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 December 9th 2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Duan does not compute an average value, does not determine deviations from that average value, does not compare deviations to two different thresholds with a defined relationship, and does not select at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack based on the two different thresholds respectively.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, based on ¶[48] of Duan:
[0048] The present invention preferably uses a bang-bang controller to determine the flow direction in each converter as shown in FIG. 9. For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state, and the size of the divergence is used to determine a current flow direction. In order to balance the battery state of charge, for example, a reference SOC for the entire battery pack is subtracted from an SOC for each battery unit. The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units, for example. If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction. If the difference is below a lower threshold T.sub.L then the current direction should be negative in order to charge the deviant battery unit. When the difference is between the thresholds, then hysteresis is used to determine whether to switch the flow direction. Upon system initialization, all of the flow directions may be set to a positive or forward direction.
Duan computes an average value (“The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units”), determines deviations from that average (“a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state”), compares deviations to two different thresholds (T.sub.L and T.sub.U), and selects battery packs based on the thresholds (alters currents flow based on the thresholds).
Applicant further argues that the references do not teach where the controller is configured to control a DC/DC converter of each battery pack, to transfer electric energy from the first battery pack to the balancing bus and then to the second battery pack. Examiner respectfully disagrees, because as shown in Fig. 8 of Duan, a DC/DC converter (71-75) of each pack (63-67) is controlled by a main controller (70), and as shown by the arrows, energy is transferred from a first pack (63) to the balancing bus (76-77) and then to a second battery pack (65). Applicant argues that the first and second preset thresholds are “fixed bounds rather than deviations from a dynamically computed average value”. It is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the first and second thresholds depend on the computed average value) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 11, 14, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gazit (US 20140265606 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 20200055405 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Gazit teaches an energy storage system (Fig. 1), comprising a controller (110) and three power conversion branches (14, see Fig. 1), wherein
each of the three power conversion branches comprises one power conversion circuit (200) or at least two power conversion circuits connected in series, a first end of the one power conversion circuit or serially connected first ends of the at least two power conversion circuits is/are connected to an alternating current bus (12) (see Fig. 2)
a second end of each power conversion circuit in each of the three power conversion branches is connected to at least one battery cluster (14a);
each of the at least one battery cluster comprises at least two energy storage modules (262), each of the two energy storage modules comprises one direct current/direct current conversion circuit (202) and one battery pack (20), comprising at least two batteries (¶[36] “Each energy storage device may include one or more batteries”);
an output end of each battery pack (20) is connected to an input end of a corresponding direct current/direct current conversion circuit (202) (Fig. 2) , and an output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel (¶[36] “Second terminals 262 of power converters 202 are connected together in a serial string 350. Alternatively, a parallel connection may also be utilized”);
and the power conversion circuit (200) is configured to: convert a direct current provided by the battery cluster into an alternating current and then transmit the alternating current to an alternating current power network (12) (¶[37] “battery 20 provides … power onto electrical network 12 via DC/AC inverter 200”),
or convert an alternating current obtained from an alternating current power network (12) into a direct current and then charge the battery cluster (14a) (¶[39] “Inverter 200 may be configured to be bi-directional, to convert alternating current (AC) power on AC terminals Y and Z to a DC power on DC terminals W and X for charging”);
Gazit does not teach that the energy modules are connected in series, and that output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus; and
and wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a first parameter value of each battery pack,
determine an average value of the first parameter values, and
determine first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value,
determine at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold,
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, so as to transfer
electric energy from the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack.
Duan teaches energy modules connected in series (13, Fig. 1) and output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus (18, 19, Fig. 1),
and wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a first parameter value of each battery pack (SoC, see ¶[48] “a reference SOC for the entire battery pack is subtracted from an SOC for each battery unit”),
determine an average value of the first parameter values (¶[48] “The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units, for example”), and
determine first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value (¶[48] “For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state”),
determine at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold (¶[48] “If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction”) and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold (¶[48] “If the difference is below a lower threshold T.sub.L then the current direction should be negative in order to charge the deviant battery unit”),
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the second to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[48] “The present invention preferably uses a bang-bang controller to determine the flow direction in each converter”), so as to transfer
electric energy of the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit. For example, an arrow 78 indicates a negative current flow in a converter 73, whereby the divergence of the SOC of a battery unit 65 can be rapidly decreased relative to the other battery units”, see Fig. 8).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit to incorporate the teachings of Duan to provide to provide energy modules that are connected in series, and the output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus; and
and wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a first parameter value of each battery pack,
determine an average value of the first parameter values, and
determine first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value,
determine at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold,
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, so as to transfer
electric energy from the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, in order to let the battery modules transfer power to each other for active balancing, as suggested by Duan (¶[47]).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Duan further teaches the first parameter value is a state of charge (SOC) value or a voltage value (¶[39] “The “battery state” which the invention uses for balancing can be any desirable performance characteristic of a battery such as a state of charge (SOC), power capability, cell health condition, or other battery properties”).
Regarding Claim 14, the combination of Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Duan further teaches wherein the controller comprises at least one first control unit (30/26, ¶[36] “main “outer loop” module 30 includes an outer loop current determination block 31 (which may have a function which is identical to block 26 in FIG. 2)”) and at least one second control unit (33);
a quantity of the at least one second control unit (33) is the same as a quantity of battery packs in the battery cluster (¶[36] “Each inner controller block 33 resides as a local control node in a respective circuit module with a respective one of converters 17”, see Fig. 1 where there is one converter per battery pack);
each of the at least one second control unit (33) is configured to:
obtain a first parameter value of one battery pack (¶[37] “A voltage sensor 40 senses the output voltage from converter 39”)
send the first parameter value to one of the at least one first control unit (30);
and control one corresponding direct current/direct current conversion circuit according to a control instruction sent by the first control unit (¶[38] “Central control module 46 also has a section 49 using the total target current and the distribution ratios to calculate the corresponding individual current commands which are then transmitted over a communication bus 50 to local controllers 51 of the DC/DC converters.”)
and each of the at least one first control unit (30/26) is configured to:
determine the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack based on first deviations determined from the obtained first parameter values (¶[33] “Current regulation block 26 serves as an outer loop controller which receives a voltage setpoint (e.g., a target voltage of 15V for the low-voltage bus) and measured parameter value”)
and send control instructions to the at least one second control unit (¶[36] “Each of the resulting n allocated current command values are sent to a respective inner or local controller block 33”)
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Gazit further teaches a voltage of the balancing bus is less than or equal to an output voltage of the battery cluster, and is greater than a voltage output by the battery pack to the direct current/direct current conversion circuit (¶[42] “In some embodiments, power converter 300 is a DC-DC converter configured to include a buck stage followed by a boost stage or a boost stage followed by a buck stage” The DC-DC converters can raise the voltage outputted from the battery packs, which may then be equal between the balancing bus and output bus).
Regarding Claim 18, Gazit teaches a balancing control method for an energy storage system (Fig. 1), wherein the energy storage system comprises three power conversion branches (14, see Fig. 1), each of the three power conversion branch comprises one power conversion circuit (200) ) or at least two power conversion circuits connected in series, a first end of the one power conversion circuit or serially connected first ends of the at least two power conversion circuits is/are connected to an alternating current bus (12) (see Fig. 2)
a second end of each power conversion circuit (200) in each of the three power conversion branches (14) is connected to at least one battery cluster (14a);
each of the at least one battery cluster comprises at least two energy storage modules (262), each of the at least two energy storage modules comprises one direct current/direct current conversion circuit (202) and one battery pack (20), and each battery pack comprises at least two batteries (¶[36] “Each energy storage device may include one or more batteries”);
an output end of each battery pack (20) is connected to an input end of a corresponding direct current/direct current conversion circuit (202) (Fig. 2), and an output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel (¶[36] “Second terminals 262 of power converters 202 are connected together in a serial string 350. Alternatively, a parallel connection may also be utilized”);
Gazit does not teach that the energy modules are connected in series, and that output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus;
and the method comprises: obtaining a first parameter value of each battery pack,
determining an average value of the first parameter values, and
determining first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value,
determining at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold,
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
controlling a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, so as to transfer
electric energy from the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack.
Duan teaches energy modules connected in series (13, Fig. 1) and output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus (18, 19, Fig. 1),
and the method comprises:
obtaining a first parameter value of each battery pack (SoC, see ¶[48] “a reference SOC for the entire battery pack is subtracted from an SOC for each battery unit”),
determining an average value of the first parameter values (¶[48] “The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units, for example”), and
determining first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value (¶[48] “For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state”),
determining at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold (¶[48] “If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction”) and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold (¶[48] “If the difference is below a lower threshold T.sub.L then the current direction should be negative in order to charge the deviant battery unit”),
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
controlling a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the second to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[48] “The present invention preferably uses a bang-bang controller to determine the flow direction in each converter”), so as to transfer
electric energy of the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit. For example, an arrow 78 indicates a negative current flow in a converter 73, whereby the divergence of the SOC of a battery unit 65 can be rapidly decreased relative to the other battery units”, see Fig. 8).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit to incorporate the teachings of Duan to provide energy modules that are connected in series, and the output end of each direct current/direct current conversion circuit is connected in parallel to a balancing bus; and
obtaining a first parameter value of each battery pack,
determining an average value of the first parameter values, and
determining first deviations between the first parameter values and the average value,
determining at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is greater than a first preset threshold and at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack for which the first deviation is less than a second preset threshold,
the first preset threshold being greater than the second threshold (Fig. 9),
controlling a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, so as to transfer
electric energy from the at least one first to be balanced battery pack to the balancing bus, and then from the balancing bus to the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack, in order to let the battery modules transfer power to each other for active balancing, as suggested by Duan (¶[47]).
Claim(s) 3-8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gazit (US 20140265606 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 20200259330 A1) and further in view of Woeste (US 20200168881 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Gazit in view of Duan does not teach a controllable switch, wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch;
and the controller is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs .
Woeste teaches a controllable switch (112, 114), wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch (Fig. 9);
and the controller (200) is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs (the switches are controlled by a battery cell monitoring module 110).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan to incorporate the teachings of Woeste to provide a controllable switch, wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch;
and the controller is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs in order to selectively enable balancing of the battery packs when the voltage of battery pack is too high or too low.
Regarding Claim 4, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 3.
Duan further teaches when the energy storage module discharges and the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source (71, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV”), and controls a current to flow from each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack to the bus of the battery cluster;
and when the energy storage module is charged and the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source, and controls a current to flow from the bus of the battery cluster to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (71, 73, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit”).
Woeste further teaches the controller controls the controllable switch to be closed when balancing the battery packs.
Regarding Claim 5, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 4.
Duan further teaches wherein when the energy storage module discharges and at least two first to-be-balanced battery packs exist, the controller is further configured to determine, based on magnitudes of first deviations corresponding to each of the at least two first to-be-balanced battery packs, magnitudes of balancing currents of direct current/direct current conversion circuits connected to each of the at least two first to-be-balanced battery packs (¶ [52] “distribution ratios for converters providing a positive current flow are assigned according to weighting factors taking into account a plurality of predetermined ranges of SOC values (or other states) of each respective battery unit”);
when the energy storage module is charged and at least two second to-be-balanced battery packs exist, the controller is further configured to determine, based on magnitudes of first deviations corresponding to each of the at least two second to-be-balanced battery packs, magnitudes of balancing currents of direct current/direct current conversion circuits connected to each of the at least two second to-be-balanced battery packs;
and the magnitudes of the balancing currents positively correlated with the magnitude of the first deviations (¶[52] “a more effective balancing of the states of charge for the battery units can be achieved by increasing the allocated current burden of the most highly charged battery units”).
Regarding Claim 6, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 3.
Duan further teaches wherein the controller is configured to:
obtain a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value in first parameter values of battery packs (¶[54] “a reference state of charge is determined as … a maximum or a minimum SOC of the cells in the battery pack. The difference between the SOC of each battery unit and the reference SOC is calculated” Either the maximum or minimum can be chosen as the reference value and all the other packs including the other of the maximum/minimum will be compared against it);
when the difference is greater than or equal to a third preset threshold, determine that a battery pack with the maximum first parameter value is one of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[49] “If the difference is greater than upper threshold T.sub.U then the current direction for the first converter is set to be positive”);
determine that a battery pack with the minimum first parameter value is at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (¶[49] “If less than lower threshold T.sub.L, then the current flow direction is set to negative”);
and control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit connected to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack and a direct current/direct current conversion circuit connected to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack so as to transfer electric energy from each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack to the balancing bus and then from the balancing bus to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (71, 73, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit”).
Regarding Claim 7, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 6.
Gazit in view of Duan does not teach a controllable switch, wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch;
and the controller is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs .
Woeste teaches a controllable switch (112, 114), wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch (Fig. 9);
and the controller (200) is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs (the switches are controlled by a battery cell monitoring module 110).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan to incorporate the teachings of Woeste to provide a controllable switch, wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch;
and the controller is further configured to control the controllable switch based on the first parameter values of the battery packs in order to selectively enable balancing of the battery packs when the voltage of battery pack is too high or too low.
Regarding Claim 8, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 7.
Duan further teaches when the energy storage module discharges and the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source (71, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV”), and controls a current to flow from each of the at least one first to-be-balanced battery pack to the bus of the battery cluster;
and when the energy storage module is charged and the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source, and controls a current to flow from the bus of the battery cluster to each of the at least one second to-be-balanced battery pack (71, 73, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit”).
Woeste further teaches the controller controls the controllable switch (112, 114) to be closed when balancing the battery packs (Fig. 9. ¶[43] “Each of the electronic battery cell monitoring modules can connect the positive terminal of the battery cell by means of the first electrical switch to one of the electrical lines of the balancing bus and the negative terminal of the battery cell by means of the second electrical switch to the other electrical line of the balancing bus independently”).
Regarding Claim 20, the combination of Gazit in view of Duan teaches the balancing control method according to claim 19.
Duan further teaches when the energy storage module discharges and a first to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the first to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source (71, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV”), and controls a current to flow from the first to-be-balanced battery pack to the bus of the battery cluster;
and when the energy storage module is charged and a second to-be-balanced battery pack exists, controls a direct current/direct current conversion circuit corresponding to the second to-be-balanced battery pack to be a current source, and controls a current to flow from the bus of the battery cluster to the first to-be-balanced battery pack (71, 73, see Fig. 8, ¶[47] “Each converter 71-75 is preferably capable of either a forward current flow from the corresponding HV battery unit to the LV bus or a reverse current flow from the LV bus to a corresponding battery unit”).
Gazit in view of Duan does not teach a controllable switch or the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch.
Woeste teaches a controllable switch (112, 114), wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch (Fig. 9);
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan to incorporate the teachings of Woeste to provide a controllable switch, wherein the balancing bus is connected to a bus of the battery cluster by using the controllable switch in order to selectively enable balancing of the battery packs when the voltage of battery pack is too high or too low.
Claim(s) 9-10 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gazit (US 20140265606 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 20200259330 A1) further in view of Woeste (US 20200168881 A1) and further in view of Guo et al. (US 20160020628 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste teaches the energy storage system according to claim 3.
Woeste further teaches connecting to the balancing bus by using the controllable switch (112, 114, Fig. 9).
Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste does not teach that the second end of each power conversion circuit is connected to at least two battery clusters;
and buses of the at least two battery clusters are connected in parallel and are then connected to the balancing bus by using the controllable switch.
Guo teaches that the second end of each power conversion circuit is connected to at least two battery clusters (iP, iN);
and buses of the at least two battery clusters are connected in parallel (Fig. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste to incorporate the teachings of Guo to provide the second end of each power conversion circuit is connected to at least two battery clusters and buses of the at least two battery clusters are connected in parallel in order to make balancing easier by balancing each arm separately, as suggested by Guo (¶[17]).
Regarding Claim 10, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste and further in view of Guo teaches the energy storage system according to claim 9.
Duan further teaches the controller (22) is further configured to:
determine that an average value of first parameter values of the at least two battery clusters is a second average value (¶[33] “The average battery unit voltage may be obtained from the BECM system” in view of ¶[28] “There may typically be one master BECM with satellite modules with additional sensing and processing”);
when a second deviation between the first parameter value of the battery cluster and the second average value is greater than a fourth preset threshold (¶[48] “For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state, and the size of the divergence is used to determine a current flow direction … The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units, for example. If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction”; the second average, second deviation, and fourth previous threshold are not explicitly different than the first average, deviation, and threshold),
control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit of the battery cluster whose first parameter value is greater than the second average value to be a voltage source (¶[49] “If the difference is greater than upper threshold T.sub.U then the current direction for the first converter is set to be positive”),
control a direct current/direct current conversion circuit of the battery cluster whose first parameter value is less than the second average value to be a current source (¶[49] “If less than lower threshold T.sub.L, then the current flow direction is set to negative”),
and control a current to flow from the battery cluster whose first parameter value is greater than the second average value to the battery cluster whose first parameter value is less than the second average value (¶[48]).
Woeste further teaches controlling the controllable switch to be open while balancing battery packs (112, 114, Fig. 9)
Regarding Claim 12, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste and further in view of Guo teaches the energy storage system according to claim 9.
Duan further teaches the first parameter value is a state of charge (SOC) value (¶[39] “The “battery state” which the invention uses for balancing can be any desirable performance characteristic of a battery such as a state of charge (SOC), power capability, cell health condition, or other battery properties”), and the controller (22) is further configured to:
determine that an average value of first parameter values of the at least two battery clusters is a second average value (¶[33] “The average battery unit voltage may be obtained from the BECM system” in view of ¶[28] “There may typically be one master BECM with satellite modules with additional sensing and processing”);
and when a second deviation between a first parameter value of a battery cluster and the second average value is greater than a fourth preset threshold, determine that a battery cluster whose first parameter value is greater than the second average value is a to-be-balanced battery cluster (¶[48] “For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state, and the size of the divergence is used to determine a current flow direction … The reference SOC may be an average SOC of all the monitored battery units, for example. If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction”; the second average, second deviation, and fourth previous threshold are not explicitly different than the first average, deviation, and threshold),
determine that battery packs that are in the to-be-balanced battery cluster and whose first parameter values are greater than the second average value are third to-be-balanced battery packs (¶[48] “If the difference is greater than an upper threshold T.sub.U then the current flow is in a positive direction.”),
and control direct current/direct current conversion circuits connected to the third to-be-balanced battery packs, so that the third to-be-balanced battery packs discharge (Fig. 8).
Woeste further teaches controlling the controllable switch to be open while balancing battery packs (112, 114, Fig. 9)
Regarding Claim 13, Gazit in view of Duan further in view of Woeste and further in view of Guo teaches the energy storage system according to claim 12.
Duan further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to obtain third deviations between first parameter values of the third to-be-balanced battery packs and the second average value (¶[48] “For each battery unit, a divergence of its battery state is determined with respect to a reference state”);
and determine, based on the third deviations,
balancing currents of the direct current/direct current conversion circuits connected to the third to-be-balanced battery packs (¶ [52] “distribution ratios for converters providing a positive current flow are assigned according to weighting factors taking into account a plurality of predetermined ranges of SOC values (or other states) of each respective battery unit”);,
wherein magnitude of the balancing currents of the direct current/direct current conversion circuits connected to the third to-be- balanced battery packs is positively correlated with magnitudes of the corresponding third deviations (¶[52] “By considering the regions as shown, a more effective balancing of the states of charge for the battery units can be achieved by increasing the allocated current burden of the most highly charged battery units”).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gazit (US 20140265606 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 20200259330 A1) further in view of Guo et al. (US 20160020628 A1).
Regarding Claim 15, Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Gazit in view of Duan does not teach a three-phase alternating current bus, a first end of each power conversion branch is connected to a one-phase alternating current bus, and second ends of the three power conversion branches are connected to each other .
Guo teaches a three-phase alternating current bus (ia, ib, ic), a first end of each power conversion branch is connected to a one-phase alternating current bus (three upper iP branches in Fig. 1), and second ends of the three power conversion branches are connected to each other (Fig. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan to incorporate the teachings of Guo to provide a three-phase alternating current bus, a first end of each power conversion branch is connected to a one-phase alternating current bus, and second ends of the three power conversion branches are connected to each other in order to balance and control each phase of the AC power separately.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gazit (US 20140265606 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 20200259330 A1) further in view of Slepchenkov et al. (US 20220072968 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Gazit in view of Duan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Gazit in view of Duan does not teach a three-phase alternating current bus, and the three power conversion branches are separately connected between alternating current buses of every two phases
Slepchenkov teaches a three-phase alternating current bus, and the three power conversion branches are separately connected between alternating current buses of every two phases (delta arrangement in Fig. 7E)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gazit in view of Duan to incorporate the teachings of Slepchenkov to provide a three-phase alternating current bus, and the three power conversion branches are separately connected between alternating current buses of every two phases in order to enable an effective exchange of energy between all modules of the system and phases of power grid or load, and also reducing the number of modules needed to obtain the desired output voltages, as suggested by Slepchenkov (¶[116]).
Conclusion
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/A.B./
Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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