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 .
Receipt is acknowledged of IDS filed on 02/20/2024, 8/8/24, 10/29/24 & 03/11/26.
Claims 1-14 are presented for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-2 and 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US 2022/0109309).
Re Claims 1, 11 and 14: Liu et al. teaches large-format battery management system with in-rush protection, which includes a plurality of power storage facilities, the operation method comprising: grouping the plurality of power storage facilities {herein a plurality of battery packs, battery packs 100, see fig.# 3; ¶ 80+} into a plurality of groups, and setting a plurality of SOC ranges shifted from each other as an option of an operation SOC range of each of the plurality of groups (¶ 203-215+, 226+); selecting one of the plurality of SOC ranges to be the option as the operation SOC range for each of the plurality of groups so as to be in a state in which the SOC ranges selected are different between the plurality of groups (¶ 218+), and operating a power storage facility belonging to each of the plurality of groups in an SOC range selected as the operation SOC range (¶ 205-206+); and sequentially switching {herein In order to keep the other lower SoC battery packs within an acceptable range, direct balancing may switch to a different lower SoC battery pack while the previous lower SoC battery pack is now converter balanced} (see ¶ 203+), between the plurality of SOC ranges, an SOC range selected as the operation SOC range for each of the plurality of groups so as to be in a state in which the SOC ranges selected are different {herein a large SoC variation may occur when a new battery pack is installed in a battery system, such as when a SoC of the new battery pack is much different} between the plurality of groups (¶ 70+).
Re Claim 2: Liu et al. teaches system and method, wherein the switching includes switching an SOC range to be selected as the operation SOC range for each of the plurality of groups in a selection pattern in which all of the plurality of SOC ranges to be the option are sequentially selected as the operation SOC range (¶ 243-246+).
Re Claims 9 and 12: Liu et al. teaches system and method, wherein the switching includes switching an SOC range to be selected as the operation SOC range for each of the plurality of groups so as to be in a state where a timing at which an SOC range to be the operation SOC range is switched is synchronized between the plurality of groups (¶ 245+).
Re Claims 10 and 13: Liu et al. teaches system and method, wherein the grouping and the operating include grouping the plurality of power storage facilities each including one or more batteries in which lithium iron phosphate is used as a positive electrode active material into the plurality of groups, and operating a power storage facility belonging to each of the plurality of groups in an SOC range selected as the operation SOC range (¶ 672-675+).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to specifically teach the setting includes setting the plurality of SOC ranges to be the option so as to be in a state in which between the plurality of SOC ranges, median SOC values are different, upper limit SOC values are different, and lower limit SOC values are different. These limitations in conjunction with other limitations in the claimed invention were not shown by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yamauchi et al. (US 2014/0152261) teaches battery system monitoring apparatus.
Park et al. (US 8,933,667) teaches apparatus and method for controlling connection of battery packs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWYN LABAZE whose telephone number is (571)272-2395. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. STEVE 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.
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/EDWYN LABAZE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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