DETAILED ACTION
Examiner’s Notes
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Remarks
Claim 1 is amended.
Claims 9, 13, and 24 are withdrawn from further consideration.
Claims 15-22 are cancelled.
Claims 25-28 are new and withdrawn from further consideration (see Election by Original Presentation below).
Claims 1-14 and 23-28 are pending.
Election by Original Presentation
Newly submitted claims 25-28 are directed to an invention that is not so linked as to form a single general inventive concept under PCT Rule 13.1 from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons:
Claims 25-28 would have been restricted from the originally presented (elected) invention, because the newly added claims and the originally presented (elected) invention, claim 1, lack the same or corresponding special technical features for the following reasons:
The common technical feature between the newly added claims and the originally presented (elected) invention, claim 1, is as follows: A photovoltaic receiver, comprising: A photovoltaic receiver, comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are coupled to one another in series, the plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged to have rotational symmetry with respect to a reference point; an energy storage element being coupled to one of the plurality of photovoltaic cells in parallel.
This element cannot be considered as a special technical feature under PCT Rule 13.2 because this feature is already known in IMANI (WO 2010059873 A2) in view of DIARRA (Design of a Photovoltaic System with Ultracapacitor Energy Buffer).
IMANI teaches, A photovoltaic receiver (see the solar cell array in Fig. 3), comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic cells (see the plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h) that are coupled to one another in series ([0021] If these are 16 typical solar cells each outputting a current having a potential of about 2.6 volts, the total voltage output of all the cells when electrically connected in series is about 42 volt), the plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged to have rotational symmetry with respect to a reference point (The plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h are arranged to have rotational symmetry with respect to the center point) (see Fig. 3). Regarding the claimed “an energy storage element being coupled to one of the plurality of photovoltaic cells in parallel”, HUANG discloses a solar generator, wherein each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is couples to each solar chip of the plurality of solar chips in parallel (see Fig. 1), wherein the capacitors are used to balance or compensate energy [0023]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the plurality of capacitors so that each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is couples to each solar cell of the plurality of solar cell in parallel in the device of IMANI as taught by HUANG, because the capacitors balance or compensate energy.
Accordingly, the special technical feature linking the Groups of inventions does not provide a contribution over the prior art, and no single general inventive concept exists.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits.
Accordingly, claims 25-28 are withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8, 10-12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IMANI (WO 2010059873 A2) in view of HUANG (US 20110095613 A1).
Regarding claim 1, IMANI teaches a photovoltaic receiver (see the solar cell array in Fig. 3), comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic cells (see the plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h) that are coupled to one another in series ([0021] If these are 16 typical solar cells each outputting a current having a potential of about 2.6 volts, the total voltage output of all the cells when electrically connected in series is about 42 volt), the plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged to have rotational symmetry with respect to a reference point (The plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h are arranged to have rotational symmetry with respect to the center point) (see Fig. 3).
Regarding the claimed “a plurality of energy storage elements, each one of said plurality of plurality of energy storage elements coupled in parallel to a respective one of the plurality of photovoltaic cells”, HUANG discloses a solar generator, wherein each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is couples to each solar chip of the plurality of solar chips in parallel (see Fig. 1), wherein the capacitors are used to balance or compensate energy [0023]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the plurality of capacitors so that each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is coupled in parallel to a respective one of the plurality of solar cells in the device of IMANI as taught by HUANG, because the capacitors balance or compensate energy.
Therefore, modified IMANI teaches said receiver mitigates influence of atmospheric turbulence which leads to light intensity fluctuations (Since the capacitors coupled in parallel to the plurality of solar cells balance or compensate energy (see the discussion above), the solar cell array has a capability of this function).
Regarding claim 2, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
IMANI teaches the reference point is a center of the plurality of photovoltaic cells (see the rejection of claim 1 and Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
IMANI teaches a cross-section of one of the plurality of photovoltaic cells has a triangle shape, a square shape, or a trapezium shape (see the plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h).
Regarding claim 4, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
IMANI teaches an order of the rotational symmetry is an integer equal to or greater than 2 (see the 8th order of the rotational symmetry).
Regarding claim 5, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
Modified IMANI teaches the energy storage element includes at least one of the following: a capacitor, a super- capacitor, an electro chemical battery cell (see the supercapacitor).
Regarding claim 6, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
IMANI teaches the plurality of photovoltaic cells is a first string of photovoltaic cells (The plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h is the first string of solar cells); the photovoltaic receiver further comprising: a second string of photovoltaic cells that include at least two photovoltaic cells (The plurality of trapezoidal shaped solar cells 32a-32h is the second string of solar cells), wherein the second string of photovoltaic cells have rotational symmetry with respect to the same reference point as the first string of photovoltaic cells (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 6.
IMANI teaches an order of the rotational symmetry of the first string of photovoltaic cells is equal to an order of the rotational symmetry of the second string of photovoltaic cells (see the 8th order of the rotational symmetry; see the rejection of claim 6 and Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 6.
IMANI teaches a distance between the reference point and a photovoltaic cell of the second string of photovoltaic cells is larger than a distance between the reference point and a photovoltaic cell of the first string of photovoltaic cells (see the rejection of claim 1 and Fig. 3); and the photovoltaic cell of the second string of photovoltaic cells has a larger size than the photovoltaic cell of the first string of photovoltaic cells (see the rejection of claim 1 and Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 6.
IMANI teaches a cross-section of a photovoltaic cell of the first string of photovoltaic cells has a triangle shape (see the plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h; see Fig. 3); and a cross-section of a photovoltaic cell of the second string of photovoltaic cells has a trapezium shape (see plurality of trapezoidal shaped solar cells 32a-32h; see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
Regarding the claimed “wherein a material of a photovoltaic cell of the plurality of photovoltaic cells includes at least one of amorphous silicon, poly-crystalline silicon, mono-crystalline silicon, cadmium telluride, copper- indium- gallium-selenide (CIGS), Cu-Zn-Sn-S-Se, Cu-Zn-Sn-S, III-V compounds semiconductor, organic material, dye-sensitized materials, or perovskite material”, MANI discloses they (the solar cells) may be any type of conventional type solar cells, such as conventional mono or poly-crystalline (wafer type) solar cells, thin film solar cells, single junction photocells, multi- junction photocells, etc [0024]. It would have been obvious to choose the conventional mono or poly-crystalline (wafer type) silicon solar cells for the solar cells from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions for choosing the solar cell.
Regarding claim 14, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 6.
Modified IMANI teaches the individual photovoltaic cells of the first string of photovoltaic cells receive same or approximately same first amount of illumination power in response to the photovoltaic receiver receiving an optical beam, and the individual photovoltaic cells of the second string of photovoltaic cells receive same or approximately same second amount of illumination power in response to the photovoltaic receiver receiving the optical beam, the first amount being different than the second amount (see the rejection of claims 1, 6, Fig. 3, and [0028] It is known that both imaging and non-imaging solar collectors typically produce non-uniform illumination, which is more intense at the central region than along its periphery).
Claims 7 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IMANI (WO 2010059873 A2) in view of HUANG (US 20110095613 A1) as applied to the claims 6 and 1, respectively above, further in view of WILLIAMS (US 20110187198 A1) and MOSLEHI (US 20140102531 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 6.
Regarding the claimed “wherein the second string of photovoltaic cells are coupled in parallel to the first string of photovoltaic cells”, IMANI teaches a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are coupled to one another in series (see the rejection of claim 1), and the second string of photovoltaic cells are coupled to the first string of photovoltaic cells (see the rejection of claim 6). Additionally, IMANI discloses the series/parallel electrical connections of the solar cells to one another may be configured to provide optimum voltage and current output [0012]. WILLIAMS discloses a conventional series-string and parallel branch solar array configuration (see Fig. 1), wherein Fig. 1 shows that the second string of solar panels are coupled in parallel to the first string of solar panels, wherein the plurality of solar panels in the second string are coupled to one another in series and the plurality of solar panels in the first string are coupled to one another in series (see Fig. 1). And, MOSLEHI discloses the solar cells in the module may be wired in any combination of series/parallel interconnection arrangements depending on the module current and voltage requirements [0075]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the series/parallel electrical connections of the solar cells such that the second string of solar cells are coupled in parallel to the first string of solar cells, wherein the plurality of solar cells in the second string are coupled to one another in series and the plurality of solar cells in the first string are coupled to one another in series in the device of modified IMANI as taught by WILLIAMS and MOSLEHI, in order to provide optimum voltage and current output based on the module current and voltage requirements.
Regarding claim 23, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
IMANI teaches the plurality of photovoltaic cells is a first string of photovoltaic cells (The plurality of triangular shaped solar cells 36a-36h is the first string of solar cells); the photovoltaic receiver further comprising: a second string of photovoltaic cells that include at least two photovoltaic cells (The plurality of trapezoidal shaped solar cells 32a-32h is the second string of solar cells), wherein the second string of photovoltaic cells have rotational symmetry with respect to the same reference point as the first string of photovoltaic cells (see Fig. 3). Regarding the claimed “wherein the second string of photovoltaic cells are coupled in parallel to the first string of photovoltaic cells”, IMANI teaches a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are coupled to one another in series (see the rejection of claim 1), and the second string of photovoltaic cells are coupled to the first string of photovoltaic cells (see the rejection of claim 6). Additionally, IMANI discloses the series/parallel electrical connections of the solar cells to one another may be configured to provide optimum voltage and current output [0012]. WILLIAMS discloses a conventional series-string and parallel branch solar array configuration (see Fig. 1), wherein Fig. 1 shows that the second string of solar panels are coupled in parallel to the first string of solar panels, wherein the plurality of solar panels in the second string are coupled to one another in series and the plurality of solar panels in the first string are coupled to one another in series (see Fig. 1). And, MOSLEHI discloses the solar cells in the module may be wired in any combination of series/parallel interconnection arrangements depending on the module current and voltage requirements [0075]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the series/parallel electrical connections of the solar cells such that the second string of solar cells are coupled in parallel to the first string of solar cells, wherein the plurality of solar cells in the second string are coupled to one another in series and the plurality of solar cells in the first string are coupled to one another in series in the device of modified IMANI as taught by WILLIAMS and MOSLEHI, in order to provide optimum voltage and current output based on the module current and voltage requirements.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/29/2026 have been fully considered, but they are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the modified and/or new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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/TAE-SIK KANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
Prosecution Insights