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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
With claim 1, “a control device configured to detect, by using a detection result from the surface pressure sensor, a portion where a local pressure increase occurs between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery as a portion where reaction unevenness occurs. The corresponding structure in the disclosure for performing the claimed to detect includes Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memories (paragraph 0027). The memory includes various memories such as Read Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM). Therefore, the interpretation of the “a control device configured to detect…” is a CPU and memories (such as ROM and RAM) and equivalents thereof.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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) 1– 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iguchi, et al. (JP 2021/005456 A) in view of Choi, et al. (US 2025/0062426 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Iguchi, et al. teaches a battery system comprising: a first all-solid-state battery (item—10, figure 4, paragraph 0023, 0027); a second all-solid-state battery (item-10, figure 10, paragraph 0023, 0027); a surface pressure sensor (item—30, figure 4, paragraph 0037; examiner notes that the sensor is a sheet like form with a plurality of sensing points) provided between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery in a bound state (item—20, figure 4, paragraph 0023, 0036) and configured to detect a distribution of an in-plane pressure between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery (figure 4, paragraph 0036—0037, 0135); and a control device (item—103) configured to detect, by using a detection result from the surface pressure sensor, a portion where a local pressure increase occurs between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery as a portion where reaction unevenness occurs (paragraph 0035—0037).
However, Iguchi, et al. does not teach the specific structural component of the control device with the claim.
Choi, et al. teaches a control device (item—1000, figure 8, paragraph 0129—0130), including central processing unit (item 1100, figure 8) and a memory with ROM/RAM (item 1300, figure 8), configured to detect, by using a detection result from the surface pressure sensor (item—106/200, figure 1 and 5), a portion where a local pressure increase occurs in the all-solid-state battery where reaction unevenness occurs (figure 4, paragraph 0009, 0011, 0013, 0104—0106).
Iguchi, et al. and Choi, et al. are in the corresponding field of pressurized all-solid-state battery for electric vehicles. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include Iguchi, et al. surface pressure sensor between all-solid-state batteries with the control device (including processor and memory) to monitor the local pressure per Choir, et al. to have a battery pack use for electric vehicles.
With regards to claim 2, Iguchi teaches the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery have a characteristic that a thickness in an arrangement direction of the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery increases compared with a thickness in an initial state due to the reaction unevenness that occurs during charging or discharging of the battery pack (figure 1 and 5—6, paragraph 0009, 0011-0012, 0027—0029).
With regards to claim 3, the surface pressure sensor is configured to detect the distribution of the in-plane pressure between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery on an end side close to a first terminal of the first all-solid-state battery and a second terminal of the second all-solid-state battery in a plane (figure 4—6, paragraph 0023—0024, 0027—0029, 0037).
PNG
media_image1.png
521
684
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 4 from Iguchi, et al.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Iguchi, et al. (US 2019/0346512 A1) teaches a diagnostic apparatus for a pressurized all-solid-state battery for electric vehicles (figure 10, paragraph 0087, 0096). Iguchi, et al. further teaches a diagnostic apparatus comprising: a first all-solid-state battery (item—100, figure 10, paragraph 0087, 0135); a second all-solid-state battery (item—100, figure 10, paragraph 0087, 0135); a surface pressure sensor (item—201, figure 10, paragraph 0135) provided between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery in a bound state (item—101, figure 10, paragraph 0135) and configured to detect a distribution of an in-plane pressure between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery (figure 10, paragraph 0076, 0135); and a control device (item—1000, figure 10; examiner notes that the control device includes a computing device and a storage device) configured to detect, by using a detection result from the surface pressure sensor, a portion where a local pressure increase occurs between the first all-solid-state battery and the second all-solid-state battery as a portion where reaction unevenness occurs (paragraph 0074, 0136). Iguchi, et al. teaching is relevant to claims 1—3.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELVIN MITCHELL FRAZIER whose telephone number is (571)270-5955. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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, Maria Veronica D Ewald can be reached at (571) 272-8519. 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.
/K.M.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783
Prosecution Insights