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 .
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ba et al. [Rotary Power-Flow Controller for Dynamic Performance Evaluation-Part I: RPFC Modeling, IEEE TRANSECTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, IEEE SERVICE CENTER, NEW YORK, NY, US, vol. 24, no. 3, 1 July 2009, pages 1406-1416, XP011252731, ISSN: 0885-8977] or Pierre et al. [WO 96/15572 A1].
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Ba et al. discloses a transformer assembly [see figures 1a-1b] which comprises:
- a step-up transformer, T series connected between the low voltage corresponding to the output of the phase shift transformer and the high voltage grid, see section II A2;
- a step-down transformer [the shunt transformer Tshunt connected between the high voltage grid and the low voltage phase shift transformer, see section II A1];
- a phase shifting transformer [RPST, figures 1a-1b] having a source side and a load side connected, respectively, to the step-down transformer and the step-up transformer [see section II and figures 1a-1b].
Ba et al. further discloses the use of power transmission lines [page 1406, figures 1a-1b] for the transformer assembly.
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Pierre et al. discloses a transformer assembly [figures 1-10] which comprises:
- a step-up transformer [14, 2, 24];
- a step-down transformer [8, 26];
- a phase shifting transformer [10] having a source side and a load side connected, respectively, to the step-down transformer and the step-up transformer [see figures 1-4].
Pierre et al. further discloses the use of transmission lines connecting the transformer assembly.
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.
Claim(s) 2-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ba et al. or Pierre et al. in view of Noriyuki et al. [EP 0725470 A1].
Regarding claims 2-3, Ba et al. or Pierre et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific of the phase shifting transformer.
Noriyuki et al. discloses a phase shifting transformer comprises a single-core phase shifting transformer with delta connected excitation windings [43a, 43b, 43c] and tap windings [42a, 42b, 42c].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the phase shifting transformer of Noriyuki et al. for the phase shifting transformer of Ba et al. for the purpose of protecting the transformer assembly [see abstract].
The combination of Ba et al. or Pierre et al. with Noriyuki et al. would have the tap windings to be connected to the step-up or step-down transformers.
Regarding claims 4-5, the specific transformers [autotransformer or identical transformer] use for the step-up or step-down transformer would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of lowering cost, reducing size, improving voltage regulation and enhancing system flexibility.
Regarding claims 6-8, Pierre et al. further discloses different types of transformers with different functions [figures 5A-5B-5C-5D-5E].
The specific transformer(s) and function(s) use for the step-up and/or step-down transformers would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of reducing harmonic distortion and maintaining stable power output.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUYEN T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1996. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30.
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, Shawki Ismail can be reached at 571-272-3985. 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.
/TUYEN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights