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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 3-5, 22, 31 and 37 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that fig. 5 of Jensen does not disclose that the drive motor 152 is electrically connected, in series or in parallel, to the negative terminal and the positive terminal between PV modules 140 in a string of panels. Instead, applicant argues that Jensen taps one string of a given array.
However, the claim language merely requires that the electronic element is connected to the negative and positive terminal between the plurality of PV panels. Jensen’s motor 152 is electrically connected to the PV panel negative and positive terminals since it receives the voltage generated by the PV panels. The “connected to” language does not require tapping at a specific junction, nor do the claims specify a physical point where the electronic element is attached.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 10-13, 18-21, 27, 35, 36 and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. 20170093329 A1 to Jensen.
Jensen discloses, with regards to claim:
1. A solar energy system (Abstract, [0009], figs. 1-3, 5), comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) panels (140) for production of electricity, the plurality of PV panels being electrically coupled to a recipient system ( fig. 5, elements 152, 154, 170, 172) receiving the produced electricity, each of the PV panels including a negative terminal and a positive terminal [0033]; and
an electronic element (152), including at least one component requiring power for operation or charging thereof, the electronic component being electrically connected to the negative terminal and to the positive terminal of one of the plurality of PV panels (fig. 5, [0035] ),
wherein, electricity for charging or powering the electronic element is tapped from electricity produced by the one of the plurality of PV panels, reducing an amount of the produced electricity being delivered to the recipient system (Abstract),
wherein the plurality of PV panels are electrically coupled to each other, in series [0032], to form a string of PV panels with the electronic element being electrically connected, in series, or in parallel, to the negative terminal and to the positive terminal between the one of the plurality of PV panels, and neighboring PV panels in the string of PV panels (fig. 5, [0051], each PV panel is electrically connected to the electronic element).
10. A DC to AC inverter adapted to transmit electricity produced by the PV panels to an electrical grid [0034].
11. The solar energy system of claim 1, wherein the recipient system comprises a battery (170), adapted to be charged by electricity produced by the PV panels [0038].
12. The solar energy system of claim 1, wherein the electronic element comprises at least one battery (170), adapted to be charged by electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels [0038].
13. The solar energy system of claim 1, wherein the electronic element adapted to be powered by electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels comprises at least one of:
a processor (170);
a sensor (142);
a motor (152);
an output element (1540; and
a communication interface (172).
18. The solar energy system of claim 1, further comprising:
a support subassembly (142) having at least a subset of the plurality of PV panels mounted thereonto, the support subassembly and the subset of PV panels mounted thereonto being pivotable about a longitudinal axis (120) of the support subassembly; and
a drive system adapted to pivot the support subassembly and the subset of the plurality of PV panels mounted thereonto (150),
wherein the electronic element comprises at least a portion of the drive system, which is powered or charged by electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels (figs. 2, 3 and 5).
19. The solar energy system of claim 18, wherein the electronic element comprises at least one of a motor, a CPU, and a controller of the drive system, adapted to be powered by the electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels (fig. 5).
20. The solar energy system of claim 18, wherein the electronic element comprises a backup battery (170) of the drive system, adapted to be charged by the electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels, and to power other components of the drive system (fig. 5).
21. The solar energy system of claim 18, wherein the one of the plurality of PV panels is included in the subset of PV panels mounted onto the support subassembly (fig. 1, 140, fig. 2).
27. A method of charging a battery (170), or for powering an electronic element (152), using a plurality of PV panels (140) electrically coupled to each other, in series, to form a string of PV panels [0032] for production of electricity, the plurality of PV panels delivering produced electricity to a recipient system, each of the PV panels including a negative terminal and a positive terminal (fig. 5), the method comprising:
electrically connecting the battery or the electronic element to the negative terminal and to the positive terminal between one of the plurality of PV panels, and neighboring PV panels in the string of PV panels (fig. 5); and
tapping electricity for charging the battery or for powering the electronic element from electricity produced by the one of the plurality of PV panels, thereby reducing the quantity of produced electricity being delivered to the recipient system (fig. 5, Abstract).
35. A method of driving pivoting of a PV assembly including an array of PV panels (140) electrically coupled to each other, in series, to form a string of PV panels [0032] mounted onto a support subassembly (fig. 2), the support subassembly being pivotable when driven to pivot by a drive system (fig. 3), the method comprising:
electrically connecting the drive system to a negative terminal and to a positive terminal between one of the plurality of PV panels, and neighboring PV panels in the string of PV panels for production of electricity, the one of the plurality of PV panels being electrically coupled to a recipient system; and
using electricity tapped from electricity generated by the specific PV panel, powering the drive system to drive pivoting of the support subassembly and the array of PV panels mounted thereon (fig. 5),
wherein the powering of the drive system by the tapped electricity causes a reduction in the electricity produced by the one of the plurality of PV panels and delivered to the recipient system (Abstract).
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the specific PV panel forms part of the array of PV panels mounted onto the support subassembly (fig. 2).
38. The solar energy system of claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises at least one of a processor, a sensor, a motor, or a battery (fig. 5) adapted to be charged by electricity tapped from the one of the plurality of PV panels, wherein the electronic component is directly connected to each of the negative terminal and the positive terminal of the one of the plurality of PV panels (any element connected to the terminals is an electronic component), such that a component-circuit connecting the electronic component to the one of the plurality of PV panels is has at least a portion that is parallel to at least a portion of a recipient-circuit including the plurality of PV panels and the recipient system (fig. 5).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Julian D Huffman whose telephone number is (571)272-2147. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Group Director Andrea Wellington can be reached at (571)272-4483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JULIAN D. HUFFMAN
Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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