DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Inventorship
2. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-2, 7-15, 17, and 20, as far as understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jackson et al. (US 2018/0045533 A1).
Regarding claim 1, notes Figure 1, Jackson invention teaches a guidance apparatus for guidance to a charging facility [abstract], the guidance apparatus comprising: a positional information acquisition interface configured to acquire information on a current position of a mobile object (31) [para. 0003 teaches a processor configured to receive a destination, to output a charging station location for display in response to an estimated (SOC) being less than a threshold and the location being within a pre-defined distance from a vehicle]; a display (4) configured to display the charging facility (charging station) [para. 0040 teaches the vehicle computer system may output the charging station on a vehicle display]; and a controller (103) configured to extract a charging facility located within an area based on the current position [abstract, para. 0003-0005, 0036, 0038, 0045 and 0046], predict a recovery amount of a state of charge of a battery of the mobile object, expressed as a charging rate relative to a full charge of the battery [para. 0028, 0045 and 0046], in a case in which the battery is charged at the charging facility for a predetermined charging time [para. 0027 and 0041; notes: predetermined charging time would be known as any charging time], and vary a display form of the charging facility displayed on the display [para. 0040], according to a predicted value of the recovery amount of the state of charge [para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 2, regarding claim 2, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention also teaches wherein the display is configured to display the charging facility on a map image and vary the display form of the charging facility displayed on the map image [para. 0046].
Regarding claim 7, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to guide the mobile object to a charging facility located within a predetermined range from the current position of the mobile object [abstract].
Regarding claim 8, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to set a priority for the charging facility based on the current position of the mobile object and a positional relationship with a road on which the mobile object is traveling, and to cause the display preferentially to display a charging facility for which the priority is higher [para. 0042 and 0044].
Regarding claim 9, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to set the priority higher for a charging facility located in a direction of travel of the mobile object on a traffic division side on which the mobile object is traveling [para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 10, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to acquire information on a road structure of a road on which the mobile object is traveling and determine the priority according to the information on the road structure [para. 0041-0046; the vehicle route information may include information about the vehicle current’s path or route information around the vicinity of the vehicle, including traffic and road closure (para. 0043)].
Regarding claim 11, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches the controller is configured to acquire traffic information on a road on which the mobile object is traveling and determine the priority according to the traffic information [specifically, para. 0043].
Regarding claim 12, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display the charging facility only in a case in which the predicted value of the recovery amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value [specifically, para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 13, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to predict the recovery amount of the state of charge of the battery taking into account power consumption for travel of the mobile object from the current position to the charging facility [specifically, para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 14, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to extract the charging facility only in a case in which the charging facility is available to the mobile object [specifically, para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 15, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to confirm whether a charging standard of the charging facility conforms to a charging standard of the mobile object and to cause the display to display the charging facility only in a case in which the charging standard of the charging facility conforms [specifically, para. 0041-0046].
Regarding claim 17, see discussion in claims 1 and 3.
Regarding claim 20, see discussion in claim 1 [specifically, para. 0012].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 3-6, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jackson et al. in view of KIYAMA et al. (US 2014/0163877 A1).
Regarding claim 3, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention teaches the claimed invention; However, it fails to specifically teach an input interface configured to enable a user of the mobile object to set the predetermined charging time.
KIYAMA invention teaches the charging station 103 may have the charging-station usage reservation function. For example, a possible configuration of the charging station 103 is that the charging station 103 includes an input device such as a touch panel for allowing the user to make a charging time reservation on the screen or that the display terminal 101 connects to the charging station 103 via the network 104 and the communication device 504 to allow the user to make a charging time reservation for the charging station 103 [para. 0080].
Since the prior art references are both from the same field endeavor. The purpose disclosed by KIYAMA invention would have been recognized in the pertinent art of Jackson.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, to have modified the Jackson invention which to be included the input interface as taught by KIYAMA invention for a purpose of allowing a user to make a charging time reservation in order to avoid the waiting time on the charging station.
Regarding claim 4, as discussed and motivated in claim 3, KIYAMA invention further teaches the controller is configured to acquire information on an upper limit of charging time set at the charging facility and to set the upper limit of the charging time as the predetermined charging time [see Figures 9-10; and para. 0108].
Regarding claim 5, as discussed and motivated in claim 3, notes Figure 12, KIYAMA invention further teaches the controller is configured to cause the display to display the charging facility as an icon.
Regarding claim 6, as discussed and motivated in claim 3, KIYAMA invention further teaches wherein the controller is configured to change a color of the icon based on the predicted value of the recovery amount [Figure 12 and para. 0153].
Regarding claims 18 and 19, see discussion and motivation in claims 3 and 4.
6. Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jackson et al. in view of Forbes, JR. et al. (US 2021/0142411 A1).
Regarding claim 16, as discussed in claim 1, Jackson invention teaches the claimed invention; However, it fails to specifically teach the controller is configured to confirm whether a payment method available to a user of the mobile object is available for payment at the charging facility and to cause the display to display the charging facility only in a case in which the payment method is available.
Forbes, JR. invention teaches a systems and methods for electric vehicle (EV) charging and graphic user interface for consumers, including consumer profiles and EV point of sale terminal profiles. Novel methods for consumer guidance and controls are provided coupled with graphic user interfaces for mobile applications, websites, and electric vehicle point of sale terminals [Figures 2A-2F].
Since the prior art references are both from the same field endeavor. The purpose disclosed by Forbes JR. invention would have been recognized in the pertinent art of Jackson.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, to have modified Jackson invention to be included the identification of the available payment method of the charging facility as taught by Forbes JR. invention for the purpose of easily providing an advantage for consumers for electrical vehicle charging and management of financial settlement.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHNNY H HOANG whose telephone number is (571) 272-4843. The examiner can normally be reached on [Monday-Friday [Maxi-Flex]].
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached on (571) 270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/J.H.H./
January 27, 2026
/Johnny H. Hoang/
Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747