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
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mizuguchi et al. US publication no.: US 2021/0028733 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Mizuguchi et al. teach, A controller (see control device 100, figure 1) for a battery-powered PMSM (permanent magnet synchronous motor) (Motor 80, figure 1), the controller comprising: a first controller (see current vector control unit 13 with an Vd* output, figure 1) configured to generate a flux generating voltage reference for the PMSM; a second controller (see current vector control unit 13 with an Vq* output, figure 1 configured to generate a torque generating voltage reference for the PMSM; and a battery capacity adjustment factor (voltage compensation processing unit 2, figure 1) configured to adjust the flux generating voltage reference and the torque generating voltage reference, based on capacity of the battery (see paragraphs 26-32 and 124, where it can be seen that the vd* and vq* are adjusted based on the battery).
Regarding claim 2, Mizuguchi et al. teach, the controller of claim 1, wherein the battery capacity adjustment factor is calculated as a measured voltage of the battery divided by a nominal voltage of the battery (see equations 1 and 2, paragraphs 26-28).
Regarding claim 3, Mizuguchi et al. teach, the controller of claim 1, wherein the flux generating voltage reference is multiplied by the battery capacity adjustment factor to adjust the flux generating voltage reference, and wherein the torque generating voltage reference is multiplied by the battery capacity adjustment factor to adjust the torque generating voltage reference (see equations 1 and 2, paragraphs 26-28).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuguchi et al. US publication no.: US 2021/0028733 A1 in view of Wu et al. US publication no.: US 2015/0288306 A1.
Regarding claim 4, Mizuguchi et al. teach rotation speed calculation unit but utilizes a position sensor and thus is silent on specifically teaching, the controller of claim 1, further comprising: a rotor position estimator configured to estimate a rotor electrical angle and a rotor electrical speed of the PMSM, based on the adjusted flux generating voltage reference, the adjusted torque generating voltage reference, a flux generating current feedback for the PMSM, and a torque generating current feedback for the PMSM.
However, Wu et al. is in the same field of art and teach: a rotor position estimator configured to estimate a rotor electrical angle and a rotor electrical speed of the PMSM (see position and speed estimator 170, figure 1), based on the flux generating voltage reference (vd*, figure 1), the torque generating voltage reference (vq* ,figure 1), a flux generating current feedback for the PMSM, and a torque generating current feedback for the PMSM (id, iq, figure 1).
Examiner notes that * - the position estimator would be applied to the “adjusted” voltage of the Mizuguchi et al.
In view of Wu et al.’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Mizuguchi et al. to include; a rotor position estimator configured to estimate a rotor electrical angle and a rotor electrical speed of the PMSM, based on the adjusted flux generating voltage reference, the adjusted torque generating voltage reference, a flux generating current feedback for the PMSM, and a torque generating current feedback for the PMSM, for the purpose of increasing the cost by reducing the number of parts.
Regarding claim 5, Wu et al. teach, The controller of claim 4, wherein the rotor position estimator comprises a speed feedforward term (see figure 2 the output of 220).
Regarding claim 6, Wu et al. teach, The controller of claim 5, wherein the speed feedforward term includes a weighting factor that is in a range of zero to less than one (see weighting factor, paragraphs 118-119).
Regarding claim 7, Wu et al. teach, The controller of claim 6, wherein the weighting factor is user configurable (see paragraph 119, where the weighting factor is adjustable).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mizuguchi et al. US publication no.: US 2021/0028733 A1.
Regarding claim 11, Wu et al. teach, A controller (system 100, figure 1) for a battery-powered PMSM (permanent magnet synchronous motor) (motor 155, figure 1), the controller comprising: a rotor position estimator (position and speed estimator 170, figure 1) configured to estimate a rotor electrical angle and a rotor electrical speed of the PMSM, based on a flux generating voltage reference for the PMSM (current regulator 135 output Vd, figure 1), a torque generating voltage reference for the PMSM (current regulator 135 output Vq, figure 1), a flux generating current feedback for the PMSM (Id- output of 160), and a torque generating current feedback for the PMSM(Iq- output of 160), wherein the rotor position estimator comprises a speed feedforward term (see figure 2, where the speed feedforward term is disclosed of the position/speed estimator).
Regarding claim 12, Wu et al. teach, the controller of claim 11, wherein the speed feedforward term includes a weighting factor that is in a range of zero to less than one(see weighting factor, paragraphs 118-119).
Regarding claim 13, Wu et al. teach, the controller of claim 12, wherein the weighting factor is user configurable (see paragraph 119, where the weighting factor is adjustable).
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. US publication no.: US 2015/0288306 A1 in view of Mizuguchi et al. US publication no.: US 2021/0028733 A1.
Regarding claim 18, Wu et al. is silent on specifically teaching, the controller of claim 11, further comprising: a battery capacity adjustment factor configured to adjust the flux generating voltage reference and the torque generating voltage reference, based on capacity of the battery.
However, Mizuguchi et al. is in the same field of art and teach: a battery capacity adjustment factor configured to adjust the flux generating voltage reference and the torque generating voltage reference, based on capacity of the battery (see equations 1 and 2, paragraphs 26-28).
In view of Mizuguchi et al.’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Wu et al. to include a battery capacity adjustment factor configured to adjust the flux generating voltage reference and the torque generating voltage reference, based on capacity of the battery, for the purpose of increasing the cost by reducing the number of parts.
Regarding claim 19, Mizuguchi et al. teach, the controller of claim 18, wherein the battery capacity adjustment factor is calculated as a measured voltage of the battery divided by a nominal voltage of the battery(see equations 1 and 2, paragraphs 26-28).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 and 14-17 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
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZOHEB S IMTIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-4308. The examiner can normally be reached 11am-730pm.
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, Eduardo Colon Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. 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.
/ZOHEB S IMTIAZ/Primary Examiner , Art Unit 2846