DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after 2013 March 16, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2024 September 13 and 2025 January 13 were filed after the mailing date of the 2023 November 09. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
control circuit of claims 1 – 5, 8 – 10, 13, 15
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because
reference character “50” has been used to designate both battery module management circuit (¶[0087]) and direct current/direct current (DC/DC) conversion circuit. Numeral 50 is assigned to DC/DC conversion circuit throughout all figures and all other specification paragraphs. The correct numeral for the battery module management circuit appears to be 60.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description:
Characters "1" and "2" appear in FIG. 2 adjacent to K1 and K2 switch but are not identified anywhere in the specification or figure descriptions. It is unclear if these are meant to be “K1a”, “K1b”, “K2a”, “K2b” described in ¶[0048].
The drawings are objected to because
FIG. 2 labels the busbar "First bus"; specification (¶s [0046], [0051]–[0075]) and all claims consistently use "first busbar".
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: A title that states the inventive concept of this particular Battery System and Control Method, which distinguishes it from other Battery Systems and Control Methods.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because
The opening sentence is grammatically defective: "A battery system comprises a first busbar, at least one battery rack, and a control circuit are included" mixes "comprises" and "are included".
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
(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 – 4, 6, 11 – 12, 14 – 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HINTERBERGER et al. (US 2020/0176994 A1).
In re claim 1, HINTERBERGER discloses an apparatus (energy supply device 10), comprising:
a first busbar (busbar assembly 18) configured to:
connect to a load that requires a first voltage (FIG. 1; ¶s [0032, 0035]: busbar assembly 18′ connects to appliance 100 at demanded DC voltage U); and
output a first output voltage that meets the first voltage (strand 11 outputs DC voltage U at strand 17, control device 19 selects strand to meet power demand);
at least one battery rack connected to the first busbar and comprising a plurality of battery units, wherein the plurality of battery units is connected in series (FIG. 1; ¶s [0007, 0025]: strand 11 comprising series circuit 13 of usage units 12, connected to busbar 18), and wherein each of the plurality of battery units comprises:
a battery module (¶[0026]: usage unit 12 comprising battery cell or battery cell module);
a connection switch connected in series to the battery module to form a first branch and comprising a first control end (FIG. 2; ¶s [0052, 0058]: separation circuit N14 connected in series with usage unit 12, controlled via communication device 27); and
an isolation switch connected in parallel to the first branch and comprising a second control end (FIG. 2; ¶s [0052, 0057]: bridging circuit N11 connected in parallel to usage unit 12, controlled via communication device 27); and
a control circuit connected to the first control end and the second control end of each of the plurality of battery units and configured to control, based on the first voltage, the first control end and the second control end of N battery units of the plurality of battery units to enable the N battery units to connect to the first busbar to supply power for the first output voltage (FIG. 1, FIG. 2; ¶s [0040, 0051, 0057]: control device 19 connected via communication device 27 to N14/N11 of each usage unit 12, controlling N14/N11 of N usage units 12 based on required busbar voltage to connect N usage units 12 to busbar 18).
In re claim 2, HINTERBERGER discloses wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine, based on the first voltage and a correspondence between the first voltage and a quantity of the plurality of battery units, the N battery units required by the load (¶s [0033, 0051]: control device 19 ascertaining power demand of appliance 100 and determining N usage units 12 needed so strand 11 voltage U meets required busbar 18 voltage).
In re claim 3, HINTERBERGER discloses the apparatus further comprising at least one battery module management circuit (¶[0052]: diagnostic unit N12), wherein the at least one battery module management circuit is separately connected to the at least one battery rack and the control circuit (¶s [0040, 0052]: diagnostic unit N12 within usage unit 12 of strand 11, connected to control device 19 via communication device 27), and wherein the at least one battery module management circuit is configured to:
collect a second voltage and a first current of each of the plurality of battery units (¶[0052]: diagnostic unit N12 determining individual voltage V and measurement current I′ of usage unit 12); and
determine, based on the second voltage and the first current of each of the plurality of battery units, a first state of health (SOH) parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units to enable the control circuit to select, based on the first SOH parameter of each battery module, the N battery units (¶s [0013, 0052, 0053]: diagnostic unit N12 determining SoH/impedance of usage unit 12 from voltage V and current I′; control device 19 selecting N usage units 12 based on SoH/performance capability).
In re claim 4, HINTERBERGER discloses wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
determine, based on a first SOH parameter range corresponding to each of a plurality of preset state types and the first SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units, a state type of each of the plurality of battery units (¶[0059]: control device 19 classifying usage unit 12 by similarity criterion; performance capability criterion SOH ranges into active or weak state type); and
select, based on the state type of each of the plurality of battery units, the N battery units to enable an SOH of each battery module in the plurality of battery units to be balanced (¶s [0059, 0062]: control device 19 selecting N usage units 12 based on state type, applying wear leveling to balance SoH of usage units 12).
In re claim 6, HINTERBERGER discloses wherein the plurality of preset state types comprises a first state type and a second state type (¶[0059]: usage units 12 classified as a first state type meeting the similarity criterion and a second state type recognized by the performance capability criterion), and wherein a second SOH parameter range corresponding to the first state type does not overlap a third SOH parameter range corresponding to the second state type (¶[0059]: similarity criterion threshold defining complementary compliant first state type range and violating second state type range, non-overlapping as mathematical complements of one threshold).
In re claims 11 – 12, HINTERBERGER discloses the apparatus further comprising at least one DC/DC conversion circuit comprising a first side and a second side (FIG. 1; ¶s [0007, 0028]: DC voltage converter 14 within strand 11, comprising input side connected to series circuit 13 and output side connected to strand end 11'), wherein the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit is in a first one-to-one correspondence with the at least one battery rack (¶[0028]: each strand 11 comprising one DC voltage converter 14 in one-to-one correspondence), wherein the first side is connected to the at least one battery rack (¶[0007]: first side of DC voltage converter 14 connected to series circuit 13 of strand 11), wherein the second side is connected to the first busbar (¶[0007]; ¶[0029]: second side of DC voltage converter 14 connected to strand end 11', which connects to busbar 18' via switching unit 15), and wherein the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit is configured to:
modulate a second output voltage of the battery rack to produce a modulated voltage (¶s [0015, 0049]: DC voltage converter 14 modulating strand voltage U of strand 11 to produce predetermined nominal voltage at strand terminals 17); and
transmit, to the first busbar, the modulated voltage (¶[0049]; FIG. 1: DC voltage converter 14 transmitting modulated nominal voltage to busbar 18' via strand terminal 17).
As to claim 12, HINTERBERGER further discloses wherein the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit is further configured to modulate a second voltage at the first busbar to a charging voltage to charge the at least one battery rack (¶[0084]: DC voltage converter 14 modulating voltage at busbar 18' to charging voltage to charge strand 11).
In re claim 14, HINTERBERGER discloses further comprising a DC/AC conversion circuit (FIG. 1; ¶s [0018, 0038]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 comprising AC/DC converters 24' connected to busbar assembly 18), wherein the DC/AC conversion circuit is separately connected to the first busbar and the load (FIG. 1; ¶s [0018, 0038]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 connected to busbar assembly 18 via switching units 25, 26 and to appliance 100 via input terminal 23), and wherein the DC/AC conversion circuit is configured to:
convert a DC at the first busbar into an AC (¶[0039]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 converting DC at busbar 18' to AC in grid-forming mode); and
provide the AC for the load (¶[0039]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 providing AC to appliance 100 via input terminal 23 in grid-forming mode).
In re claim 15, HINTERBERGER discloses a method, comprising:
controlling, based on a first voltage required by a load, first connection switches and first isolation switches of N battery units in a battery rack to enable first battery modules in the N battery units to connect to a first busbar to supply power for a first output voltage of the first busbar to meet the first voltage (FIG. 1, FIG. 2; ¶s [0051, 0057]: control device 19 controlling N14 and N11 of N usage units 12 in strand 11 based on required busbar 18' voltage to connect N usage units 12 to busbar 18' to supply output voltage meeting load demand of appliance 100); and
supplying, by using the N battery units, the first output voltage (FIG. 1; ¶[0030]: N usage units 12 in strand 11 supplying DC voltage U at strand terminals 17 as first output voltage).
In re claim 16, HINTERBERGER discloses the method further comprising:
collecting a second voltage and a first current of each of a plurality of battery units in the battery rack (¶[0052]: diagnostic unit N12 determining individual voltage V and measurement current I′ of each usage unit 12 in strand 11);
determining, based on the second voltage and the first current of each of the plurality of battery units, a SOH parameter of each of a plurality of second battery modules in the plurality of battery units (¶s [0052, 0053]: diagnostic unit N12 determining SOH/impedance of each usage unit 12 from voltage V and current I′); and
selecting, based on the SOH parameter of each of the plurality of second battery modules, the N battery units (¶s [0059, 0062]: control device 19 selecting N usage units 12 based on SOH/impedance via similarity criterion and wear leveling).
In re claim 17, HINTERBERGER discloses the method further comprising:
determining, based on an SOH parameter range corresponding to each of a plurality of preset state types and the SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units, a state type of each of the plurality of battery units (¶[0059]: control device 19 determining state type of each usage unit 12 by classifying SOH/impedance against similarity criterion and performance capability criterion ranges); and
selecting, based on the state type of each of the plurality of battery units, the N battery units to enable an SOH of each battery module in the plurality of battery units to be balanced (¶s [0059, 0062]: control device 19 selecting N usage units 12 based on state type classification, applying wear leveling to balance SOH of usage units 12).
In re claim 18, HINTERBERGER discloses the method further comprising:
detecting whether a second battery module in each of a plurality of battery units in the battery rack is faulty (¶[0058]: control device 19 determining fault/wear condition of battery module in each usage unit 12 from impedance wear value); and
when the second battery module in one of the plurality of battery units is faulty, controlling a second connection switch and a second isolation switch in the one of the plurality of battery units to enable the second battery module in the one of the plurality of battery units to be disconnected from a third battery module in another one of the plurality of battery units (FIG. 2; ¶[0058]: controlling N14 and N11 of faulty usage unit 12 to disconnect it from remaining usage units 12 in series circuit 13).
In re claim 19, HINTERBERGER discloses the method further comprising determining, based on the first voltage and a correspondence between the first voltage and a quantity of a plurality of battery units, the N battery units required by the load (¶s [0033, 0051]: control device 19 ascertaining power demand of appliance 100 and determining N usage units 12 required so strand 11 voltage U meets required busbar 18' voltage).
In re claim 20, HINTERBERGER discloses the method further comprising:
converting a DC at the first busbar into an AC (¶[0039]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 converting DC at busbar 18' to AC in grid-forming mode); and
providing the AC for the load (¶[0039]: AC/DC converter assembly 24 providing AC to appliance 100 via input terminal 23 in grid-forming mode).
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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 7 – 10, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HINTERBERGER et al. (US 2020/0176994 A1).
In re claim 7, HINTERBERGER does not expressly disclose wherein the battery module management circuit is separately connected to the first control end and the second control end of each of the plurality of battery units, and wherein the battery module management circuit is further configured to: detect whether the battery module in one of the plurality of battery units is faulty; and when detecting that the battery module in the one of the plurality of battery units is faulty, control the connection switch and the isolation switch in the one of the plurality of battery units to enable the one of the plurality of battery units to be disconnected from the battery module in another one of the plurality of battery units.
HINTERBERGER teaches wherein the control circuit (control device 19) is separately connected to the first control end and the second control end of each of the plurality of battery units (¶s [0040, 0057]: control device 19 connected to N14/N11 of each usage unit 12 via communication device 27), and wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
detect whether the battery module in one of the plurality of battery units is faulty (¶s [0052, 0058]: control device 19 detecting fault condition of usage unit 12 from impedance/wear value); and
when detecting that the battery module in the one of the plurality of battery units is faulty, control the connection switch and the isolation switch in the one of the plurality of battery units to enable the one of the plurality of battery units to be disconnected from the battery module in another one of the plurality of battery units (FIG. 2; ¶s [0057, 0058]: control device 19 controlling N14/N11 of faulty usage unit 12 to remove it from series circuit 13).
It would be obvious for a PHOSITA to move fault detection from the control circuit to the battery module management circuit to reduce communication burden and fault detection latency.
In re claim 8, HINTERBERGER does not expressly disclose wherein the battery module management circuit is further configured to: detect whether a battery module in each of the plurality of battery units is faulty; and after detecting that the battery module in one of the plurality of battery units is faulty, provide, to the control circuit, fault indication information comprising an identifier of the one of the plurality of battery units to enable the control circuit to control the battery module in the one of the plurality of battery units to be disconnected from a third battery module in another one of the plurality of battery units.
HINTERBERGER teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
detect whether a battery module in each of the plurality of battery units is faulty (¶s [0052, 0058]: control device 19 detecting fault condition of each usage unit 12 from impedance/wear value).
HINTERBERGER further teaches the battery module management circuit provides, to the control circuit, raw data comprising an identifier of one of the plurality of battery units (¶s [0040, 0052, 0057, 0058]: diagnostic unit N12 reports state value 29 to control device 19 via CAN-based communication device 27).
It would be obvious for a PHOSITA to move fault detection from the control circuit to the battery module management circuit to reduce communication burden and fault detection latency.
In re claim 9, HINTERBERGER discloses wherein the control circuit is further configured to control, based on the identifier, the connection switch and the isolation switch of the one of the plurality of battery units to enable the battery module in the one of the plurality of battery units to be disconnected from the third battery module in the another one of the plurality of battery units (¶s [0057, 0058]: control device 19 controlling N14 and N11 of individually-addressed usage unit 12 via communication device 27 to disconnect faulty usage unit 12 from remaining usage units 12 in series circuit 13).
In re claim 10, HINTERBERGER discloses the apparatus further comprising at least one high voltage switch comprising a third control end (FIG. 1; ¶s [0029, 0040]: switching unit 15 at strand end 11', controlled via communication device 27), wherein the control circuit is connected to the third control end (¶[0040]: control device 19 connected to communication device 27), wherein the at least one battery rack is connected to the at least one high voltage switch (FIG. 1; ¶[0029]: strand 11 connected to switching unit 15 at strand end 11'), and wherein the at least one battery rack is configured to:
connect to the first busbar when the at least one high voltage switch is in an on state (FIG. 1; ¶[0029]: strand 11 connecting to busbar 18' via strand terminal 17 when switching unit 15 is closed); and
disconnect the at least one battery rack from the first busbar when the at least one high voltage switch is in an off state (FIG. 1; ¶[0029]: strand 11 disconnecting from busbar 18' via strand terminal 17 when switching unit 15 is open).
HINTERBERGER is silent to wherein the at least one battery rack is in a one-to-one correspondence with the at least one high voltage switch.
HINTERBERGER teaches wherein the at least one battery rack is in a one-to-two correspondence with the at least one high voltage switch. (FIG. 1; ¶s [0028, 0029]: strand 11 connected to two switching units 15 at each strand end 11').
It would be obvious for a PHOSITA to reduce to a single high voltage switch per battery rack in one-to-one correspondence to reduce component count and cost, a routine design tradeoff in battery system design.
In re claim 13, HINTERBERGER discloses further comprising at least one high voltage switch comprising a third control end (FIG. 1; ¶s [0029, 0040]: switching unit 15 at strand end 11', controlled via communication device 27), wherein the control circuit is connected to the third control end (¶[0040]: control device 19 connected to communication device 27), and wherein the at least one battery rack is configured to:
connect to the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit when the at least one high voltage switch is in an on state (FIG. 1; ¶[0029]: strand 11 connecting to DC voltage converter 14 when switching unit 15 is closed); and
disconnect the at least one battery rack from the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit when the at least one high voltage switch is in an off state (FIG. 1; ¶[0029]: strand 11 disconnecting from DC voltage converter 14 when switching unit 15 is open).
HINTERBERGER is silent to wherein the at least one battery rack is in a second one-to-one correspondence with the at least one high voltage switch, wherein the at least one battery rack, the at least one high voltage switch, and the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit are sequentially connected in series.
HINTERBERGER teaches wherein the at least one battery rack is in a one-to-two correspondence with the at least one high voltage switch. (FIG. 1; ¶s [0028, 0029]: strand 11 connected to two switching units 15 at each strand end 11'), and wherein the at least one battery rack, the at least one DC/DC conversion circuit, and the at least one high voltage switch are sequentially connected in series (FIG. 1; ¶s [0028, 0029]: strand 11, DC voltage converter 14, and switching unit 15 sequentially connected in series).
A PHOSITA would be motivated to reduce to a single high voltage switch per battery rack in one-to-one correspondence to reduce component count and cost. It would be further obvious for a PHOSITA to place the high voltage switch between the battery rack and the DC/DC converter to isolate the battery rack from the converter and the busbar in a single switching operation, and reduce inrush current. Both are well-known techniques and safety design principles in the art.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HINTERBERGER et al. (US 2020/0176994 A1), and further in view of RIVERA-POVENTUD et al. (US 2014/0354213 A1).
In re claim 5, HINTERBERGER discloses wherein the control circuit is further configured to update, based on a last received second SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units, the state type of each of the plurality of battery units (¶s [0058, 0059]: control device 19 updating state type of each usage unit 12 based on last received SOH/impedance wear value from N12 via communication device 27).
HINTERBERGER does not expressly disclose wherein the at least one battery module management circuit is further configured to: periodically collect a third voltage and a second current of each of the plurality of battery units; determine, based on the third voltage and the second current of each of the plurality of battery units, a second SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units; and provide, to the control circuit, the second SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units.
RIVERA-POVENTUD teaches wherein the at least one battery module management circuit is further configured to:
periodically collect a third voltage and a second current of each of the plurality of battery units (FIG. 5, FIG. 9: module controller 112 periodically collecting module voltage via voltage sensor 504 and module current via current sensor 502 of each module 102 via fixed-frequency software interrupt);
determine, based on the third voltage and the second current of each of the plurality of battery units, a second SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units (FIG. 8, ¶[0073]: module controller 112 determining SOH of module 102 from module current and voltage via Coulomb counter 510); and
provide, to the control circuit, the second SOH parameter of each battery module in the plurality of battery units (FIG. 8, ¶[0074]: module controller 112 reporting SOH to pack controller 104).
It would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to modify the battery module management circuit of HINTERBERGER to periodically collect a third voltage and a second current of each of the plurality of battery units and determine a second SOH parameter, as taught by RIVERA-POVENTUD, to limit the charge and discharge rate to maximize the life of the module.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHANN DJANAL-MANN whose telephone number is (571)272-4697. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:00 - 17:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at (571) 272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/D. JOHANN DJANAL-MANN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
Prosecution Insights