15003309DETAILED 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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements (IDSs) filed in the instant application do not include a concise explanation of the relevance. Although a concise explanation of the relevance of the information is not required, applicants are highly encouraged to provide a concise explanation of why the information is being submitted and how it is understood to be relevant. Concise explanations (especially those which point out the relevant pages and lines) are helpful to the Office, particularly where documents are lengthy and complex and applicant is aware of a section that is highly relevant to patentability or where extremely large number of documents are submitted and applicant is aware that one or more are highly relevant to patentability. See MPEP 609.04.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the acronym PE should be defined within the claim when first introduced. Then the acronym can be used alone thereafter. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 - 25 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the test signal" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
As to claim 1, at line 10, it is unclear what is meant by the phrase “configured identify a current leakage”?
As to claim 11, applicant claimed that the controller is further configured to cause contactors of the vehicle to close. However, the series of steps to cause contactors of the vehicle to close are not defined.
As to claim 14, applicant claimed that the controller is configured to receive diagnostic information from the data connection to the vehicle. However, the series of steps to receive diagnostic information from the data connection to the vehicle are not defined.
As to claim 23, applicant claimed that a battery voltage of the battery pack is retrieved through the databus. However, the series of steps to retrieve a battery voltage of the battery pack through the databus are not defined.
Claim 23 recites the limitation "the battery pack" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
As to claim 24, applicant claimed that a diagnostic information is retrieved through the databus. However, the series of steps for retrieving a diagnostic information through the databus are not defined.
As to claim 25, applicant claimed that current leakage information is retrieved through the databus. However, the series of steps for retrieving current leakage information through the databus are not defined.
Claims 2 - 25 are rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1 - 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bertness (2021/0141043).
As to claim 1, Bertness discloses a hybrid and electric vehicle battery pack maintenance device comprising a low voltage data connector configured to couple to a data port of the electric vehicle ([0024], Fig. 1, the connector junction box 152 couples to databus 110); a test connector configured to couple a test signal to an electrical component of the electric vehicle (154, [0024], Fig. 1); a test signal source (104, battery pack, 171AC signal source connected to the battery pack 104, 180 power source for power supply, [0025], Fig. 2) having a signal generator ( (104)) coupled to a voltage divider (the two left resistors of wheatstone bridge 230, Fig. 3), wherein the voltage divider generates the test signal and a monitor signal (the test signal is the voltage on the upper side of the upper left resistor of bridge 230 of fig. 3, the monitor signal is the voltage between the two left resistors of bridge 230, Fig. 3); measurement circuitry (voltage sensor 232, Fig. 3) coupled to the monitor signal (Fig. 3); and a controller (160) coupled to the low voltage data connector (Fig. 1 - 2) and the measurement circuitry (232, 220, 222, 224, 226, 234) configured identify a current leakage based upon the monitor signal (104, 170, [0036], Fig. 1 - 3).
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As to claim 2, Bertness discloses the test signal comprises an AC forcing function (180, [0023], [0025], [0049], Fig. 2 - 3).
As to claim 3, Bertness discloses the measurement circuitry comprises a differential amplifier which measures a difference between the test signal and the monitor signal (Fig. 3).
As to claim 4, Bertness discloses the voltage divider comprises a resistor and a capacitor [0022], [0039] (Fig. 3, 4).
As to claim 5, Bertness discloses the test connector comprising a charging plug configured to couple to a charging port of the vehicle (Fig. 2, [0023], [0025]).
As to claim 6, Bertness discloses the test connector includes a plurality of connectors (clips) each configured to couple to an electrical connector of the vehicle [0024].
As to claim 7, Bertness discloses a switch (226) configured to selectively couple the monitor signal to at least one of the plurality of connectors (clips) [0024].
As to claim 8, Bertness discloses the test connector includes a connection to an electrical ground of the vehicle [0036].
As to claim 9, Bertness discloses the electrical ground comprises a PE connection [0036].
As to claim 10, Bertness discloses a digital to analog converter which couples the monitor signal to the controller [0036].
As to claim 11, Bertness discloses the controller is further configured to cause contactors of the vehicle to close [0036].
As to claim 12, Bertness discloses a connection to a databus of the vehicle and wherein the controller communicates through the databus (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
As to claim 13, Bertness discloses a connection to a databus of the vehicle and wherein the controller communicates through the databus (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
As to claim 14, Bertness discloses the controller is configured to receive diagnostic information from the data connection to the vehicle (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
As to claim 15, Bertness discloses the controller is configured to instruct an operator to perform a current leakage test on the vehicle based upon the diagnostic information [0032], [0046].
As to claim 16, Bertness discloses the test connector provides a Kelvin connection [0027].
As to claim 17, Bertness discloses a resistance between electrical ground and the Kelvin connection is measured [0027].
As to claim 18, Bertness discloses the Kelvin connection is configured as a probe [0028].
As to claim 19, Bertness discloses the controller instructs an operator where to place a probe [0028], [0036].
As to claim 20, Bertness discloses the Kelvin connection is configured to couple to a PE connection of the vehicle [0036].
As to claim 21, Bertness discloses that the Kelvin connection receives an AC forcing function [0027], [0049], .
As to claim 22, Bertness discloses a differential amplifier configured to sense a voltage difference between sense connections of the Kelvin [0027], [0049].
As to claim 23, Bertness discloses wherein a battery voltage of the battery pack is retrieved through the databus (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
As to claim 24, Bertness discloses a diagnostic information is retrieved through the databus (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
As to claim 25, Bertness discloses current leakage fault information is retrieved through the databus (Fig. 1 – 2, [0060]-[0061]).
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant s disclosure.
Bertness (7,924,015) is cited for its disclosure of an automotive vehicle battery test system.
Cox et al. (2005/0024061) is cited for its disclosure of energy management system for automotive vehicle.
ZARABADI et al. (2021/0273269) is cited for its disclosure of a method to detect current leakage from a vehicle battery.
Frias et al. (2017/0123008) is cited for its disclosure of a device and method for detecting transient electrical short circuits in a battery cell or pack.
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/REENA AURORA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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