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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 07/11/25 and 02/24/25 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 8-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re claims 8-10, the claim recites “is equal to or higher than a threshold value is equal to or higher than a threshold value”. It appears that this should be amended to “is equal to or higher than a threshold value”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Adachi et al., US 2010/024457
Regarding claim 1, Adachi teaches an operation recording system applied to an electric compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system (Abstract; compressor for in-vehicle air conditioner) including an inverter circuit (Fig. 1; inverter 20), the operation recording system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires, as abnormality reference information, at least one of temperature information at a predetermined position in the inverter circuit, voltage information at the predetermined position in the inverter circuit, and current information at the predetermined position in the inverter circuit (Fig. 1; voltage, temp, current detectors 29, 28, 23); and a recording processing unit that records the abnormality reference information and the time information capable of being associated with the abnormality reference information in a predetermined recording unit (Figs. 1; information sent to microcomputer 24 and non-volatile memory 25 of the abnormality and the time point in which the abnormality occurred; See ¶[0058]).
Regarding claim 2, Adachi teaches wherein the temperature information is at least one of a temperature of a switching element in the inverter circuit, a temperature of a capacitor in the inverter circuit, and a temperature of a CPU in the inverter circuit (¶[0012]; “temperature of the switching element”).
Regarding claim 3, Adachi teaches wherein the voltage information is at least one of a voltage of a switching element in the inverter circuit, a voltage of a capacitor in the inverter circuit, and a surge voltage generated in the inverter circuit (¶[0017]; “voltage applied…to the switching element”).
Regarding claim 4, Adachi teaches wherein the current information is at least one of a current flowing through a switching element in the inverter circuit, a current flowing through a capacitor in the inverter circuit, and a surge current generated in the inverter circuit (¶[0016]; “current…to the switching element”).
Regarding claim 5, Adachi teaches wherein the recording unit is a memory built in the electric compressor in advance or a memory provided in a device different from the electric compressor (Fig. 1; memory 25).
Regarding claim 6, Adachi teaches wherein the time information is at least one of a continuous time that is a time when the abnormality reference information continuously satisfies a predetermined condition, an intermittent time that is a total time when the abnormality reference information satisfies the predetermined condition, and a detection time of the abnormality reference information (Fig. 1; ¶[0058]; historical information of abnormality).
Regarding claim 7, Adachi teaches further comprising: an abnormality detection unit that performs abnormality detection based on information recorded in the recording unit (¶[0058]; information in memory 25 used to determine operation of motor; therefore, in the case of an abnormality motor control processor is stopped, detection is also stopped).
Regarding claim 8, Adachi teaches the abnormality detection unit performs abnormality detection in a case where a total time when a temperature indicated by the temperature information is equal to or higher than a threshold value is equal to or higher than a threshold value (¶[0056]).
Regarding claim 9, Adachi teaches wherein the abnormality detection unit performs abnormality detection in a case where a total time when a voltage value indicated by the voltage information is equal to or higher than a threshold value is equal to or higher than a threshold value (¶[0061]).
Regarding claim 10, Adachi teaches wherein the abnormality detection unit performs abnormality detection in a case where a total time when a current value indicated by the current information is equal to or higher than a threshold value is equal to or higher than a threshold value (¶[0060]).
Regarding claim 11, Adachi teaches an electric compressor comprising: the operation recording system according to claim 1; and a motor (Abstract).
Regarding claim 12, Adachi teaches a vehicle air conditioning system comprising: the electric compressor of claim 11 (Abstract).
Regarding claim 13, Adachi teaches a vehicle comprising: the vehicle air conditioning system of claim 12(Abstract).
Regarding claim 14, Adachi teaches an operation recording method applied to an electric compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system(Abstract; compressor for on-vehicle air conditioner) including an inverter circuit (Fig. 1; inverter 20), the method comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring, as abnormality reference information, at least one of temperature information at a predetermined position in the inverter circuit, voltage information at the predetermined position in the inverter circuit, and current information at the predetermined position in the inverter circuit (Fig. 1; voltage, temp, current detectors 29, 28, 23); and a recording processing step of recording the abnormality reference information and time information capable of being associated with the abnormality reference information in a predetermined recording unit (Figs. 1; information sent to microcomputer 24 and non-volatile memory 25 of the abnormality and the time point in which the abnormality occurred; See ¶[0058]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Akaishi et al., US 20120001574 teaches an inverter abnormality detection unit.
Igarashi et al., US 20140092655 teaches an inverter abnormality detection unit.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FEBA POTHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9219. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on 571.272.2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FEBA POTHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2858