DETAILED ACTION
This action is filed in response to the application filed on 5/24/2024.
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
Acknowledgement is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) form PTO-1149 filed on 5/24/2024, 7/29/2024, 3/26/2025, 5/08/2025, and 5/22/2025. These IDS have been considered.
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.
Claim 12 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.
Regarding Claim 12, The term “ complementary” in Claim 12 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “complementary” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5, 8-11, 14-16, 18, and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Elder (US20100121588 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Elder teaches a battery state detection device (e.g. see [0013] “The apparatus of the invention includes a computer system executing programmed code for a method of improving the accuracy of state of health/state of charge calculations of a battery product”) comprising:
a sensor configured to measure at least one of a voltage, a current, and a temperature of a rechargeable battery installed to a vehicle (e.g. see [0031] “Sensors within the battery product or the vehicle measure battery data such as, but certainly not limited to, voltage, current, and temperature and transmit the battery data to a control and collection unit within an electronics module”);
communicator circuitry configured to obtain reference information relating to battery state detection from an external device (e.g. see [0051] “This performance data from the programmable battery product 5 is collected and stored in a memory device in a storage step. This data can include metrics regarding any of the characteristics of the battery, including for example, but certainly not limited to, voltage, amps, temperature, and similar characteristics as well as vehicle data communicated from the vehicle to the battery and event specific data that is stored based on previously stored event parameter data pushed onto the programmable battery product 5” and [0053] “A communication module periodically transmits the stored data or data tags from the programmable battery product 5 through the network 30 to the database 40. The collected data on the database 40 can then be analyzed by computers within the network”);
estimator circuitry configured to estimate a state of the rechargeable battery based on a measured value of the sensor (e.g. see [0052] “In the predictive calculation element, based on the stored data and data collected during operation the useful life of the battery or the battery charge is estimated”); and
the estimator circuitry being configured to correct at least one of an estimation equation and a parameter based on the reference information (e.g. see [0053] “The analyzed data within the database 40 can then be used to modify the existing methods, equations, lookup tables, and software used to calculate SOH and SOC on the battery products 5. For instance, this accumulated data can be averaged for specific variables like mean temperature, humidity or other variables for a region, a zip code, a city or the like. Other variables and methodologies can make use of the large sample size and accumulated data to extract specific variables or make correlations that may then be used to improve the existing methods, equations, lookup tables, software or the like used to estimate an SOH/SOC”).
Regarding Claim 2, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Elder further discloses wherein the reference information includes at least one of battery identification information enabling the rechargeable battery to be identified (e.g. see [0048] “the tracking system stores "tags" or data specific to identifying the battery as well as operational data. These tags or data specific to identifying the battery can include for example an "in-service" date, installation date, calendar life, a last serviced date, sales/installation location information, storage location information, gps data, owner identifying information, zip code, region specific data tags, related region specific data such as average temperature, mean temperature, average humidity, mean humidity, voltage, amp hours, amp hours used, conductivity, resistivity, remaining charge, remaining battery capacity, capacitance, and the like”),
electrical component information relating to an electrical component which has been custom-installed to the vehicle,
user usage information relating to at least one of vehicle usage frequency and a vehicle usage method of a user (e.g. see [0048]), and
history information relating to at least one of replacement history and reconnection history of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [0048]).
Regarding Claim 5, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Elder further discloses wherein the reference information includes electrical component information relating to an electrical component which has been custom-installed to the vehicle (e.g. see [0031] “Software running for instance on the electronics module, in the vehicle or on the network monitors and estimates the state of health or state of charge of the programmable battery product and can be configured to provide warning alarms when the battery data is outside preset limits… The software on the battery is updated regularly via a network, for instance during maintenance or through a CAN/LIN network. The software being updated to make it more accurately estimate, predict or both estimate real time SOH/SOC and predict in the future the state of health or state of charge of the battery product,”), and
the estimator circuitry is configured to correct estimation process information relating to an estimation of the state of the rechargeable battery based on the electrical component information (e.g. see [0046] “The POS/POM system 20 will then transmit this data via a network 30 to the data base 40 as described in 300. The database system 40 will then adjust the variables in the SOC/SOH algorithms to improve the accuracy of these algorithms as described in 400. The newly adjusted algorithms for SOC/SOH will then be transmitted from the database 40 via the network 30 to the POS/POM system 20 or the battery 5 as described in 500. While the battery 10 is still connected to the POS/POM system 20 the newly adjusted algorithms will then be downloaded from the POS/POM system to the Battery 5 as described in 600. The battery 5 can now be returned to service in its normal operating environment. Due to the fact that the battery now contains the algorithms that have been adjusted to better fit the historical data recorded in the operational environment the resulting preemptive alerts and information provided to the user or operator will be more accurate”).
Regarding Claim 8, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Elder further discloses wherein the communicator circuitry is provided separately from at least one of the sensor (e.g. see [0043] “The components of the system include at least one of an onboard electronics module 10 on a programmable battery product 5; sensors or telesensors 13, a point of sale/point of maintenance device 20, which can be for instance a handheld device or a stationary device having similar characteristics, the device 20 providing communication with the programmable battery product 5”) and the estimator circuitry and is configured to be detachably attached to at least one of the sensor and the estimator circuitry (e.g. see [0014] “electronics module and communicate and record the data on the electronics module. The electronics module can be on the battery. The electronics module can be detached from the battery. The computer system can further include a point of sale/point of maintenance device coupling to the battery product to collect the data. The battery product can also couple to the point of sale/point of maintenance device through wireless communication with the battery. The coupling of the battery product to a point of sale/point of maintenance device can further comprise coupling the battery product wirelessly to a CAN/LIN network in communication with a point of sale/point of maintenance device” ).
Regarding Claim 9, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Elder further discloses a battery state detection unit configured to detect battery state information indicating the state of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [0051] “vehicle data communicated from the vehicle to the battery and event specific data that is stored based on previously stored event parameter data pushed onto the programmable battery product 5. This data is then used in a calculation step, calculating the SOH or SOC of the battery”); and
a communication unit, wherein the battery state detection unit includes the sensor and the estimator circuitry (e.g. see [0043] “The components of the system include at least one of an onboard electronics module 10 on a programmable battery product 5; sensors or telesensors 13, a point of sale/point of maintenance device 20, which can be for instance a handheld device or a stationary device having similar characteristics, the device 20 providing communication with the programmable battery product 5 and an initial data input for communicating data to and from the battery 25 and electronics module 10 and also communication of this data to and from a product database 40; and a network 30 carrying relevant data for storage in the product database 40 and data and/or instructions 50 for storage on the programmable battery product 5 and within the database 40”),
the communication unit includes the communicator circuitry, and a first connection part configured to be attached to the battery state detection unit, the first connection part being electrically connected to the battery state detection unit in a state where the first connection part is attached to the battery state detection unit (e.g. see [0013] “The apparatus of the invention includes a computer system executing programmed code for a method of improving the accuracy of state of health/state of charge calculations of a battery product utilizing a computerized battery tracking network communicating with the computer system,” and [0027] “A network involves permanent connections such as cables or temporary connections such as those made through telephone or other communication links. In this way the network can be maintained by conventional wires (i.e. “first connection part”)”), and
the communicator circuitry includes information communicator circuitry configured to obtain the battery state information from the battery state detection unit via the first connection part, and wireless communicator circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit the battery state information obtained by the information communicator circuitry to the external device (e.g. see [0014] “The computer system can further include a point of sale/point of maintenance device coupling to the battery product to collect the data. The battery product can also couple to the point of sale/point of maintenance device through wireless communication with the battery. The coupling of the battery product to a point of sale/point of maintenance device can further comprise coupling the battery product wirelessly to a CAN/LIN network in communication with a point of sale/point of maintenance device”).
Regarding Claim 10, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder further discloses wherein the information communicator circuitry includes first wired communicator circuitry (e.g. see [0027] “In this way the network can be maintained by conventional wires”) configured to receive the battery state information from the battery state detection unit via the first connection part by wired communication (e.g. see [0047] “A third module or service/communication and update module 3000 communicates information from the battery and to the battery during operation. The service communication and update module then updates the SOC and/or SOH and other software on the battery product”), and
second wired communicator circuitry (e.g. see [0027] and [0043] “the invention can use the internet at the initial point of sale or maintenance and can also utilize an existing CAN/LIN network, as shown in FIG. 2 network communications link 60 during operation to update data both to and from the battery where the point of sale/point of maintenance device may be part of the CAN/LIN network or a vehicle communications network”) configured to transmit the battery state information to an in-vehicle controller of the vehicle by wired communication (e.g. see [0052] “the predictive calculation element, based on the stored data and data collected during operation the useful life of the battery or the battery charge is estimated. This prediction can be communicated to the user via a user interface, for instance in a vehicle user interface”).
Regarding Claim 11, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 10. Elder further discloses a second connection part electrically connectable to the in-vehicle controller, wherein the second wired communicator circuitry is configured to transmit the battery state information to the in-vehicle controller via the second connection part by wired communication (e.g. see [0027] and [0052] “the predictive calculation element, based on the stored data and data collected during operation the useful life of the battery or the battery charge is estimated. This prediction can be communicated to the user via a user interface, for instance in a vehicle user interface”).
Regarding Claim 14, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder further discloses the wireless communicator circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive the reference information relating to the battery state detection from the external device (e.g. see [0028] “A “point of sale/point of maintenance device" refers to a network interface, a computer or handheld device that is used to interface with a network, a database, and/or with the electronics module of the battery product. This may be a single device or may be comprised of numerous component devices, such as a handheld device used in conjunction with a wireless network connection to a computer which then communicates with a network and, thereby, a database”), and
the information communicator circuitry transmits the reference information received by the wireless communicator circuitry (e.g. see [0012] “The method can also further include the step of coupling the battery product to a point of sale/point of maintenance device further comprises coupling the battery product wirelessly to a CAN/LIN network in communication with a point of sale/point of maintenance device”) to at least one of an in-vehicle controller of the vehicle and the battery state detection unit (e.g. see [0046] “When the battery is connected to a point of sale or point of maintenance system 20 via a network as described, for example when the vehicle goes in for service the data recorded by battery 10 is downloaded from the battery to the POS/POM system 20 as described in 200. The POS/POM system 20 will then transmit this data via a network 30 to the data base 40 as described in 300”).
Regarding Claim 15, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder further discloses the wireless communicator circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate using at least one of a Bluetooth standard (e.g. see [0022] “ A "computer-readable medium" refers to any storage device used for storing data accessible by a computer. Examples of a computer-readable medium include: a magnetic hard disk; a floppy disk; an optical disk, such as a CD-ROM and a DVD; a magnetic tape; a memory chip; and a carrier wave used to carry computer-readable electronic data, such as those used in transmitting and receiving e-mail or in accessing a network, such as the Internet or a local area network ("LAN"); or a Bluetooth enabled network and any storage device used for storing data accessible by a computer including for instance hand-held devices or a hard drive disk”) and
a Wi-Fi standard (e.g. see [0027] “In this way the network can be maintained by conventional wires or may also be provided wirelessly. Examples of a network include: an internet, such as the Internet; an intranet; a local area network (LAN); a wide area network (WAN); CAN and LIN networks; cellular networks; and any combination of networks, such as an internet and an intranet”).
Regarding Claim 16, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder further discloses wherein the wireless communicator circuitry is configured to upload the battery state information obtained by the information communicator circuitry to a server (e.g. see [0045] “In an exemplary embodiment, the point of sale/point of maintenance device 20 or the programmable battery product 5 would operate as a distributed network connected to servers for data storage and retrieval nationwide”).
Regarding Claim 18, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder further discloses the battery state detection unit includes a battery connection part attachable to a terminal of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [0014] “The computer system can also include an electronics module and communicate and record the data on the electronics module. The electronics module can be on the battery. The electronics module can be detached from the battery”)
the sensor includes a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage of the rechargeable battery, a current sensor configured to measure a current of the rechargeable battery, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [0031] “Sensors within the battery product or the vehicle measure battery data such as, but certainly not limited to, voltage, current, and temperature and transmit the battery data to a control and collection unit within an electronics module”),
the estimator circuitry is configured to estimate the state of the rechargeable battery based on at least one of a measured voltage of the voltage sensor, a measured current of the current sensor, and a measured temperature of the temperature sensor (e.g. see [0031] “The electronics module receives, processes, analyzes, and stores the battery data. Software running for instance on the electronics module, in the vehicle or on the network monitors and estimates the state of health or state of charge of the programmable battery product”),
the information communicator circuitry of the communication unit is configured to obtain, as the battery state information, at least one of the measured voltage, the measured current, the measured temperature, and an estimation result of the estimator circuitry via the first connection part (e.g. see [0045] “The sensors in the system measure battery data such as voltage, current, remaining battery capacity, remaining battery charge, resistivity, capacitance, temperature and the like and transmit the battery data to the electronics module 10 for collection. The electronics module 10 receives, processes, analyzes, and stores the battery data using the software contained thereon. Software running on the electronics module 10 monitors and estimates the state of health or state of charge of the battery and can be configured to provide warning alarms when the battery data is outside present limits”).
Regarding Claim 20, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 18. Elder further discloses wherein the wireless communicator circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive the reference information relating to battery state detection from the external device, and the estimator circuitry is configured to correct estimation process information relating to an estimation of the state of the rechargeable battery based on the reference information (e.g.see [0046] “During the normal operation of the battery 5 and/or electronics module 10 in situe it will collect and record parameters of operation…When the battery is connected to a point of sale or point of maintenance system 20 via a network as described, for example when the vehicle goes in for service the data recorded by battery 10 is downloaded from the battery to the POS/POM system 20 as described in 200. The POS/POM system 20 will then transmit this data via a network 30 to the data base 40 as described in 300. The database system 40 will then adjust the variables in the SOC/SOH algorithms to improve the accuracy of these algorithms as described in 400”).
Regarding Claim 21, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Elder further discloses a user terminal configured to wirelessly communicate with the communicator circuitry of the battery state detection device (e.g. see [0028] “A "point of sale/point of maintenance device" refers to a network interface, a computer or handheld device that is used to interface with a network, a database, and/or with the electronics module of the battery product. This may be a single device or may be comprised of numerous component devices, such as a handheld device used in conjunction with a wireless network connection to a computer which then communicates with a network and, thereby, a database”); and
a server configured to be connected to the battery state detection device and the user terminal via the Internet (e.g. see [0043] “with respect to the use of the term network, the invention can use the internet at the initial point of sale or maintenance and can also utilize an existing CAN/LIN network, as shown in FIG. 2 network communications link 60 during operation to update data both to and from the battery where the point of sale/point of maintenance device may be part of the CAN/LIN network or a vehicle communications network,” and [0045] “in an exemplary embodiment, the point of sale/point of maintenance device 20 or the programmable battery product 5 would operate as a distributed network connected to servers for data storage and retrieval nationwide”).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maruno (JP2020038102 A).
Regarding Claim 22, Maruno teaches a data collection method comprising:
obtaining battery state information using a battery state detection device configured to detect a state of a rechargeable battery installed to a vehicle (e.g. see [pg. 3 paragraph 4] “The vehicle 10 acquires the data for estimating the battery capacity of the battery of the own vehicle from the center server 100. The vehicle 10 predicts the measurement result of the battery capacity of the battery of the own vehicle based on the estimation data acquired from the center server 100, or corrects the own estimation result”);
transmitting the battery state information to a user terminal using the battery state detection device (e.g. see [pg. 5 paragraph 3] “The battery / VCU control unit outputs transition information and usage history information of the battery 40 to the communication device 50 and the display device 60”);
inquiring of a user, using the user terminal, whether or not to permit uploading of the battery state information; and uploading the battery state information to the server using the user terminal in a case where the user permits the uploading (e.g. see [pg. 3 paragraphs 2-3] “Each vehicle 10 communicates with the center server 100 via the communication line 2. Each vehicle 10 includes information indicating the transition of the battery capacity of the battery of the own vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as “transition information”) and information indicating the usage history of the battery of the own vehicle (hereinafter, “usage history information”). At a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing is not limited to a specific timing, but may be, for example, a timing when the load of the battery of the vehicle 10 exceeds a certain amount, a timing based on an instruction of the user of the vehicle 10, a predetermined short period (for example, 1 Request from the center server 100 for transmission of various types of information, such as timing every hour) or a long period (for example, one month), timing when the vehicle completes from the departure place to the destination, timing when the battery is started, transition information of the battery, and usage history information. This is the timing at which the amount of increase in the battery load of the vehicle 10 becomes constant from the previous transmission timing of the various information”).
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.
Claims 3-4, 6-7 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elder (US20100121588 A1) in view of Iwane (JP 2017181206 A).
Regarding Claim 3, Elder teaches the limitations of claim 1. Elder does not explicitly disclose a discharge circuit, wherein the estimator circuitry is configured to obtain a component constituting an equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery based on a response when a pulsed current flows through the discharge circuit, and the estimator circuitry is configured to estimate the state of the rechargeable battery based on the component constituting the equivalent circuit.
In the same field of endeavor, Iwane teaches a discharge circuit (e.g. see [pg. 2, second to last paragraph] “In this figure, the secondary battery deterioration estimation device 1 includes a control unit 10, a voltage sensor 11, a current sensor 12, a temperature sensor 13, and a discharge circuit 15”), wherein
the estimator circuitry is configured to obtain a component constituting an equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery based on a response when a pulsed current flows through the discharge circuit (e.g. see [pg. 5 paragraph 2] “when the secondary battery 14 is pulse-discharged, a temporal change in the voltage value is acquired, and the obtained change in the voltage value is fitted by a predetermined function using time as a variable. Thus, the parameters of the predetermined function can be calculated, and the components of the equivalent circuit of the secondary battery 14 can be obtained based on the calculated parameters of the predetermined function”), and
the estimator circuitry is configured to estimate the state of the rechargeable battery based on the component constituting the equivalent circuit (e.g. see [pg. 8 paragraph 6 ] “the CPU 10a substitutes the value of the component of the equivalent circuit for the first term on the right side of the above-described formula (2), and substitutes a variable related to the use history for the second term on the right side, thereby calculating SOH. In other words, the CPU 10a obtains SOH by substituting the equivalent circuit component for the first term on the right side of Equation (2), and uses SOH by substituting this SOH for the second term on the right side. Correct based on history. Note that the estimated SOH may be notified to the user”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the state of health estimation of Elder with the discharge unit of Iwane for the purpose of determining the state of the battery with the advantage of additional data to enhance the accuracy of the estimation.
Regarding Claim 4, Elder and Iwane teach the limitations of Claim 3. Elder further discloses wherein the reference information includes battery identification information enabling the rechargeable battery to be identified (e.g. see [0048] “The tracking system stores "tags" or data specific to identifying the battery as well as operational data”).
Elder does not explicitly disclose wherein the estimator circuitry is configured to correct the component constituting the equivalent circuit based on the battery identification information. In the same field of endeavor, Iwane teaches wherein the estimator circuitry is configured to correct the component constituting the equivalent circuit based on the battery identification information (e.g. see [pg. 6 paragraph 3] “In the embodiment of the present invention, the equivalent circuit is used and the estimation result is corrected based on the history of the usage state, that is, the information on the progress of the variation of the deterioration of the cells constituting the secondary battery 14”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the battery identification information of Elder with the estimator circuit correction embodiment of Iwane for the purpose of determining the state of the battery with the advantage of additional data to enhance the accuracy of the estimation.
Regarding Claim 6, Elder and Iwane teach the limitations of Claim 3. Elder further discloses wherein the reference information includes user usage information relating to at least one of vehicle usage frequency of a user and a vehicle usage method of a user (e.g. see [0046] “During the normal operation of the battery 5 and/or electronics module 10 in situe it will collect and record parameters of operation, for instance but not limited to ambient temperature, charge rate, discharge rate, frequency of use, and the like, of the battery 5 in the operational environment as shown in 100”).
Elder does not explicitly disclose wherein the estimator circuitry is configured to select, based on the user usage information, a correction coefficient for correcting the component constituting the equivalent circuit. In the same field of endeavor, Iwane teaches the estimator circuitry is configured to select, based on the user usage information, a correction coefficient for correcting the component constituting the equivalent circuit (e.g. see [pg. 8 paragraph 5-6] “In step S51 the CPU 10a acquires a use history. More specifically, the CPU 10a acquires the usage history stored by the process of step S35 of FIG. 10 from the RAM 10c… the CPU 10a obtains SOH by substituting the equivalent circuit component for the first term on the right side of Equation (2), and uses SOH by substituting this SOH for the second term on the right side. Correct based on history”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the usage information of Elder with the correction embodiment of Iwane for the purpose of determining the state of the battery with the advantage of tailoring the determination method to the specific requirements of each individual battery examined.
Regarding Claim 7, Elder and Iwane teach the limitations of Claim 3. Elder teaches wherein the reference information includes history information indicating at least one of replacement history and reconnection history of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [0048] “The software modules form a tracking system for the exemplary embodiment of the programmable battery product 5. The tracking system stores "tags" or data specific to identifying the battery as well as operational data. These tags or data specific to identifying the battery can include for example an "in-service" date, installation date, calendar life, a last serviced date, sales/installation location information, storage location information, gps data, owner identifying information, zip code, region specific data tags, related region specific data such as average temperature, mean temperature, average humidity, mean humidity, voltage, amp hours, amp hours used, conductivity, resistivity, remaining charge, remaining battery capacity, capacitance, and the like”).
Elder does not explicitly disclose rechargeable battery, the estimator circuitry is configured to correct, based on the history information, an estimation process or an estimation result which uses the component constituting the equivalent circuit. In the same field of endeavor, rechargeable battery, the estimator circuitry is configured to correct, based on the history information, an estimation process or an estimation result which uses the component constituting the equivalent circuit (e.g. see [pg. 6 paragraph 5] “FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a measurement result according to the present embodiment (when corrected based on the history of use state). In FIG. 8, compared with FIG. 7, even when the SOH is reduced, the estimation accuracy is not reduced. In other words, in the present embodiment, the SOH can be accurately obtained by correcting with the history of the usage state even when there is a variation in deterioration between cells”) .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the historical information of Elder with the correction embodiment of Iwane for the purpose of determining the state of the battery with the advantage of tailoring the determination method to the specific requirements of each individual battery examined.
Regarding Claim 19 , Elder teaches the limitations of claim 18. Elder does not explicitly disclose wherein the battery state detection unit includes a discharge circuit, the estimator circuitry is configured to obtain a component constituting an equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery based on a response when a pulsed current flows through the discharge circuit, and the estimator circuitry is configured to estimate the state of the rechargeable battery based on the component constituting the equivalent circuit.
In the same field of endeavor, Iwane teaches wherein the battery state detection unit includes a discharge circuit (e.g. see [pg. 2, second to last paragraph] “In this figure, the secondary battery deterioration estimation device 1 includes a control unit 10, a voltage sensor 11, a current sensor 12, a temperature sensor 13, and a discharge circuit 15”),
the estimator circuitry is configured to obtain a component constituting an equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery based on a response when a pulsed current flows through the discharge circuit (e.g. see [pg. 5 paragraph 2] “when the secondary battery 14 is pulse-discharged, a temporal change in the voltage value is acquired, and the obtained change in the voltage value is fitted by a predetermined function using time as a variable. Thus, the parameters of the predetermined function can be calculated, and the components of the equivalent circuit of the secondary battery 14 can be obtained based on the calculated parameters of the predetermined function”), and
the estimator circuitry is configured to estimate the state of the rechargeable battery based on the component constituting the equivalent circuit (e.g. see [pg. 8 paragraph 6 ] “the CPU 10a substitutes the value of the component of the equivalent circuit for the first term on the right side of the above-described formula (2), and substitutes a variable related to the use history for the second term on the right side, thereby calculating SOH. In other words, the CPU 10a obtains SOH by substituting the equivalent circuit component for the first term on the right side of Equation (2), and uses SOH by substituting this SOH for the second term on the right side. Correct based on history. Note that the estimated SOH may be notified to the user”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the state of health estimation of Elder with the discharge unit of Iwane for the purpose of determining the state of the battery with the advantage of additional data to enhance the accuracy of the estimation.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elder (US20100121588 A1) in view of Azuchi (US20040057199 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 11. Elder does not explicitly disclose wherein a shape of the second connection part is complementary to a shape of the first connection part.
In the same field of endeavor, Azuchi teaches wherein a shape of the second connection part is complementary to a shape of the first connection part (e.g. see [0010] “According to an aspect of the invention, it provides an expansion unit that is detachably capable to be connected to electronic apparatus having a first connector, comprising a second connector electrically connected to the first connector, a third connector whose shape is equal to that of the first connector and which is connected to other electronic apparatus being different from the electronic apparatus, and a signal line which electrically connects the second connector and the third connector together”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the connections of Elder with the connection part shape of Azuchi for the purpose of connecting the disparate electronic elements with the advantage of a simple construction method that meets the user’s design incentives.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elder (US20100121588 A1).
Regarding Claim 13, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 10. Elder further discloses wherein the first wired communicator circuitry is configured to receive the battery state information by wired communication from the battery state detection unit (e.g. see [0047] “A third module or service/communication and update module 3000 communicates information from the battery and to the battery during operation. The service communication and update module then updates the SOC and/or SOH and other software on the battery product”), via the first connection part using a first protocol (e.g. see [0027] “A network involves permanent connections such as cables or temporary connections such as those made through telephone or other communication links. In this way the network can be maintained by conventional wires or may also be provided wirelessly. Examples of a network include: an internet, such as the Internet; an intranet; a local area network (LAN); a wide area network (WAN); CAN and LIN networks; cellular networks; and any combination of networks, such as an internet and an intranet.), and
the second wired communicator circuitry is configured to transmit the battery state information to the in-vehicle controller (e.g. see [0052] “the predictive calculation element, based on the stored data and data collected during operation the useful life of the battery or the battery charge is estimated. This prediction can be communicated to the user via a user interface, for instance in a vehicle user interface”) by wired communication using a second protocol different from the first protocol (e.g. see [0027] “A network involves permanent connections such as cables or temporary connections such as those made through telephone or other communication links. In this way the network can be maintained by conventional wires or may also be provided wirelessly. Examples of a network include: an internet, such as the Internet; an intranet; a local area network (LAN); a wide area network (WAN); CAN and LIN networks; cellular networks; and any combination of networks, such as an internet and an intranet.).
Examiner notes while the cited prior art teaches communication circuitry that transmits and receives battery state data, as well as multiple examples of protocols that may be used to communicate said data, the cited prior art does not explicitly disclose utilizing one protocol for the receiving of data, and a second protocol for the transmitting of data. Examiner notes it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to utilize any preferred combination of the protocols listed in the prior art in order to obtain the predictable result of transmitting and receiving data. See MPEP 2143(I)(A) and MPEP 2143(I)(F).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elder (US20100121588 A1) in view of Schweinbenz (JP 2017511020 A) and Oh (KR 20210114703 A).
Regarding Claim 17, Elder teaches the limitations of Claim 9. Elder does not explicitly disclose a housing configured to house the information communicator circuitry, wherein the housing includes a rotation stopper contactable with a side of the rechargeable battery.
In the same field of endeavor, Schweinbenz teaches a housing configured to house the information communicator circuitry (e.g. see [0024] “According to another particularly preferred configuration of the communication interface according to the present invention, the communication interface comprises a housing that encloses the communication interface, and the connecting elements are arranged on the housing so as to be accessible from the outside. In this case, the housing advantageously protects the communication interface from external influences, particularly moisture or mechanical loads such as shocks”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to combine the communication circuitry of Elder with the housing of Schweinbenz for the purpose of transmitting data to the controller with the advantage of ensuring the transmission equipment is not damaged or rendered inoperable.
Elder as modified by Schweinbenz does not explicitly disclose wherein the housing includes a rotation stopper contactable with a side of the rechargeable battery. In the same field of endeavor Oh teaches wherein the housing includes a rotation stopper contactable with a side of the rechargeable battery (e.g. see [Pg. 3 final line-pg. 4 paragraph 1] “In a specific embodiment, the battery pack housing member includes first and second housing holes sequentially formed on the upper surface of the receiving unit, and the terminal cover includes first and second stoppers sequentially formed apart from each other”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine the communication housing of Elder as modified by Schweinbenz with the housing containing a stopper of Oh for the purpose of transmitting data to the controller with the advantage of ensuring the transmission equipment is not damaged or rendered inoperable.
Conclusion
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/NYLA GAVIA/Examiner, Art Unit 2857 /YOSHIHISA ISHIZUKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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