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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDSs) submitted on 04/17/2024, 03/27/2025, and 06/29/2026 were in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Homma et al. (US 2021/0300184 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Homma”) (cited in IDS dated April 17, 2024)
Regarding claim 8, Homma discloses a server (Fig. 1, 100) connected via a network (Fig. 1, NW) to a charging device configured to acquire use history information from a secondary battery at a time of starting charging or discharging of the secondary battery (paras. [0108], [0111]: the detection unit 242 detects that deriving of a deterioration state of the in-vehicle battery 310 has started (Step S301)), the server (Fig. 1, 100) being configured to execute:
processing of receiving internal state information indicating an internal state of the secondary battery acquired by the charging device (para. [0116]: The control unit 243 receives measured values of the voltage value and the current value and an estimated value of the SOC from the vehicle 300 (Step S305)) by temporarily releasing a charge-discharge prohibited state of the secondary battery when the use history information indicates that the secondary battery is in the charge-discharge prohibited state (para. [0113]: the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303), note that the above feature of “the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303)” reads on “temporarily releasing a charge-discharge prohibited state of the secondary battery when the use history information indicates that the secondary battery is in the charge-discharge prohibited state” to receive internal state information);
processing of diagnosing a deterioration state of the secondary battery on a basis of the internal state information (para. [0061]: a range in which the SOC is equal to or higher than 50% and equal to or lower than 80% represents a range in which a change in the voltage with respect to a change in the SOC is sufficiently large, and thus the estimation accuracy of the SOC is high, and the deterioration of the in-vehicle battery 310 is not promoted; para. [0116]: The control unit 243 receives measured values of the voltage value and the current value and an estimated value of the SOC from the vehicle 300 (Step S305)), note that SOC reads on “internal state information”) and generating deterioration state information indicating a deterioration state of the secondary battery (para. [0062]: the SOC-OCV curve illustrating in FIG. 2 differs in accordance with characteristics of the in-vehicle battery 310); and
processing of transmitting the deterioration state information (para. [0116]: The control unit 243 receives measured values of the voltage value and the current value and an estimated value of the SOC from the vehicle 300 and transmits the received values to the management device 100 through the communication unit 206 (Step S305 ) to an outside (Fig. 1, 100).
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, 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 1-7 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Homma in view of Matsumoto et al. (US 2013/0049973 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Matsumoto”) (cited in IDS dated June 29, 2026).
Regarding claim 1, Homma teaches a charging device for a secondary battery (Fig. 1 and Fig. 6, 310), comprising:
Fig. 1 and para. [0044]: control unit 330 performs charging/discharging according to an instruction from the management device 100) the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310 and para. [0040]: the in-vehicle battery 310 is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery);
a control device configured to control the charge-discharge Figs 1 and 7 and para. [0110]: the control unit 243 controls charging/discharging of the in-vehicle battery 310); and
a communications device configured to communicate with an outside (Figs. 1 and 6, communication unit 206),
wherein the control device (Fig. 7, the control unit 243) is configured to execute
processing of acquiring use history information from the secondary battery at a time of starting charging or discharging of the secondary battery (paras. [0108], [0111]:the detection unit 242 detects that deriving of a deterioration state of the in-vehicle battery 310 has started (Step S301)),
processing of causing the secondary battery to temporarily release a charge-discharge prohibited state when the use history information indicates that the secondary battery is in the charge-discharge prohibited state (para. [0113]: the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303), note that the above feature of “connection with external power supply” reads on “temporality release a charge-discharge prohibited state), and
processing of acquiring internal state information indicating an internal state of the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310) by causing the charge-discharge circuit (Fig. 1, control unit 330) to charge or discharge the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310) (para. [0116]: The control unit 243 receives measured values of the voltage value and the current value and an estimated value of the SOC from the vehicle 300 (Step S305)) in which the charge-discharge prohibited state has been temporarily released (para. [0113]: the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303)), note that the above feature of “the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303)” reads on “the charge-discharge prohibited state has been temporarily released” to receive internal state information and
the communication device (Fig. 1, 206) is configured to execute
processing of transmitting the internal state information (para. [0116]: The control unit 243 receives measured values of the voltage value and the current value and an estimated value of the SOC from the vehicle 300 and transmits the received values to the management device 100 through the communication unit 206 (Step S305)) to an outside (Fig. 1, 100), and
processing of receiving deterioration state information, which is generated on a basis of the internal state information and indicates a deterioration state of the secondary battery (Fig 1 and para. [0054]: The detection unit 140 detects start of deriving a deterioration state of the in-vehicle battery 310), from the outside (Fig. 1, 100).
Homa does not specifically teach a charge-discharge circuit and the control device causes the secondary battery to continuously release the charge-discharge prohibited state when the deterioration state information indicates that the secondary battery is in a deterioration state to a degree that it is usable.
However, Matsumoto teaches a charge-discharge circuit (Fig. 1, 22, 24, and 30; para. [0052]: PCU 30) and the control device causes the secondary battery to continuously release the charge-discharge prohibited state when the deterioration state information indicates that the secondary battery is in a deterioration state to a degree that it is usable (Fig. 18, S27; para. [0133]: in S20, control circuit 100 determines whether any battery diagnosis result (any of signals R1-R3) has been received from diagnostic device 300; para. [0139]: In S26, control circuit 100 ceases displaying the message (the diagnosis request message or the message indicating that the battery is unusable) displayed on display device 200; para. [0140]: in S27, control circuit 100 lifts restriction on the output of battery 10 (i.e., resolves the Win/Wout limitation or prohibition of starting the driving system)).
Homa and Matsumoto are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of controlling battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the charge-discharge circuit and the control device such as are described in Matsumoto into Homa, in order to provide a device for controlling a rechargeable battery which can be subjected to a diagnosis of a degraded state by a diagnostic device (Matsumoto, para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 2, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Homa teaches that when the deterioration state information indicates that the secondary battery is deteriorated to a degree that it is unusable (para. [0061]: a range in which the SOC is equal to or higher than 50% and equal to or lower than 80% represents a range in which a change in the voltage with respect to a change in the SOC is sufficiently large, and thus the estimation accuracy of the SOC is high, and the deterioration of the in-vehicle battery 310 is not promoted).
Homa does not specifically teaches that the control device causes the secondary battery to store permanent charge-discharge prohibition information indicating that the secondary battery is permanently in a charge-discharge prohibited state.
However, Matsumoto teaches that the control device causes the secondary battery to store permanent charge-discharge prohibition information indicating that the secondary battery is permanently in a charge-discharge prohibited state (Fig. 18, S33; para. [0149]: If the diagnosis result indicates that the battery can no longer continue to be used, starting the driving system is prohibited. In response to this diagnosis result, if battery 10 is replaced with a new article).
Homa and Matsumoto are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of controlling battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the control device such as is described in Matsumoto into Homa, in order to provide a device for controlling a rechargeable battery which can be subjected to a diagnosis of a degraded state by a diagnostic device (Matsumoto, para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 3, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 2.
Homa does not specifically teaches that the control device is configured not to execute the processing of acquiring the internal state information when acquiring the permanent charge-discharge prohibition information from the secondary battery at a time of starting charging or discharging of the secondary battery.
However, Matsumoto teaches that the control device is configured not to execute the processing of acquiring the internal state information when acquiring the permanent charge-discharge prohibition information from the secondary battery at a time of starting charging or discharging of the secondary battery (Fig. 18, S31-S33; para. [0143]: cause display device 200 to display the message indicating that the battery is unusable. Furthermore, in S33, control circuit 100 prohibits starting the system driving vehicle 5).
Homa and Matsumoto are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of controlling battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the control device such as is described in Matsumoto into Homa, in order to provide a device for controlling a rechargeable battery which can be subjected to a diagnosis of a degraded state by a diagnostic device (Matsumoto, para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 4, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Homa teaches that the charging device is an electronic device (Fig .1, 330 and para. [0044]: control unit 330 performs charging/discharging according to an instruction from the management device 100) on which the secondary battery (Fig. 1 310) is mounted and which uses the secondary battery as a power source (para. [0044]: the vehicle control unit 330 supplies electric power to a motor that is a drive source of the vehicle 300).
Regarding claim 5, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Homa teaches that the internal state information indicates a terminal voltage of the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310), and includes terminal voltage information used to generate open circuit voltage curve information (para. [0057]: a relation 310 (an SOC-OCV curve) between a charging rate (SOC) and an open circuit voltage (OCV) of the in-vehicle battery) indicating a relationship between a current integrated capacity of the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310) and an open circuit voltage (para. [0039]: The vehicle information includes a state of charge (SOC; charging rate), a voltage value, a current value, and the like of the in-vehicle battery 310; paras. [0057]: an open circuit voltage (OCV) of the in-vehicle battery) of the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310), and the control device causes the charge-discharge circuit to perform intermittent discharge or intermittent charge of the secondary battery (Fig. 1 and para. [0044]: control unit 330 performs charging/discharging according to an instruction from the management device 100; para. [0110]: The control unit 243 controls charging/discharging of the in-vehicle battery 310) in order to acquire the terminal voltage information (para. [0039]: The vehicle information includes a state of charge (SOC; charging rate), a voltage value, a current value, and the like of the in-vehicle battery 310; paras. [0057]: an open circuit voltage (OCV) of the in-vehicle battery).
Regarding claim 6, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Homa teaches a display device configured to display the deterioration state information (para. [0076]: the vehicle 300 causes a display (not illustrated) or the like included in the vehicle 300 to display the deterioration state transmitted from the management device 100).
Regarding claim 7, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Homa teaches that when the deterioration state information includes deterioration degree information indicating a degree of deterioration of the secondary battery (Fig. 2 and para. [0061]: a range in which the SOC is equal to or higher than 50% and equal to or lower than 80% represents a range in which a change in the voltage with respect to a change in the SOC is sufficiently large, and thus the estimation accuracy of the SOC is high, and the deterioration of the in-vehicle battery 310 is not promoted, note that the SOC value in para. [0061] reads on “degree of deterioration of second battery), and
the degree of deterioration indicated by the deterioration degree information is equal to or more than a predetermined degree of deterioration (Fig. 2 and para. [0061]: see above, note that the SOC value such as range beyond 50%-80% reads on “the degree of deterioration indicated by the deterioration degree information”), the control device causes the secondary battery (Fig. 1, 310) to store rapid charge-discharge prohibition information indicating a rapid charge-discharge prohibited state (para. [0113]: the detection unit 242 determines whether or not the vehicle 300 is connected to an external power supply (Step S303), note that the above feature of “connection with external power supply” reads on “temporality release a charge-discharge prohibited state).
Homer does not specifically teaches that the control device causes the secondary battery to store rapid charge-discharge prohibition information indicating a rapid charge-discharge.
However, Matsumoto teaches that the control device causes the secondary battery to store rapid charge-discharge prohibition information indicating a rapid charge-discharge (Fig. 18, S27; para. [0133]: in S20, control circuit 100 determines whether any battery diagnosis result (any of signals R1-R3) has been received from diagnostic device 300; para. [0139]: In S26, control circuit 100 ceases displaying the message (the diagnosis request message or the message indicating that the battery is unusable) displayed on display device 200; para. [0143]: display device 200 to display the message indicating that the battery is unusable).
Homa and Matsumoto are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of controlling battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the control device such as is described in Matsumoto into Homa, in order to provide a device for controlling a rechargeable battery which can be subjected to a diagnosis of a degraded state by a diagnostic device (Matsumoto, para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 9, it is a system type claim having similar limitations as of claim 1 and 8 above. Therefore, it is rejected under the same rational as of claims 1 and 8 above
Regarding claim 10, Homma in view of Matsumoto teaches all the limitation of claim 9, in addition, Homma teaches further comprising a user terminal (Fig. 1, 300) that is associated with a secondary battery (Fig. 1, 100) that is capable of being charged and discharged by the charging device (Fig. 1, 330), receives the deterioration state information (Fig. 3 and para. [0076]: The deriving unit 150 transmits the derived deterioration state to the vehicle 300 through the communication unit 110) from the server (Fig. 1, 100), and displays the deterioration state information (Fig. 3 and para. [0076]: The deriving unit 150 transmits the derived deterioration state to the vehicle 300 through the communication unit 110. The vehicle 300 causes a display).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Suzuki at al. (WO 2017/149638 A1) teaches that a charge/discharge device 200 is provided with: a power conversion unit 201, which converts alternating current power into direct current power, and which supplies the power to a power supply source 101 in an electric vehicle 100; and a control unit 202, which controls the power conversion unit 201, and which performs information transmission between the electric vehicle 100 and the control unit.
Kamijima at al. (US 2021/0091583 A1) teaches that a battery management system includes an electronic device including a battery and a management server connected to the electronic device via a network. The electronic device transmits battery information, including information indicating the battery status, to the management server. The management server accumulates the battery information received from the electronic device in a storage.
Suzuki at al. (US 2021/0001744 A1) teaches a battery management system of an electric vehicle suitable for a sharing service. A battery management system 100 includes: an electric vehicle 2 capable of travelling by driving a motor with an exchangeable battery 1; a battery station 3 capable of charging the battery 1 by adjusting a charging speed; and a management server 4 connected to the electric vehicle 2 and the battery station 3 through a communication network.
Fujita at al. (US 11,462,780 B2) teaches that a charge/discharge control apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an apparatus that controls charge or discharge of a secondary battery to be charged or discharged on the basis of at least one condition of use calculated from a deterioration model or a deterioration map of a secondary battery and at least one inner state parameter of the secondary battery to be charged or discharged. The charge/discharge control apparatus updates the condition of use on the basis of change of the inner state parameter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANGKYUNG LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-3669. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LEE RODAK can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SANGKYUNG LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights