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 Objections
Claims 10 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 10 and 19 each use the term “rmp” in the middle. The term “rmp” also appears on pages 4, 7, 13 and 19 of the specification. This appears to be a misspelling. Appropriate correction is required.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claims 1-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi, et al., US 2021/0380094 A1, in view of Palejiya, et al., US 2020/0164864 A1.
As per Claim 1, Choi teaches a method for controlling gear shifting (¶ 41) of a hybrid electric vehicle (¶ 42), being applied to a transmission control unit (TCU) connected to a vehicle control unit (VCU) (¶¶ 40-41), wherein the VCU is connected to a first microcontroller unit (MCU) (¶ 48) of an integrated starter generator (ISG) (¶ 36), a second MCU of a traction motor (TM) (¶ 40; for motor 40 of Figure 1), and a clutch (¶ 39; clutch 30 of Figure 1), the method comprising:
determining, in response to a received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being a braking state or a sliding state, a first target torque value (¶ 54);
transmitting, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a first torque control instruction to the first MCU and a second torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the first torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a first torque value (¶¶ 54-55; for “regenerative braking torque”), the second torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a second torque value (¶ 64; for “the output torque of the motor”), and a sum of the first torque value and the second torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 66; to “control the output torque of the motor 40 by calculating the regenerative braking torque corresponding to the maximum regenerative braking possible amount” as in Figure 1).
Choi does not expressly teach: transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of the clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a gear shift instruction to the second MCU, wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed; and transmitting, in response to receiving a TM gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value, the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value, and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value. Palejiya teaches:
transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of the clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a gear shift instruction to the second MCU (¶ 53), wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed (¶ 58); and
transmitting, in response to receiving a TM gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value (¶¶ 70-71), wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value (¶ 77), the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value (¶ 79; to deliver a “commanded engine torque”), and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 87; after adding “the amount of additional torque to decrease the speed of the engine and the ISG to the speed of the traction electric machine”). At the time of the invention, a person of skill in the art would have thought it obvious to combine the gear shifting control of Choi with the torque control of Palejiya, in order to reduce the likelihood of driveline torque disturbance as a vehicle changes operating modes.
As per Claim 2, Choi teaches that a difference between first torque values contained in two adjacent first torque control instructions transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU is a same as a difference between second torque values contained in corresponding second torque control instructions transmitted to the second MCU (¶ 55; after “the maximum regenerative braking possible amount is subtracted from the braking demand amount”).
As per Claim 3, Choi does not expressly teach that said transmitting, via the VCU, the first torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second torque control instruction to the second MCU comprises: transmitting the first target torque value as the first torque value in the first torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU; and transmitting 0 as the second torque value in the second torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU. Palejiya teaches that said transmitting, via the VCU, the first torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second torque control instruction to the second MCU comprises:
transmitting the first target torque value as the first torque value in the first torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU (¶ 57; “commanded engine torque”); and
transmitting 0 as the second torque value in the second torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU (¶ 65; “due to zero ISG being requested at 404” of Figure 4).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 4, Choi does not expressly teach that said transmitting, via the VCU, the third torque control instruction to the first MCU and the fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU comprises: transmitting 0 as the third torque value in the third torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU, and transmitting the first target torque value as the fourth torque value in the fourth torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU. Palejiya teaches that said transmitting, via the VCU, the third torque control instruction to the first MCU and the fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU comprises:
transmitting 0 as the third torque value in the third torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU (¶ 65; “due to zero ISG being requested at 404” of Figure 4); and
transmitting the first target torque value as the fourth torque value in the fourth torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU (¶ 69; based on “base engine torque”).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 5, Choi teaches: transmitting, via the VCU, a first pressure instruction to the clutch while transmitting, via the VCU, the first torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second torque control instruction to the second MCU (¶ 21), wherein the first pressure instruction comprises a first pressure value, a first pressure value in a current first pressure instruction being greater than a first pressure value in a previous first pressure instruction (¶ 55).
As per Claim 6, Choi further teaches: transmitting, via the VCU, a second pressure instruction to the clutch while transmitting, via the VCU, the rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and the gear shift instruction to the second MCU, wherein the second pressure instruction comprises a second pressure value (¶¶ 65-66).
As per Claim 7, Choi does not expressly teach: determining a second target torque value in a case that the difference between the received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and the received rotational speed of the clutch being within the preset speed difference range, and in response to the received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being an acceleration state; transmitting, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a fifth torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second pressure instruction to the clutch based on the second target torque value, wherein the fifth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fifth torque value, and along with an increase of a quantity of transmitting times, a value of the fifth torque value is first decreased and then increased. Palejiya teaches:
determining a second target torque value in a case that the difference between the received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and the received rotational speed of the clutch being within the preset speed difference range, and in response to the received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being an acceleration state (¶¶ 56-57, 61; based on “accelerator pedal position and vehicle speed”); and
transmitting, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a fifth torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second pressure instruction to the clutch based on the second target torque value (¶ 66), wherein the fifth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fifth torque value, and along with an increase of a quantity of transmitting times, a value of the fifth torque value is first decreased and then increased (¶¶ 68-69).
Choi does teach: transmitting, in response to a received torque value of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU being the second target torque value, once at an interval of the preset time period, a fourth pressure instruction to the clutch, wherein the fourth pressure instruction comprises a fourth pressure value, a fourth pressure value in a current fourth pressure instruction being less than a fourth pressure value in a previous fourth pressure instruction (¶¶ 55, 66).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 8, Choi teaches: transmitting, via the VCU, a third pressure instruction to the clutch while transmitting, via the VCU, the third torque control instruction to the first MCU and the fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU, wherein the third pressure instruction comprises a third pressure value, a third pressure value in a current third pressure instruction being less than a third pressure value in a previous third pressure instruction (¶¶ 65-66).
As per Claim 9, Choi does not expressly teach that the rotational speed control mode is implemented by proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. Palejiya teaches that the rotational speed control mode is implemented by proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control (¶ 81; with a “speed control mode” that adjusts based on “speed feedback”). See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 10, Choi does not expressly teach that the preset speed difference range is 200 rmp to 400 rmp. However, in light of Choi’s teaching of a threshold speed of 100 rpm (¶ 82), it would have fallen within the range of normal experimentation for a person of skill in the art to account for speed difference ranges between 200 rpm and 400 rpm.
As per Claim 11, Choi teaches an apparatus for controlling gear shifting (¶ 41) of a hybrid electric vehicle (¶ 42), comprising:
a processor and a memory storing at least one computer program (¶¶ 43, 46); wherein the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform:
determining, in response to a received vehicle state transmitted by a vehicle control unit (VCU) being a braking state or a sliding state, a first target torque value (¶ 54); and
transmitting, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a first torque control instruction to a first microcontroller unit (MCU) and a second torque control instruction to a second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the first torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a first torque value (¶¶ 54-55; for “regenerative braking torque”), the second torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a second torque value (¶ 64; for “the output torque of the motor”), and a sum of the first torque value and the second torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 66; to “control the output torque of the motor 40 by calculating the regenerative braking torque corresponding to the maximum regenerative braking possible amount” as in Figure 1).
Choi does not expressly teach: transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of an integrated starter generator (ISG) that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of a clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a gear shift instruction to the second MCU, wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed; and transmitting, in response to receiving a traction motor (TM) gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value, the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value, and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value. Palejiya teaches:
transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of an integrated starter generator (ISG) that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of a clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a gear shift instruction to the second MCU (¶ 53), wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed (¶ 58); and
transmitting, in response to receiving a traction motor (TM) gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value (¶¶ 70-71), wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value (¶ 77), the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value (¶ 79; to deliver a “commanded engine torque”), and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 87; after adding “the amount of additional torque to decrease the speed of the engine and the ISG to the speed of the traction electric machine”).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 12, Choi teaches that a difference between first torque values contained in two adjacent first torque control instructions transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU is a same as a difference between second torque values contained in corresponding second torque control instructions transmitted to the second MCU (¶ 55; after “the maximum regenerative braking possible amount is subtracted from the braking demand amount”).
As per Claim 13, Choi does not expressly teach that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform: transmitting the first target torque value as the first torque value in the first torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU; and transmitting 0 as the second torque value in the second torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU. Palejiya teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform:
transmitting the first target torque value as the first torque value in the first torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU (¶ 57; “commanded engine torque”); and
transmitting 0 as the second torque value in the second torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU (¶ 65; “due to zero ISG being requested at 404” of Figure 4).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 14, Choi does not expressly teach that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform the third instruction transmitting module is specifically configured to: transmitting transmit 0 as the third torque value in the third torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU, and transmitting transmit the first target torque value as the fourth torque value in the fourth torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU. Palejiya teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform the third instruction transmitting module is specifically configured to:
transmitting transmit 0 as the third torque value in the third torque control instruction transmitted to the first MCU via the VCU (¶ 65; “due to zero ISG being requested at 404” of Figure 4); and
transmitting transmit the first target torque value as the fourth torque value in the fourth torque control instruction transmitted to the second MCU via the VCU (¶ 69; based on “base engine torque”).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 15, Choi teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform further comprising: a forth instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, via the VCU, a first pressure instruction to the clutch (¶ 21) while transmitting, via the VCU, the first torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second torque control instruction to the second MCU, wherein the first pressure instruction comprises a first pressure value, a first pressure value in a current first pressure instruction being greater than a first pressure value in a previous first pressure instruction (¶ 55).
As per Claim 16, Choi teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform further comprising: transmitting a fifth instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, via the VCU, a second pressure instruction to the clutch while transmitting, via the VCU, the rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and the gear shift instruction to the second MCU, wherein the second pressure instruction comprises a second pressure value (¶¶ 65-66).
As per Claim 17, Choi does not expressly teach that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform further comprising: determining a second target torque value a second torque value determining module, configured to, in a case that the difference between the received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and the received rotational speed of the clutch being within the preset speed difference range and in response to the received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being an acceleration state; a sixth instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a fifth torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second pressure instruction to the clutch based on the second target torque value, wherein the fifth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fifth torque value, and along with an increase of a quantity of transmitting times, a value of the fifth torque value is first decreased and then increased. Palejiya teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform further comprising:
determining a second target torque value a second torque value determining module, configured to, in a case that the difference between the received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and the received rotational speed of the clutch being within the preset speed difference range and in response to the received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being an acceleration state (¶¶ 56-57, 61; based on “accelerator pedal position and vehicle speed”); and
a sixth instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, once at an interval of the preset time period and via the VCU, a fifth torque control instruction to the first MCU and the second pressure instruction to the clutch based on the second target torque value (¶ 66), wherein the fifth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fifth torque value, and along with an increase of a quantity of transmitting times, a value of the fifth torque value is first decreased and then increased (¶¶ 68-69).
Choi does teach a seventh instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, in response to a received torque value of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU being the second target torque value, once at an interval of the preset time period, a fourth pressure instruction to the clutch, wherein the fourth pressure instruction comprises a fourth pressure value, a fourth pressure value in a current fourth pressure instruction being less than a fourth pressure value in a previous fourth pressure instruction (¶¶ 55, 66). See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 18, Choi teaches that the at least one computer program, when loaded and executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform further comprising: transmitting an eighth instruction transmitting module, configured to transmit, via the VCU, a third pressure instruction to the clutch while transmitting, via the VCU, the third torque control instruction to the first MCU and the fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU, wherein the third pressure instruction comprises a third pressure value, a third pressure value in a current third pressure instruction being less than a third pressure value in a previous third pressure instruction (¶¶ 65-66).
As per Claim 19, Choi does not expressly teach: that the rotational speed control mode is implemented by proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control; and that the preset speed difference range is 200 rmp to 400 rmp. Palejiya teaches that the rotational speed control mode is implemented by proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control (¶ 81; with a “speed control mode” that adjusts based on “speed feedback”). Also, in light of Choi’s teaching of a threshold speed of 100 rpm (¶ 82), it would have fallen within the range of normal experimentation for a person of skill in the art to account for speed difference ranges between 200 rpm and 400 rpm. See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
As per Claim 21, Choi teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (¶ 47; storage 130 of Figure 2) for controlling gear shifting of a hybrid electric vehicle (¶ 42) including a transmission control unit (TCU) connected to a vehicle control unit (VCU) (¶¶ 40-41), wherein the VCU is connected to a first microcontroller unit (MCU) (¶ 48) of an integrated starter generator (ISG) (¶ 36), a second MCU of a traction motor (TM) (¶ 40; for motor 40 of Figure 1), and a clutch (¶ 39; clutch 30 of Figure 1), the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing at least one computer instruction, wherein the at least one computer instruction (¶ 46), when loaded and executed by a processor (¶ 48), causes the processor to perform:
determining, in response to a received vehicle state transmitted by the VCU being a braking state or a sliding state, a first target torque value (¶ 54);
transmitting, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a first torque control instruction to the first MCU and a second torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the first torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a first torque value (¶¶ 54-55; for “regenerative braking torque”), the second torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a second torque value (¶ 64; for “the output torque of the motor”), and a sum of the first torque value and the second torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 66; to “control the output torque of the motor 40 by calculating the regenerative braking torque corresponding to the maximum regenerative braking possible amount” as in Figure 1).
Choi does not expressly teach: transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of the clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a qear shift instruction to the second MCU, wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed; and transmitting, in response to receiving a TM gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value, wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value, the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value, and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value. Palejiya teaches:
transmitting, in response to a difference between a received rotational speed of the ISG that is transmitted by the VCU and a received rotational speed of the clutch being within a preset speed difference range and via the VCU, a rotational speed control instruction to the first MCU and a gear shift instruction to the second MCU (¶ 53), wherein the rotational speed control instruction comprises a rotational speed control mode and a target rotational speed (¶ 58); and
transmitting, in response to receiving a TM gear-shifting completion instruction transmitted by the VCU, once at an interval of a preset time period and via the VCU, a third torque control instruction to the first MCU and a fourth torque control instruction to the second MCU based on the first target torque value (¶¶ 70-71), wherein the third torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a third torque value (¶ 77), the fourth torque control instruction comprises a torque control mode and a fourth torque value (¶ 79; to deliver a “commanded engine torque”), and a sum of the third torque value and the fourth torque value transmitted each time is equal to the first target torque value (¶ 87; after adding “the amount of additional torque to decrease the speed of the engine and the ISG to the speed of the traction electric machine”).
See Claim 1 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine.
Conclusion
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ATUL TRIVEDI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3661
/ATUL TRIVEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3661