DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 9/14/2023. Claims 1-10 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) file on 9/14/2023 has been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-7,9-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is not supported by either a specific and substantial asserted utility or a well-established utility. Claims lacks any recitation of structure, let alone a recitation which creates a substantial tie so as to impose meaningful limitations on the claim scope because is merely a set of instructions. There is nothing of record which clearly indicates that the method recited is not directed to an abstract idea. Claims 1-7,9-10 also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph. Specifically, because the claimed invention is not supported by either a specific and substantial asserted utility or a well-established utility for the reasons set forth above, one skilled in the art clearly would not know how to use the claimed invention.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dickinson et al, (Dickinson), (USNO.2012/0022811) in view of Kanai et al, (Kanai), (USNO.2011/0130910).
As for claim 1, Dickinson discloses and shows in Fig. 1 a data connection system for a vehicle, comprising: an electrical charging station (ref’s EVSE) for the vehicle; a first adapter (within EVSE) in the charging station; and a second adapter (within EV) in the vehicle, wherein the charging station includes a connection to a network, wherein the first adapter, in operation, converts digital signals from the network into analog signals (via ADC), wherein the data connection system, in operation, relays the analog signals from the first adapter to the second adapter (par.[0010,0034,0041-0044]).
Dickinson discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose an adapter, in operation, converts the analog signals into the digital signals and provides the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle
Kanai discloses and shows in Figs. 1-2 an adapter (via HV-ECU), in operation, converts the analog signals into the digital signals and provides the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle (par.[0043-0049])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Dickinson by using an adapter, in operation, converts the analog signals into the digital signals and provides the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle for advantages such as providing the ability to control the charging of the power supply (par.[0043]) , as taught by Kanai.
As for claim 2, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses and shows second adapter, in operation, converts second digital signals of the at least one device of the vehicle into second analog signals, wherein a data connection module, in operation, relays the second analog signals from the second adapter to the first adapter, wherein the first adapter, in operation, converts the second analog signals into the second digital signals and provides the second digital signals to the network
As for claim 3, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses and shows at least one data connection module that is part of a charging cable, wherein the at least one data connection module, in operation, transfers electrical energy from the charging station to a battery of the vehicle, or wherein the analog signals are relayed between the first adapter and the second adapter in a radio-supported manner
As for claim 4, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses and the at least one data connection module includes an energy transmission line of the charging cable that, in operation, transmits a current of the electrical energy from the charging station to the battery of the vehicle, or wherein the at least one data connection module includes an additional data line integrated in the charging cable with the energy transmission line
As for claim 5, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses first adapter and the second adapter are powerline adapters
As for claim 6, Dickinson discloses and shows in Fig. 1 a method for exchanging data between a vehicle and a network, the method comprising: providing a data connection system, wherein the data connection system includes an electrical charging station for the vehicle, a first adapter in the charging station, a second adapter in the vehicle, and a connection to a network; converting, by the first adapter, digital signals from the network into analog signals; relaying the analog signals from the first adapter to the second adapter (par.[0010,0034,0041-0044]).
Dickinson discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose converting, by a adapter, the analog signals into the digital signals; and providing, by the the adapter, the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle
Kanai discloses and shows in Figs. 1-2 converting, by a adapter (via HV-ECU), the analog signals into the digital signals; and providing, by the the adapter, the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle (par.[0043-0049])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Dickinson by using converting, by a adapter, the analog signals into the digital signals; and providing, by the the adapter, the digital signals to at least one device of the vehicle for advantages such as providing the ability to control the charging of the power supply (par.[0043]) , as taught by Kanai.
As for claim 7, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses converting, by the second adapter, second digital signals of the at least one device of the vehicle into second analog signals; relaying the second analog signals from the second adapter to the first adapter; converting, by the first adapter, the second analog signals into the second digital signals; and providing, by the first adapter, the second digital signals to the network
As for claim 8, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses transferring electrical energy from the charging station via a charging cable to a battery of the vehicle; and modulating the analog signals onto a current that flows between the charging station and the vehicle by the transferring.
As for claim 9, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses filtering the analog signals from the current.
As for claim 10, Dickinson in combination with Kanai discloses data are exchanged between the vehicle and the Internet as the network (via ethernet) (par.[0031 of Dickinson])
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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