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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1 and 3-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Slepchenkov et al. (US 2021/0316621 A1) in view of Dwertmann (US 2014/034052 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Slepchenkov teaches a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of single-phase battery module systems, each provided for a respective phase of a motor [see (Fig. 11A; paras. 0173-0176, 0306) system 100 includes phase arrays 700-PA, 700-PB, and 700-PC associated with respective phases for supplying multiphase power to motor 1100; Slepchenkov further discloses modular energy systems implemented in electric vehicles]; wherein each single-phase battery module system comprises: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including: a battery; and a power conversion module, each power conversion module including: an inverter configured to convert a DC voltage stored in the battery into an AC voltage and output the AC voltage to the motor [see (Figs. 2A-2B; paras. 0093-0096) module 108 includes energy source 206 and converter 202; converter 202 converts a DC signal from the energy source into an AC signal over power connection 110 and may comprise a half-bridge or full-bridge circuit; energy source 206 may comprise an electrochemical battery];a plurality of switches each configured to open and close connection between a corresponding single-phase battery module system and a charger [see (Figs. 11A, 11C, 20; paras. 0173-0182, 0251-0254) switches 1108-PA, 1108-PB, and 1108-PC respectively correspond to phase arrays 700-PA, 700-PB, and 700-PC and are controlled during charging; during DC charging, switches corresponding to arrays selected for charging are positioned to permit charging current through the respective arrays, and converters 202 are switched to charge their associated energy sources].
However, Slepchenkov does not teach “wherein, during charging, when the plurality of switches are turned on, each inverter is configured to form a DC current path through output ends of the inverter to electrically connect the charger to the corresponding single-phase battery module system and to allow charging of the battery” in the particular claimed arrangement.
In an analogous art Dwertmann teaches the missing inverter bridge-switching arrangement [see (Figs. 2-4; paras. 0036-0040) coupling device 7 may comprise a full-bridge or half-bridge circuit having semiconductor switching elements, wherein the switching elements selectively connect energy storage cell module 5 “between the output connections 3a and 3b”, including during a charging operation], Dwertmann expressly teaches that selected bridge switching elements are placed in a closed state to connect the energy storage cell module between output connections 3a and 3b, while other switching elements remain open. Dwertmann further teaches that the coupling devices are selectively actuated during charging to connect the energy storage cell modules into the respective energy-supply branches, and that charger 6 may be coupled directly to first output connections 1a, 1b, and 1c of the respective branches through semiconductor switches [see (Fig. 4; paras. 0038-0040)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Slepchenkov’s disclosed half-bridge or full-bridge converter 202 according to Dwertmann’s bridge-switching charging arrangement such that, during charging, “each inverter is configured to form a DC current path through output ends of the inverter to electrically connect the charger to the corresponding single-phase battery module system and to allow charging of the battery.” One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because Dwertmann teaches selectively connecting an energy storage cell module between the bridge output connections during charging and coupling a charger to the respective branch output connections, thereby providing a controllable module-charging path while permitting the electric machine to be decoupled during charging to avoid unwanted currents and torque.
Regarding claim 10, Slepchenkov teaches a charging control method of a vehicle including a plurality of single-phase battery module systems, each provided for a respective phase of a motor [see (Figs. 11A, 11C; paras. 0173-0180, 0306) system 100 includes phase arrays 700-PA, 700-PB, and 700-PC associated with respective phases for supplying multiphase power to motor 1100, and Slepchenkov discloses methods for charging the modular energy system implemented in an electric vehicle]; wherein each single-phase battery module system comprises: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including: a battery; and a power conversion module, the power conversion module including: an inverter configured to convert a DC voltage stored in the battery into an AC voltage and output the AC voltage to the motor [see (Figs. 2A-2B; paras. 0093-0096) module 108 includes energy source 206 and converter 202; converter 202 converts a DC signal from the energy source into an AC signal over power connection 110 and may comprise a half-bridge or full-bridge circuit; energy source 206 may comprise an electrochemical battery]; a plurality of switches each configured to open and close connection between a corresponding single-phase battery module system and a charger [see (Figs. 11A, 11C, 20; paras. 0173-0182, 0251-0254) switches 1108-PA, 1108-PB, and 1108-PC respectively correspond to phase arrays 700-PA, 700-PB, and 700-PC and are controlled during charging; during DC charging, switches corresponding to arrays selected for charging are positioned to permit charging current through the respective arrays, and converters 202 are switched to charge their associated energy sources]; the charging control method comprising: a receiving operation of receiving a charging signal for DC charging from the charger [see (Figs. 12A-12B; paras. 0192-0195) connector 1202 “can receive DC charging signals (DC+ and DC−)”, and routing circuitry 1200 selectively routes the received DC charging signals to the respective phase lines under control of control system 102].
However, Slepchenkov does not teach “a control operation of turning on the plurality of switches and controlling the inverter to form a DC current path through output ends of the inverter to electrically connect the charger to the corresponding single-phase battery module system and to allow charging of the battery when the charging signal is received” in the particular claimed arrangement.
Dwertmann teaches a bridge-switching arrangement and corresponding charging control that, when applied to Slepchenkov’s converter 202, would provide the claimed inverter output-end charging arrangement [see (Figs. 2-4; paras. 0036-0040) coupling device 7 may comprise a full-bridge or half-bridge circuit having semiconductor switching elements, wherein the switching elements are controlled to selectively connect energy storage cell module 5 “between the output connections 3a and 3b”, including during a charging operation]; Dwertmann expressly teaches controlling selected bridge switching elements into a closed state to connect the energy storage cell module between output connections 3a and 3b, while other switching elements remain open. Dwertmann further teaches selectively actuating the coupling devices during charging to connect the energy storage cell modules into the respective energy-supply branches, and that charger 6 may be coupled directly to first output connections 1a, 1b, and 1c of the respective branches [see (Fig. 4; paras. 0038-0040)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Slepchenkov’s charging control method to control Slepchenkov’s disclosed half-bridge or full-bridge converter 202 according to Dwertmann’s bridge-switching charging arrangement such that the control operation controls the inverter to “form a DC current path through output ends of the inverter to electrically connect the charger to the corresponding single-phase battery module system and to allow charging of the battery when the charging signal is received.” One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because Dwertmann teaches selectively controlling the coupling elements to connect an energy storage cell module between the bridge output connections during charging and coupling a charger to the respective branch output connections, thereby providing a controllable module-charging path while permitting the electric machine to be decoupled during charging to avoid unwanted currents and torque.
Regarding claim 3, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Dwertmann further teaches wherein one end of each of the plurality of switches is interconnected and connected to a (+) terminal of the charger, and wherein an other end of each of the plurality of switches is connected to the plurality of single-phase battery module systems [see (Fig. 4; paras. 0016-0017, 0040; claims 9-10) charger 6 is coupled through first changeover device 6a to first output connections 1a, 1b, and 1c of the respective energy-supply branches; Fig. 4 shows the charger-side ends of the semiconductor switches of changeover device 6a joined at the common charging connection of charger 6 and the opposite ends respectively coupled to first output connections 1a, 1b, and 1c; the semiconductor switches may be connected when the energy-storage cell modules are to be charged].
However, Dwertmann does not expressly teach that the common charger-side connection is the “(+) terminal of the charger.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the common charger-side connection of Dwertmann as the positive terminal of the DC charger because Dwertmann already connects charger 6 across the respective first output connections and the common second output connection. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use the positive charger terminal at the selectively switched first-output side so that charging current is supplied through the selected energy-supply branches and returned through the common opposite charger connection, thereby providing a conventional and predictable DC charging current path.
Regarding claim 4, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Slepchenkov further teaches wherein the other end of each of the plurality of switches is connected to one end among output ends of the inverter included in one of the plurality of battery modules included in a single-phase battery module system of each of the plurality of single-phase battery module systems [see (Figs. 2A, 3A, 11A; paras. 0093-0096, 0174, 0176, 0182) switch 1108-PA is located between SIO1 and I/O port 1 of module 108-1 of array 700-PA, switch 1108-PB is located between SIO2 and I/O port 1 of module 108-1 of array 700-PB, and switch 1108-PC is located between SIO3 and I/O port 1 of module 108-1 of array 700-PC; switches 1108-PA, 1108-PB, and 1108-PC selectively connect charging signals from charge connector 1102 to their respective phase module arrays; module 108 includes converter 202, and converter 202 is switched to present positive voltage, negative voltage, or zero voltage at module I/O ports 1 and 2, thereby teaching that I/O port 1 is an output end of the module converter/inverter].
Regarding claim 5, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Dwertmann further teaches wherein the other end among output ends of an inverter included in one of the plurality of battery modules included in one single-phase battery module system among the plurality of single-phase battery module systems is interconnected to the other end among output ends of an inverter included in one of the plurality of battery modules included in another single-phase battery module system among the plurality of single-phase battery module systems and is connected to a (-) terminal of the charger [see (Figs. 1 and 4; paras. 0006-0007, 0030-0033, 0039-0040; claims 8-9) the respective energy-supply branches comprise series-connected energy-storage modules and extend between respective first output connections 1a, 1b, and 1c and common second output connection 1d; charger 6 is connected between the respective first output connections and common second output connection 1d, such that the opposite ends of the respective module branches are interconnected at common output connection 1d and coupled to the terminal of charger 6 opposite the switched first-output side].
However, Dwertmann does not expressly teach that common second output connection 1d is connected to the “(-) terminal of the charger.”
Therefore, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to connect the negative terminal of the DC charger to common second output connection 1d, complementary to connecting the positive charger terminal to the selectively switched first-output side, because Dwertmann already connects charger 6 across those two sides of the energy-storage branches. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use common second output connection 1d as the negative charger connection to provide the common return path for charging current supplied through the selected energy-supply branches, thereby completing the disclosed DC charging circuit.
Regarding claim 6, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Slepchenkov further teaches wherein each inverter includes: a first upper switch and a first lower switch provided in a first leg and connected to each other in series; and a second upper switch and a second lower switch provided in a second leg and connected to each other in series; wherein one end among output ends of the inverter is disposed between the first upper switch and the first lower switch; and wherein the other end among output ends of the inverter is disposed between the second upper switch and the second lower switch [see (Fig. 6A; paras. 0109-0111) converter 202A includes four semiconductor switches S3, S4, S5, and S6 arranged in a full-bridge configuration; S3/S4 form one bridge leg and S5/S6 form the other bridge leg, with converter output ports IO3 and IO4 provided at the respective intermediate bridge nodes; ports IO3 and IO4 can form module output ports 1 and 2].
Regarding claim 7, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Dwertmann further teaches “wherein a number of the plurality of battery modules included in a first single-phase battery module system among the plurality of single-phase battery module systems is the same as a number of the plurality of battery modules included in a second single-phase battery module system among the plurality of single-phase battery module systems” [see (Fig. 1; para. 0032) each energy-supply branch includes a plurality of series-connected energy storage modules 3, and Dwertmann expressly teaches that “each of the energy supply branches in this case comprises the same number of energy storage modules 3.”].
Regarding claim 8, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Slepchenkov further teaches “wherein each inverter includes an H-bridge single-phase inverter including a plurality of power semiconductor devices” [see (Fig. 6A; paras. 0109-0111) converter 202A includes switches S3, S4, S5, and S6 arranged in a full-bridge configuration and configured to generate positive, zero, and negative output voltages at output ports IO3 and IO4; the switches may comprise power semiconductor devices including MOSFETs, IGBTs, or GaN transistors].
Regarding claim 9, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Slepchenkov further teaches “wherein during DC charging, the first upper switch and the second lower switch are turned on, or the first lower switch and the second upper switch are turned on” with respect to the claimed inverter switch configuration [see (Fig. 6A; para. 0111) converter 202A is a full-bridge converter in which switches S3 and S6 are turned on while S4 and S5 are turned off to produce +VDCL, and switches S4 and S5 are turned on while S3 and S6 are turned off to produce −VDCL; thus, Slepchenkov expressly teaches selectively turning on diagonally opposed upper/lower switch pairs of the claimed full-bridge inverter].
However, Slepchenkov does not expressly teach that the disclosed diagonal switch state is selected during DC charging in the particular claimed arrangement.
Dwertmann further teaches selectively actuating a module-level bridge circuit during a charging operation [see (Figs. 1-2; paras. 0037-0038) coupling device 7 is selectively actuated to connect energy storage cell module 5 between output connections 3a and 3b; Dwertmann teaches closing diagonally opposed switching elements 7a and 7d while keeping switching elements 7b and 7c open, and expressly teaches selective actuation of the coupling devices for connecting energy storage cell modules into the energy-supply branches during charging].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to operate Slepchenkov’s disclosed full-bridge converter 202A using its known diagonal switch states during the DC-charging operation according to Dwertmann’s teaching of selectively actuating a module-level bridge to connect the battery module during charging. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because it would predictably provide a selectable conductive path through the module-level bridge for charging while using the known switching states of Slepchenkov’s converter.
Regarding claim 11, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, Slepchenkov further teaches “wherein each inverter includes a first upper switch and a first lower switch provided in a first leg and connected to each other in series; and a second upper switch and a second lower switch provided in a second leg and connected to each other in series” [see (Fig. 6A; paras. 0109-0111) converter 202A includes four semiconductor switches S3, S4, S5, and S6 arranged in a full-bridge configuration comprising two bridge legs, with output ports IO3 and IO4 provided at the respective intermediate nodes]. Slepchenkov further teaches the claimed diagonal switch states, wherein S3 and S6 are turned on while S4 and S5 are turned off to provide one output polarity, and S4 and S5 are turned on while S3 and S6 are turned off to provide the opposite output polarity.
However, Slepchenkov does not expressly teach “wherein the control operation is configured to turn on the first upper and the second lower switch, or to turn on the first lower switch and the second upper switch” during the claimed DC-charging control operation in the particular claimed arrangement.
Dwertmann teaches corresponding charging-mode bridge control [see (Figs. 1-2; paras. 0031, 0037-0038) control device 9 actuates the active switching elements during charging; Dwertmann selectively connects energy storage cell module 5 between output connections 3a and 3b by closing diagonally opposed switching elements 7a and 7d while keeping the other switching elements open, and expressly applies selective actuation of the coupling devices during charging].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure Slepchenkov’s charging control to operate its disclosed full-bridge converter 202A using the known diagonal switch states taught by Slepchenkov in accordance with Dwertmann’s teaching of selectively actuating a module-level bridge during charging, such that the control operation turns on the first upper and second lower switch, or the first lower and second upper switch. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the combination predictably uses Slepchenkov’s known full-bridge switching states to implement Dwertmann’s known charging-mode selective bridge conduction, thereby providing controlled charging of the module battery through the module-level bridge.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Slepchenkov et al. (US 2021/0316621 A1) in view of Dwertmann (US 2014/034052 A1) further in view of Lai (US 2022/0247326 A1).
Regarding claim 2, combination of Slepchenkov and Dwertmann teaches invention set forth above, combination does not expressly teach “wherein input ends of the battery and the inverter are connected to each other in parallel, and wherein an output end of the inverter is connected to an output end of an inverter included in an adjacent battery module in series” in the particular claimed arrangement.
Lai teaches the claimed cascaded inverter topology, wherein each H-bridge cell has input terminals coupled to a respective DC voltage source, and the H-bridge cells are connected in a cascade formation [see (paras. 0005-0006) corresponding input terminals of each H-bridge cell are coupled to a respective DC voltage source, and the H-bridge cells are connected in a cascade formation].
Lai further expressly teaches the series connection between output ends of adjacent inverter cells [see (Fig. 2; paras. 0064-0065) the H-bridge cells are connected at the output in a cascade configuration; each CHB module has first and second output terminals; the second output terminal of first CHB module 208 is coupled to the first output terminal of adjacent second CHB module 210, and the second output terminal of second CHB module 210 is coupled to the first output terminal of adjacent third CHB module 212].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further configure the battery-powered inverter modules of the Slepchenkov-Dwertmann combination according to Lai's cascaded H-bridge arrangement such that the battery is connected across the input terminals of its corresponding inverter and an output end of the inverter is connected in series to an output end of the inverter of an adjacent battery module. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because Lai teaches cascading the outputs of individual H-bridge cells so that their respective output voltages are summed to provide the overall inverter output voltage.
Conclusion
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/AQEEL H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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