DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of claims
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
Claims 2, 4-6, 8 and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Claims 7, 9 and 14 are objected to.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 2 of claim 11, “the battery assembly according to claim 6” should be changed to “thecharging assembly according to claim 6”.
In line 2 of claim 12, “a power management unit” should be changed to “the power management unit”.
In last two lines of claim 14, “the discharge current outputted by the battery” should be changed to “the one of discharge currents outputted by the battery”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because
there is no word description for each functional boxes 10, 61-62, 621-622, 611-614 in fig. 8,
there is no signal flow directions between functional boxes 10 and 62 in fig. 8, there is no signal flow directions between functional boxes 61 and 62 in fig. 8,
there is no word description for each functional boxes 30, 71-72, 711-714 and 721 in fig. 9,
there is no signal flow directions between functional boxes 30 and 71 in fig. 9, and
there is no signal flow directions between functional boxes 30 and 72 in fig. 9.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fan (US 2014/0092512).
Regarding independent claim 1, Fan teaches a battery test assembly (e.g. figs. 1-2, [0030], battery test assembly with test 1 and test probes 4A and 4B), comprising:
a positive electrode probe having a first end (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], positive test probe 4A has a tip end) configured to be electrically connected to a positive electrode of a battery (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], the tip end of positive test probe 4A connected to positive electrode of battery 5);
a negative electrode probe having a first end (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], negative test probe 4B has a tip end) configured to be electrically connected to a negative electrode of the battery (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], the tip end of negative test probe 4B connected to negative electrode of battery 5); and
a tester (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], battery tester 1) electrically connected to each of a second end of the positive electrode probe and a second end of the negative electrode probe (e.g. fig. 1, [0030], testing signal circuit and a response sensing circuit of battery tester 1 electrically coupled to lead of positive test probe 4A and lead of negative test probe 4B),
the tester being configured to test a voltage between the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery (e.g. figs. 1-2, [0006] and [0034], battery tester 1 measures voltages across battery 5) by testing a voltage between the second end of the positive electrode probe and the second end of the negative electrode probe (e.g. figs. 1-2, [0011], [0030], [0034], by detecting voltage response signal between the lead of positive test probe 4A and the lead of negative test probe 4B).
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Note: Annotated Fig. 1 of Fan
Regarding claim 3, Fan teaches wherein at least one of the positive electrode probe and the negative electrode probe has a cylindrical protrusion structure (e.g. fig. 1, positive test probe 4A has a cylindrical probe tip and negative test probe 4B has a cylindrical probe tip).
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 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 of this title, 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 2, 5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan (US 2014/0092512), and further in view of Li (CN 211955754 U).
Regarding claim 2, Fan is silent with regard to wherein the first end of the positive electrode probe has a size greater than a size of the second end of the positive electrode probe, and the first end of the negative electrode probe has a size greater than a size of the second end of the negative electrode probe.
Li teaches a first end of a positive electrode probe has a size greater than a size of a second end of the positive electrode probe (e.g. fig. 1, a size of first pressing seat 13 is greater than a size of first charging column 12), and a first end of the negative electrode probe has a size greater than a size of a second end of the negative electrode probe (e.g. fig. 1, a size of second pressing seat 23 is greater than a size of second charging column 22).
It would produce a predictive result of using an anode charging assembly 1 and a cathode charging assembly 2 as taught by Li to connect the battery and the tester of Fan, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan by applying the teaching of Li to explicitly have wherein the first end of the positive electrode probe has a size greater than a size of the second end of the positive electrode probe, and the first end of the negative electrode probe has a size greater than a size of the second end of the negative electrode probe, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
Regarding claim 5, Fan is silent with regard to wherein the first end of the positive electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect the first end of the positive electrode probe to the positive electrode, and the first end of the negative electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect the first end of the negative electrode probe to the negative electrode.
Li teaches a first end of the positive electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect the first end of the positive electrode probe to a positive electrode (e.g. fig. 1, first pressing seat 13 is fixedly connect first charging column 12 to a positive electrode of a battery as shown in fig. 1), and a first end of the negative electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect a first end of the negative electrode probe to the negative electrode (e.g. fig. 1, second pressing seat 23 is fixedly connect second charging column 22 to a negative electrode of the battery as shown in fig. 1).
It would produce a predictive result of using an anode charging assembly 1 and a cathode charging assembly 2 as taught by Li to connect the battery and the tester of Fan, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan by applying the teaching of Li to explicitly have wherein the first end of the positive electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect the first end of the positive electrode probe to the positive electrode, and the first end of the negative electrode probe has a fixation structure configured to fixedly connect the first end of the negative electrode probe to the negative electrode, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
Regarding claim 10, Fan teaches comprising: the battery test assembly according to claim 1; and the battery, the battery test assembly being configured to test a voltage between the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery (e.g. fig. 1-2, [0006] and [0034], as rejected in claim 1, the battery test assembly has a battery tester 1 and test probes 4A and 4B configured to measure voltages across battery 5).
However, Fan is silent with regard a battery assembly.
Li teaches a battery assembly (e.g. fig. 1, anode charging assembly 1 and cathode charging assembly 2 attaching to a battery form a battery assembly as shown in figure 1).
It would produce a predictive result of forming a battery assembly with use of an anode charging assembly 1 and a cathode charging assembly 2 as taught by Li to connect the battery and the tester of Fan, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan to form a battery assembly with use of an anode charging assembly 1 and a cathode charging assembly 2 as taught by Li, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan (US 2014/0092512), and further in view of Li (CN 211955754 U) and Tanaka (JP H06124731 A).
Regarding claim 4, Fan is silent with regard to wherein each of the second end of the positive electrode probe and the second end of the negative electrode probe comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to an external circuit, and the second connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to the tester.
Li teaches each of a second end of the positive electrode assembly and a second end of the negative electrode assembly comprises a first connection portion (e.g. fig. 1, anode charging assembly 1 has a first charging column 12 and a cathode charging assembly has a second charging column 22), the first connection portion capable of being configured to be electrically connected to an external circuit (e.g. fig. 1, each of first charging column 12 and second charging column 22 is capable of being connected to a external charging circuit for charging a battery as shown in figure 1).
It would produce a predictive result of using of an anode charging assembly 1 and a cathode charging assembly 2 as taught by Li to connect the battery and the tester of Fan or connecting an external charging circuit to charge the battery, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester; and/or testing the battery before and after charging the battery by an external charging circuit to test the battery more thoroughly.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan by applying the teaching of Li to have wherein each of the second end of the positive electrode probe and the second end of the negative electrode probe comprises a first connection portion, the first connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to an external circuit, or each of the first connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to the tester, for the purpose of maintaining a stable connection and/or reducing electric resistance between the battery and the tester; and/or testing the battery before and after charging the battery by an external charging circuit to test the battery more thoroughly.
However, combination of Fan and Li is silent with regard to each of a second end of the positive electrode assembly and a second end of the negative electrode assembly comprising the first connection portion and a second connection portion.
Tanaka teaches each of a second end of the positive electrode and a second end of the negative electrode comprising a first connection portion and a second connection portion (e.g. fig. 6, each of positive electrode and negative electrode is connected to first connection portion and a second connection portion as shown in annotated fig. 6 below).
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Note: annotated fig. 6 of Tanaka
It would produce a predictive result of having each of a second end of the positive electrode assembly and a second end of the negative electrode assembly comprising the first connection portion connected to the external charging circuit and a second connection portion connected to the tester, for the purpose of monitoring a real-time voltage value of the battery while charging the battery in order to obtain more detail information about variation of voltage values over a period of charging time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan and Li by applying the teaching of Tanaka to have wherein each of the second end of the positive electrode probe and the second end of the negative electrode probe comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to an external circuit, and the second connection portion being configured to be electrically connected to the tester, for the purpose of monitoring a real-time voltage value of the battery while charging the battery in order to obtain more detail information about variation of voltage values over a period of charging time.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan (US 2014/0092512), and further in view of JP S5975729 U.
Regarding claim 6, Fan is silent with regard to a charging assembly, comprising: the battery test assembly according to claim 1, the battery test assembly being configured to test a voltage between a positive electrode of a to-be-charged battery and a negative electrode of the to-be-charged battery; a charging power supply configured to charge the to-be-charged battery; and a power management unit communicatively connected with the charging power supply and the tester, the power management unit being configured to control, based on the voltage tested by the battery test assembly, the charging power supply to charge the to-be-charged battery.
JP S5975729 U teaches a charging assembly (e.g. fig. 1 charging assembly as shown in fig. 1), comprising: a battery voltage detector being configured to detect a voltage between a positive electrode of a to-be-charged battery and a negative electrode of the to-be-charged battery (e.g. fig. 1, voltage detector 2 detects a voltage between positive electrode and negative electrode of rechargeable battery 5);
a charging power supply configured to charge the to-be-charged battery (e.g. fig. 1, power supply 1 configured to charge rechargeable battery 5); and
a power management unit communicatively connected with the charging power supply and the detector (e.g. fig. 1, control part 3 connected to power supply 1 and voltage detector 2), the power management unit being configured to control, based on the voltage detected by the battery detector assembly, the charging power supply to charge the to-be-charged battery (e.g. fig. 1-2, Detailed explanation of the device section, control part 3 controls charges of rechargeable battery 5 by control charging current flow from power supply 1 via switches 1a and 1b until voltage of rechargeable battery B detected by voltage detector 2 reaches c).
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It would produce a predictive result of using a charging assembly with the use of power supply, control part and the battery tester to detect charging voltage of a rechargeable battery, for the purpose of testing a rechargeable battery during charging operation and/or monitoring charging progress of the rechargeable battery to test the rechargeable battery during charging operation.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan by applying the teaching of JP S5975729 U to explicitly have a charging assembly, comprising: the battery test assembly according to claim 1, the battery test assembly being configured to test a voltage between a positive electrode of a to-be-charged battery and a negative electrode of the to-be-charged battery; a charging power supply configured to charge the to-be-charged battery; and a power management unit communicatively connected with the charging power supply and the tester, the power management unit being configured to control, based on the voltage tested by the battery test assembly, the charging power supply to charge the to-be-charged battery, for the purpose of testing a rechargeable battery during charging operation and/or monitoring charging progress of the rechargeable battery to test the rechargeable battery during charging operation.
Claims 8 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan (US 2014/0092512) in view of JP S5975729 U, and further in view of Sakurai et al. (US 2007/0145947).
Regarding claim 8, combination of Fan and JP S5975729 U is silent with regard to wherein: the power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly; and the power management unit is further configured to control the charging power supply based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit.
However, Sakurai teaches a power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage detected by the battery detect assembly (e.g. fig. 1, [0022], logic circuit 118 has a processing element for signal correction by delaying detection signal to prevent a malfunction caused by a temporary noise); and the power management unit is further configured to control a charging operation based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit (e.g. fig. 1, [0022], charging current of the battery 101 is stopped by turning off switch circuit 102 based on the delaying detection signal).
It would produce a predictive result of correcting correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly using a voltage correction unit of a power management unit to control the charging power supply based on the voltage corrected, for the purpose of entering a discharging protection state to protect the battery form over-discharging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan and JP S5975729 U by applying the teaching of Sakurai to explicitly have wherein: the power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly; and the power management unit is further configured to control the charging power supply based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit, for the purpose of entering a discharging protection state to protect the battery form over-discharging.
Regarding claim 11, combination of Fan and JP S5975729 U is silent with regard to an electric device, comprising: the battery assembly according to claim 6; and a load component connected to the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery to discharge the battery.
Sakurai teaches an electric device (e.g. fig. 1, [0020], battery device 100), comprising: a battery (e.g. fig. 1, [0020], battery 101); and a load component connected to the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery to discharge the battery (e.g. fig. 1, [0022], external load 111 connected to positive and negative electrode of battery 101 to start discharging the battery 101).
It would produce a predictive result of having forming an electric device with the battery assembly having the battery to power an external load, for the purpose of packaging battery assembly as a battery device that is easier to use to power an external load; therefore, reducing battery testing efficiency.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan and JP S5975729 U by applying the teaching of Sakurai to explicitly have an electric device, comprising: the battery assembly according to claim 6; and a load component connected to the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery to discharge the battery, for the purpose of packaging battery assembly as a battery device that is easier to use to power an external load; therefore, reducing battery testing efficiency.
Regarding claim 12, combination of Fan and JP S5975729 U is silent with regard to further comprising: a power management unit configured to control, based on the voltage tested by the battery test assembly, the battery to supply power to the load component, and disconnect the load component from the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery in response to the voltage tested by the battery test assembly reaching a cut-off voltage.
Sakurai teaches a power management unit configured to control (e.g. fig. 1, [0021], logic circuit 118), based on the voltage detected by the battery detect assembly (e.g. fig. 1, [0021], based on a voltage of battery 101 detected by voltage detecting circuit 117), the battery to supply power to the load component (e.g. fig. 1, [0021]-[0022], battery 101 to supply power to external load 111), and disconnect the load component from the positive electrode of the battery in response to the voltage tested by the battery test assembly reaching a cut-off voltage (e.g. fig. 1, [0021], turn off switch circuit 103 to stop the flow of charging current when the voltage of battery 101 detected by the voltage detecting circuit exceeds an upper limit voltage).
It would produce a predictive of disconnecting the load component from both negative electrode of the battery as well for the purpose of completely isolating the battery and the load component to prevent backflow current and/or to prevent potential electric hazards.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan and JP S5975729 U by applying the teaching of Sakurai to explicitly have further comprising: a power management unit configured to control, based on the voltage tested by the battery test assembly, the battery to supply power to the load component, and disconnect the load component from the positive electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the battery in response to the voltage tested by the battery test assembly reaching a cut-off voltage, for the purpose of completely isolating the battery and the load component to prevent backflow current and/or to prevent potential electric hazards.
Regarding claim 13, combination of Fan and JP S5975729 U is silent with regard to wherein: the power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly; and the power management unit is further configured to control the battery based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit.
However, Sakurai teaches a power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage detected by the battery detect assembly (e.g. fig. 1, [0022], logic circuit 118 has a processing element for signal correction by delaying detection signal to prevent a malfunction caused by a temporary noise); and the power management unit is further configured to control a charging operation based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit (e.g. fig. 1, [0022], charging current of the battery 101 is stopped by turning off switch circuit 102 based on the delaying detection signal).
It would produce a predictive result of correcting correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly using a voltage correction unit of a power management unit to control the charging power supply based on the voltage corrected, for the purpose of entering a discharging protection state to protect the battery form over-discharging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Fan and JP S5975729 U by applying the teaching of Sakurai to explicitly have wherein: the power management unit comprises a voltage correction unit configured to correct the voltage tested by the battery test assembly; and the power management unit is further configured to control the battery based on the voltage corrected by the voltage correction unit, for the purpose of entering a discharging protection state to protect the battery form over-discharging.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9 and 14 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAIDONG ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5815. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAIDONG ZHANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/HUY Q PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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