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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In regards to claim 5, line 3, the recitation “within the first time period of each control cycle” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first time period” refers to in claim 1. On line 8, the recitation “within the second time period of each control cycle” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the second time period” refers to in claim 1. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 6, lines 1-2, the recitation “wherein in a case that the control system is in the second state” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the second state” refers to in claim 1. On line 3, the recitation “within the third time period of each control cycle” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the third time period” refers to in claim 1. Lastly, on line 7, the recitation “within the fourth time period of each control cycle” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the fourth time period” refers to in claim 1. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ashtiani et al. (US 6,882,061 B1).
In regards to claim 1, Ashtiani discloses, in figure 3, a battery self-heating control system (40), the control system (40) comprising: a battery pack (42), a winding (62), a first switch assembly (78), a second switch assembly (80), a capacitor (63), and a controller (control circuit not shown; Col 3, lines 5-8, 57-60); the battery pack (42) comprising a first battery group (44) and a second battery group (46) that are connected in series (Col 3, lines 34-39), a connection line (connection line between node 48 and node 104) being led out between the first battery group (44) and the second battery group (46), and the connection line being connected to one end of the winding (connection line connected between node 48 and one end of the winding 62); the first switch assembly (78) and the second switch assembly (80) being connected in series (first switch 78 is connected to second switch 80 in series), the first switch assembly (78) being electrically connected to a positive electrode of the first battery group (44) and a first end of the capacitor (first switch 78 is electrically connected to a positive electrode of first battery 44 and a first end of the capacitor 63 via node 102), the second switch assembly (80) being electrically connected to a negative electrode of the second battery group (46) and a second end of the capacitor (second switch 80 is electrically connected to a negative electrode of second battery 46 and a second end of the capacitor 63 via node 106), the first end and the second end of the capacitor (63) being used for connecting to a load (70) (Col 3, lines 28-33), and the other end of the winding being connected between the first switch assembly (78) and the second switch assembly (80) (other end of the winding 62 connected to the first switch 78 and second switch 80 via 54 and 104); and the controller (control circuit not shown; Col 3, lines 5-8, 57-60) being electrically connected to the first switch assembly (78) and the second switch assembly (80) (Col 3, lines 5-8; Circuit 10 (of Fig. 1) may be used as a simple DC to AC inverter for generating an alternating current by appropriately switching transistors 18 and 20 between a conducting and nonconducting state with a suitable control circuit, further Col 3, lines 57-60, branch 64 of the inverter circuit 60 comprises the first switch 78 and second switch 80 that includes electronic components which are substantially similar to those shown with the inverter circuit 10 of FIG. 1, thus the control circuit (not shown) generates control signals and is electrically connected to the first switch 78 and second switch 80 assembly), the controller (control circuit not shown; Col 3, lines 5-8, 57-60) being configured to control the first switch assembly (78) and the second switch assembly (80) to switch between an on state and an open state (Col 3; lines 57-60; branch 64 of the inverter circuit 60 comprises the first switch 78 and second switch 80 that includes electronic components which are substantially similar to those shown with the inverter circuit 10 of FIG. 1, thus the control circuit (not shown) controls the first switch 78 and second switch 80 between a conducting and nonconducting state (on/open state)), and make the first battery group (44) and the second battery group (46) perform alternate charging and discharging through the winding (62), to heat the battery pack (Col 4, lines 23-27; the first branch 64 of the inverter circuit 60 operates as described above to generate an alternating current for warming up the battery by injecting the AC current through the center tap or common node 48 and the winding 62 of the battery pack 42, thus the first battery group 44 and second battery group 46 performs charging and discharging through the winding 62 to heat the battery pack 42), and at least one of the first battery group (44), the second battery group (46), and the capacitor (63) being configured to supply power to the load (70) (Col 3, lines 26-33).
In regards to claim 8, Ashtiani discloses, in figure 3, the battery self-heating control system according to claim 1, wherein a switch device (54) is arranged on the connection line (connection line between node 48 and node 104), the switch device (54) is electrically connected to the controller (as discussed above the control circuit is not shown (Column 3: lines 5-8), but as discussed in Column 4: lines 20-22, the contacts 52, 54, 58 are closed or made when the power circuit disconnect 50 is activated. Further Column 4: lines 27-31 discusses the operation of the contacts with respect to a control algorithm), and the controller is configured to control the switch device (54) to be in the on state or the open state (Col 4, lines 20-31); in a case that the switch device (54) is in the on state (Col 4, lines 20-22; the power circuit disconnect 50, upon activation in subzero temperatures, will first make contacts 52, 54 and 58 while contact 56 is kept open), the battery pack (42) supplies power to the load (70) (Col 4, lines 27-31), and performs self-heating (Col 4, lines 22-27); and in a case that the switch device (54) is in the open state, the battery pack (42) supplies power to the load (70) only (Col 4, lines 27-31).
In regards to claim 9, Ashtiani discloses, in figure 3, a control method, comprising: controlling a first switch assembly (78) and a second switch assembly (80) to switch between an on state and an open state (Col 3; lines 57-60; branch 64 of the inverter circuit 60 comprises the first switch 78 and second switch 80 that includes electronic components which are substantially similar to those shown with the inverter circuit 10 of FIG. 1, thus the control circuit (not shown) controls the first switch 78 and second switch 80 between a conducting and nonconducting state (on/open state)); and making a first battery group (44) and a second battery group (46) perform alternate charging and discharging through a winding (62), to heat a battery pack (Col 4, lines 23-27; the first branch 64 of the inverter circuit 60 operates as described above to generate an alternating current for warming up the battery by injecting the AC current through the center tap or common node 48 and the winding 62 of the battery pack 42, thus the first battery group 44 and second battery group 46 performs charging and discharging through the winding 62 to heat the battery pack 42), at least one of the first battery group (44), the second battery group (46), and capacitor (63) being configured to supply power to a load (70) (Col 3, lines 26-33).
In regards to claim 10, Ashtiani discloses, in figure 3, an electric vehicle (Col 4, lines 15-20), comprising the battery self-heating control system (40) (Col 4, lines 15-20) according to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 7 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 5-6 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX WONG LAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3409. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00.
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/ALEX W LAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2842