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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/12/2026 has been entered.
Status of Rejections
The rejections of claims 8-11 are obviated by the Applicant’s cancellation.
The rejections of claims 15 under 35 USC 112(b) are withdrawn in view of the Applicant’s amendments.
New grounds of rejection are necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments for the remaining claims.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 12-13, and 15 are pending and under consideration for this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(a)
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 12-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1: The original disclosure of the instant invention does not support the new limitations claiming that the transportation plan is based on the adjusted power consumption amount for cases a) and b). The original disclosure only supports creating a transportation plan ([0071]) and that cases a) and b) are used for adjusting power.
Claim 13: The original disclosure of the instant invention does not support the new limitations claiming that the transportation plan is based on the adjusted power consumption amount for cases a) and b). The original disclosure only supports creating a transportation plan ([0071]) and that cases a) and b) are used for adjusting power.
Claim 15: The original disclosure of the instant invention does not support the new limitations claiming that the transportation plan is based on the adjusted power consumption amount for cases a) and b). The original disclosure only supports creating a transportation plan ([0071]) and that cases a) and b) are used for adjusting power.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fairlie (US 20060208571 A1) in view of Johnston et al (US 20210260989 A1), Maehara et al (US 20220193600 A1), Hall et al (US 10046962 B2), and Phillips (US 20170198401 A1).
Claim 1: Fairlie discloses a hydrogen supply system (see e.g. abstract) comprising
a plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. #78 on Fig 1) for supplying hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]) to a fuel cell vehicle (see e.g. #90 on Fig 1), and
a management apparatus (see e.g #102 on Fig 1) that manages supply and demand of the hydrogen gas of the plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0091]),
the management apparatus adjusts a power consumption amount of a plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system, on the basis of a command for adjusting supply and demand of power of the commercial power network (see e.g. abstract).
With respect to the limitations claiming “wherein the plurality of hydrogen stations include a plurality of on-site hydrogen stations…each of the on-site hydrogen stations includes”, Fairlie broadly claims that the plurality of hydrogen stations include a plurality of on-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0005] and [0084]), each of the on-site hydrogen stations includes: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power supplied from a commercial power network (see e.g. [0084]); and that the hydrogen is stored on-site, implying the there is an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]). Fairlie does not explicitly teach a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device; a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator, but does disclose that “The configuration and type of electrolyser is not particularly limited, and can be any type of electrolyser that are currently known or may become know” (see e.g. [0084]). Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention would be motivated to find and use a specific hydrogen generating device.
Johnston discloses a hydrogen fueling system (see e.g. abstract) comprising an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power (see e.g. #220 on Fig 2B); a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device (see e.g. #212 on Fig 2B); an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor (see e.g. #217 on Fig 2B); and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. #214 on Fig 2B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the specific fueling system of Johnston with the system of Fairlie because the system of Johnston is a suitable hydrogen fueling system that satisfies the requirements of the hydrogen system in Fairlie (generating and storing hydrogen via electrolysis).
Fairlie does not explicitly teach that the plurality of hydrogen stations includes an off-site hydrogen station that receives supply of hydrogen gas from a specific on-site hydrogen station. However, Fairlie teaches that “While not included in the present embodiment, it is to be understood that other hydrogen applications are within the scope of the invention, in addition to the supply of HPVs, for example, industrial hydrogen” (see e.g. [0087]).
Maehara teaches a hydrogen supply system similar to that of Fairlie (see e.g. abstract and Fig 1) wherein the production of hydrogen is controlled by a management apparatus in response to supply and demand (see e.g. abstract). Maehara additionally teaches that in these systems the hydrogen generated by the electrolysis cell can be sent off-site, where the off-site hydrogen station (see e.g. [0048]) includes a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas supplied from the specific on-site hydrogen station, an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor, and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. [0003]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie to include the off-site hydrogen station taught in Maehara that receives supply of hydrogen gas from a specific on-site hydrogen station to service vehicles not located near the system site.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention that the management apparatus protocol would be updated based on the off-site station such that there would be an adjustment to the margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the specific on-site hydrogen station is calculated on the basis of a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the off-site hydrogen station and a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the specific on-site hydrogen station.
Fairlie in view of Maehara does not explicitly teach the management apparatus creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations. Hall teaches a system for servicing off-site hydrogen stations wherein a management apparatus (see e.g. col 3, lines 43-46) creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations based on sensed conditions of the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. Fig 1 and Fig 6). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie in view of Maehara to incorporate the teachings of Hall so that the management apparatus is configured to create a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations to ensure that the off-site stations have sufficient hydrogen.
With regard to the limitations claiming “a) in a case where a command to increase power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines… b) in a case where a command to reduce power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines:...”, Fairlie discloses that in a case where a command to change the power consumption is issued (see e.g. [0030]), the management apparatus determines a demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0031]), an accumulation margin of each of the accumulators included in the on-site hydrogen stations and the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0033]: “≤MaximumStorageCapacity”), and an adjustment amount of power consumption of each electrolysis device so as to change the power consumption within a determined adjustment margin (see e.g. [0031]).
Fairlie does not explicitly teach that the management apparatus determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and a difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device. Phillips teaches that electorlyzer should be operated below the maximum rated power to avoid destroying the cell (see e.g. [0362]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the management apparatus so that it determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device in response to a command to change power consumption on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and the difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device to ensure that the change in power consumption ensures safe conditions are maintained (cell is below maximum power rating and there is enough storage space for the hydrogen) while satisfying the demand for hydrogen gas and adjusting the amount of power consumption. It would have bene obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that this would work for an increased power consumption and a decreased power consumption command.
Claim 2: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips discloses that the management apparatus determines, on the basis of an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device, an adjustment amount of power consumption of each electrolysis device within a range of adjustment margin of each electrolysis device such that a sum of adjustment amounts of power consumption of the plurality of electrolysis devices becomes closer to an adjustment target amount of supply and demand of power included in the command (see e.g. [0102]-[0105] of Fairlie).
Claim 3: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips discloses that the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the electrolysis device included in each of the on-site hydrogen stations is calculated on the basis of a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in each of the on-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0102]-[0105] of Fairlie).
Claim 5: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips teaches a hydrogen production site (see e.g. abstract), separate from the stations, that produces hydrogen gas to be supplied to at least one of the plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0048]), wherein the hydrogen production site includes the electrolysis device and the accumulator (see e.g. [0048]), the management apparatus creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen production site to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. Fig 1 and Fig 6 of Hall).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention that the management apparatus protocol would be updated based on the hydrogen production site such that the management apparatus adjusts the power consumption amount of the plurality of electrolysis devices further on the basis of an adjustment margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the hydrogen production site (see e.g. [0102]-[0105] of Fairlie).
Claim 6: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips teaches that the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the hydrogen production site is calculated on the basis of a production amount and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen production site, and a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen station receiving the supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen production site (see e.g. [0102]-[0105] of Fairlie).
Claim 12: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips discloses that the management apparatus updates a production plan of each electrolysis device such that excess and shortage of production amount of hydrogen gas caused by the adjustment of the power consumption of the plurality of electrolysis devices is eliminated or alleviated for each electrolysis device (see e.g. [0113] of Fairlie).
Claim 13: Fairlie discloses a hydrogen station (see e.g. abstract) comprising:
a plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. #78 on Fig 1) for supplying hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]) to a fuel cell vehicle (see e.g. #90 on Fig 1),
a plurality of hydrogen production sites that produce hydrogen gas to be supplied to at least one of the plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0087]), and
a management apparatus that manages supply and demand of hydrogen gas of the plurality of hydrogen stations and the plurality of hydrogen production sites (see e.g. abstract),
the management apparatus adjusts a power consumption amount of a plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system, on the basis of a command for adjusting supply and demand of power of the commercial power network (see e.g. [0102]-[0105]).
With respect to the limitations claiming “wherein each of the hydrogen production sites includes…. Fairlie broadly claims that the plurality of hydrogen stations includes a plurality of on-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0005] and [0084]), each of the on-site hydrogen stations includes: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power supplied from a commercial power network (see e.g. [0084]); and that the hydrogen is stroed on-site, implying the there is an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]). Fairlie does not explicitly teach a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device; a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator, but does disclose that “The configuration and type of electrolyser is not particularly limited, and can be any type of electrolyser that are currently known or may become know” (see e.g. [0084]). Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention would be motivated to find and use a specific hydrogen generating device.
Johnston discloses a hydrogen fueling system (see e.g. abstract) comprising an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power (see e.g. #220 on Fig 2B); a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device (see e.g. #212 on Fig 2B); an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor (see e.g. #217 on Fig 2B); and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. #214 on Fig 2B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the specific fueling system of Johnston with the system of Fairlie because the system of Johnston is a suitable hydrogen fueling system that satisfies the requirements of the hydrogen system in Fairlie (generating and storing hydrogen via electrolysis).
Fairlie in view of Johnston does not explicitly teach that the hydrogen production sites are separate from the stations. Maehara teaches a hydrogen supply system similar to that of Fairlie (see e.g. abstract and Fig 1) wherein the production of hydrogen is controlled by a management apparatus in response to supply and demand (see e.g. abstract). Fukunaga additionally teaches that in these systems the hydrogen generated by the electrolysis cell is generated at a production site and sent to a hydrogen station (see e.g. [0048]) wherein the wherein the hydrogen production site includes the electrolysis device and the accumulator (see e.g. [0048]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie to include the hydrogen production site, separate from the stations that produces hydrogen gas to be supplied to at least one of the plurality of hydrogen stations taught in Maehara to service vehicles not located near the system site.
Fairlie in view of Maehara does not explicitly teach the management apparatus creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations. Hall teaches a system for servicing off-site hydrogen stations wherein a management apparatus (see e.g. col 3, lines 43-46) creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations based on sensed conditions of the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. Fig 1 and Fig 6). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie in view of Maehara to incorporate the teachings of Hall so that the management apparatus is configured to create a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations to ensure that the off-site stations have sufficient hydrogen.
With regard to the limitations claiming “a) in a case where a command to increase power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines… b) in a case where a command to reduce power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines:...”, Fairlie discloses that in a case where a command to change the power consumption is issued (see e.g. [0030]), the management apparatus determines a demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0031]), an accumulation margin of each of the accumulators included in the on-site hydrogen stations and the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0033]: “≤MaximumStorageCapacity”), and an adjustment amount of power consumption of each electrolysis device so as to change the power consumption within a determined adjustment margin (see e.g. [0031]).
Fairlie does not explicitly teach that the management apparatus determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and a difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device. Phillips teaches that electorlyzer should be operated below the maximum rated power to avoid destroying the cell (see e.g. [0362]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the management apparatus so that it determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device in response to a command to change power consumption on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and the difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device to ensure that the change in power consumption ensures safe conditions are maintained (cell is below maximum power rating and there is enough storage space for the hydrogen) while satisfying the demand for hydrogen gas and adjusting the amount of power consumption. It would have bene obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that this would work for an increased power consumption and a decreased power consumption command.
Claim 15: Fairlie discloses a method for managing hydrogen supply and demand in a hydrogen supply system (see e.g. abstract) comprising
a plurality of hydrogen stations (see e.g. #78 on Fig 1) for supplying hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]) to a fuel cell vehicle (see e.g. #90 on Fig 1),
the method comprises:
acquiring a command for adjusting supply and demand of power of the commercial power network (see e.g. [0102]);
calculating an adjustment margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device of each on-site hydrogen station see e.g. [0102]-[0104];
determining an adjustment amount of power consumption of each electrolysis device within a range of adjustment margin of each electrolysis device such that a sum of adjustment amounts of power consumption of the plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system becomes closer to an adjustment target amount of supply and demand of power included in the command see e.g. [0104]-[0105]); and
adjusting the power consumption of each electrolysis device on the basis of the determined adjustment amount (see e.g. [0104]-[0105]).
With respect to the limitations claiming “wherein the plurality of hydrogen stations include a plurality of on-site hydrogen stations…each of the on-site hydrogen stations includes”, Fairlie broadly claims that the plurality of hydrogen stations include a plurality of on-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0005] and [0084]), each of the on-site hydrogen stations includes: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power supplied from a commercial power network (see e.g. [0084]); and that the hydrogen is stored on-site, implying the there is an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas (see e.g. [0084]). Fairlie does not explicitly teach a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device; a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator, but does disclose that “The configuration and type of electrolyser is not particularly limited, and can be any type of electrolyser that are currently known or may become know” (see e.g. [0084]). Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention would be motivated to find and use a specific hydrogen generating device.
Johnston discloses a hydrogen fueling system (see e.g. abstract) comprising an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen gas by an electrolytic reaction consuming power (see e.g. #220 on Fig 2B); a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the electrolysis device (see e.g. #212 on Fig 2B); an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor (see e.g. #217 on Fig 2B); and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. #214 on Fig 2B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the specific fueling system of Johnston with the system of Fairlie because the system of Johnston is a suitable hydrogen fueling system that satisfies the requirements of the hydrogen system in Fairlie (generating and storing hydrogen via electrolysis).
Fairlie does not explicitly teach that the plurality of hydrogen stations includes an off-site hydrogen station that receives supply of hydrogen gas from a specific on-site hydrogen station. However, Fairlie teaches that “While not included in the present embodiment, it is to be understood that other hydrogen applications are within the scope of the invention, in addition to the supply of HPVs, for example, industrial hydrogen” (see e.g. [0087]).
Maehara teaches a hydrogen supply system similar to that of Fairlie (see e.g. abstract and Fig 1) wherein the production of hydrogen is controlled by a management apparatus in response to supply and demand (see e.g. abstract). Maehara additionally teaches that in these systems the hydrogen generated by the electrolysis cell can be sent off-site, where the off-site hydrogen station (see e.g. [0048]) includes a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas supplied from the specific on-site hydrogen station, an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor, and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. [0003]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the method of Fairlie to include the off-site hydrogen station taught in Maehara that receives supply of hydrogen gas from a specific on-site hydrogen station to service vehicles not located near the system site.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention that the management apparatus protocol would be updated based on the off-site station such that there would be an adjustment to the margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the specific on-site hydrogen station is calculated on the basis of a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the off-site hydrogen station and a demand amount, supply amount, and inventory amount of hydrogen gas in the specific on-site hydrogen station.
Fairlie in view of Maehara does not explicitly teach the management apparatus creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations. Hall teaches a system for servicing off-site hydrogen stations wherein a management apparatus (see e.g. col 3, lines 43-46) creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations based on sensed conditions of the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. Fig 1 and Fig 6). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the method of Fairlie in view of Maehara to incorporate the teachings of Hall so that the management apparatus is configured to create a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the plurality of on-site hydrogen stations to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations to ensure that the off-site stations have sufficient hydrogen.
With regard to the limitations claiming “a) in a case where a command to increase power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines… b) in a case where a command to reduce power consumption is issued, the management apparatus determines:...”, Fairlie discloses that in a case where a command to change the power consumption is issued (see e.g. [0030]), the management apparatus determines a demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0031]), an accumulation margin of each of the accumulators included in the on-site hydrogen stations and the off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. [0033]: “≤MaximumStorageCapacity”), and determining an adjustment amount of power consumption of each electrolysis device so as to change the power consumption within a determined adjustment margin (see e.g. [0031]).
Fairlie does not explicitly teach that the management apparatus determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and a difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device. Phillips teaches that electorlyzer should be operated below the maximum rated power to avoid destroying the cell (see e.g. [0362]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the management apparatus so that it determines an adjustment margin of power consumption of each electrolysis device in response to a command to change power consumption on the basis of the demand amount of the hydrogen gas of each of the hydrogen stations, the accumulation margin, and the difference between a current value of operation output and maximum rated power of each electrolysis device to ensure that change in power consumption ensures safe conditions are maintained (cell is below maximum power rating and there is enough storage space for the hydrogen) while satisfying the demand for hydrogen gas and adjusting the amount of power consumption. It would have bene obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that this would work for an increased power consumption and a decreased power consumption command.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips, as applied to claims 1 and 2 above, and in further view of Sugimasa et al (US 20090000574 A1) and Maehara.
Claim 7: Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips teaches the management apparatus creates a transportation plan of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen production site to the plurality of off-site hydrogen stations (see e.g. Fig 1 and Fig 6 of Hall).
Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips ‘does not explicitly teach that the system further comprises an organic hydride production site including an electrolysis device that produces an organic hydride by an electrolytic reaction consuming power supplied from the commercial power network, wherein the plurality of hydrogen stations include at least one of an on-site hydrogen station including a hydrogen production apparatus that produces hydrogen gas by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride supplied from the organic hydride production site, and an off-site hydrogen station that receives supply of hydrogen gas produced by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride supplied from the organic hydride production site, and the management apparatus adjusts the power consumption amount of the plurality of electrolysis devices further on the basis of an adjustment margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the organic hydride production site.
Sugimasa teaches that the storage and transportation of hydrogen can be unsafe and difficult (see e.g. [0005]). Alternatively, Sugimasa teaches that the hydrogen can be hydrogenated into an organic hydride to make it easy to handle and store (see e.g. [0007]-[0008]) and this compound can be dehydrogenated back into hydrogen (see e.g. [0009]). The system in Sugimasa uses an organic hydride production site including an electrolysis device that produces an organic hydride by an electrolytic reaction consuming power supplied from a commercial power network (see e.g. [0027] and [0059]), a hydrogen station including a hydrogen production apparatus that produces hydrogen gas by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride supplied from the organic hydride production site (see e.g. [0048]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie to include the organic hydride production site to feed on-site the hydrogen stations that convert the organic hydride into hydrogen as taught in Sugimasa so that the fuel can be safely transported and handled.
As discussed above, Maehara teaches a hydrogen supply system similar to that of Fairlie (see e.g. abstract and Fig 1) wherein the production of hydrogen is controlled by a management apparatus in response to supply and demand (see e.g. abstract). Maehara additionally teaches that in these systems the hydrogen generated by the electrolysis cell can be sent off-site, where the off-site hydrogen station (see e.g. [0048]) includes a compressor that compresses the hydrogen gas supplied from the specific on-site hydrogen station, an accumulator that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor, and a dispenser that fills the fuel cell vehicle with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the accumulator (see e.g. [0003]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Fairlie in view of Sugimasa to include the off-site hydrogen station taught in Maehara that receives supply of hydrogen gas from a specific on-site hydrogen station to service vehicles not located near the system site.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention that the management apparatus protocol would be updated based on the organic hydride production site and the off-site station such that there would be an adjustment to the power consumption amount of the plurality of electrolysis devices further on the basis of an adjustment margin of power consumption of the electrolysis device included in the organic hydride production site.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 01/12/2026 with respect to the rejection(s) of the claim(s) under 35 USC 103 over Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, and Hall have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Fairlie in view of Johnston, Maehara, Hall, and Phillips.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER W KEELING whose telephone number is (571)272-9961. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Luan Van can be reached at 571-272-8521. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALEXANDER W KEELING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795