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 .
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claims recite an abstract idea as discussed below. This abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application for the reasons discussed below. The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the reasons discussed below.
Under Step 1 of the eligibility analysis, we determine whether the claims are to a statutory category by considering whether the claimed subject matter falls within the
four statutory categories of patentable subject matter identified by 35 U.S.C. 101: process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. Applied to the present application, the claims belong to one of the statutory classes of a process.
Step 2A of the 2019 Guidance is divided into two Prongs. Prong 1 requires the
examiner to determine if the claims recite an abstract idea, and further requires that
the abstract idea belongs to one of three enumerated groupings: mathematical
concepts, mental processes, and certain methods of organizing human activity.
Independent Claim 1 is copied below, with the limitations belonging to an
abstract idea highlighted in bold; the remaining limitations are ''additional elements''.
A method for estimating a grouping efficiency, comprising:
detecting initial capacities of a plurality of to-be-grouped battery cells, and
grouping, among the to-be-grouped battery cells, battery cells whose initial capacities each satisfy a preset grouping capacity threshold range to obtain a first battery pack, wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is determined based on a nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells;
detecting an initial state of charge (SOC) of each battery cell in the first battery pack, and
grouping the battery cells in the first battery pack whose initial SOCs each satisfy a preset grouping SOC range to obtain a second battery pack;
simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell; and
determining a grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity.
Under Step 2A, Prong One, we consider whether the claim recites a judicial exception (abstract idea). In the above claim, the bold portion constitutes an abstract idea because, under a broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, it recites limitations that fall into/recite an abstract idea exception. Specifically, under the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance, it falls into the grouping that covers mathematical concepts (mathematical relationships, mathematical formulas or equations, mathematical calculations), certain methods of organizing human activity, and mental processes (concepts performed in the human mind including an observation, evaluation, judgement, and/or opinion).
The steps “grouping, among the to-be-grouped battery cells, battery cells whose initial capacities each satisfy a preset grouping capacity threshold range to obtain a first battery pack, wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is determined based on a nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells” and “grouping the battery cells in the first battery pack whose initial SOCs each satisfy a preset grouping SOC range to obtain a second battery pack” are treated as a combination of mathematical and mental concepts; the steps “simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” and “determining a grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity” are treated by the examiner as belonging to mathematical concept grouping.
Prong 2 of Step 2A of the 2019 Guidance requires the examiner to determine if the claims recite additional elements or a combination of additional elements which integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. This requires additional elements in the claim to apply, rely on, or use the abstract idea in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the abstract idea, such that the claim is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the abstract idea.
In Claim 1, the additional elements “detecting initial capacities of a plurality of to-be-grouped battery cells”, and “detecting an initial state of charge (SOC) of each battery cell in the first battery pack” are generally recited and used for extra-solution activities and do not qualify as a particular machine or a particular transformation.
The preamble of Claim 1: “A method for estimating a grouping efficiency, comprising:” is a generically recited preamble.
In conclusion, the above additional elements, when considered individually and in combination with the other claim elements, do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. Therefore, the claims are directed to a judicial exception and require further analysis under the Step 2B.
Step 2B of the 2019 Guidance requires the examiner to determine whether the additional elements cause the claim to amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. The considerations for this particular claim are essentially the same as the considerations for Prong 2 of Step 2A, and the same analysis leads to the conclusion that the claim does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Therefore, claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The independent claim 1, therefore, is not patent eligible.
With regards to the dependent claims, claims 2-10 provide additional features/steps which are part of an expanded algorithm, so these limitations should be considered part of an expanded abstract idea of the independent claims (Step 2A, Prong One), recite no additional elements reflecting a practical application (Step2A, Prong Two), and fail a “significantly more” test under the step 2B for the same reasons as discussed with regards to the independent claims.
The dependent claims are, therefore, also ineligible.
Same considerations were applied to independent Claim 11 and its dependent claims 12-15.
With regards to independent Claim 11: under the Step 2A, Prong Two, we consider whether the claim that recites a judicial exception is integrated into a practical application.
In this step, we evaluate whether the claim recites additional elements that integrate the exception into a practical application of that exception
In Claim 11, the additional elements “processor”, “memory”, and “program” are generally recited and do not qualify as a particular machine.
The preamble of Claim 11: “An electronic device, comprising:” is a generically recited preamble.
Same considerations were applied to independent Claim 16 and its dependent claims 17-20.
In conclusion, the above additional elements, when considered individually and in combination with the other claim elements, do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. Therefore, the claims are directed to a judicial exception and require further analysis under the Step 2B.
Step 2B of the 2019 Guidance requires the examiner to determine whether the additional elements cause the claim to amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. The considerations for this particular claim are essentially the same as the considerations for Prong 2 of Step 2A, and the same analysis leads to the conclusion that the claim does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Essentially, the above claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception (Step 2B analysis) because they are well-understood and conventional in the relevant art of
Therefore, claims 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The independent claims 11 and 16, therefore, are not patent eligible.
With regards to the dependent claims, claims 12-15 and 17-20 provide additional features/steps which are part of an expanded algorithm, so these limitations should be considered part of an expanded abstract idea of the independent claims (Step 2A, Prong One), recite no additional elements reflecting a practical application (Step2A, Prong Two), and fail a “significantly more” test under the step 2B for the same reasons as discussed with regards to the independent claims.
The dependent claims are, therefore, also ineligible.
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 9-13, 15-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN106356554A to Tan et al. (hereinafter Tan) in view of WO2022242653A1 to Wang et al. (hereinafter Wang).
Regarding Claim 1: Tan discloses:
“A method for estimating a grouping efficiency, comprising: detecting initial capacities of a plurality of to-be-grouped battery cells, and grouping, among the to-be-grouped battery cells, battery cells whose initial capacities each satisfy a preset grouping capacity threshold range to obtain a first battery pack, wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is determined based on a nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells ” (para 0014 – “a0. Detect the battery capacity C of each single cell (i.e. initial capacity, added by examiner) in a first preset number of single cells under preset conditions, remove the single cells whose battery capacity C is not within the preset capacity range”; para 0015 – “group the remaining individual cells according to the characteristic variable parameters σ of the remining individual cells and in accordance with a predetermined grouping rule”),
“detecting an initial state of charge (SOC) of each battery cell in the first battery pack, and grouping the battery cells in the first battery pack whose initial SOCs each satisfy a preset grouping SOC range to obtain a second battery pack” (para 0017 – “Discharge or charge the battery modules of the same category after classification to the same state of charge (i.e. classification to the same state of charge means the SOC is detected, added by examiner) … to form a series battery module”);
“determining a grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity” (para 0018 – “Preferably, the battery capacity C is detected by constant current and constant voltage charging and constant current discharging to detect each single cell”; para 0050 – “the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module, and different groups correspond to different battery modules, that is, the single cells are grouped according to the characteristic variable parameter σ value according to a predefined tolerance range, and the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module that meets the capacity requirements”; para 0085 – “The battery modules in the same group are grouped according to predetermined technical parameters (such as standards and tolerances corresponding to technical requirements of the battery pack )”)
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0015 – “The module includes an acquisition module for acquiring a pre-set target cell model, which is used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target cell at a preset ambient temperature… The simulation module is used to simulate the process of the target cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target cell model. The determination module is used to determine the target performance parameters of the target cell based on the simulation results. The target performance parameters include charging performance parameters when the target cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 2: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating a grouping efficiency according to Claim 1.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is a range of CN to (1 + a)* CN, where CN is the nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells, and CN and (1 + a)* CN are included in the range, and 0 < a < 0.2” (para 0061 – “a preset upper threshold is determined according to the characteristics of the battery module. All battery modules whose self-discharge characteristic parameter exceeds the preset upper threshold are regarded as unqualified products and are eliminated. Then, the qualified battery modules are sorted according to the self-discharge characteristic parameter… The positive and negative tolerance values within the preset tolerance range of the self-discharge characteristic parameter are classified as a group of battery modules that meet the requirements, that is, he positive and negative tolerances within a certain range (for example, +- 2%) (i.e., 0 < a < 0.2 are included in the range, added by examiner) are regarded as qualified”).
Regarding Claim 3: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating a grouping efficiency according to Claim 1.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the preset grouping SOC range is a range of b% to (b + c)%, and b% and (b + c)% are included in the range, where 0<b<90, and 0<c<10, and wherein b% is a smallest initial SOC among the initial SOCs of the battery cells in the first battery pack” (para 0054 – “Step S40, the battery modules of the same category, i.e. same group, after classification are discharged or charged to the same state of charge (SOC) 3, wherein the (SOC) 3 is usually between the 20%~40% of the total battery total power, i.e., a lower state of charge. … the battery modules in the same group are grouped according to predetermined technical parameters (such as standards and tolerances corresponding to technical requirements of the battery pack”).
Regarding Claim 4: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating a grouping efficiency according to Claim 3.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy; and wherein the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell comprises: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell; and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy” (para 0085 – “The input parameters of the model may include current density, and the output parameters
of the model may include battery voltage, cell temperature, and charging cut-off time or
discharging cut-off time (i.e. preset charging and discharging strategy, see Specification para 0032) when the simulation stop condition is met. The stop condition can be set as the upper or lower limit of the cell voltage, or as the upper limit of the cell temperature”); and
“wherein the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell comprises: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0006 – “A first aspect provides a method for determining the charge and discharge performance of a battery cell, the method comprising: acquiring a pre-set target battery cell model, the target battery cell model being used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target battery cell at a preset ambient temperature … simulating the process of the target battery cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target battery cell model; and determining target performance parameters of the target battery cell based on the simulation results, the target performance parameters including charging performance parameters when the target battery cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target battery cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature.”; para 0018 – “the target performance parameters include the capacity and energy corresponding to the target battery cell, and the simulation results include the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times for the target time of constant current charging or constant current discharging of the target battery cell according to the first preset current, wherein the target time includes the charging cut-off time or the discharging cut-off time; the determining module is used to determine the energy corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time and the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times; and to determine the capacity corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 9: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 1.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein after the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack is determined based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity, the method further comprises: obtaining the grouping efficiency of each second battery pack in a plurality of batches” (para 0067 – “The single cells used in this embodiment and the single cells used in the above-mentioned lithium-ion battery pack (I) for comparison are from the same manufacturer and the same batch. At the same time, the single cells used in the battery pack (II) are all within the “three parameters” range of the single cells described in the above-mentioned battery pack (I). In order to improve the probability of pairing, in this embodiment, the number of single cells used is initially screened according to 72, as shown in Table 2 below, which provides the capacity C, equivalent DC internal resistance R1 and calculated σ value of the single cells. After calculating the characteristic parameters of the single cells, the single cells with the largest and smallest σ values were screened out from the 72 single cells in Table 2 from the perspective of consistency, while satisfying that the number of remaining single cells is a multiple of 4. Therefore, 8 single cells, … were eliminated in this implementation case. The remaining 64 single cells in Table 2 were connected in parallel into 16 battery modules in groups of 4 using an energy storage welding process, and the characteristic parameters δ and R2 data of the 16 battery modules at 30% SOC were tested”); and
“performing a statistical computation on the grouping efficiencies of all the second battery packs in the plurality of batches to obtain a statistical grouping efficiency” (para 0023 – “The battery modules whose self-discharge characteristic parameter δ exceeds the preset upper limit threshold are eliminated, the remining battery modules are sorted according to the size of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ, and the remaining battery modules are grouped according to the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ according to the predetermined number of battery modules Y that need to be connected in series, the number of battery modules in each group is set to a preset multiple of the Y value, the average value and positive and negative tolerance values (i.e. statistical computation, added by examiner – see Specification para 0062) of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ of each group of battery modules are calculated, and the battery modules with positive and negative tolerance values within the preset tolerance range of the self-discharge characteristic parameter are classified as a group of battery modules that meet the requirements”; see also paras 0048 and 0061).
Regarding Claim 10: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 9.
Tan further discloses:
“determining a battery pack grouping process standard based on the statistical grouping efficiency and a design requirement of a battery pack” (para 0048 – “after obtaining the battery capacity C and the first equivalent DC internal resistance R1 of the remaining individual cells, they can also be grouped according to predetermined technical parameters (standards and tolerances corresponding to the technical requirements of the battery pack)… The average value of the parameters of the participating pairing samples is used as the center line, and a certain positive and negative tolerance (for example: +- 2%) is preset to count whether the number of single cells within the allowable tolerance range can meet the subsequent pairing quantity requirement… for single cells that are not within the tolerance range, the average value can be further calculated, and then they are grouped according to the preset positive and negative tolerances to divide into different groups”).
Regarding Claim 11: Tan discloses:
“An electronic device, comprising: at least one processor and a memory, which is configured to store at least one program” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods);
“wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement: detecting initial capacities of a plurality of to-be-grouped battery cells, and grouping, among the to-be-grouped battery cells, battery cells whose initial capacities each satisfy a preset grouping capacity threshold range to obtain a first battery pack, wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is determined based on a nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells” (para 0014 – “a0. Detect the battery capacity C of each single cell (i.e. initial capacity, added by examiner) in a first preset number of single cells under preset conditions, remove the single cells whose battery capacity C is not within the preset capacity range”; para 0015 – “group the remaining individual cells according to the characteristic variable parameters σ of the remining individual cells and in accordance with a predetermined grouping rule”),
“detecting an initial SOC of each battery cell in the first battery pack, and grouping the battery cells in the first battery pack whose initial SOCs each satisfy a preset grouping SOC range to obtain a second battery pack” (para 0017 – “Discharge or charge the battery modules of the same category after classification to the same state of charge (i.e. classification to the same state of charge means the SOC is detected, added by examiner) … to form a series battery module”);
“determining a grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity” (para 0018 – “Preferably, the battery capacity C is detected by constant current and constant voltage charging and constant current discharging to detect each single cell”; para 0050 – “the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module, and different groups correspond to different battery modules, that is, the single cells are grouped according to the characteristic variable parameter σ value according to a predefined tolerance range, and the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module that meets the capacity requirements”; para 0085 – “The battery modules in the same group are grouped according to predetermined technical parameters (such as standards and tolerances corresponding to technical requirements of the battery pack )”)
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0015 – “The module includes an acquisition module for acquiring a pre-set target cell model, which is used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target cell at a preset ambient temperature… The simulation module is used to simulate the process of the target cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target cell model. The determination module is used to determine the target performance parameters of the target cell based on the simulation results. The target performance parameters include charging performance parameters when the target cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 12: Tan/Wang combination discloses the electronic device according to claim 11.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy; and wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell comprises: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell; and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy” (para 0085 – “The input parameters of the model may include current density, and the output parameters
of the model may include battery voltage, cell temperature, and charging cut-off time or
discharging cut-off time (i.e. preset charging and discharging strategy, see Specification para 0032) when the simulation stop condition is met. The stop condition can be set as the upper or lower limit of the cell voltage, or as the upper limit of the cell temperature”); and
“wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement” (para 0108 – “In another exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium including program
instructions is also provided, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method for determining the charge-discharge performance of a battery cell described above.”)
“the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell comprises: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0006 – “A first aspect provides a method for determining the charge and discharge performance of a battery cell, the method comprising: acquiring a pre-set target battery cell model, the target battery cell model being used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target battery cell at a preset ambient temperature … simulating the process of the target battery cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target battery cell model; and determining target performance parameters of the target battery cell based on the simulation results, the target performance parameters including charging performance parameters when the target battery cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target battery cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature.”; para 0018 – “the target performance parameters include the capacity and energy corresponding to the target battery cell, and the simulation results include the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times for the target time of constant current charging or constant current discharging of the target battery cell according to the first preset current, wherein the target time includes the charging cut-off time or the discharging cut-off time; the determining module is used to determine the energy corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time and the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times; and to determine the capacity corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 13: Tan/Wang combination discloses the electronic device according to claim 12.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods).
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity comprises: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity comprises: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wan combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 15: Tan/Wang combination discloses the electronic device according to claim 11.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
“obtaining the grouping efficiency of each second battery pack in a plurality of batches after the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack is determined based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity” (para 0067 – “The single cells used in this embodiment and the single cells used in the above-mentioned lithium-ion battery pack (I) for comparison are from the same manufacturer and the same batch. At the same time, the single cells used in the battery pack (II) are all within the “three parameters” range of the single cells described in the above-mentioned battery pack (I). In order to improve the probability of pairing, in this embodiment, the number of single cells used is initially screened according to 72, as shown in Table 2 below, which provides the capacity C, equivalent DC internal resistance R1 and calculated σ value of the single cells. After calculating the characteristic parameters of the single cells, the single cells with the largest and smallest σ values were screened out from the 72 single cells in Table 2 from the perspective of consistency, while satisfying that the number of remaining single cells is a multiple of 4. Therefore, 8 single cells, … were eliminated in this implementation case. The remaining 64 single cells in Table 2 were connected in parallel into 16 battery modules in groups of 4 using an energy storage welding process, and the characteristic parameters δ and R2 data of the 16 battery modules at 30% SOC were tested”); and
“performing a statistical computation on the grouping efficiencies of all the second battery packs in the plurality of batches to obtain a statistical grouping efficiency” (para 0023 – “The battery modules whose self-discharge characteristic parameter δ exceeds the preset upper limit threshold are eliminated, the remining battery modules are sorted according to the size of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ, and the remaining battery modules are grouped according to the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ according to the predetermined number of battery modules Y that need to be connected in series, the number of battery modules in each group is set to a preset multiple of the Y value, the average value and positive and negative tolerance values (i.e. statistical computation, added by examiner – see Specification para 0062) of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ of each group of battery modules are calculated, and the battery modules with positive and negative tolerance values within the preset tolerance range of the self-discharge characteristic parameter are classified as a group of battery modules that meet the requirements”; see also paras 0048 and 0061).
Regarding Claim 16: Tan discloses:
“A non-transitory storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
“detecting initial capacities of a plurality of to-be-grouped battery cells, and grouping, among the to-be-grouped battery cells, battery cells whose initial capacities each satisfy a preset grouping capacity threshold range to obtain a first battery pack, wherein the preset grouping capacity threshold range is determined based on a nominal capacity of the to-be-grouped battery cells ” (para 0014 – “a0. Detect the battery capacity C of each single cell (i.e. initial capacity, added by examiner) in a first preset number of single cells under preset conditions, remove the single cells whose battery capacity C is not within the preset capacity range”; para 0015 – “group the remaining individual cells according to the characteristic variable parameters σ of the remining individual cells and in accordance with a predetermined grouping rule”),
“detecting an initial SOC of each battery cell in the first battery pack, and grouping the battery cells in the first battery pack whose initial SOCs each satisfy a preset grouping SOC range to obtain a second battery pack” (para 0017 – “Discharge or charge the battery modules of the same category after classification to the same state of charge (i.e. classification to the same state of charge means the SOC is detected, added by examiner) … to form a series battery module”);
“determining a grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity” (para 0018 – “Preferably, the battery capacity C is detected by constant current and constant voltage charging and constant current discharging to detect each single cell”; para 0050 – “the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module, and different groups correspond to different battery modules, that is, the single cells are grouped according to the characteristic variable parameter σ value according to a predefined tolerance range, and the single cells in each group are connected in parallel to form a battery module that meets the capacity requirements”; para 0085 – “The battery modules in the same group are grouped according to predetermined technical parameters (such as standards and tolerances corresponding to technical requirements of the battery pack )”)
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“simulating a charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on a preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0015 – “The module includes an acquisition module for acquiring a pre-set target cell model, which is used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target cell at a preset ambient temperature… The simulation module is used to simulate the process of the target cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target cell model. The determination module is used to determine the target performance parameters of the target cell based on the simulation results. The target performance parameters include charging performance parameters when the target cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 17: Tan/Wang combination discloses non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods)
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy; the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell by: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell; and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the preset charging and discharging strategy comprises a preset charging strategy and a preset discharging strategy” (para 0085 – “The input parameters of the model may include current density, and the output parameters
of the model may include battery voltage, cell temperature, and charging cut-off time or
discharging cut-off time (i.e. preset charging and discharging strategy, see Specification para 0032) when the simulation stop condition is met. The stop condition can be set as the upper or lower limit of the cell voltage, or as the upper limit of the cell temperature”); and
“the simulating of the charging and discharging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging and discharging strategy to obtain the charging data and discharging data corresponding to the battery cell by: simulating the charging process of each battery cell in the second battery pack based on the preset charging strategy to have the second battery pack virtually charged and obtain the charging data corresponding to the battery cell; and simulating the discharging process of each battery cell in the virtually charged second battery pack based on the preset discharging strategy to obtain the discharging data corresponding to the battery cell” (para 0006 – “A first aspect provides a method for determining the charge and discharge performance of a battery cell, the method comprising: acquiring a pre-set target battery cell model, the target battery cell model being used to simulate the charge and discharge performance of the target battery cell at a preset ambient temperature … simulating the process of the target battery cell being charged or discharged at a constant current rate according to a first preset current at the preset ambient temperature using the target battery cell model; and determining target performance parameters of the target battery cell based on the simulation results, the target performance parameters including charging performance parameters when the target battery cell is charged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature, or discharging performance parameters when the target battery cell is discharged at a constant current rate at the preset ambient temperature.”; para 0018 – “the target performance parameters include the capacity and energy corresponding to the target battery cell, and the simulation results include the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times for the target time of constant current charging or constant current discharging of the target battery cell according to the first preset current, wherein the target time includes the charging cut-off time or the discharging cut-off time; the determining module is used to determine the energy corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time and the simulated battery cell voltage measured at different preset times; and to determine the capacity corresponding to the target battery cell based on the target time”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 18: Tan/Wang combination discloses the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 17.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity by: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity by: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 20: Tan/Wang combination discloses the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
“obtaining the grouping efficiency of each second battery pack in a plurality of batches after the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack is determined based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity, and” (para 0067 – “The single cells used in this embodiment and the single cells used in the above-mentioned lithium-ion battery pack (I) for comparison are from the same manufacturer and the same batch. At the same time, the single cells used in the battery pack (II) are all within the “three parameters” range of the single cells described in the above-mentioned battery pack (I). In order to improve the probability of pairing, in this embodiment, the number of single cells used is initially screened according to 72, as shown in Table 2 below, which provides the capacity C, equivalent DC internal resistance R1 and calculated σ value of the single cells. After calculating the characteristic parameters of the single cells, the single cells with the largest and smallest σ values were screened out from the 72 single cells in Table 2 from the perspective of consistency, while satisfying that the number of remaining single cells is a multiple of 4. Therefore, 8 single cells, … were eliminated in this implementation case. The remaining 64 single cells in Table 2 were connected in parallel into 16 battery modules in groups of 4 using an energy storage welding process, and the characteristic parameters δ and R2 data of the 16 battery modules at 30% SOC were tested”); and
“performing a statistical computation on the grouping efficiencies of all the second battery packs in the plurality of batches to obtain a statistical grouping efficiency” (para 0023 – “The battery modules whose self-discharge characteristic parameter δ exceeds the preset upper limit threshold are eliminated, the remining battery modules are sorted according to the size of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ, and the remaining battery modules are grouped according to the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ according to the predetermined number of battery modules Y that need to be connected in series, the number of battery modules in each group is set to a preset multiple of the Y value, the average value and positive and negative tolerance values (i.e. statistical computation, added by examiner – see Specification para 0062) of the self-discharge characteristic parameter δ of each group of battery modules are calculated, and the battery modules with positive and negative tolerance values within the preset tolerance range of the self-discharge characteristic parameter are classified as a group of battery modules that meet the requirements”; see also paras 0048 and 0061).
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan in view of Wang and in further view of US20240072558 to Sasaki et al. (hereinafter Sasaki).
Regarding Claim 5: Tan/Wang combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 4.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the preset charging strategy is to stop the simulating of the charging process once an SOC of any one of the battery cells in the second battery pack reaches 100%”.
However, Sasaki discloses:
“wherein the preset charging strategy is to stop the simulating of the charging process once an SOC of any one of the battery cells in the second battery pack reaches 100%” (para 0050 – “The screen of FIG. 8(b) corresponds to the time of the charging of the storage battery unit 4, and illustrates a relationship between magnitude of the output (negative output) and a length of time (chargeable time) in a case where the time of stopping charging the storage battery unit 4 is set to SOC “100”%, SOC “80”%, and SOC “70”%, respectively”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang combination, as taught by Sasaki, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 6: Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 5.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the preset discharging strategy is to stop the simulating of the discharging process once the SOC of any one of the battery cells in the virtually charged second battery pack reaches 0%”.
However, Sasaki discloses:
“wherein the preset discharging strategy is to stop the simulating of the discharging process once the SOC of any one of the battery cells in the virtually charged second battery pack reaches 0%” (para 0049 – “FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third display screen example in the host control device 6 according to the embodiment. In the screen of FIG. 8(a), the horizontal axis denotes output [kW], and the vertical axis denotes time (minutes). The screen of FIG. 8(a) corresponds to the time of discharge of the storage battery unit 4, and illustrates a relationship between magnitude of the output and a length of a time (dischargeable time) in a case where the time of stopping discharging the storage battery unit 4 is set to SOC “0”%, SOC “20”%, and SOC “30”%”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Sasaki, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 7: Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 6.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity comprises: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the determining of the grouping efficiency of the second battery pack based on the charging data, the discharging data, and the nominal capacity comprises: determining an actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data; and determining the grouping efficiency based on the actual discharge capacity and the nominal capacity” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Claims 8, 14, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan in view of Wang in view of Sasaki and in further view of DE102020121612A1 to Winkler (hereinafter Winkler).
Regarding Claim 8: Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination discloses the method for estimating the grouping efficiency according to claim 7.
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“wherein the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data comprises: determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data comprises” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination does not explicitly disclose:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Winkler discloses:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity” (para 0002 – “Determining the state of charge of a battery, especially a lithium-ion battery, is often only possible imprecisely. Furthermore, to determine the state of charge, it may be necessary to fully charge or discharge the battery. Furthermore, the individual battery cells of the battery have different charges. A state of charge is also referred to as State of Charge (SOC)”; para 0003 – “The disadvantage is that regular full charge events are necessary to enable an accurate determination of the state of charge”; para 0017 – “The state of charge is also referred to as State-of-Charge (SOC) and usually indicates the percentage to which the battery is charged. Advantageously, the state of charge is given as a percentage, where a completely discharged battery has a state of charge of 0% and a fully charged battery has a state of charge of 100%”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Winkler, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 14: Tan/Wang combination discloses the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data by: determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data by:” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Tan/Wang combination does not explicitly disclose:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Winkler discloses:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity” (para 0002 – “Determining the state of charge of a battery, especially a lithium-ion battery, is often only possible imprecisely. Furthermore, to determine the state of charge, it may be necessary to fully charge or discharge the battery. Furthermore, the individual battery cells of the battery have different charges. A state of charge is also referred to as State of Charge (SOC)”; para 0003 – “The disadvantage is that regular full charge events are necessary to enable an accurate determination of the state of charge”; para 0017 – “The state of charge is also referred to as State-of-Charge (SOC) and usually indicates the percentage to which the battery is charged. Advantageously, the state of charge is given as a percentage, where a completely discharged battery has a state of charge of 0% and a fully charged battery has a state of charge of 100%”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Winkler, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Regarding Claim 19: Tan/Wang combination discloses the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 18.
Tan further discloses:
“wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to implement” (para 0106 – “Through the description of the above implementation methods… method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform” (i.e. processor, added by examiner)… The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM/RAM, disk, or CD), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device … to execute the methods):
Tan does not explicitly disclose:
“the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data by: determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Wang discloses:
“wherein the determining of the actual discharge capacity of the second battery pack based on the charging data and the discharging data by:” (para 0064 – “Based on the above implementation steps, before producing the target battery cell, simulations can be performed on the constant current rate charge and discharge process of the target battery cell under different preset ambient temperatures. The performance of the target battery cell can be determined based on the simulation results, and the battery cell design can be optimized based on the determined performance of the target battery cell. For example, if the rated capacity of the target battery cell is 84 Ah, and the actual capacity (or actual utilization capacity) of the target battery cell during constant current charging is determined to be 78 Ah, the battery cell design can be optimized by appropriately reducing the electrode thickness, increasing the conductive agent, increasing the porosity of the porous electrode, and reducing the particle size of the positive/negative electrode active materials. This allows the optimized target battery cell to meet the performance requirements for charge and discharge”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang combination, as taught by Wang, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Tan/Wang combination does not explicitly disclose:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity”.
However, Winkler discloses:
“determining a fully discharged battery cell among the battery cells in the second battery pack based on the discharging data; and determining charging data of the fully discharged battery cell as the actual discharge capacity” (para 0002 – “Determining the state of charge of a battery, especially a lithium-ion battery, is often only possible imprecisely. Furthermore, to determine the state of charge, it may be necessary to fully charge or discharge the battery. Furthermore, the individual battery cells of the battery have different charges. A state of charge is also referred to as State of Charge (SOC)”; para 0003 – “The disadvantage is that regular full charge events are necessary to enable an accurate determination of the state of charge”; para 0017 – “The state of charge is also referred to as State-of-Charge (SOC) and usually indicates the percentage to which the battery is charged. Advantageously, the state of charge is given as a percentage, where a completely discharged battery has a state of charge of 0% and a fully charged battery has a state of charge of 100%”).
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 method, disclosed by Tan/Wang/Sasaki combination, as taught by Winkler, in order to estimate a grouping efficiency of the battery pack with higher level of accuracy.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20250074253 to Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang) discloses power supply device.
US20160226269 to Hwang et al. (hereinafter Hwang) discloses battery charge and discharge control system and battery charge and discharge control method.
US20230184815 to Jeong et al. (hereinafter Jeong) discloses battery management system, battery pack, energy storage system and battery management method.
US20220140620 to Kang et al. (hereinafter Kang) discloses apparatus and method for balancing battery packs connected in parallel.
US20240199217 to Saito et al. (hereinafter Saito) discloses system, program, and management method.
US20230194618A1 to Hong et al. (hereinafter Hong) discloses battery diagnosing apparatus and method.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lyudmila Zaykova-Feldman whose telephone number is (469)295-9269. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am - 5:30pm, Monday through Friday.
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/LYUDMILA ZAYKOVA-FELDMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/LINA CORDERO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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