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 .
IDS
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 14, 2024 is being considered by the Examiner.
Drawing
The drawing filed on March 14, 2024 is accepted by the Examiner.
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim rejection – 35 U.S.C. §102
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 1-3, 8-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi et al. (U.S. PAP 2023/0352723, hereon Choi).
In reference to claim 1: Choi discloses an all-solid-state battery defect detection (testing battery cell) apparatus (see Choi, Abstract and Fig. 7) comprising:
a processor (a controller) configured to detect a defect (testing a battery cell) in an all-solid-state battery by using a pressure distribution measurement (see Choi, Fig. 7 and paragraph [0039]) and of the all-solid-state battery at ends of charging and discharging of the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0005]) immediately after fastening a pressurizing jig to the all-solid-state battery (as the individual cells has to be constrained in order to carry out the test); and a storage configured to store data (see Choi, paragraph [0039]) and algorithms driven by the processor (or the controller, which the controller requires the algorithm noted in Fig. 7 is stored in a memory in order to be executed).
With regard to claim 2: Choi further discloses that the processor or the controller is configured to detect a defect in the all-solid-state battery by comparing a pressure distribution standard deviation value measured immediately after fastening the pressurizing jig to the all-solid-state battery, with a predetermined reference value because the finite state analysis includes standard deviation as the core component of the analysis (see Choi, paragraph [0043] through [0052]).
With regard to claim 3. Choi further discloses that the processor or the controller is configured to detect a defect in the all-solid-state battery by comparing a pressure distribution standard deviation value measured at the end of charging of the all-solid-state battery with a predetermined reference value because the finite state analysis includes standard deviation as the core component of the analysis, and linearizing the model requires a reference value (see Choi, Fig. 7 and paragraphs [0043] through [0052]).
In reference to claim 8: Choi discloses an all-solid-state battery defect detection system (see Choi, Fig. 7 and abstract) comprising:
a surface pressure sensor (see Choi, claim 2, measure strains on a surface) configured to measure a pressure distribution of an all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0039]); and
an all-solid-state battery defect detection apparatus configured to detect a defect in an all-solid-state battery by using a pressure distribution measurement of the all-solid-state battery measured by the surface pressure sensor at ends of charging and discharging of the all-solid-state battery immediately after fastening a pressurizing jig to the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0005]) immediately after fastening a pressurizing jig to the all-solid-state battery (as the individual cells has to be constrained in order to carry out the test).
With regard to claim 9. Choi further discloses that the surface pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure distribution of a positive electrode of the all-solid-state battery because the strain sensors (see Choi, Fig. 6, sensors 70) are arranged around the battery section that includes the positive electrode of the individual cells).
With regard to claim 10: Choi further discloses that the surface pressure sensor is configured to be provided between the pressurization jig and the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0036] and [0037] and Figs. 5 and 6).
In reference to claim 14. Choi discloses an all-solid-state battery defect detection method (see Choi, Fig. 7 and abstract) comprising:
detecting a defect (test the cell) in an all-solid-state battery using a pressure distribution measurement of the all-solid-state battery immediately after fastening a pressurizing jig to the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0039]);
detecting a defect in the all-solid-state battery using a pressure distribution measurement of the all-solid-state battery at an end of charging the all-solid-state battery (testing solid state battery cells); and
detecting a defect in the all-solid-state battery using a pressure distribution measurement of the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0039]) at an end of discharging the all-solid-state battery (see Choi, paragraph [0005])
Claim Objection
Claims 4-7, 11-13 and 15-20 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 reference considered do not include the condition required to carry out the individual functions, for instance, Choi alone or in combination of any of the references do not teach “the charging of all-solid-state battery begins and a state of charge (SOC) of the all-solid-state battery reaches a predetermined reference value”, and the remaining objected dependent claims also include similar subject matters.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kim et al. (U.S. PAP 2023/0420764) discloses he system comprising an all-solid-state battery comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a closed inner space of a pressurization chamber and a pressurizing fluid filled in the closed inner space of the pressurization chamber, a state detector configured to detect state information of the all-solid-state battery, a controller configured to output a control signal configured for controlling a pressure applied to the plurality of cells by the pressurizing fluid in the inner space of the pressurization chamber based on the state information of the all-solid-state battery detected by the state detector, and a pressurizing device configured to control the pressure applied to the plurality of cells by the pressurizing fluid according to the control signal outputted by the controller.
Fujimaki et al. (U.S. PAP 2017/0155256) discloses an all-solid-state secondary battery system comprising: a sealed battery having formed by housing, in an outer package, a stacked battery; a jig adapted to constrain the sealed battery in the stacking direction; one or more contact pressure sensors provided at least either between an outermost layer surface of the stacked battery and the outer package or in the inside of the stacked battery; one or more gas pressure sensors provided in a space inside the outer package; and a control device adapted to stop charging by judging as an overcharge state only when the change in contact pressure sensed by at least one of the contact pressure sensors is equal to or more than a threshold value, and the change in gas pressure sensed by at least one of the gas pressure sensors is equal to or more than the threshold value.
Devie et al. (U.S. Patent No. 12,366,609) discloses methods and systems for detecting variation in minor total-impedance contributors in sets of electrochemical cells. For example, a method comprises maintaining a substantially constant current through the set of electrochemical cells and obtaining multiple voltage readings of the cells while the substantially constant current is maintained. The method then proceeds with determining multiple differential capacity values from the multiple voltage readings, characterizing one or more peaks in the multiple differential capacity values, and determining the variation in the minor total-impedance contributor based on one or more peaks
Sulas et al. (JOECS Publication, “Defect Detection in Solid State Battery Electrolytes Using Lock-in Thermal Imaging”) discloses an optimization technique for the purposes of defect detection in solid state battery electrolytes using lock in thermal imaging. The technique uses surface thermal emissivity, thermal diffusivity and lock-in modulation frequency.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIAS DESTA whose telephone number is (571)272-2214. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30 to 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrew M Schechter can be reached at 571-272-2302. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ELIAS DESTA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
Prosecution Insights