DETAILED ACTION
Status of Application
This action is a Non-Final Rejection. This action is in response to the application filed on April 26, 2023.
Claim 2 has been canceled.
Claim 9 has been added.
Claims 1, 3, and 8 have been amended.
Claims 1 and 3-9 are pending and rejected.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . 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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April 26, 2023 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The following is a quotation 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors.
Additionally, the claims are replete with terms that lack antecedent basis. Claim 1 is reproduced below with examples of claim terms that lack antecedent basis. The other claims have similar issues.
1. An electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for zero energy buildings, where the planning method specifically comprises the following steps:
step 1, constructing operation constraints of electric and thermal devices in the zero energy buildings;
step 2, constructing operation constraints of hydrogen devices comprising the electrolyzer, the fuel cell and the hydrogen storage device;
step 3, establishing the robust electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning model considering the source-load uncertainties and the buildings' annual net zero energy constraints; and
step 4, solving the robust electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning model by adopting an alternating optimization procedure based column-and-constraint generation algorithm;
wherein the step 1 specifically comprises the following steps:
step 1.1, constructing operation constraints of hydrogen devices comprising the electrolyzer, the fuel cell and the hydrogen storage device: and establishing operation constraints of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate as follows:
PNG
media_image1.png
228
450
media_image1.png
Greyscale
where subscripts s, t and c represent the typical operation scenario, intra-day time period and candidate device capacity, respectively, superscript ~ represents the uncertain variables,
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media_image2.png
32
108
media_image2.png
Greyscale
represent the input thermal power and output cold power of the absorption chiller, respectively,
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media_image3.png
34
144
media_image3.png
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represent the input electric power, output thermal power and output cold power of the heat pump, respectively,
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media_image4.png
32
38
media_image4.png
Greyscale
represents the output thermal power of the photothermal plate, and
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media_image5.png
28
72
media_image5.png
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represent the conversion efficiency of the absorption chiller and the photothermal plate, respectively;
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media_image6.png
36
88
media_image6.png
Greyscale
represent the electric-to-thermal conversion and electric-to-cold conversion efficiency of the heat pump, respectively,
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media_image7.png
26
46
media_image7.png
Greyscale
represents the thermal power distribution ratio of the heat pump,
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media_image8.png
32
102
media_image8.png
Greyscale
represent the 0-1 installation variables of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate, respectively,
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media_image9.png
32
174
media_image9.png
Greyscale
represent the candidate installation capacity of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate, respectively, and
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28
36
media_image10.png
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represents the solar radiation intensity; and
step 1.2, establishing operation constraints of photovoltaic and wind turbine as follows:
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100
332
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where
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34
78
media_image12.png
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represent the output electric power of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respective,
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media_image13.png
28
70
media_image13.png
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represent the 0-1 installation variables of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respectively,
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media_image14.png
32
118
media_image14.png
Greyscale
represent the candidate installation capacity of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respectively,
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media_image15.png
26
28
media_image15.png
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represents the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic turbine, and
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38
38
media_image16.png
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represents the output ratio of the wind turbine.
In light of the indefiniteness, the claims cannot be properly interpreted. The claims were examined as best understood.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. § 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1 and 3-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1: Does the Claim Fall within a Statutory Category? (see MPEP 2106.03)
Yes, with respect to claims 1 and 3-9, which recite a method and, therefore, are directed to the statutory class of process.
Step 2A, Prong One: Is a Judicial Exception Recited? (see MPEP 2106.04(a))
The following claims identify the limitations that recite the abstract idea in regular text and that recite additional elements in bold:
1. An electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for zero energy buildings, where the planning method specifically comprises the following steps:
step 1, constructing operation constraints of electric and thermal devices in the zero energy buildings;
step 2, constructing operation constraints of hydrogen devices comprising the electrolyzer, the fuel cell and the hydrogen storage device;
step 3, establishing the robust electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning model considering the source-load uncertainties and the buildings' annual net zero energy constraints; and
step 4, solving the robust electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning model by adopting an alternating optimization procedure based column-and-constraint generation algorithm;
wherein the step 1 specifically comprises the following steps:
step 1.1, constructing operation constraints of hydrogen devices comprising the electrolyzer, the fuel cell and the hydrogen storage device: and establishing operation constraints of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate as follows:
PNG
media_image1.png
228
450
media_image1.png
Greyscale
where subscripts s, t and c represent the typical operation scenario, intra-day time period and candidate device capacity, respectively, superscript ~ represents the uncertain variables,
PNG
media_image2.png
32
108
media_image2.png
Greyscale
represent the input thermal power and output cold power of the absorption chiller, respectively,
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media_image3.png
34
144
media_image3.png
Greyscale
represent the input electric power, output thermal power and output cold power of the heat pump, respectively,
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media_image4.png
32
38
media_image4.png
Greyscale
represents the output thermal power of the photothermal plate, and
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media_image5.png
28
72
media_image5.png
Greyscale
represent the conversion efficiency of the absorption chiller and the photothermal plate, respectively;
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media_image6.png
36
88
media_image6.png
Greyscale
represent the electric-to-thermal conversion and electric-to-cold conversion efficiency of the heat pump, respectively,
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media_image7.png
26
46
media_image7.png
Greyscale
represents the thermal power distribution ratio of the heat pump,
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media_image8.png
32
102
media_image8.png
Greyscale
represent the 0-1 installation variables of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate, respectively,
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media_image9.png
32
174
media_image9.png
Greyscale
represent the candidate installation capacity of the absorption chiller, the heat pump and the photothermal plate, respectively, and
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media_image10.png
28
36
media_image10.png
Greyscale
represents the solar radiation intensity; and
step 1.2, establishing operation constraints of photovoltaic and wind turbine as follows:
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100
332
media_image11.png
Greyscale
where
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media_image12.png
34
78
media_image12.png
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represent the output electric power of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respective,
PNG
media_image13.png
28
70
media_image13.png
Greyscale
represent the 0-1 installation variables of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respectively,
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media_image14.png
32
118
media_image14.png
Greyscale
represent the candidate installation capacity of the photovoltaic and wind turbine, respectively,
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media_image15.png
26
28
media_image15.png
Greyscale
represents the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic turbine, and
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38
38
media_image16.png
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represents the output ratio of the wind turbine.
3. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 1, where the step 2 specifically comprises the following steps:
step 2.1, establishing operation constraints of the fuel cell and the electrolyzer as follows:
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where K represents the intra-day time periods,
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represents the number of the intra-day time periods, chp and ed represent the fuel cell and the electrolyzer, respectively,
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33
49
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represents the set of two devices,
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37
112
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Greyscale
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represent the on-state and off-state of these two devices, respectively,
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400
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represent the minimum on-state and off-state time of these two devices, respectively, and
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400
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represents the maximum on-state time of these two devices;
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40
192
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represent the state of these two devices within time periods t and t-1, respectively,
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34
56
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represents the minimum operation capacity percentage of these two devices,
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36
56
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represents the 0-1 installation variables of these two devices, and
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400
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represents the candidate installation capacity of these two devices;
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39
334
media_image28.png
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represent the input hydrogen power, output electric power and output thermal power of the fuel cell, respectively,
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200
400
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represent the input electric power and output hydrogen power of the electrolyzer, respectively,
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35
86
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represents the ramping ratio of these two devices,
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400
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represents the maximum ramping ratio of these two devices,
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33
62
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represents the energy conversion efficiencies of these two devices, and
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27
56
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represents the heat recovery ratio of the fuel cell; and
step 2.2, establishing operation constraints of the intraday hydrogen storage device and the seasonal hydrogen storage device as follows:
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where bs, hs, shs and ts represent the battery storage, the intra-day hydrogen storage device, the seasonal hydrogen storage device and the thermal energy storage device, respectively,
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400
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represents the set of these four devices,
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32
36
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represents the number of typical scenarios,
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media_image37.png
200
400
media_image37.png
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represent the charging power and discharging power of the battery storage, respectively, and
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media_image38.png
200
400
media_image38.png
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represent the hydrogen charging power and hydrogen discharging power of the intra-day hydrogen storage device, respectively;
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media_image39.png
34
185
media_image39.png
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represent the hydrogen charging power and hydrogen discharging power of the seasonal hydrogen storage device, respectively;
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media_image40.png
45
157
media_image40.png
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represent the heat charging power and heat discharging power of the thermal energy storage device, respectively,
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media_image41.png
41
63
media_image41.png
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represents the 0-1 installation variables of these four energy storage devices,
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37
88
media_image42.png
Greyscale
represents the candidate installation capacity of these four energy storage devices,
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200
400
media_image43.png
Greyscale
represents the power-to-capacity installation ratio of these four energy storage devices, and
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36
58
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represents the remaining capacity of these four energy storage devices;
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media_image45.png
39
195
media_image45.png
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represent the minimum and maximum operating ratio of these four energy storage devices, respectively,
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media_image46.png
39
179
media_image46.png
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represent the capacity of these four energy storage devices in the initial and final time periods, respectively,
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200
400
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represents the self-loss coefficients of these four energy storage devices,
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38
72
media_image48.png
Greyscale
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media_image49.png
200
400
media_image49.png
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represent the energy charging and discharging loss coefficients of these four energy storage devices, respectively, and
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35
57
media_image50.png
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represents the number of days within the typical scenario s-1 in a year; and
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media_image51.png
200
400
media_image51.png
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represent the remaining capacity of the seasonal hydrogen storage device in the initial and final time periods in the scenario s-1, respectively,
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media_image52.png
200
400
media_image52.png
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represent the 0-1 state variables of hydrogen charge and hydrogen discharge of the seasonal hydrogen storage device within the typical operation scenario s, respectively, and M represents a larger positive number.
4. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 3, where the step 3 specifically comprises the following steps:
step 3.1, establishing the balance constraints of electric, thermal, cold and hydrogen power as follows:
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where
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400
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represent the zero energy buildings’ electric power buying from and selling to the power grid, respectively,
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media_image55.png
36
203
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represent the electric, thermal and cold loads of the buildings, respectively, and
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media_image56.png
37
201
media_image56.png
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represent the shedding power of the electric, thermal and cold loads of the zero energy buildings, respectively;
step 3.2, establishing output power upper limit constraints of the electric, thermal and cold loads as follows:
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400
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where
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200
400
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represent the forecast values of the electric, thermal and cold loads of the zero energy buildings, respectively, and
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media_image59.png
200
400
media_image59.png
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represent the maximum output percentages of the electric, thermal and cold loads of the buildings, respectively;
step 3.3, establishing power grid exchange power constraints and annual zero energy constraints as follows:
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400
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where
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200
400
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represents the upper limit of the exchange electric power with the power grid,
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200
400
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respectively represent the 0-1 state variables of the electric power buying from and selling to the power grid, and
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200
400
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represents the duration of time period t;
step 3.4, establishing the objective function and various specific costs as follows:
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400
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Greyscale
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200
400
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where
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400
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represents the set of devices,
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39
36
media_image67.png
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represents the number of days that the typical scenario s lasts, and
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media_image68.png
33
57
media_image68.png
Greyscale
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media_image69.png
200
400
media_image69.png
Greyscale
represent the annual investment cost, annual device operation and maintenance cost, annual electricity trading cost, annual device degradation cost and annual load shedding cost, respectively;
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media_image70.png
200
400
media_image70.png
Greyscale
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media_image71.png
35
369
media_image71.png
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represent the annual investment costs of the absorption chiller, the battery storage, the fuel cell, the electrolyzer, the heat pump, the intra-day hydrogen storage device, the photovoltaic, the seasonal hydrogen storage device, the photothermal plate, the thermal energy storage and the wind turbine, respectively;
x represents the 0-1 variables of the robust model at the first stage, u represents uncertain variables at the second stage, y and z represent continuous and 0-1 operation variables in the worst scenario at the second stage, respectively,
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represents the present worth factor,
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400
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represents the discount rate,
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32
44
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represents the lifetime of the energy device, and
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200
400
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represents the device investment cost;
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35
56
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represents the 0-1 device investment variables,
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200
400
media_image77.png
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represents the candidate installation capacity of the energy device,
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media_image78.png
200
400
media_image78.png
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represent the startup and shutdown cost of the fuel cell, respectively,
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34
126
media_image79.png
Greyscale
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media_image80.png
200
400
media_image80.png
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represent the startup and shutdown cost of the electrolyzer, respectively, and
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35
238
media_image81.png
Greyscale
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200
400
media_image82.png
Greyscale
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32
85
media_image83.png
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represent unit operation costs of the battery storage, the fuel cell, the electrolyzer, the heat pump, the photovoltaic, the wind turbine, the hydrogen storage the seasonal hydrogen storage device, the absorption chiller, the photothermal plate and the thermal energy storage, respectively;
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media_image84.png
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400
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represent the unit degradation costs of the battery storage, the fuel cell and the electrolyzer, respectively,
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200
400
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represent the electricity buying and selling costs, respectively, and
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200
400
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represent the unit load shedding costs of the electric, thermal and cold loads, respectively; and
establishing constraints of intra-day uncertainties such as the electric, thermal and cold loads, output of the wind turbine and solar radiation as follows:
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where U represents the set of the uncertain variables at the second stage,
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34
41
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represents the uncertain electric load,
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39
61
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Greyscale
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200
400
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respectively represent the actual value, the predicted value, the predicted upper deviation value and the predicted lower deviation value of the electric load,
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400
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represent 0-1 variables of the predicted upper deviation value or the predicted lower deviation value of the electric load, respectively, and
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200
400
media_image92.png
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represents the uncertainty budget parameter of the entire scheduling horizon within a typical operation scenario.
5. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 4, where the step 4 specifically comprises the following steps:
step 4.1, rewriting the electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning model into a general matrix form:
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where A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, b, 1 represent the set of uncertain variables at the second stage, and
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85
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represents the feasible region of Y and z under certain X and u;
step 4.2, converting the min-max-min two-stage robust planning problem into a main problem and a subproblem, converting the subproblem into an u-fixed subproblem and a z-fixed subproblem, and iteratively solving the main problem and the subproblem to obtain the optimization result;
where the subproblem is a max-min bilevel optimization problem shown as follows:
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where X’ represents the optimization result in the main problem and serves as known variables to be substituted into the subproblem; and
step 4.3, iteratively solving the main problem and the subproblem.
6. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 5, where the subproblem in the step 4.2 is further decomposed into: step 4.2.1, the u-fixed subproblem:
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where u* represents the optimization result in the z-fixed subproblem and serves as known variables to be substituted into the u-fixed subproblem; and
step 4.2.2, the fixed subproblem z:
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where
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represents the objective function of the z-fixed subproblem, z* represents the optimization result in the u-fixed subproblem and serves as known variables to be substituted into the z-fixed subproblem,
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represents the dual variable of the inequality constraint, and in view of higher difficulty in solution due to the bilinear term
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the above formulation is converted into a linear optimization problem by using the big-M method, and the u-fixed subproblem and the z-fixed subproblem are iteratively solved until convergence to obtain the optimization result of the subproblem;
the mth optimization result um* of the subproblem is substituted, and new variables ym, zm are created to obtain the following main problem:
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where r represents the total number of iterations, and the main problem and the subproblem are iteratively solved until the convergence condition is met.
7. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 6, where the step of iteratively solving the main problem and the subproblem in the step 4.3 comprises:
initialization: setting x0 as a feasible solution of the main problem, setting the number of iterations as m=1, and substituting x0 into the subproblem iteration processes shown in steps 4.3.2 to 4.3.5 to obtain the subproblem's solution
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; and setting the lower boundary
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and the upper boundary
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, and setting the main problem convergence coefficient ε;
step 4.3.1, substituting um* into the main problem to obtain the solution
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, and updating
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;
step 4.3.2, setting the number of iterations as v=1, relaxing z as the continuous variable, and substituting xm* into the z-fixed subproblem to obtain the solution uv.
step 4.3.3, substituting (xm*, uv) into the u-fixed subproblem to obtain the solution (yv,zv);
step 4.3.4, substituting (zv, xm) into the z-fixed subproblem to obtain the solution (uv+1, zv+1), setting v=v+1;
step 4.3.5, determining whether uv===uv-1 is satisfied, if yes, outputting the optimization result
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, updating
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, and entering step 4.3.6; or else, returning to step 4.3.3; and
step 4.3.6, determining whether
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is satisfied, if yes, stopping outputting the optimization result; or else, returning to step 4.3.1.
8. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 3, where the seasonal hydrogen storage device comprises the battery storage and a thermal energy storage device.
9. The electric-thermal-hydrogen multi-energy device planning method for the zero energy buildings of claim 4, where the seasonal hydrogen storage device comprises the battery storage and a thermal energy storage device.
Yes. But for the recited additional elements as shown above in bold, the remaining limitations of the claims recite certain mathematical concepts. The claims are directed to formulating a mathematical optimization model and solving it. This is the abstract idea category of mathematical concepts. For example, the claims recite mathematical formulas or equations and mathematical calculations.
The claims also recite mental processes. For example, constructing constraints, establishing a model, and solving the model include evaluation and judgment.
Thus, the claims recite an abstract idea.
Step 2A, Prong Two: Is the Abstract Idea Integrated into a Practical Application? (see MPEP 2106.04(d))
No. Claim 1, for example, does not positively recite any additional elements. Although claim 1 refers to devices such as a heat pump and photothermal plate, these devices aren’t positively recited as performing any part of the method. Instead, data related to these devices is being used. To the extent that the claimed method is performed by a computer, the claims as a whole merely use a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, i.e. to perform the calculations. If the claimed method is performed by a computer, only a programmed general purpose computing device is needed to implement the claimed process. Simply implementing the abstract idea on a generic computer is not a practical application of the abstract idea.
Claims 8 and 9 further define the seasonal hydrogen storage device. However, this device is not being claimed as performing any steps.
Additionally, there is no improvement to the functioning of a computer or technology. Therefore, the abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application.
Step 2B: Does the Claim Provide an Inventive Concept? (see MPEP 2106.05)
No. As discussed with respect to Step 2A, Prong 2, the additional elements in the claims, both individually and in combination, amount to no more than tools to perform the abstract idea. Merely performing the abstract idea using a computer cannot provide an inventive concept. Therefore, the claims do not provide an inventive concept.
As such, the claims are not patent eligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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 and 3-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over G. Pan, W. Gu, Y. Lu, H. Qiu, S. Lu and S. Yao, "Optimal Planning for Electricity-Hydrogen Integrated Energy System Considering Power to Hydrogen and Heat and Seasonal Storage," in IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 2662-2676, Oct. 2020, doi: 10.1109/TSTE.2020.2970078.
The claims, as best understood in light of the indefiniteness issues, appear to be disclosed in this reference which was published in 2020 and was authored by two of the inventors of the instant application. This reference discloses a planning model for an electricity hydrogen integrated energy system. Any differences between the claims and the prior art reference are obvious in light of the parameters and equations that are disclosed.
Relevant Prior Art
The following references are relevant to Applicant’s invention:
Marhoefer, U.S. Patent Number 7,444,189 B1. This reference teaches an energy optimization method for one or more buildings to optimize utility-supplied and renewable sources in order to minimize the total energy cost.
Tilghman, U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2014/0202154 A1. This reference teaches an integrated renewable energy system for a tall multi-story building including solar, wind, and hydrogen subsystems.
Cruickshank, III, U.S. Patent Number 11,735,919 B2. This reference teaches optimized load shaping for optimizing production and consumption of energy.
Elbsat et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2022/0100158 A1. This reference teaches a building energy storage system with planning tool.
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, WO 2018/0156700 A1. This reference teaches building energy management and optimization.
Hobart, Stacey. “Five Reasons Why Zero Energy Buildings are the Real Deal,” https://newbuildings.org/five-reasons-why-zero-energy-buildings-are-the-real-deal/ (March 31, 2015). This reference discusses zero energy buildings.
Manzoor, B.; Othman, I.; Sadowska, B.; Sarosiek, W. “Zero-Energy Buildings and Energy Efficiency towards Sustainability: A Bibliometric Review and a Case Study.” (February 18, 2022), https://doi.org/10.3390/app12042136. This reference discusses options for expanding zero-energy buildings and energy efficiency.
Email Communications
Per MPEP 502.03, Applicant may authorize email communications by filing Form PTO/SB/439, available at https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf, via the USPTO patent electronic filing system.
Conclusion
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/ELIZABETH H ROSEN/Primary Examiner, 3693
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