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 .
Claims 1-27 are pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 07/12/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure does not commence on a separate sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.52(b)(4) and 1.72(b). A new abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text.
The following guidelines illustrate the preferred layout for the specification of a utility application. These guidelines are suggested for the applicant’s use.
Arrangement of the Specification
As provided in 37 CFR 1.77(b), the specification of a utility application should include the following sections in order. Each of the lettered items should appear in upper case, without underlining or bold type, as a section heading. If no text follows the section heading, the phrase “Not Applicable” should follow the section heading:
(a) TITLE OF THE INVENTION.
(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS.
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT.
(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT.
(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A READ-ONLY OPTICAL DISC, AS A TEXT FILE OR AN XML FILE VIA THE PATENT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.
(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR.
(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.
(1) Field of the Invention.
(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S).
(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
(k) CLAIM OR CLAIMS (commencing on a separate sheet).
(l) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (commencing on a separate sheet).
(m) SEQUENCE LISTING. (See MPEP § 2422.03 and 37 CFR 1.821 - 1.825). A “Sequence Listing” is required on paper if the application discloses a nucleotide or amino acid sequence as defined in 37 CFR 1.821(a) and if the required “Sequence Listing” is not submitted as an electronic document either on read-only optical disc or as a text file via the patent electronic system.
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 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because. Claim 24 line 1 recites “A computer program having instructions”.
The claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because a computer program and instructions are signals per se and software per se.
Claims 25-27 are rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 24.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-3, 6-9, 12-13, 15-22 and 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Thompson (US 20180269013 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Thompson teaches an electric vehicle ([0018], an electric vehicle) comprising an electric circuitry (i.e. EV circuit breaker, EVSE connector, and EV, figs.4A-4B),
wherein the electric circuitry comprises a battery (e.g. battery, fig.4B) and an onboard charger (e.g. charger, fig.4B),
wherein the battery is configured to store electric energy (it is necessarily true that battery stores electric energy),
wherein the onboard charger and the battery are arranged to form a DC circuit (e.g. circuit comprising charger 234 and battery, fig.4B) to transfer the electric energy as DC power between the onboard charger and the battery,
wherein the onboard charger is configured to convert the electric energy between DC power and AC power (e.g. L1, L2 is transferred to battery via charger, figs.4A-4B),
wherein the onboard charger is configured to be coupled to an external electric circuit (e.g. input to thermal-magnetic overload circuit breaking function 6′, fig.4A) to form an AC circuit (e.g. circuit comprising circuit breaker 2′ and charger 234, figs.4A-4B) to transfer the electric energy as AC power ([0063], single-phase, two-line) between the onboard charger and the external electric circuit (e.g. L1, L2 is between external circuit and charger 234, figs.4A-4B),
wherein the onboard charger is configured to detect an arc fault in the AC circuit ([0071], relay 44 can trip … it can detect arc faults).
Regarding claim 2, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the onboard charger is configured to detect the arc fault in the external electric circuit ([0071], relay 44 can trip … it can detect arc faults) (relay 44 in fig.4A is connected to L1 and L2 from external circuit).
Regarding claim 3, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the onboard charger is configured to trip a safety mechanism of the external electric circuit when detecting the arc fault ([0070], The thermal-magnetic overload circuit breaking function 6′ faults in a conventional manner by tripping open the two example separable contacts 48′).
Regarding claim 6, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the onboard charger comprises a sensor (i.e. current transformer 64, fig.4A) configured to generate a signal ([0087], control signals) based on a property of the AC circuit ([0087], control electronics 68 of FIG. 4A include a ground fault current monitoring circuit (not shown) and the current transformer 64), wherein the onboard charger is configured to detect the arc fault based on the signal ([0161], An arc fault add-on module provides arc fault protection).
Regarding claim 7, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the onboard charger is configured to convert the electric energy between DC power and AC power (it is necessarily true that charger converts AC to DC as seen in figs.4A-4B) under control of the signal from the sensor (it is necessarily true if control signals open relay contacts, then charger cannot function) ([0014], the EVSE closes an internal relay/contactor to allow AC power to flow to the vehicle).
Regarding claim 8, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a current sensor (i.e. current transformer 64, fig.4A) configured to generate the signal based on an electric current in the AC circuit (e.g. CT 64 is coupled to L1 and L2 of AC circuit, fig.4A).
Regarding claim 9, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a voltage sensor configured to generate the signal based on a voltage of the AC circuit ([0152], A power signature add-on module performs analysis of the voltage/current (V-I) curves for a known, dedicated load type and determines, notifies and/or trips for any failures that occur).
Regarding claim 12, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the onboard charger comprises a computing device ([0064], a processor (e.g., .mu.C or control electronics 68)) configured to detect the arc fault based on a variation of the signal over time and/or a frequency content of the signal ([0111], monitors PV string current and voltage, along with a relatively small window I-V curve around maximum power for maximum power point tracking).
Regarding claim 13, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the onboard charger is configured to generate a warning signal when detecting the arc fault ([0062], The trouble indicator 42 is illuminated anytime the circuit breaker 2' has entered a fault state).
Regarding claim 15, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the onboard charger comprises a coupling device configured to electrically couple the onboard charger to the external electric circuit (e.g. EVSE connector 28 couples charger 234 to L1 and L2 feeding into 6’, figs.4A-4B).
Regarding claim 16, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising an electric motor configured to drive the electric vehicle ([0048], an electric vehicle (EV) 4) (it is necessarily true that a motor is present in a vehicle), wherein the battery is configured to provide electric energy to the electric motor ([0048], an electric vehicle (EV) 4) (it is necessarily true that battery provides charge to motor in a electric vehicle).
Regarding claim 17, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 1.
Regarding claim 18, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 2.
Regarding claim 19, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 3.
Regarding claim 20, the method is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claims 1 and 6.
Regarding claim 21, the method is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 7.
Regarding claim 22, the method is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 3.
Regarding claim 24, Thompson substantially teaches the claim limitations as stated above in claim 1. Thompson further teaches a computer program having instructions ([0064], a processor (e.g., .mu.C or control electronics 68)) (it is necessarily true that a microcontroller has computer program having instructions) which when executed by a computing device ([0064], a processor (e.g., .mu.C or control electronics 68)).
Regarding claim 25, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 3.
Regarding claim 26, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 12.
Regarding claim 27, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for claim 13.
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thompson (US 20180269013 A1), and further in view of Ichikawa (US 20200130521 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 1.
Thompson does not teach, wherein the energy at the AC power is at a first voltage, wherein the energy at the DC power is at a second voltage, wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage, wherein the onboard charger is configured to convert the energy at the AC power at the first voltage to the energy at the DC power at the second voltage and/or vice versa.
Ichikawa teaches in a similar field of endeavor of power conversion for a vehicle, the energy at the AC power is at a first voltage ([0036], single-phase AC power supply having a voltage of 100 V or 200 V), wherein the energy at the DC power is at a second voltage ([0055], output DC power to the terminals T21 and T22 side), wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage (it is necessarily true that AC voltage is different from DC voltage), wherein the onboard charger is configured to convert the energy at the AC power at the first voltage to the energy at the DC power at the second voltage and/or vice versa ([0050], the input AC power) ([0054], into DC power).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the wherein the energy at the AC power is at a first voltage, wherein the energy at the DC power is at a second voltage, wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage, wherein the onboard charger is configured to convert the energy at the AC power at the first voltage to the energy at the DC power at the second voltage and/or vice versa in Thompson, as taught by Ichikawa, as it provides the advantage of charging a vehicle-mounted battery with electric power output from a household AC outlet.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 10-11 and 23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 4, Thompson (US 20180269013 A1) teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the onboard charger is configured to trip the safety mechanism of the external electric circuit ([0070], The thermal-magnetic overload circuit breaking function 6′ faults in a conventional manner by tripping open the two example separable contacts 48′).
Thompson does not teach, by creating a short circuit in the AC circuit.
Prior art Friedrich (US 20220224136 A1), Haines (US 20170054286 A9), Dollar (US 20020179346 A1) and Watanabe (JP 2013132169 A) have been found to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “by creating a short circuit in the AC circuit.”
Regarding claim 5, Thompson (US 20180269013 A1) teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the onboard charger is configured to be coupled to a ground wire of the external electric circuit (e.g. Ground, figs.4A-4B), wherein the onboard charger is configured to trip the safety mechanism ([0070], The thermal-magnetic overload circuit breaking function 6′ faults in a conventional manner by tripping open the two example separable contacts 48′).
Thompson does not teach, by providing a current and/or a voltage to the ground wire.
Prior art Friedrich (US 20220224136 A1), Haines (US 20170054286 A9), Dollar (US 20020179346 A1) and Watanabe (JP 2013132169 A) have been found to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “by providing a current and/or a voltage to the ground wire.”
Regarding claim 10, Thompson teaches the electric vehicle according to claim 6.
Thompson does not teach, wherein the onboard charger comprises a low-pass filter arranged in the AC circuit.
Prior art Macbeth (US 6373257 B1), Friedrich (US 20220224136 A1), Haines (US 20170054286 A9), Dollar (US 20020179346 A1) and Watanabe (JP 2013132169 A) have been found to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “wherein the onboard charger comprises a low-pass filter arranged in the AC circuit.”
Claim 11 is indicated as allowable, as it depends on allowable claim 10.
Regarding claim 23, the method is allowed for the same reasons as stated above for claim 4.
Conclusion
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/SREEYA SREEVATSA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 02/26/2026