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)(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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duan et al. (2021/0218073).
Regarding applicant claim 1, Duan discloses a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to:
acquire, from historical battery charging data, information indicating a starting energy level and an ending energy level for a battery during previous charging sessions ([0023] “driving/charging history”; [0048] “history data about customer daily per charge travel distance”);
determine, from the acquired information, whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value ([0050] “starting of the charge event to the ending of the charge event”); and
if so to decrease a target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery, the decreased target charge level being applied such that an expected starting energy level of the battery at upcoming charging sessions is decreased to the set energy threshold value ([0032] “for use in varying adaptive charge settings based on a selected goal”).
Regarding applicant claim 2, Duan discloses wherein the target charge level is decreased by an amount with which the starting energy level is determined to exceed the set energy threshold value ([0010] “method for controlling charging… battery charging event being less than a maximum driving distance associated with a full charge of the traction battery”).
Regarding applicant claim 3, Duan discloses the processing circuitry being configured to, upon determining from the acquired information whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value;
select, for the determining, a lowest starting energy level of the starting energy levels of the acquired historical battery charging data ([0023] “driving/charging history and preference settings”).
Regarding applicant claim 4, Duan discloses the processing circuitry being configured to, upon determining from the acquired information whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value; compute, for the determining, an average or median value of the starting energy levels of the acquired historical battery charging data ([0020]-[0021]).
Regarding applicant claim 5, Duan discloses the processing circuitry being configured to, upon determining from the acquired information whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value; discard, for the determining, starting energy levels considered to be outliers in the acquired historical battery charging data ([0020]-[0021]).
Regarding applicant claim 6, Duan discloses the processing circuitry being configured to, upon determining from the acquired information whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value; allow a user of the battery to set the energy threshold value ([0050] “difference of SOC to be provided from starting of the charge event to ending of the charge event”).
Regarding applicant claim 7, Duan discloses the processing circuitry being configured to, upon determining from the acquired information whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value; set the energy threshold value to a predetermined offset value from a minimum allowable energy level for the battery ([0043] “target SOC may be selected from a minimum target SOC calculated”).
Regarding applicant claim 8, Duan discloses the processing circuitry further being configured to: maintain the target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery upon determining that the starting energy level is at the set energy threshold value ([0020]-[0021]).
Regarding applicant claim 9, Duan discloses the processing circuitry further being configured to: increase the target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery such that the expected starting energy level reaches the set energy threshold value upon determining that the starting energy level is below the set energy threshold value ([0020]-[0021]; [0043]).
Regarding applicant claim 10, Duan discloses the processing circuitry further being configured to, upon decreasing a target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery: upload said target charge level to a remotely located device for application at other batteries ([0025] “external computers, computing device or server”).
Regarding applicant claim 11, Duan discloses a vehicle comprising the computer system of claim 1 ([0026] electrified vehicle 102).
Regarding applicant claim 12, Duan discloses a battery charging station comprising the computer system of claim 1 ([0020] “charging station”).
Regarding applicant claim 13, Duan discloses a computer-implemented method, comprising:
acquire, from historical battery charging data, information indicating a starting energy level and an ending energy level for a battery during previous charging sessions ([0023] “driving/charging history”; [0048] “history data about customer daily per charge travel distance”);
determine, from the acquired information, whether the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold value ([0050] “starting of the charge event to the ending of the charge event”); and
if so to decrease a target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery, the decreased target charge level being applied such that an expected starting energy level of the battery at upcoming charging sessions is decreased to the set energy threshold value ([0032] “for use in varying adaptive charge settings based on a selected goal”).
Regarding applicant claim 14, Duan discloses a computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method of claim 13 ([0024]).
Regarding applicant claim 15, Duan discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 13 ([0024]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAE LENNY LOUIE whose telephone number is (571)272-5195. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6AM-3PM.
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, PETER D NOLAN can be reached at 571-270-7016. 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.
/W.L.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
Prosecution Insights