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 (IDS) submitted on 2/12/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 9-10 and 22 are 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 claims 9 and 22, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 10 is rejected for inheriting the deficiencies of claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3, 8, 11, 13-16, 21, and 23-24 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The thorough search found 3 closest references:
US-20140186731 discloses “system may include a first reservoir containing a negative liquid electrolyte. An embodiment system may further include a second reservoir containing a positive liquid electrolyte. An embodiment system may further include a charge/discharge stack. An embodiment system may further include at least one pump for circulating the electrolytes between the reservoirs and the stack. An embodiment system may further include a controller that may include a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon controller executable instructions, which may be configured to cause the controller to perform operations. In an embodiment system, the operations performed by a controller may include maintaining the electrolytes in a negatively imbalanced state” (see [0011].)
US-20210066737 suggests “A redox flow battery which includes a battery cell to which a positive-electrode electrolyte and a negative-electrode electrolyte are supplied; a plurality of positive-electrode electrolyte tanks that store the positive-electrode electrolyte; a plurality of negative-electrode electrolyte tanks that store the negative-electrode electrolyte; a positive-electrode electrolyte tank switching device that switches a positive-electrode electrolyte tank among the plurality of positive electrolyte tanks; a negative-electrode electrolyte tank switching device that switches a negative-electrode electrolyte tank among the plurality of negative-electrode electrolyte tanks; a polarity switching unit that switches the polarity of the electrodes of the battery cells; and a controller for controlling switching the polarity of the electrodes, switching of the plurality of positive-electrode electrolyte tanks and switching of the plurality of negative-electrode electrolyte tanks. Also disclosed is a method for operating the redox flow battery” (see Abstract.)
US-20160372763 teaches “an apparatus of multifunctional integrating flow battery, comprising at least one cell stack, an anode heat exchanger, a cathode heat exchanger, an anode electrolyte tank, a cathode electrolyte tank, a temperature-retaining tank, a charging/discharging unit, and a monitoring unit, where the cell stack receives an anode electrolyte and a cathode electrolyte to generate and/or release direct-current (DC) power by processing electrochemical reactions according to the anode and cathode electrolytes; the cell stack separately outputs the anode and cathode electrolytes after the electrochemical reactions; the anode and cathode heat exchangers are connected to the cell stack to process heat exchange of the anode and cathode electrolytes, respectively; the anode and the cathode electrolyte tank holds the anode and the cathode electrolyte, respectively; the anode and the cathode electrolyte is delivered from the anode and the cathode electrolyte tank by a first and a second circulating pump unit, respectively; the anode and the cathode electrolyte separately passes through a flow control unit to control flow rate; after the anode and the cathode electrolyte enters into the cell stack to process the electrochemical reactions to generate and/or release DC power, the anode and the cathode electrolyte enters into the anode and the cathode heat exchanger to keep the anode and the cathode electrolyte in an optimum operating temperature range, respectively; after passing through the anode and the cathode heat exchanger, the anode and the cathode electrolyte returns back to the anode and the cathode electrolyte tank to form a cycling of the anode and the cathode electrolyte with coordination of the anode and the cathode electrolyte tank, the anode and the cathode heat exchanger and the cell stack to finish charging/discharging power, respectively” (see [0008].)
However, the combination or each of the cited references above does not disclose nor fairly suggest each and every claimed limitation of the independent claims 1 and 14 (specifically claimed limitation “charging initiation method comprising: connecting a DC power supply to the positive porous electrode and the negative porous electrode to charge the cell stack, while the positive electrolyte pump and the negative electrolyte pump are deactivated; and in response to a pre-charging condition: disconnecting the DC power supply from the positive porous electrode and the negative porous electrode; connecting the power converter coupled to the AC power supply to the positive porous electrode and the negative porous electrode to charge the cell stack from the AC power supply; and activating the positive electrolyte pump and the negative electrolyte pump”, therefore claims 1-3, 8, 11, 13-16, 21, and 23-24 are allowed.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Interview
An attempt to reach the applicant (Gross, Danielle N; Reg# 74555) on 8/18/2026 by telephone was unsuccessful. Examiner invites the applicant for an interview to clarify/resolve any or all the issues in order place the case in condition for allowance.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUY Q PHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7924. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kiesha Bryant can be reached at (571)272-3606. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUY Q PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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