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 .
Priority
Current application, US Application No. 17/953,863, filed on 09/27/2022, claims foreign priority to EP 21199915.6, filed on 09/29/2021.
Examiner acknowledges that the certified copy of foreign priority document has been received. However, the certified English translation copy of the original foreign document, which is not written in English, has not been received. There is no requirement to submit certified English translation copy at this stage according to 37 CFR 1.55(g)(3). However, should the need of certified English translated copy arise according to the cases mentioned in 37 CFR 1.55(g)(3), submission may be requested in the future.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/10/2025 has been entered.
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to the amendment filed on 12/10/2025. Claims 1-13 and 15 are currently pending. Claim 14 is canceled per applicant’s request.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's amendment is entered into further examination and appreciated by the examiner.
Response to Arguments/Remarks
Regarding remarks on the rejections under 35 USC 112(b), amendment is accepted and the previous rejections are withdrawn. Although the argument explains why the phasor measurement is plausible, the amendment introduced a new issue and the arguments fails to explain why a critical system state can be recognized in response to the plausible phasor measurement. Examiner is unable to find the description support from the specification regarding how to recognize the critical system state using the plausible phasor measurement except repeating the same conclusive phrase with no further specific details. (see specification – critical system state [0021, 0045]) Therefore, new rejections under 35 USC 112(a) is issued. Please see the new rejections below.
Regarding arguments on the 35 U.S.C. § 103 rejections to the claims, applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of new ground of rejection necessitated by the amendment because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
Claim Interpretation – 35 USC 112(f)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
The current application includes limitations in claims 13-15 that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because of the following reasons:
Claims 13 and 15 include limitations/elements that use generic placeholders, “device” that is coupled with functional language, “receive”, “determine,”, and/or “take” without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
The physical structure of “a communication device” is interpreted as an electronic hardware, optionally combined with a firmware or software, which handles data communication using a wide variety of communication channels, e.g.: "Powerline Communication" connections over a power line, radio connections according to the 2G,3G,4G,5G or long-range radio standard or optical connections using optical waveguides or conventional copper cables (see specification – [0012], hardware components and/or software components disposed for example in a field device or a protective device on site in a transformer substation [0013], communication device 2 [0045, Fig. 1]).
The physical structure of “a reference device” or “a supervisory device” is interpreted as an electronic hardware components, optionally combined with a firmware or software (see-specification – the supervisory device and the reference device are e.g. hardware components and/or software components [0013]).
If applicant does not intend to have this limitation interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation recites sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) 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 at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. As per claims 1 and 13, the limitation “recognizing (or recognize) a critical system state and determining countermeasures in response to the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible and taking into account the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible for recognition of the critical system state” lacks the description support from the specification. The specification mentions “critical system state” in two places (see specification – critical system state [0021, 0045]) by repeating the similar conclusive phrases, but fails to explain further how the critical system state can be recognized using the plausible phasor measurement data.
As per claims 2-12 and 15, claims are also rejected because base claims 1 and 13 are rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 7 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atanackovic (US 20080059088 A1), hereinafter ‘Atan’ in view of Singh (Singh, Akansha, Jyotsna Bapat, and Debabrata Das. "Distributed health monitoring system for control in smart grid network." In 2013 IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies-Asia (ISGT Asia), pp. 1-6. IEEE, 2013), hereinafter ‘Singh’ and Rhoads (US 20160198245 A1), hereinafter ‘Rhoads’.
As per claim 1, Atan discloses
A method for controlling a power grid, (methods for determining power system stability and advanced control systems [0028-0030, Fig. 1]) the method comprising:
using a communication device to receive first data messages with first phasor measurement data from a first phasor measurement unit; (PMUs, Computer, wired network, or a wireless network [0028, Fig. 1], each PMU 100 provides central host computer 110 real-time complex bus voltage and complex current flow values, synchronization … is achieved via GPS, conventional metering equipment … are also used to provide conventional SCADA analog telemetry [0031, Fig. 2])
using a reference device to determine a deviation between the first phasor measurement data and reference data; (reference phasor measurement, computer 110, equivalent to a reference device [0031, Fig. 2], phasor measurements are corrected by subtracting the reference phase, For each phasor measurement, the mean and the standard deviation is dynamically updated … to monitor the phase … stability [0035])
and recognizing the first phasor measurement data as plausible when the deviation lies at least one of below a previously defined upper threshold value or above a previously defined lower threshold value. (standard deviation, monitor the phase … stability [0035], quality of each measurement, the difference between measured and estimated value, well within acceptability limits set by this criterion [0042])
However, Atan is silent regarding the reference device taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices.
Singh discloses SACDA system taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices (deviations, SCADA system, RTUs [pg. 3 left col par. 1], phasor measurements, phasor measurement unit ‘PMUs’ [pg. 3 left col par. 3], topologies and structures [pg. 1 right col par 1], PMU data, topology of network [pg. 2 left col par 4], topology via breaker status [pg. 3 left col par 2], taking into account the topology [pg. 6 left col par 2], circuit breaker status, PMUs [pg. 2 left col par 2]).
Singh is in the same smart power grid monitoring and control art as Atan.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of Atan in view of Singh to use a reference device to determine a deviation between the first phasor measurement data and reference data, the reference device taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices with a rationale to provide a quality monitoring and control of power systems (see Atan - plays an important role in monitoring and controlling power systems [0003], overall quality of state estimation [0018, 0038-0039]).
Singh further discloses recognizing a critical system state and determining countermeasures in response to the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible and taking into account the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible for recognition of the critical system state (identifying critical slowing down of the network from … phasor data, [pg. 2 left col par2 from the bottom], states, degrees of criticality,. Critical limits, critical nodes, critical state [pg. 2 right col par 1-2], measuring the critical slowing down features of the network with the use of multiple parameters, state estimator … to build a proactive system [pg. 3 right col par 2], designs of proactive failure handling strategies … for preventive maintenance [pg. 2 left col par 3]).
However, Singh is silent regarding implementing the countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment.
Rhoads discloses implementing countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment, in response to a state of power network experiencing disturbances (seeking to comply with these standards in distributed generation, there is a need for balancing of safety and stability concerns, even when they are unwarranted, leading to DGs disconnecting unnecessarily [0136], implement an anti-islanding method, e.g., by including an anti-islanding circuit, or control system, controlled by the utility [0137], disturbances within the power system trigger anti-islanding protection [0138], a disturbance might otherwise cause local anti-islanding control to take protective measures [0143], communication topologies used in the power system … can leverage attendant security protocols, Data traffic between meter and utility data collector, data traffic from the data collector to a cloud service, owner of a smart meter can access power flow monitoring and related functions [0167]).
Rhoads is in the same smart power grid technology as the combined prior art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Rhoads to implement the countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment, with a rationale to provide a quality monitoring and control of power systems
As per claim 7, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 1 set forth above.
Atan further discloses
using the reference device to determine the reference data based on measurement data originating from a measuring device. (For each phasor measurement, the mean and the standard deviation is dynamically updated … to monitor the phase … stability [0035], wherein the mean value, which is considered as a reference value to calculate a standard deviation, is obtained from the measurement data originating from a measuring device).
As per claim 13, Atan discloses
A grid control arrangement for a power grid, the grid control arrangement (embodiment of a synchro-phasor system, determine the operating condition or “health' of the power grid, which leads to methods for determining power system stability and advanced control systems [0028 - 0030, Fig. 1])comprising:
a first phasor measurement unit; (PMUs 100 [0028-0029, Fig. 1])
a communication device configured to receive first data messages with first phasor measurement data from said first phasor measurement unit; (PMUs, Computer, wired network, or a wireless network [0028, Fig. 1], conventional metering equipment … are also used to provide conventional SCADA analog telemetry [0031, Fig. 2])
and a reference device configured to determine a deviation between the first phasor measurement data and reference data; (reference phasor measurement, computer 110 [0031, Fig. 2], phasor measurements are corrected by subtracting the reference phase, For each phasor measurement, the mean and the standard deviation is dynamically updated … to monitor the phase … stability [0035])
the first phasor measurement data being recognized as plausible when the deviation lies at least one of below a previously defined upper threshold value or above a previously defined lower threshold value. (standard deviation, monitor the phase … stability [0035], quality of each measurement, the difference between measured and estimated value, well within acceptability limits set by this criterion [0042]).
However, Atan is silent regarding said reference device taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices.
Singh discloses SACDA system taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices (deviations, SCADA system, RTUs [pg. 3 left col par. 1], phasor measurements, phasor measurement unit ‘PMUs’ [pg. 3 left col par. 3], topologies and structures [pg. 1 right col par 1], PMU data, topology of network [pg. 2 left col par 4], topology via breaker status [pg. 3 left col par 2], taking into account the topology [pg. 6 left col par 2], circuit breaker status, PMUs [pg. 2 left col par 2]).
Singh is in the same smart power grid monitoring and control art as Atan.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of Atan in view of Singh to use a reference device to determine a deviation between the first phasor measurement data and reference data, said reference device taking topological information about the power grid into account when determining the deviation, including taking account of present switching states of switching devices, with a rationale to provide a quality monitoring and control of power systems.
Singh further discloses recognizing a critical system state and determining countermeasures in response to the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible and taking into account the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible for recognition of the critical system state (identifying critical slowing down of the network from … phasor data, [pg. 2 left col par2 from the bottom], states, degrees of criticality,. Critical limits, critical nodes, critical state [pg. 2 right col par 1-2], measuring the critical slowing down features of the network with the use of multiple parameters, state estimator … to build a proactive system [pg. 3 right col par 2], designs of proactive failure handling strategies … for preventive maintenance [pg. 2 left col par 3]).
However, Singh is silent regarding implementing the countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment.
Rhoads discloses implementing countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment, in response to a state of power network experiencing disturbances (seeking to comply with these standards in distributed generation, there is a need for balancing of safety and stability concerns, even when they are unwarranted, leading to DGs disconnecting unnecessarily [0136], implement an anti-islanding method, e.g., by including an anti-islanding circuit, or control system, controlled by the utility [0137], disturbances within the power system trigger anti-islanding protection [0138], a disturbance might otherwise cause local anti-islanding control to take protective measures [0143], communication topologies used in the power system … can leverage attendant security protocols, Data traffic between meter and utility data collector, data traffic from the data collector to a cloud service, owner of a smart meter can access power flow monitoring and related functions [0167]).
Rhoads is in the same smart power grid technology as the combined prior art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Rhoads to implement the countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment, with a rationale to provide a quality monitoring and control of power systems
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Litzinger (WO 2011032579 A1), hereinafter Litz.
As per claim 2, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 1 set forth above.
Atan further discloses using a supervisory device to take the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible through state estimation (computer 110, equivalent to a supervisory device [0031, Fig. 2], A state estimator total cost index as well as partial cost indices were calculated for every state estimator run, This criterion ensured that no negative impact was caused by phasors on the overall state estimator robustness [0041]).
Rhoads discloses implementing countermeasures, including controlling protective devices and/or controllable operating equipment, in response to a state of power network experiencing disturbances (seeking to comply with these standards in distributed generation, there is a need for balancing of safety and stability concerns, even when they are unwarranted, leading to DGs disconnecting unnecessarily [0136], implement an anti-islanding method, e.g., by including an anti-islanding circuit, or control system, controlled by the utility [0137], disturbances within the power system trigger anti-islanding protection [0138], a disturbance might otherwise cause local anti-islanding control to take protective measures [0143], communication topologies used in the power system … can leverage attendant security protocols, Data traffic between meter and utility data collector, data traffic from the data collector to a cloud service, owner of a smart meter can access power flow monitoring and related functions [0167]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art to take the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible into account for recognition of a critical system state and determining countermeasures using a supervisory device to provide a quality monitoring and control of power grid,
However, the combined prior art is silent regarding take the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible in a local area into account for recognition of the critical system state in a global area.
Litz discloses identifying local stability of the electrical power supply network using statistical evaluation of measured values, (local stability [pg. 4 par 1-2], local sensitivity … closes to … threshold values [pg. 11 par 1]), which is obtained using phasor measurement devices (PMU [pg. 4 par 5]), monitoring local and global sensitivity and concluding localized disturbance can be used to detect a large part of the electrical energy supply work having a problem and appropriate countermeasure should be taken (simultaneously with both local and global sensitivity is displayed], localized disturbance, a large part of the electrical … network problem exists, countermeasure must be taken [pg. 13 par 1).
Litz is also in the same electric network stability art as the combined prior art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Litz to use a supervisory device to take the first phasor measurement data recognized as plausible in a local area into account for recognition of the critical system state in a global area and determining the countermeasures to provide a quality monitoring and control of the power grid.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Kirihara (US 20200273120 A1).
As per claim 3, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 2 set forth above.
Although Rhoads discloses use of a command (a command [0128]), the set forth combined prior art is silent regarding defining at least one of control commands for protective devices or controllable operating equipment based on the countermeasures; and transmitting second data messages with the control commands to at least one of the protective devices or the controllable operating equipment.
Kirihara discloses sensing a control command to at least one of the protective devices or the controllable operating equipment for network protection (a wide area monitoring protective control system using a power grid decision-making support device, a control command to be given to control target device, a control target device that is controlled by the control command [0017], protection device [0079], wide area monitoring protective control system [0106-0107, 0109])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Kirihara to define at least one of control commands for protective devices or controllable operating equipment based on the countermeasures and transmit second data messages with the control commands to at least one of the protective devices or the controllable operating equipment using the supervisory device and the communication device for a quality monitoring and control of the power grid.
Claims 4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Konstantinou (Konstantinou, Charalambos, and et al. "GPS spoofing effect on phase angle monitoring and control in a real‐time digital simulator‐based hardware‐in‐the‐loop environment." IET Cyber‐Physical Systems: Theory & Applications 2, no. 4 (2017): 180-187), hereinafter ‘Konstan’.
As per claims 4 and 15, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claims 1 and 13 set forth above.
Atan is silent regarding a digital twin of the power grid.
Although Konstan assess GPS spoofing effect to the transmission line fault detection transmission line fault detection, voltage stability monitoring, and event localization (see [pg. 3 left col par. 2]), Konstan discloses using “digital twin” for the analysis of the measured data from the power grid as core function capability (digital twin, DT is a continuously adaptive model of a complex physical object, process, system or system of systems, With the help of DTs anomalies and device failures can be recognized earlier, gaps in sensor data sets can be filled, and future operating conditions can be better predicted, augmented observability, analytical methods, security assessment, anomaly detection approaches, improved prediction and control, increased system reliability, advanced decision support [pg. 753 left col par. 2 – pg. 754 left col par. 2], Digital twin comprises core database, To avoid ambiguity, the data from different sources needs to be cross-checked and validated continuously. Interfaces for different subsystems are needed for synchronized data exchange and consistent data warehousing [pg. 754 right col par. 2], an embedded power system mirror [pg. 759 left col par. 1 from the bottom, Fig. 3 a and 3 b]).
As a side note, the current application is silent regarding excluding GPS spoofing effect. So applicant’s argument against the teachings of Konstan relating to GPS spoofing effect is unpersuasive because GPS spoofing effect detection is on top of normal measure data analysis capability.
Konstan is in the same Power Grid monitoring and controlling art as the combined prior art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of Atan in view of Konstan to use the reference device to determine the reference data based on a digital twin of the power grid for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Ko (US 20100106342 A1).
As per claim 5, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 1 set forth above.
Atan is silent regarding using a meter data management system to aid the reference device in determining the reference data.
Ko discloses use of meter data management system in creating a reference data model (meter data management system, data reference model [0035, Fig. 1]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Ko to use a meter data management system to aid the reference device in determining the reference data for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Kim (KR 20220052843 A).
As per claim 6, Atan discloses claim 1 set forth above.
Atan is silent regarding using the reference device to determine the reference data based on a state estimation for the power grid.
Kim discloses determining the reference data based on a state estimation of power grid (large power grids [title], SCADA-based decentralized state estimation using a SCADA measurement value, parallelly performing PMU-based decentralized state estimation to perform a phase-aided normal residual test and a general normal residual test [abs, pg. 12 line 1-13, equation 8 and 9], residual test requires comparing the measurement data and the estimated data, which is considered as a reference).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Kim to use the reference device to determine the reference data based on a state estimation for the power grid for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Jelodar (Jelodar, Mehdi Taleshian, and Alireza Sheikhi Fini. "Probabilistic PMU placement considering topological change in high voltage substations." International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems 82 (2016): 303-313).
As per claim 8, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 7 set forth above.
Atan is silent regarding assigning both the first phasor measurement unit and a measuring device to one busbar and checking the assignment to the one busbar.
Rhoads discloses taking topological information about the power grid into account in claim 1.
Jelodar discloses use of a busbar connected to a PMU and existing measuring device to measure the electrical parameters, e.g. voltage and current, and taking topological information about the power grid into account (PMU placement considering topological change [title], PMU forms the basis of … network by measuring the main electrical parameters ‘bus voltage and feeder current’, a modified PMU placement method is presented considering different busbar arrangement in substations and possibility of network topology variation [abs], using existing measuring devices for reducing number of PMUs [pg. 303 right col par. 2], solution for single busbar with coupler [pg. 304 right col line 12 from the bottom – pg. 305 left col line 13, eq. 6-10, Fig. 2a & 2b]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Jelodar to assign both the first phasor measurement unit and a measuring device to one busbar, use the measuring device as a second measuring device and check the assignment to the one busbar by using the reference device and taking topological information about the power grid into account for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh, Rhoads and Jelodar in view of Lu (US 20180156886 A1).
As per claim 9, Atan, Singh, Rhoads and Jelodar disclose claim 8 set forth above.
Jelodar further discloses PMU placements at a busbar ((PMU placement at bus 2, 5 and 6, This is actually equivalent to two PMUs, one on bus 2 and another on substation of buses 5 and 6 [pg. 305 left col line 7 – 4 from the bottom], sets of PMUs in … electrical transmission network [pg. 307 left col line 5 from the bottom]), but is silent regarding taking an electrical model of the transmission line into account.
Lu discloses online calibration if PMU in the transmission line and consider use of a transmission line model (online calibration of PMU, more accurate transmission line ‘TL’ impedance estimation for improved system modeling [0010], considered … model for a … transmission line [0027, Fig. 2]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Lu to locate the first phasor measurement unit and a second phasor measurement unit at different ends of a transmission line, use the second phasor measurement unit for the second measuring device and use the reference device to take an electrical model of the transmission line into account for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atan, Singh and Rhoads in view of Zhu (F. Zhu, A. Youssef and W. Hamouda, "Detection techniques for data-level spoofing in GPS-based phasor measurement units," 2016 International Conference on Selected Topics in Mobile & Wireless Networking (MoWNeT), Cairo, Egypt, 2016, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/MoWNet.2016.7496634).
As per claim 10, Atan, Singh and Rhoads disclose claim 1 set forth above.
Atan discloses phasor measurements may be synchronized using a global positioning system ([0007]), but is silent regarding receiving first data messages including at least one of a time stamp or geographical coordinates, and determining each respective deviation between at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates of the first phasor measurement unit and reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates.
Zhu discloses time synchronization of PMUs across the power grid based on time stamps and the geographical coordinates in the measured data ((time synchronization across PMUs, samples from PMUs are time-stamp [pg. 1 right col par. 1-2], records … signals and rebroadcast them with a time delay [pg. 2 right col par 2-1 from the bottom], delay parameters [pg. 3 left col par. 2 from the bottom], PMU, across the wide geographical areas [abs], GPS-based PMU [pg. 2 left col par. 1], coordinates [pg. 2 right col par. 1], coordinate system [pg. 3 left col par. 1 from the bottom], fixed location, choose the coordinates … as the tested fixed location [pg. 5 left col par. 2-3], signal for the PMUs [pg. 5 right col par. 1], stability of PMU [pg. 7 left col par. 1-2]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art in view of Zhu to use the communication device to receive first data messages including at least one of a time stamp or geographical coordinates and use the reference device to determine each respective deviation between at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates of the first phasor measurement unit and reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
As per claim 11, Atan, Rhoads and Zhu disclose claim 10 set forth above.
Zhu discloses determining the reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates and taking a time delay in the time stamp into account (time synchronization across PMUs, time stamp [pg. 1 right col par. 1-2], a time delay [pg. 2 right col par 2-1 from the bottom], coordinates [pg. 2 right col par. 1], side note: for synchronization, one of comparing data has to be a reference data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art to determine the reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates by using the reference device and taking a time delay in the time stamp into account for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
As per claim 12, Atan, Rhoads and Zhu disclose claim 10 set forth above.
Zhu discloses determining the reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates by using the reference device and taking a previously-known geographical position of the first phasor measurement unit into account (time synchronization across PMUs, time stamp [pg. 1 right col par. 1-2], a time delay [pg. 2 right col par 2-1 from the bottom], coordinates [pg. 2 right col par. 1], side note: for synchronization, one of comparing data has to be a reference data, coordinate system [pg. 3 left col par. 1 from the bottom], fixed location, choose the coordinates … as the tested fixed location [pg. 5 left col par. 2-3], equivalent to a previously-known geographical position of a phasor measurement unit, signal for the PMUs [pg. 5 right col par. 1], stability of PMU [pg. 7 left col par. 1-2]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time when invention is filed before the effective filing date of the current application to modify the teachings of the combined prior art to determine the reference data for at least one of the time stamp or the geographical coordinates by using the reference device and take a previously-known geographical position of the first phasor measurement unit into account for a quality data analysis and a quality power grid monitoring and control.
Notes with regard to Prior Art
The prior arts made of record are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bi (Bi, Suzhi, and Ying Jun Zhang. "Using covert topological information for defense against malicious attacks on DC state estimation." IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications 32, no. 7 (2014): 1471-1485) discloses power grid security solution through accurate state estimation taking power network topological information from cyber attacker.
Deng (Deng, Ruilong, and et al. "False data injection on state estimation in power systems—Attacks, impacts, and defense: A survey." IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics 13, no. 2 (2016): 411-423) discloses maintaining a stable condition for power grid through accurate state estimation using bad data detection ‘BDD’ by getting rid of erroneous measurements or outside attacks and also rejecting false data injection ‘FDI’.
Henselmeyer (US 20230018146 A1) discloses use of a control command commands for protective devices or controllable operating equipment based on the countermeasures (wider use [0004], PMUs , IEDS, protective units [0017], predicting a grid state of an electrical power distribution grid 70. creating control commands S, suitable for implementing the measures, for controllable equipment in the power distribution grid 70 and sending the control commands as data telegrams 59 [0055 Fig. 5]).
Ratnakaran (US 20070112579 A1) discloses using a meter data management system to aid in determining the reference data (meter reading [0010-0011, 0100-0101], database, meter reference data [0086-0090]).
Ahn (KR 20150072822 A) discloses assigning both the first phasor measurement unit and a measuring device to one busbar, using the measuring device as a second measuring device and checking the assignment to the one busbar.
Chenine (M. Chenine and L. Nordström, "Investigation of communication delays and data incompleteness in multi-PMU Wide Area Monitoring and Control Systems," 2009 International Conference on Electric Power and Energy Conversion Systems, (EPECS), Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 2009, pp. 1-6) discloses using time stamp, delay and geographical position information in the measured data.
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/DOUGLAS KAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857