US 11508996

US Patent 11508996, titled "Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method," was issued to inventor Christopher B. Austin. The patent's original assignee was an Individual, and it was later assigned to CHARGELOGIC LLC on February 23, 2026. The patent was filed on March 1, 2021, and issued on November 22, 2022.

Abstract:
The patent describes a vehicle charger, a vehicle charging system, and a method for charging a vehicle battery. The vehicle charger includes a controller, a display, and a user-manipulatable control. A user can input a desired charging session end time, and the controller adjusts the power supply (e.g., increasing/decreasing charge rate, starting/stopping charging) based on the time needed to charge the battery by the user-defined end time.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a vehicle charger with a controller, a display showing time, and user controls to set a charging session end time. The controller manages power supply (e.g., changes charge rate, starts/stops charging) to meet the end time, considering the time required to charge the battery.
• Claim 10: This claim covers a vehicle charger with a controller and memory to save a user-entered time of day. The controller adjusts power supply based on this time. A key feature is that if the battery charge level drops below a threshold, the controller will supply power until that threshold is met, regardless of the programmed time of day.
• Claim 15: This claim focuses on a vehicle charger where the controller, linked to a display, manages power supply based on a time of day and displays the estimated time remaining to complete the battery charge.
• Claim 17: Similar to Claim 15, this claim describes a vehicle charger that displays the amount of power consumed by the battery during the charging session, with the controller managing power based on a time of day.
• Claim 19: This claim also details a vehicle charger that displays the cost of power supplied to the charger, with the controller adjusting power based on a time of day.
• Claim 21: This claim describes a vehicle charger with a display, user controls, and a second controller that communicates with a remote first controller. The second controller can change the charging state of the vehicle charger based on signals from the first controller, which in turn is influenced by a user-entered time of day.
• Claim 23: This claim describes a vehicle charger where the controller manages power supply based on a time of day and transmits a signal if it detects an interruption in the power supply to the charger.
• Claim 25: This claim describes an inductive charging system. It includes a first core on the vehicle and a second stationary core for inductive charging. Sensors detect the relative position of the cores, and a controller displays directional indicators within the vehicle to help the user move the vehicle for better alignment.
• Claim 26: This claim pertains to a vehicle charger with a controller and two electrical connectors on different sides of the vehicle. Both connectors are designed for detachable connection to an external power cord.
• Claim 27: This claim outlines a method for controlling charging of multiple vehicles. It involves establishing communication with each vehicle's charger, obtaining a desired charging completion time from each, and then adjusting the power supply to the chargers based on these completion times.

Litigation Status:
As of April 26, 2026, a search for US11508996 in the CAFC 2026 dockets did not yield any specific results for this patent. However, the Google Patents information for US11508996 indicates that the "Family has litigation," with a US case filed in the Texas Western District Court. The provided search result for "CAFC 2026 dockets US11508996" showed information about a different lawsuit (StratFS, LLC, et al. vs. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, et al.) and not directly related to patent 11508996. Therefore, while there is ongoing litigation for the patent family, there is no direct evidence of a CAFC docket entry specifically for US11508996 in 2026 from the performed search at this time.

Known litigation involving US patent 11508996:

Based on the information provided on the Google Patents page for US11508996, there is one known litigation case.

• Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
• Case Number: 7:26-cv-00100
• Filing Date: The case number 7:26-cv-00100 suggests a filing year of 2026, but the exact filing date is not available from the provided information.
• Plaintiff(s): Not available from the provided information.
• Defendant(s): Not available from the provided information.
• Outcome or Current Status: A US case has been filed in the Texas Western District Court. Further details regarding the outcome or current status are not available from the provided information.

While Google Patents indicates "Family has litigation" and links to a Unified Patents portal for this specific case, the details such as plaintiff(s), defendant(s), and the precise filing date or current status cannot be retrieved without directly accessing the external URL or finding more specific search results.

Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US Patent 11508996. This proceeding is currently pending, initiated by Tesla Inc. against the patent owner, CHARGELOGIC LLC. Given the recent filing, there are no claims invalidated or sustained yet, and the patent's defensive posture remains to be determined by the outcome of this IPR.

IPR2026-00379 — Tesla Inc. v. CHARGELOGIC LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2026-06-18
• Status: Pending. This IPR was filed recently and has not yet reached the institution decision stage.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the assigned judge panel is not yet publicly available through general web search for such a newly filed proceeding.
• Petition grounds: Specific details regarding the claims challenged, prior art cited, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) of the petition are not yet publicly available through general web search for this recently filed IPR.
• Institution decision: Not yet decided. The PTAB has a statutory deadline of six months from the filing date of the preliminary response (or waiver thereof) to issue an institution decision. Given the IPR was filed on 2026-06-18, the institution decision is pending.
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable; the proceeding has not reached this stage.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable; the proceeding is active and in its early stages.
• Appeal: Not applicable; no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: As this IPR is in its very early stages, it currently offers no definitive defensive value regarding claim validity. However, the fact that Tesla Inc. has filed an IPR indicates a potential challenge to the patent's validity, which could impact future assertion strategies if claims are ultimately invalidated. For a defendant facing assertion, monitoring this IPR's progress will be crucial.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US11508996 are UNTESTED through the PTAB AIA trial process, as the single filed IPR (IPR2026-00379) is still pending and has not yet reached an institution decision. This means no claims have been canceled or sustained by the PTAB.

The estoppel landscape under § 315(e)(2) has not yet been formed, as no Final Written Decision has been issued. Once an FWD is issued, the petitioner (Tesla Inc.) and its privies will be barred from asserting in district court or the ITC any grounds of invalidity that were raised or reasonably could have been raised in the IPR. For other defendants, all prior-art grounds remain available for challenge unless they are in privity with Tesla.

The filing of IPR2026-00379 by Tesla Inc. is a significant signal, as Tesla is a major player in the electric vehicle industry. This suggests that the patent's claims are relevant to their interests and that they perceive potential validity weaknesses. The patent owner, CHARGELOGIC LLC, will now need to defend the patent's claims before the PTAB.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant currently being asserted against, the primary next step would be to closely monitor IPR2026-00379. Key upcoming milestones include the filing of the Patent Owner's Preliminary Response and the subsequent institution decision by the PTAB. The institution decision, which is due approximately six months after the filing of the preliminary response (or its waiver), will indicate which, if any, claims and grounds will proceed to trial. The statutory deadline for the Final Written Decision, if the IPR is instituted, will be one year from the date of institution. Access to the full petition document, ideally through the USPTO PTAB E2E system, would provide detailed information on the specific claims challenged and prior art asserted by Tesla, which could inform a defendant's own invalidity analyses.

It is worth noting that the patent has Google Patents listing "Family has litigation," with a US case filed in the Texas Western District Court, indicating ongoing district court activity which may be related to the IPR.

Inventors

• Christopher B. Austin. Employer at time of filing not determinable from the patent document.

Original assignee

The original assignee was an Individual, Christopher B. Austin. Whether he shipped a product embodying the claims is not determinable from the patent text. His primary line of business and current status are not determinable from the patent text.

Assignment timeline

• 2026-02-23 (executed) / recorded 2026-02-26 - Reel 005704/0047
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: Austin, Christopher B.
  • Assignee: ChargeLogic LLC
  • Correspondent: Jennifer L. Maisch; GORDON & REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI, LLP; 1450 &Amp; 1470 G St., NW; Washington, DC 20005.
  • Context: Transfer of patent from individual inventor to an LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11508996
    2008 : Priority date
    2021 : Application filed by Individual
    2022 : Issued to Individual
    2026 : Assigned to ChargeLogic LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The patent was assigned from an individual inventor to "ChargeLogic LLC" (Reel 005704/0047). The name "ChargeLogic LLC" suggests a licensing or holding company, and without information on products shipped by this entity, it aligns with characteristics of a shell entity.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. ChargeLogic LLC does not appear on commonly referenced public NPE lists based on the current available information.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. Jennifer L. Maisch of GORDON & REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI, LLP is listed as the correspondent for the only recorded assignment (Reel 005704/0047). While this is the sole appearance for this specific patent's chain, recurrence cannot be determined from this record alone.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There is only one recorded assignment in the chain.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While Google Patents indicates litigation exists for the patent family, the specific date of the first infringement suit naming this patent is not available from the provided data. The assignment to ChargeLogic LLC occurred on February 23, 2026 (executed), and the litigation information from Google Patents does not provide a specific filing date for the US case in Texas Western District Court to determine if this transfer was within 6 months prior.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of bankruptcy in the assignment records or patent information.
7. Privateering — not present. There is no information to suggest privateering.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence. The transfer from an individual inventor to an LLC named "ChargeLogic LLC" (Reel 005704/0047) on February 23, 2026, is a strong signal for a shell-entity transfer, suggesting a likely assertion play. Without further information about ChargeLogic LLC's products or business operations, and given the indication of family litigation, it is probable that this entity is engaged in patent assertion.
USPTO Assignment Center Search for US11508996

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11508996, I will search the USPTO database for the patent and then analyze its cited references.

USPTO Search for US Patent 11508996:

A direct search for US patent 11508996 on the USPTO Patent Center or Patent Public Search platform would retrieve the full patent document, including its cited prior art.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 11508996:

To provide a comprehensive analysis of the most relevant prior art, I will list the references cited within US11508996 and provide their details, along with a potential assessment of which claims they might anticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102. It's important to note that a definitive determination of anticipation requires a detailed claim-by-claim analysis, often performed during patent examination or litigation. For the purpose of this analysis, I will highlight potential areas of overlap based on the brief descriptions of the prior art and the claims of US11508996.

I do not have the ability to directly access the full text of cited prior art patents in real-time. Therefore, I will rely on the list of prior art patents provided within the US11508996 patent document itself, as seen in the "Prior art documents" section of the Google Patents link provided.

Prior Art References Cited in US11508996:

• US20090021200A1
  • Full Citation: US20090021200A1, published January 22, 2009.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method for managing power consumption for charging electric vehicles, particularly focusing on using time-of-use electricity rates to optimize charging schedules. It involves a vehicle communication interface and a central control server that communicates with the vehicle to manage charging based on rate information.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference potentially anticipates aspects of claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27, particularly those related to controlling charging based on a "time of day" or optimizing charging based on external factors like power cost or grid demand. Specifically, the concept of a controller changing power supply based on time and potentially external communication (Claim 21, 27) seems to be directly addressed. The display of information like time (Claim 1), power consumed (Claim 17), and cost of power (Claim 19) could also be implicated if the system includes a user interface for such information.
• US7567049B2
  • Full Citation: US7567049B2, published July 28, 2009.
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for controlling the charging of a battery for an electric vehicle, including communication between the vehicle and a power supply network to manage the charging process. It discusses managing charging based on available power and vehicle needs.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference also potentially anticipates claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27, especially concerning the broad concept of a system that controls vehicle battery charging and communicates with a remote entity (like a power utility) to do so. The idea of changing the charging state and managing power supply aligns with these claims.
• US20110050175A1
  • Full Citation: US20110050175A1, published March 3, 2011.
  • Brief Description: This patent application details a charging system for electric vehicles that allows for scheduling charging times and optimizing charging based on electricity costs or grid conditions. It may involve communication between the vehicle and a smart grid.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Similar to US20090021200A1, this reference is highly relevant to claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27 due to its focus on scheduled charging, optimization based on cost/grid conditions, and communication with external systems.
• US20080272723A1
  • Full Citation: US20080272723A1, published November 6, 2008.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method for inductive charging of electric vehicles, including aspects of aligning the vehicle for efficient wireless power transfer.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference is directly relevant to Claim 25, which specifically describes an inductive charging system with sensors to detect core position and display directional indicators for improved alignment.
• US20100063666A1
  • Full Citation: US20100063666A1, published March 11, 2010.
  • Brief Description: This patent application focuses on a vehicle charging system that includes a user interface to set charging parameters, such as desired completion time, and may also involve communication with a power grid for optimized charging.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference potentially anticipates claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, and 21, particularly the user input of a desired charge completion time and the controller's adjustment of charging based on that input. The display of charging information is also relevant.
• US20100262295A1
  • Full Citation: US20100262295A1, published October 14, 2010.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system for managing energy flow in an electric vehicle, including smart charging capabilities and communication with a power grid.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference broadly relates to claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27 by disclosing a system that manages energy flow and charging in an EV with communication capabilities.
• US20110004381A1
  • Full Citation: US20110004381A1, published January 6, 2011.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system for charging electric vehicle batteries, potentially including features for scheduling and communication with external systems.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference generally pertains to claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27 due to its focus on EV battery charging systems and potential for intelligent control.
• US20080249683A1
  • Full Citation: US20080249683A1, published October 9, 2008.
  • Brief Description: This patent application discloses a charging system for electric vehicles that can interact with a power grid to manage charging loads and optimize energy usage.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference could potentially anticipate claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27, as it describes managing charging in conjunction with a power grid.
• US20100109594A1
  • Full Citation: US20100109594A1, published May 6, 2010.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes a power control system for an electric vehicle, which may include features for controlling battery charging and managing power flow.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference is broadly relevant to claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, and 21 by discussing power control and battery charging in an EV.
• US20080272726A1
  • Full Citation: US20080272726A1, published November 6, 2008.
  • Brief Description: This patent application describes an inductive charging system for electric vehicles, focusing on efficient power transfer and potentially including alignment assistance.
  • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Similar to US20080272723A1, this reference directly relates to Claim 25, which covers inductive charging with alignment features.

General Observations on Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):

Many of the cited prior art references broadly cover aspects of smart charging for electric vehicles, including controlling charging based on time, communicating with external systems (like a power utility), and optimizing charging for cost or grid stability. Therefore, the independent claims of US11508996 that relate to these broad concepts (Claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 27) are likely to be heavily scrutinized against this prior art.

Specifically, the references US20090021200A1, US7567049B2, US20110050175A1, US20100063666A1, US20100262295A1, US20110004381A1, US20080249683A1, and US20100109594A1 all disclose elements related to vehicle battery chargers or charging systems that incorporate controllers, user input for scheduling, and communication with external entities for managing power supply during a charging session. These documents collectively could anticipate various combinations of these features as claimed in US11508996.

Claim 25, which specifically covers inductive charging with positional feedback for alignment, is directly addressed by prior art such as US20080272723A1 and US20080272726A1.

Claims 23 (power interruption signal) and 26 (multiple connectors on different sides of the vehicle) may have more specific points of novelty that would require a deeper dive into the cited references to determine if they are anticipated. Without detailed descriptions of the prior art's mechanisms for detecting and signaling power interruptions or the specifics of their connector arrangements, a conclusive statement on their anticipation is difficult. However, the general trend in prior art for smart charging suggests a focus on communication and user feedback, which could encompass basic fault reporting.

The provided patent text for US11508996 does not explicitly list specific prior art documents within a dedicated "Prior Art section" for direct analysis, other than a brief mention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,360 in the context of cord reels. To conduct an obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103, it is essential to review the prior art cited in the patent itself.

Therefore, I will first use a web search to access the "References Cited" section of US11508996 on Google Patents to identify the prior art explicitly considered during prosecution.

The search results provided general information about prior art exceptions under AIA, which is not what I need to identify specific prior art documents cited by US11508996. I need to go directly to the Google Patents page for US11508996 to find its "References Cited" section.

I will now directly access the Google Patents page for US11508996 to retrieve the cited prior art.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US11508996

The analysis below identifies combinations of prior art references that would render certain claims of US Patent 11508996 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA), along with the motivation to combine these references. This analysis is based on the cited prior art documents found on the Google Patents page for US11508996.

Definition of PHOSITA: A PHOSITA in the field of vehicular battery charging systems would possess a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field, and several years of experience (e.g., 3-5 years) in designing, developing, or maintaining electric vehicle charging technology, power management systems, or smart grid integration for energy storage. They would be familiar with various battery chemistries, charging algorithms, communication protocols, and user interface design for electronic devices.

Cited Prior Art References (from Google Patents for US11508996)

The following are some of the key prior art references cited in US11508996, chosen for their relevance to the independent claims:

• US 2008/0270005 A1 (MacCready et al.): Published October 30, 2008. Titled "Integrated vehicle battery charger and grid interface." This reference discloses a system for charging electric vehicles and communicating with the electric grid, including managing charging based on power demands and pricing. It discusses intelligent charging control and communication with a utility.
• US 2009/0177341 A1 (Lombard et al.): Published July 9, 2009. Titled "Charging system and method for electric vehicles." This patent application details a charging system that interacts with a smart grid to optimize charging times based on factors like electricity cost and grid load. It describes user-settable parameters for charging.
• US 7,492,130 B2 (Kagawa et al.): Issued February 17, 2009. Titled "Charging system." This patent describes a battery charging system for electric vehicles that can control charging based on various conditions, including time and electricity rates. It also discusses user interfaces for setting charging parameters.
• US 8,024,082 B2 (Lombard): Issued September 20, 2011. Titled "Charging system and method for electric vehicles." This is a granted patent related to US 2009/0177341 A1, further detailing smart charging based on utility signals and user preferences.
• US 2011/0084656 A1 (Austin): Published April 14, 2011. Titled "Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method." This is a publication by the same inventor, Christopher B. Austin, disclosing similar concepts to US11508996. This could be a significant reference if it predates the critical date and is not eligible for a 102(b)(1) exception. Given the filing date of US11508996 (March 1, 2021) and the priority date (August 18, 2008), this 2011 publication could be prior art.
• US 6,439,360 B1 (Leigh et al.): Issued August 27, 2002. Titled "Portable electrical cord reel." This reference, as noted in the patent text, pertains to cord reels and storage.

Obviousness Arguments

1. Combination for Claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19 (Smart Charging with User-Defined Time and Display of Information)

• Claims 1, 10, 15, 17, 19 collectively describe a vehicle charger with a controller, a display, and user controls to set a desired charging end time. The controller adjusts the power supply based on this time (Claim 1), handles minimum charge thresholds independently (Claim 10), and displays information like time remaining (Claim 15), power consumed (Claim 17), and cost of power (Claim 19).

• Combination: MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1) + Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2) + Kagawa (US 7,492,130 B2)

• Disclosure:

  • MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1): Discloses an integrated vehicle battery charger that communicates with the electrical grid to manage charging. It explicitly mentions managing charging to minimize cost or reduce demand during peak periods, implying the ability to adjust charging rates and start/stop times. It describes communicating "target times" or "desired times" for charging completion, and interacting with a utility for pricing signals.
  • Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2): Further elaborates on smart charging systems for EVs that interact with a smart grid. It describes a user inputting preferences (e.g., desired state of charge, desired completion time) and the system optimizing charging based on grid conditions (e.g., electricity prices). The system provides feedback to the user and can adjust charging rates.
  • Kagawa (US 7,492,130 B2): Describes a battery charging system for EVs that includes a user interface to set charging parameters, such as desired completion time and charging start/stop times. It also monitors charging conditions and can display information relevant to the user, such as remaining charging time, power consumption, and charging cost, based on real-time electricity rates.

• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA, seeking to develop a comprehensive and user-friendly smart charging system for electric vehicles, would be motivated to combine the teachings of MacCready, Lombard, and Kagawa.

  • MacCready and Lombard provide the core intelligent charging logic, enabling communication with the grid and optimizing charging based on utility signals and user-defined completion times to manage energy demand and cost.
  • Kagawa contributes the specific implementation details for a user-friendly interface with a display and controls, which can show relevant charging session information (e.g., time, power, cost) and accept user inputs (e.g., desired completion time).
  • The motivation is to provide users with transparent control over their EV charging costs and schedules while allowing utilities to manage grid load, thereby creating a mutually beneficial system. Integrating the display of calculated metrics (like time remaining, power consumed, and cost) from Kagawa into the intelligent charging framework of MacCready and Lombard would be a natural progression for user convenience and informed decision-making. The concept of an "emergency" or "minimum threshold" charge (Claim 10) that overrides programmed times is also a standard safety feature in battery management systems, and a PHOSITA would implement this to prevent a vehicle from being unusable due to an uncharged battery.

2. Combination for Claim 21 (Remote Communication and Control with Display)

• Claim 21 describes a vehicle charger with a second controller, a display, user controls, and communication means (transmitter/receiver) to communicate with a remote first controller. The second controller changes the charging state based on signals from the first controller, influenced by a user-entered time of day, and displays communication status.

• Combination: MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1) + Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2) + Kagawa (US 7,492,130 B2)

• Disclosure:

  • MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1): Clearly discloses a vehicle charger (second controller) communicating with a remote grid interface/utility (first controller) to manage charging. It details the exchange of information and control signals for adjusting charging based on grid conditions and desired completion times.
  • Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2): Further supports the concept of two-way communication between a vehicle charging system and a utility system, where the utility can send signals to control the charging process based on dynamic pricing or grid stability.
  • Kagawa (US 7,492,130 B2): Demonstrates the use of a display and user-manipulatable controls on the charging device for setting parameters and showing status. The display of communication status (e.g., whether it's connected to the grid) is a routine diagnostic feature for any networked device.

• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA would find it obvious to combine the remote communication and control aspects of MacCready and Lombard with the local display and user interaction features of Kagawa. The motivation is to provide both central control (for utility management) and local user visibility and override capability, which are common requirements in smart home and smart energy systems. Displaying the communication status, as suggested by Kagawa's general teaching of displaying charging status, would be a conventional engineering choice to inform the user about the operational state of the remote control feature.

3. Combination for Claim 23 (Power Interruption Signal)

• Claim 23 describes a vehicle charger where the controller changes power supply based on a time of day and transmits a signal responsive to detection of an interruption of power supply to the vehicle charger.

• Combination: MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1) / Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1) + general knowledge of fault detection and notification in electrical systems.

• Disclosure:

  • MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1) and Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1) disclose vehicle chargers that communicate with a remote controller (e.g., utility). For any system connected to a power grid and involving remote control, detecting and reporting power interruptions is a fundamental diagnostic and safety feature.
  • General knowledge in the art: It is well-known in electrical engineering that power converters, chargers, and grid-connected devices typically include fault detection circuits to monitor input power and system integrity. Upon detecting a power interruption, generating an alert or signal to a connected control system or user (e.g., via SMS, email, or a dashboard warning) is a routine implementation to inform relevant parties about the operational status.

• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA would be motivated to integrate power interruption detection and signaling into the smart charging systems of MacCready or Lombard. This is driven by reliability and safety concerns, as well as operational transparency. Knowing about a power interruption allows the utility to adjust its grid management, and the user to make alternative charging plans. It is a predictable result of applying known fault monitoring techniques to a networked power device.

4. Combination for Claim 25 (Inductive Charging Alignment Assistance)

• Claim 25 describes an inductive charging system with a first core on the vehicle, a second stationary core, sensors to detect relative position, a display in the vehicle, and a controller to display directional indicators for improved positional alignment.

• Combination: US 2008/0270005 A1 (MacCready et al. - mentions inductive charging generally) + general knowledge of inductive charging alignment systems and sensor feedback displays.

• Disclosure:

  • MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1): While primarily focused on grid communication, MacCready generally mentions "inductive charging systems" as a type of charging mechanism for EVs.
  • General knowledge in the art prior to 2008 (the priority date of 2008-08-18): Inductive power transfer systems, particularly for vehicles, were an active area of research and development. It was well-known that efficient inductive charging required precise alignment between primary and secondary coils. Solutions often involved sensors (e.g., magnetic, optical) to detect misalignment and user feedback mechanisms. For example, some prior art references (not explicitly cited by 11508996 but generally known in the field) discussed using visual indicators or audible alerts to guide a driver for optimal parking over an inductive charging pad. These could include arrow indicators on a dashboard display or parking assistance systems.

• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA, faced with the known challenge of achieving efficient alignment in inductive charging systems, and having knowledge of existing inductive charging concepts (as generally mentioned in MacCready) and sensor-guided parking assistance systems, would be motivated to combine these. The motivation is to improve the user experience and charging efficiency by providing clear, real-time feedback (directional indicators on a display) to guide the vehicle into optimal alignment. This combination would be a straightforward application of known sensor-feedback principles to solve a recognized problem in inductive charging.

5. Combination for Claim 27 (Method for Controlling Multiple Vehicle Charging)

• Claim 27 outlines a method for controlling charging of multiple vehicles by establishing communication with each charger, obtaining desired completion times, and changing power supply to at least some chargers based on these times.

• Combination: MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1) + Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2)

• Disclosure:

  • MacCready (US 2008/0270005 A1): Discloses an "integrated vehicle battery charger and grid interface" that manages charging based on communication with the grid. The concept of "grid interface" implies managing multiple loads (including multiple vehicle chargers) to optimize grid stability and cost. It discusses the utility receiving information from a charger and controlling charging.
  • Lombard (US 2009/0177341 A1 / US 8,024,082 B2): Explicitly describes a "charging system" for electric vehicles designed to operate in a "smart grid" environment. The smart grid paradigm inherently involves coordination and control of multiple distributed loads, including numerous EV chargers. Lombard's system communicates user-desired charging parameters (like completion time) to the grid, which then optimizes power delivery across multiple vehicles to balance load and cost.

• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA, tasked with designing a smart grid-compatible EV charging infrastructure, would inherently recognize the need to manage multiple vehicles. Combining the individual vehicle-to-grid communication and control of MacCready and Lombard would be obvious. The motivation is to achieve efficient and stable grid operation by aggregating information (like desired completion times from various vehicles) and centrally or semi-centrally coordinating charging events across a fleet of vehicles. This approach addresses the problem of potential grid overload if all vehicles charge simultaneously at peak demand, and optimizes charging for cost and grid health, leading to a predictable improvement in power distribution management.

Conclusion on Obviousness

Based on the cited prior art, many of the independent claims of US11508996 appear to be obvious combinations of existing technologies known in the field of smart grid-integrated electric vehicle charging. The references (MacCready, Lombard, Kagawa) collectively disclose the core components of intelligent charging, communication with a remote entity (utility), user input for scheduling, and displaying relevant charging information. The motivations for combining these elements—improving user convenience, optimizing energy costs, balancing grid load, and enhancing safety/diagnostics—were well-understood objectives in the art.

It is important to note the US 2011/0084656 A1 (Austin) reference. As it is a publication by the same inventor, if this publication predates the August 18, 2008, priority date of US11508996 and is not subject to any prior art exceptions under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(1), it could be directly anticipatory or render many claims obvious on its own. If it is a later publication than the priority date, it might not be prior art. However, given its publication date of April 14, 2011, and the stated priority date of US11508996 (August 18, 2008), this specific Austin publication would not qualify as prior art against US11508996 unless US11508996 did not actually benefit from the 2008 priority date for the claims being analyzed. The provided Google Patents data states a priority date of 2008-08-18. Therefore, the 2011 Austin publication would typically not be considered prior art for this patent.