Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/797,735

ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 08, 2024
Priority
Mar 18, 2024 — RE 10-2024-0037343
Examiner
ORTIZ, ELIM
Art Unit
2836
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Kia Corporation
OA Round
2 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
2-3
OA Rounds
10m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
463 granted / 585 resolved
+11.1% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+22.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
602
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
85.4%
+45.4% vs TC avg
§102
5.6%
-34.4% vs TC avg
§112
4.2%
-35.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 585 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed 01/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, applicants main argument is that Su fails to disclose performing duty compensation during a duty compensation period based on the first phase value, however The Examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant. First The Examiner would like to remined all examination must be done under Broadest Retainable Interpretation (BRI). Applicant recites in para 0025 the duty compensation period may be a period other than a first range based on the first phase value in a phase of the alternating current during the unit cycle and further states in para 0065 When the first phase value is determined, the compensation period determination unit 230 may determine a first range based on the determined first phase value and determine a period excluding the first range during the unit cycle as the duty compensation period. Here, the first range is a period including a period where the value of the alternating current is “0”. This period is a period in which the fundamental wave voltage does not decrease compared to the command voltage due to a dead time, and thus the period is excluded from the duty compensation period. The prior art teaches On the one hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides a modulation method for a single-phase inverter without a transformer, including: if the phase of the single-phase inverter is in the voltage zero-crossing interval and/or the current zero-crossing interval, the single-phase inverter Otherwise, if the instantaneous power of the single-phase inverter is positive, the single-phase inverter is unipolarly modulated, and if the instantaneous power of the single-phase inverter is negative, then AC bypass switching action modulation for single-phase inverters. On the other hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides a modulation device for a single-phase inverter without a transformer, including: a high-frequency plug-in dead-zone modulation unit, used for if the phase of the single-phase inverter is in the voltage zero-crossing interval and/or or the current zero-crossing interval, then perform high-frequency insertion dead-zone modulation on the single-phase inverter; If the instantaneous power of the phase inverter is positive, unipolar modulation is performed on the single-phase inverter; the AC bypass switch action modulation unit is used to In the zero interval and the instantaneous power of the single-phase inverter is negative, the AC bypass switching action modulation is performed on the single-phase inverter. Su even states in claim 4 and 5 that there formulas and process are centered on using voltage over zero section or current zero-crossing point section. In fact the prior art teaches more features. Further, in response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). In conclusion any other differences between the prior art and the current application would flow naturally to on of ordinary skill in art without an inventive step nor novelty. All other remarks are considered yet are not found persuasive. 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 1-4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su (CN108448922A) in view of Wu (US20150318784). Regarding claim 1, a power PWM device (see S1-S6; Fig. 1) configured to perform power conversion between a direct current (DC) voltage (see Udc, Fig. 1) and an alternating current (AC) voltage of the grid (see Vg; Fig. 1) through a switching operation according to a duty (see The duty cycle is complementary to the duty cycle of the power switches S1 and S4 during unipolar modulation in the same phase state;); and a controller configured to determine a first phase value of the AC voltage at which a sign of an alternating current according to the AC voltage changes based on a phase of the AC voltage during a unit cycle (see reference voltage v ref >0, the power switches S1 and S4 are controlled to maintain the high-frequency switching state during unipolar modulation, and the power switches S5 and S6 are controlled to communicate with the power switches S1 and S4 at high frequency ); and perform duty compensation during a duty compensation period determined based on the first phase value (see Complementary switching, the power switches S2 and S3 remain off, and a dead zone is inserted during the switching process; when the reference voltage v ref <0, control the high frequency switching of the power switches S2 and S3 to maintain unipolar modulation state… control the bypass switch to perform high-frequency complementary switching according to the high-frequency switching of the full-bridge inverter switch under unipolar modulation). However, Su does not disclose that a power conversion device is in an electrified vehicle. Yet, Wu in the same filed taches that a power conversion device can be part of an electrified vehicle (see para 0042). 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 Su with the teachings of Wu by having the power conversion device is configured to perform the power conversion based on an active power command and a reactive power command from the grid, and wherein the delay/lag phase value is determined based on the active power command and the reactive power command in order to Regarding claims 2 and 12, the combination teaches wherein the controller comprises a phase locked loop having the AC voltage as an input signal, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine the phase of the AC voltage based on an output signal of the phase locked loop (see Vref; Wu). Regarding claims 3 and 13, the combination teaches wherein the power conversion device is connected to the grid (see grid-connected friendly and grid-supported; Su) and the battery (see para 0002; Wu), and wherein the controller is further configured to perform the duty compensation while a DC voltage of the battery is converted into the AC voltage through the power conversion device and supplied to the grid (see 204; Wu). Regarding claims 4 and 14. The electrified vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller further is configured to determine the first phase value by applying a delay/lag phase value of the alternating current with respect to the phase of the AC voltage to a second phase value at which a sign of the AC voltage changes. Regarding claims 10 and 20, the combination teaches wherein the controller is further configured to perform the duty compensation by applying a compensation duty determined based on a dead time and a switching frequency of the switching operation to a present duty of the power conversion device according to a current sign of the alternating current (see para 0055-0059; Fig. 4; Wu). Claims 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su and Wu in further view of Ohshima (US 2012/0161513) Regarding claims 5 and 15, the combination teaches the electrified vehicle of claims 4 and 14, respectively. Yet does not disclose the power conversion device is further configured to perform the power conversion based on an active power command and a reactive power command from the grid, and the delay/lag phase value is determined based on the active power command and the reactive power command. However, Ohshima in the same filed teaches the power conversion device is configured to perform the power conversion based on an active power command and a reactive power command from the grid, and wherein the delay/lag phase value is determined based on the active power command and the reactive power command (see 140, Fig. 10). 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 Su and Wu with the teachings of Ohshima by having the power conversion device is configured to perform the power conversion based on an active power command and a reactive power command from the grid, and wherein the delay/lag phase value is determined based on the active power command and the reactive power command in order to enhanced grid stability, power quality, and operational flexibility. Regarding claims 6 16, the combination teaches the electrified vehicle of claim 1 and 11 respectively. Yet does not disclose wherein the duty compensation period is a period other than a first range based on the first phase value in a particular phase of the alternating current during the unit cycle. However Ohshima in the same filed teaches the duty compensation period is a period other than a first range based on the first phase value in a phase of the alternating current during the unit cycle (see para 0108 and 0160-0163; Fig. 7 and 8). 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 Su and Wu with the teachings of Ohshima by having the duty compensation period is a period other than a first range based on the first phase value in a phase of the alternating current during the unit cycle in order to optimizing power conversion and management in alternating current (AC) systems. Regarding claims 7 and 17, the combination teaches wherein the first range is determined in further consideration of the AC voltage and a present duty of the power conversion device (see para 0108, 0113 and 0160-0163; Figs. 3, 7 and 8; Ohshima). Regarding claims 8 and 18, the combination teaches wherein a size of the first range is proportional to the AC voltage and the present duty (see para 0108, 0113 and 0160-0163; Figs. 3, 7 and 8; Ohshima). Regarding claims 9 and 19, the combination teaches wherein the controller is further configured to maintain a present duty of the power conversion device during the first range (see para 0108, 0113 and 0160-0163; Figs. 3, 7 and 8; Ohshima). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIM ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7114. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-6:30pm. 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, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571) 272-7492. 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. /ELIM ORTIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 08, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 30, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jan 28, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 25, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

2-3
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+22.9%)
2y 9m (~10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 585 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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