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 § 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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa et al. (JP2019093968A, English machine translation) in view of Roy (US 2023/0415784).
Regarding claim 1, Ichikawa teaches a server device (300) comprising: a communication unit (500, [0012]); and a control unit (300 which also serves as control unit, [0015]) that communicates through the communication unit with a plurality of power supply vehicles (100 and 200, [0012]) to be dispatch from the base station (510, [0012]) to a supply destination of the power, and that instructs a first power supply vehicle (200) to meet a second power supply vehicle (100) at a meeting point and supply remaining power in the first power supply vehicle to the second power supply vehicle ([0033], [0034], [0036] and [0044]-[0048]).
Ichikawa fails to teach the returning vehicle (best understood as the dispatching and the returning vehicles are from the same base).
However, Roy teaches server device (600) comprising a communication unit (internet); and a control unit (600) that communicates through the communication with a power supply vehicle (100) to be dispatched from a supply base of power to a supply destination of the power and return to the supply base, and that instructs a first power supply vehicle (100) returning and to meet a second vehicle (10) at a meeting point and supply remaining power in the first power supply vehicle to the second vehicle (figs. 6, 7 and [0048]-[0050]).
In view of Roy’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ichikawa by incorporating the teaching as taught by Roy in order to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 2, Ichikawa as modified by Roy teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above. Both Ichikawa and Roy further teach wherein the control unit sets the meeting point near a travel route of the second power supply vehicle to the supply destination (Ichikawa: [0045]. Roy: [0050] and [0051]).
Regarding claim 3, Ichikawa as modified by Roy teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above except for the first power supply vehicle to a further supply destination. However, Roy further teaches the first power supply vehicle (100) returns to other location after supply power to the second power supply vehicle (10). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Ichikawa and Roy for the first power supply vehicle to a further supply destination since it is just a matter of mere duplication for charging additional vehicle.
Regarding claim 4, Ichikawa as modified by Roy teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above. Ichikawa further teaches wherein the control unit instructs the first power supply vehicle having an amount of power expected to be supplied at the supply destination by the second power supply vehicle to head for the meeting point ([0049] and [0052]-[0060]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References: Taguchi et al. (US 2019/0126766) and Mori (US 2021/0287550) are cited because they are related to recharging electric vehicle system and method.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
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, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. 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.
/TUYEN K VO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
Prosecution Insights