Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 19/063,410

CONTACTLESS ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, MOVABLE BODY, AND CONTACTLESS ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION METHOD

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Feb 26, 2025
Priority
Mar 27, 2024 — JP 2024-051564
Examiner
CHOWDHURI, SWARNA N
Art Unit
2836
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 10m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
262 granted / 344 resolved
+8.2% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+21.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
376
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
86.6%
+46.6% vs TC avg
§102
11.6%
-28.4% vs TC avg
§112
1.3%
-38.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 344 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 § 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2015/0115704 (Gorai). Regarding claim 1, Gorai teaches a contactless electric power transmission system (Fig. 2 shows a contactless electric power transmission system) that supplies electric power in a contactless manner from an electric power supply device (Fig. 2 shows electric power transmission equipment 200 comprising electric power transmission unit 220) provided on a movement path (Fig. 1 shows electric power transmission device 220A-C provided on a movement path) of a movable body (Fig. 1 shows vehicle A-C i.e. movable body) to an electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception unit 110, vehicle ECU 300 and communication 150) provided on the movable body (Fig. 1-2 shows vehicle i.e. movable body comprising electric power reception unit 110) [0097],wherein the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception unit 110, vehicle ECU 300 and communication 160) comprises a control portion (Fig. 2 shows vehicle ECU 300) that transmits pairing information to the electric power supply device [0076-77, 0139-141, 0147] when being in a weak coupling state coupled with the electric power supply device by a weak magnetic field (a weak coupling state coupled with the transmission equipment by a weak magnetic field is established) [0097-98] in a predetermined range (weak coupling state being in a predetermined range) [0108-110] and shifts an operation mode of the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows vehicle comprising power reception unit) to an electric power reception mode when a reply from the electric power supply device is obtained (normal electric power feed is started after electric power transmission equipment gives a notice of end of verification control to vehicle 100) [0124]. Regarding claim 3, Gorai teaches wherein the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows vehicle 100) superimposes the pairing information on a current to be induced at the electric power supply device when the current is induced at the electric power supply device by the weak coupling state with the electric power supply device (vehicle superimposes the pairing information on a current to be induced at transmission equipment over a weak coupling state coupled with the transmission equipment by a weak magnetic field is established) [0018, 0059, 0097-98], and the electric power supply device acquires a content of the pairing information from the current [0076, 0112-113]. Regarding claim 4, Gorai teaches wherein the control portion transmits the pairing information from the electric power reception device to the electric power supply device when a time or a distance in accordance with a position of the movable body and a position corresponding to an installation position of the electric power supply device is less than a threshold value (vehicle ECU transmits pairing information from the power reception unit in vehicle to electric power transmission equipment 200 when a distance in accordance with a position of the vehicle and transmission equipment is less than a threshold value) [0098-99, 0106-107]. Regarding claim 5, Gorai teaches a movable body (Fig. 1 shows vehicle 100) on which an electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception unit 110) that receives electric power in a contactless manner from an electric power supply device (Fig. 2 shows electric power transmission equipment 200 comprising electric power transmission unit 220) provided on a movement path (Fig. 1 shows transmission unit 220 on movement path) is mounted (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception equipment 110 mounted in vehicle 100), the movable body (Fig. 1 shows vehicle 100) comprising: a control portion (Fig. 2 shows vehicle ECU) that transmits pairing information to the electric power supply device (vehicle ECU via communication unit 160 transmits pairing information to the communication unit 230 of transmission equipment) [0076-77, 0139-141, 0147] when being in a weak coupling state coupled with the electric power supply device by a weak magnetic field (a weak coupling state coupled with the transmission equipment by a weak magnetic field is established) [0097-98] in a predetermined range (weak coupling state being in a predetermined range) [0108-110] and shifts an operation mode of the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows vehicle comprising power reception unit) to an electric power reception mode when a reply from the electric power supply device is obtained (normal electric power feed is started after electric power transmission equipment gives a notice of end of verification control to vehicle 100) [0124]. Regarding claim 6, Gorai teaches a contactless electric power transmission method (Fig. 2 shows a contactless electric power transmission method) that supplies electric power in a contactless manner from an electric power supply device (Fig. 2 shows electric power transmission equipment 200 comprising electric power transmission unit 220) provided on a movement path (Fig. 1 shows electric power transmission device 220A-C provided on a movement path) of a movable body (Fig. 1 shows vehicle A-C i.e. movable body) to an electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception unit 110, vehicle ECU 300 and communication 150) provided on the movable body (Fig. 1-2 shows vehicle i.e. movable body comprising electric power reception unit 110) [0097], the contactless electric power transmission method comprising: by way of the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows electric power reception unit 110, vehicle ECU 300 and communication 160), transmitting pairing information to the electric power supply device (vehicle ECU via communication unit 160 transmits pairing information to the communication unit 230 of transmission equipment) [0076-77, 0139-141, 0147] when being in a weak coupling state coupled with the electric power supply device by a weak magnetic field (a weak coupling state coupled with the transmission equipment by a weak magnetic field is established) [0097-98] in a predetermined range (weak coupling state being in a predetermined range) [0108-110]; and shifting an operation mode of the electric power reception device (Fig. 2 shows vehicle comprising power reception unit) to an electric power reception mode when a reply from the electric power supply device is obtained (normal electric power feed is started after electric power transmission equipment gives a notice of end of verification control to vehicle 100) [0124]. 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0115704 (Gorai) in view of US 2016/0046194 (Tsukamoto). Regarding claim 2, Gorai does not teach wherein the pairing information is data within 8 bytes. However, Tsukamoto teaches wherein the pairing information is data within 8 bytes [0003]. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the pairing information to be data within 8 bytes in order to ensure ease of communication. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SWARNA N CHOWDHURI whose telephone number is (571)431-0696. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-272-7496. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. SWARNA N. CHOWDHURI Examiner Art Unit 2836 /S.N.C/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 /REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 26, 2025
Application Filed
Jan 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12635114
INTELLIGENT POWER MODULE, ELECTRIC VEHICLE OR HYBRID VEHICLE, AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING INTELLIGENT POWER MODULE
2y 1m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12620647
BATTERY SYSTEM
1y 10m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12620808
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO POWER TRANSMISSION NETWORKS
1y 4m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12611947
SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVEN AT LEAST PARTIALLY ELECTRICALLY
3y 4m to grant Granted Apr 28, 2026
Patent 12615880
Portable Power Case
1y 0m to grant Granted Apr 28, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+21.5%)
3y 1m (~1y 10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 344 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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