DETAILED ACTION
1. This action is in response to the amendment filed on 12/02/25.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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, 3, 5, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi et al. (US 20160352123) in view of Konishi et al. (US 20110234151).
Regarding claim 1: Konishi et al. disclose (i.e. figure 2) a power conversion apparatus (i.e. 101), comprising:
a power conversion circuit (i.e. C1, Q1, Q2, L1, C2), wherein the power conversion circuit comprises a first positive end (i.e. + end of C1), a first negative end (i.e. – end of C1), a second positive end (i.e. + end of C2), a second negative end (i.e. – end of C2), and at least one power device (i.e. battery), and the first negative end (i.e. – end of C1) and the second negative end (i.e. – end of C2) have a same potential (i.e. ground);
a first power terminal (i.e. terminal +Vin);
a second power terminal (i.e. terminal of GND); and
a third power terminal (i.e. + terminal of battery), wherein the power conversion circuit (i.e. C1, Q1, Q2, L1, C2) is configured to:
convert a first voltage input (i.e. Vin) by a first device (i.e. device provide Vin) into a second voltage (i.e. Vout), and output the second voltage (i.e. Vout) to a second device (i.e. battery); and
the first power terminal (i.e. terminal +Vin) is connected to the first positive end (i.e. + end of C1), the first negative end (i.e. – end of C1) or the second negative end (i.e. – end of C2) is connected to the second power terminal (i.e. terminal of GND), and the third power terminal (i.e. + terminal of battery) is connected to the second positive end (i.e. + end of C2),
does not specifically disclose wherein the second power terminal is connected to both the first device and the second device.
Konishi et al. disclose a power supply (i.e. figure 4) comprising the second power terminal (i.e. terminal of ground) is connected to both the first device (i.e. 102) and the second device (i.e. battery).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Konishi et al.’s invention with the power supply as disclose by Konishi et al., because it provides a wide range of input supply voltages (e.g., higher voltages from adapters and lower voltages from the battery packs) and converting them to suitable internal levels.
Regarding claim 3: (i.e. figure 2) wherein a first positive output end (i.e. + output of the device provides Vin) of the first device (i.e. device provide Vin) is connected to the first power terminal (i.e. terminal +Vin), and a first negative output end (i.e. - output of the device provide Vin) of the first device (i.e. device provide Vin) is connected to the second power terminal (i.e. terminal of GND); and
a second positive input end (i.e. + input of battery) of the second device (i.e. battery) is connected to the third power terminal (i.e. + terminal of battery), and a second negative input end (i.e. – input of battery) of the second device is connected to the second power terminal (i.e. terminal of GND).
Regarding claim 5: (i.e. figure 2) wherein the power conversion circuit (i.e. C1, Q1, Q2, L1, C2) further comprises: a first capacitor (i.e. C1);
a first switch component (i.e. Q1);
a second switch component (i.e. Q2);
a first inductor (i.e. L1); and
a second capacitor (i.e. C2),
wherein a first end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1) is connected to a first end of the first switch component (i.e. Q1), a second end of the first switch component (i.e. Q1) is separately connected to a first end of the first inductor (i.e. L1) and a first end of the second switch component (i.e. Q2), a third end of the first switch component (i.e. Q1) is configured to input a signal (i.e. signal HO) for controlling a status of the first switch component (i.e. Q1), a second end of the second switch component (i.e. Q2) is separately connected to a second end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1) and a first end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2), a third end of the second switch component (i.e. C2) is configured to input a signal (i.e. signal LO) for controlling a status of the second switch component (i.e. Q2), and a second end of the first inductor (i.e. L1) is connected to a second end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2); and the first positive end is connected to the first end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1), the first negative end is connected to the second end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1), the second positive end is connected to the first end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2), and the second negative end is connected to the second end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2); or the first positive end is connected to the first end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2), the first negative end is connected to the second end of the second capacitor (i.e. C2), the second positive end is connected to the first end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1), and the second negative end is connected to the second end of the first capacitor (i.e. C1).
Regarding claim 9: (i.e. figure 2) further comprising a controller (i.e. controller of figure 2) configured to: control turn-on and turn-off of the power device in the power conversion circuit (i.e. C1, Q1, Q2, L1, C2), and adjust an output voltage (i.e. voltage at Vout) of the power conversion circuit (i.e. C1, Q1, Q2, L1, C2).
6. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi et al. (US 20160352123) in view of Konishi et al. (US 20110234151) and further in view of Hslao et al. (US 20230283183).
Regarding claim 10: Konishi et al. disclose the power conversion apparatus (i.e. figure 2) is connected to the battery pack, configured to convert a direct current input to the battery pack, or configured to convert a direct current output from the battery pack,
but does not specifically disclose an energy storage system comprising: a battery pack; and the power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells connected in series, and the power conversion apparatus is connected to the battery pack, configured to convert a direct current input to the battery pack, or configured to convert a direct current output from the battery pack.
Hslao et al. disclose an energy storage system comprising: a battery pack; and wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells connected in series (i.e. ¶ 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Konishi et al.’s invention with the battery pack as disclose by Hslao et al., because a battery pack is usually composed of a plurality of batteries to provide sufficient power.
7. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konishi et al. (US 20160352123) in view of Konishi et al. (US 20110234151) and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20230166633).
Regarding claim 11: Konishi et al. disclose, but does not specifically disclose an inverter; the power conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and a battery pack, wherein the power conversion apparatus is configured to: convert a current from the inverter and input the converted current to the battery pack, or convert a current of the battery pack; and output the converted current to a power grid or a load.
Lee et al. disclose a power supply (i.e. figure 1) comprising an inverter (i.e. 22); the power conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and a battery pack (i.e. 14), wherein the power conversion apparatus is configured to: convert a current from the inverter (i.e. 22) and input the converted current to the battery pack, or convert a current of the battery pack (i.e. 14); and output the converted current to a power grid or a load (i.e. load connected to the output, see figure 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Konishi et al.’s invention with the power supply as disclose by Lee et al., because it is well known in the art of a power supply to have options for recharging the battery pack(s) include plugging into utility power at a charging station such as a commercial charging station or a home charging station.
Conclusion
8. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1269. The examiner can normally be reached Flex: M-F 8-7.
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/Nguyen Tran/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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