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 .
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.
(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 & 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Friedrich et al., US20220283200 (hereinafter referred to as Friedrich).
In regards to claim 1, Friedrich teaches a system (circuit of Fig. 3) for providing short circuit protection (safety of systems; [ 0002]) comprising: a dual-output current sensor (current sensor 300/dotted box of Fig. 3) comprising: a current sensing element (magnetic coupling 112a & 112b; [Fig. 3]) to detect a current (load current 111; [Fig. 3]); a current comparison circuity (diagnostic circuit 342; [Fig. 3]) to determine if the detected current exceeds a predetermined threshold current (predetermined threshold value; [0005]); a first output channel (Digital out 1, 306; [Fig. 3]) to output an indication (magnitude responsive to the load current; [0042]) of the detected current from the current sensor; a drive circuit (fault output driver 344; [Fig. 3]) to produce an amplified output (generate a fault signal; [0044]) of the current comparison circuity; and, a second output channel (FAULT 309; [Fig. 3]) to output the amplified output of the current comparison circuity from the current sensor.
In regards to claim 2, Friedrich does not teach wherein the current sensing element outputs a voltage (signal 126; [Fig. 1]) that is proportional to the detected current; and wherein the current comparison circuity comprises an analog voltage comparison circuitry (Diagnostic block output 142; [0019] & [Fig. 1]) (Examiner’s Note: Friedrich teaches that the inputs and outputs of the diagnostic block 142 are analog. Therefore, the diagnostic block must also be an analog circuit.) that compares the voltage that is proportional to the detected current to a reference voltage (threshold value; [0032]) that corresponds to the predetermined threshold current (over-current threshold value; [0032]).
In regards to claim 3, Friedrich teaches wherein the current sensing element outputs a voltage (signal 318; [Fig. 3]) that is proportional to the detected current; wherein the current comparison circuity comprises an analog to digital controller (ADC) (ADC 312; [Fig. 3]) and a controller (Diagnostic block 342; [Fig. 3]); wherein the ADC receives the voltage that is proportional to the detected current (implicit; [Fig. 3]) and converts the voltage that is proportional to the detected current to a digital value of the detected current (implicit of signal 320; [Fig. 3]); and, wherein the controller receives the digital value of the detected current (implicit; [Fig. 3]) and compares the digital value of the detected current to the predetermined threshold current (predetermined or adaptive threshold; [0044]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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. Claim 4 is 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 1, especially “The system of Claim 1, further comprising: a battery management system; an electric busbar carrying the detected current; and, a normally closed pyrotechnic switch connected inline with the electric busbar; wherein the first output channel outputs the indication of the detected current to the battery management system; and, wherein the second output channel outputs the amplified output of the current comparison circuity to the pyrotechnic switch to cause the pyrotechnic switch to open and interrupt the detected current on the electric busbar.”
Claim 5 would be allowed based on dependence of claim 4.
Claim 6 is allowed.
The claimed combination found within independent claim 6 is/are considered novel and unobvious in view of the prior art of record. The closest prior art is considered to be Friedrich et al., US20220283200 and Boury et al., US20220278520.
Boury teaches a method of providing short circuit protection (overcurrent condition; [0015]) in an electric vehicle (electric vehicle; [0002]), the method comprising: connecting a current sensor (magnetic sensor 155; [Fig. 1]) to an electric busbar (electrical conductor portion 154; [Fig. 1]) of the electric vehicle; detecting, by a current sensing element (magnetic sensor 155; [Fig. 1]) of the current sensor, the current on the electric busbar (HV current; [Fig. 1]); determining, by a current comparison circuitry (controller 260; [Fig. 2]) of the current sensor, if the detected current exceeds a predetermined threshold current; outputting, by an output channel (BMS_COM; [Fig. 2]) of the current sensor to a battery management system (BMS 12; [Fig. 2]) of the electric vehicle, an amplified output (output of activation circuit 163; [Fig. 1]) of the current comparison circuity to cause a pyrotechnic switch (fuse 158 (e.g. a pyro-fuse); [0111] & [Fig. 1]) to open (open; [0112]) and interrupt the current on the electric busbar.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regards to claim 6, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination or limitations including “the method comprising: connecting a dual-output current sensor to an electric busbar of the electric vehicle;” and “outputting, by a first output channel of the current sensor to a battery management system of the electric vehicle, an indication of the detected current; producing, by a drive circuit of the current sensor, an amplified output of the current comparison circuity; and, outputting, by a second output channel of the current sensor to a pyrotechnic switch of the electric vehicle if the detected current exceeds the predetermined threshold current”.
Claims 7-9 are allowed based on dependence on claim 6.
Conclusion
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SAMANTHA LYNETTE FAUBERT
Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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