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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an application filed on 06/02/2026 in which claims 1-14 are pending and ready for examination.
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)(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, 3-6, 8 and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Quan et al (hereinafter Quan) (US 2023/0006568 A1).
As to claims 1 and 8, Quan discloses a power system (Fig 22A, 1990), comprising:
a breaker interface to a breaker panel (Fig 22A, 1935) having a plurality of breakers (Fig 22A, 1936), wherein the power system is connected to at least one of the plurality of breakers in the breaker panel via the breaker interface;
a direct current (DC) bus (Fig 22A, 2202a, 2202b) that has a variable voltage;
a bidirectional DC terminal (Fig 22A, 2250), wherein:
the bidirectional DC terminal is connected, at least electrically, to the DC bus via a first and internal DC interface (Fig 22A, 2216) of the bidirectional DC terminal; and
an electric vehicle (EV) charger (Fig 22A, car plug) is able to be connected, at least electrically, to the bidirectional DC terminal via a second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal (Fig 22A, connection between 2250 and a car plug); and
a power storage interface that connects to one or more power storage modules (Fig 22A, 2260), wherein in the event the EV charger (Fig 22A, 2250) is connected to the bidirectional DC terminal (Fig 22A, DC terminal side) via the second and external DC interface and not connected to any of the plurality of breakers in the breaker panel, the EV charger is able to be powered at least some of the time by the one or more power storage modules, (1) even in the event all of the plurality of breakers in the breaker panel are in use (see Fig 22A, when all the breakers 1936 are closed, the EV charger 2250 will receive power from DC bus) and (2) even in the event a first load associated with the EV charger and a second load associated with all of the plurality of breakers in the breaker panel would, if combined, exceed a limit associated with the breaker panel (see Fig 22A, parags [0155-0157], since the RES 2260 connected directly with DC bus, it will provide power to the EV charger 2250 regardless of the status of breakers).
As to claims 3 and 10, Quan discloses the system recited in claim 1, wherein: the EV charger (Fig 22A, car plug) is coupled to an electric vehicle (Fig 22A, 2004) which in turn includes an EV battery; and the system further includes a controller (Fig 21, 2102) that determines whether to draw power from the EV battery, via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal, based at least in part on one or more of the following: a setting associated with a minimum amount of time for grid power to be out for power to be drawn from the EV battery (see parag [0156]), or a setting associated with a minimum amount of power stored by the one or more power storage modules for power to be drawn from the EV battery.
As to claims 4 and 11, Quan discloses the system recited in claim 1, wherein: the EV charger (Fig 22A, 2250) is coupled to an electric vehicle (Fig 22A, 2004) which in turn includes an EV battery; and the system further includes a controller (Fig 21, 2102) that determines a target load to provide power, drawn from the EV battery via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal, to based at least in part on a setting that specifies the target load (see parag [0156], batteries of the EV may be used to power a home).
As to claims 5 and 12, Quan discloses the system recited in claim 1, wherein: the EV charger (Fig 22A, car plug) is coupled to an electric vehicle (Fig 22A, 2004) which in turn includes an EV battery; and the system further includes a controller (Fig 21, 2102) that: determines whether to draw power from the EV battery, via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal; and in the event it is determined to draw power from the EV battery, via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal, configures a component associated with one or more of the following, if needed: drawing power from the EV battery, via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal, or providing power to a target load (see parag [0156], batteries of the EV may be used to power a home).
As to claims 6 and 13, Quan discloses the system recited in claim 5, wherein configuring the component associated with drawing power from the EV battery, via the second and external DC interface of the bidirectional DC terminal, includes: turning off another power source that is supplying power to EV battery load via the bidirectional DC terminal before drawing power from the EV battery (see parag [0087]).
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) 2 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quan et al (hereinafter Quan) (US 2023/0006568 A1) in view of Carroll (US 11,283,131 B1).
As to claims 2 and 9, Quan does not disclose the system recited in claim 1, wherein there is a configurable number of the one or more power storage modules.
However, Carroll discloses wherein there is a configurable number of the one or more power storage modules (see col 12, lines 29-33). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Quan to include the teachings as taught by Carroll in order to increase the storage capacity of the system.
Claim(s) 7 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quan et al (hereinafter Quan) (US 2023/0006568 A1) in view of Ballantine et al (hereinafter Ballantine) (US 2012/0326504 A1).
As to claims 7 and 14, Quan does not disclose the system recited in claim 5, wherein configuring the component associated with providing power to the target load includes configuring a switch associated with selecting a power source for the target load so that the EV battery is selected instead of another power source.
However, Ballantine discloses a switch (Fig 6E, 702, parag [0072]) associated with selecting a power source for the target load so that the EV battery is selected instead of another power source. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Quan to include the switch as taught by Ballantine in order to control power provided from the EV battery.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed one 06/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argued that Quan did not disclose the new added features “internal DC and external DC interfaces” of the bidirectional DC terminal. The examiner disagreed with the applicant’s argument. As seen from Fig. 22A of Quan, the charger 2250 of Quan can act as the bidirectional DC terminal because the power can flow in both directions through the 2250. Addition, 2216 can act as internal DC interface between 2250 and DC bus 2202 and the lines connected between 2250 to a car plug can act as external DC interface.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DUC M PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5026. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kim, Taelor can be reached at 571-270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUC M PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2849 September 24, 2026
/TAELOR KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
