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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/16/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s first argument with respect to claim 1, is Hess does not show that outlet 410a is connected to databus 413. Thus, Hess does not disclose a system in which the outlet, such as outlet 410a, is connected on the same bus (e.g., databus 413) interconnecting power supply 401 and seat node 408a. Hess does not show a single bus which is used to achieve this connectivity and information and power delivery. Hess does not teach that the same communication bus interconnecting the PDC and the power supply also allows the DC outlet to communicate information at least to the PDC via the same bus. Thus, the independent claims, as amended, clearly further distinguish over the cited Hess reference in this regard. The other cited reference, Ibrahim, fails to remedy this deficiency of Hess.
This is not persuasive because the claim requires the communication bus configured to connect the PDC, the at least one DC outlet and the DC power supply, to allow the PDC to communicate data to the power supply and the DC outlet to communicate data to the PDC. As recited in paragraph 0036 of Hess, a load 415a or 415b is plugged into a respective outlet 410a or 410b of seat node 408a. A respective plug presence sense element 411a or 411b is connected with the respective outlet 410a or 410b which sends the status (e.g., plugged-in, not plugged-in) to seat node controller 412 which sends all status over the communication bus 413 to the power supply 401, thus allows the PDC 408a to communicate data to the power supply 401 and the DC outlet 410a or 410b to communicate data to the controller 412 of PDC 408a via the respective plug presence sense element 411a or 411b which is connected to the communication bus 413.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hess et al. (US 2015/0123464 A1) in view of Ibrahim et al. (US 2016/0329724 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Hess discloses, in figure 4, a power supply system (401, 408a) comprising: a power distribution connector (PDC) (408a) configured to receive power as input from a power supply (401) via a communication bus (413) (Par 0035) and configured to deliver DC power to at least one DC outlet (410a, 410b) connected to the power distribution connector (408a) by way of the communication bus (413) which in turn is capable of supplying the delivered DC power to a DC load (415a, 415b) (Par 0034-0036) and the communication bus (413) configured to connect the PDC (408a), the at least one DC outlet (410a, 410b) and the power supply (401), to allow the PDC (408a) to communicate data to the power supply (401) and the DC outlet (410a, 410b) to communicate data to the PDC (Par 0036; see arguments above).
Hess does not disclose the power supply unit is a DC power supply.
However, Ibrahim discloses, in figure 1, a DC power supply (126; Par 0027).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hess’s power supply unit with Ibrahim’s DC power supply in order to reduce costs associated with wires, cables, and equipment to provide cabin services as compared to legacy systems and to provide power to a passenger's device without rearranging or replacing wiring throughout various electrical and communication systems in an aircraft. (Ibrahim; Par 0049).
In regards to claim 2, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the power supply system of claim 1. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the PDC (408a) is configured to be set with a maximum power limit that may be modified by the power supply (401) via the communication bus (413) (Par 0040), by an aircraft level power command via an aircraft system power bus, or by another control input (402; Par 0040) or from a pay-for-power system.
In regards to claim 3, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the power supply system of claim 2. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the PDC (408a) comprises a microcontroller (412) configured to communicate with the at least one outlet (410a, 410b) (Par 0036), to control said outlet to reduce its consumption of power (Par 0040), and to renegotiate a new power contract when power consumption by the at least one DC load (415a, 415b) reaches or exceeds the maximum power limit (Par 0040-0041).
In regards to claim 4, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the power supply system of claim 2. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the PDC (408a) is additionally configured to deliver DC power to a low-power DC load (Fig. 2; output of 211 DC power) (Par 0033; seat node 408a is a simplified representation of seat node 201 of Fig. 2) in a seat group on an airplane (Par 0025, 0027), the low-power DC load drawing 100 W of power or less and selected from the group consisting of a seat actuator, a reading light, an inflight entertainment system, a wireless transmitter/receiver, a sensor, and a device that draws power via a USB outlet (Par 0025, 0027).
In regards to claim 5, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the power supply system of claim 4. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the power supply (401) is capable of receiving power from a power bus on an aircraft (406) (Par 0032).
Hess does not disclose the power supply unit is a DC power supply.
However, Ibrahim discloses, in figure 1, a DC power supply (126; Par 0027).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hess’s power supply unit with Ibrahim’s DC power supply in order to reduce costs associated with wires, cables, and equipment to provide cabin services as compared to legacy systems and to provide power to a passenger's device without rearranging or replacing wiring throughout various electrical and communication systems in an aircraft. (Ibrahim; Par 0049).
In regards to claim 6, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the power supply system of claim 4. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the PDC (408a) is capable of receiving power from an aircraft generator (Par 0057-0058).
In regards to claim 7, Hess discloses, in figure 4, a method of power management (Par 0021), comprising the steps of: providing a power supply (401); providing a power distribution connector (PDC) (408a) interposed between the power supply (401) and at least one DC outlet (410a, 410b) operable to connect to a DC load (415a, 415b) (Par 0034-0036); interconnecting the power supply (401), the PDC (408a), and the DC outlet (410a, 410b) by way of a communication bus (413) to deliver power from the power supply (401) to the PDC (408a) (Par 0034-0036) and to allow the PDC (408a) to communicate data to the power supply (401) and the DC outlet (410a, 410b) to communicate data to the PDC (Par 0036; see arguments above); presetting the power distribution connector (408a) with a maximum power limit for the outlet (410a, 410b) (Par 0040); and the power distribution connector (408a) instructing the at least one DC outlet to limit its power supply capability (Par 0040) and to renegotiate new power contracts when the power consumption by the at least one DC load (415a, 415b) reaches or exceeds said maximum power limit (Par 0040-0041).
Hess does not disclose the power supply unit is a DC power supply.
However, Ibrahim discloses, in figure 1, a DC power supply (126; Par 0027).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hess’s power supply unit with Ibrahim’s DC power supply in order to reduce costs associated with wires, cables, and equipment to provide cabin services as compared to legacy systems and to provide power to a passenger's device without rearranging or replacing wiring throughout various electrical and communication systems in an aircraft (Ibrahim; Par 0049).
In regards to claim 8, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the method of claim 7. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, further comprising the step of modifying the maximum power limit via the communication bus (413) (Par 0040), by an aircraft level power command via an aircraft system power bus, or by another control input (402; Par 0040), including a pay- for-power system.
In regards to claim 9, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the method of claim 1. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, further comprising a plurality of outlets (410a, 410b), wherein the power distribution connector (408a) is capable of establishing a priority for one or more of the plurality of outlets (Par 0040).
In regards to claim 10, Hess in view of Ibrahim disclose the method of claim 7. Hess further discloses, in figure 4, wherein the power distribution connector (408a) is connected to a plurality of outlets (410a, 410b), wherein the power distribution connector (408a) is capable of establishing a priority for one or more of the plurality of outlets (Par 0040).
Conclusion
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/ALEX W LAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2842 /LINCOLN D DONOVAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2842