switch 103 and can reroute the connection directly to the battery 303. The switch 103 detects if a switch 301 is present (by communication) and can provide DC power if applicable (para 0049), of which two pairs of contacts are dimensioned such that a DC power can be fed through them. For delivering AC power, three of the four contacts are used (para 0026)).
Re Claim 8: Bouman teaches a vehicle (see 300 fig.1 para 0029, 0048); comprising: a traction battery (see 303 fig.5 para 0029, 0048); an onboard charger (see 302 fig.5 para 0029, 0048); a charge port including a plurality of power terminals (see fig.1 200 para 0023-0026, 0047; at least three contacts for AC power and pair for DC power (para 0025)); and a controller programmed to selectively configure the power terminals to receive three-phase AC power for the onboard charger from an AC power source connected with the charge port (see fig.6 para 0023-0026, 0031, 0064-0066; he charge controller knows (via a vehicle communication system or some other information source, such as a detection system) whether AC or DC power is on the line. When AC current is supplied, the power bus of the system is disconnected from the power selector (and thus from the charger) and the On-Board charger is switched on by the charge controller (see para 0065)); and configure some but not all of the power terminals to receive DC power for the traction battery from a DC power source connected with the charge port (see fig.5-6 para 0026, 0030-0031, 0049, 0065-0066) The switch 301 detects if DC power is available for example by communicating with the switch 103 and can reroute the connection directly to the battery 303. The switch 103 detects if a switch 301 is present (by communication) and can provide DC power if applicable (para 0049), of which two pairs of contacts are dimensioned such that a DC power can be fed through them. For delivering AC power, three of the four contacts are used (para 0026)).
Re Claim 15: Bouman teaches a method (see fig.6 para 0030-0031, 0065-0066); comprising: responsive to an AC power source being connected to a charge port of a vehicle, establishing direct electrical paths between power terminals of the charge port and an onboard charger of the vehicle(see fig.6 para 0023-0026, 0031, 0064-0066; he charge controller knows (via a vehicle communication system or some other information source, such as a detection system) whether AC or DC power is on the line. When AC current is supplied, the power bus of the system is disconnected from the power selector (and thus from the charger) and the On-Board charger is switched on by the charge controller (see para 0065)); and responsive to a DC power source being connected to the charge port, establishing direct electrical paths between the power terminals and a traction battery of the vehicle (see fig.5-6 para 0026, 0030-0031, 0049, 0065-0066) The switch 301 detects if DC power is available for example by communicating with the switch 103 and can reroute the connection directly to the battery 303. The switch 103 detects if a switch 301 is present (by communication) and can provide DC power if applicable (para 0049), of which two pairs of contacts are dimensioned such that a DC power can be fed through them. For delivering AC power, three of the four contacts are used (para 0026)).
Re Claim 2: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the switch arrangement includes first switches configured to close to complete first electrical paths between the some of the terminals and the onboard charger (see 301, 200, 302 fig.1, 5 para 0048).
Re Claim 3: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the switch arrangement includes second switches configured to close to complete second electrical paths between the some of the terminals and the traction battery (see 301, 303, fig.5 para 0048-0050, fig.2-4 100 para 0050).
Re Claim 4: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches further comprising a controller programmed to selectively open and close the first and second switches such that the first switches are closed and second switches are open when the AC power source is electrically connected with the terminals (see 301, 304 fig.5 para 0030-0031, 0048, fig.4 412 para 0055).
Re Claim 5: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the controller is further programmed to selectively open and close the first and second switches such that the first switches are open and the second switches are closed when the DC power source is electrically connected with the some of the terminals (see 301, 304 fig.5 para 0030-0031, 0048, fig.4 412, 100 para 0050, 0055).
Re Claim 6: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein one of the first electrical paths defines a neutral connection and another of the first electrical paths defines a line connection (see 200, 302, fig.5 para 0064-0065, AC charging inheriently includes line and neutral conductors forming electrical paths).
Re Claim 9: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches further comprising switches configured to be closed by the controller to complete electrical paths between the some of the power terminals and the onboard charger while the AC power source is connected with the charge port (see 200, 301, 302, 304 fig.5 para 0030-0031, 0048).
Re Claim 10: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the electrical paths respectively define a neutral connection and a line connection (see 200, 301, 302, fig.5 para 0064-0065 AC charging inheriently includes line and neutral conductors forming electrical paths).
Re Claim 11: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches further comprising switches configured to be closed by the controller to complete electrical paths between the some of the power terminals and the traction battery while the DC power source is connected with the charge port. (see 200, 301, 302, 304 fig.5 para 0030-0031, control routes SC to battery , 0048).
Re Claim 12: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches further comprising a switch arrangement configured to selectively establish electrical paths between the some of the power terminals and traction battery, and the some of the power terminals and onboard charger (see 200, 301, 302, 303 fig.5 0048 switch couples input to charger for AC or directly to battery for DC).
Re Claim 13: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the charge port further includes communication terminals (see 0052 vehicle can communicated with station controller through data line, 0027: communication via connector pins or data connection).
Re Claim 16: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman further teaches wherein the direct electrical paths between the power terminals and onboard charger define neutral and line connections (see 200, 301, 302, para 0064-0065 AC Supplied through onboard charger when AC present; AC path inherently define line and neutral conductors).
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.
Claim(s) 7, 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bouman et al. (US 2013/0049677 A1) in view of Storm (US 20140266042 A1).
Re Claim 7,14 and 17: Bouman teaches invention set forth above, Bouman doesn’t expressly teach wherein the charge port is a Combined Charging System Type 1 charge port.
In an analogous art Storm teaches wherein the charge port is a Combined Charging System Type 1 charge port (see para 0026; Ja772 combo CCS type 1 connector).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention was claimed to use the J1772 combo (CCS type 1) connector of 2014/0266042 in the charge system of Bouman to provide standardized interface supporting both AC charging and high-power DC charging in single inlet to ensure interoperability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aqeel H Bukhari whose telephone number is (571)272-4382. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9am to 5pm).
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, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-2727492. 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.
/AQEEL H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2849