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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujita et al. (US PUB 2018/0006335), hereinafter Fujita.
With respect to claim 1, Fujita discloses a storage battery management device (See the device in figure 1 of Fujita) comprising: a controller (See [2] in figure 1 of Fujita) configured to acquire a current value flowing in a storage battery (See the combination of [22] and [23] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), a temperature of the storage battery (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), and a charge level of the storage battery in a target period (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0041] of Fujita), determine an operation mode of the storage battery in the target period based on the current value and the charge level (See paragraph [0027] of Fujita), and estimate a degree of degradation of the storage battery in the target period based on the operation mode and the temperature (See paragraph [0075] of Fujita), wherein the target period is divided by switching of operating states of the storage battery including charging, discharging, and retaining (See the “changing” [aka switching] of operating state disclosed in paragraph [0039] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 2, Fujita discloses the storage battery management device according to claim 1, further comprising: a storage unit (See [24] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0042] of Fujita) configured to store correspondence information on a correspondence between a condition of an operation mode in which the storage battery is operated (See paragraphs [0051] and [0088] of Fujita) and a degree of degradation of the storage battery when the storage battery is operated under the condition (See paragraph [0075] of Fujita), wherein the controller is configured to estimate a degree of degradation of the storage battery in the target period based on the correspondence information (See paragraph [0026] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 3, Fujita discloses the storage battery management device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine, in the determination of the operation mode, whether the operation mode is an operating mode in which charging or discharging is performed or a retaining mode in which power is retained (See paragraph [0045] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 4, Fujita discloses the storage battery management device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a variation range of the charge level of the storage battery in the target period in the determination of the operation mode (See paragraph [0107] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 5, Fujita discloses the storage battery management device according to claim 1, wherein when the controller determines that the operating state of the storage battery is charging, the controller is configured to add an amount of change corresponding to the temperature in the estimation of the degree of degradation (See paragraphs [0065] and [0066] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 6, Fujita discloses the storage battery management device according to claim 1, wherein when the controller determines that the operating state of the storage battery is charging (See paragraph [0045] of Fujita), the controller is configured to change a rated capacity in accordance with the operation mode in the estimation of the degree of degradation (See paragraph [0044] in view of paragraph [0075] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 7, Fujita discloses a storage battery system comprising: a storage battery and a storage battery management device (See the device in figure 1 of Fujita) including a controller (See [2] in figure 1 of Fujita), wherein the controller is configured to acquire a current value flowing in the storage battery (See the combination of [22] and [23] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), a temperature of the storage battery (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), and a charge level of the storage battery in a target period (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0041], determine an operation mode of the storage battery in the target period based on the current value and the charge level (See paragraph [0027] of Fujita), and estimate a degree of degradation of the storage battery in the target period based on the operation mode and the temperature (See paragraph [0075] of Fujita), and the target period is divided by switching of operating states of the storage battery including charging, discharging, and retaining (See the “changing” [aka switching] of operating state disclosed in paragraph [0039] of Fujita).
With respect to claim 8, Fujita discloses a storage battery management method to be performed by a storage battery management device (See the device in figure 1 of Fujita) including a controller (See [2] in figure 1 of Fujita), the method comprising: the controller acquiring a current value flowing in the storage battery (See the combination of [22] and [23] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), a temperature of the storage battery (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0040] of Fujita), and a charge level of the storage battery in a target period (See [22] in figure 1 of Fujita in view of paragraph [0041] of Fujita); determining an operation mode of the storage battery in the target period based on the current value and the charge level (See paragraph [0027] of Fujita); and estimating a degree of degradation of the storage battery in the target period based on the operation mode and the temperature (See paragraph [0075] of Fujita), wherein the target period is divided by switching of operating states of the storage battery including charging, discharging, and retaining (See the “changing” [aka switching] of operating state disclosed in paragraph [0039] of Fujita).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US PUB 2018/0131200 discloses a method for managing battery system and realizing non-linear estimation of battery state of charge in power grids, involves determining expected performance of battery system, and transmitting operating instructions for battery system.
US PUB 2016/0375790 discloses an internal resistance estimation method for secondary battery, output control method for secondary battery, and vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEMILADE S RHODES-VIVOUR whose telephone number is (571)270-5814. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (flex schedule).
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, Huy Phan can be reached at 571-272-7924. 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.
/TEMILADE S RHODES-VIVOUR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/HUY Q PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858