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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 05 November 2024. Claims 1-20 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority based on an application KR10-2024-0024307 filed in Republic of Korea on 20 February 2024.
Applicant cannot rely upon the certified copy of the foreign priority application to overcome potential future rejections made using references falling between the filing date and the foreign priority date, because a translation of said application has not been made of record in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55. When an English language translation of a non-English language foreign application is required, the translation must be that of the certified copy (of the foreign application as filed) submitted together with a statement that the translation of the certified copy is accurate. See MPEP §§ 215 and 216. No action is required by Applicant at this time.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1, 8, and 15 is/are objected to because of the following informalities: “due to the discharging of main high-voltage battery” should be “due to the discharging of the main high-voltage battery”. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “13” has been used to designate both “BMC” (see FIG. 1) and “battery management system (BMS)” (see para. 0004). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “13A” has been used to designate both “BMC” (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) and “BMS” (see para. 0066). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are 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.
Regarding claims 1, 8, and 15, the phrases "a current state" and “a current status” render the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations are referring to a controller monitoring a temporal state or status (i.e., “current” used as an adjective, describing occurrence or existence at the present time) of each of the at least two battery cells or an electrical state or status (i.e., “current” used as a noun, describing the flow of electrons through the battery cells) of each of the at least two battery cells. Examiner is interpreting "a current state" and “a current status” with “current” as a noun (i.e., describing the flow of electrons through the battery cells).
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US-20030034780-A1, hereinafter “Vacher”.
Regarding claim 8, and analogous claim 1, Vacher discloses A system for determining a degree of aging of a main high-voltage battery of a vehicle (Vacher, para. 0002: “It relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a method [i.e., A method] and a device [i.e., A system] for calculating the parameters of a power battery for a hybrid type vehicle [i.e., main high-voltage battery of a vehicle].”; para. 0041: “The value of the internal resistance [i.e., a degree of aging of a main high-voltage battery of a vehicle] is a parameter which enables a battery's state of aging to be determined, because over the last third of its lifetime, this resistance increases noticeably.”), the system comprising:
a motor system including a motor and configured to drive the motor (Vacher, para. 0003: “Let it be noted here that a hybrid motor vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle on the one hand and on the other hand, an electric motor [i.e., a motor system including a motor] powered by a battery. The internal combustion engine serves not only to propel the vehicle but also to turn an alternator which charges the power battery via a current rectifier. The decision to control the movement of the vehicle, either by the internal combustion engine, or by the electric motor, or by both at the same time, is usually made automatically [i.e., a motor system…configured to drive the motor] according to the state of charge of the battery and the discharge power of the battery, among other things.”);
the main high-voltage battery configured to selectively supply power to the motor system (Vacher, para. 0003: “Let it be noted here that a hybrid motor vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle on the one hand and on the other hand, an electric motor powered by a battery [i.e., the main high-voltage battery]. The internal combustion engine serves not only to propel the vehicle but also to turn an alternator which charges the power battery via a current rectifier. The decision to control the movement of the vehicle, either by the internal combustion engine, or by the electric motor, or by both at the same time, is usually made automatically according to the state of charge of the battery and the discharge power of the battery, among other things [i.e., configured to selectively supply power to the motor system].”);
a sub high-voltage battery configured to selectively supply power to the motor system (Vacher, FIG. 1: low voltage battery 18; para. 0062: “…the internal resistance of the battery is determined using an low voltage auxiliary battery [i.e., a sub high-voltage battery] connected to the power battery via a two-way DC/DC converter.”);
a battery management system (BMS) configured to determine a state of the main high-voltage battery based on a control signal (Vacher, para. 0008: “The invention is the result of the observation that the known method for calculating the charging capacity and discharge power [i.e., determine a state of the main high-voltage battery based on a control signal] and the methods for detecting states of overcharge and total discharge are not accurate enough for correct management of the battery [i.e., a battery management system] and propulsion of the vehicle.”); and
a controller configured to: receive the state of the main high-voltage battery (Vacher, FIG. 4a; para. 0081: “FIG. 4 a is a diagram showing the device for determining the internal resistance of battery 12, in which calculation and memory facilities 50 [i.e., a controller] are provided to make it possible, on the one hand, to calculate the internal resistance according to formula (5) described above, by means of inputs 501 and 502 receiving signals indicating the voltage value U and the current intensity I respectively [i.e., configured to: receive the state of the main high-voltage battery].”),
monitor a current status of each of at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery while the vehicle is parked (Vacher, para. 0081: “FIG. 4 a is a diagram showing the device for determining the internal resistance of battery 12, in which calculation and memory facilities 50 are provided to make it possible, on the one hand, to calculate the internal resistance according to formula (5) described above, by means of inputs 501 and 502 receiving signals indicating the voltage value U and the current intensity I [i.e., monitor a current status of each of at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery] respectively.”; para. 0043: “If the internal resistance is measured using the slave battery, for accuracy of measurement it is preferable, in the case of a hybrid vehicle, that the internal combustion engine be stopped and also that the electric traction motor not be supplied with power. In that case, then, the measurements are taken with the ignition switched off [i.e., while the vehicle is parked]. To achieve this, use can be made of the “auto-wake-up” function generally provided on such battery-powered vehicles, to determine the battery's self-discharge.”; para. 0044: “when the auto-wake-up operates, besides the self-discharge calculation, the following operations are carried out: calculation of the battery's internal resistance and balancing of the charge in the battery cells [i.e., at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery] when they are highly charged but different from one another.”),
charge the main high-voltage battery for a first preset time by supplying a first current from the sub high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery, an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively [i.e., charge the main high-voltage battery for a first preset time by supplying a first current from the sub high-voltage battery] and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery.”),
determine a first degree of deterioration for each of the at least two battery cells charged for the first preset time due to the charging of the main high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0027: “The internal resistance on charge has the value R according to equation (5).
R
=
R
0
+
R
c
5
”),
discharge the main high-voltage battery for a second preset time by supplying a second current from the main high-voltage battery to the sub high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery, an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery. The internal resistance, R, then has the value given by equation (4).
R
=
U
2
-
U
1
I
2
-
I
1
(
4
)
”); para. 0029: “In the same way, when discharging, the internal resistance R′ can be expressed by the formula given in equation (6).
R
'
=
R
0
'
+
R
d
(
6
)
”), and
determine a second degree of deterioration for each of the at least two battery cells discharged for the second preset time due to the discharging of main high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0029: “In the same way, when discharging, the internal resistance R′ can be expressed by the formula given in equation (6).
R
'
=
R
0
'
+
R
d
(
6
)
”).
Regarding claim 9, and analogous claims 2 and 16, Vacher discloses The system of claim 8,
wherein the controller is further configured to determine an internal resistance based on a variance in voltage due to the charging of the main high-voltage battery and the first current (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery [i.e., determine an internal resistance], an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery. The internal resistance, R, then has the value given by equation (4).
R
=
U
2
-
U
1
I
2
-
I
1
(
4
)
”; para. 0027: “The internal resistance on charge has the value R according to equation (5).
R
=
R
0
+
R
c
5
[i.e., based on a variance in voltage due to the charging of the main high-voltage battery and the first current]”).
Regarding claim 10, and analogous claims 3 and 17, Vacher discloses The system of claim 8,
wherein the controller is further configured to determine an internal resistance based on a variance in voltage due to the discharging of the main high-voltage battery and the second current (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery [i.e., determine an internal resistance], an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery. The internal resistance, R, then has the value given by equation (4).
R
=
U
2
-
U
1
I
2
-
I
1
(
4
)
”; para. 0029: “In the same way, when discharging, the internal resistance R′ can be expressed by the formula given in equation (6).
R
'
=
R
0
'
+
R
d
(
6
)
[i.e., based on a variance in voltage due to the discharging of the main high-voltage battery and the second current]”).
Regarding claim 11, and analogous claims 4 and 18, Vacher discloses The system of claim 8,
wherein the controller is further configured to store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for each section of cell voltage (Vacher, para. 0035: “A correction of the value of the internal resistance which depends on the parameter to be calculated can be provided. In that case, for each calculation to be carried out (overcharge, total discharge, charging capacity, discharge power) a table of the specific relationship between the internal resistance correction value and the state of charge and preferably the temperature is supplied [i.e., store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for each section of cell voltage].”; para. 0044: “…besides the self-discharge calculation, the following operations are carried out: calculation of the battery's internal resistance and balancing of the charge in the battery cells when they are highly charged but different from one another.”).
Regarding claim 12, and analogous claims 5 and 19, Vacher discloses The system of claim 8,
wherein the controller is further configured to store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for each section of a temperature of a battery cell (Vacher, para. 0035: “A correction of the value of the internal resistance which depends on the parameter to be calculated can be provided. In that case, for each calculation to be carried out (overcharge, total discharge, charging capacity, discharge power) a table of the specific relationship between the internal resistance correction value and the state of charge and preferably the temperature is supplied [i.e., store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for each section of a temperature of a battery cell].”; para. 0044: “…besides the self-discharge calculation, the following operations are carried out: calculation of the battery's internal resistance and balancing of the charge in the battery cells when they are highly charged but different from one another.”).
Regarding claim 13, and analogous claims 6 and 20, Vacher discloses The system of claim 8,
wherein the controller is further configured to store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for a section of cell voltage and a section of a temperature of a battery cell (Vacher, para. 0035: “A correction of the value of the internal resistance which depends on the parameter to be calculated can be provided. In that case, for each calculation to be carried out (overcharge, total discharge, charging capacity, discharge power) a table of the specific relationship between the internal resistance correction value and the state of charge and preferably the temperature is supplied [i.e., store the first degree or the second degree of deterioration in a deterioration learning table for a section of cell voltage and a section of a temperature of a battery cell].”; para. 0044: “…besides the self-discharge calculation, the following operations are carried out: calculation of the battery's internal resistance and balancing of the charge in the battery cells when they are highly charged but different from one another.”).
Regarding claim 14, and analogous claim 7, Vacher discloses The system of claim 11,
wherein the controller is further configured to update the deterioration learning table by determining a degree of deterioration of a corresponding section of the deterioration learning table whenever a preset condition is satisfied (Vacher, para. 0035: “A correction of the value of the internal resistance which depends on the parameter to be calculated can be provided [i.e., update the deterioration learning table by determining a degree of deterioration of a corresponding section of the deterioration learning table]. In that case, for each calculation to be carried out (overcharge, total discharge, charging capacity, discharge power) [i.e., a preset condition is satisfied] a table of the specific relationship between the internal resistance correction value and the state of charge and preferably the temperature is supplied.”; para. 0040: “In the same way, for the detection of total discharge, a correlation table is provided which gives, according to the temperature, the corrective expression to be applied to the internal resistance for the state of charge (e.g. 30%) corresponding to the threshold set for triggering the warning or starting charging as a priority [i.e., a preset condition is satisfied].”).
Regarding claim 15, Vacher discloses A vehicle (Vacher, para. 0002: “It relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a method and a device for calculating the parameters of a power battery for a hybrid type vehicle [i.e., A vehicle].”) comprising:
a motor configured to drive the vehicle; a motor system including the motor and configured to drive the motor (Vacher, para. 0003: “Let it be noted here that a hybrid motor vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle on the one hand and on the other hand, an electric motor [i.e., a motor configured to drive the vehicle] powered by a battery. The internal combustion engine serves not only to propel the vehicle but also to turn an alternator which charges the power battery via a current rectifier. The decision to control the movement of the vehicle, either by the internal combustion engine, or by the electric motor, or by both at the same time, is usually made automatically [i.e., a motor system including the motor and configured to drive the motor] according to the state of charge of the battery and the discharge power of the battery, among other things.”);
a main high-voltage battery configured to selectively supply power to the motor system (Vacher, para. 0003: “Let it be noted here that a hybrid motor vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle on the one hand and on the other hand, an electric motor powered by a battery [i.e., main high-voltage battery]. The internal combustion engine serves not only to propel the vehicle but also to turn an alternator which charges the power battery via a current rectifier. The decision to control the movement of the vehicle, either by the internal combustion engine, or by the electric motor, or by both at the same time, is usually made automatically according to the state of charge of the battery and the discharge power of the battery, among other things [i.e., configured to selectively supply power to the motor system].”);
a sub high-voltage battery configured to selectively supply power to the motor system (Vacher, FIG. 1: low voltage battery 18; para. 0062: “…the internal resistance of the battery is determined using an low voltage auxiliary battery [i.e., a sub high-voltage battery] connected to the power battery via a two-way DC/DC converter.”); and
a controller configured to receive a state of the main high-voltage battery from a battery management system (BMS) (Vacher, FIG. 4a-4c; para. 0081: “FIG. 4a is a diagram showing the device for determining the internal resistance of battery 12, in which calculation and memory facilities 50 [i.e., a controller] are provided to make it possible, on the one hand, to calculate the internal resistance according to formula (5) described above, by means of inputs 501 and 502 receiving signals indicating the voltage value U and the current intensity I respectively [i.e., configured to receive a state of the main high-voltage battery from a battery management system (BMS)].”);
monitor a current status of each of at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery while the vehicle is parked (Vacher, para. 0081: “FIG. 4a is a diagram showing the device for determining the internal resistance of battery 12, in which calculation and memory facilities 50 are provided to make it possible, on the one hand, to calculate the internal resistance according to formula (5) described above, by means of inputs 501 and 502 receiving signals indicating the voltage value U and the current intensity I [i.e., monitor a current status of each of at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery] respectively.”; para. 0043: “If the internal resistance is measured using the slave battery, for accuracy of measurement it is preferable, in the case of a hybrid vehicle, that the internal combustion engine be stopped and also that the electric traction motor not be supplied with power. In that case, then, the measurements are taken with the ignition switched off [i.e., while the vehicle is parked]. To achieve this, use can be made of the “auto-wake-up” function generally provided on such battery-powered vehicles, to determine the battery's self-discharge.”; para. 0044: “when the auto-wake-up operates, besides the self-discharge calculation, the following operations are carried out: calculation of the battery's internal resistance and balancing of the charge in the battery cells [i.e., at least two battery cells of the main high-voltage battery] when they are highly charged but different from one another.”);
charge the main high-voltage battery for a first preset time by supplying a first current from the sub high-voltage battery operatively connected to the main high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery, an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively [i.e., charge the main high-voltage battery for a first preset time by supplying a first current from the sub high-voltage battery operatively connected to the main high-voltage battery] and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery.”);
determine a first degree of deterioration for each of the at least two battery cells charged for the first preset time due to the charging of the main high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0027: “The internal resistance on charge has the value R according to equation (5).
R
=
R
0
+
R
c
5
”);
discharge the main high-voltage battery for a second preset time by supplying a second current from the main high-voltage battery to the sub high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0022: “…to measure the internal resistance of the power battery, an auxiliary battery, usually having a lower voltage than the power battery and sometimes called a “slave” battery, is used and the power battery is charged via this “slave” battery by supplying to the slave battery [i.e., supplying a second current from the main high-voltage battery to the sub high-voltage battery] two electric currents of intensities I2 and I1 respectively and measuring the voltages U2 and U1 with these two currents at the terminals of the power battery. The internal resistance, R, then has the value given by equation (4).
R
=
U
2
-
U
1
I
2
-
I
1
(
4
)
”); para. 0029: “In the same way, when discharging [i.e., discharge the main high-voltage battery for a second preset time], the internal resistance R′ can be expressed by the formula given in equation (6).
R
'
=
R
0
'
+
R
d
(
6
)
”);
determine a second degree of deterioration for each of the at least two battery cells discharged for the second preset time due to the discharging of main high-voltage battery (Vacher, para. 0029: “In the same way, when discharging, the internal resistance R′ [i.e., a second degree of deterioration] can be expressed by the formula given in equation (6).
R
'
=
R
0
'
+
R
d
(
6
)
”); and
determine a degree of aging of the main high-voltage battery based on the first and second degrees of deterioration (Vacher, para. 0041: “The value of the internal resistance [i.e., based on the first and second degrees of deterioration] is a parameter which enables a battery's state of aging to be determined [i.e., determine a degree of aging of the main high-voltage battery], because over the last third of its lifetime, this resistance increases noticeably. Therefore, the correction which must be made to this value makes it possible to improve the calculation of the state of aging.”; para. 0042: “The corrective expression can be adapted to the way aging is analyzed. In fact, the aging analysis carried out automatically in the vehicle consists of comparing the internal resistance with a threshold value, whereas the aging analysis which can be carried out in an after-sales department consists of comparing the internal resistance variation curve with a typical curve obtained empirically.”; para. 0093: “Ageing diagnostic unit 72 supplies an ageing signal based on R0, I, and driving conditions input signals.”).
Additional Relevant Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20250110179-A1 (Pub. 2025-04-03; Filed: 2023-11-09) | “A method for the model-based estimation of the impedance of a galvanic cell of a secondary battery by an estimation model run on a computing unit. The method includes the following method steps carried out prior to the actual use of the galvanic cell: initially parameterizing the cell model; generating a reference database; fitting a respective model parameter reference value from the reference database by polynomial fitting and saving the fitting coefficients determined in the process in a data memory. The method includes the following method steps carried out during the actual use of the galvanic cell: determining the difference from a measured cell voltage and a cell voltage calculated by the cell model; specifying a gain factor and multiplying the voltage difference by the gain factor; and incrementally determining the impedance of the galvanic cell.”
US-20200185789-A1 (2020-06-11) | "In addition, when a secondary battery is charged and discharged for the purpose of determining the state of deterioration of the secondary battery, an energy loss may occur. The disclosure provides a deterioration estimation device for a secondary battery and a deterioration estimation method for a secondary battery, which accurately estimate the degree of deterioration of a secondary battery without charging or discharging of the secondary battery." Device and method for estimating the degree of deterioration WITHOUT charging or discharging the battery. Relevant to claims 1, 8, and 15.
WO-2018235995-A1 (2018-12-27) KR20190000445A (2019-01-03) | "As the internal resistance of the battery changes, the capacity of the battery changes, and SOH can be estimated by the internal resistance and temperature of the battery. In the estimation process, the internal resistance of the battery is measured each time charging and discharging are repeated, and the capacity of the battery is measured by temperature. Then, the battery capacity is relatively quantified based on the initial capacity of the battery, And stored in a table. Then, the SOH of the battery can be estimated by measuring the internal resistance and temperature of the battery in an actual battery usage environment, and mapping the SOH corresponding to the internal resistance and the temperature from the mapping table." Only has one HV battery pack and only considers internal resistance calculations from discharging. Relevant to claims 1, 8, and 15.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Leah N Miller whose telephone number is (703)756-1933. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8:30am - 5:30pm ET.
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/L.N.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3663
/ABBY J FLYNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663