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 .
Applicant’s preliminary amendment filed 02/07/2025 is acknowledged. Claims 16-27 are pending with claims 1-15 cancelled.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The title begins with “Method” however no method claims are present in the newly added claims.
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 21-25 and 27 is 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.
Claim 21 recites “a first thermal exchanger” which is unclear if this is the same first thermal exchanger recited in claim 16 or a different exchanger rendering the scope of the claim unclear and indefinite.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 22 recites the broad recitation optionally at least 60°C, and the claim also recites at least 50°C which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claims not explicitly referenced are included in the rejection for being dependent on an indefinite claim.
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.
Claim(s) 16-17, 21, 24-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (CN 113203125 B).
Regarding claim 16, Wu discloses a control system for controlling a vehicle heat pump system, the vehicle heat pump system operable in a heating mode at a first pressure (heat pump system shown in Fig. 5 with reversing valve 5 is operable in a heating mode at a first pressure), wherein the control system comprises one or more controllers (paragraph 35) and is configured to: receive a moisture signal indicative of moisture on a surface of a first thermal exchanger (4) of the vehicle heat pump system (humidity sensor; paragraph 38); determine a requirement to remove moisture in dependence on the moisture signal (if humidity is high; paragraph 38); and output a control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system to operate at a second pressure greater than the first pressure such that the surface of the first thermal exchanger is heated to remove moisture from the surface (refrigerant flow is reversed to deliver high pressure refrigerant to the first thermal exchanger; paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses the control system according to claim 16, wherein the moisture signal is indicative of at least one of: the temperature or humidity proximal to the first heat exchanger (humidity sensor; paragraph 38); a use history of the vehicle heat pump system indicating that the vehicle heat pump system has previously operated in a cooling mode; a user input for removing moisture from the surface of the first thermal exchanger; and an identification that a vehicle comprising the vehicle heat pump system has completed a journey.
Regarding claim 21, Wu discloses a vehicle heat pump system operable in a heating mode at a first pressure, the vehicle heat pump system comprising: a first thermal exchanger (4, Fig. 5); and the control system according to claim 16.
Regarding claim 24, Wu discloses the vehicle heat pump system according to claim 21, comprising a valve (5) operable between being opened (opened to flow to 2) or restricted (restricted from flowing to 2 and reversed to flow to 4) to selectively contain fluid in the first thermal exchanger (4); wherein the control system is configured to, in response to receiving the moisture signal (humidity high), output a control signal to control the valve (5) to be restricted to thereby contain hot fluid in the first thermal exchanger (4; paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 25, Wu discloses the vehicle heat pump system according to claim 21, comprising at least one of a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature proximal to the first thermal exchanger or a humidity sensor (paragraph 38) configured to detect humidity proximal to the first thermal exchanger; wherein the moisture signal includes at least one of the detected temperature or the detected humidity (paragraph 38). It is noted only a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor is required by the claim and because Wu teaches the humidity sensor, Wu meets the limitations as claimed.
Regarding claim 26, Wu discloses a vehicle comprising the control system according to claim 16 (paragraphs 21-22, 43).
Regarding claim 27, Wu discloses a vehicle comprising the heat pump system according to claim 21 (paragraphs 21-22, 43).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 113203125 B) in view of Arold (DE 10230440 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Wu discloses the control system according to claim 16, but does not explicitly teach wherein the control system is configured to receive a signal indicative that the vehicle has completed a journey, and wherein the control system is configured to defer output of the control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system to operate at the second pressure until receipt of the signal indicative that the vehicle has completed the journey.
Arold teaches the concept of a vehicle heat pump control system that it is effective to operate at the second pressure and heat the evaporator after parking the vehicle to reduce the number of possible germ cells for microbial growth (paragraph 25-27). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the control system of Wu to be configured to receive a signal indicative that the vehicle has completed a journey, and wherein the control system is configured to defer output of the control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system to operate at the second pressure until receipt of the signal indicative that the vehicle has completed the journey taught by Arold in order to effectively dry the evaporator after use in order to prevent microbial growth.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 113203125 B) in view of Schroeder et al. (US PG Pub. 2020/0067446).
Regarding claim 20, Wu discloses the control system according to claim 16, but does not explicitly teach wherein the second pressure is between 14 bar and 20 bar.
Schroeder teaches it is known for a vehicle heat pump to have the refrigerant compressed between 14 bar and 20 bar (paragraph 9) as a known pressure range for refrigerants such as R134a or R1234yf. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the control system of Wu to have the second pressure is between 14 bar and 20 bar taught by Schroeder in order to compress the refrigerant to known operation pressures.
Claim(s) 22-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 113203125 B) in view of Ermisch (DE 19725978 A1).
Regarding claim 22, Wu discloses the vehicle heat pump system according to claim 21, but does not explicitly teach wherein the control system is configured to output the control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system to operate at the second pressure in the heating mode such that a temperature of the surface of the first thermal exchanger is raised to at least 50°C, optionally at least 60°C.
Ermisch teaches the concept of a vehicle heat pump system that compresses the refrigerant to 90°C as a known temperature for R134a compressed to 20-30 bar (paragraph 13). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the vehicle heat pump of Wu to have the control system configured to output the control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system to operate at the second pressure in the heating mode such that a temperature of the surface of the first thermal exchanger is raised to at least 50°C, optionally at least 60°C taught by Ermisch in order to achieve known operation temperatures of the refrigerant to heat the first thermal heat exchanger and expected results.
Regarding claim 23, Wu discloses the vehicle heat pump system according to claim 21, comprising a control valve (5) configured to control a direction of flow of the fluid around the vehicle heat pump system to thereby operate the vehicle heat pump system in the heating mode or a cooling mode; wherein the control valve configured to selectively connect a compressor (1) and the first thermal exchanger (4) via a thermal expansion valve (3), and to selectively connect the compressor (1) and a second thermal exchanger (2).
Wu does not explicitly teach wherein the control valve comprises a three-way valve configured to selectively connect a compressor and the first thermal exchanger via a thermal expansion valve, and to selectively connect the compressor and a second thermal exchanger; and wherein the three-way valve is configured to selectively direct the fluid to bypass the second thermal exchanger such that hot fluid is circulated through the compressor, the three- way valve, the thermal expansion valve and the first thermal exchanger.
Ermisch teaches the concept of a vehicle heat pump system using a control valve that comprises a three-way valve (5) configured to selectively connect a compressor (3) and the first thermal exchanger (11) via a thermal expansion valve (10), and to selectively connect the compressor (3) and a second thermal exchanger (7); and wherein the three-way valve is configured to selectively direct the fluid to bypass the second thermal exchanger (via bypass 6) such that hot fluid is circulated through the compressor (3), the three- way valve (5), the thermal expansion valve (10) and the first thermal exchanger (11) as a known flow control arrangement of a heat pump for changing between heating and cooling operations. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the vehicle heat pump of Wu to have the control valve comprises a three-way valve configured to selectively connect a compressor and the first thermal exchanger via a thermal expansion valve, and to selectively connect the compressor and a second thermal exchanger; and wherein the three-way valve is configured to selectively direct the fluid to bypass the second thermal exchanger such that hot fluid is circulated through the compressor, the three- way valve, the thermal expansion valve and the first thermal exchanger in order to substitute known types of control valves to control the flow of refrigerant in heating and cooling operations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the independent claims, and specifically does not show "control system is configured to in dependence on determining the requirement to remove moisture, send an output indication to a user requesting a user confirmation, and in dependence on receiving user confirmation, output the control signal to control the vehicle heat pump system". The closest prior art of record discloses heat pump control systems with many of the limitations claimed, but not further including a control system configured in the arrangement as claimed. There is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the prior art to incorporate the control system configured in the arrangement as claimed. Thus, for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in claim 18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ghannam et al. (US 2017/0368916)--control system to indicate to a user mold may be present on evaporator.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH F TRPISOVSKY whose telephone number is (571)270-5296. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry-Daryl Fletcher can be reached at (571) 270-5054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH F TRPISOVSKY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
