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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 § 102
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 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, 3-6, 8, 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by LADPLI; Purim et al. (US Publication #US 20190207274 A1; hereinafter Ladpli; provided by the applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Ladpli teaches
A battery testing apparatus (par.93 teaches a battery monitoring system) comprising:
a connector (par.36 teaches a wired link) connected to an electrode (par.28 teaches terminals 114 as electrodes) of a battery cell (par.28 teaches battery cell 102; anodes 106 and cathodes 108 are electrodes disclosed in par.28);
a charging/discharging unit configured to charge or discharge the battery cell through the connector (par.28 “The battery 100 can be connected to a charger or a load 112 via terminals 114, such that a state of the battery cell 102 can be assessed during or in synchronism with, for example, charging or discharging of the battery cell 102.”);
an ultrasonic sensing unit (par.29 teaches ultrasonic sensing unit) configured to output an ultrasonic signal toward the battery cell (par.52 teaches output of ultrasonic signal) and sense the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell (par.30 teaches “at least one remaining ultrasonic transducer acts as a sensor to receive an arriving or sensing ultrasonic wave corresponding to the actuation wave.”); and
a controller (par.30 teaches controller 118) configured to determine a state of the battery cell based on characteristics of the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell (par.30 teaches controller 118 and further teaches “to determine a state of the battery cell 102 based on ultrasonic waves generated and received by the ultrasonic transducers 116a, 116b, 116c, and 116d.”); during charging or discharging of the battery cell (par.49 teaches “The guided waves interact with the propagation battery medium, allowing the progression of the medium's physical properties to be interrogated during charging, discharging, and aging. Signal analysis is then performed to reveal correlation with SoC and SoH and provide a framework for a real-time on-demand battery state monitoring.”).
Regarding claim 3, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the state of the battery cell based on at least one of a speed change and an amplitude change of the ultrasonic signal (Par.58 and 59 teach speed and amplitude changes used for characterizations.).
Regarding claim 4, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether lithium is precipitated inside the battery cell (Par.69 teaches precipitation of Li ions); based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal (par.69 “The change in ToF and signal amplitude can be ascribed to changes in mechanical properties (e.g., moduli and densities) due to battery degradation.”).
Regarding claim 5, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether an electrode lead of the battery cell is defective (Par.74 teaches determination of defective electrodes), based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal (par.69 “The change in ToF and signal amplitude can be ascribed to changes in mechanical properties (e.g., moduli and densities) due to battery degradation.”).
Regarding claim 6, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate at least one of a state of charge and a state of health of the battery cell (Par.32-34 teaches determination of state of charge and state of health); based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal and charge/discharge data of the battery cell (par.69).
Regarding claim 8, Ladpli teaches
An operating method (abstract teaches a method of battery state monitoring) of a battery testing apparatus (par.93 teaches a battery monitoring system), the operating method comprising:
charging or discharging a battery cell (par.28 teaches battery cell 102) through a connector (par.36 teaches a wired link) connected to an electrode (par.28 teaches terminals 114 as electrodes) of the battery cell;
outputting an ultrasonic signal toward the battery cell par.52 teaches output of ultrasonic signal);
sensing the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell (par.30 teaches “at least one remaining ultrasonic transducer acts as a sensor to receive an arriving or sensing ultrasonic wave corresponding to the actuation wave.”); and
determining a state of the battery cell based on characteristics of the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell (par.30 teaches controller 118 and further teaches “to determine a state of the battery cell 102 based on ultrasonic waves generated and received by the ultrasonic transducers 116a, 116b, 116c, and 116d.”), during charging or discharging of the battery cell (par.49 teaches “The guided waves interact with the propagation battery medium, allowing the progression of the medium's physical properties to be interrogated during charging, discharging, and aging. Signal analysis is then performed to reveal correlation with SoC and SoH and provide a framework for a real-time on-demand battery state monitoring.”).
Regarding claim 10, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the state of the battery cell comprises determining the state of the battery cell based on at least one of a speed change and an amplitude change of the ultrasonic signal (Par.58 and 59 teach speed and amplitude changes used for characterizations.).
Regarding claim 11, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the state of the battery cell comprises determining whether lithium is precipitated inside the battery cell (Par.69 teaches precipitation of Li ions), based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal (par.69 “The change in ToF and signal amplitude can be ascribed to changes in mechanical properties (e.g., moduli and densities) due to battery degradation.”).
Regarding claim 12, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the state of the battery cell comprises determining whether an electrode lead of the battery cell is defective (Par.74 teaches determination of defective electrodes) based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal (par.69 “The change in ToF and signal amplitude can be ascribed to changes in mechanical properties (e.g., moduli and densities) due to battery degradation.”).
Regarding claim 13, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 10, wherein determining the state of the battery cell comprises calculating at least one of a state of charge and a state of health of the battery cell (Par.32-34 teaches determination of state of charge and state of health); based on the characteristics of the ultrasonic signal and charge/discharge data of the battery cell (par.69).
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.
Claim(s) 2, 7, 9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladpli further in view of Dou; Shan et al. (US Publication #US 20200358147 A1; hereinafter Dou).
Regarding claim 2, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the ultrasonic sensing unit comprises: an ultrasonic transmitter located inside a first portion of the connector that contacts an first electrode lead situated at a side of the battery cell and configured to transmit the ultrasonic signal to the battery cell; and an ultrasonic receiver located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts an second electrode lead situated at an opposite side of the battery cell and configured to receive the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell.
Dou does teach wherein the ultrasonic sensing unit comprises:
an ultrasonic transmitter located inside a first portion of the connector that contacts an first electrode lead situated at a side of the battery cell and configured to transmit the ultrasonic signal to the battery cell (par.61 and fig.1A disclose transmitter 104 located inside a first portion of the connector that contacts an first electrode lead situated at a side of the battery cell and configured to transmit the ultrasonic signal to the battery cell); and
an ultrasonic receiver located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts an second electrode lead situated at an opposite side of the battery cell and configured to receive the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell (par.61 and fig.1A disclose receiver 106 located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts an second electrode lead situated at an opposite side of the battery cell and configured to receive the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ladpli to include the teachings of Dou; which would provide an improved embodiment in battery monitoring that comprises electrolyte fill and soak steps which are further used to observe, monitor and evaluate the migration and distribution of electrolyte in a battery cell as disclosed by Dou(par.12-13).
Regarding claim 7, Ladpli teaches the battery testing apparatus of claim 1, but fails to teach further comprising a liquid injector configured to form an ultrasonic medium layer between an electrode lead of the battery cell and the connector.
Dou does teach further comprising a liquid injector (par.82 teaches a liquid injector) configured to form an ultrasonic medium layer between an electrode lead of the battery cell and the connector (par.90-92 and 103 teach formation of ultrasonic medium layer (using acoustic features) across the electrode active area.).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ladpli to include the teachings of Dou; which would provide an improved embodiment in battery monitoring that comprises electrolyte fill and soak steps which are further used to observe, monitor and evaluate the migration and distribution of electrolyte in a battery cell as disclosed by Dou(par.12-13).
Regarding claim 9, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 8, but fails to teach wherein the outputting of the ultrasonic signal toward the battery cell is performed by an ultrasonic transmitter located inside a first portion the connector that contacts a first electrode lead at a side of the battery cell, and the outputting of the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell is performed by an ultrasonic receiver located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts a second electrode lead at an opposite side of the battery cell.
Dou does teach wherein the outputting of the ultrasonic signal toward the battery cell is performed by an ultrasonic transmitter located inside a first portion the connector that contacts a first electrode lead at a side of the battery cell (par.61 and fig.1A disclose transmitter 104 located inside a first portion of the connector that contacts an first electrode lead situated at a side of the battery cell and configured to transmit the ultrasonic signal to the battery cell), and
the outputting of the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell is performed by an ultrasonic receiver located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts a second electrode lead at an opposite side of the battery cell (par.61 and fig.1A disclose receiver 106 located inside a second portion of the connector that contacts an second electrode lead situated at an opposite side of the battery cell and configured to receive the ultrasonic signal passing through the battery cell).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ladpli to include the teachings of Dou; which would provide an improved embodiment in battery monitoring that comprises electrolyte fill and soak steps which are further used to observe, monitor and evaluate the migration and distribution of electrolyte in a battery cell as disclosed by Dou(par.12-13).
Regarding claim 14, Ladpli teaches the operating method of claim 8, but fails to teach further comprising forming an ultrasonic medium layer between an electrode lead of the battery cell and the connector.
Dou does teach further comprising forming an ultrasonic medium layer between an electrode lead of the battery cell and the connector (par.90-92 and 103 teach formation of ultrasonic medium layer (using acoustic features) across the electrode active area.).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Ladpli to include the teachings of Dou; which would provide an improved embodiment in battery monitoring that comprises electrolyte fill and soak steps which are further used to observe, monitor and evaluate the migration and distribution of electrolyte in a battery cell as disclosed by Dou(par.12-13).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US 10673101 B2; Sood; Bhanu et al. are Systems, methods, and devices for health monitoring of an energy storage device.
US 20130302655 A1; DEVEAU; Edward W. et al. is an Ultrasonic Electrolyte Sensor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL F.R. TCHATCHOUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-3991. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am -5:00am.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached at 571-272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARL F.R. TCHATCHOUANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/HUY Q PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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