Appeal No. 2004-0058
Application No. 09/728,518
A claim is anticipated only if each and every element as set forth in the claim is
found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference.
Verdegaal Bros. Inc. v. Union Oil Co., 814 F.2d 628, 631, 2 USPQ2d 1051, 1053 (Fed.
Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 827 (1987).
Claims 3 and 8, the independent claims on appeal, read as follows:
3. A method for potentiating an engine's power contribution to a hybrid
electric vehicle's performance in a take-off operating condition, the method
comprising the steps of
initiating take-off acceleration of a hybrid electric vehicle exclusively
utilizing an electric motor of the vehicle;
predicting the future demand for an engine's power contribution to the
hybrid electric vehicle's immediate future power demand during take-off
acceleration;
starting the engine of the hybrid electric vehicle at the time that the
determination is made of future demand for the engine's power contribution
during the take-off acceleration; and
increasing the speed of operation of the engine as rapidly as
predetermined operating efficiency parameters permit.
8. A method for potentiating an engine's power contribution to a hybrid
electric vehicle's performance in a take-off operating condition, the method
comprising the steps of
initiating take-off acceleration of a hybrid electric vehicle exclusively
utilizing an electric motor of the vehicle;
predicting the future demand for an engine's power contribution to the
hybrid electric vehicle's immediate future power demand during take-off
acceleration;
starting the engine of the hybrid electric vehicle at the time that the
determination is made of future demand for the engine's power contribution
during the take-off acceleration; and
starting the engine at an engine speed below a resonance speed of a
drivetrain of the vehicle.
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