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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/8/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of the amendment filed on 1/8/2026 in which claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 10-12, 15-16, and 18-19 were amended. No claims were added, therefore claims 1, 4-12, 15-16, and 19-20 are pending examination below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments dated 1/8/2026 are not persuasive. The examiner believes that while the prior art of Zoppi in view of Williams may not explicitly disclose that the charging parameters are “targets” it is noted that modern battery charging systems operate using predefined current and voltage reference values corresponding to the battery chemistry and operating requirements. Regulation of current and voltage necessarily involves maintaining the values at or below these desired reference values, where the reference values reasonably correspond to “targets” as claimed. In addition, Wan US 20210313822 explicitly discloses target current and target voltage which reasonably read on the claimed “target charge control parameters”.
Applicant also argues that the microcontroller is not covered within the prior art. While the prior art of Zoppi in view of Williams does not explicitly disclose the microcontroller as being within the PCDU, the examiner believes that the functional limitations of claimed microcontroller are reasonably disclosed. However, as disclosed below, Boncyk’s microprocessor is physically within the charge controller and the examiner believes that this prior art reasonably reads on the claimed limitation that the PCDU comprises a microcontroller.
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 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, 5-12, 15-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Functional-based Verification for Spacecraft SW: the Electrical Power Subsystem” by Zoppi et al. in view of Wan US 20210313822 further in view of Williams et al. US 6369545 further in view of Boncyk et al. US20130263441.
With regards to claim 1 Zoppi discloses, a power control and distribution unit (PCDU) for a spacecraft [Fig. 2 PCDU of spacecraft], the PCDU comprising:
a main power bus [Fig. 2 50V Main Bus];
a solar array interface, the solar array interface having a plurality of solar array circuit inputs with each solar array circuit input configured to receive a solar array circuit current from a different solar array circuit of the spacecraft, each solar array circuit comprising a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) cells connected to provide the solar array circuit current [Fig. 2 SAR (solar array regulator), SAW-N and SAW-S (solar array wings north and south];
a battery interface configured to connect a battery to the main power bus [Fig. 2 BCR and BDR (battery charge/discharge regulators), BAT (battery), Main Bus, where arrows indicate interfacing or connections];
a main power bus interface configured to provide a load current from the main power bus to a load [Fig. 2 Arrows indicate interface between bus and load/payload];
current selection circuitry connected between the solar array circuit inputs and the main power bus, wherein the current selection circuitry is configured to provide solar array circuit current from the respective solar array circuits to the main power bus [Fig. 2 SAR];
an external data interface [pg. 1 col. 2 ¶1 last sentence "The total power system is thus coordinated internally as well as externally through interfaces with other systems of the spacecraft"]; and
a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller in communication with the battery interface, the external data interface, and the current selection circuitry [Pg. 4 col. 2 ¶2 "Now, the EPS spacecraft SW management is in charge of managing the Electric Power Subsystem. It supports: • PCDU • SADE • Battery", and pg. 1 col. 1 introduction "The electrical power system generates, stores, conditions, controls, and distributes power within the specified voltage band to all bus and payload equipment" where the disclosed PCDU performs the same functions as the claimed “microcontroller” Zoppi also discloses utilizing “spacecraft SW (software)”], wherein the microcontroller is configured to:
receive target charge control parameters from a main computer over the external data interface [pg. 5 paragraph that bridges cols 1 and 2 "Finally, the spacecraft SW shall monitor the status of the battery by detecting when the voltage exceeds the end of charge value via BDR (the maximum charge voltage can be set via a specific telecommand) or when the battery can be charged via BCR. Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level" and pg.3 first paragraph “The generated power will be routed through the respective SADM to the PCDU. Excess energy generated by the solar generator will be used to charge the batteries” which discloses that the Satellite Management Unit (claimed main computer) controls parameters for charging],
the main computer executes a flight program to carry out a mission of the spacecraft [pg. 3 col. 2 last paragraph "As such, it provides a cycle-true simulation of the flight processor together with simulations of the flight computer hardware, plus functional models of the spacecraft equipment and behavioral models of the environment and spacecraft dynamics. The simulation of the flight processor and flight computer hardware provides the execution platform on which real, unmodified flight software can be run" discloses "flight computer hardware" which indicates a flight computer],
control the current selection circuitry based on the target charge control parameters to provide the load current to the load and the target battery charging current to the battery [fig. 2 and pg. 3 col. 1 ¶2 "When the power of the solar array exceeds the actual needs of the onboard users the excess energy will be routed to the batteries via the battery charge regulators (BCRs). If the excess power is exceeding a value that increases the charge current over its limit values or the pre-set end of charge value for the battery voltage is encountered, the input power from the solar generators will be controlled by the Solar Array Regulator (SAR), implemented as an S3R shunt system, in a fashion such that the applicable charge control law of the battery is observed. The electrical power will be distributed to the different on-board users (platform electronic units, payload electronic units, heaters, electro-explosive devices (EEDs), non-EED release mechanisms, instrument and reaction wheel isolator launch locks releases) via switchable output lines which are over-current protected individually or on group level"];
receive, at a plurality of points in time, a first signal indicative of a magnitude of the battery charging current and a second signal indicative of a battery voltage across the battery [Pg. 2 last sentences to pg. 3 "The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries. The constant current is limited to a value allowing for a smooth and efficient charging of the battery during the sun period" which discloses that a current and voltage are being monitored within the device denoting that signals are being used for both current and voltage]; and
control, at the plurality of points in time, the current selection circuitry to maintain the battery charging current at the target battery charging current while charging the battery to the target battery voltage [pg. 1 ¶2 "An array of photovoltaic cells powers the load and charges a battery during sunlight" and pg. 3 ¶1 last two sentences "Excess energy generated by the solar generator will be used to charge the batteries. The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries. The constant current is limited to a value allowing for a smooth and efficient charging of the battery during the sun period" where CC/CV uses a constant current until a specific voltage is reached at which point it switches to using a constant voltage and current is reduced until the battery reaches its full charge],
including control the current selection circuitry during a first time interval based on the first set of target charge control parameters and control the current selection circuitry during a second time interval based on the second set of target charge control parameters [pg. 5 paragraph that bridges cols 1 and 2 "Finally, the spacecraft SW shall monitor the status of the battery by detecting when the voltage exceeds the end of charge value via BDR (the maximum charge voltage can be set via a specific telecommand) or when the battery can be charged via BCR. Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level" which discloses that the software of the system is receiving the charging parameters (claimed first and second parameters) and determining charging (claimed controlling of first and second) via the Battery Discharge/Charge Regulators (BCR) and (BDR) and while the time interval is not disclosed it is taken to mean that it can be accomplished at any point in time"].
Zoppi fails to explicitly disclose a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller in communication with the battery interface, the external data interface, and the current selection circuitry, the target charge control parameters include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage, and the target charge control parameters include a first set of target charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission and a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission.
However, Boncyk discloses, a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller in communication with the battery interface, the external data interface, and the current selection circuitry [Fig 2 charge controller 106 and Abstract “a charge controller coupled with the battery and the first, second and third interface. The charge controller has a microprocessor with firmware to autoconfigure a system configuration of the battery and, in an embodiment, connections of strings of solar cells to the charge controller, and to present determined configuration and state of charge to other components of the spacecraft. In embodiments, the microprocessor has firmware for contacting another parallel-connected ESM and to present total power available in both ESMs to other modules of the satellite, and charging of the batteries can be coordinated”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the systems of Zoppi with Boncyk to include the “microcontroller” in the PCDU in order to improve system stability and simplicity.
Zoppi fails to disclose, the target charge control parameters include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage and the target charge control parameters include a first set of target charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission and a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission.
However, Wan discloses, the target charge control parameters include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage [¶7 “determining a target charging power according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery” and fig 3 step 102 “a target charging power is determined according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the battery charging systems of Zoppi with Wan to utilize target current and voltage charging parameters in order to improve the efficiency of charging and power usage.
Zoppi fails to disclose the target charge control parameters include a first set of target charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission and a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission.
However, Williams discloses, the target charge control parameters include a first set of target charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission and a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission [Col. 5 lines 11-13 “The neural network can also take into account the variation of required charge due to changing orbital configuration such as changing sun/eclipse time” disclosing a first (sun) and second (eclipse) conditions that occur during the mission which reads on the different sets of charge control parameters during different times of the mission].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zoppi with Williams to control the charging of the spacecraft battery in order to better adjust the state of charge depending on the usage needs of the spacecraft especially during certain time intervals, i.e. full sun, partial, and eclipse intervals.
With regards to claim 5 the combination discloses, PCDU of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to: modify the target battery charging current based on the battery voltage [Zoppi pg. 3 col. 1 ¶1 2nd to last sentence "The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries" disclosing that the current and voltage are both modified depending on the charge level of the battery].
With regards to claim 6, the combination discloses, the PCDU of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to: reduce the battery charging current to a trickle current responsive to the second signal indicating that the battery voltage is within a threshold of the target battery voltage [Zoppi pg. 3 col. 1 ¶1 2nd to last sentence "The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries" disclosing that the current and voltage are both modified depending on the charge level of the battery which would include the claimed “trickle current”].
With regards to claim 7, the combination discloses, the PCDU of claim 1, wherein: the current selection circuitry comprises a plurality of switches, each switch connected between one of the solar array circuits and the main power bus, wherein each switch has a closed state to electrically connect a respective solar array circuit to the main power bus and an open state to create an open circuit between the respective solar array circuit and the main power bus; and the microcontroller is configured to control the switches to connect a first set of the solar array circuits in parallel to the main power bus and disconnect a second set of the solar array circuits from the main power bus in order to provide the load current to the load and maintain the battery charging current to the battery at the target battery charging current [Zoppi pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads"].
With regards to claim 8 Zoppi fails to disclose the PCDU of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of switches comprises a transistor configured to directly connect the respective solar array circuit to the main power bus.
However, Boncyk discloses, disclose the PCDU of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of switches comprises a transistor configured to directly connect the respective solar array circuit to the main power bus [Fig. 2A field-effect transistors 226 and ¶46 "In an alternative embodiment, ESM 210 has a power-in interface 212, or first interface, that serves to interface ESM 210 through multiple inputs 216 to multiple strings 214 of parallel, or series-parallel, connected solar cells on one or more panels. While each input 216 may be connected to strings 214, it is anticipated that in some embodiments one or more of inputs 216, such as input 216A, may be left unconnected in some satellites. In an embodiment, inputs 216 are of two types, 216, 216B. A first type 216, 216A has an electronically controlled switch 218 that is opened or closed under control of microprocessor 220 acting through a switch controller 222, each switch 218 acting to couple an associated input of inputs 216 to an ESM power bus 224. One or more of the inputs is of a second type 216B where either the switch 218 is capable of high-speed operation, or the switch is coupled in parallel with a high-speed switching device such as a field-effect transistor 226"].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zoppi with Boncyk to provide redundant or alternative switching electronics in order to prevent failure and improve reliability.
With regards to claim 9, the combination discloses, the PCDU of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of switches comprises a relay configured to directly connect the respective solar array circuit to the main power bus [Boncyk Fig. 2 Relay module 138 connected to the solar array power interface 108 and power out module 112].
With regards to claim 10, the combination discloses, the PCDU of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to increase a number of the solar array circuits in the first set responsive to an increase in the load current in order to maintain the battery charging current at the target charging current [Zoppi pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads" which discloses that the power demand of the loads (increase or decrease) is met by the switching on/off of the solar array through this “string switching”].
With regards to claim 11, the combination discloses, The PCDU of claim 1, wherein: the current selection circuitry comprises one or more Power Point Tracker (PPT); and the microcontroller is configured to control the one or more PPTs to provide the load current to the load and maintain the battery charging current to the battery at the target battery charging current [Zoppi pg. 2 col. 2 1st sentence "Peak power tracker (PPT), in which the solar array output voltage is always set at the value which results in the maximum power transfer from the array to the load"].
With regards to claim 12 Zoppi discloses, a method for charging a battery in a spacecraft, the method comprising:
monitoring, by a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller within a power control and distribution unit (PCDU) of the spacecraft [Fig. 2 PCDU and pg. 1 col. 1 introduction "The electrical power system generates, stores, conditions, controls, and distributes power within the specified voltage band to all bus and payload equipment"],
a battery charging current provided from a main power bus of the PCDU to the battery connected to a battery interface of the PCDU [Fig. 2 connections between the BAT, PCDU, and Solar Array],
wherein the PCDU has a solar array interface having a plurality of solar array circuit inputs with each solar array circuit input configured to receive a current from a different solar array circuit [fig. 2 SAR, SAW-N and SAW-S interfaced with the PCDU],
wherein the PCDU has a main power bus [fig. 2 50V Main Bus] interface configured to provide a load current from the main power bus to a load [Fig. 2 Payload PDU showing interface to the loads/payloads from the Main Bus];
monitoring, by the microcontroller, a voltage of the battery in the spacecraft [pg. 5 last sentence of the paragraph that bridges cols. 1 and 2 “The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level”];
executing a flight program by a main computer of the spacecraft to carry out a mission of the spacecraft [pg. 3 col. 2 last paragraph "As such, it provides a cycle-true simulation of the flight processor together with simulations of the flight computer hardware, plus functional models of the spacecraft equipment and behavioral models of the environment and spacecraft dynamics. The simulation of the flight processor and flight computer hardware provides the execution platform on which real, unmodified flight software can be run" discloses "flight computer hardware" which indicates a flight computer];
receiving, at an external data interface of the PCDU, the first set of target charge control parameters from the main computer [pg. 1 col. 2 ¶1 last sentence "The total power system is thus coordinated internally as well as externally through interfaces with other systems of the spacecraft"],
controlling, by the microcontroller, at the first point in time based on the first set of target charge control parameters switches in the PCDU to connect a first set of the solar array circuits in parallel to the main power bus and disconnect a second set of the solar array circuits from the main power bus in order to provide the load current to the load and the first target battery charging current to the battery while charging the battery to the first target battery voltage [pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads", fig. 2 SAR, SAW-N and SAW-S which discloses the solar array being connected with the BAT and Payloads, and pg. 2 section D “The solar array, battery, and the shunt regulator characteristics described above, along with the load voltage requirement, are extremely important in selecting the power system architecture that is most suitable for the mission” disclosing that the power control is determined based on the mission at hand];
receiving, at the external data interface of the PCDU, the second set of target charge control parameters from the main computer [wherein, pg. 3 ¶1 last 2 sentences "The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries. The constant current is limited to a value allowing for a smooth and efficient charging of the battery during the sun period" discloses the claimed first and second charge control parameters, and pg. 1 ¶2 "An array of photovoltaic cells powers the load and charges a battery during sunlight" coupled with the string switching on pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads" discloses that at any point in time while the solar array is active it can adjust parameters depending on the demanded power, and pg. 5 paragraph that bridges cols 1 and 2 "Finally, the spacecraft SW shall monitor the status of the battery by detecting when the voltage exceeds the end of charge value via BDR (the maximum charge voltage can be set via a specific telecommand) or when the battery can be charged via BCR. Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level"], and
repeating the monitoring of the battery charging current, the monitoring of voltage of the battery, and the controlling of the switches to adjust a first number of solar array circuits in the first set and a second number of solar array circuits in the second set to maintain the battery charging current at the second target battery charging current while charging the battery to the second target battery voltage, including controlling the switches at the second point in time based on the second set of target charge control parameters [Pg. 5 paragraph that spans cols. 1 and 2 “Finally, the spacecraft SW shall monitor the status of the battery by detecting when the voltage exceeds the end of charge value via BDR (the maximum charge voltage can be set via a specific telecommand) or when the battery can be charged via BCR. Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level” which discloses the monitoring of parameters in order to adjust said parameters to the needs of the mission].
Zoppi fails to explicitly disclose a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller within a power control and distribution unit (PCDU) of the spacecraft; determining, by the main computer, a first set of charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission; the first set of target charge control parameters include a first target battery charging current and a first target battery voltage; determining, by the main computer, a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission; and the second set of target charge control parameters include a second target battery charging current and a second target battery voltage.
However, Boncyk discloses a programmable and reprogrammable microcontroller within a power control and distribution unit (PCDU) of the spacecraft [Fig 2 charge controller 106 and Abstract “a charge controller coupled with the battery and the first, second and third interface. The charge controller has a microprocessor with firmware to autoconfigure a system configuration of the battery and, in an embodiment, connections of strings of solar cells to the charge controller, and to present determined configuration and state of charge to other components of the spacecraft. In embodiments, the microprocessor has firmware for contacting another parallel-connected ESM and to present total power available in both ESMs to other modules of the satellite, and charging of the batteries can be coordinated”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the systems of Zoppi with Boncyk to include the “microcontroller” in the power unit in order to improve system stability and simplicity.
Zoppi fails to disclose determining, by the main computer, a first set of charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission; the first set of target charge control parameters include a first target battery charging current and a first target battery voltage; determining, by the main computer, a second set of target charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission; and the second set of target charge control parameters include a second target battery charging current and a second target battery voltage.
However Williams discloses, determining, by the main computer, a first set of charge control parameters at a first point in time for a first set of conditions that occur during the mission [Col. 5 lines 11-13 “The neural network can also take into account the variation of required charge due to changing orbital configuration such as changing sun/eclipse time” disclosing a first (sun) and second (eclipse) conditions that occur during the mission which reads on the different sets of charge control parameters during different times of the mission], and
determining, by the main computer, a second set of charge control parameters at a second point in time for a second set of conditions that occur during the mission (Col. 5 lines 11-13 “The neural network can also take into account the variation of required charge due to changing orbital configuration such as changing sun/eclipse time” disclosing a first (sun) and second (eclipse) conditions that occur during the mission which reads on the different sets of charge control parameters during different times of the mission).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zoppi with Williams to control the charging of the spacecraft battery in order to better adjust the state of charge depending on the usage needs of the spacecraft especially during certain time intervals, i.e. full sun, partial, and eclipse intervals.
Zoppi fails to disclose the first set of target charge control parameters include a first target battery charging current and a first target battery voltage and the second set of target charge control parameters include a second target battery charging current and a second target battery voltage.
However, Wan discloses the (first and second) target charge control parameters include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage [¶7 “determining a target charging power according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery” and fig 3 step 102 “a target charging power is determined according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the battery charging systems of Zoppi with Wan to utilize target current and voltage charging parameters in order to improve the efficiency of charging and power usage.
With regards to claim 15 the combination discloses, the method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the first number of solar array circuits in the first set and the second number of solar array circuits in the second set to maintain the battery charging current at the second target battery charging current comprises: increasing the first number of the solar array circuits in the first set connected to the main power bus responsive to an increase in the load current in order to maintain the battery charging current at the second target battery charging current (Zoppi pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads" disclosing that different strings or “circuits” of the -solar cells/array can be connected (or disconnected) based on the power required to maintain the needs of the battery).
With regards to claim 16 Zoppi discloses, a spacecraft [title and abstract “spacecraft”] comprising:
a main computer configured to execute a flight program to carry out a mission of the spacecraft [pg. 3 col. 2 last paragraph "As such, it provides a cycle-true simulation of the flight processor together with simulations of the flight computer hardware, plus functional models of the spacecraft equipment and behavioral models of the environment and spacecraft dynamics. The simulation of the flight processor and flight computer hardware provides the execution platform on which real, unmodified flight software can be run" discloses "flight computer hardware" which indicates a flight computer],
wherein the main computer is configured to output a plurality of sets of target battery charging parameters in response to execution of the flight program [pg. 5 paragraph that bridges cols 1 and 2 "Finally, the spacecraft SW shall monitor the status of the battery by detecting when the voltage exceeds the end of charge value via BDR (the maximum charge voltage can be set via a specific telecommand) or when the battery can be charged via BCR. Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level" where the adjustable parameters defining the law of discharge read on the claimed plurality of sets of charging parameters],
a plurality of solar array circuits, each solar array circuit configured to provide a current [Fig. 2 SAW-N and SAW-S Solar Array Wings];
a battery [Fig. 2 BAT];
one or more sub-systems [Fig. 2 arrows from Payload PDU indicate sub-systems or loads being present and pg. 1 ¶1 sentences 5-8 "EPS has to be able to provide sufficient power to the satellite subsystems under all possible satellite attitudes. EPS has a critical role in a satellite system. In order to satisfy these critical functional requirements, EPS needs to regulate, control and distribute the power generated by solar arrays and/or batteries. Electrical power is essential for the operation of all active satellite systems and subsystems. The electrical power system generates, stores, conditions, controls, and distributes power within the specified voltage band to all bus and payload equipment"]; and
a power control and distribution unit (PCDU) [Fig. 2 PCDU] comprising:
a data interface in communication with the main computer [Pg. 1 col 2 paragraph 1 last sentence “The total power system is thus coordinated internally as well as externally through interfaces with other systems of the spacecraft];
a main power bus connected to the one or more sub-systems and configured to provide a load current to the one or more sub-systems [Fig. 2 Main Bus];
a plurality of switches, each switch connected between one of the solar array circuits and the main power bus, wherein each switch has a closed state to electrically connect a respective solar array circuit to the main power bus and an open state to create an open circuit between the respective solar array circuit and the main power bus [Pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads" and Fig. 2 SAW-N and SAW-S Solar Array Wings N (North) and S (South)]; and
a microprocessor in communication with the battery and the plurality of switches [Pg. 3 col. 2 first paragraph "The PCDU, as part of the Electrical Power Subsystem, is in charge of processing all the electric power needed for a proper spacecraft operation" which indicates the presence of a processing unit], wherein the microprocessor is configured to:
receive the plurality of sets of target battery charging parameters over the data interface from the main computer, each set received at a different point in time; monitor a battery charging current provided by the main power bus to the battery; monitor a battery voltage across the battery; control the switches in order to provide the load current to the load and the target battery charging current to the battery while charging the battery to the target battery voltage [Pg. 2 section D "The solar array, battery, and the shunt regulator characteristics described above, along with the load voltage requirement, are extremely important in selecting the power system architecture that is most suitable for the mission. The photovoltaic battery system is configured in one of the following architectures that would optimize the system performance for a given mission", Pg. 5 col. 2 "Anyway, the spacecraft SW performs at 1Hz the battery depth of discharge and supports the adjustable parameters in order to define the battery law of discharge. The monitoring of the battery is performed via the acquisitions of some housekeeping parameters that allow to define the unit voltage level" which discloses the claimed “receiving”, “monitoring”, and “controlling” of the parameters necessary to perform charging of the battery], including:
provide a first control signal to each switch in a first set of the switches to close the switches to connect a first set of the solar array circuits in parallel to the main power bus; provide a second control signal to each switch in a second set of the switches to open the switches to create an open circuit between a second set of the solar array circuits and the main power bus; and adjust a first number of switches in the first set and a second number of switches in the second set to maintain the battery charging current at the target battery charging current while charging the battery to the target battery voltage [Pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads" and pg. 2 last sentence continued to pg. 3 “In addition, the SADM transfers to the satellite the power of all SA sections and the electrical signals by means of a slip ring set for power transfer and another slip ring set for signal transfer” which discloses that the SA or Solar cell strings (first and second solar array circuits) are controlled by signals and switched on/off depending on the power required from the spacecraft],
including adjust the switches in the first set and the switches in the second set during a first time interval based on a first set of the plurality of sets of target charge control parameters and during a second time interval based on a second set of the plurality of sets of target charge control parameters [disclosed above where the string switches are opened/closed based on the required power of the loads and where the switches also function to route power to the battery, both functions taking place over an extended period of time which reads on the first and second time intervals, and also disclosed above where the adjustable parameters defining the law of discharge read on the claimed plurality of sets of charging parameters].
Zoppi fails to disclose to adapt to varying conditions during the mission and wherein the plurality of sets of target battery charging parameters each include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage.
However, Williams discloses to adapt to varying conditions during the mission [Col. 5 lines 11-13 “The neural network can also take into account the variation of required charge due to changing orbital configuration such as changing sun/eclipse time” where the variation of required charge due to changing orbital configuration reads on the claimed adapting to varying conditions during a mission].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zoppi with Williams to control the charging of the spacecraft battery in order to better adjust the state of charge depending on the usage needs of the spacecraft especially during certain time intervals, i.e. full sun, partial, and eclipse intervals.
Zoppi fails to disclose wherein the plurality of sets of target battery charging parameters each include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage.
However, Wan discloses, wherein the plurality of sets of target battery charging parameters each include a target battery charging current and a target battery voltage [¶7 “determining a target charging power according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery” and fig 3 step 102 “a target charging power is determined according to the charging voltage of the battery and/or the charging current of the battery”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the battery charging systems of Zoppi with Wan to utilize target current and voltage charging parameters in order to improve the efficiency of charging and power usage.
With regards to claim 18 the combination discloses, the spacecraft of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is configured to modify a magnitude of the target battery charging current based on a magnitude of the battery voltage [Zoppi pg. 3 col. 1 ¶1 2nd to last sentence "The charge control law is based on a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) principle compatible with the selected Li-Ion batteries" disclosing that the current and voltage are both modified depending on the charge level of the battery].
With regards to claim 19 the combination discloses, the spacecraft of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is configured to increase a number of the switches in the first set responsive to an increase in the load current in order to maintain the battery charging current at the target battery charging current [Zoppi pg. 2 col. 1 last sentence/bullet "String switching: it connects the solar cell strings to the bus according to the demanded power by the loads"].
With regards to claim 20 the combination discloses, the spacecraft of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: monitor the battery voltage for an overvoltage; and reduce the battery charging current to zero responsive to the battery voltage exceeding the overvoltage [Zoppi Pg. 3 col. 1 paragraph 2 sentence 4 “If the excess power is exceeding a value that increases the charge current over its limit values or the pre-set end of charge value for the battery voltage is encountered, the input power from the solar generators will be controlled by the Solar Array Regulator (SAR), implemented as an S3R shunt system, in a fashion such that the applicable charge control law of the battery is observed” disclosing that the system will shunt the charging of the battery when the pre-set voltage value is reached].
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Functional-based Verification for Spacecraft SW: the Electrical Power Subsystem” by Zoppi et al. in view of Wan US 20210313822 further in view of Williams et al. US 6369545 further in view of Boncyk et al. US20130263441 further in view of Hwan et al. KR 20050060407.
With regards to claim 4 Zoppi discloses the main computer that is configured to execute the flight program of the spacecraft [pg. 3 col. 2 last paragraph "As such, it provides a cycle-true simulation of the flight processor together with simulations of the flight computer hardware, plus functional models of the spacecraft equipment and behavioral models of the environment and spacecraft dynamics. The simulation of the flight processor and flight computer hardware provides the execution platform on which real, unmodified flight software can be run" discloses "flight computer hardware" which indicates a flight computer].
Zoppi in view of Wan, Williams, and Boncyk fail to disclose wherein the microcontroller is configured to: receive the target battery charging current over the external data interface; and receive the target battery voltage over the external data interface from the main computer.
However, Hwan discloses, wherein the microcontroller is configured to: receive the target battery charging current over the external data interface; and receive the target battery voltage over the external data interface from the main computer [Pg 6 “a main computer (1) that executes a program necessary for checking various characteristics of batteries and simultaneously manages the check results for each battery; an RS-232 interface unit (2) that enables smooth data communication between the main computer (1) and a multiplexer board (31-3n); several multiplexer boards (31-3n) that analyze commands of the main computer (1) to control the charging voltage and current of the batteries” which discloses that the target charging current and voltages are sent from the main external computer via an external data interface to the boards which are controlled by the CPU].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the power control system of Zoppi (in view of Wan, Williams, and Boncyk) with the battery power management system of Hwan to utilize an external main computer to control the charging current and voltage being supplied to the battery system in order to improve charging accuracy and enhance system level coordination of power resources.
Conclusion
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/NATHAN J INSTONE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859