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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the response to Non-Final Rejection filed September 17, 2025. Claims 1 and 7-11 are presently pending and presented for examination.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. JP2023-031405, filed March 1, 2023.
Response to Amendment
The examiner recognizes that all original rejections made under 35 U.S.C. § 101 previously stated for the original claims 1-9 are overcome by the amendments made by the applicant unless stated otherwise below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s Remarks, filed September 4, 2025, with respect to the section titled Claim Rejection -35 USC 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. § 101 rejection of the Non-Final Rejection filed June 6, 2025, has been withdrawn.
During the examiner’s interview held on September 4, 2025, Examiner stated that the proposed amendments seemed to overcome the rejection of record as previously stated for claim 1. Upon further review however, Examiner has found that the amended limitations are taught by Budiscak et al. (US 20230406130; hereinafter Budiscak) as outlined below. Therefore the 35 U.S.C. § 102 rejection of record is maintained.
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)(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.
Claims 1 and 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Budiscak et al. (US 20230406130; hereinafter Budiscak).
Regarding Claim 1,
Budiscak teaches
A parking management system for a predetermined facility with multiple parking spaces, including a first parking space and a second parking space, (Budiscak: Abstract and Paragraph [0046]) the parking management system comprising
a first information management section configured to manage first parking information related to parking in the first parking space and first vehicle information related to vehicles parked in the first parking space; (Budiscak: Paragraph [0059]; Charging Management System 100)
a second information management section configured to manage second parking information related to parking in the second parking space and second vehicle information related to vehicles parked in the second parking space; (Budiscak: Paragraph [0059]; Charging Management System 100)
a condition determination section configured to
determine the existence of a space condition in which a parkable space exists in the second parking space based on the second parking information of the second information management section, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0036]) and
determine an existence of a movable condition where a movable vehicle exists in the first parking space based on the first vehicle information of the first parking management section; (Budiscak: Paragraph [0036], [0062], [0067) and
a movement instruction output section (Budiscak: Paragraph [0039], [0041]) configured to, in response to the condition determination section determining that the space condition is satisfied and the movable condition is satisfied,
output a movement instruction to move, among the vehicles parked in the first parking space, a vehicle for which the movable condition is satisfied to the second parking space by automatic operation, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0063], [0067]; “After charging the battery 12 and again in accordance with the charging strategy, the motor vehicle 10 is parked in the waiting area 50 until it is picked up by the user.”) and
discharge a battery installed in the vehicle to supply power to a predetermined facility, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047]-[0048]; The cited paragraph teaches that the non-charging parking spots or “stop positions” which may be configured to be “Vehicle-to-Grid, V2G” which means that the charge of the batteries of the vehicles may be discharged into the power grid of the parking facility.) wherein the vehicle is configured to be driven automatically in response to the movement instruction, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047], [0062]; “The movement of the motor vehicle 10 within the parking lot is preferably fully automated.”)
the first parking space is a chargeable parking space configured to charge a battery installed in a parked vehicle in the first parking space, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0058]; Charging positions 62)
the second parking space is a dischargeable parking space configured to discharge a battery installed in a parked vehicle in the second parking space, and (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047]-[0048], [0058]; “The shown parking lot includes a waiting area 50 comprising a plurality of waiting positions 52 (as stop positions),...”)
the movable condition includes a condition in which an energy storage ratio of the battery installed in the vehicle is equal to or greater than a first predetermined energy storage ratio. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0027]; “The determination of the charging strategy can also take into account specific requirements that can be part of a charging request. According to the present invention, in particular requirements such as ... a target state of charge of the battery of the motor vehicle to be charged, which can in particular be wishes of a user, such as ... a desired state of charge after charging, can thus be part of the charging request.” and [0063]; “After the charging process, the motor vehicle 10 comprising the battery 12 that is now charged in accordance with the charging strategy (illustrated in FIG. 1 with the indication 100%) is moved to the pick-up area 70.”)
Regarding Claim 7, the claim is analogous to Claim 1 limitations with the following additional limitations:
...
charge a battery installed in the vehicle, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0061]) wherein
the vehicle is configured to be driven automatically in response to the movement instruction, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047], [0062]; “The movement of the motor vehicle 10 within the parking lot is preferably fully automated.”)
the first parking space is a chargeable parking space configured to discharge the battery installed a parked vehicle in the first parking space, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047]-[0048]; The cited paragraph teaches that the non-charging parking spots or “stop positions” which may be configured to be “Vehicle-to-Grid, V2G” which means that the charge of the batteries of the vehicles may be discharged into the power grid of the parking facility. and [0058]; “The shown parking lot includes a waiting area 50 comprising a plurality of waiting positions 52 (as stop positions),...”)
the second parking space is a dischargeable parking space configured to charge the battery installed in a parked vehicle in the second parking space, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0058]; Charging Positions 62) and
the movable condition is a condition where an energy storage ratio of the battery installed in the vehicle is less than a second predetermined energy storage ratio. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0038])
Therefore the claim is rejected under the same premise as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 8,
Budiscak teaches
The parking management system according to claim 1, wherein
The multiple parking spaces further include
a delivery parking space where a parked vehicle in the delivery parking space is to be handed over to a user. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0066]; Pick-Up Area 70)
Regarding Claim 9,
Budiscak teaches
The parking management system according to claim 8, wherein
the movable condition includes a condition where the energy storage ratio of the battery installed in the vehicle is the energy storage ratio specified by the user. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0027]; “The determination of the charging strategy can also take into account specific requirements that can be part of a charging request. According to the present invention, in particular requirements such as ... a target state of charge of the battery of the motor vehicle to be charged, which can in particular be wishes of a user, such as ... a desired state of charge after charging, can thus be part of the charging request.” and [0063]; “After the charging process, the motor vehicle 10 comprising the battery 12 that is now charged in accordance with the charging strategy (illustrated in FIG. 1 with the indication 100%) is moved to the pick-up area 70.”)
Regarding Claim 10,
Budiscak teaches
The parking management system according to claim 1, wherein
the movement instruction output section is configured to
output a further movement instruction to move, among the vehicles parked in the second parking space, a further vehicle installed with a battery with an energy storage ratio less than the first predetermined energy storage ratio to the first parking space, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0063]; The system is configured to charge the battery of a vehicle when said charge is less than 100% charge (i.e. the first energy storage ratio is 100% and when the charge of the vehicle is less than 100%, said vehicle is moved to a charging spot and charged based on its charging strategy).) and
charge the battery installed in the further vehicle. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0062])
Regarding Claim 11,
Budiscak teaches
The parking management system according to claim 7, wherein
the movement instruction output section is configured to
output a further movement instruction to move, among the vehicles parked in the second parking space, a further vehicle installed with a battery with an energy storage ratio more than the second predetermined energy storage ratio to the first parking space, (Budiscak: Paragraph [0007], [0027]; When the charge of the vehicle reaches or surpasses the target state of charge described in the charging strategy, charging is stopped and the vehicle is moved to a waiting area.) and
discharge the battery installed in the further vehicle to supply power to a predetermined facility. (Budiscak: Paragraph [0047]-[0048]; The cited paragraph teaches that the non-charging parking spots or “stop positions” which may be configured to be “Vehicle-to-Grid, V2G” which means that the charge of the batteries of the vehicles may be discharged into the power grid of the parking facility. and [0058]; “The shown parking lot includes a waiting area 50 comprising a plurality of waiting positions 52 (as stop positions),...”)
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAULO ROBERTO GONZALEZ LEITE whose telephone number is (571)272-5877. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abby Flynn can be reached at 571-272-9855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/P.R.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3663
/ABBY J FLYNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663