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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-10 are currently pending in this application.
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 1-6 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the subject matter “a vessel valve mounted on each of a plurality of hydrogen vessels to supply and block hydrogen” that is unclear and indefinite. “A vessel valve” is interpreted as a singular valve and not a plurality of valves, thus one vessel valve cannot be mounted on each of a plurality of hydrogen vessels. A plurality of vessel valves is needed to mounted on each of the plurality of hydrogen vessels. See Applicant’s drawing figure 2 for support of the plurality of vessel valves 40 mounted on each of the plurality of hydrogen vessels 60.
Claims 2-6 are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, for being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Mathison et al. (US-2006/0118175-A1).
With respect to claim 1, Mathison teaches a hydrogen supply device for a fuel cell vehicle (system for efficiently evacuating and refueling hydrogen gas from and into multiple high pressure storage tanks such as used on board in motor vehicles and in larger quantities at hydrogen storage and refueling stations, fig.2a-b and [0001]), comprising:
a vessel valve (plurality of tank valves V20a-n) mounted on each of a plurality of hydrogen vessels (each of valves V20a-n are mounted on each of tanks 20a-n, fig.2A-B) to supply and block hydrogen (a motor vehicle hydrogen storage tank system of the invention in which tanks 20a, 20b, 20c . . . 20n are capable of sequential interconnection and control allowing hydrogen evacuation and fill to proceed in a controlled sequence dependent upon individual tank pressure, figs.2A-B and [0021]);
a manifold (manifolds 30 and/or 40 and 41, figs.2A-B) connected to the plurality of hydrogen vessels through a supply pipe (manifolds 30, 40, and 41 are connected to the tanks V20a-n through conduits 30a-c and/or conduits 31a-c, figs.2A-B);
a regulator (pressure regulators 32 and/or 13, figs.2A-B) connected to the manifold to lower a high pressure of hydrogen to a pressure required for a fuel cell and supply the hydrogen of the lowered pressure (pressure regulator 32 and 13 connects to manifold 41, figs.2A-B; first pressure regulator 32 (reducing pressure from about the 5000 psi maximum, and lower as the gas is consumed, to about a consistent 100 psi level) and second pressure regulator 13 (reducing and maintaining pressure from about 100 psi to about 30 psi) and ultimately to fuel cell stack 19FC at a suitable predetermined operating pressure, [0021]);
a supply valve (controllable manifold valves 40Va-c and/or 41Va-c, fig.2B) installed on the supply pipe between the manifold and the regulator to control hydrogen supply (manifold valves 40Va-c and/or 41Va-c are installed between the manifolds 40 and/or 41 to the pressure regulators 31 and/or 13, figs.2B; manifold valves may be controlled by means 50 to allow hydrogen flow to or from a selected tank, [0022]);
a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the manifold (sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]; inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29); and
a controller (cpu 50 of the vehicle control system 100, figs.2A-B) configured to perform an initial driving sequence1 when a vehicle starts and then supply hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve (ignition on, fig.4; when Pz is not > Pthreshold, open solenoid valve for tank z-1 and close solenoid valve for tank z, fig.4 and [0028]).
With respect to claim 2/1, Mathison teaches wherein the controller performs the initial driving sequence that repeatedly turns the vessel valve on and off for a first set time in an off state of the supply valve (inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29; The sequence is repeated until all of the hydrogen in all of the tanks is evacuated to the cut off or operability threshold level, or until the vehicle tanks are refueled, [0020]; sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]).
With respect to claim 3/2/1, Mathison teaches wherein the controller detects a change in pressure in the manifold through the pressure sensor after performing the initial driving sequence (is Pz > Pthreshold, fig.4; inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29; sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]), and when not detecting a change to a pressure that is a predetermined pressure or higher, supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve2 (when Pz is not > Pthreshold, open solenoid valve for tank z-1 and close solenoid valve for tank z, fig.4 and [0028]).
With respect to claim 4/3/2/1, Mathison teaches wherein the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold (is Pz > Pthreshold, fig.4; inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29; sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]), when detecting the change to the pressure that is the predetermined pressure or higher, detects a change in pressure in the manifold after repeating the initial driving sequence, and supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve3.
With respect to claim 5/4/3/2/1, Mathison teaches wherein, when the vehicle starts and then a second set time has elapsed, the controller supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve4.
With respect to claim 6, Mathison teaches wherein, when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve, the controller outputs a hydrogen supply signal to a peripheral control device5.
With respect to claim 7, Mathison teaches a method of controlling a hydrogen supply device for a fuel cell vehicle (method and system for efficiently evacuating and refueling hydrogen gas from and into multiple high pressure storage tanks such as used on board in motor vehicles and in larger quantities at hydrogen storage and refueling stations, fig.4 and [0001]), the method comprising:
performing, by a controller, an initial driving sequence upon receiving a start on signal from a peripheral control device (ignition on, z=n, fig.4; hydrogen fuel cell vehicles require a smart key and a push-button ignition to power-on, as such, the smart key and the push-button ignition is interpreted as a peripheral control device to initiate the system ignition on as disclosed by Mathison);
detecting, by the controller, a change in pressure in a manifold after performing the initial driving sequence (is Pz > Pthreshold, fig.4; inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29; sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]);
when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is changed to a predetermined pressure or higher, returning to the performing of the initial driving sequence6 (when Pz > Pthreshold, return to operate vehicle); and
when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is not changed to the predetermined pressure or higher, supplying hydrogen by operating a vessel valve and a supply valve7 (when Pz is not > Pthreshold, open solenoid valve for tank z-1 and close solenoid valve for tank z, fig.4 and [0028]).
With respect to claim 8, Mathison teaches wherein the performing of the initial driving sequence includes repeatedly turning, by the controller, the vessel valve on and off for a first set time in an off state of the supply valve (inlet valves on the manifold are each operably interconnected to a sensor that measures pressure in one or more of the manifold inlet or outlet and the tank and the sensor in turn is interconnected with a control mechanism that opens and closes the valve dependent upon the pressure sensed, claims 28-29; The sequence is repeated until all of the hydrogen in all of the tanks is evacuated to the cut off or operability threshold level, or until the vehicle tanks are refueled, [0020]; sensors 51 may be provided to monitor tank and/or line pressures and temperatures or other parameters, and the measure of the pressure and temperature or other parameter sensed may be input into an appropriate control means as a determinant associated with the operating protocol of the tank or manifold valve system for refilling and consumption of pressurized hydrogen fuel in the course of vehicle operation, [0022]).
With respect to claim 9, Mathison teaches wherein the returning to the performing of the initial driving sequence further includes supplying, by the controller, hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve when a second set time has elapsed after receiving the start on signal8.
With respect to claim 10, Mathison teaches further comprising outputting, by the controller, a supply signal to the peripheral control device when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve9.
Conclusion
The additional prior arts made of record and have not been relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as follows: Kwon (US-2023/0023222-A1), Xu (US-20100193045-A1), US-20180175422-A1, US-20180175417-A1, US-20190074529-A1, US-20230023222-A1, US-20240018914-A1, KR_20050016176_A, JP_5817911_B2, KR_20210115850_A, and CN_112696609_A.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIEN (CINDY) D KHUU whose telephone number is (571)272-8585. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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, Ken Lo can be reached on 571-272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HIEN D KHUU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116 June 10, 2026
1 As disclosed in the specification, “the initial driving sequence is an operation of allowing the controller 20 to repeatedly turn the vessel valve 50 on and off”. See [0047].
2 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when not detecting a change to a pressure that is a predetermined pressure or higher”] then [perform “supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {when not detecting a change to a pressure that is a predetermined pressure or higher, supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
3 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when detecting the change to the pressure that is the predetermined pressure or higher”] then [perform “detects a change in pressure in the manifold after repeating the initial driving sequence, and supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of when detecting the change to the pressure that is the predetermined pressure or higher, detects a change in pressure in the manifold after repeating the initial driving sequence, and supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
4 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when the vehicle starts and then a second set time has elapsed”] then [perform “supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {when the vehicle starts and then a second set time has elapsed, the controller supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
5 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”] then [perform “supplies hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve the controller outputs a hydrogen supply signal to a peripheral control device”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve, the controller outputs a hydrogen supply signal to a peripheral control device} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
6 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is changed to a predetermined pressure or higher”] then [perform “returning to the performing of the initial driving sequence”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is changed to a predetermined pressure or higher, returning to the performing of the initial driving sequence} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
7 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is not changed to the predetermined pressure or higher”] then [perform “supplying hydrogen by operating a vessel valve and a supply valve”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {when the controller detects the change in pressure in the manifold and the pressure is not changed to the predetermined pressure or higher, supplying hydrogen by operating a vessel valve and a supply valve} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
8 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when a second set time has elapsed after receiving the start on signal”] then [perform “supplying, by the controller, hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {supplying, by the controller, hydrogen by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve when a second set time has elapsed after receiving the start on signal} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
9 Conditional statements in a claim: if or when [condition = “when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve”] then [perform “outputting, by the controller, a supply signal to the peripheral control device”]. It is unclear if the conditional functional limitation is part of the claimed invention or not. Cf. In re Johnston, 435 F.3d. 1381, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[O]ptional elements do not narrow the claim because they can always be omitted.”). Based on such interpretation, the Examiner is not required to find the disclosure of a conditional step of {outputting, by the controller, a supply signal to the peripheral control device when hydrogen is supplied by operating the vessel valve and the supply valve} in the prior art. See Ex Parte Gary M. Katz, 2011 WL 514314, *4 (BPAI 2011).
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