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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
On multiple instances, the term “buttery” is used, including in Paragraph [0083], which makes mention of a “buttery charger”. The examiner assumes this is a typo for “battery charger” and that the applicant did not intend to have a charger incorporate butter of any kind.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (US 2016/0351972).
Regarding Claim 1, Hsu meets the claimed,
A power storage system ([0005] teaches a battery device, which is a power storage system), comprising: a first cell group ([0018] teaches a first cell group comprising acid rechargeable cells) including a plurality of first cells connected in series ([0017] and Fig. 1 teach battery device 10, which possesses multiple acid rechargeable cell units 12, which are connected in series), each of the plurality of first cells being a non-aqueous secondary battery ([0009] teaches the acid rechargeable cells being lithium iron phosphate cells, which are non-aqueous); and a second cell group ([0018] teaches a second cell group comprising alkaline rechargeable cells) including a plurality of second cells connected in series ([0008] teaches that at least two alkaline rechargeable cells are serially connected to each other), each of the plurality of second cells being an aqueous secondary battery ([0009] teaches that the alkaline rechargeable cells are nickel-zinc cells, which are aqueous), wherein one or more cells of the plurality of second cells included in the second cell group are connected in parallel to a corresponding one of the plurality of first cells included in the first cell group ([0017] and Fig. 1 teach that every two alkaline rechargeable cells 131 are parallel to one acid rechargeable cell 121).
Regarding Claim 2, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 1, wherein; the one or more of the plurality of second cells included in the second cell group have a total charge voltage equal to or less than a charge voltage of the corresponding one of the plurality of first cells included in the first cell group ([0018] teaches that an acid rechargeable cell has an electric potential of 3.2 to 3.6V and an alkaline rechargeable cell has an electric potential of about 1.6V to 1.8V. Therefore, the plurality of second cells, nickel-zinc alkaline cells, has equal electric potential to the first cell, LFP cell).
Regarding Claim 3, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 1, wherein; the non-aqueous secondary battery includes a lithium-ion secondary battery ([0009] teaches the acid rechargeable cells being lithium iron phosphate cells).
Regarding Claim 5, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 1, wherein: the aqueous secondary battery includes a sealed aqueous secondary battery ([0009] teaches that the alkaline rechargeable cells are nickel-zinc cells, which are sealed; see also, applicant's specification [0023], "A type of aqueous secondary battery (sealed aqueous secondary battery) is not limited, and for example, […] a nickel-zinc battery").
Regarding Claim 6, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 5, wherein: the sealed aqueous secondary battery includes a nickel-zinc battery ([0009] teaches that the alkaline rechargeable cells are nickel-zinc cells).
Regarding Claim 7, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 1, wherein: the non-aqueous secondary battery is a lithium-ion secondary battery ([0009] teaches the acid rechargeable cells being lithium iron phosphate cells), and the aqueous secondary battery is a nickel-zinc battery ([0009] teaches that the alkaline rechargeable cells are nickel-zinc cells, which are aqueous), and two cells that are the nickel-zinc batteries are connected in parallel to corresponding one cell that is the lithium-ion secondary battery ([0017] and Fig. 1 teach that every two alkaline rechargeable cells 131 are parallel to one acid rechargeable cell 121).
Regarding Claim 8, Hsu meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 6, wherein: the plurality of second cells each of which is the nickel-zinc battery has a total charge power amount that is 0.5 times or more of a charge power amount of the power storage system ([0020] and Fig. 1 teaches that acid rechargeable cell unit 12 has a capacity close or equal to that of alkaline rechargeable cell unit 13. Unit 12 is made up of one acid rechargeable cell and Unit 13 is made up of two alkaline rechargeable cells).
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (US 2016/0351972) in view of Schaefer et al. (US 2012/0282513).
Hsu does not specifically teach an electrode containing manganese.
Schaefer is analogous to the art in that it teaches a battery cathode for use in a battery.
Schaefer meets the claimed,
The power storage system of claim 3, wherein: the lithium-ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode including a lithium transition metal oxide as a positive electrode active material, the lithium transition metal oxide including manganese ([0008] teaches a Lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt electrode material).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use a lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt electrode as taught by Schaefer instead of the LPF electrode taught by Hsu as the LNMC electrode has a higher energy density (see [0008]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW Y. HO whose telephone number is (571)842-1342. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 - 6:00, Mon - Thurs.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao S. Zhao can be reached at (571) 270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.Y.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 1744
/MICHAEL M. ROBINSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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