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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on applications filed in The Republic of Korea on 14 August 2023 and 20 May 2024. It is noted, however, that electronic retrieval of the applications failed and further that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the 10-2023-0106063, and 10-2024-0065059 applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 14-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kanzaki et. al. (US Patent Publication 2023/0234589)
Regarding claim 1, Kanzaki discloses a method for controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising: (abstract)
obtaining, by a controller, virtual shift information based on drive information of the electric vehicle; (¶32-33)
detecting, by the controller, a power-on upshift based on the virtual shift information; (¶49)
in response to the detecting of the power-on upshift, determining, by the controller, whether a set condition for push-feel control is satisfied; and (¶49)
based on whether the set condition is satisfied, performing, by the controller, control of a torque for a motor of the electric vehicle in one of a normal control mode or a push-feel control mode. (¶49)
Regarding claim 2, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the set condition is determined based on the drive information and the virtual shift information. (¶32-33)
Regarding claim 4, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the virtual shift information includes a virtual gear position of the electric vehicle and a virtual engine speed at the virtual gear position. (¶32-33, 36)
Regarding claim 5, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the detecting of the power-on upshift includes: determining whether a virtual gear position in the virtual shift information requires an increase from a current gear position to a target gear position. (¶32-33)
Regarding claim 14, Kanzaki further discloses the electric vehicle including the motor controlled by the method of claim 1. (Abstract)
Regarding claim 15, Kanzaki further discloses a system for controlling an electric vehicle, the system comprising: (abstract)
a virtual shift system configured to obtain virtual shift information of the electric vehicle based on drive information of the electric vehicle; and (¶32-33)
a controller configured to determine whether a virtual shifting is performed based on the virtual shift information, wherein the controller is programmed to: (¶49)
detect a power-on upshift based on the virtual shift information; (¶49)
in response to the detecting of the power-on upshift, determine whether a set condition for push-feel control is satisfied; and (¶49)
based on whether the set condition is satisfied, control a torque for a motor of the electric vehicle in one of a normal control mode or a push-feel control mode. (¶49)
Regarding claim 16, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the power-on upshift is determined based on whether a virtual gear position in the virtual shift information requires an increase from a current gear position to a target gear position while an accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle is applied. (¶32-33)
Regarding claim 18, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the virtual shift information includes a virtual gear position of the electric vehicle and a virtual engine speed at the virtual gear position. (¶32-33, 36)
Regarding claim 19, Kanzaki further discloses wherein, in the push-feel control mode, the torque of the motor is corrected based on a current virtual gear position and a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information. (¶32-33)
Regarding claim 20, Kanzaki further discloses wherein, in the push-feel control mode, the torque of the motor is corrected based on a current virtual gear position in the virtual shift information and an opening amount of an accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle. (¶32-33)
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 3, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki as applied to claims 1, and 15 above, and further in view of Hu et. at. (US Patent Publication 2022/0169237).
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Kanzaki further discloses wherein the set condition is determined based on a drive mode selected by a driver of the electric vehicle, an opening amount of an accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle,
Kanzaki however appears to be silent as to the set conditions including a steering angle of the electric vehicle.
Hu however teaches the set conditions including a steering angle of the electric vehicle. (¶42)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with the set conditions including a steering angle of the electric vehicle as taught by Hu with a reasonable expectation of success so as to increase passenger safety and further because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Claims 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Oh et. al (US Patent Publication 2022/0089174).
Regarding claim 6, Kanzaki further discloses “the virtual engine speed calculator 110 calculates a change rate of the virtual engine speed based on the calculated difference and a predetermined inertia moment of the engine of the model vehicle, and changes (or updates) the virtual engine speed.” (¶43) and further to “operate the shifting device 17 to select the first forward stage” (¶48) Kanzaki however appears to be silent as to the specifics of the shifting process.
Oh however teaches wherein the normal control mode and the push-feel control mode include: a first phase of maintaining the torque at an initial torque which is required at the current gear position; a second phase of reducing the torque from the initial torque to a final torque which is required at the target gear position; a third phase including at least partially increasing the torque from the final torque by a set torque; and a fourth phase of maintaining the torque at the final torque. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein the normal control mode and the push-feel control mode include: a first phase of maintaining the torque at an initial torque which is required at the current gear position; a second phase of reducing the torque from the initial torque to a final torque which is required at the target gear position; a third phase including at least partially increasing the torque from the final torque by a set torque; and a fourth phase of maintaining the torque at the final torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 7, Oh further teaches wherein, in the second phase in the normal control mode, the torque is linearly reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, and a map factor depending on an amount of change in the torque during the reduction is reflected to the torque. (¶193—197)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein, in the second phase in the normal control mode, the torque is linearly reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, and a map factor depending on an amount of change in the torque during the reduction is reflected to the torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 8 Oh further teaches wherein in the second phase of the push-feel control mode, the torque is reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, during which the second phase includes a portion of reducing the torque smaller than the final torque. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein in the second phase of the push-feel control mode, the torque is reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, during which the second phase includes a portion of reducing the torque smaller than the final torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 9, Oh further teaches wherein, in the second phase in the push-feel control mode, the torque is reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, during which a correction map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque and a current gear position and a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information are reflected to the torque. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein, in the second phase in the push-feel control mode, the torque is reduced from the initial torque to the final torque, during which a correction map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque and a current gear position and a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information are reflected to the torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 10, Oh further teaches wherein, in the third phase in the normal control mode, the torque is controlled based on a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information, and a map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque is reflected to the torque. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein, in the third phase in the normal control mode, the torque is controlled based on a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information, and a map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque is reflected to the torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 11, Oh further teaches wherein, in the third phase in the push-feel control mode, the torque is controlled based on a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information, and a correction map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque and a current gear position and the virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information are reflected to the torque. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein, in the third phase in the push-feel control mode, the torque is controlled based on a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information, and a correction map factor determined based on an amount of change from the initial torque to the final torque and a current gear position and the virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information are reflected to the torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 12, Oh further teaches wherein the third phase in the push-feel control mode includes a portion where the torque is increased greater than the initial torque. (¶137-139, 143, 146-148)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein the third phase in the push-feel control mode includes a portion where the torque is increased greater than the initial torque as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Regarding claim 13, Oh further teaches wherein the third phase is ended in response to concluding that a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information reaches a virtual engine speed at the target gear position. (Fig 4; ¶22, 180, 182-192)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Kanzaki with wherein the third phase is ended in response to concluding that a virtual engine speed in the virtual shift information reaches a virtual engine speed at the target gear position as taught by Oh with a reasonable expectation of success because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations, would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALAN D HUTCHINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-8413. The examiner can normally be reached 7-5 Mon-Thur.
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/ALAN D HUTCHINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669