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 . Pursuant to communications filed on 05 November 2024, this is a First Action Non-Final Rejection on the Merits. Claims 1-5 are currently pending in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05 November 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hammerslag (US 2009/0198372 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hammerslag teaches an electrified vehicle (Figure 21, vehicle V) comprising:
a first battery (Figure 20, battery B1; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “The battery control system 202 in this figure comprises a controller 203 connected to four batteries B1, B2, B3 and B4, an electric motor 204, a battery fuel gauge 201, and an element for communicating 205 with the battery transfer station”);
a driving unit (Figure 20, motor 204; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “The battery control system 202 in this figure comprises a controller 203 connected to four batteries B1, B2, B3 and B4, an electric motor 204, a battery fuel gauge 201, and an element for communicating 205 with the battery transfer station”); and
an auxiliary battery (Figure 20, batteries B2, B3, B4) that is configured to be able to supply power to the driving unit (Figure 20; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “The battery control system 202 in this figure comprises a controller 203 connected to four batteries B1, B2, B3 and B4, an electric motor 204, a battery fuel gauge 201, and an element for communicating 205 with the battery transfer station. Some of, but not limited to, the functions that the battery control system 202 may perform are the functions of selecting which battery to use, updating a battery fuel gauge 201 that can be monitored by the driver, providing an alert when battery power runs low, and/or directing the energy stored by the battery to a motor 204.”), wherein:
the first battery mounted in the electrified vehicle is replaceable with a second battery by a battery replacement station (Figure 21, battery transfer station T) provided outside the electrified vehicle (Figures 20 & 21; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0051 and 0072, wherein “To facilitate the exchange of batteries, the battery management system includes a battery transfer station T into which a standardized vehicle V can be driven. In some embodiments, as the vehicle V approaches the battery transfer station T, a battery control system 202 in the vehicle reports the battery status to the battery transfer station T so that the transfer station T recognizes which batteries within the vehicle's battery pack require exchange”); and
the electrified vehicle is able to drive the driving unit by supplying power from the auxiliary battery to the driving unit (Figure 20; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “The battery control system 202 in this figure comprises a controller 203 connected to four batteries B1, B2, B3 and B4, an electric motor 204, a battery fuel gauge 201, and an element for communicating 205 with the battery transfer station. Some of, but not limited to, the functions that the battery control system 202 may perform are the functions of selecting which battery to use, updating a battery fuel gauge 201 that can be monitored by the driver, providing an alert when battery power runs low, and/or directing the energy stored by the battery to a motor 204.”).
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.
Claim(s) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hammerslag (US 2009/0198372 A1) in view of Murata et al (US 2024/0208525 A1, hereinafter Murata).
The teachings of Hammerslag have been discussed above.
Regarding claim 2, Hammerslag teaches the electrified vehicle further comprising:
a control unit (Figure 20, controller 203; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “The battery control system 202 in this figure comprises a controller 203 connected to four batteries B1, B2, B3 and B4, an electric motor 204, a battery fuel gauge 201, and an element for communicating 205 with the battery transfer station”); and
a switching device (Figure 20, controller 203) that switches electrical connection between the first battery or the second battery and the driving unit (Figure 20; at least as in paragraphs 0048-0050, wherein “Some of, but not limited to, the functions that the battery control system 202 may perform are the functions of selecting which battery to use, updating a battery fuel gauge 201 that can be monitored by the driver, providing an alert when battery power runs low, and/or directing the energy stored by the battery to a motor 204.”). That said, Hammerslag is silent specifically regarding wherein the electrified vehicle further comprises, “an input device that is operated by a user” and further “wherein when the control unit determines that an input indicating a start of moving is input by the user to the input device during a period from a start of replacement to an end of the replacement of the first battery by the battery replacement station, the control unit causes the switching device to disconnect the electrical connection and causes power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the driving unit.”
Murata, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a battery replacement system and corresponding method for a vehicle, and further wherein said vehicle “includes a main battery 11, an electronic control unit (ECU) 12, a drive unit 13, a data communication module (DCM) 14, a human machine interface (HMI) 15, and an auxiliary battery 16” (Figures 1 & 2; at least as in paragraphs 0029-0036). Murata goes on to teach wherein said system/method includes “obtaining from the replacement apparatus or the vehicle, travel-enabled-state information indicating that the battery is in an attachment state in which the vehicle is able to travel, causing the notification apparatus to give first information indicating that the vehicle is able to travel when the abnormality occurrence information and the travel-enabled-state information are obtained, and causing the notification apparatus to give second information indicating that the vehicle is unable to travel when the abnormality occurrence information is obtained and the travel-enabled-state information is not obtained” (abstract; Figures 2 & 3; at least paragraphs 0042-0043 and 0057-0065). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Hammerslag, to include Murata’s teaching of providing a HMI device (i.e. input device) for receiving user input and displaying information relating to battery replacement as well as any abnormalities detected with said replacement, since Murata teaches wherein such a system advantageously provides an abnormality state to a user via a display so that the user is able to take appropriate measures for operating/controlling said vehicle, thereby providing a more robust and safer vehicle battery management system/method.
Regarding claim 3, in view of the above combination of Hammerslag and Murata, Murata further teaches wherein:
the input device includes a display unit and an input unit that is operated by the user (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as in at least paragraph 0036); and
when the control unit determines that there is abnormality in the second battery after the battery replacement station performs replacement to the second battery, the control unit displays, on the display unit, first inquiry indication for inquiring to the user about whether to start moving (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as shown in at least Figure 3 and related text).
Regarding claim 4, in view of the above combination of Hammerslag and Murata, Murata further teaches wherein:
the input device includes a display unit and an input unit that is operated by the user (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as in at least paragraph 0036); and
when the control unit receives a system abnormality signal from the battery replacement station, the control unit displays, on the display unit, second inquiry indication for inquiring to the user about whether to start moving (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as shown in at least Figure 3 and related text).
Regarding claim 5, in view of the above combination of Hammerslag and Murata, Murata further teaches wherein:
when the control unit determines that an input indicating a start of moving is input by the user to the input device, the control unit transmits a start signal to the battery replacement station (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as shown in at least Figure 3 and related text);
when the battery replacement station receives the start signal, the battery replacement station brings the electrified vehicle into a state where the electrified vehicle is able to start moving and then transmits a start enable signal to the electrified vehicle (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as shown in at least Figure 3 and related text); and
when the control unit receives the start enable signal, the control unit causes power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the driving unit (Figures 1-3; at least paragraphs 0029-0036, 0042-0043 and 0057-0065, specifically as shown in at least Figure 3 and related text).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892 – Notice of References Cited form. Examiner additionally notes the following prior art references, in the same field of endeavor as the instant invention and also appears to read on several of the currently provided claim limitations above;
US 2024/0116393 A1, issued to Saito et al, which is directed towards a battery management system and corresponding method for providing a user with battery replacement services in which users of electric vehicles and other vehicles can replace battery devices at battery stations.
US 2021/0399566 A1, issued to Visvesha et al, which is directed towards a battery authentication system and method for swapping batteries between a vehicle and a battery swapping and charging station that ensures an uninterrupted mutual authentication of a battery of an electric vehicle and a battery charger associated with a battery swapping and charging station(s) at all times.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN L SAMPLE whose telephone number is (571)270-5925. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Adam Mott can be reached at (571)270-5376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN L SAMPLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657