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 § 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.
Claims 1-3,7-9,11-13 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ibrahim et al (US 20220158464 A1)(See IDS) in view of Sheffield (US 20200044692 A1)(see IDS)
With regards to claim 1, Ibrahim et al discloses a battery charging apparatus configured to charge at least one battery, the battery charging apparatus comprising: a battery charger configured to generate a DC charging current (see an EV charger configured to charge a battery, the EV charger comprising: a charger (100) configured to supply a DC power; and a charge cable connector (108) connected to the battery and configured to charge an EV (see paragraphs [0045], [0053]; and figures 1,7).;
a cable coupling the battery charger to the at least one battery and configured to supply DC charging current to the at least one battery;
a first transceiver coupled between the battery charger and the cable; and at least one second transceiver coupled between the cable and the at least one battery; (see [0056] FIG. 7 shows the charger 100 with only one interface charging a battery 702. In this scenario the interface 102 can determine the charging parameters required for the battery 702 based on different information, it may receive. The information required for the interface 102 may be received through a user interface defining the type of the battery and the desired charging voltage speed. [0057], the interface 102 may receive information such as temperature, voltage, current via measurement tools, or sensor and calculate the charging parameters accordingly. As is known in the art, battery temperature can be used to regulate charging rates. [0058], the battery may have an electronic circuit containing the charging parameters or other information regarding the battery enabling the interface to determine the charging parameters or translate them. [0059], FIG. 8 illustrates the flowchart used by the charger when the interface 102 is used to charge the battery 702.
Ibrahim et al discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for wherein each of the first transceiver and the at least one second transceiver is configured for bidirectional communication of data over the cable using chirp spread spectrum signal modulation.
However, Sheffield discloses in [0018]- -- spread-spectrum techniques direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), Chirp spread spectrum (CSS), or frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)., [0046] and see claims 1,8: a digital source controller (110) and units (120) configured to communicate data over an auxiliary power line using chirp spread spectrum signal modulation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate features from the system of Sheffield within the system of Ibrahim et al, in order to improve powerline communication (see Sheffield [0034]) MPEP2143 Rationale C
With regards to claim 11, a battery charging apparatus configured to charge at least one battery, the battery charging apparatus comprising: a battery charger configured to generate a DC charging current; (see an EV charger configured to charge a battery, the EV charger comprising: a charger (100) configured to supply a DC power; and a charge cable connector (108) connected to the battery and configured to charge an EV (see paragraphs [0045], [0053]; and figures 1,7).;
a cable coupling the battery charger to the at least one battery and configured to supply DC charging current to the at least one battery; a first transceiver coupled between the battery charger and the cable; (see [0056] FIG. 7 shows the charger 100 with only one interface charging a battery 702. In this scenario the interface 102 can determine the charging parameters required for the battery 702 based on different information, it may receive. The information required for the interface 102 may be received through a user interface defining the type of the battery and the desired charging voltage speed. [0057], the interface 102 may receive information such as temperature, voltage, current via measurement tools, or sensor and calculate the charging parameters accordingly. As is known in the art, battery temperature can be used to regulate charging rates. [0058], the battery may have an electronic circuit containing the charging parameters or other information regarding the battery enabling the interface to determine the charging parameters or translate them. [0059], FIG. 8 illustrates the flowchart used by the charger when the interface 102 is used to charge the battery 702) and
a battery management module coupled to the at least one battery, the battery management module comprising a second transceiver coupled between the cable and the at least one battery (see [0047]: the battery management system (BMS) (104) communicating with the interface (102) via the connector (108)), and the battery management module configured to receive data from one or more sensors; (see [0057]: the interface 102 may receive information such as temperature, voltage, current via measurement tools, or sensor and calculate the charging parameters accordingly. As is known in the art, battery temperature can be used to regulate charging rates).
Ibrahim et al discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for wherein the second transceiver is configured to transmit data from the one or more sensors to the first transceiver over the cable using chirp spread spectrum signal modulation.
However, Sheffield discloses in [0018]- -- spread-spectrum techniques direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), Chirp spread spectrum (CSS), or frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)., [0046] and see claims 1,8: a digital source controller (110) and units (120) configured to communicate data over an auxiliary power line using chirp spread spectrum signal modulation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate features from the system of Sheffield within the system of Ibrahim et al, in order to improve powerline communication (see Sheffield [0034]) MPEP2143 Rationale C
With regards to claim 2, Ibrahim et al discloses the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one battery monitoring module (BMM) coupled between the cable and the at least one battery, wherein the at least one second transceiver is associated with the at least one battery monitoring module (see [0047]: the battery management system (BMS) (104) communicating with the interface (102) via the connector (108)).
With regards to claims 3 and 13, Ibrahim et al discloses the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is indicative of at least one of: battery voltage, charging voltage, current flow, battery temperature, battery electrolyte level, Li-Ion battery management signals, battery charger status information, or communication acknowledgment (see Ibrahim et al [0057]: the interface (102) receiving information such as temperature, voltage, current via measurement tools, or sensor).
With regards to claims 7 and 17, Ibrahim et al discloses the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery comprises a plurality of batteries (see paragraphs [0045], [0053]: a battery, the charger may have two or more interface 102 each working with a different communication protocol enabling the charger to charge multiple vehicles with different protocols at the same time).
With regards to claims 8 and 18, Ibrahim et al discloses the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery comprises a lithium-ion battery (rechargeable battery) (see paragraphs [0045], a battery [0053]: the charger may have two or more interface 102 each working with a different communication protocol enabling the charger to charge multiple vehicles with different protocols at the same time).
With regards to claims 9 and 19, Ibrahim et al discloses the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery comprises a lead- acid battery (rechargeable batteries) (see [0045], [0053]: a battery, the charger may have two or more interface 102 each working with a different communication protocol enabling the charger to charge multiple vehicles with different protocols at the same time).
With regards to claim 12. Ibrahim et al discloses the apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of: a temperature sensor; an electrolyte sensor; or a voltage sensor (see [0057]: the interface 102 may receive information such as temperature, voltage, current via measurement tools, or sensor and calculate the charging parameters accordingly. As is known in the art, battery temperature can be used to regulate charging rates).
4. Claims 4-6 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ibrahim et al (US 20220158464 A1)(See IDS) in view of Sheffield (US 20200044692 A1)(see IDS) as applied in claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Sun yat-sen university et al (CN 111669200A) (see IDS)
With regards to claims 4 and 14, the combination of Ibrahim et al and Sheffield discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first transceiver and the at least one second transceiver comprises a processor and software configured to communicate linear frequency modulated chirps, comprising chirps that increase in frequency linearly, when performing the chirp spread spectrum signal modulation.
However, Sun yat-sen university et al discloses in claim 2: the
chirp signal generator including a frequency modulation module and a vector rotator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate features from the system of Sun yat-sen university et al within the system of Sheffield and Ibrahim et al in order to improving the flexibility of the signal generator (see Sun yat-sen university et al, see abstract) MPEP2143 Rationale C
With regards to claims 5 and 15, the combination of Ibrahim et al and Sheffield discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first transceiver and the at least one second transceiver comprises a processor and software configured to generate different symbols by cyclically rotating chirps when performing the chirp spread spectrum signal modulation. (Sun yat-sen university et al discloses in claim 2: the
chirp signal generator including a frequency modulation module and a vector rotator).
With regards to claims 6 and 16, the combination of Ibrahim et al and Sheffield discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for the battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first transceiver and the at least one second transceiver comprises a processor and software configured to generate a passband chirp signal comprising the data, without frequency shifting of a previously generated baseband chirp signal ( see abstract, the Chirp spread spectrum signal is directly modulated to the pass band under very low complexity, and the complexity of generating the signal generators of different frequency bands is effectively reduced. Also see claim 9, - - -wherein said step S35 is specifically as follows: through CORDIC algorithm of pipeline structure to finish the rotation of the vector, CORDIC algorithm does not need to consume multiplier, so the Chirp signal generator does not need to consume any multiplier hardware, which can greatly reduce the power consumption of the signal generator design- - -)
5. Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ibrahim et al (US 20220158464 A1) (See IDS) in view of Sheffield (US 20200044692 A1) (see IDS) as applied in claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Paul A. Kline (US 20060171174 A1).
With regards to claims 10 and 20, The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first toroid communicatively coupling the first transceiver to the cable and a second toroid communicatively coupling the at least one second transceiver to the cable (see Paul A. Kline, claims 1,7; and figure 3: a coupler coupling data to and from the power line and comprising a magnetically permeable toroid).
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Furlan et al (US 7317297 B1) discloses a method for communicating with portable device batteries.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELENE E TAYONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1675. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S Wang can be reached at 571-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HELENE E TAYONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 June 22, 2026
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