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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/21/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 2-4 are 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.
Regarding claim 2, the claim language recites “…wherein the first movement means causes the mobile body to move below a lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle, on condition of the electric vehicle moving to be placed on a slope installed in advance”. It’s unclear based on the claim language in light of the specification, if the vehicle is placed on the actual slope or the vehicle is placed on the horizontal surface on top between the slopes in front and slopes on back. For the purpose of examination, Examiner considers the vehicle is placed on the top between the slopes.
Regarding claim 3, the claim language recites “… wherein one or more of a marker is provided to the locking part or a position in a vicinity thereof … wherein the detection unit detects a position of each of a plurality of the markers as positions of the locking part”. It’s unclear based on the claim language, how a plurality of the markers can be detected in the case there is only one marker provided to the locking part as provided as alternative in the claim i.e. “… wherein one or more of a marker is provided to the locking part or a position in a vicinity thereof”. This makes the metes and bounds of the claim unclear.
Regarding claims 4, it is either directly or indirectly dependent upon rejected base claim, and also inherit the deficiencies described above. Therefore, it is also rejected under this section for at least their dependency upon a rejected base claim.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Examiner notes wherein all claims have been addressed below in view of the prior art of record, as best understood by the Examiner, in light of the 35 USC 112 rejections provided herein.
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) 1, 3, 5, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khullar (US 20240278680 A1) in view of Koichi (JP 2015066986 A).
Regarding claim 1, Khullar teaches a battery replacement system for replacing a battery (Abstract) mounted in a state locked by a locking part at a lower part of a body of an electric vehicle (Fig 6, para 0057 wherein the battery is mounted under the car and locked in position; “In this step once the battery 600′ i.e. fully charged is mounted into the battery bay, each of the pair of arms 50 are toggled from the upward configuration 42 to the downward configuration 44”), the battery replacement system comprising:
a mobile body that conveys the battery as a replacement target (Fig 1-9, para 0049 wherein “[0049] The positioning system 400 (not shown in figure) allows the platform 100a to navigate to the vehicle 700 for removal and replacement of a discharged battery 600 with a fully recharged battery 600′); and
a control device that executes control (0047 wherein “The microcontroller controls the toggle of the pair of arms 50 between the upward configuration 42 and the downward configuration 44”),
wherein the mobile body includes:
a drive unit that drives based on control by the control device (0047 wherein “Further, a microcontroller is attached to the servo motor … The microcontroller controls the toggle of the pair of arms 50 between the upward configuration 42 and the downward configuration 44”);
a detection unit that detects markers defining the locking part (Fig 6, at least in para 0045-0048 wherein the camera detects the marker for aligning with the battery bay that holds/locks the battery; “The four cameras 315a-d detect the four-alignment marker 310a-d provided on the bottom chassis 760 of the vehicle 700. The detection of the four-alignment marker 310a-d allows the platform 100a to align with precision along the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”),
an arrangement that arranges the battery (0054 wherein the region 22 arranges/holds the battery; “The battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery is placed into a rectangular hollow region 22 having a depth d of the platform 100”); and
a lock/release execution part that executes locking to the locking part or releasing thereof (Fig 2C wherein the arms 50 moves to lock and release the battery), and
a first movement means that drives the drive unit to cause the mobile body to move below the lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle, on condition of the mobile body becoming mobile below the lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle (“[0049] The positioning system 400 (not shown in figure) allows the platform 100a to navigate to the vehicle 700 for removal and replacement of a discharged battery 600 with a fully recharged battery 600′);
a second movement means that drives the drive unit to cause the mobile body to move to a position of the locking part, based on a detection result of the detection unit (0046 “The platform 100a is further equipped with a plurality of camera 315 disposed onto the platform 100a to detect the plurality of alignment markers 310 for an alignment of platform 100a along the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”);
a battery removal means that causes the locking part to release by way of the lock/release execution part, removes the battery from the electric vehicle, and arranges on the arrangement (0058 wherein the arms dismount the battery; “Each of the pair of arms 50 is provided with a current sensor. The current sensor is able to detect the change in the current in each of the arms 50, detecting the completion of the engagement of each pin 58 of each of the pair of arms 50 with each of the pair of slots 610 of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery. This allows the system 500 to carry the step of removal of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery from the battery bay 750. This step is followed by the step of placement of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery into a rectangular hollow region 22 having a depth d of the platform 100a”);
a third movement means that drives the drive unit in a state in which a new battery for replacement is arranged on the arrangement, and causes the mobile body to move to a position of the locking part based on a detection result of the detection unit (0057 wherein the platform 100 carries the charged battery and navigates to a position under the battery bay based on marker detection; “[0057] A second platform 100a′ or the same platform 100a with a battery 600′ i.e. a charged battery identifies and navigates to the vehicle 700 by the unique code using the positioning system 400 and the plurality of ultrasonic proximity sensors 320 to the vehicle 700”); and
a battery mounting means that mounts the new battery to a lower part of the body of the electric vehicle, and causes the locking part to lock by way of the lock/release execution part (0057 wherein “This step is followed by the step of lifting the battery 600′ i.e. fully charged from the depth d of the platform 100a towards the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700. In this step, each of pin 58 of each of the pair of arms 50 are engaged with each of the pair of slots 610. This step is followed by the step of mounting the battery 600′ fully charged with the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”).
However, Khullar fails to explicitly teach a control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body; detect a position of the locking part and transmits the position to the control device; execute locking to the locking part or releasing thereof based on control by the control device wherein the control device includes various means of function.
Koichi teaches teach a control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body (Abstract, “A control unit 27 of a battery replacement robot 5”), detect a position of the marker defining the locking part (page 2, 5th para; page 7, 2nd last para wherein the marker position is detected “By detecting, the position of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction is calculated. Further, by detecting both ends of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction, the width of the portion of the detection mark 8 where the laser beam crosses is calculated”; “A detection mark 8 for indirectly detecting the position of the battery 3 is formed on the front surface of the battery mount 6”) and the control device controls various functions based on information exchanged (page 9, para 6-9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Khullar’s teachings of having a battery replacement system and performing various operations using a mobile body and markers defining the battery bay to incorporate Koichi’s teachings of a control device and detecting a position of the marker defining the locking part in order to have a control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body; detect a position of the locking part and transmits the position to the control device; execute locking to the locking part or releasing thereof based on control by the control device wherein the control device includes various means of function. Doing so would constitute combining prior art elements according to known methods of using a control device and detecting the locking part based on marker positions to yield predictable results of executing the battery replacement operation.
Regarding claim 3, modified Khullar teaches wherein one or more of a marker is provided to the locking part or a position in a vicinity thereof, on a lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle (Khullar, Fig 6; marker 310), and
wherein the detection unit detects a position of each of a plurality of the markers as positions of the locking part, and transmits the position to the control device (Koichi, page 7, 2nd last para wherein the marker position is detected which define the position of the battery mount; “By detecting, the position of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction is calculated. Further, by detecting both ends of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction, the width of the portion of the detection mark 8 where the laser beam crosses is calculated”).
Regarding claim 5, Khullar teaches wherein two of the mobile bodies are provided (para 0054-0055 wherein two mobile bodies are provided; “[0055] A second platform 100′ or the same platform 100 identifies and navigates to the vehicle 700 (step 2018)”), and having a first one of the mobile bodies for the first movement means, the second movement means and the battery removal means (0054 wherein “The platform 100 navigates to the vehicle 700 (step 2004). Further, the platform 100 aligns itself under the vehicle 700 by identifying a plurality of alignment markers 310 disposed on a bottom chassis 760 of the vehicle 700”; “Thus, the battery 600 released from the battery bay 750 and remains engaged and supported by the pair of arms 50 in the upward configuration 42. The battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery is placed into a rectangular hollow region 22”), and
establishes a second one of the mobile bodies for the third movement means and the battery mounting means ([0055] A second platform 100′ or the same platform 100 identifies and navigates to the vehicle 700 (step 2018) … The step 2022 is followed by mounting of battery 600′ i.e. the fully charged battery with the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700 (step 2024). This completes the process of placement of the fully charged battery module 600′ into the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”).
However, modified Khullar fails to teach the control device establishes a first one and second one of the mobile bodies for the various operations.
As discussed earlier, Koichi teaches the control device for controlling various operations during battery replacement operation (Abstract, “A control unit 27 of a battery replacement robot 5”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Khullar’s teachings of having a first one of the mobile bodies for the first movement means, the second movement means and the battery removal means, and a second one of the mobile bodies for the third movement means and the battery mounting means to incorporate Koichi’s teachings of a control device in order to have the control device that establishes a first one of the mobile bodies as a control target for the first movement means, the second movement means and the battery removal means and second one of the mobile bodies as a control target for the third movement means and the battery mounting means. Doing so would constitute combining prior art elements according to known methods of using a control device to yield predictable results of controlling the battery replacement operation.
Regarding claim 7, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 1
mutandis mutatis.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khullar (US 20240278680 A1) and Koichi (JP 2015066986 A) in view of Janku (US 20180154789 A1).
Regarding claim 2, modified Khullar teaches wherein the first movement means causes the mobile body to move below a lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle (Khullar, Fig 1).
However, Khullar fails to teach mobile body moves below the electric vehicle on condition of the electric vehicle moving to be placed on a slope installed in advance.
Janku teaches mobile body moves below the electric vehicle on condition of the electric vehicle moving to be placed on a slope installed in advance (Fig 8, para 0095, 0103).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Khullar’s teachings of moving the mobile body below a lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle to incorporate Janku’s teachings of mobile body moves below the electric vehicle on condition of the electric vehicle moving to be placed on a slope installed in advance. Doing so would provide appropriate clearance for the mobile body to navigate underneath the electric vehicle and efficiently replace the battery.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khullar (US 20240278680 A1) in view of Koichi (JP 2015066986 A) and Hassounah (US 20170355354 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Khullar teaches a battery replacement system for replacing a battery (Abstract) mounted in a state locked by a locking part at a lower part of a body of an electric vehicle (Fig 6, para 0057 wherein the battery is mounted under the car and locked in position; “In this step once the battery 600′ i.e. fully charged is mounted into the battery bay, each of the pair of arms 50 are toggled from the upward configuration 42 to the downward configuration 44”), the battery replacement system comprising:
a mobile body that conveys the battery as a replacement target (Fig 1-9, para 0049 wherein “[0049] The positioning system 400 (not shown in figure) allows the platform 100a to navigate to the vehicle 700 for removal and replacement of a discharged battery 600 with a fully recharged battery 600′); and
a control device that executes control (0047 wherein “The microcontroller controls the toggle of the pair of arms 50 between the upward configuration 42 and the downward configuration 44”),
wherein the mobile body includes:
a drive unit that drives based on control by the control device (0047 wherein “Further, a microcontroller is attached to the servo motor … The microcontroller controls the toggle of the pair of arms 50 between the upward configuration 42 and the downward configuration 44”);
a detection unit that detects markers defining the locking part (Fig 6, at least in para 0045-0048 wherein the camera detects the marker for aligning with the battery bay that holds/locks the battery; “The four cameras 315a-d detect the four-alignment marker 310a-d provided on the bottom chassis 760 of the vehicle 700. The detection of the four-alignment marker 310a-d allows the platform 100a to align with precision along the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”),
an arrangement that arranges the battery (0054 wherein the region 22 arranges/holds the battery; “The battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery is placed into a rectangular hollow region 22 having a depth d of the platform 100”); and
a lock/release execution part that executes locking to the locking part or releasing thereof (Fig 2C wherein the arms 50 moves to lock and release the battery), and
a first movement of driving the drive unit to cause the mobile body to move below the lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle, on condition of the mobile body becoming mobile below the lower surface of the body of the electric vehicle (“[0049] The positioning system 400 (not shown in figure) allows the platform 100a to navigate to the vehicle 700 for removal and replacement of a discharged battery 600 with a fully recharged battery 600′);
a second movement of driving the drive unit to cause the mobile body to move to a position of the locking part, based on a detection result of the detection unit (0046 “The platform 100a is further equipped with a plurality of camera 315 disposed onto the platform 100a to detect the plurality of alignment markers 310 for an alignment of platform 100a along the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”);
a battery removal step of causing the locking part to release by way of the lock/release execution part, removes the battery from the electric vehicle, and arranges on the arrangement (0058 wherein the arms dismount the battery; “Each of the pair of arms 50 is provided with a current sensor. The current sensor is able to detect the change in the current in each of the arms 50, detecting the completion of the engagement of each pin 58 of each of the pair of arms 50 with each of the pair of slots 610 of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery. This allows the system 500 to carry the step of removal of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery from the battery bay 750. This step is followed by the step of placement of the battery 600 i.e. the discharged battery into a rectangular hollow region 22 having a depth d of the platform 100a”);
a third movement step of driving the drive unit in a state in which a new battery for replacement is arranged on the arrangement, and causes the mobile body to move to a position of the locking part based on a detection result of the detection unit (0057 wherein the platform 100 carries the charged battery and navigates to a position under the battery bay based on marker detection; “[0057] A second platform 100a′ or the same platform 100a with a battery 600′ i.e. a charged battery identifies and navigates to the vehicle 700 by the unique code using the positioning system 400 and the plurality of ultrasonic proximity sensors 320 to the vehicle 700”); and
a battery mounting step of mounting the new battery to a lower part of the body of the electric vehicle, and causes the locking part to lock by way of the lock/release execution part (0057 wherein “This step is followed by the step of lifting the battery 600′ i.e. fully charged from the depth d of the platform 100a towards the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700. In this step, each of pin 58 of each of the pair of arms 50 are engaged with each of the pair of slots 610. This step is followed by the step of mounting the battery 600′ fully charged with the battery bay 750 of the vehicle 700”).
However, Khullar fails to explicitly teach a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for executing control processing in a computer that controls a control device in a battery replacement system; the control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body; detect a position of the locking part and transmits the position to the control device; execute locking to the locking part or releasing thereof based on control by the control device wherein the control device includes various means of function.
Koichi teaches teach a control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body (Abstract, “A control unit 27 of a battery replacement robot 5”), detect a position of the marker defining the locking part (page 2, 5th para; page 7, 2nd last para wherein the marker position is detected “By detecting, the position of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction is calculated. Further, by detecting both ends of the detection mark 8 in the left-right direction, the width of the portion of the detection mark 8 where the laser beam crosses is calculated”; “A detection mark 8 for indirectly detecting the position of the battery 3 is formed on the front surface of the battery mount 6”) and the control device controls various functions based on information exchanged (page 9, para 6-9).
Hassounah teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for executing control processing in a computer for controlling operations (0046).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Khullar’s teachings of having a battery replacement system and performing various operations using a mobile body and markers defining the battery bay to incorporate Koichi’s teachings of a control device and detecting a position of the marker defining the locking part and Hassounah’s teachings of a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for executing control processing in order to have a control device that executes control of movement of the mobile body; detect a position of the locking part and transmits the position to the control device; execute locking to the locking part or releasing thereof based on control by the control device wherein the control device includes various means of function. Doing so would constitute combining prior art elements according to known methods of using a non-transitory computer readable medium, a control device and detecting the locking part based on marker positions to yield predictable results of executing the battery replacement operation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 is/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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAGAR KC whose telephone number is (571)272-7337. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm.
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/SAGAR KC/Examiner, Art Unit 3657
/ADAM R MOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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