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 .
This office action is responsive to the application filed 02/20/2024 which claims 1-20 have been presented for examination.
Claim Objections
Claims 5 and 7-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
regarding claim 5, substitute “remote charging system” with – remote control system – (see line 1);
regarding claim 7, substitute “changing” with – charging – (see line 2);
regarding claim 8, substitute “a plug control component” with – the plug control component – (see line 3); and
regarding claim 10, substitute “The smart charging plug of claim 8” with – The smart charging plug of claim 9 – (see line 1).
Claims 9 and 11 are objected to since they are dependent upon an objected claim.
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) 1-7 and 12-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Spesser (US 2019/0168626 A1).
Regarding claims 1-2, Spesser teaches an electric vehicle smart charging plug (100) comprising:
a plug element (12) located on the charging plug (10);
a plug status output;
a plug control system (14) that receives the plug status output and provides an output control signal to the plug element (12) based on the plug status output;
a communication link (16) between the plug control system (14) and a remote control system 18). (see figs. 1 and 2; and paras. 0022-0026)
Regarding claim 3, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 2, where the communication link is a wireless communication link (para. [0016] describes a wireless transceiver may be included in the control and protection device (14)).
Regarding claim 4, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 2, where the remote control system is a charging station (18) (paras. 0015, 0018, 0027).
Regarding claim 5, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 2, where the remote control system is a user control application (para. 0027).
Regarding claim 6, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 1, comprising: a plug control component (26) that provides the plug status output to the plug control system (14) (paras. 0022-0026).
Regarding claim 7, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 6, where the plug control component (26) is located on the smart charging plug (10) (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 12, Spesser teaches an electric vehicle smart charging plug (10) comprising:
a plug body (11) having a first end and a second end, where the first end is configured to couple to an electric vehicle charging port (25) and the second end is coupled to a charging cable (see fig. 1);
a plug element (12);
a plug control system (14);
a first plug control component (33) that senses a first plug status, and provides a first plug status output based on the first plug status (para. 0022);
a second plug control component (35) that senses a second plug status, and provides a second plug status output based on the second plug status (para. 0024); and
where the plug control system (14) receives the first plug status output and the second plug status output, and provides an output control signal to the plug element based on the first plug status output and the second plug status output (paras. 0022, 0024).
Regarding claim 13, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 12, where the plug element (12) and the first plug control component (33) are located on or in the plug body (see figs. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 14, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 13, where the plug control system (14) is located in the plug body (see figs. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 15, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 12, comprising: a communication link (16) between the plug control system (14) and a remote control system (18) (paras. 0015, 0018, 0027), where the communication link is a wireless communication link (para. [0016] describes a wireless transceiver may be included in the control and protection device (14)).
Regarding claim 16, Spesser further teaches the smart charging plug of claim 15, where the remote control system is at least one of a charging station and a user control application (paras. 0015, 0018, 0027).
Regarding claim 17, Spesser teaches an electric vehicle charging system comprising:
a charging plug (10) comprising a plug body (11) having a first end and a second end, where the first end is configured to electrically couple to an electric vehicle charging port (25) and the second end is coupled to a charging cable (16), a plug element (12), a plug control system (14), and a plug control component (33-37) that senses a plug status, and provides a plug status output based on the plug status (see figs. 1 and 2; and paras. 0022-0026);
where the plug control system (14) receives the plug status output and provides an output control signal to the plug element based on the plug status output (paras. 0022-0026);
where the plug control system (14) is configured to be in communication with an electric vehicle control unit (paras. 0015, 0018); and
a charging station (18) in communication with the plug control system (14), where the charging station (18) is electrically coupled to the charging cable (see figs. 1 and 2; and paras. 0015, 0018, 0027).
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.
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) 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spesser (US 2019/0168626 A1) in view of Jones et al. (US 2024/0075839 A1) (“Jones”).
Regarding claims 8-11: Spesser further discloses the smart charging plug further comprises a plug body (11); the plug control component (35) comprising a temperature sensor associated with the plug body (11) that provides the plug status output to the plug control system (14) based on a sensed temperature (see figs. 1 and 2; and para. 0024).
Spesser fails to teach a plug heater located on the plug that is controlled by the plug control system; the plug heater comprising a heating element integrated into the smart charging plug; the heating element comprising a spiral heating coil integrated into the plug body; and where the heating element operates to heat the plug only at a plug location of the sensed temperature.
Jones discloses a heated electric vehicle charge coupler (20) comprising a plug heater (30) located on a charging plug (20), wherein the plug heater (30) comprises a heating element integrated into the charging plug, the heating element comprising a heating coil or wire integrated into a plug body (200), and where the heating element operates to heat the plug only at a plug location of a sensed temperature (see fig. 2; and paras. 0025-0028).
In view of Jones’ teachings, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a plug heater into Spesser device in order to improve the operating comfort for a user of a charging station during cold weather and to reduce the danger of faulty operation or accidents due to frost.
Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spesser (US 2019/0168626 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2018/0001776 A1) (“Kim”). The teachings of Spesser have been discussed above.
Regarding claims 18 and 19, Spesser fails to teach a plug metering system located in the plug body in communication with the plug control system; and a charging plug payment system coupled to the plug body and in communication with the plug control system.
Kim discloses an in-cable control box (12) mounted on an EV charging cable (10), wherein the in-cable control box (12) comprises: a plug metering system (12e) in communication with a plug control system (12a) (see fig. 5, and paras. 0153-0156); and a charging plug payment system coupled to the plug body and in communication with the plug control system (paras. 0112-0116).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Spesser and Kim in order to simplify the billing process.
Regarding claim 20, Spesser as modified by Kim further discloses a graphical user interface (38) located on the plug body (11), in communication with the plug control system (see Spesser, para. 0027); and a user authorization system located on the plug body and in communication with the plug control system (Spesser, para. 0027).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Loffler (US 12,679,238) discloses a system for preconditioning of heatable charging points of a charging station.
Hassan-Ali et al. (US 2014/0268473) discloses a smart plug.
Erni (US 2023/0311679) discloses a charging plug.
Rose et al. (WO 2019/081245 A1) discloses a charging plug.
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/APRIL A TAYLOR/Examiner, Art Unit 2876
/THIEN M LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
