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 .
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 for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the picrate or art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
DETAILED ACTION
This is a response to the amendment filed on 06/15/26. The applicant argument regarding Keller et al. is not persuasive; therefore, all the rejections based on Keller et al. and is retained and repeated for the following reasons.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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.
Claims 1-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Keller et al. (US Pub. 2016/0089994).
As to claim 1 the prior art teaches a method for regulating a level of charge of a traction battery of an electric vehicle connected to an electricity distribution network via a charger during a downtime phase of the vehicle, comprising:
forcibly discharging the battery a first time, performed into a discharge circuit associated with the battery (see fig 3 paragraph 0013-0015), with a discharge current that is calibrated in terms of intensity with respect to a nominal capacity of the battery, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to a minimum voltage (see fig 1, fig 3 paragraph 0073-0074 and 0077-0080; especially, Keller et al. teach forcibly discharging the battery a first time, performed into a discharge circuit associated with the battery (fig 3 paragraph 0013-0015), with a discharge current that is calibrated in terms of intensity with respect to a nominal capacity of the battery, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to a minimum voltage as fig 1, fig 3 paragraph 0074 and 0078-0080);
and normally charging the battery (see paragraph 0022), with a setpoint charging current prescribed by the charger or the battery, so as to charge the battery to a Predetermined level of charge of the battery (see fig 1-4 paragraph 0022-0024 “ show battery management system control the charging of the battery” and 0065-0069; especially, Keller et al. teach normally charging the battery (see paragraph 0022), with a setpoint charging current prescribed by the charger or the battery, so as to charge the battery to a Predetermined level of charge of the battery as fig 1-4 paragraph 0023-0024 “ show battery management system control the charging of the battery” and 0066-0068).
As to claim 2 the prior art teaches wherein said normally charging the battery is preceded by at least one intermediate sequence of charging and discharging the battery, successively comprising: restrained charging of the battery a second time, with a restrained charging current, smaller than the setpoint charging current, so as to slowly charge the battery to its maximum voltage, and forcibly discharging the battery, performed into the discharge circuit associated with the battery, with said calibrated discharge current, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to its minimum voltage again (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0069-0075).
As to claim 3 the prior art teaches wherein the forcibly discharging the battery the first and second times are performed into a discharge resistor, said discharge resistor being connected to the terminals of the battery during said forcibly discharging the battery the first and second times and disconnected from the terminals of the battery during said normal charging and said restrained charging, said discharge resistor setting said calibrated discharge current (see fig 1-4 paragraph 0073-0078).
As to claim 4 the prior art teaches wherein said calibrated discharge current is at most equal to one tenth of the value of the nominal capacity of the battery (see fig 1, fig 4-5 paragraph 0077-0080).
As to claim 5 the prior art teaches wherein said restrained charging current is at most equal to one tenth of the value of the nominal capacity of the battery (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0071-0076).
As to claim 6 the prior art teaches wherein said setpoint charging current is suitable for fast-charging the battery (see fig 2-4 paragraph 0063-0068).
As to claim 7 and 10 the prior art teaches A device for regulating a level of charge of a traction battery of an electric vehicle connected to an electricity distribution network via a charger during a downtime phase of the vehicle, comprising:
a discharge circuit configured to discharge the battery and to be electrically connected to said battery (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0014-0015 and 0062-0065);
and a control module configured to selectively connect said discharge circuit to said battery in order to discharge said battery and implement the method as claimed in claim 1 (see fig 1-4 paragraph 0078-0084).
As to claim 8, the prior art teaches wherein the discharge circuit comprises a discharge resistor, each terminal of which is connected to the respective terminals of the battery via a switch comprising a movable contact driven by said control module between two positions, to connect and disconnect the terminals of the resistor to and from the terminals of the battery (see fig 1-4 paragraph 0084-0088).
As to claim 9 the prior art teaches wherein the discharge resistor is integrated into a housing of said battery (see fig 1-4 paragraph 081-0085).
Remarks
Applicant’s response and remarks filed on 06/15/26 have been carefully reviewed. Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Key argument and their response related to the claims are listed as below:
Applicant contends that Keller et al. do not describe “forcibly discharging the battery a first time, performed into a discharge circuit associated with the battery, with a discharge current that is calibrated in terms of intensity with respect to a nominal capacity of the battery, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to a minimum voltage” probes as claimed, Examiner respectfully disagrees. The prior art (Keller et al. US Pub. 2016/0089994) do teach forcibly discharging the battery a first time, performed into a discharge circuit associated with the battery (see fig 3 paragraph 0013-0015), with a discharge current that is calibrated in terms of intensity with respect to a nominal capacity of the battery, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to a minimum voltage (see fig 1, fig 3 paragraph 0073-0074 and 0077-0080; especially, Keller et al. teach forcibly discharging the battery a first time, performed into a discharge circuit associated with the battery (fig 3 paragraph 0013-0015), with a discharge current that is calibrated in terms of intensity with respect to a nominal capacity of the battery, so as to slowly and completely discharge the battery to a minimum voltage as fig 1, fig 3 paragraph 0074 and 0078-0080).
Applicant contends that Keller et al. do not describe “normally charging the battery (see paragraph 0022), with a setpoint charging current prescribed by the charger or the battery, so as to charge the battery to a Predetermined level of charge of the battery” show battery management system control the charging of the battery” and 0066-0068)” probes as claimed, Examiner respectfully disagrees. The prior art (Keller et al. US Pub. 2016/0089994) do teach normally charging the battery (see paragraph 0022), with a setpoint charging current prescribed by the charger or the battery, so as to charge the battery to a Predetermined level of charge of the battery (see fig 1-4 paragraph 0022-0024 “ show battery management system control the charging of the battery” and 0065-0069; especially, Keller et al. teach normally charging the battery (see paragraph 0022), with a setpoint charging current prescribed by the charger or the battery, so as to charge the battery to a Predetermined level of charge of the battery as fig 1-4 paragraph 0023-0024 “ show battery management system control the charging of the battery” and 0066-0068).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 BINH C TAT whose telephone number is 571 272-1908. The examiner can normally be reached on flex 7:00Am-8PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jack Chiang can be reached on 571 272-7483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/BINH C TAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851
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