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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication and claim amendment filed on 03/02/2026.
Applicant elects Group I Claims 1-15 and 16-20) without traverse and withdraws Group II (Claims 24-27). Claims 1 and 16 are independent claims. Claims 1-23 have been examined and are pending. This Action is made non-FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 11/04/2024. These drawings are reviewed and accepted by the Examiner.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 11/04/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term "means" or "step" or a term used as a substitute for "means" that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term "means" or "step" or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word "for" (e.g., "means for") or another linking word or phrase, such as "configured to" or "so that"; and
(C) the term "means" or "step" or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word "means" (or "step") in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word "means" (or "step") in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Claim limitations in this application that use the word "means" (or "step") are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word "means" (or "step") are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word "means," but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “controllers to determine/initiate”; “monitoring interfaces to monitor” recited in claims 1-15. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-12, 15, 16, 18, and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagafuchi et al. (“Nagafuchi,” US 2025/0214480), in view of Sun et al. (“Sun,” US 2025/0376055).
Regarding claim 1, Nagafuchi teaches a system for cyberattack mitigation and protection for an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), the system comprising:
one or more controllers (Nagafuchi: Abstract, Fig. 3, monitoring device; par. 0013, monitoring device 10 which can monitor for the presence or absence of the occurrence of abnormalities in constituent elements of power supply and demand control services which utilize EV s that are an example of an electric transportation device and ensure service continuity by dealing with an abnormality when the occurrence of an abnormality is detected will be explained).
one or more communications monitoring interfaces to monitor communications associated with operation of the EVSE (Nagafuchi: pars. 0049, 0052, The communication I/F 104 is interface though which the monitoring device 10; par. 0023, communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server, a building (more precisely, building power management system), a power grid)).
the one or more controllers to:
determine one or more anomalous condition indicators at least partially responsive to at least one of the measured analog signals and the communications monitored via the one or more communications monitoring interfaces (Nagafuchi: par. 0015, abnormalities … cyber attack of some kind against the entity (for example, attack on EV or EVSE, EVSE); Abstract, an analysis part configured to detect occurrence of an abnormality); and
initiate or perform a mitigation action for the EVSE at least partially responsive to determining the one or more anomalous condition indicators (Nagafuchi: Abstract: a handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected).
Nagafuchi does not explicitly disclose “analog measurement circuitry to measure analog signals associated with the EVSE.”
However, in an analogous art, Sun discloses (b) analog measurement circuitry to measure analog signals associated with the EVSE (Sun: par. 0077, In variations, the cable 110 and/or other related portion of the system 100 can include other sensors configured to detect statuses of the cable 110 and/or devices (e.g., electric vehicles, EVSEs, etc.) coupled to the cable 110. In variations, the other sensors can include one or more of: thermal sensors ( e.g., to detect temperatures of the cable 110 in association with proper operation, heating, cooling, etc.), sensors configured to detect electrical characteristics ( e.g., voltage, current, resistance) of the cable 110 and/or elements coupled to the cable 110, force sensors to detect mechanical forces ( e.g., shear, compression, tension, torsion, bending, etc.) applied to the cable 110 and/or elements coupled to the cable 110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sun with the method and system of Nagafuchi to include “analog measurement circuitry to measure analog signals associated with the EVSE.”. One would have been motivated to do so because Sun teaches sensors "to detect statuses of the cable and/or devices (e.g., electric vehicles, EVSEs, etc.) coupled to the cable... in association with proper operation." One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to incorporate Sun's analog sensing hardware into Nagafuchi's monitoring device to provide physical ground-truth verification of the EVSE operational status that Nagafuchi's collection part gathers, th/ereby enhancing detection reliability of abnormal conditions including cyberattacks. KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches
detecting one or more states associated with the EVSE (Nagafuchi: par. 0015, "failure of the entity (for example, failure of EV or EVSE and the like)" and "a request for processing or an operation which the entity cannot fulfill."; par. 0077 "sensors configured to detect statuses of the cable 110 and/or devices (e.g., electric vehicles, EVSEs, etc.) coupled to the cable" and "sensors operable to detect other failure (e.g., compromise of sheathing material, compromise of plugs)." Although neither Nagafuchi nor Sun explicitly uses the term "digital measurement circuitry," it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement the disclosed state detection using digital measurement circuitry. Discrete binary states — such as failed/operational, able/unable, compromised/intact, and open/closed — are by their nature detected by digital circuits rather than analog circuits, because such states represent finite enumerable conditions rather than continuous measured values. Analog circuitry measures "how much" along a continuous scale; digital circuitry detects "which condition" among a finite set. A skilled artisan would therefore recognize that detecting discrete operational states of EVSE components necessarily employs digital measurement circuitry as the obvious and natural hardware implementation — no analog-to-digital conversion of a continuous signal is required or appropriate for detecting a binary condition. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 416 (2007).
the one or more controllers to determine the one or more anomalous condition indicators at least partially responsive to at least one of the measured analog signals, the communications, and the one or more states (Nagafuchi: par. 0007, discloses that the analysis part of monitoring device 10 determines abnormality "through a predetermined analysis using the information collected using the collection part"; par.0023, communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further discloses, wherein the analog measurement circuitry is to measure analog signals comprising one or more of:
an alternating current (AC) input power level to a charging system of the EVSE; and
a direct current (DC) output current level from the charging system of the EVSE (Sun: par. [0077], "sensors configured to detect electrical characteristics (e.g., voltage, current, resistance) of the cable 110 and/or elements coupled to the cable 110").
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches wherein the analog measurement circuitry is to measure analog signals comprising temperature measurement signals associated with the EVSE (Sun: par. [0077], "sensors configured to detect statuses of the cable 110 and/or devices (e.g., electric vehicles, EVSEs, etc.) coupled to the cable 110”, "thermal sensors (e.g., to detect temperatures of the cable 110 in association with proper operation, heating, cooling, etc.)").
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches, wherein the one or more controllers is operably coupled to the one or more communications monitoring interfaces to:
monitor communications comprising control messages communicated in an internal control network for the EVSE (Nagafuchi: par. [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server"; par. [0024], The monitoring device 10 collects various information from each entity on a regular or irregular basis. Hereinafter, the information collected from each entity will be referred to as "collection information."; par. [0049], "communication I/F 104... communicably connected via bus 109 to processor 108".).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches wherein the one or more controllers is operably coupled to the one or more communications monitoring interfaces to:
monitor communications between the EVSE and an electric vehicle (Nagafuchi: para [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE; par. [0024], "the collection information collected from EVs will be referred to as EV collection information”.).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches, wherein the one or more controllers is operably coupled to the one or more communications monitoring interfaces to:
monitor communications between the EVSE and a remote smart energy management system (Nagafuchi: par [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server, a building (more precisely, building power management system), a power grid (more precisely, power grid power control system)"; par. [0024], "collection information collected from buildings will be referred to as 'building collection information' and the collection information collected from a power grid will be referred to as power grid collection information”).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches, wherein the one or more controllers is to initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises:
sending, to a human machine interface (HMI), an alert indication signal associated with the one or more anomalous condition indicators (Nagafuchi: Abstract: an handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected; par. 0007, "a handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected").
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches, wherein the one or more controllers is to initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises:
setting a predetermined power level for electric vehicle charging to a reduced power level (Nagafuchi: Abstract: an handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected; par. 0024, reduction in electricity charges and prevention of excessive investment in electric power equipment are realized.).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches, wherein the one or more controllers is to initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises:
initiating a system reboot of the EVSE (Nagafuchi: Abstract: an handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality; occurrence is detected; par. [0084], "the power demand of the EVSE may be controlled to be lowered using a power control protocol (for example, a power control protocol such as OpenADR)").
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun further teaches wherein the one or more controllers is to:
determine the one or more anomalous condition indicators indicative of a cyberattack, a cyber manipulation, or a cyber tampering with the EVSE via one or more external networks connected to the EVSE (Nagafuchi: par. [0015], "cyber attack of some kind against the entity (for example, attack on EV or EVSE)"; par. [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server, a building power management system, a power grid power control system"; par. [0052], "The communication I/F 104 is an interface through which the monitoring device 10 is connected to an information communication network").
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 is directed to a method associated with the method claimed in claim 1; claim 16 is similar in scope to claim 1, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 18, claim 18 is similar in scope to claim 2, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the method of claim 16. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches further teaches wherein monitoring communications associated with operation of the EVSE comprises one or more of:
communications comprising control messages communicated in an internal control network for the EVSE (Nagafuchi: par. [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server"; par. [0024], The monitoring device 10 collects various information from each entity on a regular or irregular basis. Hereinafter, the information collected from each entity will be referred to as "collection information."; par. [0049], "communication I/F 104... communicably connected via bus 109 to processor 108");
communications between the EVSE and an electric vehicle (Nagafuchi: para [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE; par. [0024], "the collection information collected from EVs will be referred to as EV collection information”; and
communications between the EVSE and a remote smart energy management system (Nagafuchi: par [0023], "The monitoring device 10 is communicatively connected to each of entities such as an EV, EVSE, an EVSE reservation app, a reservation management server, a building (more precisely, building power management system), a power grid (more precisely, power grid power control system)"; par. [0024], "collection information collected from buildings will be referred to as 'building collection information' and the collection information collected from a power grid will be referred to as power grid collection information”.).
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the method of claim 16, wherein initiating or performing the mitigation action for the EVSE comprises one or more of:
sending, to a human machine interface (HMI), an alert indication signal associated with the one or more anomalous condition indicators (Nagafuchi: Abstract: an handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected; par. 0007, "a handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected");
setting a predetermined power level for electric vehicle charging to a reduced power level (Nagafuchi: Abstract: a handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality occurrence is detected; par. 0024, reduction in electricity charges and prevention of excessive investment in electric power equipment are realized.); and
initiating a system reboot of the EVSE (Nagafuchi: Abstract: a handling part which performs control or notification to deal with the abnormality when the abnormality; occurrence is detected; par. [0084], "the power demand of the EVSE may be controlled to be lowered using a power control protocol (for example, a power control protocol such as OpenADR)").
Claims 3, 6, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagafuchi et al. (“Nagafuchi,” US 2025/0214480), in view of Sun et al. (“Sun,” US 2025/0376055), further in view of Khamashta et al. (“Khamashta,” US 2022/0332201)
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 2. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches, wherein the digital measurement circuitry is to detect the one or more states associated with the EVSE but does not explicitly teaches comprising one or more of: an alternating current (AC) input contactor to power electronics of the EVSE; (b)a direct current (DC) contactor of a combined charging system (CCS) cable and a DC contactor of a CHArge de MOve (CHAdeMO) cable.
However, in an analogous art, Khamashta discloses one or more of: an alternating current (AC) input contactor to power electronics of the EVSE; a direct current (DC) contactor of a combined charging system (CCS) cable and a DC contactor of a CHArge de MOve (CHAdeMO) cable (Khamashta: par. [0004] discloses an EVSE controller comprising "contactors on the power lines to open and close to provide or shut off power to the electric vehicle" controlled by a microprocessor; par. [0033] discloses that the EVSE supports "Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 1 connector, CCS Type 2 connector, CHAdeMO connector.").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Khamashta's with the method and system of Nagafuchi and Sun to include one or more of: an alternating current (AC) input contactor to power electronics of the EVSE; a direct current (DC) contactor of a combined charging system (CCS) cable and a DC contactor of a CHArge de MOve (CHAdeMO) cable. One would have been motivated to combine Khamashta's contactor state monitoring with Nagafuchi's anomaly detection system because both are directed to EVSE monitoring and protection, and incorporating direct hardware contactor state detection into Nagafuchi's monitoring device would enhance physical ground-truth verification of EVSE operational states independent of network communications. KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.398 (2007)).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches wherein the analog measurement circuitry is to measure analog signals but does not explicitly discloses comprising a power level of a cable thermal management system of a combined charging system (CCS).
However, in an analogous art, Khamashta discloses a power level of a cable thermal management system of a combined charging system (CCS) (Khamashta: par. [0031] the EVSE 110 may include one or more components for cooling control (e.g., controlling a liquid cooled charging cable)"; par. [0002], Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE), sometimes referred to as an electric vehicle charging dispenser, is used for charging electric vehicles. There are several different EV charging standards and charging communication protocols that each require different physical interfaces, signaling, voltages, and safety compliance elements; par. 0031, "the EVSE 110 may include a meter (e.g., a current measuring device) to measure current drawn by the electric vehicle")
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Khamashta with the method and system of Nagafuchi and Sun to include a power level of a cable thermal management system of a combined charging system (CCS) . One would have been motivated to motivated to incorporate Khamashta's cable cooling control and current measurement into Nagafuchi's EVSE monitoring system because Khamashta itself teaches that an EVSE includes both cooling control for a liquid cooled cable and a current measuring device as standard components — and that monitoring those parameters enables "remedial actions" when values fall outside thresholds (Khamashta para [0031], [0054]) . KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).
Regarding claim 17, claim 17 is similar in scope to claim 6, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 is similar in scope to claim 3, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claims 13-14 and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagafuchi et al. (“Nagafuchi,” US 2025/0214480), in view of Sun et al. (“Sun,” US 2025/0376055), further in view of Hong et al. (“Hong,” US 2020/0162487).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches, wherein the one or more controllers but does not explicitly disclose determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a message type that is disallowed in a current state of operation, and initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE at least partially responsive to the detection.
However, in an analogous art, Hong discloses
determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a message type that is disallowed in a current state of operation (Hong para [0033] discloses: "the electric vehicle charger 150 may determine whether a denial of service attack has occurred... whether a replay attack has occurred... whether an unauthorized communication connection has been established... whether false data has been injected into a communication connection"; par. [0035], "the electric vehicle charger 150 may block a start or stop command associated with... the charging station management system 130 (e.g., to prevent an electric vehicle charger 150, 152, 154 from charging an electric vehicle while the BESS is recharging)".), and
initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE at least partially responsive to the detection (Hong: par. [0035], "the electric vehicle charger 150 may block a start or stop command associated with... the charging station management system 130" "the electric vehicle charger 150 may drop (e.g., discard) one or more anomalous packets received on a corresponding communication connection").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Hong with the method and system of Nagafuchi and Sun to include determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a message type that is disallowed in a current state of operation, and initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE at least partially responsive to the detection. One would have been motivated to incorporate Hong's state-condition-based command blocking into Nagafuchi's EVSE anomaly detection system because Hong itself teaches that blocking specific command types based on current charging station operational state protects the charging station from cyberattacks — directly enhancing Nagafuchi's mitigation capability with specific message-type blocking responsive to detected operational conditions (Hong: pars. 0033, 0035). KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Nagafuchi and Sun teaches the method of the system of claim 1. The combination of Nagafuchi and Sun discloses, wherein the one or more controllers but does not explicitly disclose it to: determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a control parameter that is out-of-range relative to a predetermined valid range of control parameter values, and initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE, or limiting the value of the control parameter in the control message, at least partially responsive to the detection.
However, in an analogous art, Hong discloses
determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a control parameter that is out-of-range relative to a predetermined valid range of control parameter values (Hong: par. [0020], "training data indicative of normal operations (e.g., operations deemed normal, or operations with corresponding values (e.g., voltage values, current values, charging time periods, etc.) that fall within a predefined range (e.g., predefined tolerances)) and data indicative of anomalies (e.g., operations that fall outside of predefined tolerances)". par.[0034], "the electric vehicle charger 150 may determine whether false electric vehicle state of charge data has been injected (e.g., by determining whether the reported state of charge is plausible based on a known battery capacity of the electric vehicle 170, an amount of time that the electric vehicle 170 has been charging, and a power level at which the electric vehicle 170 has been charging; par. 0033), and
initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE, or limiting the value of the control parameter in the control message, at least partially responsive to the detection (Hong: par. [0035], "the electric vehicle charger 150 may drop (e.g., discard) one or more anomalous packets received on a corresponding communication connection". Examiner's position: "Drop (e.g., discard) one or more anomalous packets" reads directly on "blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE" under BRI — discarding a packet prevents it from reaching its destination. The terms are equivalent. As claim 14(b) recites "blocking... OR limiting" — OR logic — the blocking branch alone satisfies claim 14(b) entirely);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Hong with the method and system of Nagafuchi and Sun to include determine the one or more anomalous condition indications which comprises detection of a control message having a control parameter that is out-of-range relative to a predetermined valid range of control parameter values, and initiate or perform the mitigation action which comprises blocking the control message from reaching a destination in the EVSE, or limiting the value of the control parameter in the control message, at least partially responsive to the detection. One would have been motivated to One of ordinary skill would incorporate Hong's parameter range detection and anomalous packet dropping into Nagafuchi's EVSE monitoring system because Hong itself teaches that detecting values "outside of predefined tolerances" and dropping "anomalous packets" protects the charging station from cyberattacks — directly enhancing Nagafuchi's mitigation capability with specific parameter-value-based detection and blocking responsive to detected out-of-range control parameters (Hong: par. 0035)). KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).
Regarding claim 22, claim 22 is similar in scope to claim 13, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 is similar in scope to claim 14, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Conclusion
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/Canh Le/
Examiner, Art Unit 2439
April 14, 2026
/LUU T PHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2439
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