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 Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13 recites “the the electric gear shifting mechanism (305)” in lines 4-5, which repeats “the” and Examiner suggests to delete one of them.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 10-12, 15-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wesling (US 2018/0229803 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Wesling discloses a method for open-loop control of an electric bicycle (301), the electric bicycle (301) comprising a drive motor (303), an electric gear shifting mechanism (305), and a battery (304) configured for supplying power both to the drive motor (303) and to the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) (Wesling at FIG. 1 and para. [0032]: “The bicycle 100 includes the power assist device 200 and is an electric bicycle, or e-bike, that has electric motor assist and electric shifting” “the bicycle 100 has a frame mounted remote power source or remote battery 201 and a frame mounted rear derailleur 36, and a power assist motor 202”), the method comprising:
determining (S1) a state of charge of the battery (304) (Wesling at para. [0053]: “The e-bike system may include an optional sensor 420 configured to determine a power level of the remote power source and/or an optional power output regulator 430”); and
switching (S2) from a first operating state to a second operating state when the state of charge falls below a first threshold value (Wesling at para. [0053]: “In a standard operational mode the e-bike system may be configured to provide power to both an e-bike gear changer, such as a rear derailleur 36, and a power assist motor 202”; The standard operational mode (i.e., “first operating state”); para. [0053]: “If the power level is determined to be below a first threshold (Act 402), or low level threshold, for example below a 15 percent total power capacity value of the remote power source, the e-bike system may be configured to transition to a low power operational mode (Act 404)”; The low power operational mode (i.e., “second operating state”)),
wherein the drive motor (303) and the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) are operated in a normal state during the first operating state (Wesling at para. [0053]: “In a standard operational mode the e-bike system may be configured to provide power to both an e-bike gear changer, such as a rear derailleur 36, and a power assist motor 202”; The power is provided to the gear changer and the motor (i.e., “normal state”) during the standard operational mode (i.e., “first operating state”); and
wherein, during the second operating state, at least one of a power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the low power operational mode causes the e-bike system to cause the power output regulator reduce or eliminate the power provided to the power assist motor”) or the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is switched to a limited operating mode.
Regarding claim 11, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses wherein, during the second operating state, the power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited by derating the drive motor (303) (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the low power operational mode causes the e-bike system to cause the power output regulator reduce or eliminate the power provided to the power assist motor”).
Regarding claim 12, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses wherein, during the second operating state, the power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited by switching off the drive motor (303) (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the low power operational mode causes the e-bike system to cause the power output regulator reduce or eliminate the power provided to the power assist motor”).
Regarding claim 15, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses further comprising switching (S3) to a third operating state when the state of charge falls below a second threshold value (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the e-bike system may be configured to cause the power output regulator to transition to a critical power mode (Act 406) … when it is detected that the remote power source is below a critical power threshold, or second threshold (Act 408)”; para. [0054]: “the e-bike system includes both the critical power threshold and the low power threshold; The critical power mode (i.e., “third operating state”); The critical power threshold (i.e., “second threshold value”)), wherein, during the third operating state:
the power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the e-bike system may be configured to cause the power output regulator to transition to a critical power mode (Act 406), for example to eliminate power to both the e-bike gear changer and the power assist motor, when it is detected that the remote power source is below a critical power threshold, or second threshold (Act 408)”); or
the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is shifted to the limited operating mode, during the limited operating mode either a shift to a predefined emergency gear is carried out using the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) or manual gear changes by a user are suppressed and gear change operations are controlled according to an automatic gear shifting system.
Regarding claim 16, Wesling discloses the method of claim 15.
Wesling further discloses wherein the second threshold value is lower than the first threshold value (Wesling at para. [0054]: “the e-bike system includes both the critical power threshold and the low power threshold, with the critical power threshold being smaller than the low power threshold”).
Regarding claim 18, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses an electric bicycle (301), comprising:
a drive motor (303),
an electric gear shifting mechanism (305),
a battery (304) configured to supply power both to the drive motor (303) and to the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) (Wesling at FIG. 1 and para. [0032]: “The bicycle 100 includes the power assist device 200 and is an electric bicycle, or e-bike, that has electric motor assist and electric shifting” “the bicycle 100 has a frame mounted remote power source or remote battery 201 and a frame mounted rear derailleur 36, and a power assist motor 202”), and
a control device (302) configured to carry out the method of claim 10 (Wesling at FIG. 10 and para. [0043]: “the controller of the e-bike system 344 may be paired with the derailleur 340 so that only the e-bike controller may provide control signals to the derailleur”).
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.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wesling in view of Kitamura et al. (US 2005/0098978 A1, hereinafter “Kitamura”).
Regarding claim 13, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses wherein, during the second operating state, the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is switched to the limited operating mode (Wesling at para. [0053]: “the e-bike system may be configured to cause the power output regulator to transition to a critical power mode (Act 406), for example to eliminate power to both the e-bike gear changer and the power assist motor, when it is detected that the remote power source is below a critical power threshold, or second threshold (Act 408)”; When the power is eliminated to the gear changer, further gear change operations using the gear changer is necessarily suppressed).
However, Wesling does not explicitly state:
such that a shift to a predefined emergency gear is carried out using the electric gear shifting mechanism (305).
In the same field of endeavor, Kitamura teaches:
such that a shift to a predefined emergency gear is carried out using the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) (Kitamura at para. [0035]: “internal shifting hub 10 is shifted to second gear, regardless of the current bicycle velocity. As a result, even if the voltage of power storage element 32 subsequently drops to the point that shift motor 45 no longer operates, discomfort for the rider will not result”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wesling by adding the predefined emergency gear of Kitamura with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation to modify the method of Wesling in view of Kitamura is to provide comfort for bike riders when power drops.
Regarding claim 14, Wesling discloses the method of claim 10.
Wesling further discloses wherein, during the second operating state, (Wesling at para. [0048]: “This would allow the bike to be controlled by the e-bike controller at some times, such as when the system is in an automatic shifting mode, and alternatively controlled at the handlebar by a wireless shifting system when the shifting is in a manual mode”; During the automatic shifting mode (i.e., “automatic gear shifting system”), changing gear in the manual mode is prevented (i.e., “manual gear changes by a user are prevented”) because the automatic shifting mode and the manual mode are mutually exclusive).
However, Wesling does not explicitly state:
the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is switched to the limited operating mode.
In the same field of endeavor, Kitamura teaches:
the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is switched to the limited operating mode (Kitamura at para. [0035]: “internal shifting hub 10 is shifted to second gear, regardless of the current bicycle velocity. As a result, even if the voltage of power storage element 32 subsequently drops to the point that shift motor 45 no longer operates, discomfort for the rider will not result”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wesling by adding the limited operating mode of Kitamura with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation to modify the method of Wesling in view of Kitamura is to provide comfort for bike riders when power drops.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wesling in view of Kresse, III (US 2022/0024323 A1, hereinafter “Kresse”).
Regarding claim 17, Wesling discloses the method of claim 16.
However, Wesling does not explicitly state:
further comprising switching (S4) to a fourth operating state when the state of charge falls below a third threshold value, the third threshold value being lower than the second threshold value, wherein, during the fourth operating state:
the power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited; or
the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is shifted to the limited operating mode, during the limited operating mode of the fourth operating state, either the shift to the predefined emergency gear is carried out using the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) or the manual gear changes by the user are suppressed and the gear change operations are controlled according to the automatic gear shifting system.
In the same field of endeavor, Kresse teaches:
further comprising switching (S4) to a fourth operating state when the state of charge falls below a third threshold value, the third threshold value being lower than the second threshold value (Kresse at para. [0026]: “if the SOC of the electrical energy storage device 114 is less than the second SOC threshold, then at step 210, the controller 118 compares the SOC of the electrical energy storage device 114 to a third SOC threshold” “if the SOC of the electrical energy storage device 114 is greater than the third SOC threshold, then the controller 118 activates a second set of SOC conservation steps 132 at block 216”; para. [0027]: “if the electrical energy storage device 114 SOC is less than the third SOC threshold 132, then a third set of SOC conservation steps 134 are activated at step 212”; The hierarchical steps necessarily set the third SOC threshold (i.e., “third threshold value”) lower than the second SOC threshold (i.e., “second threshold value”)), wherein, during the fourth operating state:
the power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited (Kresse at para. [0027]: “if the electrical energy storage device 114 SOC is less than the third SOC threshold 132, then a third set of SOC conservation steps 134 are activated at step 212” “the third set of SOC conservation steps 134 includes at least one of the following: … shutting down the high voltage system (through normal high voltage shutdown logic) of the vehicle”; When the high voltage system is shut down, the motor cannot draw energy (i.e., “power consumption of the drive motor (303) is limited”)); or
the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) is shifted to the limited operating mode, during the limited operating mode of the fourth operating state, either the shift to the predefined emergency gear is carried out using the electric gear shifting mechanism (305) or the manual gear changes by the user are suppressed and the gear change operations are controlled according to the automatic gear shifting system.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wesling by adding the fourth operating mode of Kresse with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation to modify the method of Wesling in view of Kresse is to conserve energy.
Conclusion
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/JISUN CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/Hitesh Patel/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3667
8/4/26
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