DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114 was filed in this application after a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, but before the filing of a Notice of Appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or the commencement of a civil action. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114 and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the appeal has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114 and prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 10/21/2025 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
change claim 1 at each of lines 11, 14 and 17 accordingly: “the gas turbine engine”
change claim 11 line 7 accordingly: “while [[the]] a controller”
change claim 11 at each of lines 7, 11 and 13 accordingly: “the gas turbine engine”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10, 13, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites “parameters about the gas turbine engine”. The metes and bounds of the claim is unclear in light of applicant specification because one or ordinary skill would not know what the term “about” communicates. For example, applicant par. 74 states “The term ‘about’ is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application”. Thus it appears that the claim 10 “about” refers to a degree of error of the claim 10 parameters. In this scenario the following applies: The term “about” in claim 10 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “about” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For example the instant amount of the degree of error is not specified. Claim 20 has a similar recitation and is rejected for the same reasons. For purposes of compact prosecution the instant phrase is interpreted as the parameters being related to the gas turbine.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the low speed spool" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim(s) dependent thereon are rejected for the same reasons.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 11, 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pub. No.: US 2021/0025339 A1 (Terwilliger), as evidenced by Pub. No.: US 2022/0063826 A1 (Hiett) and US 20200307811 A1 (Shang).
Regarding claim 1 Terwilliger discloses (see figs. 1-3 and 6) a system comprising: a gas turbine engine 100 of an aircraft 10, the gas turbine engine 10 comprising a low speed spool 30, a high speed spool 32, and a combustor 56; a high spool motor 12B configured to augment rotational power (see par. 33, top) of the high speed spool 32; and a controller 256 configured to: control (see par. 43) the high spool motor 12B to drive rotation of the high speed spool 32 to maintain a desired compressor pressure (sufficient compression, i.e., sufficient pressure of air compressed by the high pressure compressor 52 for ignition in the combustor 56; see par. 45, middle) and a desired flow (there is a flow corresponding with the desired pressure and this is evidenced by Hiett; Hiett points out regulating the speed of the HP compressor provides sufficient flow into the combustor (see par. 28) to facilitate a relighting (see par. 79); in addition the desired flow through the combustor when the fuel flow is off provides sufficient cooling (see par. 85) to the turbine (air goes through combustor 40 and turbines (36, 42) to cool the turbines resulting in lower EGT’s during restart that makes the restart attempt more reliable (see par. 83))) within the combustor 56 in order to provide thrust while operating the gas turbine engine in an electrically powered in flight mode (such a flight mode is shown at block 604 in fig. 6 wherein the high spool motor 12B is operated in parallel with the low speed motor 12A for (1) engine starting to a fuel burn mode or (2) during other scenarios wherein “The controller 256 can be configured to control a thrust response of the gas turbine engine 20 to a response profile 408 based on the throttle lever angle 410 using any combination of the low spool motor 12A, high spool motor 12B, and fuel burn” as pointed out in par. 53, bottom; thus the high spool motor can operate with or without the low spool motor and without fuel burn in a no fuel mode because of the instant “any combination” feature; the flight mode can include “descent” for example as pointed out in par. 47, middle wherein one of two engines 100A,100B of aircraft 10 is in a no fuel mode and operated using the low and/or high motors 12A,12B to provide thrust 412 (see fig. 5) wherein such aircraft engines 100A,100A refer to instant engine 100 as discussed in par. 35, top; such a flight mode can include flight idle also discussed in par. 50, middle) while the controller 256 does not command fuel flow (see par. 50) to the combustor 56 and the gas turbine engine 100 is operating in a no fuel mode (see par. 50 and block 604 in fig. 6); and command, responsive to a trigger event (see par. 50: the pilot decides more thrust is necessary and manipulates the ”pilot control” to regulate the throttle lever angle to go to a “climb mode” or a “takeoff mode” for in the scenario of a go-around aborted landing after descent), fuel flow to the combustor 56 to cause the gas turbine engine 100 to start to a fuel-burning mode (see “any combination” feature in par. 53, bottom), wherein the trigger event is a determination that a requested thrust exceeds an amount of thrust that the gas turbine engine can deliver while operating the gas turbine engine in the electrically powered in flight mode while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor and the gas turbine engine is operating in the no fuel mode. While operating in the engine 100 in the electrically powered in flight mode discussed in par. 47 for example during a “descent” the pilot can decide more thrust is necessary and that a fuel burning mode is necessary. Hiett is evidence that a fuel burning mode results in more thrust than an electrically power mode; see pars. 76 and 77 wherein there is a transition from an electrically powered mode to a fuel burning mode when higher thrust is necessary. In addition Shang is evidence (see par. 62, bottom) that a go-around requires maximum power and thus would require the fuel burning mode).
Regarding claim 11, Terwilliger discloses (see figs. 1-3 and 6) a method for a hybrid electric single engine (engine 100 of multiengine 100A,100B aircraft 10, wherein such aircraft engines 100A,100A refer to instant engine 100 as discussed in par. 35, top) descent (see par. 50) restart (see par. 51) comprising: controlling a high spool motor 12B of an aircraft 10 to cause the high spool motor 12B to drive rotation of a high speed spool 32 of a gas turbine engine 100 of the aircraft 10 to maintain a desired compressor pressure (sufficient compression, i.e., sufficient pressure of air compressed by the high pressure compressor 52 for ignition in the combustor 56; see par. 45, middle) and a desired flow (there is a flow corresponding with the desired pressure and this is evidenced by Hiett; Hiett points out regulating the speed of the HP compressor provides sufficient flow into the combustor (see par. 28) to facilitate a relighting (see par. 79); in addition the desired flow through the combustor when the fuel flow is off provides sufficient cooling (see par. 85) to the turbine (air goes through combustor 40 and turbines (36, 42) to cool the turbines resulting in lower EGT’s during restart that makes the restart attempt more reliable (see par. 83))) within a combustor 56 of the gas turbine engine in order to provide thrust while operating the gas turbine engine in an electrically powered in flight mode (such a flight mode is shown at block 604 in fig. 6 wherein the high spool motor 12B is operated in parallel with the low speed motor 12A for (1) engine starting to a fuel burn mode or (2) during other scenarios wherein “The controller 256 can be configured to control a thrust response of the gas turbine engine 20 to a response profile 408 based on the throttle lever angle 410 using any combination of the low spool motor 12A, high spool motor 12B, and fuel burn” as pointed out in par. 53, bottom; thus the high spool motor can operate with or without the low spool motor and without fuel burn in a no fuel mode because of the instant “any combination” feature; the flight mode can include “descent” for example as pointed out in par. 47, middle wherein one of two engines 100A,100B of aircraft 10 is in a no fuel mode and operated using the low and/or high motors 12A,12B to provide thrust 412 (see fig. 5) wherein such aircraft engines 100A,100A refer to instant engine 100 as discussed in par. 35, top; such a flight mode can include flight idle also discussed in par. 50, middle) while a controller 256 does not command fuel flow to the combustor 56 and the gas turbine engine is operating in a no fuel mode (see par. 50); and commanding fuel flow (see “any combination” feature in par. 53, bottom) to the combustor 56 responsive to a trigger event (see par. 50: the pilot decides more thrust is necessary and manipulates the ”pilot control” to regulate the throttle lever angle to go to a “climb mode” or a “takeoff mode” in the scenario of a go-around aborted landing after descent) to cause the gas turbine engine 100 to start to a fuel-burning mode (see “any combination” feature in par. 53, bottom), wherein the trigger event is a determination that a requested thrust exceeds an amount of thrust that the gas turbine engine can deliver while operating the gas turbine engine in the electrically powered in flight mode while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor and the gas turbine engine is operating in the no fuel mode. While operating in the engine 100 in the electrically powered in flight mode discussed in par. 47 for example during a “descent” the pilot can decide more thrust is necessary and that a fuel burning mode is necessary. Hiett is evidence that a fuel burning mode results in more thrust than an electrically power mode; see pars. 76 and 77 wherein there is a transition from an electrically powered mode to a fuel burning mode when higher thrust is necessary. In addition Shang is evidence (see par. 62, bottom) that a go-around requires maximum power and thus would require the fuel burning mode).
Regarding claim 2, Terwilliger discloses (see fig. 2) a low spool motor 12A configured to augment rotational power (see abstract) of the low speed spool 30, wherein the controller 256 is configured (see par. 50, top) to control the low spool motor 12A to drive rotation of the low speed spool 30.
Regarding claim 3, Terwilliger discloses (see fig. 2) a low spool generator 213A configured to extract power (see par. 35, bottom) from the low speed spool 30; and a high spool generator 213B configured to extract power (see par. 35, bottom) from the high speed spool 32.
Regarding claim 12, Terwilliger discloses (see fig. 1-3) controlling (with controller 256) a low spool motor 12A to augment rotational power (see abstract) of a low speed spool 30 of the gas turbine engine 100 of the aircraft 20, wherein the low spool motor 12A drives rotation of the low speed spool 30.
Regarding claim 13, Terwilliger discloses (see fig. 2) providing a low spool generator 213A configured to extract power (see par. 35, bottom) from the low speed spool 30; and providing a high spool generator 213B configured to extract power (see par. 35, bottom) from the high speed spool 32.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 10-12 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hiett, as evidenced by Terwilliger, Pub. No.: US 2018/0128182 A1 (Hayama) and Pub. No.: US 2012/0119020 A1 (Burns).
Regarding claim 1, Hiett discloses (see figs. 1 and 4) a system comprising: a gas turbine engine 10,100 of an aircraft (see abstract), the gas turbine engine 10,100 comprising a low speed spool 55, a high speed spool 32 (see par. 34) and a combustor 40; a high spool motor 102B configured to augment rotational power (electric machines 102A,102B are used to add power 204; see par. 72 and fig. 4) of the high speed spool 32; and a controller (electronic engine controller 116, i.e., FADEC, see par. 53) configured (controller controls low and high motors 102A,102B; see par. 69 and see controller 116 connected to motors for example in embodiment of fig. 3, wherein controller 116 is also shown in fig. 1) to: control the high spool motor 102B to drive rotation (adding power 204 can be with high spool motor 102B with or without a low spool motor 102A; see par. 72 and fig. 4) of the high speed spool 32 to maintain a desired compressor pressure (the pressure of air required for ignition, see par. 28, top, regarding mid-flight restart 218 that is included with adding power 204, see fig. 4, the high spool motor 102B is used for a mid-flight restart 218, see par. 78, pointing out that the starter system may not be available; also see fig. 4 regarding restart 218; the instant desired pressure is that pressure needed for ignition wherein the “speed” at par. 28, top results in the instant desired pressure as evidenced by Terwilliger; Terwilliger points out in pars. 44 and 45: “In engine start …, the high spool motor … can be used to increase the speed of the high speed spool … for light off” and “ using the high spool motor … to control the high speed spool … to provide sufficient compression in the gas turbine engine … for light off in the combustor”) and a desired flow (there is a flow corresponding with the desired pressure; regulating the speed of the HP compressor provides sufficient flow into the combustor (see par. 28) to facilitate a relighting (see par. 79); in addition the desired flow through the combustor when the fuel flow is off provides sufficient cooling (see par. 85) to the turbine (air goes through combustor 40 and turbines (36, 42) to cool the turbines resulting in lower EGT’s during restart that makes the restart attempt more reliable (see par. 83))) within the combustor 40 in order to provide thrust (both, see par. 72, the low spool motor 102A and the high spool motor 102B are adding power 204 to the gas turbine engine 10,100; par. 39 points out that thrust is created when the rotor assembly 12 is driven by the low speed spool 55; the low speed spool 55 is driven by the low spool motor, see par. 72; thus thrust is created; a component of the thrust is created by the high spool motor 102B; this is evidenced by Terwilliger in par. 47 regarding “motor-based thrust” and also evidenced by Burns in par. 23: “The rotational power supplied to HP spool 24 reduces drag on the rotation of LP spool 26, and may result in a secondary taxiing thrust component being produced by HP spool 24”; thus one of ordinary skill understands that driving the high spool with the high spool motor reduces the internal aerodynamic drag because the compressed air exiting the low pressure compressor is not used to drive the high pressure compressor and thus the high spool motor contributes to thrust; Burns refers to a taxiing thrust however a POSITA understands that this idea of electric motors overcoming engine aerodynamic drag also is applicable to flight scenarios as pointed out in the pertinent prior art infra) while operating the gas turbine engine in an electrically powered (both, see par. 72, both instant electric motors 102A,102B are adding power 204) in flight mode (adding power 204 takes place during a “flight” because an actual in-flight shutdown 202 precedes the adding power 204; see fig. 4) while the controller 116 does not command fuel flow (the gas turbine engine has been shutdown 202 and thus no fuel is provided to the combustor, Hayama is evidence that the fuel valve 72 is off when the engine is off or shutdown; Hayama explains in pars. 41 and 42, when a gas turbine engine is off, the fuel valve providing fuel to the engine is closed and when the in-flight restart is initiated, then the fuel valve is opened; Hayama points out that FADEC controllers control the fuel valve, see pars. 31 and 35; thus, one skilled in the art would understand that the fuel valve of Hiett is closed when the engine is off during the electrically powered mode when power is added by the electric motors) to the combustor 40 and the gas turbine engine 10,100 is operating in a no fuel mode; and command, responsive to a trigger event (in paragraph 77, Hiett points out that there has come a time during a flight such that a higher thrust is needed (determination that a requested thrust exceed an amount of thrust that the gas turbine engine is delivering in the electric mode) and therefore a restart of the gas turbine engine is triggered) to cause the gas turbine engine 10,100 to start to a fuel-burning mode (Hiett fuel valve 72 is opened during starting as evidenced by Hayama discussed above), wherein the trigger event a determination that a requested (the Hiett FADEC 116 receives a thrust request and operates the fuel valve 72 accordingly; the thrust request received by the FADEC can be from a pilot control or from an auto-pilot; this is evidenced by Terwilliger par. 50 bottom pointing out that FADEC 256 receives a thrust request in form of a throttle lever angle via the instant pilot control or auto-pilot) thrust exceeds an amount of thrust (there came a time when the higher thrust is needed for the higher thrust maneuvers; see par. 77) that the gas turbine engine 10,100 can deliver while operating the gas turbine engine 10,100 in the electrically powered (see par. 72) in flight mode 204 while the controller (FADEC 116) does not command fuel flow (fuel valve 72 is closed as evidenced by Hayama above) to the combustor 40 and the gas turbine 10,100 is operating in the no fuel mode (fuel valve 72 is closed).
Regarding claim 11, Hiett discloses (see figs. 1 and 4) a method for a hybrid electric single engine descent restart comprising: controlling (with controller 116; controller 116 controls low and high motors 102A,102B; see par. 69 and see controller 116 connected to motors for example in embodiment of fig. 3, wherein controller 116 is also shown in fig. 1) a high spool motor 102B of an aircraft (see abstract) to cause the high spool motor 102B to drive rotation of a high speed spool 32 of a gas turbine engine 10,100 of the aircraft to maintain a desired compressor pressure (the pressure of air required for ignition, see par. 28, top, regarding mid-flight restart 218 that is included with adding power 204, see fig. 4, the high spool motor 102B is used for a mid-flight restart 218, see par. 78, pointing out that the starter system may not be available; also see fig. 4 regarding restart 218; the instant desired pressure is that pressure needed for ignition wherein the “speed” at par. 28, top results in the instant desired pressure as evidenced by Terwilliger; Terwilliger points out in pars. 44 and 45: “In engine start …, the high spool motor … can be used to increase the speed of the high speed spool … for light off” and “ using the high spool motor … to control the high speed spool … to provide sufficient compression in the gas turbine engine … for light off in the combustor”) and a desired flow (there is a flow corresponding with the desired pressure; regulating the speed of the HP compressor provides sufficient flow into the combustor (see par. 28) to facilitate a relighting of the engine when for example a greater thrust is needed and wherein the speeds achieved by using the HP motor improve start reliability (see par. 79); in addition the desired flow through the combustor when the fuel flow is off provides sufficient cooling (see par. 85) to the turbine (air goes through combustor 40 and turbines (36, 42) to cool the turbines resulting in lower EGT’s during restart that makes the restart attempt more reliable (see par. 83))) within a combustor 40 of the gas turbine engine 10,100 in order to provide thrust (both, see par. 72, the low spool motor 102A and the high spool motor 102B are adding power 204 to the gas turbine engine 10,100; par. 39 points out that thrust is created when the rotor assembly 12 is driven by the low speed spool 55; the low speed spool 55 is driven by the low spool motor, see par. 72; thus thrust is created; a component of the thrust is created by the high spool motor 102B; this is evidenced by Terwilliger in par. 47 regarding “motor-based thrust” and also evidenced by Burns in par. 23: “The rotational power supplied to HP spool 24 reduces drag on the rotation of LP spool 26, and may result in a secondary taxiing thrust component being produced by HP spool 24”; thus one of ordinary skill understands that driving the high spool with the high spool motor reduces the internal aerodynamic drag because the compressed air exiting the low pressure compressor is not used to drive the high pressure compressor and thus the high spool motor contributes to thrust; Burns refers to a taxiing thrust however a POSITA understands that this idea of electric motors overcoming engine aerodynamic drag also is applicable to flight scenarios as pointed out in the pertinent prior art infra) while operating the gas turbine engine in an electrically powered (both, see par. 72, both instant electric motors 102A,102B are adding power 204) in flight mode (adding power 204 takes place during a “flight” because an actual in-flight shutdown 202 precedes the adding power 204; see fig. 4) while a controller does not command fuel flow (the gas turbine engine has been shutdown 202 and thus no fuel is provided to the combustor, Hayama is evidence that the fuel valve 72 is off when the engine is off or shutdown; Hayama explains in pars. 41 and 42, when a gas turbine engine is off, the fuel valve providing fuel to the engine is closed and when the in-flight restart is initiated, then the fuel valve is opened; Hayama points out that FADEC controllers control the fuel valve, see pars. 31 and 35; thus, one skilled in the art would understand that the fuel valve of Hiett is closed when the engine is off during the electrically powered mode when power is added by the electric motors) to the combustor 40 and the gas turbine engine is operating in a no fuel mode; and commanding fuel flow to the combustor responsive to a trigger event (in paragraph 77, Hiett points out that there has come a time during a flight such that a higher thrust is needed (determination that a requested thrust exceed an amount of thrust that the gas turbine engine is delivering in the electric mode) and therefore a restart of the gas turbine engine is triggered) to cause the gas turbine engine to start to a fuel-burning mode (Hiett fuel valve 72 is opened during starting as evidenced by Hayama discussed above), wherein the trigger event is a determination that a requested (the Hiett FADEC 116 receives a thrust request and operates the fuel valve 72 accordingly; the thrust request received by the FADEC can be from a pilot control or from an auto-pilot; this is evidenced by Terwilliger par. 50 bottom pointing out that FADEC 256 receives a thrust request in form of a throttle lever angle via the instant pilot control or auto-pilot) thrust exceeds an amount of thrust (there came a time when the higher thrust is needed for the higher thrust maneuvers; see par. 77) that the gas turbine engine 10,100 can deliver while operating the gas turbine engine in the electrically powered (see par. 72) in flight mode 204 while the controller (FADEC 116) does not command fuel flow (fuel valve 72 is closed as evidenced by Hayama above) to the combustor 40 and the gas turbine engine 10,100 is operating in the no fuel mode (fuel valve 72 is closed).
Regarding claim 2, Hiett discloses (see fig. 1) a low spool motor 102A configured to augment rotational power (see par. 72) of the low speed spool 55, wherein the controller 116 is configured (controller controls low and high motors 102A,102B; see par. 69 and see controller 116 connected to motors for example in embodiment of fig. 3, wherein controller 116 is also shown in fig. 1) to control the low spool motor 102A to drive rotation of the low speed spool 55.
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Hiett discloses (see fig. 1) a compressor pressure is determined based on a sensed pressure (sensor 114b). Sensor 114B measures a parameter of the high pressure system that includes the high pressure compressor 34 just upstream of the combustor 40. The top portion of par. 54 points out that the parameters of the high pressure system may be “pressures”. Thus Hiett discloses measuring a compressor pressure corresponding with the claimed desired compressor pressure for combustion of Hiett. Hiett further discloses (see figs. 4, 5 and 7-10) the desired flow is determined based on modeling a plurality of parameters about the gas turbine engine (the desired flow is based on adding power 204; adding power includes modeling (see for example plots in figs. 5 and 8-10) of altitude (i.e. “30kft”), amount of power (i.e., “hp”), airspeed (i.e., “knots”), and duration of applied power before relight (i.e. “time” or e.g. “30s”); also see “exhaust gas temperature” (fig. 7).
Regarding claim 12, Hiett discloses (see fig. 1) controlling (with controller 116; controller 116 controls low and high motors 102A,102B; see par. 69 and see controller 116 connected to motors for example in embodiment of fig. 3, wherein controller 116 is also shown in fig. 1) a low spool motor 102A configured to augment rotational power (see par. 72) of a low speed spool 55 of the gas turbine engine 10,100, wherein the low spool motor 102A to drives rotation of the low speed spool 55.
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 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) 3, 4, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiett as evidenced by Terwilliger, Hayama and Burns.
Regarding claim 3, Hiett discloses (see fig. 1) a high spool generator (see par. 78; electric motor/generator) configured to extract power (a generator extracts power from its corresponding spool) from the high speed spool. Hiett embodiment fig. 1 does not disclose a low spool generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool.
Hiett teaches a low speed generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool (par. 78 discussed a low speed spool electric motor/generator separate from the low speed motor 102A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Hiett embodiment fig. 1 with a low spool generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate providing additional electrical power to the aircraft.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Hiett discloses the current invention as claimed and discussed. Hiett embodiment fig. 1 does not explicitly disclose wherein the controller is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from either of the low spool generator or the high spool generator to a motor of another engine to provide thrust and restart capability to the other engine 200.
Hiett teaches embodiment fig. 3 teaches the controller 116 is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from either of the low spool generator 102B or the high spool generator to a motor 102A of another engine 30A to provide thrust and restart capability 204,218 to the other engine 30A. Hiett states in par. 64 that “the second electric machine 102B may extract power from the low pressure system of the second turbomachine 30B and … provide power to the low pressure system of the first turbomachine 30A” and par. 74 points out that the instant provided power may be provided to an electric machine of the other engine (i.e. “separate engine”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Hiett embodiment fig. 1 with the controller is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from the high spool generator to a motor of another engine to provide thrust and restart capability to the other engine as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate in-flight restart when energy storage device (i.e. battery) is depleted (Hiett par. 72).
Regarding claim 13, Hiett discloses (see fig. 1) providing a high spool generator (see par. 78; electric motor/generator) configured to extract power (a generator extracts power from its corresponding spool) from the high speed spool. Hiett embodiment fig. 1 does not disclose providing a low spool generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool.
Hiett teaches providing a low speed generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool (par. 78 discussed a low speed spool electric motor/generator separate from the low speed motor 102A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Hiett embodiment fig. 1 with providing a low spool generator configured to extract power from the low speed spool as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate providing additional electrical power to the aircraft.
Claim(s) 4, 10, 14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger, as evidenced by Hiett and Shang, in view of Hiett.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Terwilliger discloses the current invention as claimed and discussed. Terwilliger does not disclose wherein the controller is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from either of the low spool generator) or the high spool generator to a motor of another engine to provide thrust and restart capability to the other engine 200.
Hiett teaches embodiment fig. 3 teaches the controller 116 is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from either of the low spool generator 102B or the high spool generator to a motor 102A of another engine 30A to provide thrust and restart capability 204,218 to the other engine 30A. Hiett states in par. 64 that “the second electric machine 102B may extract power from the low pressure system of the second turbomachine 30B and … provide power to the low pressure system of the first turbomachine 30A” and par. 74 points out that the instant provided power may be provided to an electric machine of the other engine (i.e. “separate engine”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Terwilliger with the controller is configured to selectively provide or providing electrical power from the high spool generator to a motor of another engine to provide thrust and restart capability to the other engine as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate in-flight restart when energy storage device (i.e. battery) is depleted (Hiett par. 72).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Terwilliger discloses the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Terwilliger does not explicitly disclose wherein the desired compressor pressure is determined based on a sensed pressure, and wherein the desired flow is determined based on modeling a plurality of parameters about the gas turbine engine.
Hiett teaches (see fig. 2) a gas turbine 10 and further (see par. 54) teaches a compressor pressure is determined based on a sensed pressure (sensors 114b and/or 114C). Sensor 114B measures a parameter of the high pressure system that includes the high pressure compressor 34 just upstream of the combustor 40. The top portion of par. 54 points out that the parameters of the high pressure system may be “pressures”. Thus Hiett teaches measuring a compressor pressure related to the desired compressor pressure for combustion of Terwilliger regarding the claims 1 and 11 analyses above.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Terwilliger with the desired compressor pressure is determined based on a sensed pressure as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate storing the desired compressor pressure with an engine controller for reliable starting using software (see Hiett par. 56 bottom).
Hiett further teaches (see figs. 4, 5 and 7-10) a desired flow (a desired flow within the combustor i.e. regulating the speed of the HP compressor provides sufficient flow into the combustor (see par. 28) to facilitate a relighting of the engine) is determined based on modeling a plurality of parameters about the gas turbine engine (the desired flow is based on adding power 204; adding power includes modeling (see for example plots in figs. 5 and 8-10) of altitude (i.e. “30kft”), amount of power (i.e., “hp”), airspeed (i.e., “knots”), and duration of applied power before relight (i.e. “time” or e.g. “30s”); also see “exhaust gas temperature” (fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Terwilliger in view of Hiett with wherein the desired flow is determined based on modeling a plurality of parameters about the gas turbine engine as taught by Hiett in order to facilitate improvement of the hybrid electric gas turbine of Terwilliger in view of Hiett (see Hiett par. 4).
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20180003072 (par. 41 and fig. 2): “While the core is effectively turned off … the motor/generator [70], acting as a motor, can put power on the low spool 30 such that the same amount of thrust is produced as a conventional engine in descent, or such that enough thrust is generated to overcome engine drag”.
Conclusion
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/MARC AMAR/Examiner, Art Unit 3741 /DEVON C KRAMER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3741