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 1-17 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “at least one of the monitoring-side antenna and the control-side antenna is located so that the recess functions as a communication path …”. The originally filed disclosure does not describe the antennas to be directional antennas. Wireless communication takes every direction; wherein the signal strength might be affected by the obstacles around the antenna. It is not clear what the limitation is trying to claim by specifying that “the recess functions as a communication path”. Is it claiming that the antennas are located within the recess, and that the recess is lined with RF reflective material that the only path for the signals is through the recess? Is it claiming that, even though the antennas are not located within the recess, the setup somehow forces the signals to travel through the recess? Is it claiming that, the recess can be one of the paths the signals take? The scope of the claim can not be determined and is considered indefinite.
Note: for the purpose of the art rejection below, the limitation is interpreted to represent “the recess functions as one of the s”.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 11, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato [US 20200064408] in view of Naitoh et al. [US 20220294074].
As to claim 1. Sato discloses A battery monitoring system comprising:
a battery, [fig. 1, 0034] battery 11;
a battery monitoring device, [fig. 1, 0037] battery monitoring device 30, that monitors a state of the battery, [0037];
a battery control device, [fig. 1, 0035] battery ECU 20, that performs wireless communication, [0035], with the battery monitoring device to acquire battery information representing results of the monitoring by the battery monitoring device, [0055, 0056] wirelessly receives battery status from monitoring device 12, and execute various controls, [0055]; and
a housing, [fig. 6, 0057] housing 80,
wherein the battery monitoring device includes a monitoring unit that monitors the state of the battery and transmits the battery information via a monitoring-side antenna, [0037] all wireless communication is performed through an antenna,
the battery control device includes a control unit that receives, [0056], via a control-side antenna, [0055] all wireless communication is performed through an antenna, the battery information transmitted from the monitoring-side antenna, [0056] and executes the various controls based on the received battery information, [0055],
the housing has a bottom plate portion, wall portions formed along a peripheral edge of the bottom plate portion, and a cover that covers the wall portions from above, [fig. 6, 0057] metal housing 80 in the form of a metal case,
the battery, the monitoring-side antenna and the control-side antenna are accommodated in an accommodation space formed by the bottom plate portion, the wall portions and the cover, [fig. 6] wireless communication units 60 and 24 inside the housing 80.
Sato fails to disclose wherein on an upper surface of the cover, there is formed a protrusion that protrudes upward and extends in a specific direction along the upper surface of the cover, and on a lower surface side of the cover at the protrusion, there is formed, along the protrusion, a recess that is recessed toward the upper surface side of the cover, and thee recess is open to the accommodation space in which the battery, the monitoring-side antenna and the control-side antenna are accommodated.
Naitoh teaches a battery pack with a housing 70 to store batter module 30, [fig. 1, abs.]; wherein the housing comprises a top portion member 40 having grooves 40a extending in a specific direction along the upper surface of the cover; wherein the grooves are formed with a protrusion that protrudes upward and a recess on the lower surface of the member that forms the grooves 40a, [fig. 2, 0053]; wherein the groove is open to the internal space of the housing 70, [fig. 2].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sato with that of Naitoh so that the top member can provide reinforcement to the housing.
As to claim 2. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the housing is viewed in a thickness direction of the cover, at least one of the monitoring-side antenna and the control-side antenna is located so that the recess functions as a communication path when communication is performed in the specific direction between the monitoring unit and the control unit, [fig. 6, 0048] the wireless communication units 60 of the battery monitoring device 30 and the wireless communication unit 24 of the ECU 20 are located right below the two cover of the battery; wherein every available space between the battery cells 12 and the top cover functions as the communication path for the communication signal between the monitoring device 3 and the ECU 20.
Sato fails to disclose wherein the top cover include the recess.
Naitoh teaches a battery pack with a housing 70 to store batter module 30, [fig. 1, abs.]; wherein the housing comprises a top portion member 40 having grooves 40a extending in a specific direction along the upper surface of the cover; wherein the grooves are formed with a protrusion that protrudes upward and a recess on the lower surface of the member that forms the grooves 40a, [fig. 2, 0053]; wherein the groove is open to the internal space of the housing 70, [fig. 2].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sato with that of Naitoh so that the recess in the top member can be one of the communication paths as nothing but the nature of wireless signal to take every available path.
As to claim 3. Sato fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises a plurality of protrusions each of which is formed, on the upper surface of the cover, to protrude upward and extend in the specific direction along the upper surface of the cover, and the recess comprises a plurality of recesses each of which is formed, on the lower surface side of the cover at a corresponding one of the protrusions, along the corresponding protrusion and recessed toward the upper surface side of the cover.
Naitoh teaches a battery pack with a housing 70 to store batter module 30, [fig. 1, abs.]; wherein the housing comprises a top portion member 40 having grooves 40a extending in a specific direction along the upper surface of the cover; wherein the grooves are formed with a protrusion that protrudes upward and a recess on the lower surface of the member that forms the grooves 40a, [fig. 2, 0053]; wherein the groove is open to the internal space of the housing 70, [fig. 2]; wherein the member 40 comprises a plurality of grooves 40a.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sato with that of Naitoh so that the top member can provide reinforcement to the housing.
As to claim 6. Sato fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a central recess that is formed at a center position in a lateral direction of the cover.
Naitoh teaches a battery pack with a housing 70 to store batter module 30, [fig. 1, abs.]; wherein the housing comprises a top portion member 40 having grooves 40a extending in a specific direction along the upper surface of the cover; wherein the grooves are formed with a protrusion that protrudes upward and a recess on the lower surface of the member that forms the grooves 40a, [fig. 2, 0053]; wherein the groove is open to the internal space of the housing 70, [fig. 2]; wherein one of the grooves is arranged at the center of the top member, [fig. 2].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sato with that of Naitoh so that the top member can provide reinforcement to the housing.
As to claim 11. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein
the battery comprises a plurality of batteries, [fig. 1, 0034] battery cells 12, grouped into a plurality of monitoring target batteries, [fig. 1, 0034] battery 11,
the battery monitoring device comprises a plurality of battery monitoring devices, [fig. 1, 0037] monitoring devices 30, each including a monitoring unit and a monitoring-side antenna both of which are provided for a corresponding one of the monitoring target batteries, [fig. 1, 0037] units 40, 50, and communication unit 60,
the monitoring units and monitoring-side antennas of the plurality of battery monitoring devices and the control-side antenna are arranged in gaps between the cover and the plurality of batteries in the accommodation space, [fig. 6],
the accommodation space of the housing consists of a first accommodation space on one side of a lateral center of the housing and a second accommodation space on the other side of the lateral center of the housing, [fig. 6] every housing with a space inside to accommodate a physical object can be divided into two spaces separated by a plane going through the center of the housing,
the monitoring units and monitoring-side antennas of some of the plurality of battery monitoring devices are arranged in the first accommodation space and the monitoring units and monitoring-side antennas of the remainder of the plurality of battery monitoring devices are arranged in the second accommodation space, [fig. 6] some of the batteries are arranged in the left space and the remaining are arranged in the right space, and
the control-side antenna comprises a first control-side antenna arranged in the first accommodation space and a second control-side antenna arranged in the second accommodation space, [fig. 6] a relay 90 arranged in the left space and the main ECU arranged in the right space.
As to claim 12. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 11, wherein the control unit is arranged in a center region in a lateral direction of the housing in the accommodation space, [fig. 3A, 6] the control units are arranged in the center of the housing.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Naitoh as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Hinterberger et al. [US 20190353714].
As to claim 4. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1,
wherein the battery comprises a plurality of batteries grouped into a plurality of monitoring target batteries, [fig. 1, 0034] each battery 11 comprising a plurality of battery cells 12,
the battery monitoring device comprises a plurality of battery monitoring devices, [fig. 1, 0037] each battery 11 being monitored by a monitoring device 30, each including a monitoring unit and a monitoring-side antenna, [fig. 1, 0037] each monitoring device comprising a monitoring unit 40, 50, and a wireless communication unit 60, both of which are provided for a corresponding one of the monitoring target batteries, [fig. 1, 0037], and
all the monitoring-side antennas of the battery monitoring devices are accommodated in the accommodation space of the housing, [fig. 6].
The combination of Sato and Naitoh fails to disclose wherein the antennas are arranged in alignment with each other in the specific direction.
Hinterberger teaches a vehicle battery comprising a plurality of battery cells 12 each being monitored using a control device, [fig. 1, 2, 0042]; wherein the communication units 19 of each battery cell is arranged in alignment with each other in a specific direction, [fig. 1].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Hinterberger so that the housing cover can be made simple with a common repeating feature making the production of the housing cover easy and cost effective.
Claim(s) 7, 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Naitoh as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Takechi [US 20200412146].
As to claim 7. Sato fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the battery is located above boundaries between the cover and the wall portions in a height direction of the housing.
Takechi teaches a battery monitoring method and system comprising a plurality of battery monitoring devices 12, each monitoring a battery module 11a, and a control device 3 that wirelessly receives monitoring data from each monitoring device 12, [fig. 1, 0058]; wherein the wall portions of the housing sit below the two surface of the batteries terminals 11b, [fig. 8].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Takechi so that the connections to the terminals can be made without the walls interfering.
As to claim 13. The combination of Sato and Naitoh fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 11, further comprising the following elements arranged as claimed below.
Takechi teaches a battery monitoring method and system comprising a plurality of battery monitoring devices 12, each monitoring a battery module 11, and a control device 3 that wirelessly receives monitoring data from each monitoring device 12, [fig. 1, 0058]; wherein the batteries are arranged in alignment with each other in a longitudinal direction of the housing on the left and right side of the housing, [fig. 7];
wherein the monitoring units of the plurality of battery monitoring devices are arranged in alignment with each other in a longitudinal direction of the housing in both the first accommodation space and the second accommodation space, [fig. 7] the monitoring units 12 are arranged in alignment the same way as the batteries, and
when the housing is viewed in a thickness direction of the cover, predetermined members are located, in the accommodation space, between those monitoring units which are accommodated in the first accommodation space and those monitoring units which are accommodated in the second accommodation space, [fig. 7].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Takechi so that the wiring of the monitoring units can be made organized making troubleshooting a simpler process.
As to claim 14. The combination of Sato and Naitoh fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 13, further comprising the following elements arranged as claimed below.
Takechi teaches a battery monitoring method and system comprising a plurality of battery monitoring devices 12, each monitoring a battery module 11, and a control device 3 that wirelessly receives monitoring data from each monitoring device 12, [fig. 1, 0058]; wherein the batteries are arranged in alignment with each other in a longitudinal direction of the housing on the left and right side of the housing, [fig. 7]; wherein a distance between each adjacent pair of the monitoring units in the longitudinal direction of the housing is shorter than the distance between each adjacent pair of the monitoring units in the lateral direction of the housing, and each of the predetermined members is arranged between an adjacent pair of the monitoring units in the lateral direction of the housing, [fig. 7] the distance between adjacent monitoring units 12 is shorter in longitudinal direction than the distance between the opposite side monitoring units.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Takechi so that the wiring of the monitoring units can be made organized making troubleshooting a simpler process.
As to claim 15. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 11,
wherein the plurality of monitoring target batteries are arranged in alignment with each other in a longitudinal direction of the housing in both the first accommodation space and the second accommodation space, [fig. 6] first and second group of batteries arranged in a first and second direction in the first and second space, respectively,
in the first accommodation space, those monitoring units and monitoring-side antennas which correspond to the monitoring target batteries arranged in the first accommodation space are arranged in alignment with each other in the longitudinal direction of the housing, [fig. 6], and
in the second accommodation space, those monitoring units and monitoring-side antennas which correspond to the monitoring target batteries arranged in the second accommodation space are arranged in alignment with each other in the longitudinal direction of the housing, [fig. 6].
The combination of Sato and Naitoh fails to disclose wherein the battery monitoring system further comprises: the following elements arranged as claimed below.
Takechi teaches a battery monitoring method and system comprising a plurality of battery monitoring devices 12, each monitoring a battery module 11, and a control device 3 that wirelessly receives monitoring data from each monitoring device 12, [fig. 1, 0058]; wherein:
first electroconductive members that are arranged, in the first accommodation space, on both sides of the monitoring units and the monitoring-side antennas in the lateral direction of the housing and electrically connect the monitoring target batteries arranged in the first accommodation space, conductive wires 12j arranged in both sides of the monitoring device 12 [fig. 8], that comprises both the antenna and the detection circuits [fig. 2], in both the left and right side accommodation space of the batteries, [fig. 7]; and
second electroconductive members that are arranged, in the second accommodation space, on both sides of the monitoring units and the monitoring-side antennas in the lateral direction of the housing and electrically connect the monitoring target batteries arranged in the second accommodation space, conductive wires 12j arranged in both sides of the monitoring device 12 [fig. 8], that comprises both the antenna and the detection circuits [fig. 2], in both the left and right side accommodation space of the batteries, [fig. 7],
wherein the first electroconductive members are arranged in alignment with one another in the longitudinal direction of the housing in the first accommodation space, [fig. 8], and the second electroconductive members are arranged in alignment with one another in the longitudinal direction of the housing in the second accommodation space, [fig. 7, 8].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Takechi so that the wirings from each terminal would have enough space to avoid a short circuit.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Naitoh as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Golubkov [US 20130002260].
As to claim 8. the combination of Sato and Naitoh fails to disclose The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein in at least one of the wall portions of the housing, there is provided an explosion prevention valve.
Golubkov teaches a monitoring system for an energy storage cell wherein the housing comprises a pressure-release valve, [0051].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Golubkov so that for housing made out of metal housing, the pressure release valve prevents explosions by releasing internal pressure before it gets to a dangerous level.
The combination of Sato, Naitoh and Golubkov fails to explicitly disclose wherein the explosion prevention valve is located closer to a lower end than to an upper end of the housing in a height direction of the housing.
A gas pressure applies equal amount of pressure to every part of the housing; wherein the location of the valve does not affect the functionality provided by the valve.
One of ordinary skilled in the art can place the valve anywhere on the housing based on other design considerations without affecting the functionality of the valve.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Golubkov as nothing but a design choice.
Claim(s) 16, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Naitoh as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Kusunoki [US 20140093765].
As to claim 16. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 1,
wherein an upper surface of the battery is located above boundaries between the cover and the wall portions in a height direction of the housing, [fig. 6],
the cover is formed of a metal material, [0057], and
in the accommodation space, both the monitoring unit and the monitoring-side antenna are arranged between the cover and the battery, [fig. 6].
The combination of Sato and La Naitoh mm fails to disclose wherein the wall portions and the bottom plate portion are formed of a synthetic resin.
Kusunoki teaches an electric storage apparatus with a housing having a housing 3 with a body 30 and a cover plate 31, [fig. 2]; wherein the housing is made of a resin, [0094] and part of the housing, either the body or the cover plate, can be made out of metal, [0094].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Sato and Naitoh with that of Kusunoki so that the body can act as an electrical insulator while the cover can provide insulation against wireless noise.
As to claim 17. Sato discloses The battery monitoring system as set forth in Claim 16,
wherein the battery monitoring system is applied to a battery pack installed in a mobile object, [0033] used in a vehicle,
the mobile object has a body formed of a metal material, [0033] used in a vehicle,
the housing is arranged in an accommodation space formed within the body of the mobile object, [0033] installed in a vehicle, and
in the accommodation space formed within the body of the mobile object, there is formed a gap between the body and the housing, [0059].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 9, 10 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENYAM HAILE whose telephone number is (571)272-2080. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM Mon. - Thur..
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/Benyam Haile/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688