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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “a switchover circuit” and “a gate-off potential output circuit” in claims 9 and 10 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Turudic US 11,407,280 B1.
Regarding claim 1, Turudic discloses
An electric circuit (fig. 5) configured to be adapted to a vehicle, the electric circuit comprising: a battery (item 79); a motor (item 54); an inverter (fig. 5 shows an inverter having three legs) connected between the battery and the motor (fig. 5 shows the configuration); and a controller (item MCU), wherein the inverter includes: a high-potential input wiring (positive bus in fig. 5); a low-potential input wiring (negative bus in fig. 5); output wirings (wirings from A, B and C) connected to the motor (column 8, lines 61-67, column 9, lines 1-29);
a smoothing capacitor (item CDC) connected between the high-potential input wiring and the low-potential input wiring (see fig. 5 for detail); and series switch circuits (items 70, 71 and 72) connected between the high-potential input wiring and the low-potential input wiring (see fig. 5 for detail), each of the series switch circuits includes: an upper switching element (items 58, 60 or 62) connected between the high-potential input wiring and a corresponding one of the output wirings (see fig. 5 for detail); and a lower switching element (item 59, 61 or 63) connected between the low-potential input wiring and the corresponding one of the output wirings (see fig. 5 for detail), the controller is configured to execute a warming operation in at least one of the series switch circuits in a case where the controller receives a warming command (HEAT-signal) during a stop of the vehicle, the warming operation is an operation in which the controller sets one of the upper switching element and the lower switching element to a regular on-state, and sets another of the upper switching element and the lower switching element to a high-dissipation on-state, and the high-dissipation on-state has higher energy dissipation than the regular on-state (column 9, lines 30-55, column 10, lines 36-55).
Regarding claim 2, Turudic discloses
, wherein the controller is configured to execute a first operation and a second operation alternately in the at least one of the series switch circuits that is under the warming operation, the first operation is an operation in which the controller sets the upper switching element to the regular on-state, and sets the lower switching element to the high-dissipation on-state, and the second operation is an operation in which the controller sets the upper switching element to the high-dissipation on-state, and sets the lower switching element to the regular on-state (column 9, lines 30-55, column 10, lines 36-67).
Regarding claim 3, Turudic discloses
wherein the controller is configured to perform synchronized execution of the first operation and synchronized execution (synchronize the changing of states) of the second operation in each of the series switch circuits in the warming operation in each of the series switch circuits, in a case where the controller receives the warming command during the stop of the vehicle (column 12, lines 53-60).
Regarding claim 4, Turudic discloses
, wherein the regular on-state is a state in which a first gate-on potential (15-20V), which is higher than a gate threshold (2.5V), is applied to a gate, and the high-dissipation on-state is a state in which a second gate-on potential (5V), which is higher than the gate threshold and lower than the first gate-on potential, is applied to the gate (column 8, lines 19-45, column 9, lines 17-45).
Regarding claim 6, Turudic discloses
, wherein the controller is configured to modify the second gate-on potential that is applied to a gate of a target switching element that is in the high-dissipation on-state, according to at least one of a temperature or a current of the target switching element that is in the high-dissipation on-state (column 12, lines 37-58).
Regarding claim 7, Turudic discloses
, wherein the regular on-state is a state in which a gate-on potential (15-20V), which is higher than a gate threshold (2.5V), is applied to a gate, and the high-dissipation on-state is a state in which a varying voltage is applied to the gate, and the varying voltage is varied between the gate-on potential and a gate-off potential that is lower than the gate threshold (column 8, lines 19-45, column 9, lines 17-45).
Regarding claim 8, Turudic discloses
, wherein the gate-on potential includes a first gate-on potential (15V) and a second gate-on potential (5V) that is lower than the first gate-on potential, the regular on-state is a state in which the first gate-on potential is applied to the gate, and the high-dissipation on-state is a state in which the second gate-on potential is applied to the gate (column 8, lines 19-45, column 9, lines 17-45).
Regarding claim 12, Turudic discloses
, wherein the controller is configured to modify a duty ratio of the varying voltage that is 6/7 applied to a gate of a target switching element that is in the high-dissipation on-state, according to at least one of a temperature or a current (limit motor current) of the target switching element that is in the high-dissipation on-state (column 10, lines 55-67, column 11, lines 1-21).
Regarding claim 15, Turudic discloses
, further comprising: a coolant flowing path configured to cool down the battery and the inverter (column 15, lines 14-51).
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.
Claims 5, 11 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turudic in a view of Dan et al. US 12,722,529 B2.
Regarding claim 5, Turudic discloses, wherein one of the upper switching element (item 58) and the lower switching element (item 59) in the at least one of the series switch circuits is a first switching element, another of the upper switching element (item 60) and the lower switching element (item 61) in the at least one of the series switch circuits is a second switching element (column 10, lines 36-45).
Turudic does not disclose but Dan discloses a switching period is a period during which the first switching element is switched from the regular on-state to the high-dissipation on-state and the second switching element is switched from the high-dissipation on-state to the regular on-state, the switching period includes: a first period that is a period during which the first switching element is in the regular on-state; and a second period that is a period during which the second switching element is in the regular on-state, and a deadtime is provided between the first period and the second period, and the deadtime is a time at which the first switching element is set to either the high-dissipation on-state or an off-state, and the second switching element is set to either the high-dissipation on- state or the off-state. (column 12, lines 15-59).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a deadtime between a first period and a second period in the switching elements as disclosed by Dan in Turudic’s teachings to control the motor to avoid simultaneous turning on both the switches at the same time.
Regarding claim 11, Turudic discloses, wherein one of the upper switching element (item 58) and the lower switching element (item 59) is a first switching element, another of the upper switching element (item 60) and the lower switching element (item 61) is a second switching element (column 10, lines 36-45).
Turudic does not disclose but Dan discloses a switching period is a period during which the first switching element is switched from the regular on-state to the high-dissipation on-state and the second switching element is switched from the high-dissipation on-state to the regular on-state in the at least one of the series switch circuits, the switching period includes: the first period that is a period during which the first switching element is in the regular on-state; and the second period that is a period during which the second switching element is in the regular on-state,
a deadtime is provided between a first period and a second period (see fig. 4), and the deadtime is a time at which the first switching element and the second switching element are set to an off-state (column 12, lines 15-59).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a deadtime between a first period and a second period in the switching elements as disclosed by Dan in Turudic’s teachings to control the motor to avoid simultaneous turning on both the switches at the same time.
Regarding claim 14, Turudic does not disclose but Dan et al. disclose, wherein in a case where a current is detected in at least one of the output wirings during execution of the warming operation, either the upper switching element is set to the regular on-state and the lower switching element is set to an off-state in each of the series switch circuits (by stop outputting the drive signal); or the upper switching element is set to the off-state and the lower switching element is set to the regular on-state in each of the series switch circuits (column 19, lines 40-44, column 20, lines 31-34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a current detection as disclosed by Dan in Turudic’s teachings to control the motor to stop outputting the drive signal.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turudic in a view of Yamato et al. US 2020/0106433 A1.
Regarding claim 13, Turudic does not disclose but Dan et al. disclose gate drive circuits (fig. 1, items 12[1]-12[4]), wherein each of the gate drive circuits is configured to control a potential at a gate of a corresponding one of the upper switching element and the lower switching element, the gate of the corresponding one of the upper switching element and the lower switching element is a corresponding gate, each of the gate drive circuits is configured to control the potential at the corresponding gate, such that a decreasing rate of the potential at the corresponding gate during the warming operation is slower than a decreasing rate of the potential at the corresponding gate during an operation of rotating the motor [0039, 0093] (The motor can run using a higher slew rate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use gate drive circuits to decrease rate of the potential at the corresponding gate during the warming operation slower than a decreasing rate of the potential at the corresponding gate as disclosed by Yamato in Turudic’s teachings to run the motor using a higher slew rate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 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. Claims 9 and 10 further disclose details about gate drive circuits.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Khan et al. (US 2024/0364253 A1) disclose an electrified vehicle with inverter controlled to hear traction battery.
Huang et al. (US 2025/0326328 A1) a battery heating method.
LEE (KR 20220006271 A) discloses system and method for increasing temperature of battery.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BICKEY DHAKAL whose telephone number is (571)272-3577. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-4:30 PM.
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/BICKEY DHAKAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
