CTNF 19/200,285 CTNF 96889 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 7, 10-12, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Takeichi (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0184999) . Regarding claim 1, Takeichi teaches a hybrid electric vehicle comprising: an engine with a supercharger using exhaust gas (Paragraph 0070 The engine 1 is provided with a supercharger 22 as a conventional compressor that increases a pressure of intake air. In the example shown in FIG. 22, specifically, a turbocharger in which a turbine (not shown) is driven by exhaust energy from the engine 21 is adopted as the supercharger 22. ); a driving motor (Paragraph 0078 In the vehicle Ve shown in FIG. 8, the prime mover includes an engine (referred to as "ENG" in FIG. 8) 31 and a motor (referred to as "MG" in FIG. 8) 32. ); and a controller (Paragraph 0034 The vehicle Ve is controlled by the controller (referred to as "ECU" in FIG. 1) 10 as an electronic control unit including a microcomputer. ) configured to: determine whether entry into an acceleration state accompanied by turbo lag of the engine is expected while the engine is operating (Paragraph 0073 In FIG. 7, the dashed curves respectively represent the predicted value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7, and an activation state of the wastegate valve 23 and the acceleration changed by the acceleration expediting control. ), increase a boost pressure of the supercharger prior to the entry into the acceleration state when the entry into the acceleration state is expected (Paragraph 0075 On the other hand, in the case of accelerating the vehicle Ve using the predicted value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7, the predicted value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 reaches the supercharging starting point at point t31 which is earlier than point t32 so that the wastegate valve 23 is closed at point t31. As a result, the acceleration of the vehicle Ve increases from point t32 to point t33 at a higher rate as shown in FIG. 7. ), and control a torque of the driving motor to offset an increased engine torque of the engine that is increased to increase the boost pressure (Paragraph 0086 On the other hand, in the case of accelerating the vehicle Ve using the predicted value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7, the predicted value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 reaches the engine starting point at point t41 which is earlier than point t42 so that the engine 31 is started at point t41. As a result, the acceleration of the vehicle Ve increases from point t43 which is earlier than point t44. ). Regarding claim 10, the claim is commensurate in scope with claim 1 with the exception that claim 10 is directed to a method. Therefore, the same prior art can be applied to claim 10 as was applied to claim 1. Regarding claims 2 and 11, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth above. Takeichi further teaches wherein the controller is configured to: collect at least one piece of driving information and determine whether the entry into the acceleration state is expected, based on the at least one piece of collected information (Paragraph 0043 At step S4, specifically, an initial increasing value of the change amount of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 at a point when the change amount of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 starts increasing in the first phase, and a current value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7, are detected. Then, the first predicted value is calculated by adding the initial increasing value of the change amount of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 to a doubled difference between the current value of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 and the initial increasing value of the change amount of the position of the accelerator pedal 7. ). The Examiner notes that limitations of this claim are recited in the alternative and as such prior art is not presented for all claim limitations. Regarding claims 3 and 12, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 2 and 11 as set forth above. Takeichi further teaches wherein the controller is configured to collect the at least one piece of information by at least one of a sensor or a navigation device provided in the hybrid electric vehicle (Paragraph 0033 Specifically, the detector 8 comprises… an accelerator position sensor Sd that detects an operating amount (i.e., a depression or a position) of the accelerator pedal 7… ). Regarding claims 6 and 15, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth above. Takeichi further teaches an engine clutch configured to selectively connect the engine and the driving motor (Paragraph 0071 In this case, an electromagnetic clutch (not shown) is arranged e.g., between an output shaft of the engine 21 and the supercharger 22. The electromagnetic clutch is connected electrically to the controller 10 so that the electromagnetic clutch is controlled by a command signal transmitted from the controller 10. ), wherein when the entry into the acceleration state is expected, the controller is configured to control the engine to maintain the operation of the engine or control the engine clutch to maintain engagement of the engine clutch (Paragraph 0071 In this case, a supercharging pressure generated by the supercharger 22 and timings to start and stop supercharging can be controlled by engaging and disengaging the electromagnetic clutch. ). Regarding claims 7 and 16, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth above. Takeichi further teaches wherein the controller is configured to: determine a predetermined target boost pressure when the entry into the acceleration state is expected, and control the engine to generate the increased engine torque so that the boost pressure of the supercharger reaches the predetermined target boost pressure prior to entering the acceleration state (Paragraph 0071 In this case, a supercharging pressure generated by the supercharger 22 and timings to start and stop supercharging can be controlled by engaging and disengaging the electromagnetic clutch. ) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 4, 9, 13, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeichi in view of Ulrey (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0029749) . Regarding claims 4 and 13, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 2 and 11 as set forth above. However, Takeichi does not teach wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a launch control function is activated based on the at least one piece of collected information, and when the launch control function is activated, the controller is configured to determine that the entry into the acceleration state is expected. Ulrey, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for controlling a supercharger of a vehicle. The system may increase the pressure of a supercharger in anticipation of acceleration when the system enters a launch control mode (Paragraph 0029 If it is determined at 308 that hydraulic brake pressure has dropped by a threshold amount, method 300 proceeds to 310 to enable the pre-boost operation. The drop in hydraulic brake pressure may indicate the operator has released the brake pedal in order to accelerate and enable vehicle movement. In turbocharged engines, acceleration following idle conditions (such as when a vehicle starts to move following a stop at a stoplight) can often result in an acceleration lag due to the lack of exhaust output to spin the turbine of the turbocharger. The pre-boost is enabled following brake pedal release in order to generate extra exhaust output to spin the turbine, and increase acceleration torque for a subsequent vehicle launch. In order to generate increased turbine spinning, airflow through the engine may be increased. Thus, more exhaust flow will occur, and the turbine can spin with increased speed, driving the compressor to compress the increased airflow into the engine. ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Takeichi with the teachings of Ulrey which teaches increasing the pressure of a supercharger in anticipation of acceleration when the system enters a launch control mode in order to decrease turbo lag in launch control mode (See Ulrey Paragraph 0007 By both pre-boosting the engine and decreasing alternator load at vehicle launch, turbo lag can be reduced. ). Regarding claims 9 and 18, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth above. However, Takeichi does not teach wherein the controller is configured to: determine the increased engine torque of the engine to increase the boost pressure, and an anti-phase torque having a phase opposite to a phase of the increased engine torque, and control the torque of the driving motor based on the anti-phase torque to offset the increased engine torque. Ulrey, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for controlling a supercharger of a vehicle. The system determines if the engine torque will increase during pre-boosting of the engine and controls the torque of the engine during pre-boosting to compensate for the increased torque (Paragraph 0032 Enabling the pre-boost also includes retarding spark timing at 316 and advancing intake cam timing at 318. By retarding spark timing, power generated during combustion may be limited so that excess torque and engine speed can be avoided. Additionally, intake cam timing may be advanced to the best volumetric efficiency position during the pre-boost. Because there may be a lag associated with advancing cam timing, advancing during the pre-boost will enable the cam timing to be in the optimal position during a subsequent vehicle launch. ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Takeichi with the teachings of Ulrey which teaches determining if the engine torque will increase during pre-boosting of the engine and controlling the torque of the engine during pre-boosting to compensate for the increased torque in order to avoid excess engine torque (See Ulrey Paragraph 0032 By retarding spark timing, power generated during combustion may be limited so that excess torque and engine speed can be avoided. ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 5, 8, 14, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeichi in view of Dufford (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0218862) . Regarding claims 5 and 14, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 2 and 11 as set forth above. Takeichi further teaches wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the hybrid electric vehicle is coasting based on the at least one piece of collected information (Paragraph 0037 Then, it is determined at step S2 whether the driver is operating the accelerator, in other words, whether the accelerator pedal 7 is currently being depressed. Specifically, it is determined whether the change amount of the position of the accelerator pedal 7 obtained at step S1 is greater than a threshold value D1 set based on a result of a simulation or a drive test. ). However, Takeichi does not teach wherein when a number of acceleration requests for a certain period of time is greater than a reference number of times, or when a slope or curvature of a road in front of the hybrid electric vehicle is greater than a reference value while the hybrid electric vehicle is coasting, the controller is configured to determine that the entry into the acceleration state is expected. Dufford, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for controlling a supercharger of a vehicle. The system may determine that entry into an acceleration state is expected based on an upcoming slope in front of the vehicle (Paragraph 0053 The system determines one or more predicted acceleration events for the predicted route set based on navigational map information, such as the location of terrain or political features (210). In some implementations, the acceleration events may be based on vehicle information, driver behavior patterns, route history, traffic conditions, road conditions, or a combination of the obtained information. For example, extracted terrain information from the navigational map information may indicate that there is feature, such as a hill or a steep incline along a portion of the route set, and the system may classify a location of one of the features, such as a mountain slope, as a predicted acceleration event. ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Takeichi with the teachings of Dufford which teaches determining that entry into an acceleration state is expected based on an upcoming slope in front of the vehicle in order to prepare the engine for upcoming demand (See Dufford Paragraph 0007 The electronic control unit may be configured to obtain, from the one or more external databases and the navigation unit, navigational map information and vehicle information, determine a predicted route set including a destination location based on the navigational map information and the vehicle information, determine one or more predicted acceleration events for the predicted route set, detect a respective acceleration event of the one or more predicted acceleration events based on the predicted route set and a first location of the vehicle, and transmit a signal to a turbocharger coupled to an engine to prepare for the respective acceleration event. ). Regarding claims 8 and 17, Takeichi teaches the system/method of claims 7 and 16 as set forth above. However, Takeichi does not teach wherein the predetermined target boost pressure is set to have different target boost pressures based on whether the acceleration state is transient or sustained. Dufford, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for controlling a supercharger of a vehicle. The system determines a target boost pressure for pre-boosting the supercharger based on the type of acceleration event that is anticipated (Paragraph 0066 The one or more additional signals may control the speed of the turbine in the turbocharger 118 and may manage the pressure intake or manifold pressure of the turbocharger 118. Each predicted acceleration events may have a corresponding predicted level of acceleration. A predicted acceleration event may initially have a default level of acceleration that is adjusted as the system learns the desired level of acceleration based on a diver's identify and driving patterns, vehicle information, route history, navigational information, and traffic conditions. ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Takeichi with the teachings of Dufford which teaches determining a target boost pressure for pre-boosting the supercharger based on the type of acceleration event that is anticipated in order to adequately prepare the engine for the upcoming acceleration (See Dufford Paragraph 0066 In some implementations, the system may send one or more additional signals that indicate the level of acceleration specific to an approaching acceleration event. The level of acceleration may be based on the specification of the turbocharger 118, the specifications of the engine, or any other acceleration parameter. ). Conclusion 07-96 The prior art made of the record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Choi – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0180628 Chunodkar – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0263400 Okuda – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2023/0339487 Xiao – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0283268 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK D MOHL whose telephone number is (571)272-8987. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:00AM-4:00PM. 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, Anne Antonucci can be reached at (313) 446-6519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /PATRICK DANIEL MOHL/Examiner, Art Unit 3666 /ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 2 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 3 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 4 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 5 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 6 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 7 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 8 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 9 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 10 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 19/200,285 Page 11 Art Unit: 3666
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