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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 01/12/2024. Claims 1-5 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/12/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Examiner notes on claim interpretation
The Examiner interprets “to restrict” as to put a limit or stop on something.
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 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanakasabai (US 20210152027).
As to claim 1, Kanakasabai discloses a control device ([0051] Fig. 1-2 The controller 128), that controls a vehicle equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device ([0029] [0096] The receiver unit may be employed in wireless charging systems, such as but not limited to …an electric vehicle,…, and the like. The power source 104 is coupled to the transmitter unit 106. The transmitter unit 106 is magnetically coupled to the receiver unit 108. ), the control device comprising a processor ([0051] The controller 128 includes a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a processing unit, microcomputer, digital signal processors (DSPs), wherein the processor acquires state information (misalignment/alignment) indicating a state of each of the power receiving devices ([0043] In the event of maximum magnetic coupling between the transmitter coil 114 and the main receiver coil 120, a higher voltage is induced across the main receiver coil 120 compared to a voltage induced at the main receiver coil 120 during a misaligned condition of the main receiver coil 120 with respect to the transmitter coil 114. In such a scenario, the voltage induced across the auxiliary receiver coils 122 is a considerably lower value. [0044] In another scenario where the main receiver coil 120 is misaligned with respect to the transmitter coil 114, at least one of the auxiliary receiver coils 122 may be in alignment with the transmitter coil 114. As such misalignment with the main receiver coil can mean an alignment with the auxiliary coils. misalignment/alignment of the main and auxiliary coils identified as “state information”), determines, based on the state information, whether a specific power receiving device that restricts power reception is present in any of the power receiving devices ([0044] In another scenario where the main receiver coil 120 is misaligned with respect to the transmitter coil 114,…[0043] In the event of maximum magnetic coupling between the transmitter coil 114 and the main receiver coil 120, a higher voltage is induced across the main receiver coil 120 compared to a voltage induced at the main receiver coil 120 during a misaligned condition. Additionally efficiency of power transfer between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil is compromised due to misalignment between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil ([0003]). Additionally, …communication between a receiver coil and a transmitter coil is hindered if the receiver coil is misaligned with respect to the transmitter coil ([0045]). As such during misalignment of the main receiver coil 120 coil, power reception is restricted due to reduced efficiency and lower induced voltage).
Kanakasabai further discloses and causes, when the specific power receiving device is present, each of other power receiving devices than the specific power receiving device to receive a power amount scheduled to be received by the specific power receiving device ([0044] In another scenario where the main receiver coil 120 is misaligned with respect to the transmitter coil 114, at least one of the auxiliary receiver coils 122 may be in alignment with the transmitter coil 114. ... In such a scenario, a voltage induced at the particular auxiliary receiver coil 122, which is in alignment with the transmitter coil 114, is higher than a voltage induced in the other auxiliary coils 122. …Thus, even during a misaligned condition of the main receiver coil 120 with respect to the transmitter coil 114, a desired voltage required is provided to the load without a significant increase in the magnitude of the current flowing in the transmitter coil 114. As such the power that was intended for the main coil 120 from the TX coil 114 is also provided to the coil that is aligned with the particular auxiliary receiver coil).
Hsieh does not disclose/teach the supply device is on a road side.
However Examiner takes official notice that a supply device on a road side to wirelessly power electric vehicles is old and well known. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the supply device of Kanakasabai to be on a road side in order to charge the vehicle while in transit.
Claim 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsieh US 20200044476 in view of Kanakasabai (US 20210152027).
As to claim 1, Hsieh discloses a control device (controller 110) that controls a device equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices (106-1,106N) that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device (Charging base 102.. [0042] the rechargeable battery 204 is charged through the charging coils 208-2, 208-3, and 208-4 of the charging base 202 and the device coils 206-2, 206-3, and 206-4 the electronic device 200), the control device comprising a processor ([0052][0056][0059] FIG. 3-5 illustrates a method 300,400,500 of wireless charging a rechargeable battery in an electronic device, according to an example of the present subject matter. The method 300 can be implemented by processor(s)), wherein the processor acquires state information indicating a state of each of the power receiving devices (Fig. 2-5 306.. [0054]-[0060] At block 306,402,502 a coil from amongst the first set of coils … is determined by the controller 210… based on the information of device coils 206 stored in the electronic device 200, as described earlier…[0047][0060] Upon determining the coil that is present in the region at the temperature more than the specific temperature, a message is sent by the controller 210 to the charging base 202), determines, based on the state information, whether a specific power receiving device that restricts power reception is present in any of the power receiving devices ([0060] Upon determining the coil that is present in the region at the temperature more than the specific temperature, a message is sent by the controller 210 to the charging base 202 to disable a coil of the second set which overlaps with the coil of the first set present in the region at the temperature more than the specific temperature, at block 504).
Hsieh does not disclose/teach the device is a vehicle equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device on a road side.
Hsieh further does not disclose/teach and causes, when the specific power receiving device is present, each of other power receiving devices than the specific power receiving device to receive a power amount scheduled to be received by the specific power receiving device
Kanakasabai teaches a vehicle equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device on a road side ([0029] The receiver unit may be employed in wireless charging systems, such as but not limited to …an electric vehicle, c…, and the like).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the control device of Hsieh to a vehicle equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device on a road side as it is a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results.
Kanakasabai further teaches and causes, when the specific power receiving device is present, each of other power receiving devices than the specific power receiving device to receive a power amount scheduled to be received by the specific power receiving device ([0044] In another scenario where the main receiver coil 120 is misaligned with respect to the transmitter coil 114, at least one of the auxiliary receiver coils 122 may be in alignment with the transmitter coil 114. ... In such a scenario, a voltage induced at the particular auxiliary receiver coil 122, which is in alignment with the transmitter coil 114, is higher than a voltage induced in the other auxiliary coils 122. …Thus, even during a misaligned condition of the main receiver coil 120 with respect to the transmitter coil 114, a desired voltage required is provided to the load without a significant increase in the magnitude of the current flowing in the transmitter coil 114. As such the power that was intended for the main coil 120 from the TX coil 114 is also provided to the coil that is aligned with the particular auxiliary receiver coil).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the control device of Hsieh to causes, when the specific power receiving device is present, each of other power receiving devices than the specific power receiving device to receive a power amount scheduled to be received by the specific power receiving device in order to ensure a desired voltage required is provided to the load without a significant increase in the magnitude of the current flowing in the transmitter coil ([0043]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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:
Regarding dependent claim 2, Although the prior art discloses a control device that controls a vehicle equipped with a plurality of power receiving devices that receives power in a non-contact manner from a supply device on a road side, the control device comprising a processor, wherein the processor acquires state information indicating a state of each of the power receiving devices, determines, based on the state information, whether a specific power receiving device that restricts power reception is present in any of the power receiving devices, and causes, when the specific power receiving device is present, each of other power receiving devices than the specific power receiving device to receive a power amount scheduled to be received by the specific power receiving device, the prior art of record does not disclose or teach the combination of:
“wherein the processor acquires a charging rate from a battery that stores power received by each of the power receiving devices, determines whether the charging rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, stops the power reception at the specific power receiving device, when determination is made that the charging rate is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, and causes each of the other power receiving devices to receive the power amount received by the specific power receiving device, when determination is made that the charging rate is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value.”
Dependent claims 3-5 are allowable for the reasons set forth supra with respect to the independent claims from which they depend.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion and Related Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KIMURA et al (US 20260131684) is cited for having An abnormality diagnosis method. However, KIMURA is filed after the effective filing date.
Ji et al (US 20140011452) is cited for having a switch for switching to select another antenna when a communication connection is failed based on an antenna selected.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYNESE V MCDANIEL whose telephone number is (313)446-6579. The examiner can normally be reached on M to F, 9am to 530pm.
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/TYNESE V MCDANIEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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