DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. 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 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.
Response to Amendment
3. In the amendments filed 2/20/2025, claims 1-20 have been amended. Claim 21 has been cancelled. The currently pending claims are claims 1-20.
Priority
4. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. Initialed and dated copies of Applicant’s IDS form 1449, filed 3/7/2025, is attached to the instant Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claim(s) 1-5, 9-10, 12-15, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruff et al. (US Publication 2016/0062954 A1) in view of Kolamkar et al. (US Publication 2023/0358818 A1)
As per claim 1, Ruff teaches A system of converting a binary into a text file, comprising: (see Abstract)
a database server storing a first table containing a cycler ID and a version information of a binary file and a second table containing the cycler ID and data structure information of the binary file (paragraph 0102, 0108, tables are utilized for conversion between binary data to application-specified strings, table entries including addresses for lookup, interpreted as cycler ID, paragraph 0298, 0373, 0451, tables having different versions of binary value data, and paragraph 0276, 0298, 0300, specific tables utilized for formatting, interpreted as data structure information)
a data server configured to receive the binary file and store the binary file in a first storage medium; (paragraph 0136, 0137, 0151, input binary values are received in a device and stored from sources such as sensor readings)
and a computer connected to the database server and the data server, wherein the computer includes a second storage medium and a processor, (Figure 1 reference 102, 104, paragraph 0077, 0081, 0089, users on a device communicate with the system storing tables and binary values)
wherein the processor is configured to: determine that the cycler ID generated a conversion target binary file from the first table using the version information of the binary file read from a header of the conversion target binary file as a query key, (paragraph 0561, 0859, 0860, a header is followed by formatting commands to perform conversion of data from binary to strings)
and convert the conversion target binary file into the text file based on the data structure information read from the second table using the cycler ID as the query key and record the text file in the second storage medium. (paragraph 0098, 0102, 0138, 0532, a conversion module performs transformation from binary to decimal string representation)
Ruff does not explicitly indicate a battery cycler generating files containing test results.
Kolamkar teaches a battery cycler generating files containing test results. (paragraphs 0028, 0041, 0050, 0051, 0065, a battery tester is provided, interpreted as a battery cycler, that generates results that can be transformed into a format able to be interpreted by machine learning models).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine Ruff’s method to perform data conversion and formatting of binary data with Kolamkar’s ability to utilize a battery tester that generates result data. This gives the user the ability to perform data conversion on results data of a battery tester. The motivation for doing so would be to improve battery testing and diagnosis (paragraph 0004).
As per claim 2, Ruff teaches wherein the processor is configured to output a binary file list on a display by searching the first storage medium, wherein the binary file list includes one or more conversion target binary files, and allow at least one conversion target binary file of the one or more conversion target binary files to be selected from a tester. (paragraph 0150, 0237, 0329, displayable format)
As per claim 3, Ruff teaches the battery cycler includes a plurality of test channels that perform a respective cycling test independently, and wherein the battery cycler is configured to generate at least two binary files, each binary file containing a respective version for a respective test channel of the plurality of test channels, and wherein the first table has a data structure in which one cycler ID of a plurality of cycler IDs matches at least two different version information. (paragraph 0298, 0333, clock cycles, paragraph 0224, 0373, table versions)
As per claim 4, Ruff teaches wherein the second table is built independently for each of the at least two binary files, each binary file containing the respective version. (paragraph 0083, 0100, 0102, 0103, multiple other tables)
As per claim 5, Ruff teaches wherein the second table has a data structure in which information about type, name, and size of each of a plurality of data included in the data structure information is matched with a corresponding cycler ID of a plurality of cycler IDs. (paragraph 0440, 0442, matching table entries)
As per claim 9, Ruff teaches wherein the processor is configured to transmit the text file to the data server through a network, and wherein the data server is configured to store the text file in the first storage medium to be matched with the conversion target binary file. (paragraphs 0102, 0285, 0385, storing string output in memory)
As per claim 10, Ruff teaches wherein the processor is configured to determine a conversion rate of the conversion target binary file to the text file in real time and output the conversion rate in a graphic user interface through a display. (paragraph 0149, conversion rate)
As per claim 12, Ruff teaches A method of converting a binary file generated in a battery cycler into a text file, comprising: (see Abstract)
(a) by a database server, building a database including a first table containing a cycler ID and a version information of a binary file and a second table containing the cycler ID and data structure information of the binary file; (paragraph 0102, 0108, tables are utilized for conversion between binary data to application-specified strings, table entries including addresses for lookup, interpreted as cycler ID, paragraph 0298, 0373, 0451, tables having different versions of binary value data, and paragraph 0276, 0298, 0300, specific tables utilized for formatting, interpreted as data structure information)
(b) by a data server, receiving the binary file through a network and storing the binary file in a first storage medium; (paragraph 0136, 0137, 0151, input binary values are received in a device and stored from sources such as sensor readings)
(c) by a computer, outputting a binary file list on a display by searching the first storage medium, and allowing at least one conversion target binary file of a plurality of conversion target binary files to be selected from a tester; (paragraph 0150, 0237, 0329, displayable format)
(d) by the computer, identifying file version information included in a header of the at least one conversion target binary file; (paragraph 0561, 0859, 0860, a header is followed by formatting commands to perform conversion of data from binary to strings)
(e) by the computer, determining that the cycler ID generated the conversion target binary file from the first table using the version information of the binary file as a query key in association with the database server; (paragraph 0298, 0333, clock cycles, paragraph 0224, 0373, table versions)
(f) by the computer, reading data structure information of the at least one conversion target binary file from the second table using the cycler ID as a query key in association with the database server; (paragraph 0440, 0442, matching table entries and formatting)
and (g) by the computer, converting the at least one conversion target binary file into a text file based on the data structure information and recording the text file in a second storage medium. (paragraph 0098, 0102, 0138, 0532, a conversion module performs transformation from binary to decimal string representation)
Ruff does not explicitly indicate a battery cycler generating files containing test results.
Kolamkar teaches a battery cycler generating files containing test results. (paragraphs 0028, 0041, 0050, 0051, 0065, a battery tester is provided, interpreted as a battery cycler, that generates results that can be transformed into a format able to be interpreted by machine learning models).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine Ruff’s method to perform data conversion and formatting of binary data with Kolamkar’s ability to utilize a battery tester that generates result data. This gives the user the ability to perform data conversion on results data of a battery tester. The motivation for doing so would be to improve battery testing and diagnosis (paragraph 0004).
As per claim 13, Ruff teaches wherein the battery cycler includes a plurality of test channels that perform a cycling test independently, and is configured to generate at least two binary files with different versions for each test channel, and wherein the first table has a data structure in which one cycler ID of a plurality of cycler IDs matches at least two version information. (paragraph 0298, 0333, clock cycles, paragraph 0224, 0373, table versions)
As per claim 14, Ruff teaches wherein in the step (a), the database server stores the second table independently for each version of the binary file. (paragraph 0083, 0100, 0102, 0103, multiple other tables)
As per claim 15, Ruff teaches wherein the second table has a data structure in which information about type, name, and size of each of a plurality of data included in the data structure information is matched with a corresponding cycler ID of the plurality of cycler IDs. (paragraph 0440, 0442, matching table entries)
As per claim 19, Ruff teaches by the computer, transmitting the text file to the data server; and by the data server, storing the text file in the first storage medium to be matched with the corresponding conversion target binary file. (paragraphs 0102, 0285, 0385, storing string output in memory)
As per claim 20, Ruff teaches by the computer, determining a conversion rate of the conversion target binary file to the text file in real time and outputting the conversion rate in a graphic user interface through the display. (paragraph 0149, conversion rate)
Allowable Subject Matter
8. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 6-8, 11, and 16-18 contain allowable subject matter over the prior art of record because the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein the test result includes first to nth operation characteristic data regarding battery operation characteristics obtained periodically, wherein the binary file includes a header structure containing the version information and first to nth data structures in a binary data format corresponding to the first to nth operation characteristic data, respectively, and wherein the processor is configured to sequentially generate the first to nth operation characteristic data in a text data format while sequentially reading the first to nth data structures from the conversion target binary file with reference to the data structure information of the conversion target binary file retrieved from the second table and generate the text file containing the first to nth operation characteristic data in the text data format, as disclosed in dependent claim 6, and similarly in dependent claim 16. The prior art of Ruff in view of Kolamkar teaches performing data conversion on results data of a battery tester, but does not explicitly indicate test result data of a battery cycler includes characteristic data regarding battery operation characteristics that are obtained periodically, and text data is sequentially generated based on reading data structures in the conversion target binary file, as disclosed in claim 6, and similarly in claim 16.
Claim 6-8 and 16-18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Haneda (US Publication 2024/0418768 A1)
Kim (US Publication 2023/0278431 A1)
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/DANGELINO N GORTAYO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2168