DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 11/28/2023. Claims 1-20 are pending for prosecution below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS)(s) file have been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
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) 1,2,7-10,15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nelson, (USNO.2020/0122601).
As for claim 1, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 a mobile charging system for vehicles, comprising: a plurality of transmission line segments (via ref’s power grid), each including a plurality of parallel cables, within, placed atop, and/or suspended above at least one roadway; at least one power supply line configured to provide current from at least one power source to the plurality of transmission line segments; at least one controller (via ref’s charging controller) configured to modulate an amount of power supplied to the plurality of transmission line segments via the at least one power supply line; and at least one sensor configured to produce sensor data corresponding to an electromagnetic environment around the plurality of transmission line segments and/or an electric property of the plurality of transmission line segments (via supply of the electricity grid); wherein at least one section of the plurality of transmission line segments is oriented substantially parallel with the direction of traffic of the at least one roadway; and wherein the at least one controller increases or decreases the amount of power supplied to the plurality of transmission line segments via the at least one power supply line based on the
sensor data (par.[0025-0032,0061]).
As for claims 2 and 10, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 at least one sensor includes at least one voltage sensor, at least one magnetic field sensor, at least one electric field sensor, at least one line frequency sensor, and/or at least one current sensor
As for claims 7 and 15, Nelson discloses at least one controller is operable to receive power supply information from at least one power supply source connected with the plurality of transmission line segments, and wherein the at least one controller is operable to transmit a power supply request to at least one central controller
As for claim 8, Nelson discloses at least one controller is operable to determine a number of electric vehicles on one or more of the plurality of transmission line segments based on the sensor
data
As for claim 9, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 a mobile charging system for vehicles, comprising: a plurality of transmission line segments (via ref’s power grid) embedded within, placed atop, and/or suspended above at least one roadway; at least one power supply line configured to provide current from at least one power source to the plurality of transmission line segments; at least one controller (via ref’s charging controller) configured to modulate an amount of power supplied to the at least one cable loop via the at least one power supply line; and at least one sensor configured to produce sensor data corresponding to an electromagnetic environment around the plurality of transmission line segments and/or an electric property of the plurality of transmission line segments (via supply of the electricity grid); wherein at least one section of the plurality of transmission line segments is oriented substantially parallel with the direction of traffic of the at least one roadway; and wherein the at least one controller is operable to determine a number of vehicles on one or more of the plurality of transmission line segments based on the sensor data (par.[0025-0032,0061]).
As for claim 16, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 a mobile charging system for vehicles, comprising: a plurality of parallel oriented cables constituting at least one transmission line (via ref’s power grid), within, placed atop, and/or suspended above at least one roadway; at least one power supply line configured to provide current from at least one power source to the at least one transmission line; at least one controller (via ref’s charging controller) configured to modulate an amount of power supplied to at least one transmission line via the at least one power supply line; and at least one phase shifter (via the controller) configured to modulate the phase of power supplied to the at least one transmission line; wherein activation of the at least one transmission line generates a standing wave of radiofrequency (RF) energy (via induction coil); and wherein the at least one phase shifter (via the control of the phase components) is operable to control movement of nodes and antinodes of the standing wave of RF energy (par.[0025-0032,0036-0037,0061]).
As for claim 17, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 power supplied to the at least one transmission line has a frequency of at least 1 MHz (par.[0037]).
As for claim 18, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 vehicles are configured to automatically track and follow the antinodes of the standing wave (par.[0072-0073])
As for claim 19, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 least one controller is operable to receive power supply information from at least one power supply source connected with the at least one transmission line, and wherein the at least one controller is operable to transmit a power supply request to at least one central controller
As for claim 20, Nelson discloses and shows in Fig. 3 least one controller is operable to determine a number of vehicles on the at least one transmission line
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.
Claim(s) 3-6 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson.
As for claims 3 and 11, Nelson discloses the claimed invention except for at least one controller is configured to maintain a power level of approximately 1 MW or higher in the plurality of transmission line segments. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one controller is configured to maintain a power level of approximately 1 MW or higher in the plurality of transmission line segments would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application.
As for claims 4 and 12, Nelson discloses the claimed invention except for each of the plurality of transmission line segments are formed by at least two concentric cable loops, and where the at least one controller is configured to selectively couple the at least two concentric cable loops of at least two adjacent transmission line segments. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have each of the plurality of transmission line segments are formed by at least two concentric cable loops, and where the at least one controller is configured to selectively couple the at least two concentric cable loops of at least two adjacent transmission line segments would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application.
As for claims 5 and 13, Nelson discloses and shows the selective coupling of the at least two concentric cable loops of the at least two transmission line segments includes inductive coupling and/or direct coupling of the at least two transmission line segments (via induction coil).
As for claims 6 and 14, Nelson discloses the claimed invention except for each of the plurality of transmission line segments are formed by at least two concentric cable loops, wherein first sections of the at least two concentric cable loops are substantially parallel and separated by a first gap in or on a first roadway and wherein second sections of the at least two concentric cable loops are substantially parallel and separated by a second gap in or on a second roadway. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have each of the plurality of transmission line segments are formed by at least two concentric cable loops, wherein first sections of the at least two concentric cable loops are substantially parallel and separated by a first gap in or on a first roadway and wherein second sections of the at least two concentric cable loops are substantially parallel and separated by a second gap in or on a second roadway would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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