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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/20/2023 and 01/13/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 9, 11-14, 16, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hong et al. [US 2017/0166075].
With respect to claims 1, 11, and 18, Hong discloses a battery system [Fig. 2] comprising: a load bus to connect to a direct current (DC) link [buss connecting battery and load 280]; a single pre-charge circuit connected to the load bus [270]; multiple battery packs, each battery pack including multiple battery strings connectable to the load bus and the pre-charge circuit [112], wherein a battery string includes: multiple battery cells connected in series [220]; a positive contactor to connect the battery string to the load bus [230]; and a pre-charge contactor to connect the battery string to the pre-charge circuit [271]; and a control circuit configured to: select a battery string to pre-charge a DC link when the DC link is connected to the load bus; close the pre-charge contactor of the battery string to connect the selected battery string to the pre-charge circuit; and open the pre-charge contactor of the selected battery string to disconnect the battery string from the pre-charge circuit and close the positive contactor of the selected battery string to connect the battery string to the load bus when the DC link is pre-charged [par. 0029-0032 and Fig. 4, see at least steps 402-408].
With respect to claims 2 and 12, Hong further discloses wherein each battery string includes a voltage measurement circuit configured to measure the voltage of the battery string; and wherein the control circuit is configured to select the battery string with a highest offline voltage to connect to the pre-charge circuit [fig. 4, step 404; see also par. 0047].
With respect to claim 4, Hong further discloses wherein each battery string includes a negative contactor to connect the battery string to a negative load bus and wherein the control circuit is configured to close the pre-charge contactor and the negative contactor of the selected battery string to connect the selected battery string to the pre-charge circuit [230].
With respect to claims 5 and 16, Hong further discloses wherein each battery string includes a voltage measurement circuit configured to measure the voltage of the battery string and wherein the control circuit is configured to not select a battery string to pre- charge the DC link when an offline voltage of the battery string is different from offline voltages of other battery strings by more than a threshold voltage difference [the lines connecting the terminals are control lines and as such encompass a voltage measuring circuit for monitoring circuit 221, see also par. 0046-0047].
With respect to claim 9, Hong further discloses wherein each battery string includes a negative contactor to connect the battery string to a negative load bus and wherein the control circuit is configured to close the positive contactors and negative contactors of other battery strings of a battery pack that includes the selected battery string when the load is pre-charged using the selected battery string [Fig. 2 discloses negative contactors, further see steps 410 and 412].
With respect to claims 13-14 and 19, Hong further discloses wherein connecting the selected battery string to the one pre-charge circuit includes closing a pre-charge contactor of the selected battery string and closing a negative contactor to connect the selected battery string to a negative load bus and wherein connecting the selected battery string to the load bus includes opening the pre-charge contactor of the battery string and closing a positive contactor of the battery string [see fig. 4 which discloses the opening and closing of the contactors].
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.
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. [US 2017/0166075] as applied above and further in view of Wieditz [US 2026/0084555].
With respect to claims 6-7, Hong fails to disclose a resistor without a contactor. However, utilizing PTCs is well-known in the art. For example, Wieditz relates to a charging device and teaches a pre-charge circuit includes a pre-charge resistance connected directly to the load bus without a contactor and wherein the pre-charge circuit includes multiple positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors [par. 0006].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify Hong to include the directly connected PTC resistor for the benefit of adding a safety feature to prevent damage to the circuitry.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. [US 2017/0166075] as applied above.
With respect to claim 8, Hong fails to explicitly disclose wherein the pre-charge circuit is rated to 100 Amperes or greater. However, selecting the specific rating of a circuit is within the level of ordinary skill in the art. Applicant fails to disclose any criticality or unexpected results that occur at 100 amperes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify Hong such that the rating was for 100 amps or more for the benefit of ensuring enough power is supplied/rated on the vehicle, i.e. high voltage power supply system.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. [US 2017/0166075] as applied above, and further in view of Lebreux [US 2023/0307905].
With respect to claim 10, Hong fails to explicitly disclose the contactor driver is an isolated direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter connected to the pre-charge contactors and positive contactors and configured to provide a voltage to close the pre-charge contactors and positive contactors when activated by the control circuit.
Lebreux relates to an energizing system and teaches an isolated direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter connected to the pre-charge contactors and positive contactors and configured to provide a voltage to close the pre-charge contactors and positive contactors when activated by the control circuit [Fig. 1 shows 114 used to power auxiliaries in a vehicle].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify Hong use a dc/dc converter to power/activate switches for the benefit of utilizing an electrically isolated environment to separate the contactors from the high-voltage bus, thereby reducing the risk of high-voltage faults reaching the sensitive controls.
Claim(s) 3, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. [US 2017/0166075] as applied above, and further in view of Lidstrom et al. [US 2025/0018815].
With respect to claims 3, 17 and 20, Hong fails to disclose detecting for a pre-charge failure. However, Lidstrom relates to pre-charging of loads and teaches wherein a control circuit is configured to: open the pre-charge contactor of selected battery string to disconnect the selected battery string from the pre-charge circuit when determining that the selected battery string is unable to pre-charge the DC link; and close a pre-charge contactor of a different string of a different battery pack to pre- charge the DC link [par. 0058-0068].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify Hong to detect for failed pre-charge for the benefit of preventing short circuits and continuing on with the operation as suggested by Lidstrom.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL R PELTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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/NATHANIEL R PELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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