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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-12, in the reply filed on June 10, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on June 10, 2026.
Status of Application
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 13-20 are withdrawn. Claims 1-12 are presented for examination.
Claim Objections
1. Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities.
In claim 1, Ln 9-10, ”receives the temperature control signal to heat dissipation;” should read “receives the temperature control signal to start heat dissipation;” due to improper grammar and based on the disclosure paragraph [0028].
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
3. 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.
(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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 4-5, 9, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakatani (US 20220029214 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Nakatani discloses a battery thermal management system (power supply system 600, [0070] and FIG. 1), comprising: at least one battery pack (2, [0070] and FIG. 1), comprising at least one battery cell set (battery module 10, [0071] and FIG. 5), and the battery cell set being provided with several battery cells (40, [0077] and FIGs. 5-7); a temperature detection module (a first thermistor 90 and a second thermistor 92 [0114] and FIG. 28) connected with the battery cell set to detect a temperature value of the battery cell set; a control unit (control circuit board 44, [0077]), connected with the temperature detection module and the battery cell set respectively (FIGs. 5-7). Nakatani further discloses that the control circuit board obtains the temperature detected using the first thermistor 90 and the second thermistor 92, determines whether both the first temperature and the second temperature are lower than or higher than a predetermined charging-start lower limit temperature, and outputs the charging start instruction ([0124-0127]), which inherently anticipates “receiving the temperature value, and generating a temperature control signal”, because the charging start instruction would necessarily affect the temperature of the battery cell set and in light of the further comparison step of the temperature detected to a predetermined charging-start lower limit temperature, the forgoing logical cycle of the control circuit board substantially equivalents to “generating a temperature control signal”.
Nakatani further discloses a heat dissipation module (blower control process, [0143-0144] and FIG. 38), connected to the control unit, receives the temperature control signal to start heat dissipation (drive blower fan, FIG. 38).
{Examiner notes: claim 1 in Ln10-16 recites limitations of “wherein when the temperature value is higher than…; and when the temperature value is higher than…, and the battery cell stops charging or discharging” which is considered as functional language claim. Manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. [MPEP 2114 (II)]. }
Nevertheless, Nakatani further discloses when the temperature value is higher than a first preset temperature value (predetermined blow start temperature 17°C, [0152] FIG. 38), the heat dissipation module starts heat dissipation (S72 drive blower fan, FIG. 38), and the battery cell is charged or discharged; and when the temperature value is higher than a second preset temperature value (upper limit temperature 60 °C for charging [0136]) and 85 °C for discharging [0154]), FIG. 38), the heat dissipation module starts heat dissipation (S72 [0145-0148]), and the battery cell stops charging or discharging (charging/discharging termination, [0149-0155]; S46 in FIG. 32 and S96 in FIG.39).
Regarding claim 4, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses the control circuit board 44 determines whether voltages of all the battery cells 40 are lower than the charging-start voltage threshold and making YES/NO in S10 followed by proceeding to S12/S2 ([0123] and FIG. 29), which inherently teaches “detects a voltage value of the battery cell set and sends the voltage value to the control unit to generate a control signal”.
While Nakatani does not explicitly mention a data collecting module that is respectively connected with the battery cell set and the control unit, Nakatani further discloses the control circuit board 44 stores in advance a correspondence relationship between battery cell temperatures and charging-start voltage thresholds ([0120] and FIG. 30), which inherently and necessarily requires the capability of collecting and storing voltage and temperature data. A skilled artisan would thus reasonably envisage Nakatani has included a data collecting module or a data collecting device functionally equivalent exists in the control circuit board, and the data collecting module or the data collecting device is respectively connected with the battery cell set and the control unit (control circuit board 44).
Regarding claim 5, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses the battery cell set comprises at least one battery cell string, and the battery cell string comprises the battery cell (FIG. 28), wherein, the voltage value is a voltage value of each battery cell (any of the battery cell 40, [0123] and FIG. 28).
Regarding claim 9, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani has included a fan (blower fan in S72, FIG. 38) arranged in the battery pack.
Regarding claim 11, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses when the temperature value is lower than the first preset temperature value(S88-No, FIG. 38), the control unit controls the heat dissipation module to be turned off (S82, FIG. 38), and the battery cells are charged or discharged (S84, FIG. 38).
Regarding claim 12, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses when the temperature value is between the first preset temperature value and the second preset temperature (S88-Yes, FIG.38), the control unit controls the heat dissipation module to start heat dissipation (S72, FIG. 38), and the battery cells are charged or discharged (S72-S74-S78-S80…-S88-S74 cycle, FIG. 38).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
8. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakatani (US 20220029214 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. {Examiner notes: claim 2 recites the limitation “wherein when the temperature value is higher than a third preset temperature and lower than the second preset temperature value the heat dissipation module starts heat dissipation and the battery cell is charged with reduced power” which is also considered as functional language claim. Manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. [MPEP 2114 (II)]. }
Nevertheless, Nakatani further discloses charging abnormality determination process ([0135-0137] and FIG. 32) in that when the temperature value is higher than a third preset temperature value (predetermined charging lower limit temperature, [0137] FIG. 32) and lower than the second preset temperature value, the heat dissipation module starts heat dissipation (S82-S86-S72, FIG. 38 and [0149-0151]) and the battery cell is charged.
Nakatani does not explicitly disclose the battery cell is charged with reduced power when the temperature value is between the second and the third preset temperature value.
However, Nakatani further discloses the battery pack 2 detachably attached to a charger 400 which supplies power to the battery pack 2 ([0070] and FIG. 1) for charging and discharging ([0079]); and during charging the battery pack 2 the charger 400 receives as charging parameters from the battery pack 2 including a charging-current reduction start voltage, when the charging voltage reaches the charging-current-reduction start voltage, the charger 400 gradually reduces the charging current until to the cut-off current, the charger terminates the charging of the battery pack ([0117]), inherently teaching a reduced power charging when the charging voltage reaches the charging-current-reduction start voltage. Nakatani further discloses the relationship between battery cell temperatures and charging-start voltage thresholds ([0120] and FIG. 30 ) which illustrates those preset values of charging-current-reduction start voltages are closely related to and substantially convertible to the predetermined second and third temperature values (the predetermined charging lower limit temperature) in the claim.
Since Nakatani has included temperature control mechanism based on preset temperature values as established in claim 1, it would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, with reasonable expectation of success in modifying a reduced power charging process initiated by the temperature threshold range being higher than a third preset temperature value and lower than the second preset temperature value, instead of by those preset values of charging-current-reduction start voltage and cut-off current, via a conversion relationship taught by FIG. 30, without undue experimentation, absent evidence to the contrary for secondary consideration.
9. Claims 3, 7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakatani (US 20220029214 A1), as applied to claim 1 or claim 4 respectively, in view of Oglesbee (US 6608470 B1).
Regarding claim 3, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses a charging control module (charger 400, [0070] and FIG. 1), and the control unit (control circuit board 44 [0079]) are provided a pair of power terminals 60 used for discharging or charging and a plurality of signal terminals 62 used for transmitting and receiving signals ([0079]) and the power terminals 410 of the charger 400 are engaged with and are electrically connected to the power terminal 60 of the battery pack 2 ([0101] and FIGs. 23-24). Since the battery cell set and the charging control module are electrically connected through the control unit via a connection of the pair of power terminals 60 of the control unit and the pair of power terminals 410 of the charging control module ([0101] and FIGs. 23-24), Nakatani inherently anticipates the claimed “wherein the battery pack is provided with a discharge port and a charging port connected with the battery cell set, an input terminal of the charging control module are respectively connected with the charging port and the control unit” , because the pair of power terminals 62 correspond to a discharge port and a charging port which are connected with the battery cell set; and the pair of power terminals 410 shown in FIG. 23 correspond to an input terminal and an output terminal of the charging control module in the claim.
As established in claim 1, the battery cell stops charging or discharging (charging/discharging termination, [0149-0155]; S46 in FIG. 32 and S96 in FIG.39) based on the temperature control signal generated by the control unit, thus arriving at the claimed limitation “and a control signal generated by the control unit turns on or off the charging control module”.
Nakatani has set charging voltage threshold and monitors battery cell temperature along charging (FIG. 30) and the charger 400 gradually reduces the charging current when the charging voltage reaches the charging-current-reduction start voltage ([0117]), and FIG. 24 of Nakatani appears to have at least one of the pair of power terminal 410 be connected with an electrode of the battery cell set in order to be connected in the charging circuit.
Nakatani does not explicitly disclose it is the output terminal of the charging control module connected with the positive electrode of the battery cell set.
Oglesbee, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a protection circuit 100 and protection device 300 for protecting from overcharging a rechargeable (lithium-based) battery cell or cells which are thermally coupled to a thermal element (120, 322, 326) (Abstract); and in FIG. 5 the output terminal 304 of the protection device 300 is connected with its positive electrode of the battery 5.
It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the output terminal of the charging control module connected with the positive electrode of the battery cell set, as taught by FIG. 5 of Oglesbee, without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success in protecting the battery cell set from overcharging.
Regarding claim 7, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani has set charging voltage threshold and monitors battery cell temperature along charging (FIG. 30) and the charger 400 gradually reduces the charging current when the charging voltage reaches the charging-current-reduction start voltage ([0117]); and as established in claim 4, Nakatani has included data collecting module in the control unit (control circuit board 44). Nakatani further discloses a charging control module (charger 400, [0070] and FIG. 1), and the control unit (control circuit board 44 [0079]) are provided a pair of power terminals 60 used for discharging or charging and a plurality of signal terminals 62 used for transmitting and receiving signals ([0079]) and the power terminals 410 of the charger 400 are engaged with and are electrically connected to the power terminal 60 of the battery pack 2 ([0101] and FIGs. 23-24). Therefore, Nakatani teaches detecting a charging current or a discharge current and converted into a voltage signal and sent the voltage signal to the data collecting module within the control unit which is electrically connected with the charging control module (charger 400).
Nakatani does not explicitly disclose a shunt connected with a negative electrode of the battery cell set, with an output terminal of the shunt connected with the data collecting module.
Oglesbee, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a protection circuit 100 and protection device 300 for protecting from overcharging a rechargeable (lithium-based) battery cell or cells which are thermally coupled to a thermal element (120, 322, 326) (Abstract); and the output terminal of the shunt 310 is connected between the input terminal 302 and the common terminal 306 which is connected with the negative electrode of the battery 5; and the input terminal 302 is for connection to a battery charger (Col3/Ln63-65 and FIG. 5).
It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nakatani with a shunt connected with a negative electrode of the battery cell set with an output terminal of the shunt being connected with the charger as taught by FIG. 5 of Oglesbee, without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success in protecting the battery cell set from overcharging. Further as established above, the data collecting module within the control unit of Nakatani is electrically connected with the charging control module (charger 400), it would have been further obvious to arrive at a shunt connected with a negative electrode of the battery cell set with an output terminal of the shunt being connected with the data collecting module within the control unit of Nakatani.
Regarding claim 10, modified Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani has included the temperature detection module of two thermistor (90/92), the two thermistors are arranged on a side of the battery cell set (FIG. 28) with the first thermistor 90 located near the center among the battery cells 40 and the second thermistor 92 located near the outer edge among the battery cells 40 ([0114] and FIG. 28).
Nakatani has two thermistors for a battery cell set, thus does not explicitly disclose a number of the thermistors is the same as a number of the battery cell set or the battery cell.
Oglesbee, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a protection circuit 100 and protection device 300 for protecting from overcharging a rechargeable (lithium-based) battery cell or cells which are thermally coupled to a thermal element 120 being a solid state thermal resistor (Col2/Ln10-35), which is another name for a thermistor in the claim. Oglesbee further teaches the thermal element 120 can be affixed to an individual cell of the battery (FIG. 2) vs. contained in integrated assembly or package (FIG. 1) (Col2/Ln25-28 and FIGs. 1 and 2).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to prepare the thermistor of Nakatani affixed to each individual cell of the battery cell set rather than contained in integrated assembly or package as taught by Oglesbee’s FIG. 2, thus arriving at the claimed a number of the thermistors is the same as a number of the battery cell” without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success in better protecting the battery cell set from overcharging.
10. Claims 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakatani (US 20220029214 A1), as applied to claim 1 or claim 4 respectively, in view of Ing (US 20210265669 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Since Nakatani has included temperature detection module (a first thermistor 90 and a second thermistor 92 [0114] and FIG. 28) connected with the battery cell set to detect a temperature value of the battery cell set to transmit the signal of temperature to a control unit (control circuit board 44, [0077]), as set forth in claim 1, Nakatani’s first and second thermistors 90/92 are temperature input sensor which is well-known in the art meant to be connected to an analog front end data collecting module to convert its temperature variable resistance signal into a readable voltage signal transmitted to the control unit. Further as shown in FIG. 28, thermistors 90/92 are vertically arranged on the battery cell set and electrically connected with the battery cell set.
While Nakatani further discloses using either protective ribs 208 and side rails 210 ([0097] and FIG. 19) or a terminal cover 406 ([0101] and FIG. 23) to protect the power terminals and signal terminals, Nakatani does not explicitly disclose the analog front end being a flexible board structure.
Ing teaches similar concerns about the devices to prevent over-temperature, high pressure, current surges, and/or over-charges because they are prone to failure and tend to be unreliable in certain environmental conditions ([0004]); and a battery management system 112 configured to monitor the battery cells including their voltage and temperature via a flexible printed circuit 104 used as a cell-to cell interconnect, which contains components (e.g., surface mounted component for use in a battery pack) ([0016] [0022] and FIG. 1) like surface mounted fuses and a surface mounted connector ([0020]) in the form of electrical traces 106A-N, 116 of the printed circuit 104; and pairs of electrical traces 106A-N, 116 may provide voltages from the battery module 108 to the MCU 124 of the BMS 112 and these voltages may be used to determine state (e.g., voltage, current , state of charge, etc.) associated with a particular battery cell 114A-N in the battery module 108 ([0031] and FIG. 1). Therefore, Ing teaches the analog front end (surface mounted connector) in the form of electrical traces 106A-N, 116 in a flexible board structure 104.
It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the analog front end of Nakatani in the form of electrical traces in a flexible board structure in the same manner as the flexible printed circuit board 104 shown in FIG. 1 of Ing, in order to better protect the power terminals and signal terminals.
Regarding claim 8, Nakatani discloses all of the limitations set forth above. Nakatani further discloses a charger 400 ([0070] and FIG. 1), and the control unit (control circuit board 44 [0079]) are provided a pair of power terminals 60 used for discharging or charging and a plurality of signal terminals 62 used for transmitting and receiving signals when the battery pack 2 is attached to the electrical device or the charger 400 ([0079]) and the power terminals 410 of the charger 400 are engaged with and are electrically connected to the power terminal 60 of the battery pack 2 ([0101] and FIGs. 23-24). Therefore, Nakatani teaches the control unit (control circuit board 44 [0079]) is electrically connected with the charger 400, and there is signal communication between the control unit and the charger 400 via the connection of a plurality of signal terminals 62 on the control unit.
While the plurality of signal terminal 62 in and with a portion the control unit conducts the function of communicating signals (transmitting and receiving signals, [0079]) between the battery pack 2 and the charger 400, which teaches the claimed “wherein the battery pack is provided with a communication port, the communication port is connected with a charger” because the signal terminal 62 correspond to a communication port in the claim.
Nakatani does not explicitly have a communication module and a first end of the communication module is connected with the communication port, and a second end of the communication module is connected with the control unit.
Ing teaches the devices to prevent over-temperature, high pressure, current surges, and/or over-charges are prone to failure and tend to be unreliable in certain environmental conditions ([0004]); and a battery management system 112 configured to monitor the battery cells including their voltage and temperature via a flexible printed circuit 104 used as a cell-to cell interconnect, which contains components (e.g., surface mounted component for use in a battery pack) ([0016] [0022] and FIG. 1). Ing further teaches the BMS 112 may include a communication module 132 interconnected with the communication bus 140, charger (not shown), and/or other systems ([0032]). Therefore, Ing teaches a communication module 132 with a first end connected to the charger, and a second end connected to the BMS, which corresponds to the control unit in the claim.
It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add an additional communication module connecting between the control unit and the charger as taught by Ing’s communication module 132 into Nakatani’s battery thermal management system in order to prevent from failure and being unreliable. Further, since Nakatani’s charger contains signal terminal 62 corresponding to a communication port in the claim, it would have been further obvious to a skilled artisan to connect the communication module in such way that a first end of the communication module is connected with the communication port (signal terminal 62), and a second end of the communication module is connected with the control unit, arriving at the claimed limitation.
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAN LUO whose telephone number is (571)270-5753. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Leong can be reached on (571)270-1292. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K. L./Examiner, Art Unit 1751 9/4/2026
/Haroon S. Sheikh/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
Prosecution Insights