DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by TSUJIKO (US 20210203013 A1).
With respect to Claim(s) 1, TSUJIKO teaches a battery system includes a battery that is a lithium ion battery including an electrode assembly containing a positive electrode active material. An ECU calculates a deterioration index value ED corresponding a degree of progress of high rate deterioration, and when the deterioration index value ED exceeds a threshold value, controls a power converter or a PCU to cause a voltage of the battery to fall within a voltage range including a specific voltage. The specific voltage is a peak voltage on a dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve, the peak voltage being derived from structural change of the positive electrode active material. The dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve is a curve indicating a relationship between dQ/dV that is a ratio of a change dQ of a stored electricity amount to a change dV of the voltage of the battery, and the voltage of the battery and the BRI of:
a lithium-ion battery including an electrode assembly (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13);
and
a control device that controls charge and discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13),
wherein
the control device
acquires an indicator value indicating an extent of progress of degradation of the lithium-ion battery due to a nonuniformity of a concentration distribution of lithium ions within the electrode assembly, when the indicator value is more than a first threshold value, executes first elimination processing of eliminating the degradation due to the nonuniformity of the concentration distribution, and when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a period during which the indicator value is more than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value, executes second elimination processing of eliminating degradation due to a nonuniformity of potentials in an electrode plane of the electrode assembly that occurs as a result of discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13; The cited reference discloses a battery system with Lithium ion battery with electrode body; a voltage conversion device configured to change the voltage of the lithium ion battery; and a control device, which controls the voltage conversion device. The control device calculates an index value indicating the degree of progression of the deterioration of the lithium ion battery caused by a deviation in the concentration distribution of lithium ions inside the electrode body, when the index value exceeds a threshold value, controlling the voltage conversion device so that the voltage of the lithium ion battery is within a prescribed voltage range including a specific voltage. The specific voltage is a peak voltage on a dQ/dV voltage characteristic line, and the peak voltage is obtained from a change in the structure of the positive electrode active material contained in the electrode body. The dQ/dV voltage characteristic line represents the ratio of the amount of change in the storage capacity dQ of the lithium ion battery to the amount of change in voltage dV of the lithium ion battery, that is, the relationship between dQ/dV and the voltage of the lithium ion battery Of the line. Furthermore, the control device controls the voltage conversion device in a case where the index value exceeds the threshold value so that charging and discharging of the lithium ion battery are repeated within the voltage range. Furthermore, in the recovery process, the voltage V of the battery pack that has advanced high-rate deterioration changes within a voltage range including the peak voltage Ve. As a result, the positive electrode 37 temporarily shrinks. Since the positive electrode 37 and the negative electrode 38 are in contact with each other, the negative electrode 38 expands as the positive electrode 37 shrinks. When the negative electrode 38 expands, at least a part of the remaining electrolyte solution flows into the electrode body 36 again. As a result, unevenness in the concentration of the electrolyte solution is alleviated).
With respect to Claim(s) 6, TSUJIKO teaches a battery system includes a battery that is a lithium ion battery including an electrode assembly containing a positive electrode active material. An ECU calculates a deterioration index value ED corresponding a degree of progress of high rate deterioration, and when the deterioration index value ED exceeds a threshold value, controls a power converter or a PCU to cause a voltage of the battery to fall within a voltage range including a specific voltage. The specific voltage is a peak voltage on a dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve, the peak voltage being derived from structural change of the positive electrode active material. The dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve is a curve indicating a relationship between dQ/dV that is a ratio of a change dQ of a stored electricity amount to a change dV of the voltage of the battery, and the voltage of the battery and the BRI of:
eliminating degradation of a lithium-ion battery including an electrode assembly (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13),
…
acquiring an indicator value indicating an extent of progress of degradation of the lithium-ion battery due to a nonuniformity of a concentration distribution of lithium ions within the electrode assembly; when the indicator value is more than a first threshold value, executing first elimination processing of eliminating the degradation due to the nonuniformity of the concentration distribution; and when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a period during which the indicator value is more than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value, executing second elimination processing of eliminating degradation due to a nonuniformity of potentials in an electrode plane of the electrode assembly that occurs as a result of discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13; The cited reference discloses a battery system with Lithium ion battery with electrode body; a voltage conversion device configured to change the voltage of the lithium ion battery; and a control device, which controls the voltage conversion device. The control device calculates an index value indicating the degree of progression of the deterioration of the lithium ion battery caused by a deviation in the concentration distribution of lithium ions inside the electrode body, when the index value exceeds a threshold value, controlling the voltage conversion device so that the voltage of the lithium ion battery is within a prescribed voltage range including a specific voltage. The specific voltage is a peak voltage on a dQ/dV voltage characteristic line, and the peak voltage is obtained from a change in the structure of the positive electrode active material contained in the electrode body. The dQ/dV voltage characteristic line represents the ratio of the amount of change in the storage capacity dQ of the lithium ion battery to the amount of change in voltage dV of the lithium ion battery, that is, the relationship between dQ/dV and the voltage of the lithium ion battery Of the line. Furthermore, the control device controls the voltage conversion device in a case where the index value exceeds the threshold value so that charging and discharging of the lithium ion battery are repeated within the voltage range. Furthermore, in the recovery process, the voltage V of the battery pack that has advanced high-rate deterioration changes within a voltage range including the peak voltage Ve. As a result, the positive electrode 37 temporarily shrinks. Since the positive electrode 37 and the negative electrode 38 are in contact with each other, the negative electrode 38 expands as the positive electrode 37 shrinks. When the negative electrode 38 expands, at least a part of the remaining electrolyte solution flows into the electrode body 36 again. As a result, unevenness in the concentration of the electrolyte solution is alleviated).
With respect to Claim(s) 3, TSUJIKO teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
TSUJIKO further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the control device executes the second elimination processing
when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a history in which the indicator value changes from an initial value to become more than the second threshold value (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13).
With respect to Claim(s) 4, TSUJIKO teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
TSUJIKO further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the control device
executes the second elimination processing
after executing the first elimination processing when the indicator value is more than the first threshold value (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13).
With respect to Claim(s) 5, TSUJIKO teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
TSUJIKO further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the electrode assembly includes
a positive electrode and a negative electrode and at least one of active material of the positive electrode and active material of the negative electrode contains a material that is capable of intercalating and deintercalating the lithium ions (See, e.g., ¶ ABSTRACT; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-13).
Claim(s) 1, 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NAGAI ET AL. (US 20210231745 A1) (hereinafter “NAGAI”).
With respect to Claim(s) 1, NAGAI teaches ECU evaluates high-rate degradation of a lithium-ion battery, using a score and an in-plane score. The score is an index for evaluating unevenness in salt concentration of an electrode body in a lamination direction of the electrode body. The in-plane score is an index for evaluating unevenness in salt concentration of the electrode body in an in-plane direction of the electrode body. For each computing cycle, ECU calculates a current score, and calculates a current in-plane score based on an SOC (State Of Charge) of the lithium-ion battery. When the absolute value of an in-plane integrated score is beyond a reference value, ECU evaluates the high-rate degradation based on the current score, the current in-plane score, and a degradation score which is obtained by integrating previous scores beyond a deadband. When the absolute value is below the reference value, ECU evaluates the high-rate degradation, based on the degradation score and the BRI of:
a lithium-ion battery including an electrode assembly (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12);
and
a control device that controls charge and discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12),
wherein
the control device
acquires an indicator value indicating an extent of progress of degradation of the lithium-ion battery due to a nonuniformity of a concentration distribution of lithium ions within the electrode assembly, when the indicator value is more than a first threshold value, executes first elimination processing of eliminating the degradation due to the nonuniformity of the concentration distribution, and when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a period during which the indicator value is more than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value, executes second elimination processing of eliminating degradation due to a nonuniformity of potentials in an electrode plane of the electrode assembly that occurs as a result of discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12; The cited reference discloses a battery system and a method for evaluating the degree of progression of high-rate degradation of the lithium-ion battery. The cited reference discloses a battery system comprising a lithium-ion battery, a current sensor, and a processor. The lithium-ion battery is impregnated in an electrolyte solution, and includes an electrode body including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, each being a planar electrode, being laminated each other. The current sensor detects a current charged to and discharged from the lithium-ion battery. The processor evaluates degradation of the lithium-ion battery, using a first score and a second score, the degradation being a phenomenon that an internal resistance of the lithium-ion battery increases with development of unevenness in a lithium-ion concentration distribution within the electrode body. When an amount of electrical charges charged to the lithium-ion battery in an overdischarged state is beyond a first decision value or when an amount of electrical charges discharged from the lithium-ion battery in an overcharged state is beyond a second decision value, the processor resets the second integrated value, the elimination of the unevenness in lithium-ion concentration distribution can be represented by simple arithmetic operations.).
With respect to Claim(s) 6, NAGAI teaches ECU evaluates high-rate degradation of a lithium-ion battery, using a score and an in-plane score. The score is an index for evaluating unevenness in salt concentration of an electrode body in a lamination direction of the electrode body. The in-plane score is an index for evaluating unevenness in salt concentration of the electrode body in an in-plane direction of the electrode body. For each computing cycle, ECU calculates a current score, and calculates a current in-plane score based on an SOC (State Of Charge) of the lithium-ion battery. When the absolute value of an in-plane integrated score is beyond a reference value, ECU evaluates the high-rate degradation based on the current score, the current in-plane score, and a degradation score which is obtained by integrating previous scores beyond a deadband. When the absolute value is below the reference value, ECU evaluates the high-rate degradation, based on the degradation score and the BRI of:
eliminating degradation of a lithium-ion battery including an electrode assembly (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12),
…
acquiring an indicator value indicating an extent of progress of degradation of the lithium-ion battery due to a nonuniformity of a concentration distribution of lithium ions within the electrode assembly; when the indicator value is more than a first threshold value, executing first elimination processing of eliminating the degradation due to the nonuniformity of the concentration distribution; and when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a period during which the indicator value is more than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value, executing second elimination processing of eliminating degradation due to a nonuniformity of potentials in an electrode plane of the electrode assembly that occurs as a result of discharge of the lithium-ion battery (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12; The cited reference discloses a battery system and a method for evaluating the degree of progression of high-rate degradation of the lithium-ion battery. The cited reference discloses a battery system comprising a lithium-ion battery, a current sensor, and a processor. The lithium-ion battery is impregnated in an electrolyte solution, and includes an electrode body including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, each being a planar electrode, being laminated each other. The current sensor detects a current charged to and discharged from the lithium-ion battery. The processor evaluates degradation of the lithium-ion battery, using a first score and a second score, the degradation being a phenomenon that an internal resistance of the lithium-ion battery increases with development of unevenness in a lithium-ion concentration distribution within the electrode body. When an amount of electrical charges charged to the lithium-ion battery in an overdischarged state is beyond a first decision value or when an amount of electrical charges discharged from the lithium-ion battery in an overcharged state is beyond a second decision value, the processor resets the second integrated value, the elimination of the unevenness in lithium-ion concentration distribution can be represented by simple arithmetic operations.).
With respect to Claim(s) 3, NAGAI teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
NAGAI further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the control device executes the second elimination processing
when the indicator value is the first threshold value or less and also when there is a history in which the indicator value changes from an initial value to become more than the second threshold value (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12).
With respect to Claim(s) 4, NAGAI teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
NAGAI further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the control device
executes the second elimination processing
after executing the first elimination processing when the indicator value is more than the first threshold value (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12).
With respect to Claim(s) 5, NAGAI teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
NAGAI further teaches the BRI of:
wherein
the electrode assembly includes
a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and at least one of active material of the positive electrode and active material of the negative electrode contains a material that is capable of intercalating and deintercalating the lithium ions (See, e.g., ¶ 0008-0017; See also, e.g., Fig(s). 1-12).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the cited references of the parent claim(s) in view of KANADA ET AL. (US 20210234206 A1) (hereinafter “KANADA”).
With respect to Claim(s) 2, TSUJIKO teaches the BRI of the parent claim(s).
TSUJIKO further teaches the BRI of:
the second elimination processing includes processing.
However, TSUJIKO is lacking the explicit language of:
performing over-discharge of the lithium-ion battery to cause the lithium-ion battery to reach a predetermined voltage.
KANADA teaches a diagnostic apparatus for a secondary battery includes a control device. The control device acquires an electricity storage amount that is the amount of electricity stored in the secondary battery, and V/K indicating the magnitude of change in OCV of the secondary battery with respect to temperature change of the secondary battery. The control device determines whether or not an SOC unevenness occurs in an electrode surface of the secondary battery by using the acquired electricity storage amount and V/K and the BRI of:
performing over-discharge of the lithium-ion battery to cause the lithium-ion battery to reach a predetermined voltage (See, e.g., ¶ 0079-0081).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art, at the time before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify TSUJIKO to include performing over-discharge of the lithium-ion battery to cause the lithium-ion battery to reach a predetermined voltage
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to modify TSUJIKO because it would be beneficial to reduce unevenness. Further, it would be obvious to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, simply substitute one known element for another to obtain predictable results, use known techniques to improve similar devices in the same way, and/or apply a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Conclusion
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RAYMOND NIMOX
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2857
/RAYMOND L NIMOX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit