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 .
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 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.
Examiner Request
The Office requests Applicant’s cooperation with reviewing and correcting any other remaining informalities present in the claims, but not made of record in the instant action.
The metes and bounds of the claims is not clear as raised in the instant action. Issues are cause by (a) inconsistent terminology, (b) multiple dependent claims, (c) use of “components” to cover various claimed elements without specifying which claimed elements that “components” is including.
Claim Interpretation
The claims have reference numerals in parentheses “( )”. According to MPEP 608.01(m), the presence of these reference characters does not affect the scope of a claim.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Page 25, lines 21-22, “the electric motor 51 and the inverter 52” should be “the inverter 51 and the electric motor 52”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 11, “the circulation” lacks antecedent basis and should be “a circulation”;
Claim 2, line 2, “exchanger” should be “exchangers”;
Claim 5, lines 4-8 requires
“- the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43), or
- the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43), while the speed reducer (53) is cooled by the ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41).”
If the limitation of “the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43)” is met, then the limitation of “the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43), while the speed reducer (53) is cooled by the ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41)” only imposes an additional requirement (in other words if the broader limitation of “the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43)” is also be met then the narrower limitation of “the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43), while the speed reducer (53) is cooled by the ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41)” only narrows the limitation of “the inverter (51) and the electric motor (52) are cooled through the second heat exchanger (43)”);
e. Claim 7, line 7, “the independent and iterative controls” lacks antecedent basis and should be “independent and iterative controls”;
f. Claim 7, lines 7, 8, and 9, “the temperature” lacks antecedent basis and should be “a temperature”;
g. Claim 7, lines 9-10, “each said temperatures (T_M, T_R, T_S)” should be “said temperature (T_M, T_R, T_S) of the inverter (51)/electric motor (52), the speed reducer (53) or the source of energy (55);
h. Claim 8, line 2, “the time sequence” lacks antecedent basis and should be “a time sequence”; and
i. Claim 8, line 3, “the activation” lacks antecedent basis and should be “an activation”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-8 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.
Claim 1, line 8, “the air” lacks antecedent basis. Also is “air” the same or different from “ambient air” which part of “an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)” of line 7
Claim 1, line 10, the term “high voltage” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high voltage” 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. When is the voltage high and when is the voltage not high?
Claim 1, line 16 requires “each component of the electric powertrain (50)” and lines 2-4 requires “the electric powertrain (50) comprises an inverter (51), an electric motor (52), a speed reducer (53) and the electric-powered vehicle . . .” What are the components of the electric powertrain? If the components are only the inverter (51), the electric motor (52), and the speed reducer (53), then this limitation of lines 2-4 should read “the electric powertrain (50) comprises an inverter (51), an electric motor (52), and a speed reducer (53), and the electric-powered vehicle . . . ”
d. Claim 1, lines 20-21 requires “the second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)” lacks antecedent basis. Further line 7 requires “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43).” Is “second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)” part or in addition to “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)”?
e. Claim 1, line 22 requires “the first ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (42)” lacks antecedent basis. Further line 7 requires “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43).” Is “second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)” part of or in addition to “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ Carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)”?
f. Claim 2 line 2 requires “a first and a second heat exchanger (42, 43)”, Claim 1, lines 20-21 requires “the second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)” and Claim 1, line 22 requires “the first ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (42)”. Are the first and second heat exchangers in addition to “the first ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (42)” “the second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)”?
g. Claim 2, lines 4-5 requires “a third heat exchanger is an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41)” and Claim 7 requires “at least one heat exchanger or at least an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43).” Is the third heat exchanger part of in addition to “at least one heat exchanger or at least an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator” of claim 1? Further should “an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator” have antecedence in “at least an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator” of claim 1;
h. Claim 3, line 8, “the electric engine (50)” lacks antecedent basis. Did Applicant intend “the electric powertrain 50”?
i. Claim 4, lines 3-4; and Claim 6, line 6, “the first heat exchanger (42)” lacks antecedent basis. First, Claim 1, line 7 requires “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43).” Is “the first heat exchanger (42)” part of or in addition to “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)”? Is “the first heat exchanger (42)” the same or different element from “the first ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (42)” of claim 1, lines 22-23?
j. Claim 5, line 5; and Claim 6, lines 4-5 and 7-8, “the second heat exchanger (43)” lacks antecedent basis. First, Claim 1, line 7 requires “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43).” Is “the second heat exchanger (43)” part of or in addition to “at least one heat exchanger or an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)”? Is “the second heat exchanger (43)” the same or different element from “the second ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (43)” of claim 1, lines 20-21?
k. Claim 5, lines 7-8, should “the ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41)” be “the at least the ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)”because the antecedence claimed. appears to have antecedence in “at least an ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41, 42, 43)” or is this a third heat exchanger or another ambient air/ carrier fluid radiator (41)”?
l. Claim 7, line 9, “the source of energy (55)” lacks antecedent basis. Did Applicant intend “the power source” (see claim 1, line 4)?
m. Claim 7, line 11; and Claim 8, lines 3-4, “the heating” lacks antecedent basis (note that the term “heated” is used in claims 1, 3, and 4 from which claim 7 depends on);
n. Claim 7, lines 11-12 requires “the aforementioned components (51/52, 53, 55)” lacks antecedent basis. What are the “aforementioned components”? “Components” appears to include different components than “each component” of claim 1, line 16;
o. Claims 7/3, 7/4, 7/5,and 7/6, lines 12 and 16 require “at least one operating mode” and Claims 3-6, line 2 of each require “an operating mode.” Are these the same or different operating modes from “an operating mode of claims 3-6? Further does “at least one operating mode” of claim 7, line 16 have antecedence in “at least one operating mode” of claim 7, line 12?
p. Claim 7, lines 13 and 17, “the corresponding temperature” lacks antecedent basis. Is this referring to “the temperature (T_M) of the inverter (51)/electric motor (52), the temperature (T_R) of the speed reducer (53) and the temperature (T_S) of the source of energy (55)”?
q. Claim 7, lines 13-14 require “a predetermined minimum temperature threshold (T_M_MIN, T_R_MIN, T_S_MIN)” of what? Is this require “a predetermined minimum temperature threshold (T_M_MIN, T_R_MIN, T_S_MIN) of the inverter (51)/electric motor (52), the speed reducer (53) and/or the source of energy (55)?
r. Claim 7, lines 13-14 require “a predetermined minimum temperature threshold (T_M_MIN, T_R_MIN, T_S_MIN)” of what? Is this require “a predetermined minimum temperature threshold (T_M_MIN, T_R_MIN, T_S_MIN) of one of more of the inverter (51)/electric motor (52), the speed reducer (53) or the source of energy (55)?
s. Claim 7, line 15; and Claim 8, line 4, “the cooling” lacks antecedent basis. (note that the term “cooled” is used in claims 1, 5, and 6 from which claim 7 depends on);
t. Claim 7, lines 17-18 require “a predetermined maximum temperature threshold (T_M_MAX, T_R_MAX, T_S_MAX)” of what? Is this require “a predetermined minimum temperature threshold (T_M_MAX, T_R_MAX, T_S_MAX) of one of more of the inverter (51)/electric motor (52), the speed reducer (53) or the source of energy (55)?
u. Claim 8, lines 2-3, “operating modes” lacks antecedent basis;
v. Claim 8, line 4 requires “said components (51/52, 53, 55)”, line 5 requires “all components”, line 6 requires “the components”, line 7 requires “some components”, and line 8 requires “other components.” Claim 1, line 16 requires “each component” and Claim 7, line 11 requires “the aforementioned components.” Should “component” have antecedence in “ aforementioned components of claim 7? Also see the issue above for requires “the aforementioned components (51/52, 53, 55)” of claim 7, lines 11-12 above;
w. Claim 8, line 2, “the energy source (55)” lacks antecedent basis. Did Applicant intend “the power source” (see claim 1, line 4)?
x. Claim 8, lines 7-8 requires “i.e., heating some components and cooling other components.” The phrase "i.e.” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d); and
y. Claims 8/7/3. 8/7/4, 8/7/5, and 8/7/6 require “an operating mode for heating all components” (line 5), “at least one operating mode of partial heating of the components” (line 6),” at least one hybrid operating mode, i.e., heating some components and cooling other components” (lines 7-8), “an operating mode of partial cooling of the components” (line 9) and “an operating mode for cooling all components” (line 10) and Claims 3, 4, 5, and 6, line 2 of each require “an operating mode”. How does a respective one of the operating modes of claims align with each of the operating modes of claim 8 align with a respective one of the operating modes of Claims 3, 4, 5, and 6 that claim 8 is dependent on (note that claim 8 is dependent on claim 7, which in turn is dependent on claims 3, 4, 5, or 6 in the alternative)?
Allowable Subject Matter
The Examiner is not listing any allowable subject matter due to the number of informalities raised in the instant action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2022/0371396 and CN 111572410 discloses a thermal management system with an inverter, an electric motor, a speed reducer a power source (battery pack), a heater, pump and valves, but operates in a different fashion than the claimed system.
US 10,843,550, 11,571,944, 11,760,154 and 2021/0188043 discloses a thermal management system with an inverter, an electric motor, a speed reducer a power source (battery pack), a heater, pump and valves, but fails to disclose a speed reducer.
US 2025/0042220 discloses a thermal management system with an electric motor, a speed reducer a power source (battery pack), a heater, pump and valves, but fails to disclose a speed reducer and an inverter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J HOFFBERG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2761. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 9 AM - 5 PM.
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, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached on (571) 272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
RJH 1/28/2026
/ROBERT J HOFFBERG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835