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(s) (IDS) submitted on or before 2025-10-02 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claims 1, 4-6, 9, 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guerrero et al. (ES-2930209-A1 – Refer to attached machine translation for references cited).
Regarding Claim 1, Guerrero teaches a mobile machine (page 3 para 3 teaches system can be used on an electric vehicle) configured for detecting a source of a ground fault, the mobile machine comprising:
a battery string including at least one battery cell (Fig 1: electrical energy storage device, 6);
an electrical bus coupled with the battery string (Fig 1: electrical conductors, 3a & 3b);
a first electrical converter (Fig 1: First AC-DC converter) and a second electrical converter (Fig 1: DC-DC converter, 1e), each of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter coupled with the electrical bus (can be seen in Fig 1), the first electrical converter configured for operating at a first switching frequency and the second electrical converter configured for operating at a second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 5 teaches the components of the circuit have first through fourth fundamental frequencies), wherein the first switching frequency is different from the second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 6 teaches the section of the circuit with the fault may be identified by the fundamental frequency of the component present there indicating the fundamental frequencies may be unique, Page 19 Para 7 teaches the fundamental frequencies may be equal to the switching frequencies);
a sensor coupled with the electrical bus and configured for sensing a electrical parameter of the electrical bus (Fig 2: voltage meter, 17); and
a controller configured to receive the sensed electrical parameter (Fig 2: processing media, 20), the controller configured to detect ground faults by:
detecting, using the sensed electrical parameter, at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detection of a switching frequency of a converter based on the measured voltage); and
identifying, based on the detected at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency, at least one of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter as the source of the ground fault (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detected frequency can indicate that the converter with that switching frequency electrically connects to the ground fault).
Regarding Claim 4, Guerrero teaches the mobile machine of claim 1, wherein detecting, from the sensed electrical parameter, at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency includes:
analyzing a frequency content of the sensed electrical parameter to determine a presence of one or more of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Page 9 Para 3 teaches determining of the sensed signal is done by determining if it has a frequency equal to a switching frequency of a converter, there being multiple converters at multiple switching frequencies taught in the art would require the ability to determine at least one of a first and a second switching frequency).
Regarding Claim 5, Guerrero teaches the mobile machine of claim 4, wherein analyzing the frequency content of the sensed electrical parameter includes:
performing a Fourier transform on the sensed electrical parameter (Page 6 Para 1 teaches using a Fourier transform to estimate a value based on the measured value).
Regarding Claim 6, Guerrero teaches the mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the first electrical converter includes at least one of a DC/DC converter and an AC/DC converter (Fig 1 shows an AC/DC converters, 1a and 1c, and DC/DC converters, 1e and 1f).
Regarding Claim 9, Guerrero teaches a method for detecting a source of a ground fault in a mobile machine, the method comprising:
operating a first electrical converter (Fig 1: First AC-DC converter) at a first switching frequency;
operating a second electrical converter (Fig 1: DC-DC converter, 1e) at a second switching frequency, wherein the first switching frequency is different from the second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 5 teaches the components of the circuit have first through fourth fundamental frequencies | Page 18 Para 6 teaches the section of the circuit with the fault may be identified by the fundamental frequency of the component present there indicating the fundamental frequencies may be unique, Page 19 Para 7 teaches the fundamental frequencies are equal to the switching frequencies);
sensing an electrical parameter of an electrical bus (Fig 2: voltage meter, 17, is connected to the electrical conductors, 3a & 3b, from Fig 1);
receiving the sensed electrical parameter (Fig 2 shows a processing unit, 20, receiving signal from the voltage meter, 17);
detecting, using the sensed electrical parameter, at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detection of a switching frequency of a converter based on the measured voltage); and
identifying, based on the detected at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency, at least one of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter as the source of the ground fault (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detected frequency can indicate that the converter with that switching frequency electrically connects to the ground fault).
Regarding Claim 12, Guerrero teaches the method of claim 9, wherein detecting, from the sensed electrical parameter, at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency includes:
analyzing a frequency content of the sensed electrical parameter to determine a presence of one or more of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Page 9 Para 3 teaches determining of the sensed signal is done by determining if it has a frequency equal to a switching frequency of a converter, there being multiple converters at multiple switching frequencies taught in the art would require the ability to determine at least one of a first and a second switching frequency).
Regarding Claim 13, Guerrero teaches the method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the frequency content of the sensed electrical parameter includes: performing a Fourier transform on the sensed electrical parameter (Page 6 Para 1 teaches using a Fourier transform to estimate a value based on the measured value).
Regarding Claim 14, Guerrero teaches the method of claim 9, comprising: in a service mode:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and
operating the second electrical converter at the second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 5 teaches the components of the circuit have first through fourth fundamental frequencies | Page 18 Para 6 teaches the section of the circuit with the fault may be identified by the fundamental frequency of the component present there indicating the fundamental frequencies may be unique, Page 19 Para 7 teaches the fundamental frequencies are equal to the switching frequencies).
Regarding Claim 15, Guerrero teaches the method of claim 14, comprising: in a normal mode:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and
operating the second electrical converter at the first switching frequency (Page 19 Para 2 teaches that the first and second fundamental frequencies may be equal to each other).
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 2-3 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guerrero in view of Bhalwankar et al. (EP-3582356-A2).
Regarding Claim 2, Guerrero does not explicitly teach a filter configured to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency. However, Bhalwankar teaches a filter configured to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Para [0025]-[0029] teaches using a filter to block frequencies below and above a band of frequencies in order to identify ground faults, these frequencies corresponding to the frequencies the equipment operates at). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to have incorporated the filters of Bhalwankar. A motivation for this modification is to identify the presence of ground faults using the frequency characteristics of the equipment as taught in Bhalwankar in Para [0025].
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Guerrero and Bhalwankar, as presented with respect to claim 2, teaches a first filter configured to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and above the first switching frequency (Bhalwankar - Para [0025] teaches a 3rd passband consisting of switching frequencies between 20kHz and 50kHz, and Fig 10 shows a filter configured for that range, therefore it is configured to block frequencies above and below a switching frequency); and a second filter configured to block frequencies below the second switching frequency and above the second switching frequency (Bhalwankar - Figs 9-10 show multiple filters (264, 284, 384, 484). Para [0025]-[0029] teaches using filters to detect the presence of ground faults based on operating frequency of the equipment used, further Para [0025] teaches the passbands may be tuned based on the characteristics of the equipment). These features are necessarily taught by the combination.
Regarding Claim 9, Guerrero does not explicitly teach filtering to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency. However, Bhalwankar teaches filtering to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Para [0025]-[0029] teaches using a filter to block frequencies below and above a band of frequencies in order to identify ground faults, these frequencies corresponding to the frequencies the equipment operates at). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to have incorporated the filters of Bhalwankar. A motivation for this modification is to identify the presence of ground faults using the frequency characteristics of the equipment as taught in Bhalwankar in Para [0025].
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Guerrero in view of Bhalwankar, as presented with respect to claim 9, teaches filtering to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and above the first switching frequency (Bhalwankar - Para [0025] teaches a 3rd passband consisting of switching frequencies between 20kHz and 50kHz, and Fig 10 shows a filter configured for that range, therefore it is configured to block frequencies above and below a switching frequency); and
filtering to block frequencies below the second switching frequency and above the second switching frequency (Bhalwankar - Figs 9-10 show multiple filters (264, 284, 384, 484). Para [0025]-[0029] teaches using filters to detect the presence of ground faults based on operating frequency of the equipment used, further Para [0025] teaches the passbands may be tuned based on the characteristics of the equipment). These features are necessarily taught by the combination.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guerrero in view of Hu et al. (US-20180241200-A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Guerrero does not teach wherein the controller is a first controller, wherein the mobile machine is configured for operating in a normal mode and a service mode, wherein in the service mode, a second controller is configured for:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and
operating the second electrical converter at the second switching frequency.
However, Hu teaches wherein the controller is a first controller, wherein the mobile machine is configured for operating in a normal mode and a service mode, wherein in the service mode, a second controller (Fig 5 shows multiple controllers, 121 -124) is configured for:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and
operating the second electrical converter at the second switching frequency (Para [0141]-[0142] teaches the controllers may operate the converters, 3, at different switching frequencies).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to include the 2nd controller of Hu. A motivation for this modification is the controller performing the switching frequency improves signal to noise ratio and provides the benefit of fault location, as taught by Hu in Para [0141].
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Guerrero in view of Hu, as presented with respect to claim 7, teaches operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and
operating the second electrical converter at the first switching frequency (Hu - Para [0152]-[0153] teaches the controllers, 12, may operate the converters at the same switching frequency). These features are necessarily taught by the combination.
Claims 16, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guerrero in view of Wei et al. (US-8698504-B2).
Regarding Claim 16, Guerrero teaches a mobile machine (page 3 para 3 teaches system can be used on an electric vehicle) configured for detecting a source of a ground fault, the mobile machine comprising:
a battery string including at least one battery cell (Fig 1: electrical energy storage device, 6);
an electrical bus coupled with the battery string (Fig 1: electrical conductors, 3a & 3b);
a first electrical converter (Fig 1: First AC-DC converter) and a second electrical converter (Fig 1: DC-DC converter, 1e), each of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter coupled with the electrical bus (can be seen in Fig 1), the first electrical converter configured for operating at a first switching frequency and the second electrical converter configured for operating at a second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 5 teaches the components of the circuit have first through fourth fundamental frequencies), wherein the first switching frequency is different from the second switching frequency (Page 18 Para 6 teaches the section of the circuit with the fault may be identified by the fundamental frequency of the component present there indicating the fundamental frequencies may be unique, Page 19 Para 7 teaches the fundamental frequencies are equal to the switching frequencies);
a voltage sensor coupled with the electrical bus and configured for sensing a voltage of the electrical bus (Fig 2: voltage meter, 17);
a controller configured to receive the voltage (Fig 2: processing media, 20), the controller configured to detect ground faults by:
detecting, using the voltage, at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detection of a switching frequency of a converter based on the measured voltage); and
identifying, based on the detected at least one of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency, at least one of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter as the source of the ground fault (Page 9 Para 3 teaches the detected frequency can indicate that the converter with that switching frequency electrically connects to the ground fault).
Guerrero does not explicitly teach a user interface configured to receive data from the controller representing the identified at least one of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter as the source of the ground fault. However, Wei teaches a user interface (Fig 1: display, 42) configured to receive data from the controller representing the identified at least one of the first electrical converter and the second electrical converter as the source of the ground fault (Para 4 lines 57-67 teaches the location of the ground fault may be identified, and para 4 lines 27-30 teaches that information about the ground fault may be displayed to a user through the display). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to include the display of Wei. A motivation for this modification is to alert to a human so that action may be taken to repair the circuit.
Regarding Claim 18, the combination of Guerrero in view of Wei, as presented with respect to claim 16, teaches analyzing a frequency content of the voltage to determine a presence of one or more of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency (Guerrero - Page 9 Para 3 teaches determining of the sensed signal is done by determining if it has a frequency equal to a switching frequency of a converter, there being multiple converters at multiple switching frequencies taught in the art would require the ability to determine at least one of a first and a second switching frequency). These features are necessarily taught by the combination.
Regarding Claim 19, the combination of Guerrero in view of Wei, as presented with respect to claim 18, teaches performing a Fourier transform on the sensed electrical parameter (Guerrero - Page 6 Para 1 teaches using a Fourier transform to estimate a value based on the measured value). These features are necessarily taught by the combination.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guerrero in view of Wei in view of Bhalwankar.
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Guerrero in view of Wei does not teach a first filter configured to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and above the first switching frequency. However, Bhalwankar teaches a first filter configured to block frequencies below the first switching frequency and above the first switching frequency (Para [0025]-[0029] teaches using a filter to block frequencies below and above a band of frequencies in order to identify ground faults, these frequencies corresponding to the frequencies the equipment operates at). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to have incorporated the filters of Bhalwankar. A motivation for this modification is to identify the presence of ground faults using the frequency characteristics of the equipment as taught in Bhalwankar in Para [0025].
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guerrero in view of Wei in view of Hu.
Regarding Claim 20, the combination of Guerrero in view of Wei does teach a first controller (Fig 2: processing media, 20) and operation in a normal mode. However, the combination does not teach wherein the mobile machine is configured for operating in a service mode, wherein in the service mode, a second controller is configured for:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and operating the second electrical converter at the second switching frequency.
However, Hu teaches wherein the machine is configured for operating in a service mode, wherein in the service mode, a second controller (Fig 5 shows multiple controllers, 121 -124 ) is configured for:
operating the first electrical converter at the first switching frequency; and operating the second electrical converter at the second switching frequency (Para [0141]-[0142] teaches the controllers may operate the converters, 3, at different switching frequencies). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the machine of Guerrero to include the 2nd controller of Hu. A motivation for this modification is the controller performing the switching frequency improves signal to noise ratio and provides the benefit of fault location, as taught by Hu in Para [0141].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMIAH J BARRON whose telephone number is (571)272-0902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 09:30-17:30 ET.
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/JEREMIAH J BARRON/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858