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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a non-final Office Action on the merits in response to communications filed by Applicant on February 06, 2026. Claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10-12 are currently pending and examined below.
Response to Amendment and Arguments
In respond to applicant's arguments based on the filed amendment with respect to 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of said previous office action have been fully considered; however, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Laszlo et al. US2013/0151131 (“Laszlo”).
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Laszlo et al. US2013/0151131 (“Laszlo”).
Regarding claim(s) 1, 7. Laszlo discloses an apparatus for controlling an electric oil pump for a vehicle (abstract, A start-up method for a hybrid powertrain in which hydraulic pressure is generated in a casual start-up by an electric oil pump motor), the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
upon initiation of shift control of the vehicle and prior to initiation of an operation of the electric oil pump (para. 21-23, The start-up strategy constantly evaluates whether the threshold is exceeded between Points A and C. A vehicle operator may desire to operate the vehicle during the period of time between Points A and C. For instance, the vehicle operator may issue a shift command by shifting the vehicle from "Park" to "Drive." Fig. 5, [0027] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a start-up strategy according to the principles of the present disclosure. The start-up strategy begins with a start command (step 400) by a vehicle operator. After a start command, the timer is initiated (step 410) and the predetermined conditions are evaluated (step 420). The engine 1 is started (step 500) if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied. The start-up strategy is terminated (step 501) after the engine 1 is started and the electric oil pump motor 10 is deactivated (step 500).),
compare an oil temperature of the electric oil pump with a predetermined reference temperature (para. 19-20, FIG. 2 is a graph of example rotations per minute ("RPM") of the engine, transmission input shaft, electric oil pump motor rotor, oil pump impeller, and over-running clutch; the transmission hydraulic pressure; and the electric oil pump motor current for a start-up using only the electric oil pump motor 10. The graph of FIG. 2 reflects a casual start-up of the hybrid powertrain. With reference to FIG. 2, before a vehicle start (Point A), initially, none of the components of the hybrid powertrain are rotating. The start-up strategy begins at vehicle start (A). The start-up strategy calls for a set of predetermined conditions to be evaluated to determine if a casual start using only the electric oil pump motor 10 to power the oil pump 20 is feasible. For instance, the temperature of the hybrid powertrain may be evaluated. The electric oil pump motor 10 may simply be unable to power the oil pump 20 if the hybrid powertrain is too cold and the hydraulic fluid is too viscous. I);
determine whether the oil temperature of the electric oil pump is an ultra-low temperature, the oil temperature being the ultra-low temperature when the oil temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference temperature; and perform RPM rising control of the electric oil pump when it is determined that the oil temperature is the ultra-low temperature (para. 20, The threshold RPM is the minimum difference between the oil pump target RPM and the oil pump impeller RPM required to allow the casual start to proceed. In one embodiment, the target RPM of the oil pump impeller 21 is approximately 700 RPM. In some embodiments the oil pump target RPM may be higher or lower than 700 RPM. In one embodiment, the oil pump target RPM is approximately equal to the idle RPM of the engine 1. The threshold value may be temperature and/or time dependent. The threshold value may vary according to any factors desired. In one embodiment, the threshold value may be approximately 100 to 150 RPM. In one embodiment, the threshold value may be greater than 150 RPM or less than 100 RPM. The timer expires at Point C. Fig. 4, ).
Regarding claim(s) 2, 8. Laszlo discloses wherein the electric oil pump is a binary vane electric oil pump (FIG. 2 is a graph of exemplary RPM of the engine, transmission input shaft, electric oil pump motor rotor, oil pump impeller, and over-running clutch; the transmission hydraulic pressure; and the electric oil pump motor current for a start-up using only the electric oil pump motor;).
Regarding claim(s) 4, 10. Laszlo discloses wherein when the at least one processor performs the RPM rising control when it is determined that there is the ultra-low temperature environment, the at least one processor performs rising control to a second target RPM higher than a first target RPM of the electric oil pump ([0023] FIG. 3 is a graph of exemplary RPM of the engine, transmission input shaft, electric oil pump motor rotor, oil pump impeller, and over-running clutch; the transmission hydraulic pressure; and the electric oil pump motor current for another start-up using the engine. The graph of FIG. 3 reflects a start-up strategy where the electric oil pump motor 10 is unable to cause the oil pump impeller 21 RPM to fall within the threshold value of the oil pump target speed by the time the timer has expired at Point C. This may occur because of a fault in the transmission, cold temperatures or other factors. In the strategy of FIG. 3, a shift command (Point D) is not issued by the vehicle operator until after the timer has expired at Point C. With reference to FIG. 3, before a vehicle start (Point A), none of the components of the hybrid powertrain are initially rotating. At crank (Point A), the start-up strategy begins. As in the process of FIG. 2, a set of predetermined conditions are evaluated to determine if a casual start using only the electric oil pump motor 10 to power the oil pump 20 is feasible. A casual start is initially feasible in the example of FIG. 3. The timer also begins at Point A. An electric oil pump motor current forms at Point B to power the electric oil pump motor 10. Shortly after the electric oil pump motor current is generated at Point B, the electric oil pump motor rotor 11, oil pump impeller 21, and over-running clutch 5 begin to rotate and the RPM of the electric oil pump motor 10 are monitored. After Point B, the RPM of the oil pump impeller 21 builds).
Regarding claim(s) 5, 11. Laszlo discloses wherein the first target RPM is 500 RPM and the second target RPM is 1000 RPM (para. 20, the RPM of the electric oil pump motor 10 is monitored. After Point B, the RPM of the oil pump impeller 21 starts to build. The oil pump impeller 21 is within the predetermined threshold of RPM from the oil pump target RPM at Point t.sub.threshold and approaches steady state operation. The threshold RPM is the minimum difference between the oil pump target RPM and the oil pump impeller RPM required to allow the casual start to proceed. In one embodiment, the target RPM of the oil pump impeller 21 is approximately 700 RPM. In some embodiments the oil pump target RPM may be higher or lower than 700 RPM.).
Regarding claim(s) 6, 12. . Laszlo discloses wherein the at least one processor maintains the first target RPM of the electric oil pump when it is not determined that there is the ultra-low temperature environment (para. 23-para. 24, [0024] In the example of FIG. 3, the timer expires at Point C and the threshold value is also exceeded at Point C. Because the threshold value is exceeded and the timer has expired at Point C, the casual start is aborted and the engine 1 is activated at Point C. The start-up strategy is terminated once the engine 1 is activated. The engine 1 RPM begin to increase towards the engine's 1 idle RPM once the engine 1 is activated at Point C. In one embodiment, the idle RPM of the engine 1 is about 600 to about 700 RPM. In one embodiment, the idle RPM of the engine 1 may be below 600 RPM or above 700 RPM.).
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUC M DO whose telephone number is (571)270-5962. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-6PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ramón Mercado, Ph.D. can be reached on (571) 270-5744. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRUC M DO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3658