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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 9 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Crosman, III et al (US 2023/0182620 A1, hereinafter Crosman).
Regarding claim 1, Crosman teaches (see Figs. 2-4) an assembly for an aircraft (the limitation “for an aircraft” is interpreted as an intended use of the assembly, since no additional aircraft structure is recited in claim 1. Crosman teaches that the battery system may be used with a variety of machines, see para. 0012, thus, the battery system of Crosman is capable of being used in an aircraft), the assembly comprising: a battery (battery system 120) including a plurality of battery strings (battery packs 230); a charger configured to selectively direct an electrical charging current to the battery to charge the plurality of battery strings (a charger is described in para. 0023); and a battery monitoring system (controller 250) including a plurality of sensors (since each pack controller 250 determines the offline voltage of its battery pack 230, see para. 0024, a plurality of sensors are necessarily present), each sensor configured to measure a battery string voltage of a respective one of the plurality of battery strings (see the one-to-one correspondence of pack controllers 250 and battery packs 230, Fig. 2), the battery monitoring system further including a processor (system controller 252) in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions (see para. 0020), which instructions when executed by the processor (system controller 252), cause the processor to (see Fig. 4): determine the battery string voltage for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings with the plurality of sensors (see step 418); identify a battery string voltage hierarchy for the plurality of battery strings (see step 422), the battery string voltage hierarchy identifying at least a lowest-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings, at least one intermediate-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings, and a highest-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings (sorting the battery packs from lowest to highest will include a lowest-voltage battery string, an intermediate-voltage battery string and a highest-voltage battery string); and sequentially charge the plurality of battery strings with the charger based on the battery string voltage hierarchy by (see steps 418-428): charging the lowest-voltage battery string to a first target string voltage (see step 426); and charging the lowest-voltage battery string and the at least one intermediate-voltage battery string together to a second target string voltage (when the lowest-voltage battery is charged to within a threshold voltage of the intermediate-voltage battery, steps 418-428 will repeat and the lowest-voltage battery and the intermediate-voltage battery will be charged together to the next threshold voltage), the second target string voltage greater than the first target string voltage (the batteries are charged to the next higher voltage threshold until all batteries are online and being charged to the full voltage threshold, see Yes in step 428) (also see paras. 0004-0005, 0018-0021, 0035-0036 and 0040-0043).
Regarding claim 7, Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein: charging the lowest-voltage battery string to the first target string voltage includes charging only the lowest-voltage battery string to the first target string voltage (only the lowest string voltage is charged at step 426, until the next string is within the voltage threshold, which is considered the first target string voltage); and charging the lowest-voltage battery string and the at least one intermediate-voltage battery string to the second target string voltage includes charging only the lowest-voltage battery string and the at least one intermediate-voltage battery string to the second target string voltage (after the lowest string is charged to the threshold, the next lowest string will be charged with the lowest string until the next threshold is reached, see repeating steps 418-428 and paras. 0040-0043).
Regarding claim 9, Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery strings are electrically connected in parallel (see Fig. 2, showing battery packs 230 and battery pack strings 232 being connected in parallel).
Regarding claim 11, Crosman teaches (see Figs. 2-4) a method for charging a charging a battery (battery system 120) for an aircraft (the limitation “for an aircraft” is interpreted as an intended use of the method, since no additional aircraft structure is recited in claim 11. Crosman teaches that the battery system and method may be used with a variety of machines, see para. 0012, thus, the battery system and method of Crosman is capable of being used in an aircraft), the battery (120) including a plurality of battery strings electrically connected in parallel (see Fig. 2, showing battery system 120 including battery packs 230 and battery pack strings 232 being connected in parallel), the method comprising: determining a battery string voltage for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings (see step 418); identifying a battery string voltage hierarchy for the plurality of battery strings (see step 422), the battery string voltage hierarchy ordered from a lowest battery string voltage to a highest battery string voltage (see step 422); and sequentially charging the plurality of battery strings based on the battery string voltage hierarchy by (see steps 418-422): charging a first battery string of the plurality of battery strings to a first target string voltage (see step 426); charging the first battery string and a second battery string of the plurality of the plurality of battery strings together to a second target string voltage (when the first lowest-voltage battery string is charged to within a threshold voltage of the second next lowest-voltage battery string, steps 418-428 will repeat and the lowest-voltage battery string and the next lowest-voltage battery string will be charged together to the next threshold voltage), the second target string voltage greater than the first target string voltage (the battery strings are charged to the next higher voltage threshold until all battery strings are online and being charged); and charging the plurality of battery strings together to a final target string voltage, the final target string voltage greater than the second target string voltage (the battery strings are charged to the next higher string voltage threshold until all battery strings are online and being charged to the full voltage threshold, see Yes in step 428) (also see paras. 0004-0005, 0018-0021, 0035-0036 and 0040-0043).
Regarding claim 12, Crosman teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the first target string voltage is within a first voltage tolerance of the battery string voltage of the second battery string (see step 424, only the lowest string voltage is charged at step 426, until the next string is within the voltage threshold, which is considered the first target string voltage).
Regarding claim 13, Crosman teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the second target string voltage is within a second voltage tolerance of the battery string voltage of a third battery string of the plurality of battery strings (as steps 418-428 repeat, the target string voltage and voltage tolerance will increment with each next lowest-voltage string).
Regarding claim 14, Crosman teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the third battery string is immediately after the second battery string in the battery string voltage hierarchy (the battery strings are sorted from lowest to highest voltage, see step 422).
Regarding claim 15, Crosman teaches the method of claim 11, further comprising opening contactors for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings prior to charging the first battery string to the first target string voltage (each battery string contactor 238, Fig. 2, will be open, prior to the lowest-voltage string being commanded to go online in step 428, Fig. 4 and paras. 0042-0043).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crosman, III et al (US 2023/0182620 A1, hereinafter Crosman).
Regarding claim 8, Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: charge the lowest-voltage battery string to the first target string voltage at a charging current value of the electrical charging current; (charging of the lowest-voltage battery string 232 is necessarily charged to the first target string voltage at a charging current value of the electrical charging current).
Crosman does not specifically teach charge two or more of the plurality of battery strings at the charging current value multiplied by a number of the two or more of the plurality of battery strings being charged.
However, it was old and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to utilize a constant current (CC) charging protocol to quickly raise the state of charge of battery strings to a safe voltage level for the battery. The use of a CC charging protocol would require the amount of current used to charge a single string to be multiplied by the number of battery strings being charged, in order to charge multiple battery strings, otherwise, the current would not remain constant.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the assembly and method of Crosman, charge two or more of the plurality of battery strings at the charging current value multiplied by a number of the two or more of the plurality of battery strings being charged, in order to provide a constant current charging protocol that would quickly and safely raise the state of charge of the battery strings being charged.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crosman, III et al (US 2023/0182620 A1, hereinafter Crosman) in view of the teachings of Latulipe et al (US 2020/0083791 A1, hereinafter Latulipe).
Regarding claim 10, Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 1, as discussed above.
Crosman does not specifically teach an aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine, the aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine including a generator forming the charger.
Latulipe teaches (see Figs. 1-2) a hybrid electric propulsion system (200) comprising an aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine (turbine engine 10 is an example of the thermal engine 201, see paras. 0028-0031), the aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine including a generator (202) forming the charger (see Figs. 1-2 and paras. 0028-0031).
In view of the teachings of Latulipe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the machine of Crosman, an aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine, the aircraft propulsion system gas turbine engine including a generator forming the charger, since the combination of Latulipe with Crosman would provide a hybrid aircraft that contains a large capacity battery pack.
Claim(s) 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Latulipe et al (US 2020/0083791 A1, hereinafter Latulipe) in view of Crosman, III et al (US 2023/0182620 A1, hereinafter Crosman).
Regarding claim 16, Latulipe teaches an assembly for an aircraft (see Figs. 1-2), the assembly including: an aircraft propulsion system (200) including a rotational assembly (206), the rotational assembly including a rotatable shaft (the rotating structure 206 necessarily includes a rotatable shaft) and an electric motor (204), the electric motor configured to selectively drive the rotatable shaft (see para. 0031); a battery (210) configured to provide electrical power to the electric motor to selectively drive the rotatable shaft (see paras. 0032-0033),
Latulipe does not specifically teach: the battery including a plurality of battery strings; a charger configured to selectively direct an electrical charging current to the battery to charge the plurality of battery strings; and a battery monitoring system including a plurality of sensors, each sensor configured to measure a battery string voltage of a respective one of the plurality of battery strings, the battery monitoring system further including a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: determine the battery string voltage for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings with the plurality of sensors; identify a battery string voltage hierarchy for the plurality of battery strings, the battery string voltage hierarchy ordered from a lowest battery string voltage to a highest battery string voltage; and sequentially charge the plurality of battery strings with the charger based on the battery string voltage hierarchy by: charging a first battery string of the plurality of battery strings to a first target string voltage; charging the first battery string and a second battery string of the plurality of the plurality of battery strings together to a second target string voltage, the second target string voltage greater than the first target string voltage.
Crosman teaches (see Figs. 2-4) a battery (battery system 120) including a plurality of battery strings (battery packs 230); a charger configured to selectively direct an electrical charging current to the battery to charge the plurality of battery strings (a charger is described in para. 0023); and a battery monitoring system (controller 250) including a plurality of sensors (since each pack controller 250 determines the offline voltage of its battery pack 230, see para. 0024, a plurality of sensors are necessarily present), each sensor configured to measure a battery string voltage of a respective one of the plurality of battery strings (see the one-to-one correspondence of pack controllers 250 and battery packs 230, Fig. 2), the battery monitoring system further including a processor (system controller 252) in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions (see para. 0020), which instructions when executed by the processor (system controller 252), cause the processor to (see Fig. 4): determine the battery string voltage for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings with the plurality of sensors (see step 418); identify a battery string voltage hierarchy for the plurality of battery strings (see step 422), the battery string voltage hierarchy identifying at least a lowest-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings, at least one intermediate-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings, and a highest-voltage battery string of the plurality of battery strings (sorting the battery packs from lowest to highest will include a lowest-voltage battery string, an intermediate-voltage battery string and a highest-voltage battery string); and sequentially charge the plurality of battery strings with the charger based on the battery string voltage hierarchy by (see steps 418-428): charging the lowest-voltage battery string to a first target string voltage (see step 426); and charging the lowest-voltage battery string and the at least one intermediate-voltage battery string together to a second target string voltage (when the lowest-voltage battery is charged to within a threshold voltage of the intermediate-voltage battery, steps 418-428 will repeat and the lowest-voltage battery and the intermediate-voltage battery will be charged together to the next threshold voltage), the second target string voltage greater than the first target string voltage (the batteries are charged to the next higher voltage threshold until all batteries are online and being charged to the full voltage threshold, see Yes in step 428) (also see paras. 0004-0005, 0018-0021, 0035-0036 and 0040-0043).
In view of the teachings of Crosman, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the battery of Latulipe, the battery including a plurality of battery strings; a charger configured to selectively direct an electrical charging current to the battery to charge the plurality of battery strings; and a battery monitoring system including a plurality of sensors, each sensor configured to measure a battery string voltage of a respective one of the plurality of battery strings, the battery monitoring system further including a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: determine the battery string voltage for each battery string of the plurality of battery strings with the plurality of sensors; identify a battery string voltage hierarchy for the plurality of battery strings, the battery string voltage hierarchy ordered from a lowest battery string voltage to a highest battery string voltage; and sequentially charge the plurality of battery strings with the charger based on the battery string voltage hierarchy by: charging a first battery string of the plurality of battery strings to a first target string voltage; charging the first battery string and a second battery string of the plurality of the plurality of battery strings together to a second target string voltage, the second target string voltage greater than the first target string voltage; since this would provide a large capacity battery system and a safe method for bringing the large capacity battery online safely (see para. 0011 of Crosman). Since Latulipe does not teach the specifics of the battery (210), one or ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, would look to the solutions of others, such as Crosman, for the specifics of a battery that would be suitable for the intended use.
Regarding claim 17, Latulipe as modified by Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 16, wherein the rotational assembly (206) further includes a propeller (the rotating structure 206 may include a propeller, see para. 0031), the electric motor (204) configured to selectively drive the propeller via the rotatable shaft (see paras. 0031-0032).
Regarding claim 18, Latulipe as modified by Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 16, wherein the propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine (10, see Fig. 1), the gas turbine engine including the rotational assembly and a generator (202), the generator forming the charger (see paras. 0028-0031).
Regarding claim 19, Latulipe as modified by Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 18, wherein the gas turbine engine (10) includes a second rotational assembly including a second rotatable shaft (a high pressure shaft 24), a bladed turbine rotor (high pressure rotors 22), and a bladed compressor rotor (fan 12), the second rotatable shaft interconnecting the bladed turbine rotor (22) and the bladed compressor rotor (12), the bladed turbine rotor configured to drive the generator via the second rotatable shaft (see Figs. 1-2 and paras. 0028-031).
Regarding claim 20, Latulipe as modified by Crosman teaches the assembly of claim 16, wherein the plurality of battery strings are electrically connected in parallel (see Fig. 2 of Crosman).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 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:
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of record does not teach wherein the first target string voltage is greater than the battery string voltage of the intermediate-voltage battery string and the first target string voltage is within a first voltage tolerance of the battery string voltage of the intermediate-voltage battery string.
Choi et al (US 2025/0239866 A1) teaches (see Figs. 3-4) setting a first target voltage (310V) greater than a battery voltage (305V) of an intermediate-voltage battery (pack #2, where pack #1 is the lowest-voltage battery at 300V) and the first target string voltage (310V) is within a first voltage tolerance of the battery string voltage (305V) of the intermediate-voltage battery string (pack #2) (see paras. 0071-0076). However, as shown in Fig. 4(A), Choi et al charges pack #1 and pack #2 simultaneously, not sequentially. Thus, without the benefit of applicant’s teachings, one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date would not have been motivated to combine the teachings of Choi et al with Crosman in a manner that would create the claimed invention.
Claims 3-6 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 2 and would be allowable for the same reason.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kikuchi (US 2025/0065748 A1) teaches a charge control device and method that sequentially charges batteries (2a-2e) according to calculated differences in potential of the batteries (see Figs. 1-7).
Books et al (US 12, 040,460 B2) teaches a battery charging and discharging system for multiple battery packs at different states of charge (see Figs. 1-8).
Ishihara et al (US 11,799,315 B2) teaches a battery control apparatus for an aircraft, where the states of charge of multiple battery strings are controlled (see Figs. 1-6).
Park et al (US 8,933,667 B2) teaches an apparatus and method for controlling the connection of multiple battery packs having different states of charge (see Figs. 2-6).
Haridas (WO 2023/144835) teaches a system and method for balancing multiple battery packs with different states of charge, where the battery pack with the lowest state of charge will be charged first (see Figs. 1-3A).
The additional references cited on the attached PTO-892 are related to the charging or connection of multiple battery packs or battery strings.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jared Fureman whose telephone number is (571)272-2391. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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