DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to claims filed on 03/27/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/04/2025 was filed after the filing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 10, and 18 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 10, and 18 of copending Application No. 18/618,667 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the limitations within the claims describe the same invention with the same structure and functionality.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 1-4, 9-13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeong et al. US 20230283214 A1 (Hereinafter “Jeong”).
Regarding Claim 1, Jeong teaches a system comprising:
an inverter (Fig. 1) to convert DC power from a voltage source (Fig. 1, 50) to AC power to drive a motor (Fig. 1, 40), wherein the inverter includes:
a capacitor assembly ([0045] & [0047]); and
a first power module (Fig. 1, 50 & 10) including:
a first inverter (Fig. 1, 10) to output first AC power to a first end of a first winding (Fig. 1, C1) of the motor;
a second inverter (Fig. 1, 20) to output second AC power to a second end of the first winding (Fig. 1, C1); and
a changeover switch (Fig. 1, S31, S32, S33) to selectively connect and disconnect the second end of the first winding to and from a neutral connection ([0051] In such a connection structure, when the third switching elements S31, S32 and S33 are turned on, the second ends of the winding portions C1, C2 and C3 of the motor 40 are electrically connected to each other so that the motor 40 has a Y-connected winding structure including a neutral point).
Regarding Claim 2, Jeong teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the capacitor assembly includes:
one or more busbars (see detailed fig. 1 below, busbars); and
one or more capacitors ([0045] & [0047]).
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Regarding Claim 3, Jeong teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the one or more capacitors include:
a first capacitor for the first inverter ([0045]); and
a second capacitor for the second inverter ([0047]).
Regarding Claim 4, Jeong teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the one or more busbars include:
a positive busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Detailed Fig. 1 above, shows the top busbar being connected to the top capacitor Vdc/2); and
a negative busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Detailed Fig. 1 above, shows the bottom busbar being connected to the bottom capacitor Vdc/2).
Regarding Claim 9, Jeong teaches the system of claim 1, further including:
the voltage source (Fig. 1, 50) configured to supply the DC power to the inverter (Fig. 1, 10); and
the motor (Fig. 1, 40) configured to receive the AC power from the inverter to drive the motor, wherein the system is provided as a vehicle including the inverter, the voltage source, and the motor ([0099]).
Regarding Claim 10, Jeong teaches a system comprising:
an inverter (Fig. 1) to convert DC power from a voltage source (Fig. 1, 50) to AC power to drive a motor (Fig. 1, 40), wherein the inverter includes:
a capacitor assembly ([0045] & [0047]); and
a power module (Fig. 1, 50 & 10) including:
a first inverter (Fig. 1, 10) to output first AC power to a first end of a first winding (Fig. 1, C1) of the motor;
a second inverter (Fig. 1, 20) to output second AC power to a second end of the first winding (Fig. 1, C1).
Regarding Claim 11, Jeong teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the capacitor assembly includes:
one or more busbars (see detailed fig. 1 above, busbars); and
one or more capacitors ([0045] & [0047]).
Regarding Claim 12, Jeong teaches the system of claim 11, wherein the one or more capacitors include:
a first capacitor for the first inverter ([0045]); and
a second capacitor for the second inverter ([0047]).
Regarding Claim 13, Jeong teaches the system of claim 11, wherein the one or more busbars include:
a positive busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Detailed Fig. 1 above, shows the top busbar being connected to the top capacitor Vdc/2); and
a negative busbar connected to the one or more capacitors and the first power module (Detailed Fig. 1 above, shows the bottom busbar being connected to the bottom capacitor Vdc/2).
Regarding Claim 17, Jeong teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the power module further includes:
a changeover switch (Fig. 1, S31, S32, S33) to selectively connect and disconnect the second end of the first winding to and from a neutral connection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection under Double Patenting set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
wherein each of the first power module, the second power module, and the third power module includes: a first inverter to output first AC power to a first end of the respective winding; a second inverter to output second AC power to a second end of the respective winding; and a changeover switch to selectively connect and disconnect the second end of the respective winding to and from a neutral connection.
Claim 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under Double Patenting set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The closest prior art Covic et al. US 20210296047 A1 teaches three power modules that each comprise a capacitor and inverter as shown in Figure 4A.
Claims 5-8 and 14-16 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. KR 10-2022-0092535 via US 20240039448 A1 teaches a motor including a plurality of coils; a first inverter having a DC terminal, and including a plurality of legs respectively connected to one end of each of the plurality of coils; a second inverter connected to the DC terminal, and including a plurality of legs respectively connected to the other end of each of the plurality of coils; a plurality of transfer switches respectively having one end connected to a neutral terminal for the plurality of coils and the other end connected to the other end of each of the plurality of coils; an overvoltage protection circuit including a clamping switch, a resistor, and a capacitor, and connected to the neutral terminal and the DC terminal; and a controller controlling a turned-on state of the plurality of transfer switches according to a motor driving mode. When the motor is driven, the controller may control a turned-on state of the clamping switch.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CORTEZ M COOK whose telephone number is (571)270-7954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30-5pm.
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/CORTEZ M COOK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846