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 .
This action is in response to an election/restriction filed on 07/10/2026.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of the election/restriction in the reply filed on 07/10/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that it would not be a serious burden. This is found persuasive per the amendments made on the claims and the restriction is withdrawn.
.
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)(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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 10-12, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Atarashi et al. (JP2008245367A – Machine Translation attached and Atarashi hereinafter).
As to Claim 1 and 19, Atarashi in his teachings as shown in Fig.1-16 disclose a system comprising:
a vehicle including a permanent magnet electric machine (see Fig.1 and [0019] and [0025]) including:
a rotor (1) including first permanent magnets (3); and
a stator (20) including windings (21); and
a magnetization service tool/a controller (100B) configured to supply a magnetization current pulse to windings of the stator when the vehicle is stationary to adjust a magnetization level of the first permanent magnets of the rotor (see [0053]).
As to Claim 3, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a power inverter (104), wherein the controller is configured to supply the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator using the power inverter (see [0051]).
As to Claim 4 and 14, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1 and claim 12, wherein: the first permanent magnets have a first coercivity, and the rotor includes second permanent magnets having a second coercivity, wherein the first coercivity is less than the second coercivity (see [0021]).
As to Claim 5 and 15, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1 and 12, wherein the controller is configured to align a direct axis of the permanent magnet electric machine with a net field from stator electromagnets prior to supplying the magnetization current pulse (see [0007]).
As to Claim 10, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to supply the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator on a periodic basis (see [0010]).
As to Claim 11, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 4, wherein the first permanent magnets are located within a body of the rotor and between the second permanent magnets and a radially outer surface of the rotor (see [0019]).
As to Claim 12, Atarashi in his teachings as shown in Fig.1-16 disclose a vehicle comprising:
a permanent magnet electric machine (see Fig.1 and [0019] and [0025]) including:
a rotor (1) including first permanent magnets (3); and
a stator (20) including windings (21);
a power inverter (104) connected to the windings of the stator; and
a controller (100B) configured to:
estimate a magnetization level of the first permanent magnets in response to flux and back electromotive force of the permanent magnet electric machine (see [0041]- [0051] and also [0067] – [0068]);
determine at least one of an amplitude and duration of a magnetization current pulse based on the magnetization level of the first permanent magnets; and supply the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator using the power inverter when the vehicle is stationary to at least one of re-magnetize and adjust the magnetization level of the first permanent magnets of the rotor (see [0053] - [0054]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atarashi in view of Radford et al. (US 12,126,297 B2 and Radford hereinafter).
As to Claim 2 and 13, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1 and 12, however, it doesn’t explicitly disclose:
wherein the magnetization current pulse has a duration less than 1 second and an amplitude greater than 1000 Amps
Nonethless, Radford in its teachings as shown in Fig.1-10 disclose the duration and shape of the current pulses may depend on practical limitations of the power supply that provides the required amount of energy for magnetizing the soft magnet and that magnetizing the soft magnet to 20% MS and 100% MS requires 1000 A and 4000 A direct-axis current (see Col.7, Line 27-34 and also Fig.5B)
Therefore, it would have been an obvious modification before the effective filing date of the instant application for the magnetization current pulse to have a duration less than 1 second and an amplitude greater than 1000 Amps as thought by Radford within the teachings of Atarashi because of the way the core’s magnetic properties and circuit design interact during the pulse.
Claims 6-7, 9, 16-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atarashi in view of Faedo et al. (US 2024/0154548 A1 and Faedo hereinafter).
As to Claims 6, 7, 16, 17 and 20, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1, 11 and the system of claim 19, however, it doesn’t explicitly disclose:
a brake, wherein the controller is configured to engage the brake prior to supplying the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator,
a plurality of wheels; and
a clutch configured to selectively disconnect the permanent magnet electric machine from the wheels of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to disengage the clutch prior to supplying the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator
Nonethless, Faedo in its teachings as shown in Fig.1-6 disclose the vehicle system 100 may include rear vehicle wheels 104, front vehicle wheels 106, a traction battery 108, and an electric drive system 120. The electric drive system 120 may include an electric motor 102 and an electric drive 118 electrically coupled to the electric motor 102 (see [0020] – [0032] and [0040] – [0041])
Therefore, it would have been an obvious modification before the effective filing date of the instant application for the vehicle controller to include a clutch configured to selectively disconnect/connect the permanent magnet electric machine from the wheels of the vehicle as thought by Faedo within the teachings of Atarashi so as to couple or decouple power transmission from the electric motor to the rear vehicle wheels or from the electric motor to the front vehicle wheels (see also [0020]).
As to Claim 9, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1, however, it doesn’t explicitly disclose:
wherein the controller is configured to: receive direct axis and quadrature axis current and voltages of the permanent magnet electric machine; estimate direct axis and quadrature axis flux and back electromotive force; estimate a magnetization level of the first permanent magnets in response to the direct axis and quadrature axis flux and back electromotive force; and estimate at least one of an amplitude and a duration of the magnetization current pulse based on the magnetization level of the first permanent magnets
Nonethless, Faedo in its teachings as shown in Fig.1-6 disclose a method 400 for monitoring rotor flux linkage in a rotor of an electric motor via a monitoring mode and implementing remediation measures via a resetting mode. Rotor flux linkage in a rotor of the electric motor may be determined via a plurality of models, a plurality of sensors and/or executable instructions configured, stored, and executed in at least one memory by at least one processor of an inverter. Accordingly, the monitoring mode may be continuously executed at run-time without utilizing digital signal processing (DSP) or microcontroller units. The monitoring mode may be enabled during an operational mode of the motor wherein power is supplied during the operational mode to control motor speed and torque according to the system described herein. In this way, rotor flux linkage may be monitored continuously via the monitoring mode during the operational mode of the motor (e.g., run-time) and remediation measures may be implemented via the resetting mode in response to detecting a loss of magnetization of the rotor magnets within a pre-determined threshold during the monitoring mode. At 402, the method 400 includes monitoring rotor flux linkage via the monitoring mode. Monitoring rotor flux linkage in a rotor of an electric motor includes measuring rotor flux linkage generated by rotor magnets at an air gap of the motor continuously during run-time. The rotor flux linkage generated by rotor magnets may be determined by modeling motor voltage in a d-axis of the rotor via a first model at steady state, modeling motor voltage in the q-axis of the rotor via a second model at steady state, modeling magnetic flux linkage of a rotor via a third model at steady state based on the first model and the second model, and calculating rotor flux linkage based on the third model via a plurality of parameters (see [0033] – [0034])
Therefore, it would have been an obvious modification before the effective filing date of the instant application for the controller to receive direct axis and quadrature axis current and voltages of the permanent magnet electric machine and estimate at least one of an amplitude and a duration of the magnetization current pulse based on the magnetization level of the first permanent magnets as thought by Faedo within the teachings of Atarashi for increasing the reliability and control of monitoring a rotor of a vehicle and increase the efficiency of the motor (see also [0015]).
Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atarashi in view of Takahashi (US 2020/0395878 A1).
As to Claim 8 and 18, Atarashi disclose the vehicle of claim 1 and 11, however, it doesn’t explicitly disclose:
a temperature estimator configured to at least one of estimate and sense a temperature of the permanent magnet electric machine, wherein the controller is configured to supply the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator in response to the temperature exceeding a predetermined temperature
Nonethless, Takashi in its teachings as shown in Fig.1-51 disclose that the controllers 110 of this modification are individually provided for the respective rotating electrical machines 10. This enables each controller 110 to appropriately correct the q-axis command current Iq* for the corresponding electrical rotating machine 10 as a control target in accordance with the temperature information about the magnet unit 42 of the corresponding rotating electrical machine 10 (see [0487])
Therefore, it would have been an obvious modification before the effective filing date of the instant application for the controller to supply the magnetization current pulse to the windings of the stator in response to the temperature exceeding a predetermined temperature as thought by Takashi within the teachings of Atarashi to appropriately correct the q-axis command current Iq* for the corresponding electrical motor as a control target in accordance with the temperature information about the magnet unit of the corresponding motor (see also [0506]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure (US 2015/0137648 A1: A rotary electric machine includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor has at least one permanent magnet arranged in a d-axis magnetic path. The rotor includes a magnetic gap part located between the permanent magnet arranged in the d-axis magnetic path of one pole and an adjacent magnet with a different polarity, such that a d-axis magnetic flux forms a d-axis bypass passing through an area other than the permanent magnet. The d-axis bypass provides a magnetic resistance in a d-axis direction that is set below a magnetic resistance in a q-axis direction that is orthogonal to the d-axis resistance – see [Abstract]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GABRIEL T AGARED whose telephone number is (571)270-1981. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5 (Mon- Thur).
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, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at (571) 272-2060. 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.
/GABRIEL AGARED/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights