DETAILED ACTION
Application 18/613,111, “VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT BOARD AND ELECTRICITY STORAGE SYSTEM”, was filed with the USPTO on 3/22/2024 and has a foreign priority document of JP2023-050051 filed on 3/27/2023.
This office action is in response to communication filed on 3/22/2024.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed on 4/9/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/22/2024, 8/8/2024 and 4/1/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities (based on the specification filed on 3/22/2024):
[0008]: “the present inventor are considering” should read “the present inventor is considering”;
[0045]: lines 12-13 of page 18: “the branch connection port x7” is not consistent with line 14 of page 18 “the branch connection port xp7”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 4-6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 4: “the branch wire” appears to read “the at least one branch wire”;
Claim 5: “includes a plurality of the branch wires” appears to read “includes a plurality of the at least one branch wire”;
Claim 6: last line: “any of the connecting wires” appears to read ”any of the plurality of connecting wires”;
Claims 5 and 6: “the branch connection port” appears to read “the at least one branch connection port”.
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.
(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 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Biskup (US 20140272497 A1, provided on IDS filed on 8/8/2024).
Regarding claim 1, Biskup teaches a voltage measurement circuit board (voltage measurement circuit, Fig. 1) comprising:
a predetermined m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1),
each of the m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (each of 102/104, Fig. 1) including:
an (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5; 102 includes B0 to B4; 104 includes B5 to B9; each 102 and 104 has 5 ports, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4 in 102; B5 to B9 in 104, see Fig. 1) disposed in sequence for a predetermined N number (N = 4; each 102 and 104 has 4 cells, see Fig. 1) of series connected cells (Cell 1 to Cell 4 in 102; Cell 5 to Cell 8 in 104 see Fig. 1);
a plurality of voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, B4 to J1 in 102; B5 to J1, B6 to J1, B7 to J1, B8 to J1, B9 to J1 in 104; see Fig. 1) extending respectively from the (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4 in 102; B5 to B9 in 104, see Fig. 1); and
a voltage measurer (106 in 102; 108 in 104, Fig. 1), connected to a pair of voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, B4 to J1 in 102; B5 to J1, B6 to J1, B7 to J1, B8 to J1, B9 to J1 in 104; see Fig. 1) extending from adjacent ones (B0 to B4 in 102 and B5 to B9 in 104 all in series and each adjacent to one another, see Fig. 1) of the (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4 in 102; B5 to B9 in 104, see Fig. 1), for measuring a voltage (106/108 both are voltage measurement device, see [0016]) between the adjacent connection ports (B0 to B4 in 102; B5 to B9 in 104, see Fig. 1);
at least one voltage measuring unit (102, Fig. 1) among the m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1) including:
at least one branch wire (110, see Fig. 1; note: 110 is coupled to port B4 of 106, see [0020]) branched from at least one (B4 to J1 wire, see Fig. 1) of the plurality of the voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, and B4 to J1, see Fig. 1); and
at least one branch connection port (black diamond at lower end of 116, see Fig. 1; notes: black diamonds are first member and second member of the connector connecting 102, see [0018]; the first member and second member of the connector each have male pins and female sockets, see [0022]; therefore, black diamond has been interpreted as “each having female socket”; in the art, female socket functions as a port when it is for receive a plug or male pins.) connected (black diamond at lower end of 116 directly connected to 110; while black diamond at upper end of 116 connected to 116 then connected to 110, see Fig. 1) to the branch wire (110, see Fig. 1),
wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (m = 2) and N is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (N = 4, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Biskup teaches wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (m = 2).
Regarding claim 3, Biskup teaches wherein, among the m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1), at least one voltage measuring unit (102, Fig. 1) includes one branch wire (110, see Fig. 1), and one branch connection port (black diamond at lower end of 116, see Fig. 1) connected to the one branch wire (110, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Biskup teaches wherein, among the m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1), at least one voltage measuring unit includes a plurality of the branch wires (110/116, see Fig. 1), and a plurality of the branch connection ports (two black diamonds at both ends of 116, see Fig. 1) connected to the branch wires (110/116, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Biskup teaches an electricity storage system (Fig. 1) comprising:
a cell module (formed by Cell 1, Cell 2 and Cell 3, see Fig. 1) including an L number (L = 3) of cells (Cell 1, Cell 2 and Cell 3, see Fig. 1);
a voltage measurement circuit board (voltage measurement circuit, Fig. 1) according to
comprising:
a predetermined m number (m = 1) of voltage measuring units (102, Fig. 1),
each of the m number (m = 1) of voltage measuring units (102, Fig. 1) including:
an (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5; 102 includes B0 to B4, total 5 ports, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4, see Fig. 1) disposed in sequence for a predetermined N number (N = 4) of series connected cells (102 has 4 series connected cells, see Fig. 1);
a plurality of voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, and B4 to J1, see Fig. 1) extending respectively from the (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4, see Fig. 1); and
a voltage measurer (106, Fig. 1), connected to a pair of voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, and B4 to J1, see Fig. 1) extending from adjacent ones (B0 to B4 in 102 all in series and each adjacent to one another, see Fig. 1) of the (N+1) number (N + 1 = 5, see Fig. 1) of connection ports (B0 to B4, see Fig. 1), for measuring a voltage (106 is a voltage measurement device, see [0016]) between the adjacent connection ports (B0 to B4 in 102, see Fig. 1);
at least one voltage measuring unit (102, Fig. 1) among the m number (m = 1) of voltage measuring units (102, Fig. 1) including:
at least one branch wire (110, see Fig. 1; note: 110 is coupled to port B4 of 106, see [0020]) branched from at least one (B4 to J1 wire, see Fig. 1) of the plurality of the voltage measurement wires (B0 to J1, B1 to J1, B2 to J1, B3 to J1, and B4 to J1, see Fig. 1); and
at least one branch connection port (two black diamonds at both ends of 116, see Fig. 1; notes: black diamonds are first member and second member of the connector connecting 102 and 104, see [0018]; the first member and second member of the connector each have male pins and female sockets, see [0022]; therefore, black diamond has been interpreted as “each having female socket”; in the art, female socket functions as a port when it is for receive a plug or male pins.) connected (black diamond at lower end of 116 directly connected to 110; while black diamond at upper end of 116 connected to 116 then connected to 110, see Fig. 1) to the branch wire (110, see Fig. 1),
wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (m = 1) and N is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (N = 4, see Fig. 1);
a plurality of connecting wires (negative terminal of Cell 1 to J1; Cell 1/Cell 2 to J1; Cell 2/Cell 3 to J1; Cell 3/Cell 4 to J1, see Fig. 1) connecting (connecting wires first connect to J1 then J1 connects to B0, B1, B2 and B3, see Fig. 1) the cell module (formed by Cell 1, Cell 2 and Cell 3, see Fig. 1) and the voltage measurement circuit board (voltage measurement circuit, Fig. 1); and
a circuit board connecting wire (116, Fig. 1; 116 is interconnect sense wire connecting 102 and 104, see [0022]), wherein:
the plurality of connecting wires (negative terminal of Cell 1 to J1; Cell 1/Cell 2 to J1; Cell 2/Cell 3 to J1; Cell 3/Cell 4 to J1, see Fig. 1) extend from a positive electrode side (positive terminal of Cell 3, see Fig. 1) and a negative electrode side (negative terminal of Cell1, see Fig. 1) of each of the L number (L = 3) of cells (Cell 1, Cell 2 and Cell 3, see Fig. 1); and
each of the plurality of connecting wires (negative terminal of Cell 1 to J1; Cell 1/Cell 2 to J1; Cell 2/Cell 3 to J1; Cell 3/Cell 4 to J1, see Fig. 1) is connected to a respective one (negative terminal of Cell 1 to J1 to B0; Cell 1/Cell 2 to J1 to B1; Cell 2/Cell 3 to J1 to B2; Cell 3/Cell 4 to J1 to B3, see Fig. 1) of the connection ports (B0 to B4, see Fig. 1); wherein
the circuit board connecting wire (116, Fig. 1) connects (black diamond at upper end of 116 connects to 116 then connects to black diamond at lower end of 116 to 110 then to B4, see Fig. 1) the branch connection port (two black diamonds at both ends of 116, see Fig. 1; black diamond functions as a port see mappings in claim 1) with one of the connection ports (B4, Fig. 1) that is not connected to any of the connecting wires (B4 connects to 110, not connected to any of the connecting wires (negative terminal of Cell 1 to J1; Cell 1/Cell 2 to J1; Cell 2/Cell 3 to J1; Cell 3/Cell 4 to J1, see Fig. 1), see [0016] and [0020]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Biskup (US 20140272497 A1, provided on IDS filed on 8/8/2024).
Regarding claim 4, Biskup teaches wherein:
among the m number (m = 2) of voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1), at least two voltage measuring units (102/104, Fig. 1) each include the branch wire (110 (for 102), Fig. 1; branch wire (for 104), see Examiner’s Annotated Fig. 1), and a branch connection port (black diamond at lower end of 116 (connects to 110), see Fig. 1; black diamond in circle (connects to branch wire), see Examiner’s Annotated Fig. 1; black diamond functions as a port see mappings in claim 1) connected to the branch wire (110 (for 102), Fig. 1; branch wire (for 104), see Examiner’s Annotated Fig. 1).
Biskup does not teach wherein:
m is an integer greater than or equal to 3
Different embodiment of Biskup teaches wherein:
m is an integer greater than or equal to 3 (m = 3; note: total 3 voltage measuring units when 102 coupled to both a previous battery cell module and 104, see [0015])
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Biskup by adding the previous battery cell module and having the first battery cell module 102 coupled both to the previous battery cell module and the second battery cell module 104 taught by Biskup because two battery cell modules are provided in FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes and this is not meant to be limiting as any suitable number of battery cell modules may be integrated with the embodiments described herein, therefore the first battery cell module 102 could be coupled both to a previous battery cell module and a next battery cell module 104 (see Biskup [0015]). Further, it has been held that combining two embodiments disclosed adjacent to each other in a prior art patent does not require a leap of inventiveness and involves only routine skill in the art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NING CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1163. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tiffany Legette can be reached at (571) 270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NING CHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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