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 office action is a response to a paper filed on 01/02/2026 in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seta et al (hereinafter Seta) (US 2020/0016980 A1) in view of Ho et al (hereinafter Ho) (US 2022/0149649 A1).
As to claim 1, Seta discloses a vehicle (Fig 1, 1) comprising: a first power network including a first electrical bus (Fig 1, bus from 42 to 22), a starter motor (Fig 1, 13), and a starter battery (Fig 1, 22), a second power network including a second electrical bus (Fig 1, bus from 21 to 42), an auxiliary battery (Fig 1, 21); and a controller (Fig 1, 100) programmed to, during an off mode of the vehicle, disconnect the first and second power networks from each other (see Fig 1, 61, parag [0047]).
Seta does not disclose an ultracapacitor and cycle power between the auxiliary battery and ultracapacitor while the auxiliary battery and ultracapacitor are electrically isolated from vehicle load such that the auxiliary battery charges the ultracapacitor and the ultracapacitor charges the auxiliary battery.
However, Ho discloses an ultracapacitor (Fig 3, 1, parag [0011]) and cycle power between the auxiliary battery (Fig 3, 110) and ultracapacitor while the auxiliary battery and ultracapacitor are electrically isolated from vehicle load (see Fig 3, when the switch 180 is open, the battery and the capacitor are isolated from the load) such that the auxiliary battery charges the ultracapacitor and the ultracapacitor charges the auxiliary battery (parags [0037-0038]). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the vehicle of Seta to include the ultracapacitor as taught by Ho in order to alternatively provide power to the vehicle load from different power sources.
As to claim 2, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the vehicle of claim 1 further comprising sensors (Seta, see Fig 1, 91) configured to measure parameters associated with the power cycled between the auxiliary battery and ultracapacitor.
As to claim 3, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the vehicle of claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to generate data related to state of health or state of function of at least one of the auxiliary battery and ultracapacitor based on the parameters (Seta, see parags [0033], detect the temperature of the battery).
As to claims 4, 11 and 17, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the vehicle of claim 3, wherein the data is for display (Seta, see Fig 1, 71).
As to claims 5, 12 and 16, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to connect the first and
second power networks for a drive mode of the vehicle (Seta, see parags [0028], [0047]).
As to claims 6, 9 and 19, the combination of Seta and Corser discloses the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the disconnecting includes opening a switch (Seta, see Fig 1, 61).
As to claims 7 and 18, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary battery (Ho, Fig 3, 110) and ultracapacitor (Ho, Fig 3, 1) are configured to be electrically connected with the second electrical bus while the first and second power networks are disconnected from each other (Seta, when switch 61 is open).
As to claims 8 and 15, Seta discloses a method for a vehicle (Fig 1, 1) comprising: during an off mode for the vehicle (Fig 1, 61, parag [0047]), disconnecting a first electrical bus (Fig 1, bus from 42 to 22) from a second electrical bus (Fig 1, bus from 21 to 42);
sensing parameters (Seta, see Fig 1, 91) associated with the power, and generating data related to state of health or state of function of at least one of the pair based on the parameters (Seta, see parags [0033], detect the temperature of the battery).
Seta does not disclose cycling power between the pair while the first and second electrical busses are disconnected from each other and the energy storage devices are electrical isolated from vehicle loads. However, Ho discloses cycling power between the pair while the first and second electrical busses are disconnected from each other (see parags [0037-0038]) and the energy storage devices are electrical isolated from vehicle loads (see Fig 3, when the switch 180 is open, the battery and the capacitor are isolated from the load). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the vehicle of Seta to include the ultracapacitor as taught by Ho in order to alternatively provide power to the vehicle from different power sources.
As to claim 10, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the cycling includes discharging power from one of the pair to the other of the pair and then discharging power from the other of the pair to the one of the pair (Ho, see parags [0037-0038]).
As to claim 13, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the method of claim 12 further comprising connecting a starter motor (Seta, Fig 1, 13) or a starter battery (Seta, Fig 1, 22) to the first electrical bus for the drive mode.
As to claims 14 and 20, the combination of Seta and Ho discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the one of the pair is an auxiliary battery (Ho, Fig 3, 110) and the other of the pair is an ultracapacitor (Ho, Fig 3, 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-6, filed on 01/02/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 8 and 15 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Seta and Ho.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DUC M PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5026. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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/DUC M PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 April 27, 2026
/DANIEL C PUENTES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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