Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/23/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
In the communication filed on 12/23/2025, claims 1-10, 12-14, and 16-22 are pending. Claims 1 and 21 are amended. Claim 22 is new. Claims 11 and 15 are presently cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10, 12-14, and 16-21 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 § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 7, 10, 12-14, 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), and Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 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”).
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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) comprises a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprises a 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 the “2” position of switch “4031”).
Chen further discloses an output end of the DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (¶ [8]: “transfer switch unit connects the second output terminal of the first voltage compensation unit to one terminal of the first string”) to the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”).
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 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 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 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 “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.
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 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 combination of Chen and 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.
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]).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) does not comprise a DC/DC converter (see Figs. 2, 4). Specifically, if the switch is opened, then the 1st storage branch would “not” comprise the DC/DC converter.
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
The combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan 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 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 7, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the first energy storage branch (“second branch 202/402”; Figs. 2, 4) further comprises a switch unit (“second transfer subswitch 4032”; Fig. 4) connected in series to the first battery cluster (“second string 2022/4022”; Figs. 2, 4) and configured to control operation of the first battery cluster (“4032” connects and disconnects “4022” to the “first direct current bus 405”; Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the 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 12, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
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”).
Regarding Claim 13, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the main control unit (“controller 207”; Fig. 2) 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 DC/DC converter (“204/404”; Figs. 2, 4) 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 “a power conversion unit configured to provide the main control unit with information that indicates a total demand power of the energy storage system; wherein the main control unit is further configured to control the operation of the 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 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 infra).
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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 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 energy storage system disclosed by the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan 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.
Regarding Claim 14 the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 13.
The combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan (as set forth prior) teaches the power conversion unit (incorporated from Yan, as described supra: (“AC/DC” in Fig. 15) includes an AC/DC converter (from Yan: “AC/DC rectifier” per ¶ [69]).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the 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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the 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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen 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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen 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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen discloses the output end of the 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).
Claims 4-5 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), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), and Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen does not disclose “the second energy storage branch further comprises: a switch unit connected in parallel to the DC/DC converter, the first switch unit being configured to turn on or off the DC/DC converter”.
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 switch unit (“bypass switch 6” within “5”; annotated Fig. 2 included infra) connected in parallel to the DC/DC converter (“regulating DC converter 7” within “5”; Fig. 2).
Xie further teaches the switch unit (6) being configured (controlled by “BMS 9”; Fig. 1) to turn on (page 4: when … 7 needs to work, disconnect the bypass switch 6”; thus, open switch = enable/turn on the 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 switch = bypass/turn off the DC/DC converter) the DC/DC converter (7).
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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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan to incorporate a switch unit in parallel across the DC/DC converter, as taught by Xie, to improve reliability over long-term operation.
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie teaches the energy storage system according to claim 4.
The combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie (as set forth prior) teaches the switch unit (incorporated from Xie: “bypass switch 6”; installed in parallel across the DC/DC converter “204/404” from Chen) is further connected in series (Chen’s Fig. 4 shows DC/DC converter “204/404” is electrically connected in series to “4011” through the “2” position of switch “4031”; thus, by being in parallel with “204/404”, the incorporated “bypass switch 6” is also electrically connected in series to “2011/4011”) to the second battery cluster (Chen: “first string 2011/4011”).
The combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie further teaches the switch unit (Xie: “6”) is configured to 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 (Chen: “first string 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), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), Xie et al. (CN 113783252 A), and Kawakami (JP H06283210 A).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie teaches the energy storage system according to claim 4.
The combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie (as set forth prior) teaches the 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 combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Xie 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), Yan et al. (US 2023/0208178 A1), and Zang et al. (US 2022/0006299 A1).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan teaches the energy storage system according to claim 1.
Chen does not disclose “two input ends of the DC/DC converter are connected to two ends of at least one battery of the second battery cluster, respectively”.
Zhang teaches two input ends of the 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”).
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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 DC/DC converter disclosed by the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, and Yan to incorporate two input ends connected to two ends of at least one battery of the second battery cluster, as taught by Zhang, to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Zhang teaches the energy storage system according to claim 8.
Chen does not disclose “the two input ends of the 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 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”).
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 DC/DC converter disclosed by the combination of Chen, Shao, Wu, Yan, and Zhang to incorporate two input ends connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the second battery cluster, as further 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), and Ikriannikov et al. (US 2012/0043923 A1; hereinafter “Ikri”), 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), 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”).
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) comprises a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprises a 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 the “2” position of switch “4031”).
Chen further discloses an output end of the DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (¶ [8]: “transfer switch unit connects the second output terminal of the first voltage compensation unit to one terminal of the first string”) to the second battery cluster (“first string 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 DC/DC converter (204/404).
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 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”.
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 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 combination of Chen and 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 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 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 combination of Chen, Shao, and Wu to control the DC/DC converter in a PFM main operation mode, as taught by Ikri, to improve power conversion efficiency.
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), Yan et al. (CN 114050633 A), and Liu (CN 110912242 A).
Regarding Claim 22, Chen discloses an energy storage system (generic Fig. 2; specific implementation in Fig. 4), comprising the following features.
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”).
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) comprises a second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”; Figs. 2, 4; ¶ [76]: “plurality of energy storage batteries”).
Chen further discloses the second energy storage branch (201/401) comprises 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 the “2” position of switch “4031”).
Chen further discloses an output end of the DC/DC converter (204/404) being connected (¶ [8]: “transfer switch unit connects the second output terminal of the first voltage compensation unit to one terminal of the first string”) to the second battery cluster (“first string 2011/4011”).
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 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; 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.
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.
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 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 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 combination of Chen and Shao 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 combination of Chen, Shao, and 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.
Liu teaches (see annotated Fig. 2, included infra) the power conversion unit (combo of “AC/DC” in “grid-connected converter unit 1” and “DC/DC” in “DC load unit 4”; Fig. 2) comprising a second DC/DC converter (“DC/DC” in “DC load unit 4”; Fig. 2).
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Liu further teaches the second DC/DC converter enables the energy storage system to combine the DC supply power from various sources (batteries, super capacitors, photovoltaics) to power various types of DC loads.
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 combination of Chen, Shao, and Yan to incorporate a second DC/DC converter, as taught by Liu, to expand the capabilities of the energy storage system to also support DC loads that operate at a different voltage than that of the main DC bus, which broadens the industrial/commercial applications which the energy storage system may be used in. The second DC/DC converter further enables the power conversion unit to combine power from various sources to power the DC loads.
Conclusion
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/DANIEL P MCFARLAND/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859