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 .
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 04/14/2026 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 C.F.R. § 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS has/have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 9 contains a space between the last word of the claim and the period. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 17 recites the limitation “senor” in line 6 of the claim. This appears to mean “sensor”. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. Korean Patent Document KR 10-2017-0114576 A (hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a power monitoring device (refer to fig.2) for connecting a power supply unit (i.e. cell assembly 10)(fig.2) to a load (refer to [0036]), the device comprising: a sensor (i.e. shunt resistor 300, amplifier 400, comparator 500, heating resistor 600, and reference power supply Ref)(fig.2) configured to measure a state of the power supply unit (refer to [0071]); a switch (i.e. relay 100)(fig.2) configured to connect the power supply unit to the load (implicit)(refer to charge/discharge path P)(fig.1); and a controller (i.e. current supply unit 200, current restricting part 700, and control unit 800)(fig.2) configured to control the switch to be turned on or off by a measured value by the sensor (refer to [0071]).
Regarding claim 2, Lee teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a current sensor or voltage sensor (i.e. shunt resistor 300, amplifier 400, comparator 500, heating resistor 600, and reference power supply Ref)(fig.2), and the controller is configured to control the switch to be turned off when a current or voltage measured by the sensor is greater than or equal to a prescribed first reference (refer to reference power supply Ref)(fig.2)(refer also to [0071]).
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor (refer to [0054]-[0056]), and the controller is configured to control the switch to be turned off when a temperature measured by the sensor is greater than or equal to a prescribed second reference (refer to [0054]-[0056] and [0071]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sun Chinese Patent Document CN 112129994 A (hereinafter “Sun”).
Regarding claim 4, Lee teaches the device of claim 1; however, Lee does not teach wherein the power supply unit includes two or more batteries, the sensor is provided as two or more sensors configured to measure currents or voltages of the two or more batteries, and the controller is configured to control the switch to connect one of the two or more batteries to the load according to a measured value by the sensor. However, Sun teaches wherein the power supply unit includes two or more batteries (refer to input voltages V1 and V2)(fig.2), the sensor is provided as two or more sensors (refer to R1, R2, voltage sampling chip, and current sampling chip in the figure below)(fig.2) configured to measure currents or voltages of the two or more batteries (implicit), and the controller is configured to control the switch (i.e. SW1/SW2)(fig.2) to connect one of the two or more batteries to the load according to a measured value by the sensor (refer to [0097]-[0101]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the power monitoring device of Lee to include the two or more batteries and sensors of Sun to provide the advantage of providing redundant power sources to prevent interruption in power to the load.
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Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches a power monitoring device (refer to fig.2), the device comprising a power supply unit (i.e. cell assembly 10)(fig.2); a sensor (i.e. shunt resistor 300, amplifier 400, comparator 500, heating resistor 600, and reference power supply Ref)(fig.2); a switch (i.e. relay 100)(fig.2) configured to connect the power supply unit to the load (implicit)(refer to charge/discharge path P)(fig.1); and a controller (i.e. current supply unit 200, current restricting part 700, and control unit 800)(fig.2); however, Lee does not teach the power supply unit including a first battery and a second battery; the sensor being a first sensor configured to measure a current or voltage from the first battery; a second sensor configured to measure a current or voltage from the second battery; the switch configured to selectively connect the first battery or the second battery to a load; and the controller configured to control the switch according to a measured value by the first sensor or the second sensor. However, Sun teaches the power supply unit including a first battery (refer to input voltage V1)(fig.2) and a second battery (refer to input voltage V2)(fig.2); the sensor being a first sensor (refer to R1, voltage sampling chip, and current sampling chip in the figure above)(fig.2) configured to measure a current or voltage from the first battery (implicit); a second sensor (refer to R2, voltage sampling chip, and current sampling chip in the figure above)(fig.2) configured to measure a current or voltage from the second battery (implicit); the switch configured to selectively connect the first battery or the second battery to a load (refer to SW1/SW2)(fig.2)(refer also to [0089]); and the controller configured to control the switch according to a measured value by the first sensor or the second sensor (refer to [0097]-[0101]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the power monitoring device of Lee to include the two batteries and sensors of Sun to provide the advantage of providing redundant power sources to prevent interruption in power to the load.
Regarding claim 6, Lee and Sun teach the device of claim 5, wherein the first sensor comprises: a first shunt resistor (i.e. Lee shunt resistor 300)(fig.2)(i.e. Sun R1)(fig.2) connected to the first battery in series (implicit); and a first operational (OP) amplifier (i.e. Lee amplifier 400)(fig.2) of which an input terminal is connected to the first shunt resistor in parallel (implicit)(refer to Lee fig.2) and an output terminal is connected to the controller (implicit)(refer to Lee fig.2), and the second sensor comprises: a second shunt resistor (i.e. Lee shunt resistor 300)(fig.2)(i.e. Sun R2)(fig.2) connected to the second battery in series (implicit); and a second OP amplifier (i.e. Lee amplifier 400)(fig.2) of which an input terminal is connected to the second shunt resistor in parallel (implicit)(refer to Lee fig.2) and an output terminal is connected to the controller (implicit)(refer to Lee fig.2).
Regarding clam 7, Lee and Sun teach the device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to measure a current or voltage from the first or second battery connected to the load by the first sensor or the second sensor and control the switch to be turned off when a measured current or voltage is greater than or equal to a prescribed first reference (refer to Lee [0071]).
Claim(s) 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee and Sun as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Kamijima U.S. Patent No. 8,816,646 (hereinafter “Kamijima”).
Regarding claim 10, Lee and Sun teach the device of claim 5; however, they do not teach wherein the first sensor further comprises a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the first battery and the second sensor further comprises a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the second battery, and the controller is configured to control the switch to be turned off when a temperature of the first or second battery connected to the load, which is measured by the first sensor or the second sensor, is greater than or equal to a prescribed second reference. However, Kamijima teaches wherein the first sensor further comprises a first temperature sensor (i.e. temperature detector 8A)(fig.1) configured to measure a temperature of the first battery (implicit) and the second sensor further comprises a second temperature sensor (i.e. temperature detector 8B)(fig.1) configured to measure a temperature of the second battery (implicit), and the controller is configured to control the switch to be turned off when a temperature of the first or second battery connected to the load, which is measured by the first sensor or the second sensor, is greater than or equal to a prescribed second reference (refer to fig.2). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Lee and Sun to include the temperature detection of Kamijima to provide the advantage of preventing damage from overheating while also preventing interruption of power to the load.
Regarding claim 11, Lee and Sun teach the device of claim 5; however, they do not teach wherein the first sensor further comprises a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the first battery and the second sensor further comprises a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the second battery, and the controller is configured to control the switch to connect the second battery to the load when a temperature measured by the first sensor is greater than or equal to a prescribed second reference. However, Kamijima teaches wherein the first sensor further comprises a first temperature sensor (i.e. temperature detector 8A)(fig.1) configured to measure a temperature of the first battery (implicit) and the second sensor further comprises a second temperature sensor (i.e. temperature detector 8B)(fig.1) configured to measure a temperature of the second battery (implicit), and the controller is configured to control the switch to connect the second battery to the load when a temperature measured by the first sensor is greater than or equal to a prescribed second reference (refer to fig.2). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Lee and Sun to include the temperature detection of Kamijima to provide the advantage of preventing damage from overheating while also preventing interruption of power to the load.
Regarding claim 12, Lee, Sun, and Kamijima teach the device of claim 11, wherein, after controlling the switch to connect the second battery to the load, the controller is further configured to control the switch to connect the first battery to the load again when the temperature measured by the first sensor decreases to less than the second reference (refer to Kamijima fig.2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 8 and 9 are indicated as containing allowable subject matter because prior art fails to teach or suggest, either alone or in combination all of the limitations of claim 8, especially wherein the controller is configured to control the switch to connect the second battery to the load when a current or voltage measured by the first sensor is greater than or equal to a prescribed first reference. Claim 9 is indicated as containing allowable subject matter based on its dependency on claim 8.
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claims 13-20 are allowable because prior art fails to teach or suggest, either alone or in combination all of the limitations of claim 13, especially wherein the first sensor includes a first smart field effect transistor (FET) switch including a third sensor and a first circuit breaker, and the second sensor includes a second smart FET switch including a fourth sensor and a second circuit breaker. The closest prior art references of record are Lee, Sun, and Kamijima. Regarding claim 13, Lee teaches a power monitoring device (refer to fig.2), the device comprising a power supply unit (i.e. cell assembly 10)(fig.2); a sensor (i.e. shunt resistor 300, amplifier 400, comparator 500, heating resistor 600, and reference power supply Ref)(fig.2); a switch (i.e. relay 100)(fig.2) configured to connect the power supply unit to the load (implicit)(refer to charge/discharge path P)(fig.1); and a controller (i.e. current supply unit 200, current restricting part 700, and control unit 800)(fig.2); however, Lee does not teach the power supply unit including a first battery and a second battery; the sensor being a first sensor configured to measure a current or voltage from the first battery; a second sensor configured to measure a current or voltage from the second battery; the switch configured to selectively connect the first battery or the second battery to a load; and the controller configured to control the switch according to a measured value by the first sensor or the second sensor; wherein the first sensor includes a first smart field effect transistor (FET) switch including a third sensor and a first circuit breaker, and the second sensor includes a second smart FET switch including a fourth sensor and a second circuit breaker. However, Sun teaches the power supply unit including a first battery (refer to input voltage V1)(fig.2) and a second battery (refer to input voltage V2)(fig.2); the sensor being a first sensor (refer to R1, voltage sampling chip, and current sampling chip in the figure above)(fig.2) configured to measure a current or voltage from the first battery (implicit); a second sensor (refer to R2, voltage sampling chip, and current sampling chip in the figure above)(fig.2) configured to measure a current or voltage from the second battery (implicit); the switch configured to selectively connect the first battery or the second battery to a load (refer to SW1/SW2)(fig.2)(refer also to [0089]); and the controller configured to control the switch according to a measured value by the first sensor or the second sensor (refer to [0097]-[0101]); however, Sun does not teach wherein the first sensor includes a first smart field effect transistor (FET) switch including a third sensor and a first circuit breaker, and the second sensor includes a second smart FET switch including a fourth sensor and a second circuit breaker. Kamijima (figure 1) teaches a similar device, however Kamijima does not teach wherein the first sensor includes a first smart field effect transistor (FET) switch including a third sensor and a first circuit breaker, and the second sensor includes a second smart FET switch including a fourth sensor and a second circuit breaker. It would not have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Lee, Sun, and/or Kamijima to arrive at the claimed invention. Claims 14-20 are allowed based on their dependency on claim 13.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN J COMBER whose telephone number is (571)272-6133. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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/KEVIN J COMBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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