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
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) 1-4, 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bilbrey et al. (US 2012/0021619, cited by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Bilbrey teaches a system for identifying a secondary battery identifier (ID) (magnetic code [0024], [0043] and [0045]), the system comprising: a secondary battery (114, fig. 2) comprising a secondary battery magnet portion (118, [0043]); and a wireless charging device (fig. 4 and [0048]) comprising a wireless charging device magnet portion (110) and configured to charge the secondary battery, wherein: the wireless charging device magnet portion comprises a polar arrangement corresponding to the secondary battery magnet portion to exert an attractive force between the wireless charging device magnet portion and the secondary battery magnet portion ([0027]-[0033] and [0103]); the secondary battery magnet portion is placed at a position corresponding to the wireless charging device magnet portion ([0027]-[0033] and [0103]), and the wireless charging device magnet portion comprises an ID identifying unit (122, fig. 4) configured to determine that the ID of the secondary battery has been identified, if the secondary battery is charged ([0043]-[0045], [0052] and [0098]).
Regarding claim 2, Bilbrey further teaches wherein a polar arrangement of the secondary battery magnet portion differs with each secondary battery according to the ID ([0033], [0044] and [0100]).
Regarding claim 3, Bilbrey further teaches wherein the polar arrangement of the wireless charging device magnet portion respectively corresponds to the polar arrangement of the secondary battery magnet portion for each secondary battery according to the ID ([0033] and [0044]).
Regarding claim 4, Bilbrey further teaches wherein an N pole and an S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion are arranged alternatively in a staggered manner (fig. 1), an S pole of the wireless charging device magnet portion is arranged at a position corresponding to the N pole of the secondary battery magnet portion, and an N pole of the wireless charging device magnet portion is arranged at a position corresponding to the S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion ([0027]-[0030], [0038]-[0044] and [0098]).
Regarding claim 6, Bilbrey teaches a method of identifying a secondary battery identifier (ID) (magnetic code [0024], [0043] and [0045]), the method comprising: placing, on a wireless charging device (150, fig. 9), a secondary battery (152, fig. 9) comprising a secondary battery magnet portion (164) having a polar arrangement structure corresponding to an ID of the secondary battery ([0024] and [0043]-[0045]); magnet-coupling the secondary battery magnet portion of the secondary battery to a wireless charging device magnet portion of the wireless charging device and fixing the second battery to the wireless charging device ([0053]-[0056]); determine whether the secondary battery is charged; and if the secondary battery is charged, determining that the ID of the secondary battery has been identified ([0043]-[0045], [0052] and [0098]).
Regarding claim 7, Bilbrey further teaches if the secondary battery is not charged, determining that the ID of the secondary battery has not been identified ([0098]).
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bilbrey.
Regarding claim 5, Bilbrey further teaches wherein an N pole and an S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion are arranged alternatively in a staggered manner (fig. 1), an S pole of the wireless charging device magnet portion is arranged at a position corresponding to the N pole of the secondary battery magnet portion, and an N pole of the wireless charging device magnet portion is arranged at a position corresponding to the S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion ([0027]-[0030], [0038]-[0044] and [0098]) but fails to teach the N pole and the S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion are arranged to form a concentric circle.
However, Bilbrey further teaches a shape and patterns of the coded magnet 100 (fig. 1) may be chosen to create a specific attractive/repulsive force curve ([0036]) and a ring-shaped code magnet can be utilized ([0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Bilbrey for the N pole and the S pole of the secondary battery magnet portion are arranged to form a concentric circle since it is just a matter of design option for the coded magnet.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References Havskjold et al. (US 12,300,837); Li et al. (US 2025/0055327); Bilbrey (US 9,590,352) and Branan, Jr. et al. (5,111,128) are cited because they are related to identifying battery identifier using magnetic code.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUYEN K VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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