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 .
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/20/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). A certified copy of this document has been placed in the file wrapper. As such, the effective filing date of the instant application is considered 12/01/2023, coinciding with the filing date of the Japan application to which foreign priority was requested.
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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyauchi et al. (JP2013017357A, referred to as Miyauchi) in view of Lee et al. (US20130221932, referred to as Lee).
Regarding claim 1: Miyauchi discloses: A vehicle power supply system comprising: a charging port connected to an external power supply line; a bidirectional charger connected to the external power supply line and a vehicle battery line, the bidirectional charger being configured to convert an AC power input from an external power source via the charging port and the external power supply line into a DC power to supply the DC power to a vehicle battery via the vehicle battery line, or convert the DC power input from the vehicle battery via the vehicle battery line into the AC power to supply the AC power to the external power supply line; ([0008] the charging system includes a first charger that charges the power storage device via the first connection unit, and a second charger that charges the power storage device via the second connection unit. The second connection portion is a service outlet that can supply power from the vehicle. The second charger includes an AC/DC converter configured to be capable of bidirectional conversion. [0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10. Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2.) an AC power port; a distribution board including: a power distribution circuit configured to distribute the AC power input from the external power supply line to the AC power port; and [a leakage current detector configured to detect leakage current;] and a controller configured to control an operation of the bidirectional charger. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10. Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2.))
Miyauchi does not explicitly disclose: a leakage current detector configured to detect leakage current;
Miyauchi does not disclose the following limitations, however Lee, in an analogous field of endeavor teaches: a leakage current detector configured to detect leakage current; ([0010] a pull-down circuit to generate leakage current from a received current; a leakage current detector connected to the pull down circuit to detect leakage current and to collect at least a portion of the leakage current; and an integrator to amplify the collected leakage current received from the current detector, to convert the amplified current to an output voltage, and to supply the output voltage to a battery.)
Miyauchi and Lee are analogous art to the claimed invention since they are from the similar field of vehicle battery systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation for success, to modify the bidirectional charging control unit of Miyauchi to enable the leakage detection taught in Lee.
The motivation for modification would have been to provide the charging method disclosed in Miyauchi with the known benefits of detecting leaks in the charging process as taught in Lee.
Regarding claim 2: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the vehicle power supply system includes a plurality of the AC power ports, the power distribution circuit distributes the AC power input from the external power supply line to the AC power ports, and the distribution board includes a plurality of voltage detectors or a plurality of current detectors, the voltage detectors respectively corresponding to the AC power ports, the current detectors respectively corresponding to the AC power ports. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10. Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10. [0073] 10 high-voltage battery, 100 plug-in vehicle, 130 motor generator, 120 inverter, 140, 140A bidirectional DC/DC converter, 140B DC/DC converter, 150 auxiliary battery, 160 control device, 162 input/output changeover switch, 170 auxiliary load, 200, 200B, 370 charger, 300 external power supply, 310 charging connector, 320, 320B charging port, 321B charging sub-port, 330, 330A bidirectional AC/DC converter, 330B AC/DC converter, 340, 340B service outlet, 400 distribution board, 401 to 403 breakers, 410 commercial power supply, ACL1, ACL2, PL1, PL2 power line, SMRC, SMRD system main relay, SW1 to SW4 switches.)
Regarding claim 3: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the vehicle power supply system includes a plurality of the AC power ports, and the distribution board includes a plurality of disconnect switches, each of the disconnect switches being connected between one of the AC power ports and the external power supply line or between one of the AC power ports and the charging port. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10. Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10. [0073] 10 high-voltage battery, 100 plug-in vehicle, 130 motor generator, 120 inverter, 140, 140A bidirectional DC/DC converter, 140B DC/DC converter, 150 auxiliary battery, 160 control device, 162 input/output changeover switch, 170 auxiliary load, 200, 200B, 370 charger, 300 external power supply, 310 charging connector, 320, 320B charging port, 321B charging sub-port, 330, 330A bidirectional AC/DC converter, 330B AC/DC converter, 340, 340B service outlet, 400 distribution board, 401 to 403 breakers, 410 commercial power supply, ACL1, ACL2, PL1, PL2 power line, SMRC, SMRD system main relay, SW1 to SW4 switches.)
Regarding claim 4: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the charging port is connected to the external power supply line via the distribution board. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10. Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10. [0073] 10 high-voltage battery, 100 plug-in vehicle, 130 motor generator, 120 inverter, 140, 140A bidirectional DC/DC converter, 140B DC/DC converter, 150 auxiliary battery, 160 control device, 162 input/output changeover switch, 170 auxiliary load, 200, 200B, 370 charger, 300 external power supply, 310 charging connector, 320, 320B charging port, 321B charging sub-port, 330, 330A bidirectional AC/DC converter, 330B AC/DC converter, 340, 340B service outlet, 400 distribution board, 401 to 403 breakers, 410 commercial power supply, ACL1, ACL2, PL1, PL2 power line, SMRC, SMRD system main relay, SW1 to SW4 switches.)
Regarding claim 5: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the vehicle power supply system includes: a plurality of the AC power ports; and a charging voltage detector configured to detect a voltage input from the charging port, and the controller controls so that the AC power input from the charging port is supplied to some of the AC power ports corresponding to the voltage detected by the charging voltage detector. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10.
Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10.)
Regarding claim 6: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the vehicle power supply system includes a first AC power port and a second AC power port, the distribution board includes a voltage conversion circuit that converts an external input AC voltage input from the charging port into a converted AC voltage, and the power distribution circuit outputs the external input AC voltage to the first AC power port, and outputs the converted AC voltage output from the voltage conversion circuit to the second AC power port. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10.
Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10.)
Regarding claim 7: The combination of Miyauchi and Lee teaches: The vehicle power supply system according to claim 1,
Miyauchi further discloses: wherein the vehicle power supply system includes a first AC power port and a second AC power port, the bidirectional charger converts the AC power input from the external power supply line into the DC power to supply the DC power to the vehicle battery, and converts the DC power output from the vehicle battery into a first AC power and a second AC power to supply the first AC power and the second AC power to the external power supply line, and the power distribution circuit supplies the first AC power input from the external power supply line to the first AC power port, and supplies the second AC power input from the external power supply line to the second AC power port. ([0036] Charger 200 is connected to charging port 320 via power lines ACL1 and ACL2. The charger 200 is also connected to the high-voltage battery 10 via power lines PL2 and NL2. Based on a control signal from the control device 160, the charger 200 converts AC power from the external power supply 300 supplied via the power lines ACL1, ACL2 into DC power that can charge the high-voltage battery 10.
Charger 200 outputs the converted DC power to power lines PL2 and NL2. Charger 200 is configured to be able to receive two types of voltage, for example, AC 100V and AC 200V, as input voltages. The charger 200 then automatically detects the input voltage and performs appropriate voltage conversion to charge the high-voltage battery 10.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record, and not relied upon, considered pertinent to applicant' s disclosure or directed to the state of art is listed on the enclosed PTO-892.
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/ATTICUS A CAMERON/ /JASON HOLLOWAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3658 Examiner, Art Unit 3658A