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 .
1. Claims 1-20 have been presented for examination.
Priority
2. The instant application claims benefit of US Provisional Application No. 63/490,673, filed 3/16/2023. Acknowledgement is made to Applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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.
3. Claims 1, 4, 5, 8-10, & 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kristjansson (US 2019/0214837 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kristjansson discloses a charging/discharging power conversion system, which is configured to operably conduct a power conversion between an input power at an input node and a charging power at a charging node, so as to execute an operation of charging or an operation of discharging on a first battery (104 – first battery) and a second battery (106 – second battery) [0031 & 0042-0048]; the charging/discharging power conversion system comprising:
a current control circuit, wherein a serial connection of the second battery and a current control transistor of the current control circuit is connected in parallel to a first battery between a charging node and a reference voltage level, wherein the current control circuit is configured to operably control a second battery current of a second battery power at a second battery node flowing between the current control circuit and the second battery, such that the second battery current is not greater than a second battery current threshold [0031-0033, 0042, 0049, & 0050]; and
an auxiliary current control circuit including:
a current measurement circuit, which is configured to operably measure a first battery current of a first battery power at a first battery node flowing between the charging node and the first battery, and the current measurement circuit is configured to operably generate a battery current signal [0032-0035]; and
a current adjustment circuit, which is configured to operably adjust a charging current of the charging power according to the battery current signal via an adjustment procedure, so that the first battery current is not greater than a first battery current threshold [0041, 0053, & 0054];
wherein the adjustment procedure includes following steps:
setting the first battery current threshold by the current adjustment circuit [0050 & 0051];
setting an initial value of the charging current by the current adjustment circuit, such that the initial value of the charging current is equal to a sum of the first battery current threshold plus the second battery current threshold [0052]; and
adjusting the charging current based upon the first battery current and the first battery current threshold by the current adjustment circuit, such that the first battery current is not greater than the first battery current threshold [0054];
wherein the charging node is coupled to the first battery node, whereas, the charging node is coupled to the second battery node via the current control circuit [0031, 0032, 0042, & 0043].
Regarding claim 4, Kristjansson discloses the charging/discharging power conversion system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a case when a first battery voltage of the first battery power is smaller than a second battery voltage of the second battery power, the current control circuit is configured to operably control the current control transistor, such that the second battery current is not smaller than zero [0029-0032 & 0046-0048].
Regarding claim 5, Kristjansson discloses the charging/discharging power conversion system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current control circuit is independent from the auxiliary current control circuit [0033-0035].
Regarding claim 8, Kristjansson discloses the charging/discharging power conversion system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the current adjustment circuit includes: a micro control unit (MCU) [0035 & 0043-0045].
Regarding claim 9, Kristjansson discloses the charging/discharging power conversion system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a current error amplifier, which is configured to operably adjust the charging current in accordance with a charging current threshold and the charging current, so that the charging current remains at a preset level, wherein the current adjustment circuit is configured to operably adjust the charging current threshold, hence adjusting the charging current [0032-0036].
Regarding claim 10, Kristjansson discloses a control method of a charging/discharging power conversion system, which is configured to operably conduct a power conversion between an input power at an input node and a charging power at a charging node [0031 & 0042-0048]; the control method comprising following steps:
controlling a second battery current of a second battery power flowing through a second battery node, such that the second battery current is not greater than a second battery current threshold [0051];
measuring a first battery current of a first battery power flowing through a first battery node and generating a battery current signal [0034, 0041, 0053, & 0054]; and
adjusting a charging current of the charging power according to the battery current signal via an adjustment procedure, so that the first battery current is not greater than a first battery current threshold [0053 & 0054];
wherein the charging current is equal to a sum of the first battery current plus the second battery current [0041 & 0052];
wherein the adjustment procedure includes following steps:
setting the first battery current threshold [0050 & 0051];
setting an initial value of the charging current, such that the initial value of the charging current is equal to a sum of the first battery current threshold plus the second battery current threshold [0052]; and
adjusting the charging current based upon the first battery current and the first battery current threshold, such that the first battery current is not greater than the first battery current threshold [0054].
Regarding claim 13, Kristjansson discloses the control method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising following steps: in a case when a first battery voltage of the first battery power is smaller than a second battery voltage of the second battery power, controlling the current control transistor, such that the second battery current is not smaller than zero [0029-0031 & 0046-0048].
Regarding claim 14, Kristjansson discloses the control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the charging current of the charging power according to the battery current signal via the adjustment procedure further comprises following steps: adjusting the charging current in accordance with a charging current threshold and the charging current, so that the charging current remains at a preset level; and adjusting the charging current threshold, hence adjusting the charging current [0032-0036].
Regarding claim 15, Kristjansson discloses an auxiliary current control circuit, which is configured to operably control a charging current of a charging power at a charging node in a charging/discharging power conversion system, thereby controlling a first battery current of a first battery power at a first battery node, wherein the charging/discharging power conversion system is configured to operably conduct a power conversion between an input power at an input node and the charging power at the charging node [0031 & 0042-0048]; the auxiliary current control circuit comprising:
a current measurement circuit, which is configured to operably measure a first battery current of a first battery power at a first battery node flowing between the charging node and the first battery, and the current measurement circuit is configured to operably generate a battery current signal [0032-0035]; and
a current adjustment circuit, which is configured to operably adjust a charging current of the charging power according to the battery current signal via an adjustment procedure, so that the first battery current is not greater than a first battery current threshold [0041, 0053, & 0054];
wherein the adjustment procedure includes following steps:
setting the first battery current threshold by the current adjustment circuit [0050 & 0051];
setting an initial value of the charging current by the current adjustment circuit, such that the initial value of the charging current is equal to a sum of the first battery current threshold plus the second battery current threshold [0052]; and
adjusting the charging current based upon the first battery current and the first battery current threshold by the current adjustment circuit, such that the first battery current is not greater than the first battery current threshold [0054];
wherein the charging current is equal to a sum of the first battery current plus the second battery current [0041 & 0052].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
4. Claims 2, 11, & 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kristjansson in view of Vilhauer et al. (US 2012/0249084 A1), hereinafter Vilhauer.
Regarding claim 2, Kristjansson discloses the charging/discharging power conversion system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current adjustment circuit is configured to operably adjust the charging current according to the first battery current as well as the first battery current threshold, so that the first battery current is not greater than the first battery current threshold [0041, 0053, & 0054].
Regarding claim 16, Kristjansson discloses the auxiliary current control circuit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the current adjustment circuit is configured to operably adjust the charging current according to the first battery current as well as the first battery current threshold, so that the first battery current is not greater than the first battery current threshold [0041, 0053, & 0054].
With respect to claims 2, 11, & 16, the teachings of Kristjansson have been discussed above.
Kristjansson is silent with respect to explicitly disclosing wherein the step of adjusting the charging current is through executing a linear search algorithm or a binary search algorithm, as recited in claims 2, 11, & 16.
Vilhauer teaches, regarding claims 2, 11, & 16, wherein the step of adjusting the charging current is through executing a linear search algorithm or a binary search algorithm [0020].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the search algorithm features of Vilhauer within the system of Kristjansson for at least the benefit of providing for a more efficient means of determining the current setting, optimizing the charge rate, and reducing the risk of harmful effects from drawing current at levels higher than the capacity of the source [0021].
5. Claims 6, 7, & 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kristjansson in view of Baruzzi et al. (US 2013/0158916 A1), hereinafter Baruzzi.
With respect to claim 6, 7, 18, & 19, the teachings of Kristjansson have been discussed above.
Kristjansson is silent with respect to explicitly disclosing wherein the current measurement circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and wherein the ADC is disposed inside a battery capacity gauge integrated circuit (IC), as recited in claims 6, 7, 18, & 19.
Baruzzi teaches, regarding claims 6, 7, 18, & 19, wherein the current measurement circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and wherein the ADC is disposed inside a battery capacity gauge integrated circuit (IC) [0075-0079].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the ADC features of Baruzzi within the system of Kristjansson for at least the benefit of improving efficiency and overall system operation [0077 & 0078].
Regarding claim 20, Kristjansson, as modified above, discloses the auxiliary current control circuit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the current adjustment circuit includes: a micro control unit (MCU) [0035 & 0043-0045].
6. Claims 3, 12, & 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kristjansson in view of Hussain et al. (US 2008/0258688 A1), hereinafter Hussain.
With respect to claim 3, 12, & 17, the teachings of Kristjansson have been discussed above.
Kristjansson is silent with respect to explicitly disclosing adjusting the charging current back to the initial value of the charging current by the current adjustment circuit when the input power is absent, as recited by claims 3, 12, & 17.
Hussain teaches, regarding claims 3, 12, & 17, adjusting the charging current back to the initial value of the charging current by the current adjustment circuit when the input power is absent [0028-0030].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the adjusting features of Hussain within the system of Kristjansson for at least the benefit of optimizing battery cell capacity by preventing damage caused by inefficient charging [0004-0006].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAULTEP SAVUSDIPHOL whose telephone number is (571)270-1301. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F,7-3 EST. If the examiner cannot be reached by telephone, he can be reached through the following email address: paultep.savusdiphol@uspto.gov
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/PAULTEP SAVUSDIPHOL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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