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 .
The present application is a 371 of PCT/EP2021/075068 filed on September 13, 2021.
An amendment was filed by the applicant on February 9, 2026.
Claims 3, 5-7, 9, 12 and 14-16 have been cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-2, 4, 8, 10-11, 13 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 110304228 A) in view of Levander et al. (US 2012/0028516 A1).
Li et al. discloses a flywheel energy storage system for a ship, as shown in Figures 1-2, which is comprised of an internal combustion engine, defined as Part #21, a generator, defined as Part #20, a control and regulating unit in the form of a main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, defined as Part #4, a converter, defined as Part #6, a propulsion motor, defined as Part #7, for turning a propeller, defined as Part #8, an energy storage system that is comprised of a centrifugal mass or flywheel, defined as Part #14, and a reversible motor/generator, defined as Part #17, a bi-directional converter, defined as Part #13, that connects said energy storage system with said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, as shown in Figure 2, a pair of DC/AC inverters, defined as Parts #5 and 12, and an electrical consumer or load, defined as Part #9.
Li et al., as set forth above, discloses all of the features claimed except for the use of an electrical consumer or load in the form of a steering system for a ship, and an energy storage system which includes at least two of a flywheel, a battery, and a capacitor.
Levander et al. discloses an electrical load response system for a marine vessel, as shown in Figures 1-2, which is comprised of an internal combustion engine, defined as Part #2, a generator, defined as Part #3, a control and regulating unit in the form of a main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, defined as Part #4, a DC/AC inverter, defined as Part #61, an AC/DC/DC converter, defined as Part #51, and an electrical propulsion unit, defined as Part #5, in the form of an azimuthing thruster for 360 degree steering control of said marine vessel, as shown in Figure 1. An energy storage system or power bank, defined as Part #6, is also connected to said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, and can be in the form of at least two of a battery, defined as Part #62, a centrifugal mass or flywheel, defined as Part #63, as shown in Figure 2, or a capacitor, as described in paragraph 0031. Said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus is configured to selectively charge and discharge said battery, said flywheel, or said capacitor, as shown in Figure 2. An energy consumer or load, defined as Part #8, is also connected to said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, as shown in Figures 1-2. Said energy storage system or power bank may be loaded or charged by electrical energy that is supplied through said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus, as described in paragraph 0034.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art, to utilize an energy storage system for a marine vessel that includes at least two of a battery, a flywheel, or a capacitor, and an electrical consumer or load in the form of an azimuthing thruster for steering said marine vessel, as taught by Levander et al., in combination with the flywheel energy storage system for a ship as disclosed by Li et al. for the purpose of providing an energy storage system for a marine vessel with redundant energy storage systems to supply electrical power to an azimuthing thruster for steering said marine vessel.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on February 9, 2026 regarding claims 1-2, 4, 8, 10-11, 13 and 17 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that it would not be obvious to combine the flywheel energy storage system for a ship as disclosed by Li et al. (CN 110304228 A) with the electrical load response system as disclosed by Levander et al. (US 2012/0028516 A1) for the purpose of providing an energy storage system for a marine vessel with redundant energy storage systems to supply electrical power to an electrical consumer in the form of a stabilizing device for steering said marine vessel.
In response to the applicant’s argument, Li et al. discloses a flywheel energy storage system for a ship which is comprised of an internal combustion engine (21), a generator (20), a control and regulating unit in the form of a main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus (4), a converter (6), a propulsion motor (7) for a propeller (8), an energy storage system that is comprised of a centrifugal mass or flywheel (14), and a reversible motor/generator (17), a bi-directional converter (13) that connects said energy storage system with said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus (4), a pair of DC/AC inverters (5, 12), and an electrical consumer or load (9). However, Li et al. does not disclose the use of an electrical consumer or load in the form of a steering system for a ship, and an energy storage system which includes at least two of a flywheel, a battery, and a capacitor. As a result, the examiner has relied upon the teachings of Levander et al. to demonstrate the use of an electrical load response system for a marine vessel which is comprised of an internal combustion engine (2), a generator (3), a control and regulating unit in the form of a main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus (4), a DC/AC inverter (61), an AC/DC/DC converter (51), an electrical propulsion unit (5) in the form of an azimuthing thruster for 360 degree steering control of said marine vessel, and an energy storage system or power bank (6) that is connected to said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus (4), which can be in the form of at least two of a battery (62), a centrifugal mass or flywheel (63), or a capacitor. Said main electrical switchboard (DC) or bus (4) is configured to selectively charge and discharge said battery (62), said flywheel (63), or said capacitor, as demonstrated in Figure 2. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art, to utilize an energy storage system for a marine vessel that includes at least two of a battery, a flywheel, or a capacitor, and an electrical consumer or load in the form of an azimuthing thruster for steering said marine vessel, as taught by Levander et al., in combination with the flywheel energy storage system for a ship as disclosed by Li et al. for the purpose of providing an energy storage system for a marine vessel with redundant energy storage systems to supply electrical power to an azimuthing thruster for steering said marine vessel. Therefore, for the reasons given above, the rejection of claims 1-2, 4, 8, 10-11, 13 and 17 is deemed proper and is not withdrawn.
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 LARS A OLSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-6685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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February 25, 2026
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615B