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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/12/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Remarks allege the prior art of Crane does not teach the limitation a plurality of power distributors, each connecting the power supply line and an electric device mounted in the vehicle, and distributing electric power supplied from the power supply line to the electric device. In support of the above the Remarks contend the elements 23 (mapped to the distributors) of Crane is not connecting an electric device to any part of the power line.
In response, the power distributors (23) of the specification are connected as shown in Fig. 3 for example. There it can be seen an electrical device (for example 9) is connected via a conductive path within the power distributor (for example 7). The operation and connection of Fig. 3 is indeed different; however, the claims present only a connection be present without any spatial or arrangement of the connection. Turing to the limitation in question. The power distributors of Crane without question distribute power from the supply line to the device (this aspect of the limitation is not separately argued in the Remarks) as that is primary function to supply power to the connected loads. The limitation “connecting the power supply line and the electrical device” is met as without the power distributors of Crane there no “connecting” exists for the power to flow to the loads. In this case, the Remarks set forth a more narrow view of claim 1. The Remarks contend the above would require the distributor to be located between the power supply line and the device wherein the distributors have a conductive path connected to the load and the power supply line.
In other words, here the claims present a significantly more board connection than the Remarks suggest. As the prior art clearly shows a connection with power supply line and the devices therefore the claims are properly rejected and made FINAL.
Turning attention to new claim 7. The claim recites the power distributors are directly connected to the power supply line. The Remarks rely on Fig.2-3 to support this limitation. However, the drawings interpose a fuse element. As such the connection between the load and the power line is in fact not direct as an element(s) is shown between the device and the power line. Therefore, the claim contains new matter. See Rejection detailing the new matter below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 7 presents the limitation “directly connected” however the drawings show fuses placed between and the specification lacks any description to cite the connection is direct. As such the limitation is considered new matter and must be removed.
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 1, 4 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Crane (US 20100284117).
With respect to claim 1 Crane teaches a vehicle power supply system comprising: a power source (generator or battery see Fig. 2) that is mounted in a vehicle (see Fig. 2 ship); a first converter (21 in forward section) that is arranged on one side of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction with respect to a center position (center of Fig. 2) of the longitudinal direction, and is configured to be able to transform DC power (see DC/DC converter) supplied from the power source; a second converter (21 or 24 in aft section) that is arranged on another side in the longitudinal direction with respect to the center position, and is configured to be able to transform the DC power (see DC/DC converter); a power supply line (see upper bus 25, 27, 29) that connects the first converter and the second converter, and is supplied with both electric power (see paragraph 0153) transformed by the first converter and electric power transformed by the second converter; and a plurality of power distributors (23 see forward and aft), each connecting the power supply line and an electric device (electrical loads) mounted in the vehicle, and distributing electric power supplied from the power supply line to the electric device.
With respect to claim 4 Crane teaches the second converter (21/24) is connected to a plurality of the power distributors (see connection distributors in Fig. 1) and a plurality of the electric devices via sub-power supply lines (30, 32, and 34) different from the power supply line, and supplies the electric power to some of the power distributors and some of the electric devices via the sub-power supply lines.
With respect to claim 8 Crane teaches wherein the plurality of power distributors (23) are each connecting the electric device (loads connected thereto) to a portion (between generator and forward) of the power supply line that is between the first converter and the second converter, and distributing converted electric power supplied from at least one of the first converter or the second converter.
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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramsauer et al. (US 20240149812) in view of Caron (US 20140244082).
With respect to claim 1 Ramsauer teaches a vehicle power supply system comprising: a power source ( battery see Fig. 1) that is mounted in a vehicle (see Fig. 5); a second converter (for example 107) that is arranged on another side in the longitudinal direction with respect to the center position, and is configured to be able to transform the DC power (see DC/DC converter); a power supply line (101) that connects the converter, and is supplied with both electric power (paragraph 0082) transformed by the converter and electric power transformed by the second converter; and a plurality of power distributors (101 and 120 and associated energy adapter), each connecting the power supply line and an electric device (electrical loads) mounted in the vehicle, and distributing electric power supplied from the power supply line to the electric device. Ramsauer does not teach the connection a first converter with the battery (105). Caron teaches the known connection of a DC converter (106) with a vehicle battery (paragraph 0068, 76). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Ramsauer to include the known connection of first converter with a battery for the benefit of interfacing a high voltage demand or bus requirement (paragraph 0090).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 and 5-6 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: teaches the vehicle power supply system however does not teach the power distributors include voltage monitors measuring voltages of the electric power supplied from the power supply line to the power distributors, as pieces of voltage information, and current monitors measuring currents supplied from the power supply line to a plurality of the electric devices, as pieces of current information, and each of the first converter and the second converter controls output voltages based on a plurality of the pieces of voltage information and a plurality of the pieces of current information received from a plurality of the power distributors. At least this further limitation is not taught or rendered obvious by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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MICHAEL FIN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/MICHAEL R. FIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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