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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSes) submitted on 05/31/2024, 02/14/2025, 05/08/2025, 07/23/2025, 12/01/2025, and 06/18/2026 are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the reference labels a, b, c, d, e, and f for the corresponding battery cells as discussed in par. [0035] of the specification are not shown in Fig. 1. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the reference labels a, b, c, d, e, and f for the corresponding battery cells as discussed in par. [0035] of the specification are not shown in Fig. 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 8, and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities: “wherein the number of the first battery cell pack is at least one, and the first battery cell pack comprises a first battery cell” as set forth in claims 1, 8, and 15 should be “wherein a number of the first battery cell pack is at least one, and each first battery cell pack comprises a first battery cell.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 for the following reasons:
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because, while independent claim 1 falls within a statutory class of a method (i.e., claim 1 passes Step 1 of the § 101 analysis, see MPEP § 2106.03.II), under Step 2A of the § 101 analysis, claim 1 recites a judicial exception without integrating the judicial exception into a practical application (i.e., fails Step 2A of the § 101 analysis). See MPEP § 2106.04.
Specifically, claim 1 recites “acquiring charging-discharging data …, acquiring first SOCs …, establishing an association table …, [and] acquiring a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquiring a second SOC ….” The claimed acquisitions and/or the claimed establishing are abstract ideas because they can be performed mentally and/or are mathematical concepts. See MPEP § 2106.04(a)(2).I, II. Here, the claimed acquisitions and/or the claimed establishing can be performed mentally by a human (e.g., with the aid of a pen and paper) by, for example, viewing a display and recording the claimed information and/or by using known mathematical relationships to calculate the clamed information.
Further, claim 1 does not recite any additional elements that integrate the abstract idea of the claimed acquisitions and/or the clamed establishing into a practical application. For example, claim 1 does not positively recite that anything is done with and/or to the battery (or the corresponding system) based on the claimed information and thus does not integrate the claimed selecting into a practical application. See MPEP § 2106.04(d). In addition, the claim does not recite any improvement to the relevant technology. The claimed method of acquiring the second SOC does not “improve[] the functioning of a computer or improve[] another technology or technical field” and thus it is still an abstract idea that does not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. See MPEP § 2106.04(d)(1).
Finally, claim 1 also fails under Step 2B of the § 101 analysis because claim 1 fails to recite any additional elements that “amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself.” See MPEP §2106.05. Even assuming, arguendo, that the claimed method of acquiring a second SOC is a new idea, this acquiring is still an abstract idea, as discussed above, and thus does not amount to “significantly more.” See MPEP § 2106.05 (“a claim for a new abstract idea is still an abstract idea” quoting Synopsys, Inc. v. Mentor Graphics Corp., 839 F.3d 1138, 1151, 120 USPQ2d 1473, 1483 (Fed. Cir. 2016), emphasis original).
For reasons similar to those given above, the claimed acquisitions and/or the claimed associations, as set forth in dependent claims 2-7 also fail steps 2A and 2B of the § 101 analysis. Accordingly, claims 2-7 are similarly rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 8-14 are directed to a battery state of charge (SOC) evaluation device and claims 15-20 are directed to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. While these claims pass step 1 of the 101 analysis, claims 8-20 still fail steps 2A and 2B of the § 101 analysis for reasons similar to those given above with respect to claims 1-7. Accordingly, claims 8-20 are rejected under 35 USC 101.
Assuming there is support in the specification, in order to overcome the 101 rejection, Applicant should consider amending the claims such that the judicial exceptions discussed above are integrated into a practical application.
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 (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 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 1-6, 8-13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0236261 to Lian et al. (“Lian”) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0044365 to Takacs et al. (“Takacs”) and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0033415 to Furukawa at al. (“Furukawa”). Lian was submitted by Applicant in the IDS of 5/8/2025.
Regarding claim 1:
A battery state of charge (SOC) evaluation method (Lian disclose an SOC evaluation method. See Abstract.), comprising:
acquiring charging-discharging data of a first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates (Lian discloses acquiring initial charging parameters at different charging/discharging rates. Lian at pars. [0036]-[0046] and Fig. 1.),
wherein the number of the first battery cell pack is at least one, and the first battery cell pack comprises a first battery cell (Lian discloses a battery with at least one cell. Lian at par. [0041].);
acquiring first SOCs of the first battery cell pack according to the charging-discharging data, wherein the charging-discharging data comprises first voltages of the first battery cell pack (Lian discloses acquiring multiple initial parameters such as voltages and SOCs. Lian at pars. [0036]-[0046] and Fig. 1.);
acquiring a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquiring a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack by the association table (Lian discloses that, after the initial charging parameters are acquired, multiple actual charging parameters, which can include an actual charging voltage and an actual charging current are periodically acquired. Lian at pars. [0055]-[0058] and Fig. 2. Lian also discloses that the based on the multiple initial charging parameters and the multiple actual charging parameters, the usable capacity of the battery is estimated (“acquiring a second SOC”). Lian at par. [0059] and Fig. 2.)
Lian discloses that the initial parameters are acquired at room temperature (see Lian at par. [0038]), but does not explicitly disclose that the initial parameters are taken at different temperatures. In addition, Lian provides the suggestion to use stored parameters to obtain the SOC, but does not explicitly suggest using an association table.
acquiring charging-discharging data of a first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates (In a same field of endeavor, modeling battery characteristics (and thus analogous art), Takacs discloses acquiring charge current data for a “grid of temperatures.” Takacs at par. [0012]. It would have been obvious and one skilled in the art would have been motivated to acquire charging-discharging data at different temperatures because battery characteristics such as, e.g., secondary electrolyte-interphase layer (SEI) resistance, change with temperature. Takacs at par. [0012]. Because Lian and Takacs both relate to modeling battery characteristics, there would have been a reasonable chance of success. See MPEP § 2143.I.G. ).
establishing an association table of the first SOCs with the first temperatures, the first rates and the first voltages (Lian in view of Takacs will store the initial charging parameters, including temperature, in a “look-up-table” of a server. Thus, Lian in view of Takacs renders obvious the claimed “association table.” Lian at pars. [0037] and [0047]-[0048] and Takacs at par. [0012]. It would have been obvious to combine Lian and Takacs for the reasons given above.);
acquiring a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquiring a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack by the association table ( As discussed above Lian renders obvious acquiring a second SOC and establishing an association table. Accordingly, the claimed acquiring of the second SOC by the association table is rendered obvious.),
Lian in view of Takacs discloses a battery with at least one cell but does not explicitly disclose a battery with only one cell, a battery with multiple cells, or an evaluation procedure in which the SOC of each cell is acquired.
acquiring a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquiring a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack by the association table ( Liam in view of Takacs does not explicitly disclose that the second SOC is for each second battery cell. In a same field of endeavor, modeling battery characteristics (and thus analogous art), Furukawa discloses an assembled battery 30 with a plurality of batteries (cells) 100. Furukawa at Fig. 1. Furukawa discloses acquiring the SOC of each cell (“acquiring a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack”) using known methods. Furukawa at pars. [0102]-[0108]. It would have been obvious and one skilled in the art would have been motivated to acquire the SOC of each cell in order to determine whether the cell is deteriorating. Furukawa at pars. {0117]-[0123]. Because both Furukawa and Lian in view of Takacs relate to acquiring SOC of batteries, there would have been a reasonable chance of success. See MPEP § 2143.I.G.)
wherein the battery pack comprises multiple second battery cells (Furukawa at Fig. 1.).
Regarding 2: The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates comprises:
acquiring the different first temperatures according to a preset change parameter, and controlling a measuring space to reach the first temperatures, wherein the measuring space is used for placing the first battery cell pack (As discussed above, Takacs discloses using a “grid of temperatures” (“according to a preset change parameter”). Takacs at par. [0012]. Furukawa discloses that the temperature sensor 43 may measure the temperature in the vicinity (“measuring space “) of the assembled battery 30. Furukawa at par. [0043]. To achieve the ”grid of temperatures,” as taught by Takacs, those skilled in the art would understand that the temperature in the vicinity of the battery (“measuring space”) will need to be controlled. Accordingly, the claimed “controlling” is rendered obvious based on Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa. Because the references show that collecting battery parameters at different temperatures was known to those skilled in the art, the combination would have it led to predictable results. See MPEP § 2143.I.A.);
if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa includes a battery has a plurality of cells. Furukawa at Fig. 1. However, because this is a contingent limitation that has not been met, the claim element is still satisfied by Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa. See MPEP 2111.04(II).);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (As discussed above, Lian discloses acquiring charging and discharging data based on different charge/discharge rates. Lian at pars. [0041]-[0046]. In addition, Takacs discloses deriving a battery model based on a series of charging levels for a “grid” of temperatures. Takacs at par. [0012]. Further, Furukawa discloses that the cells 100 are connected in series. Furukawa at Fig. 1. Accordingly, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa discloses a system in which charging-discharging data is taken at different rates for each temperature of a “grid.” Thus, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa renders obvious the claimed element.).
Regarding claim 3: The method according to claim 2,
wherein if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, the method further comprises: at each same first temperature, acquiring a first charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell at a same first rate; acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a first average value of the first charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell at the same first rate and the first charging-discharging parameter (Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa includes a battery has a plurality of cells. Furukawa at Fig. 1. However, because this is a contingent limitation that has not been met, the claim element is still satisfied by Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa. See MPEP 2111.04(II).);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, the method further comprises: at each same first temperature,
acquiring a second charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell pack at the same first rate (Lian discloses acquiring charging and discharging data (e.g., current) based on different rates. Lian at pars. [0041]-[0046]. In addition, Takacs discloses deriving a battery model based on a series of charging current levels for a “grid” of temperatures. Takacs at par. [0012]. Further, Furukawa discloses that the cells 100 are connected in series and the current I flowing through the battery is detected by sensor 41. Furukawa at par. [0103] and Fig. 1. Accordingly, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa discloses a system in which charging-discharging data is taken at different rates for each temperature of a “grid.” Thus, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa renders obvious the claimed element.);
acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a second average value of the second charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell pack at the same first rate and the second charging-discharging parameter (Lian discloses that the current is a constant current (see Lian at pars. [0041]-[0046]) and Furukawa discloses that the current I is integrated over a time period from t1 to t2 (see Furukawa at par. [0114]). Thus, the claimed “average value” is rendered obvious over Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa.).
Regarding claim 4: The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the association table of the first SOCs with the first temperatures, the first rates and the first voltages comprises:
for each first battery cell pack, associating the first temperatures and the first rates for acquiring the charging-discharging data with the first voltages in the charging-discharging data to obtain a first association set; associating the first voltages in the charging-discharging data for acquiring the first SOCs with the first SOCs to obtain a second association set; acquiring the association table according to the first association set and the second association set (The system is Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa associates the temperatures and the charging/discharging current with voltages (see Lian at pars. [0041]-[0045]) and associates the voltages with capacity (“SOC”) (see Lian at pars. [0062]-[0067]). Accordingly, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa renders obvious the claimed first and second associations.),
wherein a model of the first battery cell is consistent with a model of the second battery cell (In addition, Lian discloses that the acquiring of the initial charging parameters and the acquiring of the actual charging parameters are to predict the battery capacity in the next charging process. Lian at par. [0051]. Accordingly, because the initial parameters are used to predict the battery charging process, the battery model used in the initial charging parameters will need to be consistent with the battery model used in acquiring the actual charging parameters.).
Regarding claim 5: The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring the second temperature, the second rate and the second voltage of the battery pack comprises:
acquiring a historical current and a historical temperature of the battery pack in a preset historical time period, and acquiring the second voltage and the second rate according to the historical current; acquiring the second temperature of the battery pack according to the historical temperature (Lian discloses that the multiple actual charging parameters are periodically acquired and that these are used to determine effective charging times and increment the effective charging times, which is given as the “historical number of effective charging times. Lian at par. [0050]. Lian also discloses that “[a]ccording to the multiple initial charging parameters, the multiple actual charging parameters, and the current number of effective charging times, a predicted battery capacity of the battery in a next effective charging process is acquired.” Thus, the acquired multiple actual charging parameters correspond to the claimed “historical” features.).
Regarding claim 6: The method according to claim 5, wherein acquiring the second voltage according to the historical current comprises:
acquiring a current variation according to the preset historical time period and the historical current; acquiring a first coefficient according to the current variation and a first characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquiring a second coefficient according to the preset historical time period, the first characteristic parameter and a second characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquiring the second voltage according to the first coefficient and the second coefficient (Lian discloses that, “[a]fter obtaining the current maximum usable capacity, the current number of effective charging times, the historical maximum usable capacity and the historical number of effective charging times [which will correspond to the (“current variation according to the preset historical time period and the historical current”)], the capacity correlation can be obtained by fitting, including exponential fitting, linear fitting, logarithmic fitting, polynomial fitting, and power function fitting [(“first coefficient” and “second coefficient”, etc.” Lian at par. [0082]. Lian also discloses that capacity and voltage are related (thus, historical maximum usable capacity corresponds to “second voltage”). Lian at par. [0065].)
Regarding claim 8:
A battery state of charge (SOC) evaluation device, comprising: at least one processor and a memory; wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions; the at least one processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory (Lian at pars. [0101]-[0103].), so that the at least one processor is configured to:
acquire charging-discharging data of a first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates, wherein the number of the first battery cell pack is at least one, and the first battery cell pack comprises a first battery cell; acquire first SOCs of the first battery cell pack according to the charging-discharging data, wherein the charging-discharging data comprises first voltages of the first battery cell pack; establish an association table of the first SOCs with the first temperatures, the first rates and the first voltages; acquire a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquire a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack by the association table, wherein the battery pack comprises multiple second battery cells (Please see analysis in claim 1.).
Regarding claim 9: The device according to claim 8,
wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to: acquire the different first temperatures according to a preset change parameter, and control a measuring space to reach the first temperatures, wherein the measuring space is used for placing the first battery cell pack (Please see analysis in claim 2.);
if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquire charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (Lian discloses acquiring charging and discharging data based on different rates. Lian at pars. [0041]-[0046]. In addition, Takacs discloses deriving a battery model based on a series of charging levels for a grid of temperatures. Takacs at par. [0012]. Although Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa does not disclose a battery with only one cell, the processor will have the same configuration with respect to the claimed “acquiring” whether the battery has only one cell or has more than one cell. Accordingly, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa renders obvious the claimed “acquiring.”);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquire charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (Please see analysis in claim 2.).
Regarding claim 10: The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to:
if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquire a first charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell at a same first rate; acquire the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a first average value of the first charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell at the same first rate and the first charging-discharging parameter (Lian discloses acquiring charging and discharging data (e.g., current) based on different rates. Lian at pars. [0041]-[0046]. In addition, Takacs discloses deriving a battery model based on a series of charging current levels for a grid of temperatures. Takacs at par. [0012]. Further, Furukawa discloses a current I flowing through the battery is detected by sensor 41. Furukawa at par. [0103] and Fig. 1. Although Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa does not disclose a battery with only one cell, the processor will have the same configuration with respect to the claimed “acquiring” whether the battery has only one cell or has more than one cell. Accordingly, Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa renders obvious the claimed “acquiring [of] a second charging-discharging parameter.”);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquire a second charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell pack at the same first rate; acquire the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a second average value of the second charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell pack at the same first rate and the second charging-discharging parameter (Please see analysis in claim 3.).
Regarding claim 11: The device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to:
for each first battery cell pack, associate the first temperatures and the first rates for acquiring the charging-discharging data with the first voltages in the charging-discharging data to obtain a first association set; associate the first voltages in the charging-discharging data for acquiring the first SOCs with the first SOCs to obtain a second association set; acquire the association table according to the first association set and the second association set, wherein a model of the first battery cell is consistent with a model of the second battery cell (Please see analysis in claim 4).
Regarding claim 12: The device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to:
acquire a historical current and a historical temperature of the battery pack in a preset historical time period, and acquire the second voltage and the second rate according to the historical current; acquire the second temperature of the battery pack according to the historical temperature (Please see analysis in claim 5.).
Regarding claim 13: The device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to:
acquire a current variation according to the preset historical time period and the historical current; acquire a first coefficient according to the current variation and a first characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquire a second coefficient according to the preset historical time period, the first characteristic parameter and a second characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquire the second voltage according to the first coefficient and the second coefficient (please see analysis in claim 6.).
Regarding claim 15:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium causes a processor to execute operations comprising (Lian at pars. [0101]-[0103].):
acquiring charging-discharging data of a first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates, wherein the number of the first battery cell pack is at least one, and the first battery cell pack comprises a first battery cell; acquiring first states of charge (SOCs) of the first battery cell pack according to the charging-discharging data, wherein the charging-discharging data comprises first voltages of the first battery cell pack; establishing an association table of the first SOCs with the first temperatures, the first rates and the first voltages; acquiring a second temperature, a second rate and a second voltage of a battery pack, and acquiring a second SOC of each second battery cell in the battery pack by the association table, wherein the battery pack comprises multiple second battery cells (Please see analysis in claim 1.).
Regarding claim 16: The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15,
wherein acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack at different first temperatures and different first rates comprises: acquiring the different first temperatures according to a preset change parameter, and controlling a measuring space to reach the first temperatures, wherein the measuring space is used for placing the first battery cell pack (Please see analysis in claim 2.);
if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (Please see analysis in claim 9.);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring charging-discharging data of each first battery cell pack at the different first rates (Please see analysis in claim 2).
Regarding claim 17: The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium causes the processor to execute operations further comprising:
if each first battery cell pack comprises only one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring a first charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell at a same first rate; acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a first average value of the first charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell at the same first rate and the first charging-discharging parameter (Please see analysis in claim 10.);
if each first battery cell pack comprises at least one first battery cell, at each same first temperature, acquiring a second charging-discharging parameter of each first battery cell pack at the same first rate; acquiring the charging-discharging data of the first battery cell pack according to a second average value of the second charging-discharging parameter of at least one first battery cell pack at the same first rate and the second charging-discharging parameter (Please see analysis in claim 3.).
Regarding claim 18: The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15,
wherein establishing the association table of the first SOCs with the first temperatures comprises: for each first battery cell pack, associating the first temperatures and the first rates for acquiring the charging-discharging data with the first voltages in the charging-discharging data to obtain a first association set; associating the first voltages in the charging-discharging data for acquiring the first SOCs with the first SOCs to obtain a second association set; acquiring the association table according to the first association set and the second association set, wherein a model of the first battery cell is consistent with a model of the second battery cell (Please see analysis in claim 4).
Regarding claim 19: The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein acquiring the second temperature, the second rate and the second voltage of the battery pack comprises:
acquiring a historical current and a historical temperature of the battery pack in a preset historical time period, and acquiring the second voltage and the second rate according to the historical current; acquiring the second temperature of the battery pack according to the historical temperature (Please see analysis in claim 5.).
Regarding claim 20: The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein acquiring the second voltage according to the historical current comprises:
acquiring a current variation according to the preset historical time period and the historical current; acquiring a first coefficient according to the current variation and a first characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquiring a second coefficient according to the preset historical time period, the first characteristic parameter and a second characteristic parameter of the battery pack; acquiring the second voltage according to the first coefficient and the second coefficient (Please see analysis in claim 6.).
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0052820 to Ozkan et al. (“Ozkan”). .
Regarding claim 7: The method according to claim 2, wherein before controlling the measuring space to reach the first temperatures, the method further comprises:
acquiring a start time node where a humidity of the measuring space does not exceed a preset humidity; acquiring a standing time length of the measuring space according to the start time node and a current time node, wherein the standing time length is a time length when the humidity of the measuring space does not exceed the preset humidity continuously; if the standing time length exceeds a preset time length, confirming to place the first battery cell pack in the measuring space (Lian in view of Takacs and Furukawa does not explicitly disclose monitoring humidity when performing its data acquisition. However, in the same field of endeavor, collecting data on rechargeable batteries (an thus analogous art), Ozkan discloses that, when performing testing on batteries, the tests can include controlling the conditions of temperature and humidity. Ozkan at par. [0073]. Although in the context of performing aging tests, Ozkan shows that conditions such as humidity can affect battery characteristics. Accordingly, for at least this reason, it woud have been obvious and one skilled in the art would have ensured that the humidity did not exceed a preset value before performing the acquisition of charging-discharging data. Because the references relate to battery testing and battery characteristics, there would have been a reasonable chance of success. See MPEP § 2143.I.G.)
Regarding claim 14: The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is specifically configured to:
acquire a start time node where a humidity of the measuring space does not exceed a preset humidity; acquire a standing time length of the measuring space according to the start time node and a current time node, wherein the standing time length is a time length when the humidity of the measuring space does not exceed the preset humidity continuously; if the standing time length exceeds a preset time length, confirm to place the first battery cell pack in the measuring space (Please see analysis in claim 7.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Patent No. 12,044,741 to Juang et al. discloses testing a battery under standardized conditions (e.g., temperature, SOC, C-rate, etc.).
Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN115575821 to Thalys Automobile Co. Ltd. discloses obtaining and adjusting an evaluation model for a battery.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0025958 to Deng et al. discloses obtaining multiple sets of initial battery parameters to determine an optimal model.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BHASKAR KAKARLA whose telephone number is (571)272-8221. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs.
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/B.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2116
/KENNETH M LO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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