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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/15/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Claims
In the communication filed on 05/15/2026 claims 1-10 and 12-25 are pending. Independent claims 1 and 20 have been amended by including new limitations not previously presented. Claim 11 is cancelled.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments filed 05/15/2026 with respect to independent claim 1 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments and amendments filed 05/15/2026 with respect to independent claim 20 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues in pages 5-6 that Ghantous fails to disclose “applying a probing pulse during the discharge portion of such a cycle nor does Ghantous disclose determining a battery parameter based on the pulse applied during the discharge portion of such a cycle. Ghantous similarly provides no way by which such a pulse can be applied during discharge while maintaining whatever discharge environment in which Ghantous is operating. Finally, Ghantous does not describe how discharge might be modified”. However, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
In the last sentence of ¶[37], Ghantous states “discharge sequences may have similar characteristics as charge sequences” and that the discussion is omitted only “for the sake of brevity”. The specification considers applying the disclosed pulse techniques to battery discharging. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to extend the disclosed probing techniques from charging to discharging as cited in pages 13-14 of the Office Action dated 11/17/2025.
The remaining arguments are moot as the applicant’s arguments for the remaining claims were based on dependency of the independent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-10 and 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ghantous et al. (USPGPN 20190120910) and further in view of Zhang et al. (USPGPN 20220381849).
With respect to claim 1, Ghantous teaches a method of charging a battery (Figs. 7a-7b; a method for adaptively charging a battery based on stimulus results, see ¶ [05]).
Ghantous teaches applying a first charging current to the battery (Figs. 7a-7b; prior to applying a stimulus to the battery, a first portion of the “charging process” is conducted. Thus, this is understood by one of ordinary skill to be a first charging current applied to the battery 118, see ¶ [06]. See ¶ [46] for an explanation of “charging process” as taught by Ghantous).
Ghantous teaches applying a probing pulse to the battery, wherein the probing pulse comprises a rest period at a current less than the first charging current (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 703/723 a current stimulus is applied to the battery. In ¶ [76 and 142] the stimulus current is characterized by the amplitude, the measurement period, and the number of samples taken over this period. In ¶ [143] the stimulus current has very little impact, if any, on depleting charge from the battery. In Fig. 4f the pulse waveform includes a rest period Trest. One of ordinary skill understands that this step/edge current stimulus is a small controlled probing pulse specifically for measurement purposes and is smaller than the charging current).
Ghantous teaches determining a battery parameter based on data from the probing pulse, the battery parameter correlated with battery cell degradation (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 705-709/725-731 a battery parameter based on data collected from the current stimulus is determined. This battery parameter data collected is used to determine and avoid battery cell degradation, see ¶ [44, 157-158]).
Ghantous teaches altering the first charging current to a second charging current different from the first charging current based on the battery parameter (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 711/733 the charge process is modified based on the battery parameter from the previous steps. One of ordinary skill understands changing the charge process consists of altering the first charging current to a second charging current different from the first charging current, see ¶ [128, 135]).
However, Ghantous fails to explicitly teach wherein the battery parameter is at least one of Layapunov exponent, Correlation Dimension, Sample Entropy and Hurst Exponent.
Zhang teaches wherein the battery parameter is Sample Entropy (abstract; battery parameters are sample entropy values).
The use of nonlinear parameters are important because they quantify degradation patterns in battery parameters. As such, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have applied Zhang’s sample entropy to Ghantous’ apparatus. The benefit of this being “faults of cells can be accurately diagnosed without a model, sample entropy values under different faults can be distinguished by setting the correction coefficient, the intuitiveness and efficiency of fault detection are improved, and the fault type and time of the lithium-ion cells can be quickly, accurately and stably diagnosed and predicted” (see Zhang’s abstract).
With respect to claim 2, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the probing pulse comprises a unipolar pulse (Fig. 4f; the probing pulse is unipolar).
With respect to claim 3, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the rest period comprises a current magnitude of 0 Amps (Fig. 4f; the rest period Trest comprises a current magnitude of 0 Amps).
With respect to claim 4, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the rest period is less than 30 seconds (In ¶ [115] full or partial relaxation time are in orders less than 30 seconds).
With respect to claim 5, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein an open circuit voltage is approximated during the rest period (In ¶ [54, 156], the OCV is measured when current is 0 Amps which is during Trest illustrated in Fig. 4f).
With respect to claim 6, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 5. Further, Ghantous teaches the battery parameter is based on the approximated open circuit voltage (In ¶ [156-157] the battery parameters are based on the measured OCV).
With respect to claim 7, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the probing pulse further comprises an active period prior to the rest period, and wherein during the active period, a charging current is applied to the battery (Fig. 4f; the active period Tcharge before the rest period Trest consists of applying a charging current to the battery).
With respect to claim 8, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 7. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein determining the battery parameter during the probing pulse comprises evaluating a discrete section of the probing pulse (Figs. 4a-4b; illustrate the probing pulses with discrete sections used to evaluate the battery parameters).
With respect to claim 9, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 8. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the discrete section of the probing pulse comprises a voltage transition between the active period and the rest period (In ¶ [92] the stimulus is applied accounting for a battery’s response to the harmonic frequencies and specifically the reaction of the battery terminal voltage (i.e., voltage transition) between the active periods and the rest periods as illustrated in Figs. 4a-4b).
With respect to claim 10, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 9. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein determining the battery parameter comprises analysis of time domain data associated with the voltage transition (In ¶ [92] the monitoring of the reaction of the battery terminal voltage is time domain data associated with the voltage transition. This data is used for determining the battery parameters).
With respect to claim 12, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein applying the first charging current to the battery comprises applying a first direct current (DC) charging current (Figs. 4a-4b; the charging current applied to the battery comprises a DC charging current).
With respect to claim 13, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein applying the first charging current comprises applying a first waveform-based charging current (Figs. 4c-4e; the charging current applied to the battery comprises a waveform-based charging current).
With respect to claim 14, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1.
Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the probing pulse is applied at State of Charge (SOC) intervals, upon a cell voltage reaching a voltage threshold, upon a cell temperature reaching a temperature threshold, or a time interval (In ¶ [57] the CPV measurement is taken to determine a battery parameter such as SOC. For a cell voltage reaching a voltage threshold see Fig. 5b wherein the applied stimulus to obtain battery parameter data is based on Vmax. In ¶ [89] the cell temperature is measured and a known temperature dependence of material properties is known which is understood by one of ordinary skill to be the temperature thresholds of the battery. The time intervals are the partial relaxation time intervals taken into consideration for obtaining the response of the battery parameters).
With respect to claim 15, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the battery cell degradation comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of electrode plating, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer growth, and cell failure (In ¶ [75] battery cell degradation includes thickening of the SEI layer or metallic plating of lithium. In ¶ [94] degradation includes imminent danger of failure).
With respect to claim 16, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the second charging current is less than the first charging current (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 711/733 the charge process is modified based on the battery parameter from the previous steps. One of ordinary skill understands the second charging current may be altered to be less than the first charging current).
With respect to claim 17, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein altering the first charging current to the second charging current is further based battery temperature (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 711/733 the altering of the charging current depends upon measured battery temperature obtained in previous steps of the method, see ¶ [91]).
With respect to claim 18, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein altering the first charging current to the second charging current is further based on a maximum charging current limit (In ¶ [67] the adaptive charging method keeps charging within safe boundaries. One of ordinary skill understands altering the charging current is upper bounded by a maximum charging current limit to avoid damaging the battery).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ghantous et al. (USPGPN 20190120910), in view of Zhang et al. (USPGPN 20220381849), and further in view of Shimura (USPGPN 20190036373), as evidenced by Timur et al. (Basics of PID controllers: Working Principles, pros & cons. Timur et al. Integra Sources. (2024, December 4). https://www.integrasources.com/blog/basics-of-pid-controllers-design-applications/).
With respect to claim 19, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. However, Ghantous fails to explicitly teach wherein applying the first charging current is performed using proportional integral derivate (PID) control.
Shimura teaches wherein applying the first charging current is performed using proportional integral derivate (PID) control (In ¶ [47] the charge current is controlled using PID control).
A PID controller is a feedback control mechanism widely used to regulate battery variables. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have added the PID control capabilities of Shimura to Ghantous’ battery degradation monitoring and charging modification system. The advantage of this modification being PID provides a greater accuracy than simpler on/off controllers, the algorithm is more energy efficient, and cost effective to implement (as evidenced by Timur).
Claims 20-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ghantous et al. (USPGPN 20190120910).
With respect to claim 20, Ghantous teaches a method of operating a battery (Figs. 7a-7b; a method for adaptively charging a battery based on stimulus results, see ¶ [05]).
Ghantous teaches during operating the battery at a first operating rate (Figs. 7a-7b; prior to applying a stimulus to the battery, a first portion of the “charging process” is conducted. Thus, this is understood by one of ordinary skill to be a first charging current applied to the battery 118, see ¶ [06]. See ¶ [46] for an explanation of “charging process” as taught by Ghantous).
Ghantous teaches applying a probing pulse to the battery, wherein the probing pulse comprises a rest period (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 703/723 a current stimulus is applied to the battery. In ¶ [76 and 142] the stimulus current is characterized by the amplitude, the measurement period, and the number of samples taken over this period. In ¶ [143] the stimulus current has very little impact, if any, on depleting charge from the battery. In Fig. 4f the pulse waveform includes a rest period Trest. One of ordinary skill understands that this step/edge current stimulus is a small controlled probing pulse specifically for measurement purposes and is smaller than the charging current).
Ghantous teaches determining a battery parameter during the probing pulse, the battery parameter correlated with battery cell degradation (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 705-709/725-731 a battery parameter based on data collected from the current stimulus is determined. This battery parameter data collected is used to determine and avoid battery cell degradation, see ¶ [44, 157-158]).
Ghantous teaches altering the first operating rate to a second operating rate different from the first operating rate based on the battery parameter (Figs. 7a-7b; in steps 711/733 the charge process is modified based on the battery parameter from the previous steps. One of ordinary skill understands changing the charge process consists of altering the first charging current to a second charging current different from the first charging current, see ¶ [128, 135]).
In the last sentence of ¶[37], Ghantous states “discharge sequences may have similar characteristics as charge sequences” and that the discussion is omitted only “for the sake of brevity”. The specification considers applying the disclosed pulse techniques to battery discharging. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the battery degradation monitoring and charging modification method for cases that include discharging the battery (i.e., providing power to a load). The advantage to this modification being a wider monitoring range of battery performance is considered thereby maintaining optimal device performance and improving battery longevity.
With respect to claim 21, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 20. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the probing pulse comprises a unipolar pulse (Fig. 4f; the probing pulse is unipolar).
With respect to claim 22, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 20. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the rest period comprises a current value of 0 Amps (Fig. 4f; the rest period Trest comprises a current magnitude of 0 Amps).
With respect to claim 23, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 20. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the probing pulse further comprises an active period prior to the rest period, and wherein during the active period, a current is applied the battery (Fig. 4f; the active period Tcharge before the rest period Trest consists of applying a charging current to the battery).
In the last sentence of ¶[37], Ghantous states “discharge sequences may have similar characteristics as charge sequences” and that the discussion is omitted only “for the sake of brevity”. The specification considers applying the disclosed pulse techniques to battery discharging. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the battery degradation monitoring and charging modification method for cases that include discharging the battery (i.e., providing power to a load). The advantage to this modification being a wider monitoring range of battery performance is considered thereby maintaining optimal device performance and improving battery longevity.
With respect to claim 24, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 23. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein determining the battery parameter during the probing pulse comprises evaluating a discrete section of the probing pulse (Figs. 4a-4b; illustrate the probing pulses with discrete sections used to evaluate the battery parameters).
With respect to claim 25, Ghantous teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 24. Further, Ghantous teaches wherein the discrete section of the probing pulse comprises a voltage transition between the active period and the rest period (In ¶ [92] the stimulus is applied accounting for a battery’s response to the harmonic frequencies and specifically the reaction of the battery terminal voltage (i.e., voltage transition) between the active periods and the rest periods as illustrated in Figs. 4a-4b).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The additional prior art identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) were considered by the examiner, however, for examination purposes were not relied upon for citation purposes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Frank A Silva whose telephone number is (703)756-1698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 09:30 am -06:30 pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FRANK ALEXIS SILVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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