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
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)(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.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Okada et al., US Patent Application Publication no. 2025/0165876 [Okada].
Regarding claim 1, Okada discloses control device comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors [processor and RAM, paragraph 0051], the one or more processors being configured to execute processing comprising:
acquiring identification information for identifying a vehicle that is to enter a charging station [a vehicle number is registered for a vehicle when charging reservation is made, paragraph 0179];
associating the identification information with a charger among chargers located in the charging station [the vehicle number of the vehicle to be charged is associated with a charging space in the reservation, paragraph 0179]; and
permitting a battery of the vehicle identified by the identification information to be charged using the charger with which the identification information is associated [a charging process is permitted for the vehicle at the charging space when the vehicle is determined to be identical to the vehicle that was registered in the reservation, paragraph 0179].
Regarding claim 2, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising determining the charger associated with the identification information, based on information related to the battery [a charger type is specified in the charging reservation, paragraphs 0094 and 0097].
Regarding claim 3, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising determining the charger associated with the identification information, based on information related to software used in the vehicle for charging of the battery [reservation software allows for specifying a charger type in the charging reservation, paragraphs 0089, 0097 and 0104].
Regarding claim 4, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising, when associating the charger with pieces of the identification information: setting different chargeable timings for vehicles identified by the pieces of the identification information; and permitting batteries of the vehicles to be charged using the charger at the set chargeable timings [charging reservations includes charging date and time information and charging time interval information, paragraphs 0096 and 0097].
Regarding claim 5, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising providing a notification of the chargeable timings [charging reservation information is presented to a user on a confirmation screen, paragraphs 0107 and 0108].
Regarding claim 6, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising setting the chargeable timings based on the vehicles leaving the charging station [reservations may be accepted based on detections of vehicles leaving the charging spaces, paragraphs 0077, 0112-0114 and 0145].
Regarding claim 7, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising setting the chargeable timings, based on information related to the batteries of the vehicles [a charger type is specified in the charging reservation, paragraphs 0094 and 0097].
Regarding claim 8, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising setting the chargeable timings, based on information related to software used in the vehicles for the charging of the batteries [reservation software allows for specifying a charger type in the charging reservation, paragraphs 0089, 0097 and 0104].
Regarding claims 9-16, Okada further discloses that the one or more processors are configured to execute processing comprising:
generating a password corresponding to the identification information [a reservation ID is a symbol assigned to each reservation and is generated as a hash value or the like, as a primary key that is referred from other information, paragraph 0097];
notifying a driver who drives the vehicle identified by the identification information of the password [a user is notified of the reservation ID on their user terminal, paragraph 0178]; and
permitting the battery to be charged when the driver inputs the password [releasing restriction of the charging space when it is confirmed that the reservation ID notified to the user terminal at the time of making the reservation matches the reservation ID transmitted from the user terminal at the time of carrying out a check-in operation, paragraph 0178].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hooker, US Patent Application Publication no. 2019/0160957 discloses providing an authorization code to a user to input to a charging station that is offline in order to allow for charging authorization when the charging station is offline.
Yasukawa et al., US Patent Application Publication no. 2016/0264011 discloses providing charging station access control based on charging reservations.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL B YANCHUS III whose telephone number is (571)272-3678. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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, Kamini Shah can be reached at (571) 272-2279. 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.
/PAUL B YANCHUS III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115 July 11, 2026
Prosecution Insights