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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/7/24, and 8/22/25 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Seguchi et al. (US 2019/0312539).
Regarding claim 1,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 1):
A control device (Fig. 1, all elements) for a rotary electric machine (20) applied to a system including a rotary electric machine (20, ¶0054) having a stator (32) having a stator winding (fig. 2, 34, ¶0055) and a rotor (26) having a field winding (33, ¶0056), the control device, comprising: an operation unit (60) configured to operate a current flowing through the stator winding (fig. 2, 34) and a field current flowing through the field winding (44, ¶0069) in order to control a torque of the rotary electric machine to a command torque (¶0092); and a determination unit (72) configured to determine whether the command torque increases suddenly (Fig. 14, ¶0112); wherein the operation unit increases a degree of excitation of the field winding during a predetermined period (f1 frequency, Fig. 14) from when it is determined that the command torque suddenly increase until the torque of the rotary electric machine converges to the command torque (Fig. 14, torque increases and converges to threshold, ¶0107, ¶0124-¶0125), compared to the degree of excitation of the field winding during a period after the predetermined period (after f1, f2 frequency in Fig. 14, ¶0125).
Regarding claim 2,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the system includes an inverter (Fig. 1, 60) electrically connected to the stator winding, (Fig. 2, 34, ¶0064) the rotor (26) has a rotor core (42) and main pole portions that are provided at predetermined intervals (Fig. 3) in a circumferential direction and protrude radially from the rotor core (Fig. 4, ¶0057), the field winding (Fig. 8, 44) has a series connection of a first winding portion (44-1) and a second winding portion (44-2, ¶0077), the first winding portion (44-1) and the second winding portion (44-2) are wound around each of the main pole portions (¶0077), the rotor includes a diode (52), and a capacitor (54) connected in parallel to either the first winding portion or the second winding portion (capacitor is connected in parallel to 44-2), one end of the diode (top end) is connected to the first winding portion side of both ends of the series connection (connected to first winding 44-1), and the other end of the diode is connected to the second winding portion side of the series connection (connected to other end of 44-2, ¶0077),
and the operation unit (Fig. 1, 72) performs a switching operation of the inverter (60) so as to cause a fundamental current corresponding to the command torque to flow through the stator winding (¶0090-¶0092), and also causes a harmonic current corresponding to the command torque to flow through the stator winding (¶0090), the harmonic current being for inducing the field current in the field winding (44, ¶0092-¶0093), and by making an amplitude of the harmonic current in the predetermined period greater than the amplitude of the harmonic current in a period after the predetermined period (Fig. 14, f1 has a greater excitation current than f2, ¶0107), makes the degree of excitation of the field winding in the predetermined period greater than the degree of excitation of the field winding in a period after the predetermined period (¶0139).
Regarding claim 5,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the stator (Fig. 3, 24)includes an annular stator core (32), and teeth (40) protruding from the stator core (32) toward the rotor(26) in a radial direction (¶0055-¶0056), a slot is formed between the teeth adjacent in the circumferential direction (38, ¶0055), the stator winding is a rectangular wire having a rectangular cross-sectional shape (¶0055), and in each slot, the rectangular wires are arranged in a row in the radial direction (¶0055).
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seguchi et al. (US 2019/0312539) in view of Ishida et al. (US 2018/0219503).
Regarding claim 3,
Seguchi discloses the above elements from claim 2.
Seguchi does not disclose:
wherein the operation unit performs a switching operation of the inverter so as to flow a field weakening current through the stator winding when a rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotation speed.
However, Ishida teaches (Fig. 1):
wherein the operation unit (Fig. 1, 40) performs a switching operation of the inverter (20) so as to flow a field weakening current through the stator winding (d-axis current) when a rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotation speed (¶0061-¶0062, increases speed).
Regarding claim 3, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the motor controller from Seguchi that increases the field current when increasing torque and speed (¶0107) and use field weakening by injecting a d-axis current into the stator to enable higher speeds with higher efficiency in a motor as taught by Ishida (¶0061). This would increase the speed and efficiency of the motor.
Regarding claim 4,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 14):
wherein when the rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than the predetermined rotation speed, the operation unit increases the amplitude of the harmonic current (Fig. 14, from 20-40 in fig. 14, , ¶0107)
Seguchi does not disclose:
as the field weakening current increases
However, Ishida teaches (Fig. 1):
as the field weakening current increases (¶0061-¶0062, increases speed).
Regarding claim 4, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the motor controller from Seguchi that increases the field current when increasing torque and speed (¶0107) and use field weakening by injecting a d-axis current into the stator to enable higher speeds with higher efficiency in a motor as taught by Ishida (¶0061). This would increase the speed and efficiency of the motor.
Claim(s) 6-7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seguchi et al. (US 2019/0312539) in view of Yamada et al. (US 2011/0241598).
Regarding claim 6,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 1):
A control device (Fig. 1, all elements) for a rotary electric machine (20) applied to a system including a rotary electric machine (20, ¶0054) having a stator (32) having a stator winding (fig. 2, 34, ¶0055) and a rotor (26) having a field winding (33, ¶0056), the control device, comprising:
operate a current flowing through the stator winding (fig. 2, 34) and a field current flowing through the field winding (44, ¶0069) in order to control a torque of the rotary electric machine to a command torque (¶0092); determine whether the command torque increases suddenly (Fig. 14, ¶0112); and increase a degree of excitation of the field winding during a predetermined period (f1 frequency, Fig. 14) from when it is determined that the command torque suddenly increase until the torque of the rotary electric machine converges to the command torque (Fig. 14, torque increases and converges to threshold, ¶0107, ¶0124-¶0125), compared to the degree of excitation of the field winding during a period after the predetermined period (after f1, f2 frequency in Fig. 14, ¶0125).
Seguchi does not disclose:
a computer including a processor and a memory that stores instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to
However, Yamada teaches:
a computer including a processor (300, ¶0132) and a memory that stores instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (300)
Regarding claim 6, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the motor controller from Seguchi that increases the field current when increasing torque and speed (¶0107) and use a processor and software to control operations of the ECU to control a motor as taught by Yamada (¶0132). This would allow more precise monitoring and control of the motor which would increase reliability.
Regarding claim 7,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the system includes an inverter (Fig. 1, 60) electrically connected to the stator winding, (Fig. 2, 34, ¶0064) the rotor (26) has a rotor core (42) and main pole portions that are provided at predetermined intervals (Fig. 3) in a circumferential direction and protrude radially from the rotor core (Fig. 4, ¶0057), the field winding (Fig. 8, 44) has a series connection of a first winding portion (44-1) and a second winding portion (44-2, ¶0077), the first winding portion (44-1) and the second winding portion (44-2) are wound around each of the main pole portions (¶0077), the rotor includes a diode (52), and a capacitor (54) connected in parallel to either the first winding portion or the second winding portion (capacitor is connected in parallel to 44-2), one end of the diode (top end) is connected to the first winding portion side of both ends of the series connection (connected to first winding 44-1), and the other end of the diode is connected to the second winding portion side of the series connection (connected to other end of 44-2, ¶0077),
and the computer causes the processor to: perform a switching operation of the inverter (60) so as to cause a fundamental current corresponding to the command torque to flow through the stator winding (¶0090-¶0092), and also causes a harmonic current corresponding to the command torque to flow through the stator winding (¶0090), the harmonic current being for inducing the field current in the field winding (44, ¶0092-¶0093), and by making an amplitude of the harmonic current in the predetermined period greater than the amplitude of the harmonic current in a period after the predetermined period (Fig. 14, f1 has a greater excitation current than f2, ¶0107), makes the degree of excitation of the field winding in the predetermined period greater than the degree of excitation of the field winding in a period after the predetermined period (¶0139).
Regarding claim 10,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 3):
wherein the stator (Fig. 3, 24)includes an annular stator core (32), and teeth (40) protruding from the stator core (32) toward the rotor(26) in a radial direction (¶0055-¶0056), a slot is formed between the teeth adjacent in the circumferential direction (38, ¶0055), the stator winding is a rectangular wire having a rectangular cross-sectional shape (¶0055), and in each slot, the rectangular wires are arranged in a row in the radial direction (¶0055).
Claim(s) 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seguchi et al. (US 2019/0312539) in view of Yamada et al. (US 2011/0241598) and Ishida et al. (US 2018/0219503).
Regarding claim 8,
Seguchi discloses the above elements from claim 7.
Seguchi does not disclose:
wherein the computer causes the processor to perform a switching operation of the inverter so as to flow a field weakening current through the stator winding when a rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotation speed.
However, Yamada teaches:
the computer causes the processor (Fig. 1, 400, ¶0132) to
Ishida teaches (Fig. 1):
perform a switching operation of the inverter (20) so as to flow a field weakening current through the stator winding (d-axis current) when a rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotation speed (¶0061-¶0062, increases speed).
Regarding claim 8, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the motor controller from Seguchi that increases the field current when increasing torque and speed (¶0107) and use a processor and software to control operations of the ECU to control a motor as taught by Yamada (¶0132). This would allow more precise monitoring and control of the motor which would increase reliability.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use field weakening by injecting a d-axis current into the stator to enable higher speeds with higher efficiency in a motor as taught by Ishida (¶0061). This would increase the speed and efficiency of the motor.
Regarding claim 9,
Seguchi discloses (Fig. 14):
wherein when the rotation speed of the rotor is equal to or higher than the predetermined rotation speed (fig. 14),
to increase the amplitude of the harmonic current (Fig. 14, from 20-40 in fig. 14, , ¶0107)
Seguchi does not disclose:
the computer causes the processor to
as the field weakening current increases
However, Yamada teaches:
the computer causes the processor (Fig. 1, 400, ¶0132) to
Ishida teaches (Fig. 1):
as the field weakening current increases (¶0061-¶0062, increases speed).
Regarding claim 9, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the motor controller from Seguchi that increases the field current when increasing torque and speed (¶0107) and use a processor and software to control operations of the ECU to control a motor as taught by Yamada (¶0132). This would allow more precise monitoring and control of the motor which would increase reliability.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use field weakening by injecting a d-axis current into the stator to enable higher speeds with higher efficiency in a motor as taught by Ishida (¶0061). This would increase the speed and efficiency of the motor.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sato et al. (US 2007/0296358) – motor controller with field winding excitation
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/C.S.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DAVID LUO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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