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 .
Status of Claims
In the communication filed on 04/14/2026, claims 1, 3, 6, 8-10, 13, and 16-22 are pending. Claims 1, 3, 6, 8-10, 13, 16-17, and 20-22 are amended. No claims are new. Claims 2, 4-5, 7, 11-12, and 14-15 are presently cancelled.
Although the subject matter of prior claims 2, 4-5, 7, and 12-14 were integrated into claim 1, the amended claim language further changed the scope by incorporating new limitations. Thus, the amended claims required new grounds of rejection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3, 6, 8-10, 13, and 16-22 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of references being used in the current rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 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, 3, 6, 8-10, 13, and 16-22 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1, lines 27-28, claim 21, lines 25-26, and claim 22, lines 28-29 recite “the first control unit”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this term in the claim language. For examination purposes, it is interpreted this term is intended to be “the first sub control unit”.
Claim 1, line 28, claim 21, line 26, and claim 22, line 29 recite “each battery of the first battery cluster”, without prior reciting a battery or batteries within the first battery cluster. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this term in the claim language.
Claim 1, line 32, claim 21, line 30, and claim 22, line 33 recite “the second control unit”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this term in the claim language. For examination purposes, it is interpreted this term is intended to be “the second sub control unit”.
Claim 1, line 32, claim 21, line 30, and claim 22, line 33 recite “each battery of the second battery cluster”, without prior reciting a battery or batteries within the second battery cluster. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this term in the claim language.
Claims 3, 6, 8-10, 13, and 16-20 are further rejected for their dependency on other rejected claims.
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, 3, 10, 13, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2023/0208182 A1) in view of Shao et al. (CN 112865153 A), Wu (CN 112713605 A), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), Laflaquiere et al. (US 2019/0165584 A1; hereinafter “Laf”), and Zhou et al. (US 2022/0200314 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Chen discloses an energy storage system (generic Fig. 2; specific implementation in Fig. 4), comprising the following features.
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Chen further discloses a first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) comprising a first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “each of the strings … is an energy storage battery string, and each … may include a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or in parallel”) and a first switch unit (“second transfer subswitch 4032”; Fig. 4) connected in series to the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and configured to control operation (“4032” connects and disconnects “4022” to the “first direct current bus 405”; Fig. 4) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022).
Chen further discloses the first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) not comprising a DC/DC converter (see Figs. 2, 4). Specifically, if the first switch unit is opened (“4032” in position to connect from pole 1 to throw 2), then the 1st storage branch (202/402) would “not” comprise the DC/DC converter.
Chen further discloses a second energy storage branch (“first branch 201/401”; Figs. 2, 4) connected in parallel (“401” and “402” connected in parallel across “first direct current bus 405” and “second direct current bus 406”; Fig. 4) to the first energy storage branch (402).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprising a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses a first DC/DC converter (“first voltage compensation unit 204/404”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [23, 93]: “a non-isolated buck conversion circuit”; ¶ [94]: “may also use an isolated resonant circuit, an isolated phase shift circuit, or a flyback circuit”) connected to the second battery cluster (2011/4011) in series (Fig. 4 shows “404” electrically connected in series to “4011” through switch “4031”).
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Chen further discloses a first output end (see annotated Fig. 4, included supra; connects to throw 2 of “4032”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (through switch “4031”) to the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Chen further discloses a second output end (see annotated Fig. 4, included supra; connects to “first direct current bus 405”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected to the first battery cluster (2022/4022) through the first switch unit (4032).
Chen discloses a main control unit (“controller 207”; Fig. 2) configured to control operation (¶ [82]: “an output terminal of the controller 207 is connected to the first voltage compensation unit 204”; ¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011 and the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) according to state information (¶ [83]: “based on … the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and state information (¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011”) of the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Chen discloses a first sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of … the second string 2022”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen further discloses a second sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of the first string 2011”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen does not disclose “a capacity of the second battery cluster being different from a capacity of the first battery cluster”.
Chen further does not disclose “the first DC/DC converter being configured to adjust an output current of the second energy storage branch to balance an output current of the first energy storage branch and the output current of the second energy storage branch, to cause the first battery cluster and the second battery cluster to complete charging or discharging at a same time”.
Chen further does not disclose “a second switch unit connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter, and connected in series to the second battery cluster, the second switch unit being configured to turn on or off the first DC/DC converter and control operation of the second battery cluster”.
Chen further does not disclose “the state information of the first battery cluster including temperature of the first battery cluster, and the state information of the second battery cluster including temperature of the second battery cluster”. Chen discloses the state information includes ambient temperature of each battery cluster (¶ [125]), but not the temperature of the battery clusters themselves.
Though Chen discloses a first sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the first battery cluster and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the first control unit is directly connected between each battery of the first battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Though Chen discloses a second sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the second battery cluster and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the second control unit is directly connected between each battery of the second battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Chen further does not disclose “a power conversion unit configured to provide the main control unit with information that indicates a total demand power of the energy storage system, the power conversion unit comprising a second DC/DC converter, a first end of the power conversion unit being connected to a first end the first battery cluster and a first end of the second battery cluster, a second end of the power conversion unit being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster through the first switch unit, and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster through the first DC/DC converter or the second switch unit, and a control end of the power conversion unit being directly connected to the main control unit”.
Shao teaches an energy storage system (Fig. 2 with annotated English labels included infra) with a first energy storage branch (20) and a second energy storage branch (10), each with a battery cluster (“initial battery cluster 201” within “20”; “newly added battery cluster 101” within “10”).
Shao teaches an impedance adjustment circuit (50) being configured to adjust an output current (page 2: “adjusting the impedance value of the energy storage branch, and the storage is balanced”; “the impedance between the energy storage branches … can then adjust current of the battery clusters in each energy storage branch”) of the second energy storage branch (10) to balance (page 3: “preset current distribution ratio” used to set the impedance of each branch; page 12: “the impedance value of the circuit restores the original preset proportional relationship, that is, the output current of each energy storage branch meets the preset current distribution”) an output current of the first energy storage branch (20) and the output current of the second energy storage branch (10).
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Shao teaches this function of current balancing two branches for the advantages of improving the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first DC/DC converter disclosed by Chen to adjust the output current of the second energy storage branch to balance the output currents of the branches, as taught by Shao, to improve the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system.
Wu teaches a capacity of the second battery cluster being different (page 2, Background technique: “installed capacity and aging degree causes unequal capacity of battery energy storage units in microgrids”) from a capacity of the first battery cluster (each of the first/second battery clusters are one of the “several non-equal capacitance battery energy storage unit (storage battery)” drawn in Fig. 1 per page 5, 2nd paragraph).
Wu further teaches to cause (SOC balancing is controlled by controlling the discharge current from each battery cluster) the first battery cluster (one of the “battery storage units” with “SOC1” depicted in Fig. 11) and the second battery cluster (another of the “battery storage units” with “SOC2” depicted in Fig. 11) to complete discharging at a same time (annotated Fig. 11, included infra, shows SOC of each battery cluster is controlled to be balanced such that they complete discharging at the same time; page 4, 18th paragraph: “Figure 11 SOC simulation waveform diagram of the discharge process of the non-isocapacity battery energy storage unit inverter adopting the improved P-E droop control scheme”).
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Wu further teaches the two battery clusters would have different capacities as a natural result of differences in level of aging of the battery clusters (page 2, Background technique: “the inconsistency of installed capacity and aging degree causes unequal capacity of battery energy storage units in microgrids”).
Wu further teaches to control the battery clusters of different capacities to discharge simultaneously by balancing the SOCs, which addresses issues (page 2, Background technique) including shortened service life of the battery clusters, reliability risks to the associated microgrid, and reduced capacity utilization rates.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first/second battery clusters and DC/DC converter disclosed by the combo of Chen & Shao such that the battery clusters have different capacities that are controlled to discharge simultaneously, as taught by Wu, to improve the service lives of the battery clusters, improve reliability of the associated microgrid, and/or improve the capacity utilization rates of the battery clusters.
Xie teaches the second energy storage branch (a set of “battery clusters 2” and an “adjusting/regulating device 5”; annotated Fig. 1 included infra) further comprises a second switch unit (“bypass switch 6” within “5”; annotated Fig. 2 included infra) connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter (“regulating DC converter 7” within “5”; Fig. 2), and connected in series to the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
Xie further teaches the second switch unit (6) being configured to turn on (page 4: “when … 7 needs to work, disconnect the bypass switch 6”; thus, open second switch unit = enable/turn on the first DC/DC converter) or off (page 4: “when the voltage regulating DC converter 7 does not need to work … the bypass switch 6 is pulled in, and the battery cluster 2 is directly connected to DC bus 1”; thus, closed second switch unit = bypass/turn off the first DC/DC converter) the first DC/DC converter (7) and control operation (when “6” is open, the battery current is converted by the DC/DC converter; when “6” is closed, the battery current is directly conducted to the DC bus) of the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
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Xie further teaches this arrangement of an energy storage system with a switch in parallel across a DC/DC converter as part of a virtual internal resistance adjustment device (“summary of the invention”, page 2) for the advantage of improving reliability over long-term operation by addressing the short-board effect that occurs with abnormal imbalances of internal resistance between new and old batteries (“background technique”, page 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the second energy storage branch disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan to incorporate a second switch unit in parallel across the first DC/DC converter, as taught by Xie, to improve reliability over long-term operation.
Yan teaches a main control unit (“EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [69]: “the energy management unit is equivalent to integration of the EMS and the battery management master controller”; the “EMU” interacts with “Intelligent Internet of things iRouter” to perform some of the diagnosis computations to guide the EMU’s control of the system; additionally, the “intelligent gateway” is integrated in the “EMS”, and thus the “EMU”, per ¶ [53]) configured to control operation (¶ [69]: “the energy management unit transmits an instruction to control charging/discharging of each battery cluster through the bidirectional DC/DC converter) of the DC/DC converter (“2# bidirectional DC/DC”; Fig. 15) according to state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”; ¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the first battery cluster (one of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]) and state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”; ¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the second battery cluster (another of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]).
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Yan further teaches the state information of the first battery cluster including temperature (¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the first battery cluster (one of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]; each “cluster” is made of “cells connected in series” per ¶ [43]).
Yan further teaches the state information of the second battery cluster including temperature (¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the second battery cluster (another of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]; each “cluster” is made of “cells connected in series” per ¶ [43]).
Yan further teaches the state information of each battery cluster including the temperature of the respective battery cluster to improve reliability by preventing damage to the battery clusters from fault conditions such as overheating and/or thermal runaway (¶ [3, 53]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the state information of each battery cluster disclosed by Chen to include the temperature of the respective battery cluster, as taught by Yan, to improve reliability by preventing damage to the battery clusters from fault conditions such as overheating and/or thermal runaway (¶ [3, 53]).
Laf teaches a first sub control unit (“branch controller BMS 1”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22]: “the branch controller is an electronic system allowing the various operating parameters of a battery module to be measured, such as voltage, current, temperature, state of charge and state of health”; ¶ [50]: “measuring the operating parameters of the cell (temperature, voltage, current)”) of the first battery cluster (“branch B1”; Fig. 3) and transmit the state information (¶ [22]: “each branch controller is able to inform the main controller when an operating parameter of a battery module of the branch goes outside a predetermined range of values”) of the first battery cluster (B1) to the main control unit (“main controller MBMS”; Fig. 3; ¶ [93]: “main controller MBMS commands each branch controller BMSi to connect or disconnect the branch Bi”).
Laf further teaches the first control unit (BMS 1) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B1”; Fig. 3) of the first battery cluster (B1) and the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches a second sub control unit (“branch controller BMS i”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and transmit the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) to the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches the second control unit (BMS i) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B2”; Fig. 3) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and the main control unit (MBMS).
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Laf further teaches the sub control units being directly connected between each battery of the battery clusters and the main control unit to enable the measurement of each battery/cell’s state information to support maintenance operations of the individual batteries/cells within due to the differences in electrical characteristics (¶ [5-6]), thus optimizing the capacity of the energy storage system (¶ [5, 98-100]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first/second sub control units disclosed by Chen to be directly connected between each of the battery clusters and the main control unit, as taught by Laf, to optimize the capacity of the energy storage system via measurement and response to the state information of the individual batteries within each of the first and second battery clusters.
Yan teaches a power conversion unit (“AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]) configured to provide (via the “CAN/485” communication bus between “AC/DC” and “EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [44]: “the BMS master controller and the energy converter perform two-way communication”) the main control unit (“EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [69]: “the energy management unit is equivalent to integration of the EMS and the battery management master controller”) with information that indicates a total demand power (¶ [69]: “according to the demand for backup power supply”; ¶ [52]: “the BMS is configured to determine, according to the maximum power … demands of the lithium battery energy storage system) of the energy storage system (annotated Fig. 15 included supra).
Yan further teaches this control configuration of the main control unit so each cluster of batteries in the backup power supply can be reserved until needed to meet the demand and be used for peak shaving and valley filling, which generates economic benefits (¶ [69]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the energy storage system disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, & Laf to incorporate a power conversion unit and for the main control unit to control the DC/DC converter based on total demand power and state information of each battery cluster, as further taught by Yan, to generate economic benefits through optimizing use of the battery clusters to meet power demand.
Per the modifications described supra, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, & Laf teaches a power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan: “AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]). Yan teaches this is an AC/DC converter to interface with an AC power grid, but does not include a second DC/DC converter.
Zhou teaches the power conversion unit (combo of “DC/DC” and “DC/AC” converters connected to the “first bus”; Fig. 9c; ¶ [128-129]) comprising a second DC/DC converter (“DC/DC” within “photovoltaic power generation system”; Fig. 9c).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c, included infra) a first end of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) being connected to a first end the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”) and a first end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a second end of the power conversion unit being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a control end (“control bus” connection of the “DC/DC” converter) of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) being directly connected (¶ [13]: “wireless communication, direct current power carrier communication, or the like”) to the main control unit (¶ [13]: “centralized monitoring system … an independently placed circuit board or circuit module”).
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Zhou further teaches the power conversion unit including second DC/DC converter to enable the incorporation of solar power generation to supplement the power from the battery clusters to supply power to the grid, (¶ [80-81, 128-129]), thus improving efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid (¶ [123]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the power conversion unit disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, & Laf to incorporate a second DC/DC converter, as taught by Zhou, to improve efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid by supplementing the battery power with solar power. Because it was already set forth that the first battery cluster would be connected to the first switch unit and that the second battery cluster would be connected to the first DC/DC converter and second switch unit, it would be obvious that the modification per Zhou’s teaching would be implemented by a second end of the power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan, with modifications from Zhou) being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (Chen: “2022”/“4022”) through the first switch unit (Chen: “4032”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (Chen: “2011”/“4011”) through the first DC/DC converter (Chen: “204”/“404”) or the second switch unit (incorporated from Xie to be in parallel with the first DC/DC converter).
Regarding Claim 3, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
The combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the output current of the first energy storage branch (Chen: “second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) is adjusted by adjusting the output current of the second energy storage branch (Chen: “first branch 201/401”) by the first DC/DC converter (from Chen: “first voltage compensation unit 204/404”; function incorporated from Shao: adjust impedance value of second energy storage branch to adjust its output current, which adjusts the current distribution ratio of the two branches, which also adjusts the output current of the first energy storage branch; Shao page 6: “impedance distribution between the energy storage branches is adjusted through the impedance adjustment branch, thereby adjusting each energy storage branch”).
Regarding Claim 10, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the first DC/DC converter (204/404) is powered by a power supply independent of the energy storage system (¶ [92]: “input of the first voltage compensation unit 204 may be from a direct current power supply independent of the power supply system”).
Regarding Claim 13, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the main control unit (207) is further configured to command the operation (¶ [82]: “an output terminal of the controller 207 is connected to the first voltage compensation unit 204”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) according to the state information of the first battery cluster (¶ [83]: “based on … the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) and the state information of the second battery cluster (¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011”).
Chen does not disclose the underlined portion of “the main control unit is further configured to control the operation of the first DC/DC converter according to the total demand power, the state information of the first battery cluster, and the state information of the second battery cluster”.
Yan further teaches the main control unit (“EMU”) is further configured to control the operation (¶ [69]: “the energy management unit transmits an instruction to control charging/discharging of each battery cluster through the bidirectional DC/DC converter) of the first DC/DC converter (“2# bidirectional DC/DC”; Fig. 15) according to the total demand power (¶ [69]: “according to the demand for backup power supply”; ¶ [52]: “the BMS is configured to determine, according to the maximum power … demands of the lithium battery energy storage system for charging and discharging and the present SOC of each cell …, a charging or discharging current and a time internal and a voltage threshold for charging or discharging”), the state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”) of the first battery cluster (one of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]), and the state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”) of the second battery cluster (another of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]).
Yan teaches this control configuration of the main control unit so each cluster of batteries in the backup power supply can be reserved until needed to meet the demand and be used for peak shaving and valley filling, which generates economic benefits (¶ [69]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the main control unit disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou to control the first DC/DC converter based on total demand power and state information of each battery cluster, as further taught by Yan, to generate economic benefits through optimizing use of the battery clusters to meet power demand.
Regarding Claim 16, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the first DC/DC converter (204/404) includes an isolated DC/DC converter (¶ [94]: “the first voltage compensation unit 204 may also use an isolated resonant circuit, an isolated phase shift circuit, or a flyback circuit”).
Regarding Claim 17, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the first DC/DC converter (204/404) includes a non-isolated DC/DC converter (¶ [93]: “the first voltage compensation unit 204 may include a non-isolated buck conversion circuit”).
Regarding Claim 18, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4) is formed by a plurality of batteries connected in series and/or in parallel (¶ [76]: “each of the strings … is an energy storage battery string, and each … may include a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or in parallel”).
Regarding Claim 19, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4) is formed by a plurality of batteries connected in series and/or in parallel (¶ [76]: “each of the strings … is an energy storage battery string, and each … may include a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or in parallel”).
Regarding Claim 20, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen further discloses the output end of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) is connected (annotated Fig. 4 included supra shows output of “404” connects to a terminal of “4011”) to a positive electrode or a negative electrode (per ¶ [8]: each of bus “405” and “406” may be either positive or negative; thus, each terminal of “4011” may be configured as either a positive or negative electrode) of the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2023/0208182 A1) in view of Shao et al. (CN 112865153 A), Wu (CN 112713605 A), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), Laflaquiere et al. (US 2019/0165584 A1; hereinafter “Laf”), Zhou et al. (US 2022/0200314 A1), and Kawakami (JP H06283210 A).
Regarding Claim 6, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim l.
The combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the second switch unit (incorporated from Xie: “bypass switch 6”; installed in parallel across the DC/DC converter “204/404” from Chen).
Chen does not explicitly disclose “the switch unit includes a relay”.
Kawakami teaches the switch unit (“switching element”; Fig. 1; ¶ [16]) includes a relay (¶ [23]: “preferable to use a relay”; ¶ [78]: “the relay, which is a switching element”).
Kawakami further teaches the relay is preferable over other switch implementations because it is simpler and consumes less power (¶ [23]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the switch unit disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou to include a relay, as taught by Kawakami, for the advantage of consuming less power.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2023/0208182 A1) in view of Shao et al. (CN 112865153 A), Wu (CN 112713605 A), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), Laflaquiere et al. (US 2019/0165584 A1; hereinafter “Laf”), Zhou et al. (US 2022/0200314 A1), and Zhang et al. (US 2022/0006299 A1).
Regarding Claims 8-9, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, Chen does not disclose “two input ends of the first DC/DC converter are connected to two ends of at least one battery of the second battery cluster, respectively”.
Regarding claim 9, Chen does not disclose “the two input ends of the first DC/DC converter are connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the second battery cluster, respectively”.
Zhang teaches two input ends of the first DC/DC converter (“Wth DC/DC conversion unit”; see annotated Fig. 3 included infra) are connected to two ends (see the positive electrode and negative electrode in the annotated Fig. 3) of at least one battery (“cell”) of the second battery cluster (“Qth cell string”; Fig. 3; ¶ [9]: “the energy storage system … can also store electric energy in the cell string”), respectively (¶ [76]: “a positive port of each DC/DC conversion unit is coupled to a positive port of a cell string, and a negative port of each DC/DC conversion unit is connected to a negative port of the cell string”).
Zhang teaches two input ends of the first DC/DC converter (“Wth DC/DC conversion unit”; see annotated Fig. 3 included infra) are connected to a positive electrode (see annotated Fig. 3) and a negative electrode (see annotated Fig. 3; ) of the second battery cluster (“Qth cell string”; Fig. 3; ¶ [9]: “the energy storage system … can also store electric energy in the cell string”), respectively (¶ [76]: “a positive port of each DC/DC conversion unit is coupled to a positive port of a cell string, and a negative port of each DC/DC conversion unit is connected to a negative port of the cell string”).
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Zhang teaches this circuit arrangement to enable a more adaptable voltage conversion topology from the DC battery cell cluster to the AC output, which better utilizes the batter cell capacities (¶ [75]) and reduces unnecessary energy consumption (¶ [81]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first DC/DC converter disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Xie, Yan, Laf, & Zhou to incorporate two input ends connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the second battery cluster, as taught by Zhang, to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2023/0208182 A1) in view of Shao et al. (CN 112865153 A), Wu (CN 112713605 A), Ikriannikov et al. (US 2012/0043923 A1; hereinafter “Ikri”), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), Laflaquiere et al. (US 2019/0165584 A1; hereinafter “Laf”), Yan et al. (CN 114050633 A), and Zhou et al. (US 2022/0200314 A1), and as evidenced by the Keeping article (Steven Keeping, The Advantages of Pulse Frequency Modulation for DC/DC Switching Voltage Converters, DigiKey, 03/25/2014).
Regarding Claim 21, Chen discloses an energy storage system (generic Fig. 2; specific implementation in Fig. 4; see annotated Figs. 2 and 4, included supra in the claim 1 section), comprising the following.
Chen further discloses a first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) comprising a first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “each of the strings … is an energy storage battery string, and each … may include a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or in parallel”) and a first switch unit (“second transfer subswitch 4032”; Fig. 4) connected in series to the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and configured to control operation (“4032” connects and disconnects “4022” to the “first direct current bus 405”; Fig. 4) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022).
Chen further discloses the first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) not comprising a DC/DC converter (see Figs. 2, 4). Specifically, if the first switch unit is opened (“4032” in position to connect from pole 1 to throw 2), then the 1st storage branch (202/402) would “not” comprise the DC/DC converter.
Chen further discloses a second energy storage branch (“first branch 201/401”; Figs. 2, 4) connected in parallel (“401” and “402” connected in parallel across “first direct current bus 405” and “second direct current bus 406”; Fig. 4) to the first energy storage branch (402).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprising a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses a first DC/DC converter (“first voltage compensation unit 204/404”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [23, 93]: “a non-isolated buck conversion circuit”; ¶ [94]: “may also use an isolated resonant circuit, an isolated phase shift circuit, or a flyback circuit”) connected to the second battery cluster (2011/4011) in series (Fig. 4 shows “404” electrically connected in series to “4011” through switch “4031”).
Chen further discloses a first output end (see annotated Fig. 4, included supra; connects to throw 2 of “4032”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (through switch “4031”) to the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Chen further discloses a main control unit (“controller 207”; Fig. 2) configured to, according to state information (¶ [83]: “based on … the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and state information (¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011”) of the second battery cluster (2011/4011), control operation (¶ [82]: “an output terminal of the controller 207 is connected to the first voltage compensation unit 204”; ¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011 and the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404).
Chen discloses a first sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of … the second string 2022”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen further discloses a second sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of the first string 2011”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen does not disclose “a capacity of the second battery cluster being different from a capacity of the first battery cluster”.
Chen further does not disclose “the first DC/DC converter being configured to adjust an output current of the second energy storage branch to balance an output current of the first energy storage branch and the output current of the second energy storage branch, to cause the first battery cluster and the second battery cluster to complete charging or discharging at a same time”.
Chen further does not disclose “a main operation mode of the DC/DC converter being a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode” and that the operation of the DC/DC converter is controlled “by adjusting an output frequency of a pulse wave”.
Chen further does not disclose “a second switch unit connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter, and connected in series to the second battery cluster, the second switch unit being configured to turn on or off the first DC/DC converter and control operation of the second battery cluster”.
Though Chen discloses a first sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the first battery cluster and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the first control unit is directly connected between each battery of the first battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Though Chen discloses a second sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the second battery cluster and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the second control unit is directly connected between each battery of the second battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Chen further does not disclose “a power conversion unit configured to provide the main control unit with information that indicates a total demand power of the energy storage system, the power conversion unit comprising a second DC/DC converter, a first end of the power conversion unit being connected to a first end the first battery cluster and a first end of the second battery cluster, a second end of the power conversion unit being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster through the first switch unit, and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster through the first DC/DC converter or the second switch unit, and a control end of the power conversion unit being directly connected to the main control unit”.
Shao teaches an energy storage system (Fig. 2 with annotated English labels included supra) with a first energy storage branch (20) and a second energy storage branch (10), each with a battery cluster (“initial battery cluster 201” within “20”; “newly added battery cluster 101” within “10”).
Shao teaches an impedance adjustment circuit (50) being configured to adjust an output current (page 2: “adjusting the impedance value of the energy storage branch, and the storage is balanced”; “the impedance between the energy storage branches … can then adjust current of the battery clusters in each energy storage branch”) of the second energy storage branch (10) to balance (page 3: “preset current distribution ratio” used to set the impedance of each branch; page 12: “the impedance value of the circuit restores the original preset proportional relationship, that is, the output current of each energy storage branch meets the preset current distribution”) an output current of the first energy storage branch (20) and the output current of the second energy storage branch (10).
Shao teaches this function of current balancing two branches for the advantages of improving the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first DC/DC converter disclosed by Chen to adjust the output current of the second energy storage branch to balance the output currents of the branches, as taught by Shao, to improve the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system.
Wu teaches a capacity of the second battery cluster being different (page 2, Background technique: “installed capacity and aging degree causes unequal capacity of battery energy storage units in microgrids”) from a capacity of the first battery cluster (each of the first/second battery clusters are one of the “several non-equal capacitance battery energy storage unit (storage battery)” drawn in Fig. 1 per page 5, 2nd paragraph).
Wu further teaches to cause (SOC balancing is controlled by controlling the discharge current from each battery cluster) the first battery cluster (one of the “battery storage units” with “SOC1” depicted in Fig. 11) and the second battery cluster (another of the “battery storage units” with “SOC2” depicted in Fig. 11) to complete discharging at a same time (annotated Fig. 11, included supra, shows SOC of each battery cluster is controlled to be balanced such that they complete discharging at the same time; page 4, 18th paragraph: “Figure 11 SOC simulation waveform diagram of the discharge process of the non-isocapacity battery energy storage unit inverter adopting the improved P-E droop control scheme”).
Wu further teaches the two battery clusters would have different capacities as a natural result of differences in level of aging of the battery clusters (page 2, Background technique: “the inconsistency of installed capacity and aging degree causes unequal capacity of battery energy storage units in microgrids”).
Wu further teaches to control the battery clusters of different capacities to discharge simultaneously by balancing the SOCs, which addresses issues (page 2, Background technique) including shortened service life of the battery clusters, reliability risks to the associated microgrid, and reduced capacity utilization rates.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first/second battery clusters and DC/DC converter disclosed by the combo of Chen & Shao such that the battery clusters have different capacities that are controlled to discharge simultaneously, as taught by Wu, to improve the service lives of the battery clusters, improve reliability of the associated microgrid, and/or improve the capacity utilization rates of the battery clusters.
Ikri teaches a main operation mode of the first DC/DC converter (“bidirectional DC-DC converter 130”; Fig. 6) being a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode (¶ [135]: “each bidirectional AC converter … includes … a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode”).
Ikri further teaches to control operation of the first DC/DC converter (130) by adjusting an output frequency of a pulse wave (modulation/adjustment of the frequency of pulses is inherent in “pulse frequency modulation”; see the Keeping article for evidence of this inherency in the definition of PFM).
Ikri further teaches the PFM mode to adjust frequency of a pulse wave for the advantage of better efficiency at light loads compared to other common operation modes for DC/DC converters (¶ [135]). The evidentiary Keeping article provides further evidence for the improved efficiency resulting from a PFM mode.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the main control unit and DC/DC converter disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, & Wu to control the DC/DC converter in a PFM main operation mode, as taught by Ikri, to improve power conversion efficiency.
Xie teaches the second energy storage branch (a set of “battery clusters 2” and an “adjusting/regulating device 5”; annotated Fig. 1 included supra in claim 1 section) further comprises a second switch unit (“bypass switch 6” within “5”; annotated Fig. 2 included supra) connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter (“regulating DC converter 7” within “5”; Fig. 2), and connected in series to the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
Xie further teaches the second switch unit (6) being configured to turn on (page 4: “when … 7 needs to work, disconnect the bypass switch 6”; thus, open second switch unit = enable/turn on the first DC/DC converter) or off (page 4: “when the voltage regulating DC converter 7 does not need to work … the bypass switch 6 is pulled in, and the battery cluster 2 is directly connected to DC bus 1”; thus, closed second switch unit = bypass/turn off the first DC/DC converter) the first DC/DC converter (7) and control operation (when “6” is open, the battery current is converted by the DC/DC converter; when “6” is closed, the battery current is directly conducted to the DC bus) of the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
Xie further teaches this arrangement of an energy storage system with a switch in parallel across a DC/DC converter as part of a virtual internal resistance adjustment device (“summary of the invention”, page 2) for the advantage of improving reliability over long-term operation by addressing the short-board effect that occurs with abnormal imbalances of internal resistance between new and old batteries (“background technique”, page 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the second energy storage branch disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan to incorporate a second switch unit in parallel across the first DC/DC converter, as taught by Xie, to improve reliability over long-term operation.
Laf teaches a first sub control unit (“branch controller BMS 1”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22]: “the branch controller is an electronic system allowing the various operating parameters of a battery module to be measured, such as voltage, current, temperature, state of charge and state of health”; ¶ [50]: “measuring the operating parameters of the cell (temperature, voltage, current)”) of the first battery cluster (“branch B1”; Fig. 3) and transmit the state information (¶ [22]: “each branch controller is able to inform the main controller when an operating parameter of a battery module of the branch goes outside a predetermined range of values”) of the first battery cluster (B1) to the main control unit (“main controller MBMS”; Fig. 3; ¶ [93]: “main controller MBMS commands each branch controller BMSi to connect or disconnect the branch Bi”).
Laf further teaches the first control unit (BMS 1) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B1”; Fig. 3) of the first battery cluster (B1) and the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches a second sub control unit (“branch controller BMS i”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and transmit the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) to the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches the second control unit (BMS i) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B2”; Fig. 3) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches the sub control units being directly connected between each battery of the battery clusters and the main control unit to enable the measurement of each battery/cell’s state information to support maintenance operations of the individual batteries/cells within due to the differences in electrical characteristics (¶ [5-6]), thus optimizing the capacity of the energy storage system (¶ [5, 98-100]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first/second sub control units disclosed by Chen to be directly connected between each of the battery clusters and the main control unit, as taught by Laf, to optimize the capacity of the energy storage system via measurement and response to the state information of the individual batteries within each of the first and second battery clusters.
Yan teaches a power conversion unit (“AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]) configured to provide (via the “CAN/485” communication bus between “AC/DC” and “EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [44]: “the BMS master controller and the energy converter perform two-way communication”) the main control unit (“EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [69]: “the energy management unit is equivalent to integration of the EMS and the battery management master controller”) with information that indicates a total demand power (¶ [69]: “according to the demand for backup power supply”; ¶ [52]: “the BMS is configured to determine, according to the maximum power … demands of the lithium battery energy storage system) of the energy storage system (annotated Fig. 15 included supra).
Yan further teaches this control configuration of the main control unit so each cluster of batteries in the backup power supply can be reserved until needed to meet the demand and be used for peak shaving and valley filling, which generates economic benefits (¶ [69]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the energy storage system disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Ikri, Xie, & Laf to incorporate a power conversion unit and for the main control unit to control the DC/DC converter based on total demand power and state information of each battery cluster, as further taught by Yan, to generate economic benefits through optimizing use of the battery clusters to meet power demand.
Per the modifications described supra, the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Ikri, Xie, Laf, & Yan teaches a power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan: “AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]). Yan teaches this is an AC/DC converter to interface with an AC power grid, but does not include a second DC/DC converter.
Zhou teaches the power conversion unit (combo of “DC/DC” and “DC/AC” converters connected to the “first bus”; Fig. 9c; ¶ [128-129]) comprising a second DC/DC converter (“DC/DC” within “photovoltaic power generation system”; Fig. 9c).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c, included supra) a first end of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) being connected to a first end the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”) and a first end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a second end of the power conversion unit being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a control end (“control bus” connection of the “DC/DC” converter) of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) being directly connected (¶ [13]: “wireless communication, direct current power carrier communication, or the like”) to the main control unit (¶ [13]: “centralized monitoring system … an independently placed circuit board or circuit module”).
Zhou further teaches the power conversion unit including second DC/DC converter to enable the incorporation of solar power generation to supplement the power from the battery clusters to supply power to the grid, (¶ [80-81, 128-129]), thus improving efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid (¶ [123]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the power conversion unit disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Wu, Ikri, Xie, Laf, & Yan to incorporate a second DC/DC converter, as taught by Zhou, to improve efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid by supplementing the battery power with solar power. Because it was already set forth that the first battery cluster would be connected to the first switch unit and that the second battery cluster would be connected to the first DC/DC converter and second switch unit, it would be obvious that the modification per Zhou’s teaching would be implemented by a second end of the power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan, with modifications from Zhou) being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (Chen: “2022”/“4022”) through the first switch unit (Chen: “4032”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (Chen: “2011”/“4011”) through the first DC/DC converter (Chen: “204”/“404”) or the second switch unit (incorporated from Xie to be in parallel with the first DC/DC converter).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2023/0208182 A1) in view of Shao et al. (CN 112865153 A), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), Zhou et al. (US 2022/0200314 A1), and Laflaquiere et al. (US 2019/0165584 A1; hereinafter “Laf”).
Regarding Claim 22, Chen discloses an energy storage system (generic Fig. 2; specific implementation in Fig. 4; see annotated Figs. 2 and 4, included supra in the claim 1 section), comprising the following.
Chen further discloses a first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) comprising a first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “each of the strings … is an energy storage battery string, and each … may include a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or in parallel”) and a first switch unit (“second transfer subswitch 4032”; Fig. 4) connected in series to the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and configured to control operation (“4032” connects and disconnects “4022” to the “first direct current bus 405”; Fig. 4) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022).
Chen further discloses the first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) not comprising a DC/DC converter (see Figs. 2, 4). Specifically, if the first switch unit is opened (“4032” in position to connect from pole 1 to throw 2), then the 1st storage branch (202/402) would “not” comprise the DC/DC converter.
Chen further discloses a second energy storage branch (“first branch 201/401”; Figs. 2, 4) connected in parallel (“401” and “402” connected in parallel across “first direct current bus 405” and “second direct current bus 406”; Fig. 4) to the first energy storage branch (402).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprising a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses a first DC/DC converter (“first voltage compensation unit 204/404”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [23, 93]: “a non-isolated buck conversion circuit”; ¶ [94]: “may also use an isolated resonant circuit, an isolated phase shift circuit, or a flyback circuit”) connected to the second battery cluster (2011/4011) in series (Fig. 4 shows “404” electrically connected in series to “4011” through switch “4031”).
Chen further discloses a first output end (see annotated Fig. 4, included supra; connects to throw 2 of “4032”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (through switch “4031”) to the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Chen further discloses a second output end (see annotated Fig. 4, included supra; connects to “first direct current bus 405”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected to the first battery cluster (2022/4022) through the first switch unit (4032).
Chen discloses a main control unit (“controller 207”; Fig. 2) configured to control operation (¶ [82]: “an output terminal of the controller 207 is connected to the first voltage compensation unit 204”; ¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011 and the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first DC/DC converter (204/404) according to state information (¶ [83]: “based on … the operating state parameter of the second string 2022”) of the first battery cluster (2022/4022) and state information (¶ [83]: “based on the operating state parameter of the first string 2011”) of the second battery cluster (2011/4011).
Chen discloses a first sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of … the second string 2022”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen further discloses a second sub control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor is disposed in each of the first string 2011”) configured to collect the state information (¶ [90]: “each processor may collect an operating state parameter of a corresponding string”) of the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4) and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster (¶ [90]: “and summarize the collected operating state parameter into any processor”) to the main control unit (¶ [90]: “a processor that obtains operating state parameters of all strings is the controller 207”).
Chen further does not disclose “the first DC/DC converter being configured to adjust an output current of the second energy storage branch to balance an output current of the first energy storage branch and the output current of the second energy storage branch”.
Chen further does not disclose “a second switch unit connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter, and connected in series to the second battery cluster, the second switch unit being configured to turn on or off the first DC/DC converter and control operation of the second battery cluster”.
Chen does not disclose “a power conversion unit configured to provide the main control unit with information that indicates a total demand power of the energy storage system, the power conversion unit comprising a second DC/DC converter”.
As addressed supra, Chen teaches a main control unit configured to control the first DC/DC converter according to state information of each battery cluster. However, Chen further does not disclose the main control unit is “configured to control operation of the first DC/DC converter according to the total demand power” in addition to the state information.
Chen further does not disclose “the state information of the first battery cluster including temperature of the first battery cluster, and the state information of the second battery cluster including temperature of the second battery cluster”. Chen discloses the state information includes ambient temperature of each battery cluster (¶ [125]), but not the temperature of the battery clusters themselves.
Though Chen discloses a first sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the first battery cluster and transmit the state information of the first battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the first control unit is directly connected between each battery of the first battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Though Chen discloses a second sub control unit configured to collect the state information of the second battery cluster and transmit the state information of the second battery cluster to the main control unit, Chen further does not disclose “the second control unit is directly connected between each battery of the second battery cluster and the main control unit”.
Chen further does not disclose “a first end of the power conversion unit being connected to a first end the first battery cluster and a first end of the second battery cluster, a second end of the power conversion unit being connected to a second end of the first battery cluster through the first switch unit, and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster through the first DC/DC converter or the second switch unit, and a control end of the power conversion unit being directly connected to the main control unit”.
Shao teaches an energy storage system (Fig. 2 with annotated English labels included supra) with a first energy storage branch (20) and a second energy storage branch (10), each with a battery cluster (“initial battery cluster 201” within “20”; “newly added battery cluster 101” within “10”).
Shao teaches an impedance adjustment circuit (50) being configured to adjust an output current (page 2: “adjusting the impedance value of the energy storage branch, and the storage is balanced”; “the impedance between the energy storage branches … can then adjust current of the battery clusters in each energy storage branch”) of the second energy storage branch (10) to balance (page 3: “preset current distribution ratio” used to set the impedance of each branch; page 12: “the impedance value of the circuit restores the original preset proportional relationship, that is, the output current of each energy storage branch meets the preset current distribution”) an output current of the first energy storage branch (20) and the output current of the second energy storage branch (10).
Shao teaches this function of current balancing two branches for the advantages of improving the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first DC/DC converter disclosed by Chen to adjust the output current of the second energy storage branch to balance the output currents of the branches, as taught by Shao, to improve the operation safety and efficiency of the energy storage system.
Xie teaches the second energy storage branch (a set of “battery clusters 2” and an “adjusting/regulating device 5”; annotated Fig. 1 included supra) comprising a second switch unit (“bypass switch 6” within “5”; annotated Fig. 2 included supra) connected in parallel to the first DC/DC converter (“regulating DC converter 7” within “5”; Fig. 2), and connected in series to the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
Xie further teaches the second switch unit (6) being configured to turn on (page 4: “when … 7 needs to work, disconnect the bypass switch 6”; thus, open second switch unit = enable/turn on the first DC/DC converter) or off (page 4: “when the voltage regulating DC converter 7 does not need to work … the bypass switch 6 is pulled in, and the battery cluster 2 is directly connected to DC bus 1”; thus, closed second switch unit = bypass/turn off the first DC/DC converter) the first DC/DC converter (7) and control operation (when “6” is open, the battery current is converted by the DC/DC converter; when “6” is closed, the battery current is directly conducted to the DC bus) of the second battery cluster (set of “battery clusters 2”).
Xie further teaches this arrangement of an energy storage system with a switch in parallel across a DC/DC converter as part of a virtual internal resistance adjustment device (“summary of the invention”, page 2) for the advantage of improving reliability over long-term operation by addressing the short-board effect that occurs with abnormal imbalances of internal resistance between new and old batteries (“background technique”, page 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the second energy storage branch disclosed by the combo of Chen & Shao to incorporate a second switch unit in parallel across the first DC/DC converter, as taught by Xie, to improve reliability over long-term operation.
Yan teaches a power conversion unit (“AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]) configured to provide (via the “CAN/485” communication bus between “AC/DC” and “EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [44]: “the BMS master controller and the energy converter perform two-way communication”) the main control unit (“EMU”; Fig. 15; ¶ [69]: “the energy management unit is equivalent to integration of the EMS and the battery management master controller”) with information that indicates a total demand power (¶ [69]: “according to the demand for backup power supply”; ¶ [52]: “the BMS is configured to determine, according to the maximum power … demands of the lithium battery energy storage system) of the energy storage system (annotated Fig. 15 included supra).
Yan further teaches a main control unit (“EMU”) is configured to control the operation (¶ [69]: “the energy management unit transmits an instruction to control charging/discharging of each battery cluster through the bidirectional DC/DC converter) of the first DC/DC converter (“2# bidirectional DC/DC”; Fig. 15) according to the total demand power (¶ [69]: “according to the demand for backup power supply”; ¶ [52]: “the BMS is configured to determine, according to the maximum power … demands of the lithium battery energy storage system for charging and discharging and the present SOC of each cell …, a charging or discharging current and a time internal and a voltage threshold for charging or discharging”), the state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”) of the first battery cluster (one of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]), and the state information (¶ [52]: “present SOC of each cell”) of the second battery cluster (another of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]).
Yan teaches this control configuration of the main control unit so each cluster of batteries in the backup power supply can be reserved until needed to meet the demand and be used for peak shaving and valley filling, which generates economic benefits (¶ [69]).
Yan further teaches the state information of the first battery cluster including temperature (¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the first battery cluster (one of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]; each “cluster” is made of “cells connected in series” per ¶ [43]).
Yan further teaches the state information of the second battery cluster including temperature (¶ [69]: “voltage and temperature information of the cell”) of the second battery cluster (another of “energy storage capacity”; Fig. 15; includes a “battery cluster” per ¶ [69]; each “cluster” is made of “cells connected in series” per ¶ [43]).
Yan further teaches the state information of each battery cluster including the temperature of the respective battery cluster to improve reliability by preventing damage to the battery clusters from fault conditions such as overheating and/or thermal runaway (¶ [3, 53]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the energy storage system disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, & Xie to incorporate a power conversion unit and for the main control unit to control the DC/DC converter based on total demand power and state information of each battery cluster, as taught by Yan, to generate economic benefits through optimizing use of the battery clusters to meet power demand.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the state information of each battery cluster disclosed by Chen to include the temperature of the respective battery cluster, as further taught by Yan, to improve reliability by preventing damage to the battery clusters from fault conditions such as overheating and/or thermal runaway (¶ [3, 53]).
Per the modifications described supra, the combo of Chen, Shao, Xie, & Yan teaches a power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan: “AC/DC”; Fig. 15; referred to as “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]). Yan teaches this is an AC/DC converter to interface with an AC power grid, but does not include a second DC/DC converter.
Zhou teaches the power conversion unit (combo of “DC/DC” and “DC/AC” converters connected to the “first bus”; Fig. 9c; ¶ [128-129]) comprising a second DC/DC converter (“DC/DC” within “photovoltaic power generation system”; Fig. 9c).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c, included supra) a first end of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) is connected to a first end the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”) and a first end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a second end of the power conversion unit is connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (“battery cluster n”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (“battery cluster 1”).
Zhou further teaches (see annotated Fig. 9c) a control end (“control bus” connection of the “DC/DC” converter) of the power conversion unit (“DC/DC” & “DC/AC”) is directly connected (¶ [13]: “wireless communication, direct current power carrier communication, or the like”) to the main control unit (¶ [13]: “centralized monitoring system … an independently placed circuit board or circuit module”).
Zhou further teaches the power conversion unit including second DC/DC converter to enable the incorporation of solar power generation to supplement the power from the battery clusters to supply power to the grid, (¶ [80-81, 128-129]), thus improving efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid (¶ [123]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the power conversion unit disclosed by the combo of Chen, Shao, Xie, & Yan to incorporate a second DC/DC converter, as taught by Zhou, to improve efficiency of the energy storage system when supporting large power demand from the power grid by supplementing the battery power with solar power. Because it was already set forth that the first battery cluster would be connected to the first switch unit and that the second battery cluster would be connected to the first DC/DC converter and second switch unit, it would be obvious that the modification per Zhou’s teaching would be implemented by a second end of the power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan, with modifications from Zhou) is connected to a second end of the first battery cluster (Chen: “2022”/“4022”) through the first switch unit (Chen: “4032”), and connected to a second end of the second battery cluster (Chen: “2011”/“4011”) through the first DC/DC converter (Chen: “204”/“404”) or the second switch unit (incorporated from Xie to be in parallel with the first DC/DC converter).
Laf teaches a first sub control unit (“branch controller BMS 1”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22]: “the branch controller is an electronic system allowing the various operating parameters of a battery module to be measured, such as voltage, current, temperature, state of charge and state of health”; ¶ [50]: “measuring the operating parameters of the cell (temperature, voltage, current)”) of the first battery cluster (“branch B1”; Fig. 3) and transmit the state information (¶ [22]: “each branch controller is able to inform the main controller when an operating parameter of a battery module of the branch goes outside a predetermined range of values”) of the first battery cluster (B1) to the main control unit (“main controller MBMS”; Fig. 3; ¶ [93]: “main controller MBMS commands each branch controller BMSi to connect or disconnect the branch Bi”).
Laf further teaches the first control unit (BMS 1) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B1”; Fig. 3) of the first battery cluster (B1) and the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches a second sub control unit (“branch controller BMS i”; Fig. 3) configured to collect the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and transmit the state information (¶ [22, 50]: “operating parameters”) of the second battery cluster (Bi) to the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches the second control unit (BMS i) is directly connected between each battery (“battery modules/cells M1, Mx” within “B2”; Fig. 3) of the second battery cluster (Bi) and the main control unit (MBMS).
Laf further teaches the sub control units being directly connected between each battery of the battery clusters and the main control unit to enable the measurement of each battery/cell’s state information to support maintenance operations of the individual batteries/cells within due to the differences in electrical characteristics (¶ [5-6]), thus optimizing the capacity of the energy storage system (¶ [5, 98-100]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first/second sub control units disclosed by Chen to be directly connected between each of the battery clusters and the main control unit, as taught by Laf, to optimize the capacity of the energy storage system via measurement and response to the state information of the individual batteries within each of the first and second battery clusters.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/DANIEL P MCFARLAND/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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