DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-15 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
4. The specification is objected to due to the following informality.
In paragraph 7 on page 2 of the specification, “terminalto” should be revised to “terminal to.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claims 7-10 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Per claim 7, the limitation “the time constant” in line 2 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. The limitation “a time constant” is described in claim 5 but claim 7 depends on claim 4. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 8 is consequently rejected due to its dependence on claim 7.
Per claim 9, the limitations “the time constant,” “the resistance value,” and “the capacitance” in lines 2-3 lack sufficient antecedent bases. The limitations “a time constant,” “a resistance value,” and “a capacitance” are recited in claim 5 but claim 9 depends on claim 4. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 10 is consequently rejected due to its dependence on claim 9.
Per claim 13, the limitation “the time constant” in line 2 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, said limitation is interpreted as implying “a time constant.
Per claim 13, it is unclear if the limitations “a precharge resistor” and “a capacitor” in line 3 refer to the limitations “a precharge resistor” and “a capacitor,” respectively, recited in claim 11. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, said limitations in claim 13 are interpreted as implying “the precharge resistor” and “the capacitor,” respectively.
Per claim 13, the limitation “the ratio” in line 6 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. The limitation “a ratio” is described in claim 12 but claim 13 depends on claim 11. Appropriate correction is required.
Per claim 14, it is unclear if the limitations “a precharge resistor” in line 2 and “a capacitor” in line 3 refer to the limitations “a precharge resistor” and “a capacitor,” respectively, recited in claim 11. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, said limitations in claim 14 are interpreted as implying “the precharge resistor” and “the capacitor,” respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. Claims 1-3, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shinohara et al. (US 5,804,973 – hereinafter “Shinohara”).
Per claim 1, Shinohara teaches a battery device having a positive connection terminal and a negative connection terminal to be connected to an external device, comprising:
a battery pack (Fig. 1; main battery 3; col. 2, lines 41-42);
a positive main switch (Fig. 1; motor contactor 21; col. 2, line 44) connected between a positive terminal of the battery pack and the positive connection terminal (The motor contactor 21 is connected between a positive terminal of the main battery 3 and a positive connection terminal connected to an external device including a capacitor 27 and an inverter 6 (Fig. 1));
a precharge switch (Fig. 1; pre-charge contactor 22; col. 2, line 55) connected between the positive terminal of the battery pack and the positive connection terminal to control a precharge operation of a capacitor (Fig. 1; capacitor 27; col. 3, lines 18-23) of the external device (The pre-charge contactor 22 is connected between the positive terminal of the main battery 3 and the positive connection terminal. The pre-charge contactor 22 controls a precharge operation of the capacitor 27 (Fig. 1; col. 3, lines 40-44)); and
a processor (Fig. 1; electronic control unit 10; col. 2, lines 61-62) configured to:
perform a precharge operation by closing the precharge switch during a precharge duration (When the pre-charge contactor 22 is turned ON, the capacitor 27 starts to charge (col. 3; lines 40-44));
close the positive main switch in response to the precharge operation being complete (After a lapse of time, the pre-charge contactor 22 is turned OFF and the motor contactor 21 is turned ON (col. 3, lines 49-52)); and
diagnose the precharge operation based on a first voltage of the positive connection terminal when the positive main switch is about to close and a second voltage of the positive connection terminal as soon as the positive main switch is closed (A first voltage is obtained by a voltage sensor S2 connected to the positive connection terminal prior to the motor contactor 21 closing and a second voltage is obtained by the voltage sensor S2 at a time when the motor contactor 21 is closed. A state of the capacitor 27 is determined based on the first and second voltages (col. 3, lines 38 – col. 4, line 4)).
Per claim 2, Shinohara teaches the battery device of claim 1, further comprising: a precharge resistor connected between the positive terminal and the positive connection terminal (A pre-charge resistor 23 is connected between the positive terminal of the main battery 3 and the positive connection terminal (Fig. 1; col. 2, line 54-57)).
Per claim 3, Shinohara teaches the battery device of claim 2, wherein: the precharge switch and the precharge resistor are connected in series (The pre-charge contactor 22 and the pre-charge resistor 23 are connected in series (Fig. 1; col. 2, lines 54-57)).
Per claim 11, Shinohara teaches a diagnosis method of a battery device including a battery pack, and a positive connection terminal and a negative connection terminal to be connected to an external device, comprising:
precharging a capacitor (Fig. 1; capacitor 27; col. 3, lines 18-23) connected to the positive connection terminal and the negative connection terminal through a precharge resistor (A capacitor 27 is electrically connected between positive and negative terminals of a main battery 3. When a pre-charge contactor 22 is turned ON, the capacitor 27 starts to charge via a pre-charge resistor 23 (col. 3; lines 40-44));
applying a voltage of the battery pack to the positive connection terminal after performing the precharging (After a lapse of time, the pre-charge contactor 22 is turned OFF and a motor contactor 21 electrically connected to the positive terminal of the main battery 3 is turned ON (col. 3, lines 49-52));
measuring a voltage of the positive connection terminal as a first voltage when the voltage of the battery pack (Fig. 1; main battery 3; col. 2, lines 41-42) is about to be applied (A first voltage is obtained by a voltage sensor S2 electrically connected to the positive terminal prior to the motor contactor 21 closing (col. 3, lines 38-48));
measuring the voltage of the positive connection terminal as a second voltage as soon as the voltage of the battery pack is applied (A second voltage is obtained by the voltage sensor S2 at a time when the motor contactor 21 is closed (col. 3, lines 49-57)); and
diagnosing the precharging based on the first voltage and the second voltage (A state of the capacitor 27 is determined based on the first and second voltages (col. 3, lines 38 – col. 4, line 4)).
Per claim 15, Shinohara teaches a battery management system of a battery device including a battery pack, and a positive connection terminal and a negative connection terminal to be connected to an external device, comprising:
a positive main switch (Fig. 1; motor contactor 21; col. 2, line 44) connected between a positive terminal of the battery pack (Fig. 1; main battery 3; col. 2, lines 41-42) and the positive connection terminal (The motor contactor 21 is connected between a positive terminal of the main battery 3 and a positive connection terminal connected to an external device including a capacitor 27 and an inverter 6 (Fig. 1));
a precharge switch (Fig. 1; pre-charge contactor 22; col. 2, line 55) connected between the positive terminal of the battery pack and the positive connection terminal to control a precharge operation of a capacitor (Fig. 1; capacitor 27; col. 3, lines 18-23) of the external device (The pre-charge contactor 22 is connected between the positive terminal of the main battery 3 and the positive connection terminal. The pre-charge contactor 22 controls a precharge operation of the capacitor 27 (Fig. 1; col. 3, lines 40-44)); and
a processor (Fig. 1; electronic control unit 10; col. 2, lines 61-62), wherein the processor is configured to:
perform a precharge operation by closing the precharge switch during a precharge duration (When the pre-charge contactor 22 is turned ON, the capacitor 27 starts to charge (col. 3; lines 40-44));
close the positive main switch in response to the precharge operation being complete (After a lapse of time, the pre-charge contactor 22 is turned OFF and the motor contactor 21 is turned ON (col. 3, lines 49-52)); and
diagnose the precharge operation based on a first voltage of the positive connection terminal when the positive main switch is about to be closed and a second voltage of the positive connection terminal as soon as the positive main switch is closed (A first voltage is obtained by a voltage sensor S2 connected to the positive connection terminal prior to the motor contactor 21 closing and a second voltage is obtained by the voltage sensor S2 at a time when the motor contactor 21 is closed. A state of the capacitor 27 is determined based on the first and second voltages (col. 3, lines 38 – col. 4, line 4)).
Claim Objections
9. Claims 11 and 13 are objected to due to the following informalities.
Per claim 11, the phrase “is appleid" in line 11 should be revised to “is applied.”
Per claim 13, the phrase “and acapacitance” in line 3 should be revised to “and a capacitance.”
10. Claims 4-6 and 12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Per claim 4, the prior art of record is silent on the battery device of claim 2, wherein: the processor is configured to: calculate a ratio of the second voltage to the first voltage; and diagnose the precharge operation based on a comparison of the ratio of the second voltage to the first voltage with a criterion ratio. Claims 5-6 are consequently objected to due to their dependence on claim 4.
Per claim 12, the prior art of record is silent on the diagnosis method of claim 11, further comprising: calculating a ratio of the second voltage to the first voltage, wherein diagnosing the precharging is based on a comparison of the ratio of the second voltage to the first voltage with a criterion ratio.
Claim Remarks
11. Although claims 7-10 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), the subject matter disclosed in these claims is not believed to be taught or suggested by the prior art of record. Claims 7-10 are dependent on claim 4 which is indicated as containing allowable subject matter. Per claim 13, the prior art of record is silent on, in particular, diagnosing the precharging based on a comparison of the time constant and the second time constant. Per claim 14, the prior art of record is silent on, in particular, diagnosing the precharging based on a comparison of the estimated capacitance and an actual capacitance of the capacitor.
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WALTER LINDSAY can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852