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 .
Status of the Application
Claims 1-14 are currently pending in this application.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The specification states in regards to Figure 1, “One contact in the first pair of contacts 201 is configured to connect to a positive electrode of the first battery pack 101 of the battery device 10, and the other contact in the first pair of contacts 201 is configured to connect to a negative electrode of the second battery pack 102 of the battery device 10.” [0043]. However, in Figures 1-3, the first pair of contacts 201 is connected to the negative electrode of the first battery pack 101 and the positive electrode of the second battery pack 102 which is the opposite of the specification description.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the battery manage device” should be “the battery management device” [Line 2]. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because it is related to a signal per se. The claims do not define a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and is thus non-statutory for that reason (i.e., "When functional descriptive material is recorded on some non- transitory computer-readable medium it becomes structurally and functionally interrelated to the non-transitory medium and will be statutory in most cases since use of technology permits the function of the descriptive material to be realized"- Guidelines Annex IV).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHU, Dao-ping et al. (Hereafter, “Zhu”) [CN 110224184 A] in view of Sampson et al. (Hereafter, “Sampson”) [US 2021/0135462 A1].
In regards to claim 1, Zhu discloses a battery system [Fig. 3], comprising: a battery management device and a battery device ([Page 3] power supply device), wherein the battery manage device is configured to manage the battery device; wherein the battery management device includes a control device and a connection state transition device; the connection state transition device includes a first pair of contacts ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] intermediate relay 23), a second pair of contacts ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] the second auxiliary relay 25), and a third pair of contacts ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] the first auxiliary relay 24); wherein one contact in the first pair of contacts is configured to connect to a positive electrode of a first battery pack of the battery device, and the other contact in the first pair of contacts is configured to connect to a negative electrode of a second battery pack of the battery device ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] wherein an intermediate relay 23 is connected between the first battery module 21 and the second battery module 22, wherein the intermediate relay 23 is connected to the positive electrode of second battery module 22 and the negative electrode of first battery module 21); one contact in the second pair of contacts is configured to connect to the positive electrode of the first battery pack, and the other contact in the second pair of contacts is configured to connect to a positive electrode of the second battery pack ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] wherein the second auxiliary relay 25 is connected to the positive electrode of second battery module 22 and the positive electrode of first battery module 21); one contact in the third pair of contacts is configured to connect to a negative electrode of the first battery pack, and the other contact in the third pair of contacts is configured to connect to the negative electrode of the second battery pack ([Fig. 3 and Page 5] wherein the first auxiliary relay 24 is connected to the negative electrode of second battery module 22 and the negative electrode of first battery module 21); the control device is configured to control the connection state transition device to transition from a first connection state to a second connection state; the first connection state comprises: the first pair of contacts is switched on, the second pair of contacts is switched off, and the third pair of contacts is switched off ([Page 5] When the power supply voltage is the first voltage, close the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and disconnect all the second relays, so that at least two battery modules of the power battery are charged in series), the second connection state comprises: the first pair of contacts is switched off, the second pair of contacts is switched on, and the third pair of contacts is switched on ([Page 5] When the power supply voltage is the second voltage, determine whether the voltage of each battery module is the same; if yes, disconnect the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and close all the second relays to make the power At least two battery modules of the battery are charged in parallel); or alternatively, the first connection state comprises: the first pair of contacts is switched off, the second pair of contacts is switched on, and the third pair of contacts is switched on ([Page 5] When the power supply voltage is the second voltage, determine whether the voltage of each battery module is the same; if yes, disconnect the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and close all the second relays to make the power At least two battery modules of the battery are charged in parallel); the second connection state comprises: the first pair of contacts is switched on, the second pair of contacts is switched off, and the third pair of contacts is switched off ([Page 5] When the power supply voltage is the first voltage, close the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and disconnect all the second relays, so that at least two battery modules of the power battery are charged in series).
Sampson discloses a battery system [Fig. 1], comprising: a battery management device and a battery device, wherein the battery manage device is configured to manage the battery device [Fig. 1]; wherein the battery management device includes a control device and a connection state transition device ([Fig. 1] charging device 108 and device 106); the control device is configured to control the connection state transition device to transition from a first connection state to a second connection state ([0014] the switching device 106 facilitates selective connection of the charging device 108 to one of a plurality of the batteries 102 at a time, thereby allowing the charging device 108 to perform the charging algorithm on each of the batteries 102 [0017] the control signal 118 may direct the motor drive 112 to actuate the switching mechanism 110 to a first state and the control signal 118, such as after a charging/testing algorithm has been performed on the battery 102A by the charging device 108, may direct the motor drive 112 to actuate the switching mechanism to a second state).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhu with the control signal sent to the device to switch the state of the circuit as taught by Sampson in order to improve the balancing and switching of the charging of the batteries [See Sampson].
In regards to claim 2, the limitations of claim 1 have been addressed. Zhu discloses wherein the control device is further configured to obtain operating environment information of the battery device ([Page 5] power supply voltage); the control device is further configured to control the connection state transition device to transition from the first connection state to the second connection state according to the operating environment information ([Page 5] A control method for charging the battery. When the power supply voltage is the second voltage, determine whether the voltage of each battery module is the same; if yes, disconnect the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and close all the second relays to make the power At least two battery modules of the battery are charged in parallel. When the power supply voltage is the first voltage, close the first relay connected between the adjacent battery modules, and disconnect all the second relays, so that at least two battery modules of the power battery are charged in series.).
In regards to claim 3, the limitations of claim 2 have been addressed. Zhu discloses wherein the operating environment information includes an operating environment voltage, a nominal voltage of the first battery pack is the same as a nominal voltage of the second battery pack; the control device is further configured to control the connection state transition device to transition from the first connection state to the second connection state when determining that the operating environment voltage matches the nominal voltage ([Page 5] Optionally, in the structure of the power battery shown in FIG. 3, the threshold voltage ranges of the first battery module 21 and the second battery module 22 are both 250V-450V. When the first battery module 21 is connected in parallel with the second battery module 22, the threshold voltage of the power battery ranges from 250V to 450V.).
In regards to claim 4, the limitations of claim 2 have been addressed. Zhu discloses wherein the operating environment information comprises an operating environment voltage, and a nominal voltage of the first battery pack is the same as a nominal voltage of the second battery pack; the control device is further configured to control the connection state transition device to transition from the first connection state to the second connection state when determining that the operating environment voltage matches twice of the nominal voltage ([Page 5] Optionally, in the structure of the power battery shown in FIG. 3, the threshold voltage ranges of the first battery module 21 and the second battery module 22 are both 250V-450V. Thus, when the first battery module 21 and the second battery module 22 are connected in series, the threshold voltage of the power battery ranges from 500V to 900V.).
In regards to claim 5, the limitations of claim 3 have been addressed. Zhu discloses wherein the operating environment voltage comprises an operating voltage of the charging device ([Page 2] An electric vehicle includes the power battery. A control method for charging the power battery includes the power supply voltage.), the negative electrode of the first battery pack and the positive electrode of the second battery pack are connected in common to the charging device [Fig. 3]; the control device is further configured to control the charging device to charge the battery device ([Page 1] A power battery includes: a first end for connecting a positive pole of a power supply device and a second end connected to a negative pole of the power supply device, and at least two batteries disposed between the first end and the second end.).
In regards to claim 6, the limitations of claim 3 have been addressed. Zhu discloses wherein the operating environment voltage comprises an operating voltage of an electrical device ([Page 2] An electric vehicle includes the power battery. A control method for charging the power battery includes the power supply voltage.), the negative electrode of the first battery pack and the positive electrode of the second battery pack are connected in common to the electrical device [Fig. 3]; the control device is further configured to control the battery device to supply power to the electrical device ([Page 1] A power battery includes: a first end for connecting a positive pole of a power supply device and a second end connected to a negative pole of the power supply device, and at least two batteries disposed between the first end and the second end.).
In regards to claim 7, the limitations of claim 1 have been addressed. Zhu fails to explicitly disclose wherein the connection state transition device comprises a detection unit and a switching on-off unit; the control device is further configured to transmit a control signal to the connection state transition device; the detection unit is configured to drive the switching on-off unit to move from a first position to a second position in response to detecting the control signal; when the switching on-off unit is located at the first position, the connection state transition device is in the first connection state; when the switching on-off unit is located at the second position, the connection state transition device is in the second connection state.
Sampson discloses wherein the connection state transition device comprises a detection unit and a switching on-off unit ([Fig. 1] the switching device 106 contains the motor drive 112 and the switching mechanism 110); the control device is further configured to transmit a control signal to the connection state transition device ([Fig. 1 and 0017] an output 114C of charging device 108 for the control signal 118 is sent to the switching device 106); the detection unit is configured to drive the switching on-off unit to move from a first position to a second position in response to detecting the control signal ([0017] the control signal 118 may direct the motor drive 112 to actuate the switching mechanism 110 to a first state); when the switching on-off unit is located at the first position, the connection state transition device is in the first connection state; when the switching on-off unit is located at the second position, the connection state transition device is in the second connection state ([0017] In operation, the control signal 118 may direct the motor drive 112 to actuate the switching mechanism 110 to a first state, in which the positive charging terminal 114A is connected to the positive battery terminal 116A-1, and the negative charging terminal 114B is connected to the negative battery terminal 116A-2, as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 1. The control signal 118, such as after a charging/testing algorithm has been performed on the battery 102A by the charging device 108, may direct the motor drive 112 to actuate the switching mechanism to a second state, in which the positive charging terminal 114A is connected to the positive battery terminal 116B-1, and the negative charging terminal 114B is connected to the negative battery terminal 116B-2, as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 1. When the switching mechanism 110 is in this second state, the charging device 108 may perform a charging/testing algorithm on the battery 102B.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhu with the control signal sent to the device to switch the state of the circuit as taught by Sampson in order to improve the balancing and switching of the charging of the batteries [See Sampson].
Claim 8 lists all the same elements of claims 1 and 2, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejections to claims 1 and 2 apply equally as well to claim 8.
Claim 9 lists all the same elements of claim 3, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 3 applies equally as well to claim 9.
Claim 10 lists all the same elements of claim 4, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 4 applies equally as well to claim 10.
Claim 11 lists all the same elements of claim 5, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 5 applies equally as well to claim 11.
Claim 12 lists all the same elements of claim 6, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 6 applies equally as well to claim 12.
Claim 13 lists all the same elements of claim 7, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 7 applies equally as well to claim 13.
Claim 14 lists all the same elements of claim 13, but in computer-readable storage medium form rather than method form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 13 applies equally as well to claim 14.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kaitlin A Retallick whose telephone number is (571)270-3841. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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/KAITLIN A RETALLICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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