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 .
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The Information Disclosure Statements filed on February 8, 2024 and March 6, 2025 have been considered. Initialed copies of the Form 1449 are enclosed herewith.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-5, 10-15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (2018/0123354), hereinafter Lim in view of Mikhaylik et al (2022/0271537), hereinafter Mikhaylik.
With respect to claim 1, Lim teaches a method for charging a battery (paragraph 0081: charges the discharged battery with a charging current in a step charging mode), comprising: charging a battery cell with a first C-rate (paragraph 0081: 1.2 C-rate) within a range from an initial charge voltage to a first charge voltage (paragraphs 0080-0081: first fully discharges the battery and then begins charging it at 1.2; paragraphs 0084-0086: continues charging at 1.2C until the battery reaches the threshold corresponding to 1.2C, example: voltage is 3.974V changes from 1.2C to 1.1C); and charging the battery cell with a second C-rate to an N-th C-rate (paragraph 0086: changes the charging current from 1.2C to 1.1C (second C-rate), process is repeated, determining a threshold voltage corresponding to each of the charging currents in the step charging mode), which are smaller than first C-rate and different from each other (1.2C to 1.1C to 1.0C), where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3 (1.2C – first, 1.1 – second, 1.0C – third).
With respect to claim 2, Lim teaches the method for charging the battery, wherein the charging of the battery cell with the second C-rate to the N-th C-rate comprises: charging the battery cell with an i-th C-rate, where i is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N−1; and charging the battery cell with an (i+1)-th C-rate that is smaller than the i-th C-rate (paragraph 0086).
With respect to claim 3, Lim teaches the method for charging the battery, wherein the charging of the battery cell with the i-th C-rate and the charging of the battery cell with the (i+1)-th C-rate are sequentially performed (paragraph 0086).
With respect to claim 4, Lim teaches the method for charging the battery, wherein the first charge voltage is in a range of 4.08V to 4.1V (paragraph 0060).
With respect to claim 5, Lim teaches the method for charging the battery of claim 1, wherein the second charge voltage is in a range of 4.2V to 4.25V (paragraphs 0063).
With respect to claim 10, Lim teaches the method for charging the battery, wherein the charging of the battery cell with the first C-rate and the charging of the battery cell with the second C-rate to the N-th C-rate comprise charging the battery cell by a constant-current (CC) charging method (paragraphs 0081-0086).
With respect to claim 11, see Lim’s teachings above with respect to claim 1, wherein Lim teaches a battery management system comprising: a first charger configured to charge a battery cell with a first C-rate within a range from an initial charge voltage to a first charge voltage; and a second charger configured to charge the battery cell from a second C-rate to an N-th C-rate, which are smaller than the first C-rate and different from each other, so that a thickness change rate of the battery cell is a threshold value or less within a range from the first charge voltage to a second charge voltage (paragraphs 0080-0086).
With respect to claim 12, Lim teaches the battery management system, wherein the second charger is configured to charge the battery cell with an i-th C-rate, where i is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N−1, and charge the battery cell with an (i+1)-th C-rate smaller than the i-th C-rate (paragraph 0086).
With respect to claim 13, Lim teaches the battery management system, wherein the second charger is configured to sequentially charge the battery cell with the i-th C-rate and the (i+1)-th C-rate (paragraph 0086).
With respect to claim 14, Lim teaches the battery management system, wherein the first charge voltage is in a range of 4.08V to 4.1V (paragraph 0060).
With respect to claim 15, Lim teaches the battery management system of claim 11, wherein the second charge voltage is in a range of 4.2V to 4.25V (paragraph 0063).
With respect to claim 20, Lim teaches the battery management system, wherein the first charger and the second charger are configured to charge the battery cell by a constant-current (CC) charge method (paragraphs 0081-0086).
With respect to claim 1 and 11, Lim’s teachings above fail to specifically teach that the thickness change rate of the battery cell is a threshold value or less within a range from the first charge voltage to a second charge voltage.
With respect to claims 1 and 11, Mikhaylik teaches in paragraphs 0171-0712, monitoring a thickness of an electrochemical cell and determining and monitoring a rate of increase of the thickness, and using the monitored information to determine a charge method and/or charge rate.
With respect to claims 8 and 18, Mikhaylik teaches in paragraphs 0555-0556 and the method/system for charging the battery of claim 1, wherein the initial charge voltage is in a range of 3.0V to 3.1V.
In view of Mikhaylik’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the charging method of Lim to monitor the rate of increase in thickness of the battery cell and determine the charging rate based on the monitored thickness information, as is taught by Mikhaylik. One would be motivated in order to control the charging of the battery cell based on changes in the cell morphology and thereby limit excessive increases in cell thickness.
6. Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim in combination with Mikhaylik and in further view of Umetsu et al (2019/0027319), hereinafter Umetsu.
Lim’s teachings in combination with the teachings of Mikhaylik are discussed above. The combination however fails to specifically teach the battery management method/system wherein the battery cell comprises a negative electrode comprising 80% or more of a silicon-based active material, or 50% or more of silicon.
With respect to claims 7 and 17, Umetsu teaches a negative electrode comprising an alloy-type negative electrode active material, wherein the material may comprise silicon, and wherein the content of the alloy-type material is preferably 50 weight % or greater (paragraph 0182).
In view of Umetsu’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the battery of Lim to include a negative electrode comprising silicon as taught by Umetsu. One would be motivated in order to provide a negative electrode having increased reversible capacity and thereby increase the energy density of the battery.
7. Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim in combination with Mikhaylik and in further view of Perera et al (2023/0021271), hereinafter Perera.
Lim’s teachings in combination with the teachings of Mikhaylik are discussed above. The combination however fails to specifically teach wherein the thickness change rate of the battery cell is 65% or less.
With respect to claims 9 and 19, Perera teaches wherein the thickness change rate of the battery cell is 65% or less (paragraph 0047).
In view of Perera’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the charging method/system of Lim as modified by Mikhaylik, to limit the thickness change rate of the battery cell to 65% or less, as taught by Perera. One would be motivated in order to limit excessive cell expansion and thereby improve cell performance and cell life.
8. Claims 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim in combination with Mikhaylik and in further view of Perera and in further view of Perera’s own teachings.
Lim in combination with the teachings of Mikhaylik and Perera are discussed above. The combination however fails to teach the battery management method/system, wherein the thickness change rate of the battery cell is a ratio of a difference between a first thickness of the battery cell measured while applying a pressure to the battery cell at the initial charge voltage and a second thickness of the battery cell measured while applying a pressure to the battery cell at the second charge voltage to the first thickness of the battery cell.
With respect to claims 6 and 16, Perera teaches measuring the thickness of a battery cell before formation, applying pressure to the battery cell during formation and/or cycling, and determining expansion of the battery cell resulting from lithiation during charging, including expansion on the order to 10-20% (paragraphs 0038, 0047, 0054).
In view of Perera’s own teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the charging method/system of Lim as modified by Mikhaylik, to determine the thickness change rate based on the initial and subsequent thickness measurements. One would be motivated in order to quantify cell expansion during charging.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: See attached PTO form 892, Refence Cited.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allyson N. Trail whose telephone number is (571) 272-2406. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 7:30AM to 4:00PM Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571) 272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
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/ALLYSON N TRAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
September 1, 2026
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