DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Application
This Office Action is in response to Application Serial 19/219,072. Claims 1-5 are examined below.
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 . 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on May 27, 2025 was filed after the mailing date is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 2024-120418, filed on 26 July 2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim(s) 1-5 are process.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim 1 recites, “… accepting, from each of a plurality of users, user designation of one or more power supply conditions for requesting power supply …; performing processing that includes a prediction step of predicting a date and time at which the one or more power supply conditions pertaining to the user designation are satisfied as a target date and time and a determination step of determining an operation plan for dispatching … at the target date and time; and repeatedly performing the processing each time the power supply to the vehicle is completed, with respect to the each of the plurality of users…” Claims 1-5 in view of the claim limitations, are managing a mobile vehicle charging service. The abstract idea of managing a service is a commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities of behaviors; business relations) and (managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions), and thus, the claims recite certain methods of organizing human activity, and therefore are directed to a judicial exception under the first prong of Step 2A.
Furthermore, managing a service is can be completed using the human mind, pen, and paper. Predicting a date and time at which the one or more power supply conditions pertaining to the user designation are satisfied as a target date and time and a determination step of determining an operation plan for dispatching … at the target date and time is a mental concept.
The claims recite abstract concepts that are certain methods of organizing human activity and mental concepts. The claims recite certain methods of organizing human activity and mental concepts, and therefore, are directed to a judicial exception.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application under the second prong of Step 2A. In particular, the claims recite the additional elements beyond the recited abstract idea of, “a method performed by an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus being used for providing a rush power supply service that dispatches a power supply vehicle to supply power to a vehicle of a user, the method comprising”, “to the vehicle”, “the power supply vehicle”, however, when viewed as an ordered combination, and pursuant to the broadest reasonable interpretation, each of the additional elements are computing elements recite adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea – see MPEP 2106.05 (f).
(Examiner submits the power supply could be an additional element. In this application the applicant is measuring power supply and requesting power supply.)
Regarding an improvement, the claims do not recite improvements that are rooted in technology. As discussed above, it is MPEP 2106.05 (f). The claims are using the pawer supply conditions to determine the charge state which is generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. See MPEP 2106.05(h).
The dependent claims do not recite additional elements beyond those that are recited in the independent claims.
Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on the abstract idea. The claims also fail to recite any improvements to another technology or technical field, improvements to the functioning of the computer itself, use of a particular machine, effecting transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing.
At Step 2B, the claims when considered as a whole do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claim are applying the additional elements to conduct the judicial exception. See MPEP 2106.05(f). As discussed above, the additional elements when considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
At step 2B, it is MPEP 2106.05 (d) – Receiving or transmitting data over a network, e.g., using the Internet to gather data, Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362 (utilizing an intermediary computer to forward information).
Dependent claims 2-5 further narrow the abstract idea of independent claim 1. The claims 1-5 are not patent eligible.
Moreover, aside from the aforementioned additional elements, the remaining elements of dependent claims 2-5 do not transform the recited abstract idea into a patent eligible invention because these claims merely recite further limitations that provide no more than simply narrowing the recited abstract idea.
Since there are no limitations in these claims that transform the exception into a patent eligible application such that these claims amount to significantly more than the exception itself, claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C.103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (2020, Mobile Charging as a Service: A Reservation-Based Approach) in view of NowYouKnow (2020, Spark Charge | Range to the Rescue).
Regarding Claim 1,
A method performed by an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus being used for providing a rush power supply service that dispatches a power supply vehicle to supply power to a vehicle of a user, the method comprising:
Zhang teaches the design of an intelligent mobile charging platform with more practical concerns, i.e., a limited number of mobile chargers equipped with restricted charge capacity, wherein recharging may need when the charger’s battery SOC is low. Zhang [p. 1977 Column 1 paragraph 3].
Zhang teaches in general, EVs are equipped with wireless devices (e.g., 3G/LTE and so on [22]) that allow for communicating with the CA via cellular networks, facilitating reservation-making for future charging demand. Specifically, the communication between central aggregator (CA) and Mobile Power Units (MPU)s. Zhang [p. 1978 Column 2 paragraph 3], [Figure 1].
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accepting, from each of a plurality of users, user designation of one or more power supply conditions for requesting power supply to the vehicle;
Zhang teaches MPU – SOC, and MPUS will contact the CA for choosing appropriate FCSs to replenish energies when their SOCs are low. Zhang [p.1978].
Zhang teaches upon receiving the demand, the CA makes inquires to all FCSs for candidate MPUs.1 By computing locally, each FCS replies a candidate MPU to the CA. The CA then selects an optimal MPU from the candidates based on a global MPU-selection decision making and notifies the requestor EV of the best MPU choice. Upon receiving the MPU arrangement, the EV then reports its charging reservation to the CA at the MPU. As such, a reservation queue will be formed at the candidate MPU with the help of CA orchestration. Under our scenario, each MPU is assumed to be able to charge one EV at a time, which is in line with practical scenarios . Zhang [Figure 1], [p.1978 column 2 paragraph 2].
Zhang teaches the CA receives candidate MPUs from all Fixed Charging Station (FCS)s in the charging network and making decisions on optimal MPU selection. Zhang [p. 1979 column 1 paragraph 1].
Zhang Figure 4 illustrates protocol for mobile charging scheduling.
Zhang teaches reservation message. Zhang [p.1981 Step 6].
performing processing that includes a prediction step of predicting a date and time at which the one or more power supply conditions pertaining to the user designation are satisfied as a target date and time and a determination step of determining an operation plan for dispatching the power supply vehicle at the target date and time;
Zhang teaches the reservation-based mobile charging scheduling scheme. Zhang [p. 1977 Column 1 paragraph 4], [Figure 1].;
Zhang teaches estimate the availability regarding individual MPUs. Zhang [p.1979 column 1 paragraph 1].
and repeatedly performing the processing each time the power supply to the vehicle is completed, with respect to the each of the plurality of users.
Zhang Figure 1 and the associated text.
SparkCharge [2:21] teaches a charging management software which allows the clients to optimize fleet from state of charge, to scheduling, to data rich insights (charge reporting including charges and vehicles and last charges).
Although Zhang teaches dispatch, report or message a reservation, Examiner relies on Spark Charge to further teach :
… that dispatches a power supply vehicle to supply power to a vehicle of a user … a determination step of determining an operation plan for dispatching the power supply vehicle …
Spark Charge [2:19] teaches SparkCharge can be delivered using a press of a button or phone call. Spark [2:30] Or, someone meeting you at a rest stop and charge your vehicle. Spark [2:40] teaches a roadside application, example on a tow truck (atlas, G1) brings charge to provide range. Spark [11:13] teaches the spark network, mobile app, to request a charge and schedule a charge.
Zhang teaches EVs still require a significant amount of time to replenish their energy, the frequency of charging services is relatively high. SparkCharge teaches dispatching charge services to the motor vehicle using a portable charge battery. It would have been obvious combine before the effective filing date, considering battery capacity and EV full charge range, as taught by Zhang, with using a mobile app to request a charge and schedule a charge, so that someone meets you at a rest stop and charge your vehicle, as taught by Spark Charge., SparkCharge [2:30].
Regarding Claim 2,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more power supply conditions include a first condition designating a range of a remaining battery capacity of the vehicle and a second condition designating a day of week and a time of day.
Zhang teaches a Nissan Leaf EV on a full charge can achieve up to 107 miles of range, which still may not be enough to cover additional driving. The limitations in battery capacity have been considered as one of the major barriers to large-scale adoption of EVs, commonly known as range anxiety. While there are solutions to alleviate such concerns, such as quick chargers (i.e., level-3 chargers) and battery swapping techniques. Zhang [p.1976 column 2 paragraph 2]. ;
Zhang teaches as shown in Fig. 1, an EV needs additional charging while on-the-move or parked. A mobile charging service is then demanded by the EV and sent to the CA, along with a range of charging context information. Such context could include the parking location, desired serving time point, charging duration, and so on. In the case that a mobile charging request is made while on the move, the EV will then drive toward an appropriate parking spot. Zhang [Figure 1], [p.1978 column 2 paragraph 2].
Regarding Claim 3,
The method according to claim 2, wherein the prediction step includes a step of acquiring remaining capacity information indicating an estimated future remaining battery capacity of the vehicle and predicting, based on the remaining capacity information, a latest date and time at which the first condition and the second condition pertaining to the user designation are satisfied as the target date and time.
Zhang [Figure 1], [p.1978 column 2 paragraph 2].
Regarding Claim 4,
The method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more power supply conditions further include a third condition designating a power supply location for the power supply vehicle, and the prediction step includes a step of acquiring remaining capacity information indicating an estimated future remaining battery capacity of the vehicle and schedule information indicating a date and time at which the power supply vehicle can travel, and predicting, based on the remaining capacity information and the schedule information, a latest date and time at which the first condition, the second condition, and the third condition pertaining to the user designation are satisfied as the target date and time.
Zhang Figure 1 and the associated text.; Zhang further teaches Poisson process is used to predict interarrival times and exponential charging time. Zhang [p.1979 column 1 paragraph 3 – see analytical modeling].
Regarding Claim 5,
The method according to claim 4, wherein the prediction step includes a step of predicting, in a case in which the power supply location in the third condition pertaining to user designation from each of two or more users among the plurality of users is within a same area, a latest date and time at which the first condition, the second condition, and the third condition pertaining to the user designation from the each of the two or more users are satisfied as the target date and time, and the determination step includes a step of determining the operation plan for dispatching the power supply vehicle at the target date and time for the two or more users.
Same as Claim 1 - Zhang Figure 1 and the associated text; Spark Charge [2:19]- [2:40] teaches a roadside application, example on a tow truck (atlas, G1) brings charge to provide range. Spark [11:13] teaches the spark network, mobile app, to request a charge and schedule a charge.
Zhang teaches EVs still require a significant amount of time to replenish their energy, the frequency of charging services is relatively high. SparkCharge teaches dispatching charge services to the motor vehicle using a portable charge battery. It would have been obvious combine before the effective filing date, considering battery capacity and EV full charge range, as taught by Zhang, with using a mobile app to request a charge and schedule a charge, so that someone meets you at a rest stop and charge your vehicle, as taught by Spark Charge., SparkCharge [2:30].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SparkCharge (2023, SparkCharge Expands Mobile EV Charging Fleet Service Nationwide – YouTube) SparkCharge teaches charging as a service. SparkCharge teaches mobile fleet management charging. DC fast charge (rush level), and charging software.
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/THEA LABOGIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3624
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