DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 2/15/2024. Claims 1-5 are pending for prosecution below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS)(s) file on have been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Najmabadi et al, (Najmabadi), (USPATNO.10,230,254).
As for claim 1, Najmabadi discloses and shows in Figs.1,5-7 a power device comprising: a power storage unit (ref’s power source); a rotating electric machine (ref’s transformer) ; a charging (via charging port) and power supply unit connected to the rotating electric machine; a DC voltage conversion unit (via boost converter) connected to the power storage unit; a power conversion unit (ref’s AC/DC) connected between the DC voltage conversion unit and the rotating electric machine; and a power supply unit connected to the DC voltage conversion unit and the power conversion unit (col.5, lines 21-59).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Najmabadi in view of CHOI et al, (CHOI), (USNO.2014/0021780)
As for claim 2, Najmabadi discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a power storage
unit is charged from the charging and power supply unit by an external power source,
the rotating electric machine and the power conversion unit perform a voltage step-up
operation, and the DC voltage conversion unit performs a voltage step-down operation
Choi discloses and shows in Fig. 2 a power storage unit is charged from the charging and power supply unit by an external power source, the rotating electric machine and the power conversion unit perform a voltage step-up operation (via operation mode), and the DC voltage conversion unit performs a voltage step-down operation (via buck converter in inverse operation mode) (par.[0042,0053])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention modified the teachings of Najmabadi by using a power storage unit is charged from the charging and power supply unit by an external power source, the rotating electric machine and the power conversion unit perform a voltage step-up operation, and the DC voltage conversion unit performs a voltage step-down operation for advantages such as providing energy in an emergency (par.[0003]) , as taught by Choi
As for claim 3, Najmabadi in combination with Choi discloses and shows a case where the power storage unit is charged from the charging and power supply unit by an external power source, the power supply unit steps down a voltage obtained through the voltage step-up operation of the rotating electric machine and the power conversion unit and supplies power to the outside.
As for claim 4, Najmabadi in combination with Choi discloses and shows a case where power is supplied to the outside from the charging and power supply unit with power of the power storage unit, the rotating electric machine, the power conversion unit, and the DC voltage conversion unit perform a voltage step-down operation.
As for claim 5, Najmabadi in combination with Choi discloses and shows in Fig. 2 a case where power is supplied to the outside from the charging and power supply unit with power of the power storage unit, the power supply unit steps down a voltage obtained through the voltage step-down operation of the DC voltage conversion unit and supplies power to the outside.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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