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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 19 is rejected does do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim is drawn to “a computer readable medium”. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim drawn to a computer readable medium covers forms a non-transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signal per se in view of the ordinary and customary meaning of computer readable media, particularly when the specification is silent (see MPEP 2111.01). Because the broadest reasonable interpretation covers a signal per se and are not directed to one of the statutory categories of invention (See MPEP 2106.01).
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.
Claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 107123905 (Qingdao TGood Electric Co LTD et al.) (hereinafter ‘D1) and CN 104201736 (Suzhou Kelanci Electronic Science & Technology Co. Ltd (hereinafter ‘D2). (Translations submitted by Applicants)
Regarding claim 1, Qingdao discloses a method for detecting a mounting status of a charging device, wherein the charging device comprises having a first charging gun (charging gun 201) and a first charging socket (element 202), and the method comprises comprising:
obtaining a first voltage value at a first connection confirmation detection point (CC1) and a second voltage value at a second connection confirmation detection point (CC2) in a control and guiding circuit (control element 203) of the first charging gun (Fig. 2; Page 11);
obtaining a third voltage value at a first connection confirmation detection point (CC1) and a fourth voltage value at a second connection confirmation detection point (CC2) in a control and guiding circuit of the first charging socket (control element 203) (see Fig. 2; Page 11 );
and determining a gun mounting status of the first charging gun and a gun mounting status of the first charging socket based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the third voltage value, and the fourth voltage value (The control element determines that the chagrining gun is plugged according to the change signal of the voltage. The chagrining vehicle determines whether the charging gun is plugged into a charging interface. See Abstract; Pages 9-11).
D1 does not explicitly disclose “obtaining a third voltage value at a first connection confirmation detection point and a fourth voltage value at a second connection confirmation detection point in a control and guiding circuit of the first charging socket”.
D2 teaches “obtaining a third voltage value at a first connection confirmation detection point and a fourth voltage value at a second connection confirmation detection point in a control and guiding circuit of the first charging socket” (D2 teaches a detection point J2 is provided on a chagrining connection confirmation line CC installed in a vehicle mounted charger and a vehicle socket, a detection point J4 is provided on a control confirmation line CP and located in a power supply device, whether the charging plug is completely connected to a charging socket is determined by means of the voltage at the detection point J2, and a connection state can be determined according to the voltage at the detection point J4: Abstract; Pages 3-6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time of filling the Application to modify 's invention using 's invention to arrive at the claimed invention specified in claims 1, 18, and 19 so that the controller of the vehicle can judge whether charging plug is connected completely with charging socket according to the voltage at this test point place (D2: Page 3).
Regarding claim 2, D1 and D2 disclose everything as applied above. In addition, D1 discloses wherein the first charging gun is a direct current charging gun, and the first charging socket is a direct-current charging socket (Abstract).
Regarding claim 17, D1 and D2 disclose everything as applied above. In addition, D1 discloses wherein the charging device is a mobile charging device (End of Page 4 - Page 5: charging equipment includes wireless communication unit).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-16 and 18 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.
Fan Yiming: “Introduction to the principle of pure electric vehicle charging”, (30.09.2017), 4 pages (submitted by Applicants) discloses a charging communication management that can automatically identify the charging mode according to the program set by itself. The system sends charging demand parameters to the charger in real time according to the working conditions of the battery and monitor the entire charging process. In the event of abnormal charging, limit or suspend charging to ensure charging safety (Pages 3-5). However, Fan Yiming does not disclose “wherein the determining the mounting status of the first charging gun and the mounting …when the first voltage value is 4 volts…in a release state”.
Wan Weijinang et al., “Interoperability Test Study of Off-board Charger for Electric Vehicle”, 09-09-2020, 10 pages (submitted by Applicants) discloses a charging detection system. Wan Weijinang discloses a connection confirmation test. When the charging gun in state 0 is not connected to the electric vehicle, the voltage of the resistor R1 and R2 is divided and the voltage of the detection point 1 should be 6V, in state 1, press the switch to prepare to insert the charging gun into the electric vehicle, and the voltage of the detection point 1 should be the voltage of U1 (12V); in state 2, the charging gun has been inserted into the charging interface but the switch has not been closed, and the voltage of the detection point 1 becomes 6V due to the voltage division of resistance R1 and R4. In state 3, after the switch S is closed, R2 and R4 are connected in parallel and then connected in series with R1, and the voltage of the detection point 1 becomes 4V. The voltage change of the detection point 2 is relatively simple, 12V in state 0/1, and 6V in state 2 due to the resistance R3 and R5 divider (Page 4 and Table 2). However, Wan Weijinang does not explicitly disclose “wherein the determining the mounting status of the first charging gun and the mounting …when the first voltage value is 4 volts…in a release state”.
Regarding claim 3, the closest prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to anticipate or render obvious the combination wherein “wherein the determining the mounting status of the first charging gun and the mounting …when the first voltage value is 4 volts…in a release state” in combination with other limitations in the claims as defined by Applicants.
Claims 4-16 depend from claim 3 and are objected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 18, the closest prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to anticipate or render obvious the combination wherein “wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the first charging gun is plugged into the first charging socket and a mechanical lock on the first charging gun is in a release state when the first voltage value is 4 volts, the second voltage value is 6 volts, the third voltage value is 4 volts, and the fourth voltage value is 6 volts ” in combination with other limitations in the claims as defined by Applicants.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO 2025066182 A1 discloses a control guide circuit applied to an electric vehicle and liquid cooling device. The control guide circuit comprises a connection confirmation circuit. The electric vehicle comprises a liquid cooling socket and a liquid cooling connection confirmation socket. The liquid cooling device comprises a liquid cooling plug and a liquid cooling connection confirmation plug. When the liquid cooling plug is connected to the liquid cooling socket, a vehicle end connection confirmation circuit and a pile end connection confirmation circuit form a loop, and the voltage of a detection point in the loop is used for indicating the connection state of the liquid cooling plug and the liquid cooling socket. The present application can solve the heat dissipation problem during charging of the power battery, and improve the charging power of a charging apparatus for the power battery (Abstract; Pages 5-7).
US 20140176069 A1 discloses in a vehicle, a lamp for illuminating a charging connector is provided in a charging port, and lighting and extinction of the lamp are controlled by a light emission controller. The light emission controller causes the lamp to emit light when an outer door is opened. Further, the lamp is extinguished after detecting that the outer door has been closed, the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, an ignition switch has been switched ON, a door locking operation has been performed, or charging has begun (Abstract; Pars. 29-42).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-2718. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00AM-5:30PM.
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/PHUONG HUYNH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857 July 23, 2026
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