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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 1-16, 21 and 25 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,046,929 in view of Hiramura; (US 2014/0197686).
The patent teaches all of the claimed subject matter except for the control assembly detecting a voltage level of each of the battery packs and determining the battery packs having a first highest priority level through the voltage level detected for controlling the switching units being closed to output the highest priority level (claim 1); and wherein, the control unit determining a first voltage difference between a first highest priority level and a second highest priority level of the battery pack being a preset value or substantially a same level for controlling the switching (claim 26).
However, Hiramura in the same filed teaches the control assembly detecting a voltage level of each of the battery packs and determining the battery packs having a first highest priority level through the voltage level detected for controlling the switching units being closed to output the highest priority level {claim 3 }; and wherein, the control unit determining a first voltage difference between a first highest priority level and a second highest priority level of the battery pack being a preset value or substantially a same level for controlling the switching (see claim 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the patent with the teachings of Hiramura by having the control assembly detecting a voltage level of each of the battery packs and determining the battery packs having a first highest priority level through the voltage level detected for controlling the switching units being closed to output the highest priority level; and wherein, the control unit determining a first voltage difference between a first highest priority level and a second highest priority level of the battery pack being a preset value or substantially a same level for controlling the switching in order to provide battery protection and equal degradation and charge cycles.
1. A battery pack management system, comprising: a plurality of battery packs for supplying a power to a load;
1.A bus module, comprising:
a plurality of battery interfaces, each of the battery packs electrically connected in parallel by the battery interfaces;
an input unit, comprising at least one input branch, wherein the input branch comprises an input interface electrically connected to a peripheral power supply to obtain power output by the peripheral power supply; an output unit, provided with an output branch, wherein the output branch is provided with an output interface to output power obtained by the input unit to a peripheral tool;
a plurality of switching units, the switching units electrically connected to the battery interfaces, the battery packs through the battery interfaces electrically connected to the switching units;
a switching unit, wherein one end of the switching unit is connected to the input unit, and the other end of the switching unit is connected to the output unit;
a control assembly, and
a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the switching unit to work to control an on-off state between the input branch and the output branch; and
a plurality of communication units, the communication unit electrically connected to the battery packs and the load for collecting information of the battery packs and the load, the switching units closed by the control assembly through the information for supplying the power to the load by the battery packs having the highest priority level.
a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate with the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool, the input interface of the input unit and the output interface of the output unit each having
a communication termJ9:J12inal to obtain information from both the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool such that the control unit controls the switching unit to work according to information obtained by the communication unit
Except for the control assembly detecting a voltage level of each of the battery packs and determining the battery packs having a first highest priority level through the voltage level detected for controlling the switching units being closed to output the highest priority level;
16. A battery pack management system, comprising:
1.A bus module, comprising:
at least one input interface, the input interface comprising at least one input branch, at least one peripheral power electrically connected to the input interface through the input branch;
an input unit, comprising at least one input branch, wherein the input branch comprises an input interface electrically connected to a peripheral power supply to obtain power output by the peripheral power supply; an output unit, provided with an output branch, wherein the output branch is provided with an output interface to output power obtained by the input unit to a peripheral tool;
at least one output interface, the output interface comprising at least one output branch, at least one peripheral tool electrically connected to the output interface through the output branch;
a switching unit, wherein one end of the switching unit is connected to the input unit, and the other end of the switching unit is connected to the output unit;
at least one switching unit, the switching unit electrically connected to the input interface and the output interface, the input branch and the output branch being electrically connected to the switching unit in series;
a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the switching unit to work to control an on-off state between the input branch and the output branch; and
at least one control unit, the control unit electrically connected to the switching unit for controlling the switching unit being closed; and
a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate with the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool, the input interface of the input unit and the output interface of the output unit each having
at least one communication unit, the communication unit electrically connected to the input interface and output interface in series for collecting information of the peripheral power and the peripheral tool, the switching unit closed by the control unit through the information for supplying power to the peripheral tool by the peripheral power.
a communication terminal to obtain information from both the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool such that the control unit controls the switching unit to work according to information obtained by the communication unit
21. A battery pack management system, comprising:
1.A bus module, comprising:
a plurality of input interfaces, each of the input interfaces comprising an input branch and an input communication terminal, plurality of peripheral powers electrically connected to the input interfaces through the input branch;
an input unit, comprising at least one input branch, wherein the input branch comprises an input interface electrically connected to a peripheral power supply to obtain power output by the peripheral power supply; an output unit, provided with an output branch, wherein the output branch is provided with an output interface to output power obtained by the input unit to a peripheral tool;
a plurality of output interfaces, each of the output interfaces comprising an output branch and an output communication terminal, a plurality of peripheral tools electrically connected to the output interfaces through the output branch;
a switching unit, wherein one end of the switching unit is connected to the input unit, and the other end of the switching unit is connected to the output unit;
a plurality of switching units, the switching units electrically connected to the input interfaces and the output interfaces, each of the switching unit electrically connected to the input branch and output branch in parallel;
a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the switching unit to work to control an on-off state between the input branch and the output branch; and
a control unit, the control unit electrically connected to the switching units for controlling the input branch being connected or disconnected to the output branch by the switching unit; and
a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate with the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool, the input interface of the input unit and the output interface of the output unit each having
a communication unit, the communication unit electrically connected to the input interfaces and output interfaces in parallel by the input communication terminal and the output communication terminal for collecting information from the peripheral powers and the peripheral tools, the control unit through the information controlling the peripheral power to supply power to the peripheral tool.
a communication terminal to obtain information from both the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool such that the control unit controls the switching unit to work according to information obtained by the communication unit
25. A power tool system, comprising: a plurality of bus modules; and a plurality of battery packs electrically connected to the bus modules in parallel for supplying a power to a plurality of loads, wherein, each of the bus module comprises:
1.A bus module, comprising:
an input interface, the input interface comprising an input branch, the battery packs electrically connected to the input interface through the input branch; an output interface, the output interface comprising an output branch, the loads electrically connected to the output interface through the output branch;
an input unit, comprising at least one input branch, wherein the input branch comprises an input interface electrically connected to a peripheral power supply to obtain power output by the peripheral power supply; an output unit, provided with an output branch, wherein the output branch is provided with an output interface to output power obtained by the input unit to a peripheral tool;
a switching unit, the switching unit electrically connected to the input interface and the output interface, the input branch and the output branch being electrically connected to the switching unit;
a switching unit, wherein one end of the switching unit is connected to the input unit, and the other end of the switching unit is connected to the output unit;
a control unit, the control unit electrically connected to the switching unit for controlling the switching unit being closed; and
a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the switching unit to work to control an on-off state between the input branch and the output branch; and
a communication unit, the communication unit electrically connected to the input interface and output interface for collecting information of the battery packs and the loads, the switching unit closed by the control unit through the information,
a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate with the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool, the input interface of the input unit and the output interface of the output unit each having
wherein, the control unit determining a first voltage difference unit being closed to supply the power to the loads by the battery packs in parallel, and wherein, the control unit determining a current difference of the battery packs is greater than a first current threshold for reducing a current output of the battery packs by controlling a duty cycle of the switch unit.
a communication terminal to obtain information from both the peripheral power supply and the peripheral tool such that the control unit controls the switching unit to work according to information obtained by the communication unit
Except for between a first highest priority level and a second highest priority level of the battery pack being a preset value or substantially a same level for controlling the switching.
Conclusion
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/ELIM ORTIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836