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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/7/2024 and 1/30/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 6 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022).
Claim 1: Cai teaches a control method for a battery system (Fig.1E), wherein the battery system comprises N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) connected in parallel, each of the battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) has a DCDC converter connected in series therewith (Par.53), and the method comprises:
determining that a state of charge (SOC) and a current of a first battery cluster (Bn1) in the N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) meet a first preset condition, the first preset condition comprising:
the SOC of the first battery cluster (Bn1) is greater than a first threshold (average SOC) and the current of the first battery cluster (Bn1) is greater than a second threshold (Par.64) (Fig.4B),
wherein the second threshold is set according to a maximum permissible current of the first battery cluster (Bn1) (Par.69; Total current of the battery cluster); and
sending first information to a first DCDC converter connected in series with the first battery cluster (Bn1), the first information being used to instruct controlling the current of the first battery cluster (Bn1) to reach a first preset current (Par.61 and 64; Correction amount).
Claim 6: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai teaches wherein the method further comprises: determining that a current of a third battery cluster in the N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) meets a third preset condition, the third preset condition comprising: the current of the third battery cluster is greater than a seventh threshold (Par.64; The correction of the current occurs for all the battery clusters), wherein the seventh threshold is set according to a maximum permissible current of the third battery cluster (Par.69; Total current of the battery cluster); and sending third information to a third DCDC converter connected in series with the third battery cluster, the third information being used to instruct controlling the current of the third battery cluster to reach a third preset current (Par.64; Correction amount).
Claim 11: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai teaches wherein the battery system (Fig.1E) further comprises a state acquisition unit, and the method further comprises: receiving SOCs and currents of the N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) sent by the state acquisition unit (Par.64; Each SOC is collected; current of each cluster is obtained).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chalasani et al. (US 6,304,059).
Claims 2-3: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai does not explicitly teach wherein before sending the first information to the first DCDC converter connected in series with the first battery cluster, the method further comprises: sending, starting from the first DCDC converter, state switching instructions to N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence, the state switching instructions being used to instruct controlling N electronic control switches respectively connected in parallel with the N DCDC converters to be turned off; wherein before sending the first information to the first DCDC converter connected in series with the first battery cluster, the method further comprises: confirming that all the N electronic control switches in the battery system are turned off.
Chalasani teaches before sending first information to a first DCDC converter (230) (Fig.2) connected in series with a first battery cluster (220) (Col.5, Lines 64-67);
sending, starting from the first DCDC converter (230), state switching instructions to N DCDC converters (230, 235) in a battery system (200) in sequence (Col.7, Lines 19-27), the state switching instructions being used to instruct controlling N electronic control switches (240, 245) respectively connected in parallel with the N DCDC converters (230, 235) (Col.6, Lines 4-6) (Fig.2) to be turned off (Col.7, Lines 2-5); wherein before sending the first information to the first DCDC converter (230) connected in series with the first battery cluster (220), confirming that all the N electronic control switches in the battery system are turned off (Col.7, Lines 1-18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had sent switch instructions in sequence in the system of Cai to have had insured that a load will have a power source during a charging interval (Col.7, Lines 19-27) as taught in Chalasani; and have had insured optimum charge level so as to guarantee peak performance from the battery clusters (Col.7, Lines 1-18).
Claims 4 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Siri et al. (US 2006/0017327).
Claims 4 and 9-10: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai teaches sending current instructions or voltage instructions to N DCDC converters (DC/DC) in the battery system (Fig.1E), the current instructions being used to indicate target currents of the N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) corresponding to the N DCDC converters (DC/DC) (Par.64), and the voltage instructions being used to indicate target voltages of the N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) corresponding to the N DCDC converters (DC/DC) (Par.68).
Cai does not explicitly teach wherein the method further comprises: sending, starting from the first DCDC converter, current instructions or voltage instructions to N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence; wherein the sending current instructions or voltage instructions to the N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence comprises: sending the current instructions or the voltage instructions to the corresponding N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence in an ascending order according; wherein the sending current instructions or voltage instructions to the N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence comprises: sending the current instructions or the voltage instructions to the corresponding N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence in sequence in a descending order.
Siri teaches sending, starting from a first DCDC converter (102-1) (Fig.2), instructions to N DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) in a system in sequence (Par.24); wherein, the sending instructions in sequence comprises: sending the instructions in an ascending order according to current magnitudes of N clusters in series with the DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) (Par.22-24); wherein the sending instructions in sequence comprises: sending the instructions in a descending order according to current magnitudes of N clusters in series with the DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) (Par.22-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Siri in the system of Cai to have had achieved nearly uniform utilization of the power converters (Par.23-24) thereby preventing thermal stresses and ensuring uniform degradations of power sources (Par.37).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cao et al. (US 2021/0036544).
Claim 5: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai does not explicitly teach wherein the method further comprises: determining that a current of a second battery cluster in the N battery clusters meets a second preset condition, the second preset condition comprising: a ratio of the current of the second battery cluster to the average current of the N battery clusters is less than a fifth threshold, or, a ratio of the current of the second battery cluster to the average current of the N battery clusters is greater than a sixth threshold; and sending second information to a second DCDC converter connected in series with the second battery cluster, the second information being used to instruct controlling the current of the second battery cluster to reach a second preset current.
Cao teaches determining that a current of a second battery cluster in N battery clusters (3A-3N) (Fig.1) meets a second preset condition, the second preset condition comprising: a ratio of the current of the second battery cluster to the average current of the N battery clusters (3A-3N) is less than a fifth threshold, or, a ratio of the current of the second battery cluster to the average current of the N battery clusters (3A-3N) is greater than a sixth threshold; and sending second information to a second DCDC converter (4A-4N) connected in series with the second battery cluster, the second information being used to instruct controlling the current of the second battery cluster to reach a second preset current (Par.17 and 32-33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Cao in the system of Cai to have had performed current balancing amongst the battery clusters thereby increasing the battery clusters life-span and the overall system efficiency (Par.14).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022) in view of Chalasani et al. (US 6,304,059) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Siri et al. (US 2006/0017327).
Claims 7-8: Cai in view of Chalasani teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. The combination of Cai in view of Chalasani does not explicitly teach sending the state switching instructions to the corresponding N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence in an ascending order according to current magnitudes of the N battery clusters; wherein the sending state switching instructions to the N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence comprises: sending the state switching instructions to the corresponding N DCDC converters in the battery system in sequence in a descending order according to current magnitudes of the N battery clusters.
Siri teaches sending instructions to N DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) in a system in sequence (Par.24) in an ascending order according to current magnitudes of N clusters in series with the DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) (Par.22-24); wherein the sending instructions in sequence comprises: sending the instructions in a descending order according to current magnitudes of N clusters in series with the DCDC converters (102-1 to 102-N) (Par.22-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Siri in the combination of Cai in view of Chalasani to have had achieved nearly uniform utilization of the power converters (Par.23-24) thereby preventing thermal stresses and ensuring uniform degradations of power sources (Par.37).
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al. (US 2023/0238803; Foreign priority 1/21/2022) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2018/0093583).
Claims 12-14: Cai teaches the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Cai teaches a battery system (Fig.1E), wherein the battery system comprises: N battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) connected in parallel, a DCDC converter connected in series with each of the battery clusters (Bn1-Bnm) (Par.77), and a control device (Par.80).
Cai does not explicitly teach the control device for the battery system comprises: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions; wherein the processor implements the control method for a battery system according to claim 1 when executing the computer program instructions.
Kim teaches a control device (600) (Fig.6) for a battery system (Par.130) comprises: a processor (610) and a memory (620) storing computer program instructions (Par.133); wherein the processor (610) implements a control method for the battery system when executing the computer program instructions (Par.133).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Kim in the system of Cai to have had the expected result of responding to an executing instructions in a defined manner to achieve a desired result utilizing well known hardware and software components (Par.151 and 154).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHALI ALEJANDRA TORRES RUIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1262. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am-6:00pm.
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/JOHALI A TORRES RUIZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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