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 .
The information disclosure statements filed on 6/24/2025 or 3/1/2024 have been entered. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
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.
(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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 3,683,081 A1 (Toyota Motor Co. LTD – EP 3,683,081; 22 – 07-2020; Go, Koichi – cited by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Go discloses a solar maintenance charging kit, comprising:
a solar panel assembly (Go – Fig. 1, solar panel 1);
an auxiliary battery system configured to receive power from the solar panel assembly (Go; Fig. 1 – solar panel 1, battery 20); and
a electronics assembly configured to adjust a maintenance voltage supplied to a mobile industrial machine from one of the solar panel assembly or the auxiliary battery system (Go; Fig. 1 – solar panel 1, battery 20, controller 30, relay 40, drive 50, auxiliary machine battery 60; [0016]:"The controller 30 is connected to each of the solar panel 10, the solar battery 20, the drive battery 50, and the auxiliary machine battery 60 and is an electronic control unit (ECU) that can control the charging of each battery with electric power generated in the solar panel 10 and supply of the electric power to each battery. The controller 30 includes a DC-to-DC converter and can convert the voltage of electric power generated in the solar panel 10 into a predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can store the electric power into the solar battery 20. In addition, the controller 30 can convert the voltage of electric power stored in the solar battery 20 into the predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can supply the electric power to the drive battery 50 and the auxiliary machine battery 60. In addition, the controller 30 can control connection and disconnection of the relay 40"), wherein the solar maintenance charging kit is portable.
Regarding claim 2, Go discloses the solar maintenance charging kit of claim 1, further comprising a connector for connecting the solar maintenance charging kit to the mobile industrial machine, wherein the connecting causes a mobile industrial machine to activate a maintenance charging mode (Go; Fig. 1 – solar panel 1, battery 20, controller 30, relay 40, drive 50, auxiliary machine battery 60; [0016]:"The controller 30 is connected to each of the solar panel 10, the solar battery 20, the drive battery 50, and the auxiliary machine battery 60 and is an electronic control unit (ECU) that can control the charging of each battery with electric power generated in the solar panel 10 and supply of the electric power to each battery. The controller 30 includes a DC-to-DC converter and can convert the voltage of electric power generated in the solar panel 10 into a predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can store the electric power into the solar battery 20. In addition, the controller 30 can convert the voltage of electric power stored in the solar battery 20 into the predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can supply the electric power to the drive battery 50 and the auxiliary machine battery 60. In addition, the controller 30 can control connection and disconnection of the relay 40").
Regarding claim 3, Go discloses the solar maintenance charging kit of claim 2, wherein the solar panel assembly has an output voltage of approximately 50 V to 100 V, wherein the auxiliary battery system has an output voltage of approximately 200 V to 300 V (Go; Fig. 1 – solar panel 1, battery 20, controller 30, relay 40, drive 50, auxiliary machine battery 60; [0016]:"The controller 30 is connected to each of the solar panel 10, the solar battery 20, the drive battery 50, and the auxiliary machine battery 60 and is an electronic control unit (ECU) that can control the charging of each battery with electric power generated in the solar panel 10 and supply of the electric power to each battery. The controller 30 includes a DC-to-DC converter and can convert the voltage of electric power generated in the solar panel 10 into a predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can store the electric power into the solar battery 20. In addition, the controller 30 can convert the voltage of electric power stored in the solar battery 20 into the predetermined voltage (perform increase or decrease in voltage) and can supply the electric power to the drive battery 50 and the auxiliary machine battery 60. In addition, the controller 30 can control connection and disconnection of the relay 40"; the solar charging device to provide power for charging an electric vehicle which would include all three main voltage levels of ev charging: level I – 120 V, level II – 240V, level III – 400-800 V ).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-20 are allowed.
Claims 4-7 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 fails to disclose:
i. The solar maintenance charging kit of claim 2, wherein the electronics assembly further comprises: a first converter, the first converter configured to convert power from the solar panel assembly from a first voltage to a second voltage; and a second converter, the second converter configured to (i) convert power received from the first converter at the second voltage to a third voltage for the auxiliary battery system and (ii) convert power received from the auxiliary battery system from the third voltage to the second voltage as recited in claim 4.
ii. The solar maintenance charging kit of claim 4, wherein the electronics assembly further comprises: a third converter, wherein the third converter is configured to convert power received from at least one of the first converter or the second converter at the second voltage to a fourth voltage, wherein the fourth voltage corresponds to the mobile industrial machine and the connector as recited in claim 5. Claims 6-7 depend on claim 5.
iii. A method as recited in claim 8 for selectively charging a battery pack of a mobile industrial machine (MIM) with a solar maintenance charger (SMC), the SMC including a solar panel assembly, an electronics assembly, and an auxiliary battery system, wherein the SMC is portable, the method comprising:
connecting the SMC to the MIM via an electrical connector;
transmitting handshake information between the SMC and the MIM;
enabling a maintenance charging mode at the MIM;
transmitting a power request from the MIM to the SMC;
activating an electrical control unit at the SMC; and
disabling one or more parasitic power requirements of charging the battery pack, wherein the disabling further includes disabling a battery cooling system of the MIM.
iv. A method as recited in claim 17, comprising: electrically connecting a solar maintenance charger (SMC) to a mobile industrial machine (MIM), the SMC comprising:
a solar panel assembly;
a first DC-DC converter, configured to convert power from the solar panel assembly from a first voltage to a second voltage;
a charging connector; and
a DC-AC converter, configured to convert power received from the first converter at the second voltage to a third voltage;
transmitting handshake information between the SMC and the MIM; enabling a maintenance charging mode at the MIM;
transmitting a power request from the MIM to the SMC; activating an electrical control unit at the SMC; and supplying, based on the power request, current from the solar panels to the MIM, wherein the supplied current from the solar panel assembly to the MIM is at the third voltage.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN MINH LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2396. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-5:00 PM M-Th..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven 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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/THIEN M LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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