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 02/14/2024. Claims 1-4 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites “the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged” which lacks antecedent basis to the spec.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawing Objections
The drawings are objected to due to the following informalities:
The drawings are further objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.83(a) because the drawings do not show every feature of the invention specified in the claims.
Specifically, the following features are not identified in the drawings:
Claim 2 recites “the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged” which structures are not identified in the drawing.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “and open“ and should as “an open “.
Claim 1 recites “the electrical contacts“ which lack antecedence basis.
Examiner will examine/interpret “the plurality electrical contacts “.
Claim 1 recites “at least charging plug and between the AC-DC converters and the at least one charging plug “.
Examiner will examine/interpret as “at least one charging plug and between the AC-DC converters and the at least one charging plug “ .
Appropriate correction required.
Examiner comments
Based on broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the spec, Examiner will interpret “AC level 2” as a dual-AC charging station (pg. 13).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (b), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites “wherein the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged” is unclear.
Claim 1 from which is depends does not claim or describes an input data.
Examiner will interpret as “wherein an input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged”.
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 and 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prasad (US 20210086646).
As to claim 1, Prasad discloses an electric vehicle charging station (Fig. 1,3-4 dual-voltage charging station system 30) comprising:
an AC-AC converters providing an AC charging output (Fig. 3 showing one charging station 30 having a voltage transformer (“T”) 41 that is operable to boost or reduce the AC supply voltage to an application-specific voltage level, i.e., the first voltage level V1.);
at least two AC-DC converters each providing an DC charging output (Fig. 5 AC/DC 30A-30B)
a plurality of electrical contacts (switches S55 and switches S56, S57*, S58, S59*, S61, and S62, and possibly S57A when an AC voltage is provided by charging station 30A), each controllably operable between and open and a closed position, the electrical contacts disposed in electrical pathways between the AC-AC converter and at least charging plug and between the AC-DC converters and the at least one charging plug (Fig. 3-5 switches between converters 30A,30B and plug 32. [0031]-[0032] Fig. 4 showing 2 charging stations 30A and 30B selectively interconnected via the charge coupler 32 and switches S55); and
a controller to control the positions of the electrical contacts to selectively provide the AC charging output of the AC-AC converter to the at least one charging plug or to provide the DC charging output of each of the at least two DC-DC converters to the at least one charging plug to selectively provide AC or DC charging of an electric vehicle to be charged via the at least one charging plug ([0031]-[0035] FIG. 4 depicts a conceptual schematic depiction of how two similar-configured charging stations 30A and 30B selectively interconnected via the charge coupler 32 and configured to output a charging voltage at the first voltage level V1, e.g., 400V or at the second voltage level V2, e.g., 800V using switches..[0033] FIG. 4-5 …using two V1-level charging stations 30A and 30B connected to the AC pins 32-AC and DC pins 32-DC via switches S56, S57*, S58, S59*, S61, and S62, and possibly S57A when an AC voltage is provided by charging station 30A)
The embodiment of Prasad in Fig. 4-5 does not disclose/teach a second AC-AC converter providing an AC charging output and therefore does not disclose the electrical contacts disposed in electrical pathways between the second AC-AC converter and the at least charging plug.
The embodiment of Prasad in Fig. 4-5 further does not disclose the controller to control the positions of the electrical contacts to selectively provide the AC charging output of the second AC-AC converter to selectively provide dual AC charging of an electric vehicle to be charged via the at least one charging plug
However since Prasad teaches combining two charging stations wherein one has an AC converter providing an AC charging output selectively provided via electrical contacts via a controller, then it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Prasad second charging station (30B) to have a selectable AC output port like station 30A in order to provide a different required AC voltage not provided by station 30A. This would give Prasads electric vehicle charging station the ability to provide dual AC charging. As such, to duplicate the AC source function of station 30A, one of ordinary skill in the art can see that station 30B would also have an AC-AC converter (i.e. second AC-AC converter).
As to claim 3, Prasad teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1.
Prasad does not disclose/teach wherein the DC charging outputs comprise a 600 VDC fast charging output
However, absent an objective showing of criticality with regards to the claimed voltage of the DC charging outputs, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the DC charging outputs comprise a 600 VDC fast charging output in order to accommodate different load voltage requirements.
As to claim 4, Prasad teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1.
Prasad does not disclose/teach wherein the AC charging outputs each comprise an AC Level 2 charging output.
However since Prasad teaches combining two charging stations wherein one has an AC converter providing an AC charging output selectively provided via electrical contacts via a controller, then it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Prasad second charging station (30B) to have a selectable AC output port like station 30A in order to provide a different required AC voltage not provided by station 30A. This would give Prasads electric vehicle charging station the ability to provide dual AC charging).
Claim 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prasad (US 20210086646) in view of Bouman (20130049677).
As to claim 2, Prasad teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1.
Prasad does not disclose/teach wherein the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged
Bouman teaches wherein the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged ([0052] of Bouman FIG. 4 shows an energy routing system comprising an energy exchange system 400 according to the invention. When a vehicle 300a, 300b is connected to the energy exchange station, it can communicate with the station controller through a data line).
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 electric vehicle charging station of Prasad to wherein the input data comprises input data received from a user or from the electric vehicle to be charged in order to order the charge station controller to switch to AC power [0052].
Conclusion and Related Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mackenzie et al (US 20250091456) is cited for having L1 and L2 AC charging port. However Mackenzie is filed after the effective filing date.
Mu et al (US 11545834) is cited for having dual DC/AC converters.
NIEDERMAYR et al (US 20250121714) is cited for having multiple AC/AC converters to multiple ports.
Starr (US 20110140656) is cited for a having a AC level 2 charging output (Fig. 1D).
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.
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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/TYNESE V MCDANIEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
