DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 03/11/2024, 04/03/2024, 07/01/2024, 12/19/2024, 12/02/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of the preliminary amendment filed on 02/14/2024 in which claims 1-20 were canceled and claims 21-40 added. Therefore, claims 21-40 are pending for examination below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 21-30 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Tseng [US 5,563,491] in view of Lowenthal et al. [US 2009/0174365] and Straubel [US 2009/0139781].
With respect claim 21, Tseng discloses a method of charging a battery of a vehicle with a battery charger [Fig. 1], the method comprising: receiving, at a controller, at least one signal indicative of a level of charge of the battery [309]; transmitting, during charging of the battery, to a portable controller remote from the vehicle and the battery charger, via a transmitter electrically coupled to the controller, a first wireless signal including data indicative of the level of charge of the battery [335; col. 5 lines 5-22]; displaying, on a display electrically coupled to the portable remote controller during charging of the battery, at least the level of charge of the battery received by the portable controller [i.e. via the light-emitting devices]. Tseng fails to disclose the portable remote receiving time remaining data and allowing the user to send back charging instructions as claimed.
Lowenthal relates to network controlled electric vehicle charging and teaches transmitting data indicative of an amount of time remaining to charge the battery estimated at least partially based upon the level of charge of the battery [par. 0049-0050; time charging and/or estimated time to completion of charging, also par. 0042-0043 describe that the mobile communication device is configured to receive monitor charging information].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to further send the amount of time remaining for charging to the remote device of the user for the benefit of keeping the user updated on the charging operation even while away from the charging station.
Further, Straubel relates to electric vehicle charging control and teaches receiving, at a controller, a wireless signal from the portable controller generated in response to user input received at the portable controller and, in response to receiving the second wireless signal, stop charging of the battery of the vehicle [par. 0320; i.e. the user powers on/off the charging of the battery “from a user device”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to further incorporate user control of the charging operation as taught by Straubel for the benefit of further enabling the user to control the recharging operation of the electric vehicle based on their preferences even while away from the charging station.
With respect claim 22, Tseng further discloses wherein the portable remote controller is defined at least in part by a phone [i.e. discloses communication occurs with telephone line/dialers].
With respect claim 23, Tseng further discloses wherein the level of charge is a full charge of the battery [all lights being emitted, i.e. a high level of charge].
With respect claims 24-25, Lowenthal as applied above further discloses wherein the display is a first display [see claim 1], the method further comprising displaying, on a second display located in a housing of the battery charger and electrically coupled to the controller, the level of charge of the battery and amount of time remaining [Fig. 3 depicts the display and indicators of the charger housing].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to additionally display the information at the charging station for the benefit of allowing quick visual display of the information when the user is at the station and without need for a mobile/remote device.
With respect claim 26, Tseng further discloses repeatedly sending, with the controller, signals to update the level of charge of the battery on the display [i.e. the display updates from low/medium/high charge levels].
With respect claim 27, Lowenthal as applied above further discloses displaying, on the display electrically coupled to the portable remote controller during charging of the battery, the amount of time remaining to charge the battery received by the portable controller [i.e. the mobile communication device 162 includes a mobile phone].
With respect claim 28, Tseng further discloses receiving, at the controller, a third wireless signal from the portable controller [Fig. 2 shows additional signals from a remote central office].
With respect claim 29, Straubel as applied above further discloses wherein receiving the third wireless signal from the portable controller includes receiving a time of day and further comprising supplying, with the controller, electricity to the battery based on the time of day [par. 0563; provides users with the ability to select schedules to charge their vehicle].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to include a user provided signal time for the benefit of tailoring the charging operation based on the user’s preferences/schedule.
With respect claim 30, Straubel as applied above further discloses wherein receiving the third wireless signal from the portable controller includes receiving a cost threshold and further comprising supplying, with the controller, electricity to the battery based on the cost threshold [par. 0436, 0573-0581, see at least “user can input a threshold for what is a less expensive charging cost rate”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to include a user provided signal for cost for the benefit of lowering charging costs based on a user’s preference.
Claim 31-37 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Tseng [US 5,563,491] in view of Lowenthal et al. [US 2009/0174365].
With respect claim 31, Tseng discloses a method of charging a battery of a vehicle with a battery charger [Fig. 1], the method comprising: receiving, at a controller, at least one signal indicative of a level of charge of the battery [309]; transmitting, during charging of the battery, to a portable controller remote from the vehicle and the battery charger, via a transmitter electrically coupled to the controller, a first wireless signal including data indicative of the level of charge of the battery [335; col. 5 lines 5-22]; displaying, on a display electrically coupled to the portable remote controller during charging of the battery, at least the level of charge of the battery received by the portable controller [i.e. via the light-emitting devices]. Tseng fails to disclose the portable remote receiving time remaining data and allowing the user to send back charging instructions as claimed.
Lowenthal relates to network controlled electric vehicle charging and teaches transmitting data indicative of an amount of time remaining to charge the battery estimated at least partially based upon the level of charge of the battery [par. 0049-0050; time charging and/or estimated time to completion of charging, also par. 0042-0043 describe that the mobile communication device is configured to receive monitor charging information].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to further send the amount of time remaining for charging to the remote device of the user for the benefit of keeping the user updated on the charging operation even while away from the charging station.
With respect claim 32, Tseng further discloses wherein the portable remote controller is defined at least in part by a phone [i.e. discloses communication occurs with telephone line/dialers].
With respect claim 33, Tseng further discloses wherein the level of charge is a full charge of the battery [all lights being emitted, i.e. a high level of charge].
With respect claims 34-36, Lowenthal as applied above further discloses wherein the display is a first display [see claim 1], the method further comprising displaying, on a second display located in a housing of the battery charger along an electrical cord [i.e. plug/outlet 110] and electrically coupled to the controller, the level of charge of the battery and amount of time remaining [Fig. 3 depicts the display and indicators of the charger housing].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to additionally display the information at the charging station for the benefit of allowing quick visual display of the information when the user is at the station and without need for a mobile/remote device.
With respect claim 37, Tseng further discloses repeatedly sending, with the controller, signals to update the level of charge of the battery on the display [i.e. the display updates from low/medium/high charge levels].
Claims 38-40 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Tseng [US 5,563,491] and Lowenthal et al. [US 2009/0174365] as applied above, and further in view of Straubel [US 2009/0139781].
With respect to claim 38, Tseng fails to disclose the remote sending a signal to the controller. Straubel relates to electric vehicle charging control and teaches receiving, at a controller, a wireless signal from the portable controller generated in response to user input received at the portable controller and, in response to receiving the second wireless signal, stop charging of the battery of the vehicle [par. 0320; i.e. the user powers on/off the charging of the battery “from a user device”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to further incorporate user control of the charging operation as taught by Straubel for the benefit of further enabling the user to control the recharging operation of the electric vehicle based on their preferences even while away from the charging station.
With respect claim 39 , Straubel as applied above further discloses wherein receiving the third wireless signal from the portable controller includes receiving a time of day and further comprising supplying, with the controller, electricity to the battery based on the time of day [par. 0563; provides users with the ability to select schedules to charge their vehicle].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to include a user provided signal time for the benefit of tailoring the charging operation based on the user’s preferences/schedule.
With respect claim 40, Straubel as applied above further discloses wherein receiving the third wireless signal from the portable controller includes receiving a cost threshold and further comprising supplying, with the controller, electricity to the battery based on the cost threshold [par. 0436, 0573-0581, see at least “user can input a threshold for what is a less expensive charging cost rate”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Tseng to include a user provided signal for cost for the benefit of lowering charging costs based on a user’s preference.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL R PELTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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/NATHANIEL R PELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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