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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 were originally filed on 06/12/2025 and claimed priority on KR10-2024-0168817, which was filed on 11/22/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on 06/12/2025 has been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith.
Claim Objections
Claims 8-10, and 18-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 8-9 and 18-19 recite “the actual braking torque”. Applicant should amend claims 8-9 and 18-19 to read “an actual braking torque” as this is the first time the actual braking torque is being introduced.
Claim 18 states “the change is detected” in line 3 but then says “a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, and the actual braking torque is detected” in lines 6-7. Applicant should rephrase the claim to so that there are no antecedent issues. (e.g. The method of claim 12, further comprising: when a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, and an actual braking torque is detected while the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, updating the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table.).
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 4, 6, 9, 11-12, 14, 16, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsukamoto et al (US 20180009420 A1) (Hereinafter referred to as Tsukamoto)
Regarding Claim 1, Tsukamoto teaches a brake system comprising:
a plurality of electromechanical brakes (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0008, and 0033, the electric brake system includes electromechanical brakes on each wheel) comprising motors respectively installed in wheels of a vehicle and configured to generate braking forces (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0008, 0033, and 0055, the brake device for each wheel includes a motor, which generates a braking force/torque); and
a controller configured to receive a signal outputted from a brake pedal sensor of the vehicle (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0033-0035, 0041, and Figure 1, the ECU, which is interpreted to be part of the controller, receives a signal from a brake pedal sensor), determine target braking torque (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0014 0041, and 0068, the target pressing force/braking torque is determined using the signal from the brake pedal), and apply motor-applied currents to the motors on the basis of the target braking torque (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0069-0070, the current/power applied to the motor is based on the target pressing force/braking torque),
wherein the controller decreases the motor-applied current by a predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when the target braking torque is maintained for a preset period of time (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0009-0010, and 0084-0090, the current consumption is reduced to the minimum value at which the current pressing force can be kept when the pressing force/braking torque is kept constant for a predetermined time).
Regarding Claim 11, Tsukamoto teaches a method of controlling a brake system (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraph 0008, and Figure 1), the method comprising:
determining target braking torque on the basis of a signal outputted from a brake pedal sensor of a vehicle (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0014, 0033-0035, 0041, and 0068, the target pressing force/braking torque is determined using the signal from the brake pedal);
applying a motor-applied current to a motor on the basis of the target braking torque (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0069-0070, the current/power applied to the motor is based on the target pressing force/braking torque);
determining whether the target braking torque is maintained for a preset period of time (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0009-0010 and 0089, the system determines whether the pressing force/braking torque is kept constant for a predetermined time); and
decreasing the motor-applied current by a predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when the target braking torque is maintained for the preset period of time (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0009-0010, and 0084-0090, the current consumption is reduced to the minimum value at which the current pressing force can be kept when the pressing force/braking torque is kept constant for a predetermined time).
Regarding Claim 2, Tsukamoto teaches the controller comprises: a motor controller configured to apply the motor-applied current to the motor on the basis of the target braking torque (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0008, 0041, 0067-0069, and Figure 1, the DRV is interpreted as the motor controller); and
a brake controller configured to transmit the target braking torque to the motor controller (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0041, and Figure 1, the ECU, which is interpreted as the brake controller, transmits the target pressing force/braking torque to the motor controller/DRV).
Regarding Claims 4 and 12, Tsukamoto teaches the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current is determined on the basis of a predefined mapping table (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0069 and Figure 4, the preset calculation maps are interpreted as the predefined mapping table).
Regarding Claim 6, Tsukamoto teaches the controller increases the motor-applied current when a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, and actual braking torque is detected after the controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0061, 0096-0097, 0099, and Figure 7, the current is increased when the actual braking torque/pressing force Fba changes after the current was decreased).
Regarding Claims 9 and 19, Tsukamoto teaches the controller increases the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, the actual braking torque, and the target braking torque is not detected when the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0056, 0061, 0094, 0096-0097, 0099, and Figures 6-7, the amount of decrease of the current is increased beyond the minimum value when no change is detected in the position of the motor and the actual braking torque/pressing force).
Regarding Claim 14, Tsukamoto teaches increasing the motor-applied current when a change in position of the motor is detected after the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0056, 0094, 0097, and Figure 6, the current is increased when the position of the motor Mka changes after the current was decreased).
Regarding Claim 16, Tsukamoto teaches increasing the motor-applied current when a change in actual braking torque is detected after the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0061, 0096-0097, 0099, and Figure 7, the current is increased when the actual braking torque/pressing force Fba changes after the current was decreased).
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 3, 7, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukamoto in view of Hirotaka (JP2000016279A) (Hereinafter referred to as Hirotaka)
Regarding Claim 3, even though Tsukamoto teaches a motor controller and a brake controller, Tsukamoto fails to explicitly disclose the brake controller transmits a hysteresis control signal to the motor controller when the target braking torque is maintained for the preset period of time, and
the motor controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when the motor controller receives the hysteresis control signal.
However, Hirotaka teaches the brake controller transmits a hysteresis control signal to the motor controller when the target braking torque is maintained for the preset period of time (See at least Hirotaka Paragraphs 0006, 0019-0021, and Figure 1, the brake controller 8 transmits a hysteresis control signal K to the motor controller 7 when the braking force has the same value for a certain period of time), and
the motor controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when the motor controller receives the hysteresis control signal (See at least Hirotaka Paragraphs 0006, 0019-0021, and Figure 1, the motor controller 7 lowers the current to the motor when the hysteresis control signal K is received).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto with Hirotaka to have the motor controller decrease the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current when the motor controller receives the hysteresis control signal. This modification, as taught by Hirotaka, would maintain the desired braking force while reducing the current consumption of the motor so that deterioration over time due to heat generation of the current can be correspondingly reduced, and the life of the mounted device can be extended, and the traveling distance can be increased for an electric vehicle by reducing battery consumption (See at least Hirotaka Paragraph 0028).
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, Tsukamoto fails to disclose when a change in the target braking torque is detected after the controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller increases or decreases the motor-applied current on the basis of the changed target braking torque.
However, Hirotaka teaches when a change in the target braking torque is detected after the controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller increases or decreases the motor-applied current on the basis of the changed target braking torque (See at least Hirotaka Paragraphs 0018-0021, and Figures 3-4, after the current is decreased to the value calculated in S15, the process is repeated and if the target braking torque detected from the pedaling force sensor changes, the current is set to the value calculated in s11, which is based on the changed target braking torque).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto with Hirotaka to increase or decrease the motor-applied current on the basis of the changed target braking torque. This modification, as taught by Hirotaka, would adjust the current on the basis of the target braking force value detected from the pedaling force sensor even after the current was decreased (See at least Hirotaka Paragraphs 0018-0021, and Figures 3-4), thus, allowing the driver to adjust the braking force/torque.
Claims 5, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukamoto in view of Lim (US 20230365107 A1) (Hereinafter referred to as Lim)
Regarding Claims 5 and 13, Tsukamoto teaches the predefined mapping table is configured by a corresponding relationship between the target braking torque, a temperature of the motor,… and the amount of decrease in electric current for maintaining actual braking torque in accordance with the target braking torque (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0069, 0111-0113, and Figure 9, the amount of decrease in current is related to the target pressing force/braking torque and the temperature of the motor).
Tsukamoto fails to disclose the predefined mapping table is configured by an abrasion degree of a brake pad.
However, Lim teaches a corresponding relationship between the target braking torque, an abrasion degree of a brake pad, and the amount electric current for maintaining actual braking torque in accordance with the target braking torque (See at least Lim Paragraphs 0008, 0082, 0085, and Figure 10, the abrasion/wear of the brake pad has a relationship with the braking force and current).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto with Lim to have the predefined mapping be configured by a corresponding relationship between the target braking torque, a temperature of the motor, an abrasion degree of a brake pad, and the amount of decrease in electric current for maintaining actual braking torque in accordance with the target braking torque. Lim teaches the abrasion of the brake pad has an effect on the braking force generated from the current (See at least Lim Paragraphs 0008, 0082, 0085, and Figure 10). By taking into account the abrasion of the brake pad, the system in Tsukamoto can more accurately control the actual braking force according to the target braking torque.
Claims 8, 10, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukamoto in view of Shibata (US 20250136075 A1) (Hereinafter referred to as Shibata)
Regarding Claims 8 and 18, Tsukamoto fails to explicitly disclose when a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, and the actual braking torque is detected while the controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller updates the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table.
However, Shibata teaches when a change in at least any one of a position of the motor, a position of a brake pad, and the actual braking torque is detected while the controller decreases the motor-applied current by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller updates the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table (See at least Shibata Paragraphs 0038-0041 and Figure 2, a change of the actual braking torque/force is detected when the current is decreased by the predetermined amount corresponding to sections (B) and (C), and the amount of decrease is updated at the end of section (A), which occurs at a time point before the change is detected in section (C), wherein the predetermined amount of decrease is according to the predefined graph/table; See at least Shibata Paragraph 0053, the holding period of section (B) occurs for a certain amount of time, which is interpreted as a predetermined period of time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto with Shibata to update the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table. This modification, as taught by Shibata, would achieve the benefit of the electric-current reduction because the holding period is secured for a certain amount of time (See at least Shibata Paragraph 0053).
Regarding Claims 10 and 20, Tsukamoto fails to explicitly disclose when the change in at least any one of the position of the motor, the position of the brake pad, and the actual braking torque is detected while the motor-applied current is further decreased while corresponding to the increase in the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller updates the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table.
However, Shibata teaches when the change in at least any one of the position of the motor, the position of the brake pad, and the actual braking torque is detected while the motor-applied current is further decreased while corresponding to the increase in the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, the controller updates the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table (See at least Shibata Paragraphs 0038-0041 and Figure 2, a change of the actual braking torque/force is detected when the current is further decreased by the predetermined amount corresponding to section (C), and the amount of decrease is updated at the end of section (A), which occurs at a time point before the change is detected in section (C), wherein the predetermined amount of decrease is according to the predefined graph/table; See at least Shibata Paragraph 0053, the holding period of section (B) occurs for a certain amount of time, which is interpreted as a predetermined period of time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto with Shibata to update the amount of decrease in electric current at a time point before a time point, at which the change is detected, by a predetermined period of time, to the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current in the predefined mapping table. This modification, as taught by Shibata, would achieve the benefit of the electric-current reduction because the holding period is secured for a certain amount of time (See at least Shibata Paragraph 0053).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukamoto
Regarding Claim 15, Tsukamoto fails to disclose increasing the motor-applied current when a change in position of a brake pad is detected after the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current.
However, Tsukamoto teaches increasing the motor-applied current when a change in actual braking torque is detected after the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current, and that the actual braking torque is changed when the position of a brake pad changes (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0051-0055, 0061, 0096-0097, 0099, and Figure 7, the current is increased when the actual braking torque/pressing force Fba changes after the current was decreased, and the pressing force/actual braking torque changes as the position of the brake pad/friction member changes).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the teachings disclosed in Tsukamoto to increase the motor-applied current when a change in position of a brake pad is detected after the motor-applied current is decreased by the predetermined amount of decrease in electric current. Tsukamoto teaches that the pressing force/braking torque decreases as the brake pad moves away from the rotating member (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0051-0055). By increasing the current when the change in position of the brake pad is detected, the system can increase the actual braking torque to the target braking torque whenever the actual braking torque falls below the target braking torque due to the brake pad moving away from the rotating member (See at least Tsukamoto Paragraphs 0051-0055, 0061, 0096-0097, 0099, and Figure 7), thus, improving the accuracy of the brake system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shibata (US 20250222907 A1) teaches a brake device for a vehicle
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/ESVINDER SINGH/Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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