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 .
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) 1-3, 5-10, and 12-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HONG et al. (US 2017/0166075 A1, hereinafter HONG).
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Regarding claims 1 and 8 (claim 1 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HONG discloses an electrical system having an output configured for supplying electrical power to an electric machine (See Figs.1 and 2 and Par.20, disclose a circuit for providing power to a vehicle 100), the electrical system comprising:
a plurality of battery strings, wherein each battery string includes a battery module having at least one battery cell (See Fig.2, discloses a plurality of battery strings 220-1 to 220-3. Each string comprising a plurality of cells connected in series);
a pre-charge circuit coupled with the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.2, discloses a pre-charge circuit 270); and
an electronic control module (See Fig.3, Items#360) configured for:
determining a state of charge of each of the battery strings of the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.4, Step#404 and Pars.16 and 44, monitoring the state of charge of the battery strings and sort them according to their output voltage values);
selecting, based on the state of charge, a subset of the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.4, Steps#404-406, disclose sorting the strings according to their performance parameter i.e. output or state of charge);
coupling, via the pre-charge circuit, the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system so as to reduce an inrush current (See Par.44 and Fig.4, disclose sorting the strings in ascending or descending order according to their performance parameter and connecting the first battery string in that order); and
coupling, after coupling the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system, the remaining ones of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system (See Fig.4, Step#412, and Pars.24 and 32, disclose connecting the remaining strings as more power is needed).
Regarding claim 15, HONG discloses an electrical system having an output configured for supplying electrical power to an electric machine, the electrical system comprising:
a plurality of battery strings, wherein each battery string includes a battery module having at least one battery cell (See Fig.2, discloses a plurality of battery strings 220-1 to 220-3. Each string comprising a plurality of cells connected in series);
a pre-charge circuit coupled with the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.2, discloses a pre-charge circuit 270); and
an electronic control module (See Fig.3, Item#360) configured for:
determining a state of charge of each of the battery strings of the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.4, Step#404 and Pars.16 and 44, monitoring the state of charge of the battery strings and sort them according to their output voltage values);
selecting, based on the state of charge, a subset of the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.4, Steps#404-406, disclose sorting the strings according to their performance parameter i.e. output or state of charge);
coupling, via the pre-charge circuit, the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system so as to reduce an inrush current, wherein the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings supplies power to the electronic control module (See Par.44 and Fig.4, disclose sorting the strings in ascending or descending order according to their performance parameter and connecting the first battery string in that order. Figs.2-3 disclose that connecting the battery string to the Positive DC Bus 210 and the Negative DC Bus 210’ provides power to monitoring circuitry 250 and controller 360); and
coupling, after coupling the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system, the remaining ones of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system, wherein the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings supplies additional power to the electronic control module (See Fig.4, Step#412, and Pars.24 and 32, disclose connecting the remaining strings as more power is needed).
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16 (claim 2 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HONG discloses the electrical system of claim 1 as discussed above, comprising:
a sensor coupled with the electronic control module and configured for monitoring an electrical parameter of at least one battery string of the plurality of battery strings (See Fig.2, Item#221, discloses a battery voltage monitoring module), wherein the electronic control module is configured for:
receiving, from the sensor, data representing the electrical parameter (See Par.23, discloses the battery voltage monitoring module is communicatively connected to the controller 360).
Regarding claims 3 and 10 disclose the electrical system of claim 2 as discussed above, wherein the sensor includes a voltage sensor, and wherein the data includes voltage data (See Fig.2, Item#221, discloses a voltage monitoring module).
Regarding claims 5 and 12 (claim 5 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HONG discloses the electrical system of claim 2 as discussed above, wherein the electronic control module is configured for: determining a state of health of each of the battery strings of the plurality of battery strings (See Par.16, discloses monitoring the state of health of the battery strings).
Regarding claims 6 and 13 (claim 6 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HONG discloses the electrical system of claim 1 as discussed above, wherein the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings supplies power to the electronic control module (See Figs.2-3 and Pars.53-54 disclose that connecting the battery string to the Positive DC Bus 210 and the Negative DC Bus 210’ provides power to monitoring circuitry 250 and controller 360).
Regarding claims 7 and 14 (claim 7 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HING discloses the electrical system of claim 1 as discussed above, comprising: an auxiliary power supply coupled with the electronic control module and configured for supplying an initial power to the electronic control module sufficient to permit the electronic control module to select the subset of the plurality of battery strings and couple, via the pre-charge circuit, the selected subset of the plurality of battery strings with the output of the electrical system (See Fig.3, discloses a controller 360, the examiner explains that it is inherent that an auxiliary power supply is used to initially power the controller in order for the controller to be able to connect the battery strings to the DC bus, since no power exists on the DC bus to power the controller before the strings are attached).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 4 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HONG in view of MCLEAN et al. (US 2022/0029431 A1, hereinafter MCLEAN).
Regarding claims 4 and 11 (claim 4 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), HONG discloses the electrical system of claim 2 as discussed above, HONG further discloses using voltage sensors (See Fig.2, Item#201). However, HONG does not disclose wherein the sensor includes a current sensor, and wherein the data includes current data.
MCLEAN discloses a battery management system comprising a voltage sensor comprising current sensor for monitoring the current through each of a plurality of strings (See Fig.2b, Items#216 and Pars.112-113 disclose a current sensor and a pre-charging circuit).
HONG and MCLEAN are analogous art since they both deal with battery management systems comprising pre-charging circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by HONG with the teachings of MCLEAN by adding the current sensor for the benefit of providing another sensor used in evaluating the battery strings (See Par.94).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED H OMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-7165. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am -7:00 PM EST.
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/AHMED H OMAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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