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 Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 7 recites “the electronic component”; however, there is no electronic component previously recited in the claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites “preferably comprises”; which renders the claim indefinite as it is not clear if the elements are part of the claim or not.
Claims 1-3, 5 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph for indirectly including the above noted deficiencies.
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) 1-4, 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li-qiang et al. (CN 210296681) (“Li-qiang”) (Document provided in the IDS of 12/22/2023).
With respect to claim 1, Li-qiang discloses a supply cable (charging/discharging cable) for electrically connecting an energy storage unit (abstract discloses charging/discharging of a vehicle battery) of a vehicle both to an energy supply device, which provides electrical energy, and to a consumer, which requires electrical energy (abstract discloses that the cable connects to a vehicle both to charge the battery and discharge the battery to provide power to a load V2L), said supply cable comprising a connecting line having a coupling (figure 2 discloses a connector 13 connected to a line), a primary connector which is electrically coupled to the connecting line and which has a vehicle connection point for releasably electrically connecting to the vehicle (figures 2, 3a discloses charging gun 22 to be connected to a vehicle), a secondary connector configured to releasably electrically connect to the energy supply device or to the consumer (figure 2 discloses secondary connectors 22, 32 and 42), wherein the coupling of the connecting line is configured to be releasably electrically connected to one of the various types of secondary connector (figure 2 discloses that the secondary connectors are connected/disconnected via connector 13), wherein the vehicle connection point has at least one transmission element, by means of which a status line (PP) of the supply cable is or can be connected to the vehicle in a wired or wireless manner (figure 3a discloses control terminals CC and CP that are connected to a vehicle), wherein the status line (PP) is configured to have a first characteristic (100) indicating readiness of the supply cable (10) to transmit electrical energy to the vehicle (figures 2 and 3 discloses that the control terminals provide indication as to the condition of the vehicle), wherein the status line (PP) is configured to have a second characteristic indicating a readiness of the supply cable to draw electrical energy from the vehicle (figure 2 discloses that the control box comprises indications for displaying different status/line connection state), and wherein the at least one secondary connector is configured to set either the first characteristic or the second characteristic at the status line (PP) depending on the type thereof (figures 3a-3c discloses that different secondary connectors 22, 32 and 42 provide different signals) and/or the primary connector comprises a switchover unit (switch S3), by means of which either the first characteristic or the second characteristic can be set at the status line (PP) (figure 1 discloses switch S3 for providing a signal indicative of the type of secondary connector).
With respect to claim 2, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 1, wherein the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) is configured as a first secondary connector (15A), which is configured to electrically contact an energy supply device (16) having its own charging control logic (33), and/or wherein the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) is configured as a second secondary connector (15B), which is configured to electrically contact an energy supply device (16) not having its own charging control logic and/or having a consistently provided electrical voltage, and/or wherein the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) is configured as a third secondary connector (15C), which comprises a power outlet (1C) for an electrical plug-in connection to the consumer (30), and/or wherein the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) is configured as a fourth secondary connector (15D), which is configured to electrically contact a further vehicle (12A). Figure 2 discloses secondary connectors 22, 32 and 42 for charging the vehicle from AC or discharging the vehicle battery to a load.
With respect to claim 3, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle connection point (14A) comprises a transmission element (8), by means of which a communication line (CP) of the supply cable (10) can be connected to the vehicle (12) in a wired or wireless manner. Figures 1 and 3 discloses that the cable comprises terminals for transmission of the signals CC and CP.
With respect to claim 4, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 3, wherein the first secondary connector (15A) comprises an infrastructure connection point (1A) for connection to the energy supply device (16), and the communication line (CP) is established directly between the vehicle connection point (14A) and the infrastructure connection point (1A) to enable direct communication between the charging control logic (33) of the energy supply device (16) and the vehicle (12). Figures 1 and 2 discloses that the charging/discharging gun 22 comprises communication lines 5, for communication when AC charging to the AC source.
With respect to claim 10, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 3, wherein the fourth secondary connector (15D) comprises an additional vehicle connection point (1D) for connection to the further vehicle (12A), and wherein either the secondary connector (15D) comprises a further control unit (17A) and the fourth secondary connector (15D) forms a separate additional communication line (CP′) between the further control unit (17A) and the additional vehicle connection point (1D) for communication between the further control unit (17A) and the further vehicle (12A), or the communication line (CP) runs uninterrupted between the fourth secondary connector (15D) and the primary connector (14) to enable direct communication between the vehicle (12) and the further vehicle (12A). Figure 1 discloses connecting to a second vehicle for V2V charging and for communication with the second vehicle.
With respect to claim 11, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic (100) and/or the second characteristic (200) are realized by a passive electrical component (32) of the primary connector (14) or the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D), and/or by signals from a control device of the primary connector (14) or the secondary connector (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D). Figure 3 discloses that the secondary connectors comprise passive electrical components/resistors for providing the signals CC and CP.
With respect to claim 12, Li-qiang discloses the supply cable (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic (100) and/or the second characteristic (200) have a plurality of sub-characteristics each indicative of a maximum current carrying capacity of the supply cable. Figure 2 discloses that the control box 12 monitors and display in real time the charging status and it also comprises indicators for indicating the charge status.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 5 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not discloses wherein the primary connector (14) and/or the connecting line (13) comprise(s) a control unit (17) and a bypass switch (4), wherein the control unit (17) is configured to communicate with the vehicle (12), wherein the bypass switch (4) is configured to disconnect at least one connection point of the control unit (17) from the communication line (CP) in a first switching status and to connect the at least one connection point of the control unit (17) to the communication line (CP) in a second switching status, wherein the bypass switch (4) remains in the first switching status in the absence of actuation, and wherein the second secondary connector (15B) is configured to actuate the bypass switch (4) in order to switch to the second switching status.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mu et al. (US 2023/0137396) discloses an interchangeable cord set for V2V, V2L or V2G. Ang et al. (US 2014/0002024) discloses an electric vehicle with an adapter to provide charge to the vehicle battery or to provide power to an electrical device.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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