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 § 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.
Claims 2, 5-6, 8-9, 13, 15, 27 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.
In regards to claim 2, line 2, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 5, line 8, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 6, line 5, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 8, line 8, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 9, line 4, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 13, line 8, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 15, line 8, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
In regards to claim 27, line 2, the recitation “the first switching mode” lacks proper antecedent basis and it is not clear as to what “the first switching mode” refers to. Thus, the metes and bounds cannot be determined, which renders the claim indefinite.
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 1 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawaguchi et al. (US 2017/0001526 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2021/0237706 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Kawaguchi discloses, in figure 1, a power supply system (11) connected to both (i) a high- side power supply line (circuit 17) connected to a high-voltage load (15) and (ii) a low-side power supply line (circuit 16) connected to a low-voltage load (14) (Par 0029-0030), the power supply system (11) comprising: a plurality of power storages (12, 13); a switch unit (22, 23) for connection-mode switching of the power storages (12, 13) (Par 0031-0032, 0034-0036); and a switch controller (26) configured to control the switch unit (22, 23) to set a connection mode of the power storages (Par 0036-0037) to one of: a first connection mode in which a part or all of the power storages is connected between the high-side power supply line (circuit 17) and a high-side ground line (48V_GND as taught by Kim) (disconnect switch 22 and disconnect relay 23 both ON; Par 0043, 0055); and a third connection mode (disconnect relay 23 OFF, disconnect switch 22 ON) in which the high-side ground line (48V_GND as taught by Kim) and a low-side ground line (18e of ground circuit 21) are electrically isolated from each other (Par 0031, 0034-0036; 18e of ground circuit 21 is electrically isolated via disconnect switch 22 and disconnect relay 23), and a part of the power storages (12) is connected between the low-side power supply line (circuit 16) and the low-side ground line (18e of ground circuit 21) (Par 0031-0032, 0034-0036).
Kawaguchi does not disclose a high-side ground line.
However, Kim discloses, in figure 3A, a high-side ground line (48V_GND) (Par 0046; “the 12V_GND and the 48V_GND are separated from each other, a current does not flow and thus the internal resistance becomes larger than the reference resistance, thereby satisfying internal insulation strength requirements”).
Thus, 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 Kawaguchi’s disconnect relay 23 path by including a high-side ground line as taught by Kim in order to protect the electronic components and secure stability of the vehicle, the power of 12 V and the power of 48 V should satisfy requirements related to insulation including leakage current specifications (Kim; Par 0031).
In regards to claim 26, Kawaguchi discloses, in figure 1, a program product applicable to a power supply system (11) connected to both (i) a high-side power supply line (circuit 17) connected to a high-voltage load (15) and (ii) a low-side power supply line (circuit 16) connected to a low-voltage load (14) (Par 0029-0030), the power supply system (11) comprising a control apparatus (26), the program product comprising: a non-transitory storage medium (Par 0047); and program instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium (Par 0047), the program instructions causing the control apparatus (26) to perform a switching routine that controls a switch unit (22, 23) for connection-mode switching of a plurality of power storages (12, 13) (Par 0031-0032, 0034-0036) to accordingly set a connection mode of the power storages (Par 0036-0037) to one of: a first connection mode in which a part or all of the power storages is connected between the high-side power supply line (circuit 17) and a high-side ground line (48V_GND as taught by Kim) (disconnect switch 22 and disconnect relay 23 both ON; Par 0043, 0055); and a third connection mode (disconnect relay 23 OFF, disconnect switch 22 ON) in which the high-side ground line (48V_GND as taught by Kim) and a low-side ground line (18e of ground circuit 21) are electrically isolated from each other (Par 0031, 0034-0036; 18e of ground circuit 21 is electrically isolated via disconnect switch 22 and disconnect relay 23), and a part of the power storages (12) is connected between the low-side power supply line (circuit 16) and the low-side ground line (18e of ground circuit 21) (Par 0031-0032, 0034-0036).
Kawaguchi does not disclose a high-side ground line.
However, Kim discloses, in figure 3A, a high-side ground line (48V_GND) (Par 0046; “the 12V_GND and the 48V_GND are separated from each other, a current does not flow and thus the internal resistance becomes larger than the reference resistance, thereby satisfying internal insulation strength requirements”).
Thus, 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 Kawaguchi’s disconnect relay 23 path by including a high-side ground line as taught by Kim in order to protect the electronic components and secure stability of the vehicle, the power of 12 V and the power of 48 V should satisfy requirements related to insulation including leakage current specifications (Kim; Par 0031).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5-6, 8-9, 13, 15, 27 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 3-4, 7, 10-12, 14, 16-25, 28 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.
Maekawa et al. (US 2020/0023794 A1); discloses a control device for an on-board power supply unit includes a bypass conduction path that serves as a path for supplying power from a first position between power storage units in an on-board power supply unit to a second conduction path, a bypass relay that is interposed in the bypass conduction path, and a protective relay that is disposed between power storage units at a position farther toward a high-potential side than the first position. A control unit switches between first switching control for turning on the protective relay and turning off the bypass relay and second switching control for turning off the protective relay and turning on the bypass relay.
Toyooka et al. (US 2023/0011332 A1); discloses a vehicle power supply system capable of, when a state of a vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition, outputting a signal indicating that a backup low-voltage power supply is in a state capable of supplying electric power for operating an emergency important load in a short time after the vehicle power supply system transitions from an OFF state to an ON state.
Takahashi et al. (US 2023/0077522 A1); discloses a power switching control system where a plurality of powers are connected in parallel to a power supply path for a redundant operation and a plurality of loads are connected in parallel to the power supply path, when a power failure occurs due to an abnormality on a power side or a load side, even if a remaining capacity of the power is insufficient, the power can supply to a load with a high operation priority during a required time.
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/ALEX W LAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2836
