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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an application filed on 06/07/2024 in which claims 1-10 are pending and ready for examination.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: the ( on line 1 should be removed. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ALIREZA KHALIGH ET AL: "Comprehensive Topological Analysis of Conductive and Inductive Charging Solutions for Plug-In Electric Vehicles", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, IEEE, USA, Vol. 61, No. 8, October 1, 2012 (2012-10-01), Pages 3475-3489, XP011468047, ISSN: 0018-9545, DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2012.2213104 (hereinafter Alireza).
As to claims 1 and 9, Alireza discloses a traction network for a vehicle (see page 1, Fig 1 reveals “the drivetrain of a typical PEV”, col 1, row 36), the traction network comprising:
at least one high-voltage battery (see Fig 1, page 1, col 1, rows 1-2, on-board battery);
an inverter (page 1, col 2, rows 3-7, Fig 1, the PEI for propelling primarily consists of the motor inverter);
an electric machine (page 1, col 2, rows 1-2, Fig 1, motor M); and
a DC/DC converter (page 3, see col 2, rows 46-49, Fig 1) arranged between the at least one high-voltage battery and the inverter, the inverter being arranged between the DC/DC converter and the electric machine (see Fig 1 discloses that “motor inverter” is divided between “motor M” and “DC/DC converter” is arranged), the DC/DC converter being configured such that at least one phase for an inductive AC charger connection is connectable to center taps of half-bridges of the DC/DC converter (see col 2, rows 11-12, Fig. 3c disclosed topology discloses the feature that at least one phase for an inductive AC charging port can be connected to center taps of half-bridges of the DC/DC converter. In particular, the part of the circuit consisting of "switch T3", "switch T4", "switch T7", "switch T8" and switch T5", "switch T6", "diode D1", "diode D2" and "capacitor C1" and/or "capacitor C2" corresponds to the characteristic DC/DC controller, where "switch T3", "switch T4", "switch T7", "switch T8" is a first half bridge and switch T5", "switch T6", "diode D1".", "diode 02" form a second half-bridge, a phase of "grid" is connected to the center of said half-bridges).
As to claims 2 and 10, Alireza discloses the traction network according to claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter includes a switching logic, which is configured to establish a connection of the at least one phase for the inductive AC charger connection to the center taps of the half-bridges in one switching position (see page 5, col 1, rows 8-14, and in Fig. [3c], namely "the topology in Fig. 3c uses a direct ac/dc conversion scheme [20]. In addition to driving (T6 - T3 - D3), braking (T9 - D2 - T6), and charging modes (T1 - T5 - T4 -D6, T2 - D1 - T7), it is capable of injecting power back to the grid (T8 - T5 - T1, T2 - D5 - T3 - T6) ". In particular, performs a loop of "switches T1, T2" to connect the phase with the center taps of the half-bridges).
As to claim 3, Alireza discloses the traction network according to claim 2, wherein the switching logic has a further switching position, in which the at least one phase for the inductive AC charger connection is disconnected from the center taps, and wherein the center taps of the half-bridges are connected to each other via a storage inductor (, see page 5, col 1, rows 8-14, and in Fig. [3c], namely "the topology in Fig. 3c uses a direct ac/dc conversion scheme [20]. In addition to driving (T6 - T3 - D3), braking (T9-D2-T6), and charging modes (T1 - T5 - T4 -D6, T2 - D1 - T7), it is capable of injecting power back to the grid (T8 - T5 - T1, T2 - D5 - T3 - T6) ". In particular, an opening of switches T1, T2 leads to a separation of the phase of the mid-bridges of the half-bridges).
As to claim 4, Alireza discloses the traction network according to claim 1, wherein the AC charger connection has three phases, the DC/DC converter including three parallel branches with half-bridges, each of the three phases of the AC charger connection being assigned to one of the branches and being connectable to the particular center taps of the branches (see Fig. 3 discloses "integrated single-converter topologies" for a single-phase AC charging port. An extension of the information shown in D1, Fig. 3, the topolagy disclosed in three phases, inter alia, by the introduction of further half-bridges, is a design measure to be expected by a skilled person and is not based on an inventive step, in particular since Fig. 1 explicitly refers to a "3Φ Grid").
As to claim 5, Alireza discloses the traction network according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive AC charger connection (see page 1, col 2, rows 11-12, Fig 1 namely “two different charging approaches, conductive and inductive charging).
as taught by Tsuchiya in order to provide DC charging for the network.
As to claim 7, Alireza discloses the traction network according to claim 5, further comprising an additional switching logic, the additional switching logic being arranged between the DC/DC converter and the inverter and being configured to establish a connection to the rectified conductive AC charger connection and/or a DC charger connection or to disconnect a connection of this type (see page 1, col 2, rows 11-12, and in Fig. 1, discloses "two different charging approaches, namely, conductive and inductive charging", with both charging variants implemented in the vehicle. It would be obvious to the skilled person to switch off conductive charging when inductive charging is used, for example by means of a controlled switch that disconnects a connection with the directed-conductive AC charging port).
As to claim 8, Alireza discloses a DC/DC converter (page 3, see col 2, rows 46-49, Fig 1) for a traction network, the DC/DC converter being configured such that at least one phase for an inductive AC charger connection is connectable to center taps of half-bridges of the DC/DC converter (see col 2, rows 11-12, Fig. 3c disclosed topology discloses the feature that at least one phase for an inductive AC charging port can be connected to center taps of half-bridges of the DC/DC converter. In particular, the part of the circuit consisting of "switch T3", "switch T4", "switch T7", "switch T8" and switch T5", "switch T6", "diode D1", "diode D2" and "capacitor C1" and/or "capacitor C2" corresponds to the characteristic DC/DC controller, where "switch T3", "switch T4", "switch T7", "switch T8" is a first half bridge and switch T5", "switch T6", "diode D1".", "diode 02" form a second half-bridge, a phase of "grid" is connected to the center of said half-bridges).
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.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALIREZA KHALIGH ET AL: "Comprehensive Topological Analysis of Conductive and Inductive Charging Solutions for Plug-In Electric Vehicles", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, IEEE, USA, Vol. 61, No. 8, October 1, 2012 (2012-10-01), Pages 3475-3489, XP011468047, ISSN: 0018-9545, DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2012.2213104 (hereinafter Alireza) in view of Tsuchiya (US 2022/0289057 A1).
As to claim 6, Alireza does not disclose the traction network according to claim 1, wherein further comprising a DC charger connection.
However, Tsuchiya discloses a DC charger connection (see Fig 1, 90, parag [0056]). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the traction network of Alireza to include the DC charger connection
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2024/0317089 A1; US 2023/0278442 A1.
The above references are relevant prior arts. They disclose about using AC charging for traction network.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUC M PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5026. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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/DUC M PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 October 15, 2025
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836