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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bolduc (US 2015/0130471) in view of Ock et al. (US 2019/0258213).
Regarding claim 1, Bolduc teaches a vehicle drive source device comprising:
a battery capable of supplying power to a driving motor of a vehicle through a high-voltage line [(see Fig. 1; paras. 0003, 0005); multi-cell battery pack… positive and negative busses; Bolduc teaches supplying high-voltage power within the vehicle electrical system]; a battery monitoring section that includes an integrated circuit connected to the high-voltage line and detecting a voltage of the battery between terminals, and is driven by a low-voltage power supply as a power source [(see Fig. 1; paras. 0005, 0007); battery monitoring IC… measures voltages… main microcontroller… isolated; Bolduc teaches an IC connected to the high-voltage battery and operating in a low-voltage domain]; a battery case that houses each of the battery and the battery monitoring section [(see para. 0003, 0013-0015, 0023); battery pack; Bolduc inherently includes an enclosure housing the battery cells and associated monitoring circuitry]; and connection wiring (e.g., the isolated serial data link of Bolduc) that is electrically isolated from a ground of the battery case [(see Fig. 1; paras. 0005, 0007, 0023; main microcontroller having a chassis ground is digitally isolated from positive and negative busses… domain-crossing elements provide isolation; Bolduc teaches that the connection wiring operates with a different reference potential and is separated from the battery-side ground].
However, Bolduc does not expressly teach: a connector that is connected to a vehicle ground through a ground harness; and wherein the integrated circuit is connected to the connector through the connection wiring.
In an analogous art Ock teaches a connector that is connected to a vehicle ground through a ground harness [(see para. 0008; Fig. 2; ground of the circuit board… connected to a chassis used as a ground in a vehicle; Ock teaches a physical connection path from the circuit board to vehicle chassis ground, which a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand as including a connector and ground harness]; Ock further teaches that the circuit board including an integrated circuit is electrically connected to the vehicle ground via wiring [(see para. 0008; ground… connected to chassis)], and it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to route the connection wiring of Bolduc (i.e., the isolated serial data link) to the connector providing the vehicle ground interface to connect the integrated circuit.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the connector-based chassis grounding configuration of Ock in the invention of Bolduc to provide a defined vehicle ground interface for the battery monitoring system, while maintaining the electrical isolation between the high-voltage battery domain and the low-voltage chassis domain taught by Bolduc, thereby reducing noise interference and improving system reliability with predictable results.
Regarding claim 2, combination of Bolduc and Ock teaches the invention set forth above, Ock further teaches the connector includes a low-voltage connector including a ground terminal connected to the vehicle ground through the ground harness [see (Figs. 1-2, paras. 0051-0056) circuit board 20… connector terminal 50… ground connected to chassis 1 via AUX line; Ock teaches a connector terminal providing an interface between the circuit board and the vehicle chassis through a harness path, which a person of ordinary skill would understand as a low-voltage connector including a ground terminal connected to vehicle ground]. Ock further teaches the integrated circuit is connected to the ground terminal through the connection wiring [see (paras. 0051-0056) ground G on circuit board 20 connected to chassis via connector 50 and AUX line; Ock teaches that circuitry on the board, including a BMS/integrated circuit, is connected to the connector ground terminal through board traces and wiring, corresponding to the claimed connection wiring].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the ground terminal connector configuration of Ock in the invention of Bolduc to provide a defined low-voltage connector having a ground terminal for the monitoring IC, thereby improving grounding reliability and system integration with predictable results.
Regarding claim 3, combination of Bolduc and Ock teaches the invention set forth above, Bolduc and Ock further teach the low-voltage connector is connected to the low-voltage power supply [see (Bolduc Fig. 1, paras. 0003, 0007) main microcontroller… chassis ground… isolated from high-voltage busses; Bolduc teaches a low-voltage domain supplied separately from the high-voltage battery]; see also Ock [see (Figs. 1-2, paras. 0051-0056) circuit board 20… connector terminal 50… connected to chassis via AUX line”; Ock teaches that the connector interfaces the circuit board, including low-voltage circuitry, to the chassis-referenced domain]; together these teachings indicate that the connector is part of the low-voltage power supply domain.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the low-voltage connector to be connected to the low-voltage power supply in the combined system of Bolduc and Ock to ensure that the monitoring IC and associated circuitry operate within a consistent low-voltage domain referenced to vehicle ground, thereby achieving predictable electrical functionality and system compatibility.
Regarding claim 4, combination of Bolduc and Ock teaches the invention set forth above Bolduc and Ock further teach the low-voltage connector is disposed outside the battery case [see (Bolduc paras. 0003-0005) battery pack… supplying vehicle loads… external wiring]; Bolduc teaches that the battery pack interfaces with vehicle systems through external connections; also see Ock [see (Fig. 2, paras. 0053-0056) “chassis 1… connector terminal 50… AUX line; Ock teaches that the grounding connection interfaces with the vehicle chassis external to the battery pack]; a person of ordinary skill would understand that such a connector must be positioned at or outside the battery case to enable connection to the external chassis and harness.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to dispose the low-voltage connector outside the battery case in the system of Bolduc and Ock to enable practical connection to the external vehicle chassis ground and harness, thereby facilitating integration with vehicle electrical systems with predictable results.
3. Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bolduc (US 2015/0130471) in view of Ock et al. (US 2019/0258213) further in view of Romero et al. (US 2018/0203054).
Regarding claim 5, Bolduc and Ock teach the invention set forth above, combination doesn’t expressly teach the battery monitoring section includes a second low-voltage connector including a second ground terminal, the integrated circuit is connected to the second ground terminal through the connection wiring, and the second ground terminal is connected to the ground terminal through a second low-voltage line.
In an analogous art, Romero (US 2018/0203054) teaches the battery monitoring section includes a second low-voltage connector including a second ground terminal [see (Fig. 2A-2B; paras. 0011-0014) “ground lines 13 and 14… connected to ECU ground connections 13a and 14a; Romero teaches two distinct ECU ground connections (13a, 14a), which correspond to first and second ground terminals associated with low-voltage circuitry]; the integrated circuit is connected to the second ground terminal through the connection wiring [see (Fig. 2A; para. 0014) ground lines 13, 14… individually connected to ECU ground connections 13a and 14a; Romero teaches circuitry connected to the second ECU ground connection through ground line 14]; the second ground terminal is connected to the ground terminal through a second low-voltage line [see (Fig. 2A-2B; paras. 0011-0014) “ground lines 13 and 14… star point ground 15”; Romero teaches ground line 14 tying the second ECU ground connection 14a to common ground node 15 along with first ECU ground connection 13a, which a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand as electrical interconnection between the ground terminals through a second low-voltage line].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the multiple ground terminal and parallel ground line architecture of Romero in the invention of Bolduc and Ock to provide a second ground terminal and associated low-voltage interconnection for the battery monitoring circuitry, thereby improving fault detection capability, enabling redundant grounding paths, and increasing system reliability with predictable results.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the multiple ground terminal and parallel ground line architecture of Romero in the invention of Bolduc and Ock to provide a second ground terminal and associated low-voltage interconnection for the battery monitoring circuitry, thereby improving fault detection capability, enabling redundant grounding paths, and increasing system reliability with predictable results.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aqeel H Bukhari whose telephone number is (571)272-4382. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9am to 5pm).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menna Youssef can be reached at (571) 270-3684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AQEEL H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2836
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