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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 7 and 16 recites the limitation “the predefined equation comprises a ratio of (i) a sensitivity of battery life of the battery to temperature to (ii) a difference between the no-short OCV and the extended OCV”. The term “sensitivity” in the ratio represents a physical parameter, however in the specification states in paragraph [0084] “m1 may define a sensitivity of the battery life to temperature” but it is unclear how the parameter is measured or the units it would have.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Specifically, representative Claim 1, and similarly in claims 19 and 20, recites:
“A method of estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the method comprising: determining a rest period OCV for a rest period of the battery; determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition based on a predetermined parameter, a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter, and a first temperature of the battery; determining that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV, and based thereon extending the rest period of the battery; determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period based on the predetermined parameter, a second SoH parameter, and a second temperature of the battery; and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV, the predetermined parameter, and the extended OCV.”
The claim limitations in the abstract idea have been highlighted in bold above; the remaining limitations are “additional element”.
Under the Step 1 of the eligibility analysis, we determine whether the claims are to a statutory category by considering whether the claimed subject matter falls within the four statutory categories of patentable subject matter identified by 35 U.S.C. 101: Process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. The above claim is considered to be in a statutory category (process).
Under the Step 2A, Prong One, we consider whether the claim recites a judicial exception (abstract idea). In the above claim, the highlighted portion constitutes an abstract idea because, under a broadest reasonable interpretation, it recites limitations that fall into/recite an abstract idea exceptions. Specifically, under the 2019 Revised Patent Subject matter Eligibility Guidance, it falls into the groupings of subject matter when recited as such in a claim limitation that falls into the grouping of subject matter when recited as such in a claim limitation, that covers mental processes – concepts performed in the human mind including an observation, evaluation, judgement, and/or opinion.
For example, step of “determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition based on a predetermined parameter, a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter, and a first temperature of the battery; determining that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV, and based thereon extending the rest period of the battery; determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period based on the predetermined parameter, a second SoH parameter, and a second temperature of the battery; and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV, the predetermined parameter, and the extended OCV” is treated as belonging to mental process grouping. This mental step represents a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind. That is, nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. In the context of this claim, this step encompasses the user manually making a determination (judgement) about a short-circuit based on OCV and temperature that may indicate an abnormality.
Next, under the Step 2A, Prong Two, we consider whether the claim that recites a judicial exception is integrated into a practical application.
In this step, we evaluate whether the claim recites additional elements that
integrate the exception into a practical application of that exception.
The above claims comprise the following additional elements:
Claim 1: A method of estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the method comprising: determining a rest period OCV for a rest period of the battery
Claim 10: A system for estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the system comprising: a processor coupled to a memory and a battery management system (BMS); the memory storing instructions configured to cause the processor to:
Claim 18: A method of determining a short circuit resistance of a battery, the method comprising: determining a first OCV corresponding to a rest period of the battery
The above additional elements in Claim 1 such as a method of estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the method comprising: determining a rest period OCV for a rest period of the battery is generically recited and not meaningful. The additional elements in Claim 10 such as a processor is an example of generic computer equipment (components) that is generally recited and, therefore, is not qualified as a particular machine.
Therefore, the claims are directed to a judicial exception and require further analysis under the Step 2B.
However, the above claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception (Step 2B analysis) because these additional elements/steps are well-understood and conventional in the relevant art based on the prior art of record including references in the submitted IDS (12/04/2025) by the Applicant (Chen and Li).
The independent claims, therefore, are not patent eligible.
With regards to the dependent claims, claims 2-9, 11-17, and 19-20 provide additional features/steps which are either part of an expanded abstract idea of the independent claims (additionally comprising mathematical (Claims 2-9, 11-17, and 19-20) or adding additional elements/steps that are not meaningful as they are recited in generality and/or not qualified as particular machine/ and/or eligible transformation and, therefore, do not reflect a practical application as well as not qualified for “significantly more” based on prior art of record.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Chen et al. (WO2018196121), hereinafter referred to as ‘Chen’ and in further view of Li et al.(US9774197), hereinafter referred to as ‘Li’ and Yazami et al. (US20210208208), hereinafter referred to as ‘Yazami’.
Regarding Claim 1, Chen discloses a method of estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the method comprising (The essence of an internal short circuit in a battery is that a short-circuit resistance is formed inside the battery during discharge [0004]; Firstly, a method for determining an internal short circuit in a battery is provided. This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV [0010]): determining a rest period OCV for a rest period of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, before obtaining the remaining battery charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in the preset correspondence, the method for determining the internal short circuit of the battery provided in this application may further include: after the battery is fully charged and stabilized; i.e., rest period, at different test temperatures, testing the open circuit voltage corresponding to different remaining battery charges to form a preset correspondence. [0018]); determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition (The remaining charge Q<sub>OCV2</sub> is recorded, and the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>2</sub> is recorded, Q<sub>CC2</sub>. Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit of the battery per unit time between time t<sub>1</sub> and t<sub>2</sub> is calculated as the internal short circuit current I<sub>ISC</sub> of the battery. If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit, i.e., determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition when the I-ISC is less than the predetermined threshold [0019]), and a first temperature of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); determining that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV (The remaining charge Q<sub>OCV2</sub> is recorded, and the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>2</sub> is recorded, Q<sub>CC2</sub>. Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit of the battery per unit time between time t<sub>1</sub> and t<sub>2</sub> is calculated as the internal short circuit current I<sub>ISC</sub> of the battery. If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit, i.e., determining a no-short OCV [0019]); determining an OCV of the battery for the rest period (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, before obtaining the remaining battery charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in the preset correspondence, the method for determining the internal short circuit of the battery provided in this application may further include: after the battery is fully charged and stabilized; i.e., rest period, at different test temperatures, testing the open circuit voltage corresponding to different remaining battery charges to form a preset correspondence. [0018]), and a second temperature of the battery( In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV, the predetermined parameter, and the OCV (The remaining charge Q<sub>OCV2</sub> is recorded, and the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>2</sub> is recorded, Q<sub>CC2</sub>. Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit of the battery per unit time between time t<sub>1</sub> and t<sub>2</sub> is calculated as the internal short circuit current I<sub>ISC</sub> of the battery. If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit, i.e., determining a no-short OCV [0019]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition based on a predetermined parameter, a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter, determining that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV and based thereon extending the rest period of the battery; determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period based on the predetermined parameter, a second SoH parameter, and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV, the predetermined parameter, and the extended OCV.
Nevertheless, Li discloses determining a predetermined parameter (Battery cell charge balancing resistor 24 and switch 25 for each battery cell may be integrated with and packaged together with the battery back during the manufacturing process. Battery cell charge balancing resistor 24 may have a predetermined value for all the battery cells in the battery pack, Col. 4, Lines 37-43), a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter (Read or measure a terminal voltage of the ith battery cell and obtain an initial charge state SOC(i).sub.start corresponding to the terminal voltage of the ith battery cell base on a SOC-OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) curve (Step 2B of FIG. 1B), Col. 5, Lines 49-53), extending the rest period of the battery (For example, rest time T.sub.cal1 may be specified as a minimum length of time that the battery need to stabilize and reach thermal and electrical equilibria, after, e.g., the battery pack is disconnected, i.e., extending the rest period , from the high voltage loop , Col. 7, Lines 17-21); determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period (For example, rest time T.sub.cal1 may be specified as a minimum length of time that the battery need to stabilize and reach thermal and electrical equilibria, after, e.g., the battery pack is disconnected, i.e., extending the rest period , from the high voltage loop , Col. 7, Lines 17-21), and estimating the short circuit resistance (determining that a short-circuit resistance of the battery is excessively low and that the battery is in a dangerous state, Col. 14, Lines 35-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen with the teachings of Li to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy short circuit resistance estimation.
However, the combination does not explicitly disclose a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter and a second SoH parameter.
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses first state-of-health (SoH) parameter (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]) and a second SoH parameter (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy of the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 2, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 1.
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the predetermined parameter defines the effect of different temperatures on battery life of the battery.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the predetermined parameter (as discussed above)…the effect of different temperatures on battery life of the battery (Before a battery cell charge balancing operation is performed, a battery cell is monitored for a satisfaction of the following conditions: the battery temperature is within a certain predetermined range (for example, 15° C. to 25° C.), Col. 7, Lines 34-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to monitor battery cell performance as it relates to different temperatures and improve accuracy with determining short circuit resistance .
Regarding Claim 3, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 1.
Chen discloses the determining that an internal short is present in the battery comprises: determining that a difference between the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV exceeds a threshold (This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub>, obtaining the remaining charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> of the battery corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in a preset correspondence, and recording the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>…If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit [0010]).
Regarding Claim 4, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 1.
Chen discloses the estimating of the short circuit resistance (as discussed above).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the estimating of the short circuit resistance is based on a determined parameter and a difference between the extended OCV and the no-short OCV.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the extended OCV (as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 5, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 1.
Chen discloses the estimating of the short circuit resistance comprises (as discussed above): determining a no-short slope of the no-short OCV based on the first temperature (as discussed above) and the first SoH parameter; determining an extended slope of the extended OCV based on the second temperature (as discussed above) and the second SoH parameter; and estimating the short circuit resistance based on a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope (Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit [0010]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the estimating of the short circuit resistance comprises: determining a no-short slope of the no-short OCV based on the first temperature and the first SoH parameter; determining an extended slope of the extended OCV based on the second temperature and the second SoH parameter; and estimating the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the first SoH parameter (as discussed above); the second SoH parameter (as discussed above); and estimating the short circuit resistance based on a slope (Fifth, a battery life vs. battery cell charge balancing speed curve graph is drawn to predict a battery internal short-circuit state. Consequently, an occurrence time of a battery internal short-circuit can be roughly estimated, so as to automatically arrange for performing a future battery cell charge balancing at an estimated time and performing detection on the battery internal short-circuit, Col. 3, Lines ).
However, the combination does not explicitly disclose estimating the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope.
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses the extended slope and the no-short slope (Figs. 8-10 [0066-0068]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 6, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 5.
Chen discloses the short circuit resistance is estimated (as discussed above).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the short circuit resistance is estimated using a predefined equation.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the short circuit resistance is estimated using a predefined equation (The internal short-circuit state estimation value ε of the battery cell is specifically and exemplarily, Col. 2, Lines 45-52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
Regarding Claim 8, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 2.
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the predetermined parameter is a parameter of the battery corresponding to when the battery was manufactured.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the predetermined parameter is a parameter of the battery corresponding to when the battery was manufactured (as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
Regarding Claim 9, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 1.
Chen discloses the first SoH parameter is obtained from a battery management system (BMS) (The implementation of this solution is not limited by the scenario in which the battery is located, and due to the accurate correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the battery capacity, it can accurately determine the internal short circuit of the battery in various scenarios, which facilitates battery management [0011]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the first SoH parameter is obtained from a battery management system (BMS).
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses the first SoH parameter (as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 10, Chen discloses a system for estimating a short circuit resistance in a battery using open cell voltage (OCV), the system comprising: a processor coupled to a memory and a battery management system (BMS); the memory storing instructions configured to cause the processor to: (The essence of an internal short circuit in a battery is that a short-circuit resistance is formed inside the battery during discharge [0004]; Firstly, a method for determining an internal short circuit in a battery is provided. This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV [0010]; The device for determining an internal short circuit in a battery may also include a memory coupled to a processor, which stores program instructions and data necessary for the device to determine an internal short circuit in a battery [0027]): determine a rest period OCV for a rest period of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, before obtaining the remaining battery charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in the preset correspondence, the method for determining the internal short circuit of the battery provided in this application may further include: after the battery is fully charged and stabilized at different test temperatures, testing the open circuit voltage corresponding to different remaining battery charges to form a preset correspondence. [0018]); determine a no-short OCV of a no-short condition (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub> may specifically include: after the battery stabilizes, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub> [0019]), a first temperature of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); determine that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV, and based thereon, extend the rest period of the battery (Firstly, a method for determining an internal short circuit in a battery is provided. This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub>, obtaining the remaining charge [0010]); determine an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period (Firstly, a method for determining an internal short circuit in a battery is provided. This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub>, obtaining the remaining charge [0010]), and a second temperature of the battery( In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV and the extended OCV (The difference between Q<sub>OCV1</sub>-Q<sub>OCV2</sub> and Q<sub>CC2</sub>-Q<sub>CC1</sub> is the amount of discharge caused by the internal short-circuit resistance when an internal short circuit exists. [0096]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition based on a predetermined parameter, a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter, determining that an internal short is present in the battery based on the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV and based thereon extending the rest period of the battery; determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period based on the predetermined parameter, a second SoH parameter, and estimating the short circuit resistance based on the no-short OCV, the predetermined parameter, and the extended OCV.
Nevertheless, Li discloses determining a predetermined parameter (Battery cell charge balancing resistor 24 and switch 25 for each battery cell may be integrated with and packaged together with the battery back during the manufacturing process. Battery cell charge balancing resistor 24 may have a predetermined value for all the battery cells in the battery pack, Col. 4, Lines 37-43), a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter (Read or measure a terminal voltage of the ith battery cell and obtain an initial charge state SOC(i).sub.start corresponding to the terminal voltage of the ith battery cell base on a SOC-OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) curve (Step 2B of FIG. 1B), Col. 5, Lines 49-53), extending the rest period of the battery (For example, rest time T.sub.cal1 may be specified as a minimum length of time that the battery need to stabilize and reach thermal and electrical equilibria, after, e.g., the battery pack is disconnected, i.e., extending the rest period, from the high voltage loop , Col. 7, Lines 17-21); determining an extended OCV of the battery for the extended rest period (For example, rest time T.sub.cal1 may be specified as a minimum length of time that the battery need to stabilize and reach thermal and electrical equilibria, after, e.g., the battery pack is disconnected from the high voltage loop , Col. 7, Lines 17-21), and estimating the short circuit resistance (determining that a short-circuit resistance of the battery is excessively low and that the battery is in a dangerous state, Col. 14, Lines 35-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen with the teachings of Li to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
However, the combination does not explicitly disclose a first state-of-health (SoH) parameter and a second SoH parameter.
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses first state-of-health (SoH) parameter (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]) and a second SoH parameter (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 11, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 10.
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the predetermined parameter defines the effect of different temperatures on battery life of the battery.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the predetermined parameter (as discussed above)…the effect of different temperatures on battery life of the battery (Before a battery cell charge balancing operation is performed, a battery cell is monitored for a satisfaction of the following conditions: the battery temperature is within a certain predetermined range (for example, 15° C. to 25° C.), Col. 7, Lines 34-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to monitor battery cell performance as it relates to different temperatures and improve accuracy with determining short circuit resistance .
Regarding Claim 12, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 10.
Chen discloses to cause the processor to: determine that an internal short is present in the battery in response to a difference between the no-short OCV and the rest period OCV exceeding a threshold (This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub>, obtaining the remaining charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> of the battery corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in a preset correspondence, and recording the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>…If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit [0010]).
Regarding Claim 13, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 10.
Chen discloses estimate the short circuit resistance (as discussed above).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the processor to: estimate the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended OCV and the no-short OCV.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the processor to: estimate the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended OCV and the no-short OCV (as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 14, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 10.
Chen discloses the processor (as discussed above): the estimating of the short circuit resistance comprises (as discussed above): determining a no-short slope of the no-short OCV based on the first temperature (as discussed above) and the first SoH parameter; determining an extended slope of the extended OCV based on the second temperature (as discussed above) and the second SoH parameter; and estimate the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope (Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit [0010]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the estimating of the short circuit resistance comprises: determining a no-short slope of the no-short OCV based on the first temperature and the first SoH parameter; determining an extended slope of the extended OCV based on the second temperature and the second SoH parameter; and estimating the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the first SoH parameter (as discussed above); the second SoH parameter (as discussed above); and the extended slope (Fifth, a battery life vs. battery cell charge balancing speed curve graph is drawn to predict a battery internal short-circuit state. Consequently, an occurrence time of a battery internal short-circuit can be roughly estimated, so as to automatically arrange for performing a future battery cell charge balancing at an estimated time and performing detection on the battery internal short-circuit, Col. 3, Lines ).
However, the combination does not explicitly disclose estimating the short circuit resistance based on a predetermined parameter and a difference between the extended slope and the no-short slope.
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses the extended slope and the no-short slope (Figs. 8-10 [0066-0068]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 15, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 14.
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the short circuit resistance is estimated using a predefined equation.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to estimate the short circuit resistance using a predefined equation (The internal short-circuit state estimation value ε of the battery cell is specifically and exemplarily, Col. 2, Lines 45-52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
Regarding Claim 17, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 10.
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the predetermined parameter is a parameter of the battery corresponding to when the battery was manufactured.
Nevertheless, Li discloses the predetermined parameter is a parameter of the battery corresponding to when the battery was manufactured (as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
Regarding Claim 18, Chen discloses a method of determining a short circuit resistance of a battery, the method comprising (The essence of an internal short circuit in a battery is that a short-circuit resistance is formed inside the battery during discharge [0004]; Firstly, a method for determining an internal short circuit in a battery is provided. This method specifically includes: firstly, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV [0010]): determining a first OCV corresponding to a rest period of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, before obtaining the remaining battery charge Q<sub>OCV1</sub> corresponding to OCV<sub>1</sub> in the preset correspondence, the method for determining the internal short circuit of the battery provided in this application may further include: after the battery is fully charged and stabilized at different test temperatures, testing the open circuit voltage corresponding to different remaining battery charges to form a preset correspondence. [0018]); a second OCV corresponding to a no-short condition of the battery; based on the first OCV and the second OCV (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub> may specifically include: after the battery stabilizes, measuring the open-circuit voltage OCV<sub>1</sub> of the battery at time t<sub>1</sub> [0019]), and a first temperature of the battery (In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); a second OCV corresponding to a no-short condition of the battery; based on the first OCV and the second OCV (The remaining charge Q<sub>OCV2</sub> is recorded, and the integral of the current flowing through the battery from the power-on of the system to time t<sub>2</sub> is recorded, Q<sub>CC2</sub>. Based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the charge difference generated by the internal short circuit of the battery per unit time between time t<sub>1</sub> and t<sub>2</sub> is calculated as the internal short circuit current I<sub>ISC</sub> of the battery. If the calculated I<sub>ISC</sub> is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the battery is determined to be in an internal short circuit, i.e., determining a no-short OCV of a no-short condition [0019]), and a second temperature of the battery( In conjunction with the first aspect or any of the above possible implementations, in one possible implementation, if the preset correspondence includes the correspondence between the open-circuit voltage and the remaining charge of the battery at different battery temperatures [0021]); an OCV corresponding to the rest period duration; and determining the short circuit resistance based on the second OCV and the third OCV (The difference between Q<sub>OCV1</sub>-Q<sub>OCV2</sub> and Q<sub>CC2</sub>-Q<sub>CC1</sub> is the amount of discharge caused by the internal short-circuit resistance when an internal short circuit exists. [0096]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose determining, based on a first SOH of the battery, determining, based on a first SOH of the battery and a first temperature of the battery, a second OCV corresponding to a no-short condition of the battery; based on the first OCV and the second OCV, increasing a rest period duration of the battery; determining, based on a second SOH of the battery and a second temperature of the battery, a third OCV corresponding to the increased rest period duration; and determining the short circuit resistance based on the second OCV and the third OCV.
Nevertheless, Li discloses determining, based on a first SOH of the battery (Read or measure a terminal voltage of the ith battery cell and obtain an initial charge state SOC(i).sub.start corresponding to the terminal voltage of the ith battery cell base on a SOC-OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) curve (Step 2B of FIG. 1B), Col. 5, Lines 49-53), extending the rest period of the battery (as discussed above); the extended rest period based on the predetermined parameter (as discussed above), and estimating the short circuit resistance (determining that a short-circuit resistance of the battery is excessively low and that the battery is in a dangerous state, Col. 14, Lines 35-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen with the teachings of Li to determine the open circuit voltage of the battery at various time periods and improve accuracy of determining short circuit resistance.
However, the combination does not explicitly disclose determining, based on a first SOH of the battery, determining, based on a first SOH of the battery; determining, based on a second SOH of the battery.
Nevertheless, Yazami discloses first SOH of the battery (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]) and a second SOH of the battery (OCV, ΔS and ΔH profiles vary with the battery ageing, which relates to the cell state of health (SOH) [0029]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to OCV measured at various periods of stabilization and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 19, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 18.
Chen discloses the determining the second OCV (as discussed above) and the short circuit resistance are further based on a predetermined parameter of the battery (as discussed above).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the third OCV.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to multiple measured OCV values and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Regarding Claim 20, Chen, Li, and Yazami disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 18.
Chen discloses the short circuit resistance is determined based on a difference between second OCV and the third OCV (In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, based on Q<sub>OCV1</sub>, Q<sub>CC1</sub>, Q<sub>OCV2</sub>, and Q<sub>CC2</sub>, the difference in charge generated by the internal short circuit of the battery per unit time between time t<sub>1</sub> and t<sub>2</sub> is calculated as the internal short-circuit [0013]).
However, Chen does not explicitly disclose the third OCV.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chen and Li with the teachings of Yazami to evaluate the condition of the battery cell as it relates to multiple measured OCV values and improve accuracy when determining the overall state of health (SOH).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 7 and 16 would be allowable because the closest prior art Chen, Li, and Yazami either singularly or in combination, fail to anticipate or render obvious, the predefined equation comprises a ratio of (i) a sensitivity of battery life of the battery to temperature to (ii) a difference between the no-short OCV and the extended OCV in combination with all other limitations in the claim as claimed and defined by applicant and also amended to overcome the 35 USC § 112(b) rejection(s) presented above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sang Park (US20210156925) discloses pressurizing and aging the secondary battery by aging the secondary battery in a state in which a pressure of a designated magnitude or more is applied to the secondary battery, checking whether or not the secondary battery cells are defective by re-measuring the one or more of OCVs.
Young Cho (US20210111568) discloses detecting an occurrence of an internal short in the battery module by monitoring the voltage values or the current values.
Yong-Ho Kim (US5774321) discloses a short-circuit detector monitors the current flowing through the load and generates a short-circuit signal if the current exceeds a predetermined level.
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/SHARAH ZAAB/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/Catherine T. Rastovski/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2863