CTNF 18/468,799 CTNF 99266 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Status of the Claims In the communication filed on 09/18/2023 claims 1-7 are pending. Claims 1 and 6-7 are independent. Specification 06-11 AIA The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 06-11-01 AIA The following title is suggested: “INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR A CHARGING DEVICE USED BY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE” . 07-29 AIA The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: ¶[09] and ¶[11-13] have instances of “set a set period set” language. Applicant is advised to correct this language to improve readability, however, no new matter should be entered . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 2-3 are objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2 replace the first instance of “set” with --establish-- and remove the third instance of “set” so that it reads “...configured to establish a set period within...” to improve readability. For examination purposes below, these limitations will be interpreted as “...configured to establish a set period within...”, however , appropriate correction is required. 07-29-01 AIA Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 5 remove the second instance of “set” so that it reads “...to be rented for a set period within...” to improve readability. For examination purposes below, these limitations will be interpreted as “...to be rented for a set period within...”, however , appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 07-04-01 AIA 07-04 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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Independent claims 1 and 6 are directed towards a system and claim 7 is directed towards a method, as identified in Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility Test outlined in MPEP 2106. The claims recite managing information, receiving information, notifying information, and transmitting information which are considered exceptions because the limitations fall under the methods of organizing human activity and mental processes groupings of the abstract ideas, as identified in Step 2A Prong One. The limitations that are considered exceptions are the following: “manage reservation information for reserving use of a charging device configured to charge a power storage device mounted on a battery electric vehicle;” “receive information for temporarily providing an authority for use of the battery electric vehicle to a renting person that rents the battery electric vehicle during a reservation time;” “notify a user that uses a battery electric vehicle of reservation information for reserving use of a charging device configured to charge a power storage device mounted on the battery electric vehicle;” and “transmit information for temporarily providing an authority for use of the battery electric vehicle to a renting person that rents the battery electric vehicle during a reservation time”. These limitations are considered methods of organizing human activity and mental processes because these could be done mentally by an individual with the aid of pen and paper for scheduling and renting the vehicle which are economic practices. These judicial exceptions are not integrated into a practical application because receiving data and transmitting data using a server and a terminal are routine data gathering functions. The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because “a charging device configured to charge a power storage device mounted on a battery electric vehicle” is a scheduled feature and thus it is part of the mental process which could be performed by an individual. Dependent claims 2-5 are rejected because they only further the abstract idea without additional practical use or significant structure. Claims 2-3 add additional scheduling functions. Claim 4 adds a terminal, however, it is a generic computer so it is not a practical application. The digital key is an authorization so it is part of the economic practice of renting the vehicle. Claim 5 adds gathering data and setting charge times which is part of the economic practice of renting the vehicle. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1) and 102(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by Yokoyama et al. (USPGPN 20200317075; identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and cited in the Japanese Office Action as WO-2019130930-A1) . With respect to independent claims 1 and 7 , Yokoyama teaches an information management system comprising a server (Figs. 1-2; a management server 102) . Yokoyama teaches manage reservation information for reserving use of a charging device configured to charge a power storage device mounted on a battery electric vehicle (Figs. 1-2; ¶[34]; a VPP management unit 201 (i.e., part of the server 101) determines a charging and discharging schedule for a charging station 111 to charge a built-in power source unit 1121 within an electric automobile 112) . Yokoyama teaches receive information for temporarily providing an authority for use of the battery electric vehicle to a renting person that rents the battery electric vehicle during a reservation time (Figs. 1-2; ¶[31]; ¶[35]; a vehicle schedule unit 202 (i.e., part of the server 101) receives information for determining a car sharing schedule for the use of the electric automobile 112 to a share user (i.e., a renting person) that rents the electric automobile 112 during a car sharing reservation) . With respect to claim 2 , Yokoyama teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yokoyama teaches wherein the server is configured to set a set period set within a reserved period of the use of the charging device as a first period during which the renting person is enabled to use the battery electric vehicle (Fig. 2; ¶[38]; a share permission information 219 provides the period of time for which the vehicle 112 may be provided for car sharing) . With respect to claim 3 , Yokoyama teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yokoyama teaches wherein the server is configured to set a set period set within a reserved period of the use of the charging device as one of a first period during which the renting person is enabled to use the battery electric vehicle and a second period during which power supply and demand is adjusted (Fig. 2; ¶[38]; a share permission information 219 provides a first period for which the vehicle may be provided for car sharing (i.e., car rental). ¶[37]; a charging schedule information 213 provides a second period for when the parked electric vehicle 112 may be charged or when power may be provided for VPP (i.e., virtual power plant)) . With respect to claim 4 , Yokoyama teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yokoyama teaches a terminal configured to communicate with the server (Fig. 1; a user terminal 102 configured to communicate with the server 101) , wherein the terminal is configured to transmit a digital key to the server as the information for temporarily providing the authority for the use of the battery electric vehicle when reserving the use of the charging device (Fig. 2; ¶[31]; ¶[38]; a user ID 217 is transmitted from the user terminal 102 to the server 101 which contains information unique to each user and specifies car sharing availability. Fig. 4a illustrates the entry process when a user arrives to an available parking lot space with an available charging station 111 for charging. The process starts with the user providing the user ID 217) , the digital key enabling the battery electric vehicle to be rented for a set period set within a period of the use of the charging device (Fig. 4a illustrates that in S413 the process moves to Fig. 5 for charging/discharging schedule determination process in which a car sharing period is determined within a period of use of the charging station 111) . With respect to claim 5 , Yokoyama teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yokoyama teaches wherein the server is configured to acquire information on at least one of a use history of the battery electric vehicle and a state of the battery electric vehicle during a period of the use of the charging device from the battery electric vehicle, and set a charge schedule for the power storage device using the acquired information (Fig. 2; ¶[37]; “Charging history information 212 stores a history of charging of the onboard power source unit 1121. The charging history includes, for example, a charging mode (a normal mode or a high-speed mode), a charging start period (a date/time or the like) and a charging end period or a charging time, a charging amount, and so on. Charging schedule information 213 holds a charging schedule for the parked electric automobile 112, a discharging schedule for when power is provided for the VPP, and so on”) . With respect to independent claim 6 , Yokoyama teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yokoyama teaches an information management system comprising a terminal (Fig. 1; a user terminal 102) . Yokoyama teaches notify a user that uses a battery electric vehicle of reservation information for reserving use of a charging device configured to charge a power storage device mounted on the battery electric vehicle (Figs. 1 and 4a; ¶[38]; “When a reservation is made, for example, the user may input the planned entry/exit periods and so on from an information terminal he or she possesses, which may then be sent and recorded in the management server 101 through communication.” Fig. 1 illustrates a charging station 111 to charge a built-in power source unit 1121 within an electric automobile 112) . Yokoyama teaches transmit information for temporarily providing an authority for use of the battery electric vehicle to a renting person that rents the battery electric vehicle during a reservation time (Fig. 4a; S405-S409 illustrate the transmission of information for temporarily providing authority for car sharing to allow renting of the electric automobile 112 during a period of time) . Relevant Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional prior art identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and the prior art cited in the Foreign Office Actions were considered by the examiner, however, for examination purposes were not relied upon for citation purposes. Sakayanagi et al. (USPGPN 20190370890) teaches a system for renting out nearby private parking spaces, such as home parking spots, to drivers looking for parking. Owners’ phones or vehicle terminals send information that helps predict when each parking space will be free. The renter’s device also sends information that helps predict whether the renter will actually use the spaces. The system then compares the likelihood that enough spaces will be vacant with the likelihood that enough renters will show up and use them . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Frank A Silva whose telephone number is (703)756-1698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 09:30 am -06:30 pm ET. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /FRANK ALEXIS SILVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 /DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 2 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 3 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 4 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 5 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 6 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 7 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 8 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 9 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 10 Art Unit: 2859 Application/Control Number: 18/468,799 Page 11 Art Unit: 2859
