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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 2021106812703, filed on 06/18/2021 in China.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed on 09/25/2023; 12/06/2023; 12/31/2024; and 07/16/2025 have been considered and made of record.
Oath/Declaration
The oath/declaration filed on 09/25/2023 is acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: in claims 2 and 17, a period should add at the end of the paragraph(s). Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okazaki et al. [US 2019/0115848].
Regarding claim 1, Okazaki et al. disclose a vehicle controller (1, figures 1-8), comprising:
a box (2, figures 1-3A, 4 and 7);
a control board (at least one control board disposed within a controller 50 and/or 70, figures 1-2) mounted in the box, the control board comprising a communication module, a vehicle control module (paragraphs 0029-0032), a charging control module (40, figures 1-2), and a motor control module (22 & 25, figures 1-2), the vehicle control module controlling operations of a vehicle according to signals of the communication module;
a driver board (21, figures 1-2) mounted in the box, the control board being connected to the driver board, and the motor control module controlling a motor of the vehicle through the driver board (figure 1); and
an on-off switch (60, figure 1, paragraph 0027) mounted in the box and connected to the control board, the on-off switch having an input end and an output end (a plurality of connecting lines connects to the on/off switch 60, figures 1-2), the charging control module controlling on-off of the input end and the output end (a signal line 62/55 connected between the on/off switch and the charging controller 40, figure 1), the output end being connected to an energy storage member of the vehicle (51, figure 2), and the input end being connected to a charging cable of the energy storage member (5, figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Okazaki et al., disclose wherein the input end is connected to a positive charging bar (61a, figure 1) and a negative charging bar (61b, figure 1), a positive pole of the charging cable is connected to the positive charging bar, a negative pole of the charging cable is connected to the negative charging bar, and the charging cable passes through the box (figure 1); and the output end is connected to a positive direct current bar (a “+” terminal connect to the battery 5, figure 1 ) and a negative direct current bar (a “-“ terminal connect to the battery 5, figure 1), a direct current plug connector is mounted on the box and is exposed from the box, the positive direct current bar and the negative direct current bar are connected to a first end of the direct current plug connector, and a second end of the direct current plug connector is connected to the energy storage member (figure 1).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okazaki et al., in view of The [CN112693555] (Hereinafter, The CN-555).
Regarding claim 2, Okazaki et al., disclose wherein the communication module comprises a signal plug connector (62, figure 2), the signal plug connector is exposed from the box and has a plugging area for signal transmission (62, figure 2).
Okazaki et al., disclose the claimed invention except for a signal shielding cover is disposed on the control board, and the signal shielding cover covers a portion of the signal plug connector and exposes the plugging area.
The CN-555 disclose a vehicle controller (1, figures 1-3) comprising a control board (230, figure 3) disposed within the vehicle controller, wherein at least one shielding cover (600, figure 3) is disposed on the control board, and the signal shielding cover covers a portion of a signal plug connector (231, figure 3) and exposes the plugging area (101, figure 3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add a shielding cover on above a control board and a signal plug connector of a power controller of Okazaki et al., as suggested by The CN-555, in order to prevent internal signals from radiating out and/or improve data integrity and signal quality of the power controller.
Claims 7, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al. [WO 2018/054292].
Regarding claim 7, Okazaki et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the control board is connected to a resolver plug connector, the resolver plug connector passes through the box and is connected to the motor of the vehicle, and the resolver plug connector is configured to detect an angular displacement and an angular velocity of the motor.
Chen et al., disclose a vehicle controller (6000, figures 1-16) comprising at least one control board (a control board disposed within a housing 6100, figure 12), and at least one resolver plug connector (6002, figures 12 and 16b) is connected to the control board and a motor of a vehicle (5000, figures 2-3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add a resolver plug connector with a power controller of Okazaki et al., as suggested by Chen et al., in order to correct an angular velocity of the motor.
Regarding claim 16, Okazaki et al. disclose a vehicle includes a power controller (1, figures 1-8), comprising:
a box (2, figures 1-3A, 4 and 7);
a control board (at least one control board disposed within a controller 50 and/or 70, figures 1-2) mounted in the box, the control board comprising a communication module, a vehicle control module (paragraphs 0029-0032), a charging control module (40, figures 1-2), and a motor control module (22 & 25, figures 1-2), the vehicle control module controlling operations of a vehicle according to signals of the communication module;
a driver board (21, figures 1-2) mounted in the box, the control board being connected to the driver board, and the motor control module controlling a motor of the vehicle through the driver board (figure 1); and
an on-off switch (60, figure 1, paragraph 0027) mounted in the box and connected to the control board, the on-off switch having an input end and an output end (a plurality of connecting lines connects to the on/off switch 60, figures 1-2), the charging control module controlling on-off of the input end and the output end (a signal line 62/55 connected between the on/off switch and the charging controller 40, figure 1), the output end being connected to an energy storage member of the vehicle (51, figure 2), and the input end being connected to a charging cable of the energy storage member (5, figure 1).
Okazaki et al., disclose the claimed invention except a power box, mounted on the box of the vehicle controller, and the motor and a transmission of the vehicle being in transmission connection and located in the power box, the motor being electrically connected to the driver board.
Chen et al., further disclose a power box (4000 & 5000, figures 1-3), mounted on the box of the vehicle controller (6000, figures 1-3), and a motor (5000, figures 1-3) and a transmission (all components are within the power box, figures 1-3) of the vehicle being in transmission connection and located in the power box, the motor being electrically connected to a driver board (4200, figure 3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use the power controller of Okazaki et al., with a power transmission box in a vehicle, as suggested by Chen et al., in order to operate an electrical power transmission of a vehicle.
Regarding claim 18, Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al., disclose wherein the input end is connected to a positive charging bar (61a, figure 1) and a negative charging bar (61b, figure 1), a positive pole of the charging cable is connected to the positive charging bar, a negative pole of the charging cable is connected to the negative charging bar, and the charging cable passes through the box (figure 1); and the output end is connected to a positive direct current bar (a “+” terminal connect to the battery 5, figure 1 ) and a negative direct current bar (a “-“ terminal connect to the battery 5, figure 1), a direct current plug connector is mounted on the box and is exposed from the box, the positive direct current bar and the negative direct current bar are connected to a first end of the direct current plug connector, and a second end of the direct current plug connector is connected to the energy storage member (figure 1).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al., as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of The [CN112693555] (Hereinafter, The CN-555).
Regarding claim 17, Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al., disclose wherein the communication module comprises a signal plug connector (62, figure 2), the signal plug connector is exposed from the box and has a plugging area for signal transmission (62, figure 2).
Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al., disclose the claimed invention except for a signal shielding cover is disposed on the control board, and the signal shielding cover covers a portion of the signal plug connector and exposes the plugging area.
The CN-555 disclose a vehicle controller (1, figures 1-3) comprising a control board (230, figure 3) disposed within the vehicle controller, wherein at least one shielding cover (600, figure 3) is disposed on the control board, and the signal shielding cover covers a portion of a signal plug connector (231, figure 3) and exposes the plugging area (101, figure 3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add a shielding cover on above a control board and a signal plug connector of a power controller of Okazaki et al., in view of Chen et al., as suggested by The CN-555, in order to prevent internal signals from radiating out and/or improve data integrity and signal quality of the power controller.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 8-13, 14, 15 and 19-20 are 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:
The claim 4 discloses the combination features of “wherein a first magnet ring is mounted on the box, and the positive direct current bar and the negative direct current bar pass through the first magnet ring; and the vehicle controller further comprises a capacitor, mounted on the box and having a capacitor input end and a capacitor output end, the direct current plug connector being connected to the capacitor input end; and an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (GBT) module, mounted on the box and having a direct current input end, an alternating current output end, and a signal output end, the direct current input end being connected to the capacitor output end, the signal output end being connected to the driver board, and the alternating current output end being connected to a three- phase input end of the motor of the vehicle.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 3 and 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 5-6 depend on the allowed claim 4.
The claim 8 discloses the combination features of “a direct current plug connector mounted on the box and connected to the energy storage member; a power board connected to a positive power line, a negative power line, a power signal line, an alternating current adapter end, and a direct current adapter end, the positive power line and the negative power line being connected to the direct current plug connector, and the power signal line being connected to the communication module; an alternating current output plug connector connected to the alternating current adapter end and mounted on the box, the alternating current output plug connector being exposed from the box; and a direct current output plug connector mounted on the box and connected to a direct current adapter bar and a direct current filter board, the direct current filter board being connected to the direct current adapter end, and the direct current output plug connector being exposed from the box.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 9-13 depend on the allowed claim 8.
The claim 14 discloses the combination features of “wherein a detachable maintenance board is mounted on the box, a first electrical connector is mounted on the detachable maintenance board, a second electrical connector in contact and conductive with the first electrical connector is mounted on the box, and the control board detects on-off of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector to control on-off of the energy storage member.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
The claim 15 discloses the combination features of “a direct current plug connector mounted on the box and connected to the energy storage member; a power supply plug connector mounted on the box and exposed from the box, the power supply plug connector being connected to a positive heating wire and a negative heating wire, the positive heating wire and the negative heating wire being connected to the direct current plug connector, and the power supply plug connector being connected to a heating member for heating the energy storage member; a third magnet ring is mounted on the box, and the positive heating wire and the negative heating wire passing through the third magnet ring; the positive heating wire being connected to a second electric protection member, and the second electric protection member being connected to the direct current plug connector; and the power supply plug connector being connected to a compressor of a vehicle air-conditioner.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
The claim 19 discloses the combination features of “wherein a first magnet ring is mounted on the box, and the positive direct current bar and the negative direct current bar pass through the first magnet ring; and the vehicle controller further comprises a capacitor, mounted on the box and having a capacitor input end and a capacitor output end, the direct current plug connector being connected to the capacitor input end; and an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (GBT) module, mounted on the box and having a direct current input end, an alternating current output end, and a signal output end, the direct current input end being connected to the capacitor output end, the signal output end being connected to the driver board, and the alternating current output end being connected to a three- phase input end of the motor of the vehicle.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 18 and 16, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claim 20 depends on the allowed claim 19.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hung S. Bui whose telephone number is (571)272-2102. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8am-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, Allen L. Parker can be reached on (303) 297-4722. 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.
/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/Hung S. Bui/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841