DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the following communications: the supplication filed on March 26,2024.
Claims 13-31 are presented for Examination. Claim 13, 22, and 31 are independent.
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 § 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 13-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mizuguchi (US 20230318487).
Regarding independent claim 13, Mizuguchi discloses that a method of operating a motor arrangement which comprises at least one electric motor and an electric circuit for operating the motor with a three-phase rotating current(Fig.1:Iu,Iv,Iw); the motor having at least one stator with at least three coils and a rotor (Fig.:3); wherein the circuit comprises at least a first potential connection (Fig.1:PL) and a second potential connection (Fig.1:NL), which can be connected to different potentials of a DC voltage source (Fig.1:11); wherein three half-bridges (Fig.1:Q1-Q2,Q3-Q4,Q5-Q6) are arranged between the potential connections, which are each assigned to a phase of the rotating current (Iu); wherein each coil is electrically conductively connected to a respective half-bridge via a respective first connection (Fig.1:21) and to the other coils via a respective second connection (Fig1. 22); wherein each half-bridge has an upper switch (Q1) and a lower switch(Q2) connected in series with one another and the first connection between the switches; wherein an electrical capacitance (Fig.1:C0) is connected in parallel with the half bridges to the potential connections (PL,NL); wherein each switch is switchable between a first position (Fig3:Q1:ON), in which a current can be conducted via the switch, and a second position (Fig.2:Q2:OFF), in which conduction of a current is interrupted; the method comprising:
producing a first switching state of the circuit (Fig1:PATTERM 1), in which only one of the upper switches is arranged in the first position and, of the lower switches, only the lower switch, which is assigned to the same half-bridge (Q1-Q2; top figure only) as the upper switch, is arranged in the second position.
Regarding claim 14, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein step a) only takes place when the electric current is conducted from the potential connections via the phase, which is assigned to the one upper switch, to the motor (Fig.1:Q1,PL).
Regarding claim 15, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein in a step b), which follows step a), a second switching state is produced, in which only another (Q3) of the upper switches is arranged in the first position and of the lower switches only the lower switch (Q4), which is assigned to the same half-bridge as the other upper switch, is arranged in the second position (Fig.3: Q3,Q4).
Regarding claim 16, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein at any time between steps a) and b) an electrically conductive connection of the potential connections via one of the half-bridges is prevented (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 17, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein step a) is repeated with the first switching state and c) producing a third switching state in between, in which all upper switches are arranged in the second position and all lower switches are arranged in the first position (Fig.2).
Regarding claim 18, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein within a time interval, in which the steps a) and c) are each carried out several times, a ratio between a duration of the execution of step a) and the execution of step c) is at most 0.5 (Fig.2: 50%).
Regarding claim 19, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein at least the first switching state is produced at least when an electrical discharge of the capacitance is required ([0083]).
Regarding claim 20, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein at least the first switching state is produced until a voltage between the potential connections falls below a limit value (Fig.3: DT1).
Regarding claim 21, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein, starting from a fully charged capacitance and after a first establishment of the first switching state, the limit value is reached after at most two seconds (Fig.9).
Regarding independent claim 22, Mizuguchi discloses that a system, comprising:
an electric motor and an electric circuit for operating the motor with a three-phase rotating current(Fig.1:Iu,Iv,Iw); the motor having a stator with at least three coils and a rotor; wherein the circuit comprises a first potential connection (Fig.1:PL) and a second potential connection(Fig.1:NL), which can be connected to different potentials of a DC voltage source; wherein three half-bridges(Fig.1:Q1-Q2,Q3-Q4,Q5-Q6) are arranged between the potential connections, which are each assigned to a phase of the rotating current (Iu); wherein each coil is electrically conductively connected to a respective half-bridge via a respective first connection (Fig.1:21) and to the other coils via a respective second connection(Fig.1:22); wherein each half-bridge has an upper switch and a lower switch connected in series with one another and the first connection between the switches; wherein an electrical capacitance is connected in parallel with the half bridges to the potential connections; wherein each switch is switchable between a first position(Fig.3:Q1:ON), in which a current can be conducted via the switch, and a second position(Fig.3:Q1:OFF),, in which conduction of a current is interrupted; a processor; and a memory([0056]), the memory including instructions executable by the processor to: a) arrange only one of the upper switches in the first position and, of the lower switches, arrange only the lower switch assigned to the same half-bridge as the one upper switch in the second position (Fig.1:PATTERM 1).
Regarding claim 23, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to execute step a) only when the electric current is conducted from the potential connections via the phase, which is assigned to the one upper switch, to the motor (Fig.1:Q1,PL).
Regarding claim 24, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to: b) arrange only another one of the upper switches in the first position and, of the lower switches, arrange only the lower switch assigned to the same half-bridge as the other upper switch in the second position ([0056]).
Regarding claim 25, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to prevent, at any time between steps a) and b), an electrically conductive connection of the potential connections via one of the half-bridges (Fig.3).
Regarding claim 26, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to: c) arrange all the upper switches in the second position and arrange all the lower switches in the first position and repeat steps a) and c) (Fig.2).
Regarding claim 27, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to: within a time interval in which the steps a) and c) are each carried out several times, provide a ratio between a duration of the execution of step a) and the execution of step c) that is at most 0.5 (Fig.2: 50%).
Regarding claim 28, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to execute step a) to electrically discharge the capacitance([0083]).
Regarding claim 29, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to execute step a) until a voltage between the potential connections falls below a limit value(Fig.3: DT1).
Regarding claim 30, Mizuguchi discloses that wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to reach the limit value from a fully charged capacitance within two seconds of executing step a) (Fig.9).
Regarding independent claim 31, Mizuguchi discloses that a motor vehicle, comprising:
a motor arrangement having an electric motor as a traction drive for the motor vehicle and an electric circuit for operating the motor with a three-phase rotating current (Fig.1:Iu,Iv,Iw), the electric motor having a stator with at least three coils and a rotor; wherein the electric circuit comprises a first potential connection(Fig.1:PL) and a second potential connection(Fig.1:NL), which can be connected to different potentials of a DC voltage source(Fig.1:11); wherein three half-bridges (Fig.1:Q1-Q2,Q3-Q4,Q5-Q6) are arranged between the potential connections, which are each assigned to a phase of the rotating current (Iu); wherein each coil is electrically conductively connected to a respective half-bridge via a respective first connection (Fig.1:21) and to the other coils via a respective second connection(Fig.1:22); wherein each half-bridge has an upper switch (Q1) and a lower switch (Q2) connected in series with one another and the first connection between the switches; wherein an electrical capacitance (Fig.1:C0) is connected in parallel with the half bridges to the potential connections; wherein each switch is switchable between a first position(Fig3:Q1:ON), in which a current can be conducted via the switch, and a second position(Fig.2:Q2:OFF), in which conduction of a current is interrupted; a processor; and a memory ([0056]), the memory including instructions executable by the processor to: arrange only one of the upper switches in the first position and, of the lower switches, arrange only the lower switch assigned to the same half-bridge as the only one upper switch in the second position (Fig.1:PATTERM 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUHAMMAD S ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-8439. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30am to 6:00pm.
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/MUHAMMAD S ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846
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