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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1 – 9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 – 10 of U.S. Patent No. 12466278. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims of the instant application are covered by the reference claims.
Current Application: 18373627
US Patent: 12466278
Claim 1:
A power storage system comprising:
a first battery including a first power storage unit,
a second power storage unit, and
a first switch unit, the first switch unit being configured to switch between a first voltage state in which the first power storage unit and the second power storage unit are connected in series and chargeable at a first voltage, and a second voltage state in which the first power storage unit and the second power storage unit are connected in parallel and chargeable at a second voltage;
a three-phase motor including coils of three phases connected at a neutral point, the three-phase motor being configured to be driven by electric power supplied from the first battery; an inverter connected on an electric power transmission path between the first battery and the three-phase motor;
a DC power supply circuit connected to a connection portion located on an electric power transmission path between the inverter and the first battery;
a branch circuit branched from the DC power supply circuit on a positive electrode side and connected to the neutral point;
a capacitor including one end and an other end,
the one end being connected to a negative-electrode-side electric power supply circuit which connects the inverter and the first battery, and the other end being connected to the branch circuit or a positive-electrode-side electric power supply circuit which connects the inverter and the first battery;
a pre-charge circuit located on the electric power transmission path between the inverter and the first battery and connected between the inverter and the connection portion of the DC power supply circuit;
a converter connected to the pre-charge circuit; and a second battery connected to the converter and having a voltage lower than the first voltage and the second voltage.
Claim 1:
A power storage system, comprising:
a first battery including a first power storage, a second power storage, and
a first switch unit
configured to switch between a first voltage state in which the first power storage and
the second power storage are connected in series and chargeable at a first voltage, and
a second voltage state in which the first power storage and the second power storage are connected in parallel and chargeable at a second voltage;
a three-phase motor including coils of three phases connected at a neutral point, the three-phase motor being configured to be driven by electric power supplied from the first battery; an inverter connected on an electric power transmission path between the first battery and the three-phase motor;
a DC power supply circuit connected to a first connection portion positioned on an electric power transmission path between the inverter and the first battery;
a branch circuit branched from the DC power supply circuit on a positive electrode side of the DC power supply circuit, and connected to a coil of any one phase among the coils of three phases;
a capacitor having one end and an other end, the one end being connected to an electric power supply circuit, which connects the inverter and the first battery, at a negative electrode side, and the other end being connected to the branch circuit or the electric power supply circuit at a positive electrode side;
a pre-charge circuit connected, between the inverter and the first connection portion of the DC power supply circuit, to an electric power transmission path between the inverter and the first battery;
a converter connected to the pre-charge circuit; and a second battery connected to the converter and having a voltage lower than the first voltage and the second voltage.
Claim 2:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the converter is a bidirectional converter.
Claim 2:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the converter is a bidirectional converter.
Claim 3:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor includes:
a first capacitor including one end and an other end, the one end being connected to the negative-electrode-side electric power supply circuit, and the other end being connected to the positive-electrode-side electric power supply circuit; and
a second capacitor including one end and an other end, the one end being connected to the negative-electrode-side electric power supply circuit, and the other end being connected to the branch circuit.
Claim 3:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor includes:
a first capacitor having one end connected to the electric power supply circuit at the negative electrode side, and an other end connected to the electric power supply circuit at the positive electrode side; and
a second capacitor having one end connected to the electric power supply circuit at the negative electrode side, and an other end connected to the branch circuit
Claim 4:
The power storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a control unit configured to control the first switch unit, the inverter, and the converter, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the first switch unit and change a boost voltage of the converter according to a charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit.
Claim 4:
The power storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a controller configured to control the first switch unit, the inverter, and the converter, wherein the controller is configured to switch the first switch unit and change a boost voltage of the converter, according to a charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit.
Claim 5:
The power storage system according to claim 4, wherein: when the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the first voltage, the control unit is configured to set the boost voltage of the converter to the first voltage, pre-charge the capacitor by the pre-charge circuit, and then control the first switch unit to switch the first battery to the first voltage state; and when the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the second voltage, the control unit is configured to set the boost voltage of the converter to the second voltage, pre-charge the capacitor by the pre-charge circuit, and then control the first switch unit to switch the first battery to the second voltage state.
Claim 5:
The power storage system according to claim 4, wherein in a case where the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the first voltage, the controller is configured to set the boost voltage of the converter to the first voltage, pre-charge the capacitor by the pre-charge circuit, and afterward control the first switch unit to switch the first battery to the first voltage state, and in a case where the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the second voltage, the controller is configured to set the boost voltage of the converter to the second voltage, pre-charge the capacitor by the pre-charge circuit, and afterward control the first switch unit to switch the first battery to the second voltage state
Claim 6:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the branch circuit is connected to the neutral point via a second switch unit.
Claim 6:
The power storage system according to claim 1, wherein the branch circuit is connected to a coil of any one phase among the coils of three phases at a second connection portion via a second switch unit.
Claim 7:
The power storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
an auxiliary machine configured to be driven by DC electric power from the second battery and an external power supply; and
an auxiliary machine drive circuit connected on an electric power transmission path between the inverter and the connection portion and configured to supply electric power to the auxiliary machine, wherein the auxiliary machine is operated at the first voltage.
Claim 8:
The power storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
an auxiliary device configured to be driven by DC electric power from the second battery and an external power supply; and
an auxiliary device drive circuit connected on an electric power transmission path between the inverter and the first connection portion, and configured to supply electric power to the auxiliary device, wherein the auxiliary device is operated at the first voltage.
Claim 8:
The power storage system according to claim 7, further comprising: a control unit configured to control the first switch unit, the inverter, and the converter, wherein when the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the second voltage, the control unit causes the inverter to boost a voltage supplied from the branch circuit to the three-phase motor to the first voltage after pre-charging.
Claim 9:
The power storage system according to claim 8, further comprising: a controller configured to control the first switch unit, the inverter, and the converter, wherein in a case where the charge voltage of the DC power supply circuit is the second voltage, the controller is configured to cause the inverter to boost a voltage supplied from the branch circuit to the three-phase motor to the first voltage after pre-charging.
Claim 9:
The power storage system according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary machine is connected to the first battery via a third switch unit.
Claim 10:
The power storage system according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary device is connected to the first battery via a third switch unit.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXIS B PACHECO whose telephone number is (571)272-5979. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 - 5:30.
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ALEXIS BOATENG PACHECO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/ALEXIS B PACHECO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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