DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Receipt is acknowledged of IDS filed on03/28/24, 7/11/24, 03/06/25 and 5/28/26.
Claims 1-12 are presented for examination.
This application is a CON of PCT/CN2022/080004 filed on 03/09/2022.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4 and 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lian et al. (US 2022/0289053).
Re Claims 1, 4 and 9: Lian et al. {hereinafter referred as “Lian”} teaches energy conversion apparatus and vehicle, which includes a power battery, a switch module {herein a power switch unit} (¶ 52+), a charging and discharging interface {herein the DC charging circuit or the DC discharging circuit is formed by the external DC port 105} (¶ 61+), and a motor (see ¶ 52+); the switch module comprises a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a first bridge arm group, and a second bridge arm (¶ 95+, 135+); each bridge arm in the first bridge arm group and the second bridge arm comprises an upper bridge arm and a lower bridge arm, joints between the upper bridge arms and the lower bridge arms of the bridge arms in the first bridge arm group are connected to all inductors in the motor in one-to-one correspondence, and a joint between the upper bridge arm and the lower bridge arm of the second bridge arm is connected to a three-phase center point of the motor (see ¶ 95+, 128-136+); one terminal of the first switch is connected to a positive electrode of the power battery, the other terminal of the first switch is connected to one terminal of the third switch and connected to all the inductors in the motor via the upper bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, the other terminal of the third switch is connected to one terminal of the fourth switch and connected to the three-phase center point of the motor via the upper bridge arm in the second bridge arm, and the other terminal of the fourth switch is connected to a positive electrode of the charging and discharging interface (¶ 156-160+); one terminal of the second switch is connected to a negative electrode of the power battery; the other terminal of the second switch is connected to one terminal of the fifth switch, connected to all the inductors in the motor via the lower bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and connected to the three-phase center point of the motor via the lower bridge arm in the second bridge arm {herein the second power switch unit includes a second lower bridge arm VT2} (¶ 135+); and the other terminal of the fifth switch is connected to a negative electrode of the charging and discharging interface (¶ 50+, 156-160+); and the control method comprises: obtaining a first voltage and a second voltage, wherein the first voltage is a voltage of the power battery, the second voltage is a maximum output voltage of a charging device, and the charging device is configured to connect to the charging and discharging interface; when the first voltage is smaller than the second voltage, controlling the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch to be turned on, and controlling all the bridge arms in the first bridge arm group and the second bridge arm to be turned off (¶ 144-151, 156-163+); or when the first voltage is greater than or equal to the second voltage, controlling the first switch, the second switch, the fourth switch, the fifth switch, the upper bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the upper bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned on, and controlling the third switch, the lower bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the lower bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned off (¶ 95+, 156+).
Re Claims 10-11: Lian teaches system and method, a processor {herein the control module may include a vehicle controller} configured to perform the control method according to claim 1 or the control method according to claim 4 a processor configured to perform the control (see ¶ 52+, 94+).
Re Claim 12: the power battery voltage regulation system according to claim 9, wherein the power battery voltage regulation system {herein interpreted as the voltage collection module} is configured to charge or discharge the power battery, and the power battery is configured to provide electrical energy to the motive apparatus (see ¶ 144+).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 5-8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to specifically teach in a first duration, controlling the fourth switch, the fifth switch, the lower bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the upper bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned on, and controlling the third switch, the upper bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the lower bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned off; the controlling the first switch, the second switch, the fourth switch, the fifth switch, the upper bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the upper bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned on, and controlling the third switch, the lower bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the lower bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned off comprises: in a second duration, controlling the first switch, the second switch, the fourth switch, the fifth switch, the upper bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the upper bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned on, and controlling the third switch, the lower bridge arms in the first bridge arm group, and the lower bridge arm in the second bridge arm to be turned off; wherein a first period comprises the first duration and the second duration, and in the first period, the first duration is before the second duration. These limitations in conjunction with other limitations in the claimed invention were not shown by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cui et al. (US 2022/0219554) teaches energy conversion apparatus and vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWYN LABAZE whose telephone number is (571)272-2395. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. STEVE PAIK can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWYN LABAZE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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