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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-12, 14, 16-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wood et al. (US 2005/0029867) in view of Furukawa et al. (US 2010/0127663)
Re Claims 1, 3, 8; Wood discloses a method for use aboard a host system having an electrical system, the electrical system including a battery (22, 24) and a power distribution bus (shown but not labelled), the method comprising: (Fig. 3C)
measuring at least one electrical parameter on the power distribution bus, via a sensor suite (46a-d), the electrical parameter including a current and/or a voltage on at least one node of the electrical system; (Par 0041 and Fig. 3C)
estimating, via a controller (50, 44 etc.) as a switching condition using the electrical parameter, when a system load on the electrical system will cause a threshold excessive current outflow of the battery to a high load accessory (34) via the power distribution bus (shown but not labelled); and in response to the switching condition, disconnecting the battery from the electrical system via the controller by opening a switch of the electrical system. (Par 0036-9)
Wood further discloses A battery management system 50 provides commands or outputs 74 to open and close switches 40 to selectively connect and disconnect battery system 20 from the loads of electrical system 30.
Wood does not necessarily disclose wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer, when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load accessory for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
However, Furukawa discloses wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer (24), when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load (11) for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, (Par 0016, 28 and 0038 In particular, instantaneous high power is supplied to the load 10 inverter 12 from the capacitor 13)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have used the capacitor to provide power to the load since the capacitor is rated to provide high current
The combination does not disclose wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
It was known in the art to initiate accessory functionality (e.g., winches or snow plows) via a time-delayed switch. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to employ standard battery/capacitor power supplies for such accessories when needed, making the claimed combination of power supply and timing mechanism a straightforward application of existing knowledge.
Re Claim 2; Wood discloses wherein measuring the at least one electrical parameter includes measuring the current via a current sensor as a battery current of the battery, and/or measuring the voltage via a voltage sensor as a battery voltage of the battery. (Par 0041)
Re Claim 6; Wood discloses wherein the host system is a motor vehicle, further comprising: determining if the motor vehicle is not running; and closing the switch when the motor vehicle is not running to thereby connect the battery to the electrical system. (Par 0042)
Re Claim 7; Wood discloses wherein the motor vehicle includes an engine connected to one or more road wheels, and wherein determining if the motor vehicle is not running includes processing an engine speed signal via the controller. (Par 0042)
Re Claim 9; Wood discloses wherein the electrical system includes one or more comparator circuits, and wherein estimating when the system load on the electrical system will cause the threshold excessive current of the battery is performed by the controller using the one or more comparator circuits. (Par 0032)
Re Claim 10, 12; Wood discloses an electrical system for a host system, comprising:
a low-voltage power distribution bus (the bus coupled to battery 22);
a switch (40b) disposed on the low-voltage power distribution bus;
a battery (22) that is selectively connectable to the low-voltage power distribution bus via the switch;
a high voltage power connected the low-voltage power distribution bus;
a timer (not show but implicit);
a sensor suite (46b) having one or more sensors;
a controller (44 and 50) in communication with the sensor suite, wherein the controller is configured to: determine an electrical parameter of the battery via the sensor suite, the electrical parameter including at least one of a battery current or a battery voltage of the battery; (Par 0041 and Fig. 3C)
estimate, as a switching condition using the electrical parameter and the timer, when a system load on the electrical system will cause a threshold excessive current outflow or inflow of the battery; (Par 0036) and
in response to the switching condition, disconnect the battery from the electrical system by opening the switch without disconnecting the high voltage battery from the low-voltage power distribution bus. (Par 0036 based on which every power supply device is experiencing excessive current drawn, that particular power supply is disconnected and the other continuously provides power)
Wood does not necessarily disclose wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer, when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load accessory for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
However, Furukawa discloses wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer (24), when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load (11) for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, (Par 0016, 28 and 0038 In particular, instantaneous high power is supplied to the load 10 inverter 12 from the capacitor 13)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have used the capacitor to provide power to the load since the capacitor is rated to provide high current
The combination does not disclose wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
It was known in the art to initiate accessory functionality (e.g., winches or snow plows) via a time-delayed switch. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to employ standard battery/capacitor power supplies for such accessories when needed, making the claimed combination of power supply and timing mechanism a straightforward application of existing knowledge.
Re Claim 11; Wood discloses wherein the sensor suite includes a current sensor and/or a voltage sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the electrical parameter by measuring the battery current via the current sensor and/or the battery voltage via the voltage sensor. (Par 36, 0041 and Fig. 3C)
Re Claim 14; Wood discloses wherein the controller is configured to: determine, when a voltage level of the low-voltage power distribution bus is below a nominally-expected battery voltage for a first period of time; and disconnect the battery from the electrical system until the voltage level of the electrical system rises above the nominally-expected battery voltage for a second period of time. (Par 0036)
Wood does not disclose via the timer.
However, timers were known to monitor time and event and it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have used a timer in order to effectively control when to connect and disconnect the battery.
Re Claim 16; Wood discloses wherein the host system is a motor vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to: determine if the motor vehicle is not running; and close the switch when the motor vehicle is not running to thereby connect the battery to the electrical system. (Par 0042)
Re Claim 17; Wood discloses, wherein the motor vehicle includes an engine connected to one or more road wheels, the controller is in communication with an engine speed monitor of the motor vehicle, and the controller is configured to determine if the motor vehicle is not running using an engine speed signal. (Par 0042)
Re Claim 18; Wood discloses wherein the system load includes generators (Par 0044)
Wood does not disclose a winch or a snow plow attachment.
However, loads such as a winch or a snow plow attachment were known to be used with a vehicle and it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have attached a load such as a winch or a snow plow attachment to the vehicle in order to use vehicle to plow snow when required so that the vehicle functions as a multi-functional vehicle when needed.
Re Claim 19; Wood discloses an electrical system for a motor vehicle having an engine, comprising:
a low-voltage power distribution bus (not labelled but coupled to low voltage battery 22);
a switch (40b) disposed on the low-voltage power distribution bus;
a battery (22) that is selectively connectable to the low-voltage power distribution bus via the switch;
a sensor suite (46a-d), including a high voltage battery voltage sensor (46d),
a high voltage battery current sensor (46d),
a battery voltage sensor (46b), and/or a battery current sensor (46b);
a high voltage battery (24) connected to the low-voltage power distribution bus (thru the DCDC converter) and configured to provide a current source to the electrical system; (Fig. 3C for all the limitation above in this claim) and
a controller (50 and 44) in communication with the sensor suite, wherein the controller is configured to:
measure one or more electrical parameters, including a system-level voltage, a system-level current, a battery voltage, and a battery current via the capacitor voltage sensor, the high voltage current sensor, the battery voltage sensor, and/or the battery current sensor, respectively;
estimate, as a switching condition using the one or more electrical parameters, when a system load on the electrical system will cause a threshold excessive current inflow or outflow of the battery, the system load including generator; (Par 0041 and Fig. 3C)
in response to the switching condition, disconnect the battery from the electrical system by opening the switch, the switching condition including a duration of a flow of the battery current into or out of the battery exceeding a calibrated threshold; and connect the battery to the electrical system by closing the switch after a predetermined amount of time. (Par 0036)
Wood does not necessarily disclose wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer, when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load accessory for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
However, Furukawa discloses wherein the estimating includes tracking, using a timer (24), when the battery experiences the excessive current outflow to a high-load (11) for a statically or dynamically set duration and providing a current to the high-load accessory via a capacitor connected to the power distribution bus, between the battery and the accessory, while the battery remains disconnected, (Par 0016, 28 and 0038 In particular, instantaneous high power is supplied to the load 10 inverter 12 from the capacitor 13)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have used the capacitor to provide power to the load since the capacitor is rated to provide high current
The combination does not disclose wherein the system load includes a winch or a snow plow attachment and closing the switch after a statically or dynamically set period of time during which the switch remains in an OPEN state.
It was known in the art to initiate accessory functionality (e.g., winches or snow plows) via a time-delayed switch. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to employ standard battery/capacitor power supplies for such accessories when needed, making the claimed combination of power supply and timing mechanism a straightforward application of existing knowledge.
Re Claim 20; Wood discloses wherein the controller is configured to: receive an engine speed signal indicative of a speed of the engine; determine if the motor vehicle is not running using the engine speed signal; and connect the battery to the electrical system when the motor vehicle is not running by closing the switch. (Par 0042).
Re Claim 21; Furukawa discloses wherein the disconnecting the battery from the electrical system via the controller (2) by opening the switch (2B) of the electrical system includes opening the switch between the battery and a ground side of the battery, or between the high-load accessory and the ground side of the high-load accessory. (Fig. 2)
Re Claim 22; Furukawa discloses wherein the switch is between the battery and the ground side of the battery. (Fig. 2)
Re Claim 23; Furukawa discloses wherein the switch is between the high-load accessory and the ground side of the high-load accessory. (Fig. 2)
Re Claim 24; Furukawa discloses wherein the switch is between the battery and a ground side of the battery.(Fig. 2)
Re Claim 25; Furukawa discloses wherein the switch is between the battery and a ground side of the battery. (Fig. 2)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-11, filed 11/18/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-20 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Furukawa.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL KESSIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pmEst.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571) 272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL KESSIE/
02/19/2026
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836