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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Re claim 1, it is recommended the phrasing of the second paragraph be adjusted: “the charger includes a switching device configured to selectively electrically connect one of the first power path and the second power path to the power storage device” to avoid potential confusion as to whether the limitation is only requiring connection to one of the paths in the alternative. Other similar phrasing or further detail of the structure/connection of the switching device may also resolve this issue.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mitsuya (JP2013-240191A; specific reference is made to English translation provided by Applicant).
Re claim 1. Mitsuya teaches a controller (ECU <300>, see Mitsuya: [0038-0050], Figs. 1-3 regarding ECU control) that controls a charger (charging device <170>, ACR <195>, power lines <ACL1-6,PL3,NL3>, voltage sensors <310-330>, see Mitsuya: [0038-0050], Figs. 1-3 regarding connection arrangement) configured to be electrically connectable to each of a first power path (power path between inlet <175> and charging device <170>), a second power path (power path between charging device <170> and outlet <190>), and a power storage device (power storage device <110>), wherein
the charger includes a switching device (ACR <195>) configured to electrically connect one of the first power path and the second power path to the power storage device (see Mitsuya: [0047-0048], Figs. 1-3 regarding switch control to selectively connect one of paths to storage device <110> via charging device <170>),
the controller is configured to control the charger to charge the power storage device with electric power supplied from the first power path while the power storage device and the first power path are electrically connected via the charger (see Mitsuya: [0036-0037], [0044], [0054], Figs. 1-2 regarding control to selectively connect to inlet <175> for charging storage),
the controller is configured to control the charger to supply electric power to the second power path using electric power supplied from the power storage device while the power storage device and the second power path are electrically connected via the charger (see Mitsuya: [0043-0044] [0048], Figs. 1, 3 regarding control selectively connect to outlet <190> to supply power from storage),
the controller is configured to conduct a first inspection and a second inspection (failure diagnosis process of Mitsuya: Fig. 4),
the first inspection includes:
controlling the switching device such that, during application of a voltage (see Mitsuya: [0066-0069], Figs. 2-4 regarding charging device <170> outputting voltage that reaches <ACL3,ACL4> during diagnosis) between a first power line (<ACL4>) and a second power line (<ACL3>) constituting the first power path, the first power line is electrically connected to the power storage device and the second power line is disconnected from the power storage device (see Mitsuya: [0066-0067], Figs. 2-4 regarding ECU sending control signals to attempt to connect <ACL4> and disconnect <ACL3> from charging device <170>); and
determining whether or not the switching device is faulty based on a voltage applied on a side on which the power storage device is located with respect to the switching device (see Mitsuya: [0066-0069], Figs. 2-4 regarding determining if ACRH or ACRC have adhesion failures based on voltage values <V1,V2> which are based on a voltage <V3> being applied on side of relays closer to the storage device), and
the second inspection includes:
in response to a determination in the first inspection that the switching device is not faulty (see Mitsuya: [0070], Fig. 4 regarding subsequent inspection in response),
controlling the switching device such that the second power line is electrically connected to the power storage device and the first power line is disconnected from the power storage device (see Mitsuya: [0071], Figs. 2-4 regarding ECU sending control signals to attempt to connect <ACL3> and disconnect <ACL4> from charging device <170>); and
determining whether or not the switching device is faulty based on the voltage applied on the side on which the power storage device is located with respect to the switching device (see Mitsuya: [0071-0073], Figs. 2-4 regarding determining if ACRH or ACRC have adhesion failures based on voltage values <V1,V2> which are based on the voltage <V3> being applied on side of relays closer to the storage device). See Mitsuya: [0038-0050], [0054], [0066-0073], Figs. 1-4. Note also that other cited prior art of record, such as those noted below, may potentially apply to the limitations as they are currently broadly claimed.
Re claim 2. Mitsuya teaches a charging system comprising: the controller according to claim 1; and the charger configured to be controlled by the controller, wherein the charger includes a power conversion circuit (charging device <170>, see Mitsuya: [0038], Figs. 1-3) located between the switching device and the power storage device, and a first voltage sensor (voltage sensor <330>, see Mitsuya: [0062], Figs. 2-3) configured to detect a first voltage applied between the switching device and the power conversion circuit, the power conversion circuit is configured to convert DC power supplied from the power storage device into AC power and output the AC power to the switching device, the power conversion circuit is configured to convert AC power supplied from the first power path into DC power and output the DC power to the power storage device (see Mitsuya: [0038], Figs. 1-3 regarding bidirectional ac/dc converter <170>), and the first voltage sensor is configured to output a detection value of the first voltage to the controller (see Mitsuya: [0062-0063], Figs. 2-3).
Re claim 3. Mitsuya teaches the charging system according to claim 2, wherein the switching device includes a first C contact relay (relay <ACRC> of ACR <195>) and a second C contact relay (relay <ACRH> of ACR <195>), and each of the first C contact relay and the second C contact relay is configured to disconnect the power conversion circuit from one power path of the first power path and the second power path while connecting the power conversion circuit to the other power path of the first power path and the second power path (see Mitsuya: [0047], [0052-0053], Figs. 1-3 regarding C type changeover relays of <195> changing connection between power paths to inlet <175> and outlet <190>).
Re claim 6. Mitsuya teaches a vehicle (vehicle <100>, see Mitsuya: [0018], Fig. 1) comprising the charging system according to claim 2, the vehicle comprising: an inlet (inlet <175>, see Mitsuya: [0037-0038], Figs. 1-3) electrically connected to the first power path; and an outlet (outlet <190>, see Mitsuya: [0043], Figs. 1-3) electrically connected to the second power path, wherein the vehicle is configured to be able to execute AC charging in which AC power supplied from an outside of the vehicle to the inlet is converted into DC power by the charger, and the DC power is supplied to the power storage device (see Mitsuya: [0037-0038], Figs. 1-3), and the controller is configured to start the first inspection in response to the AC charging being ended (see Mitsuya: [0060-0061] regarding performing relay failure diagnosis after end of external charging mode and changing to power feeding mode).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 7-8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 4 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, does not teach, suggest, or render obvious a charging system having specific combination of features including particular circuit and manner of operation to perform first and second inspection as recited in claims 1-3, and further “wherein the controller is configured to determine in the first inspection that the second C contact relay is welded, when the first voltage does not fall by controlling the switching device during application of a voltage from the first power path to the power conversion circuit such that the first C contact relay connects the power conversion circuit to the first power path and the second C contact relay connects the power conversion circuit to the second power path”. As discussed above, the closest prior art of record, Mitsuya, teaches a vehicle charging system which uses two C contact relays to changeover battery and conversion circuit between first path for receiving power to charge battery and second path to output power from the battery, and performing first and second inspections to alternately switch each connection and determine welding based on voltage sensing of voltage being applied to the power lines. However, Mitsuya does not teach or suggest that the first or second inspection determines respective welding of the relays using first voltage measured by first voltage sensor located between the switching device and the power conversion circuit, together with the further recited details of claims 1-4 in combination. Although Mitsuya further mentions welding detection using the first voltage sensor, Mitsuya does not teach or suggest the further welding detection involving the alternately controlled connection steps of the first and second inspection sequence in such case. Although further prior art such as Yumoto (US2020/0247255) and similar discloses vehicle relay diagnosis arrangements which may detect welding using a voltage sensor located between the relay and power storage side while controlling positive/negative relay to alternate connection, the further prior art does not sufficiently teach or suggest application to the specific changeover relay between charging power path and supply path as is required by combination of features in claims 1-3. Claim 4, in light of Applicant’s Specification and Drawings, therefore would overcome the cited prior art of record upon incorporation of the intervening claims.
Claims 5, 7-8 would be allowed for being dependent on claim 4.
Conclusion
In summary, it is recommended Applicant consider the indicated allowable subject matter and cited prior art of record and ensure the independent claim recites sufficient features to overcome similar prior art of record. Applicant is generally advised that there are generally similar relay fault/welding diagnosis systems, and to consider recitation of specific vehicle circuit in combination with manner of diagnosis as indicated to overcome similar prior art of record.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yumoto (US2020/0247255) discloses a similar relay welding inspection system using first voltage sensor on side closer to battery side while alternating switch connection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID A SHIAO whose telephone number is (571)270-7265. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571) 272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID A SHIAO/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
