DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of the Claims
In the communication filed on 01/13/2023 claims 1-19 are pending. Claims 1 and 16 are independent.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the acronyms SOC, BMS, and EMS are not defined first by writing out the full name. To correct this objection, the applicant should define the acronyms by writing out the acronym in full name in the first instance the acronym appears. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 10, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xie et al. (Chinese Patent CN-113381428-A).
With respect to independent claims 1 and 16, Xie teaches a black start method for a household energy storage system in an off-grid state (¶[04]; an off-grid black start method for an energy storage system).
Xie teaches comprising a battery management system (BMS) (Fig. 1; ¶[61]; a BMS), an energy management system (EMS) (Fig. 1; ¶[28]; an EMS), a power conversion system (PCS) (Fig. 1; ¶[28]; a PCS), and a battery system (Fig. 1; ¶[28]; an energy storage battery system (ESS)).
Xie teaches wherein the BMS is configured to, in response to detecting that the battery system is discharged to a state of charge (SOC) of less than or equal to a set value M, send a state of the battery system to the EMS, wherein M is a number greater than 0 and less than 1 (¶[79-80]; the BMS uploads the SOC of the ESS to the EMS when it detects the SOC is below 30% during a discharge state. One of ordinary skill understands this value corresponds to 0.3 in decimal point format which is a number greater than 0 and less than 1).
Xie teaches the EMS is configured to receive the state of the battery system and send timing starting time T1 (¶[79]; it is understood that the start time is recorded when SOC drops below 30% (e.g., for more than 5 minutes)) and black start time T2 to the BMS (¶[86]; a black start attempt to establish voltage occurs after 30 minutes).
Xie teaches the BMS is further configured to, in response to performing timing for a time T from T1, instruct the battery system to stop working such that the household energy storage system enters a sleep mode (¶[79]; after 5 minutes the PCS will be shutdown therefore shutting down the system).
Xie teaches in response to performing timing to T2, wake an auxiliary power supply up for power supply to the EMS (¶[85]; a UPS support power supply is used for operating the system thus it is understood by one of ordinary skill that the EMS controller is powered by the auxiliary UPS when the system is shutdown).
Xie teaches the EMS is further configured to, in response to detecting that the battery system is in a charging state, determine that a black start of the household energy storage system succeeds (¶[88]; the EMS will place a PCS in voltage source mode when it determines that it is online in a charging state therefore it is understood it has determined the black start has succeeded hence placing the PCS in voltage source mode).
With respect to dependent claims 10 and 17, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 16, respectively. Further, Xie teaches before sending, by the EMS, the timing starting time T1 and the black start time T2 to the BMS, further comprising sending, by the EMS through a cloud platform, a turning-off instruction to a terminal bound to the cloud platform to instruct a user of the terminal to turn off some or all loads in the household energy storage system (¶[57-59]; an iWeNet provides instructions to manually disconnect the switches for the PCS, the inverter, and the load which is understood by one of ordinary skill to be done before a black start attempt as a method to avoid high inrush currents which could trip protective equipment).
With respect to claim 13, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Xie teaches wherein in the sleep mode, some control circuits in the BMS, the EMS, and a PCS are powered off (¶[85]; a UPS support power supply is used for operating the system thus it is understood by one of ordinary skill that some of the control circuits in the BMS, the EMS, and the PCS are powered off during system shutdown)
With respect to claim 14, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Xie teaches wherein the auxiliary power supply is the battery system or another power supply connected to the household energy storage system and used for powering the EMS (¶[85]; a UPS support power supply is used for operating the system thus it is understood by one of ordinary skill that the EMS controller is powered by the auxiliary UPS when the system is shutdown).
With respect to claim 15, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Xie teaches wherein the black start time T2 is a moment at which a photovoltaic generation system connected to the household energy storage system works (¶[86, 90]; after 30 minutes the inverter is operated converting the solar power of the photovoltaic system).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2-9, 11-12, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xie et al. (Chinese Patent CN-113381428-A) and further in view of Beaston (USPGPN 20240258826).
With respect to claim 2, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Xie teaches in response to determining that the household energy storage system satisfies a first startup condition, sending, by the EMS, a startup instruction to the BMS (¶[10]; the EMS checks the system for faults and if none found it sends a startup instruction to the system which one of ordinary skill understands includes the BMS).
Xie teaches instructing, by the BMS according to the startup instruction, the battery system to power the EMS, the BMS, and a power conversion system (PCS) such that the household energy storage system exits from the sleep mode (¶[10]; the EMS instruction to startup includes powering the system (i.e., the EMS, the BMS, and the PCS) from the batteries thus under control of the BMS which would exit the system from a shutdown state).
Xie teaches sending, by the EMS, a charging instruction to the PCS and charging, by the PCS, the battery system according to the charging instruction (¶[86]; the EMS instructs the PCS to commence charging when the inverter is started thus one of ordinary skill understands the batteries are being charged).
Xie teaches determining, by the EMS, that the black start of the household energy storage system succeeds (¶[88]; the EMS will place a PCS in voltage source mode when it determines that it is online in a charging state therefore it is understood it has determined the black start has succeeded hence placing the PCS in voltage source mode).
However, Xie fails to explicitly teach detecting, by the BMS from a P-th minute to a Q-th minute after the PCS charges the battery system, that the battery system is in the charging state and sending the case where the battery system is in the charging state to the EMS.
Beaston teaches detecting, by the BMS from a P-th minute to a Q-th minute after the PCS charges the battery system, that the battery system is in the charging state and sending the case where the battery system is in the charging state to the EMS (¶[370]; a timer is used to determine a specified time the charger started to operate and ended operating).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Beaston’s amount of time the charger is operating to Xie’s black start method in order to determine if a successful operation has occurred based on the amount of time since the charger has been in use. The advantage of this being the ability to provide back-up power to customers is enabled during the event of power disruptions (see ¶[233] of Beaston).
With respect to claim 3, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 2. Further, Xie teaches turning on, by the PCS, a photovoltaic inverter in the PCS according to the charging instruction to charge the battery system through electrical energy converted by the photovoltaic inverter (¶[86]; the inverter is started and controlled which one of ordinary skill understands is to charge the batteries).
With respect to claim 4, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 2. Further, Xie teaches detecting, by the BMS, whether a charging current flows through the battery system and in response to the charging current, determining that the battery system is in the charging state (¶[88]; one of ordinary skill understands the charging state is determined by measuring the current flow into the batteries).
With respect to claim 5, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 2. Further, Xie teaches in response to determining that the household energy storage system has no preset fault and determining that the SOC of the battery system is greater than or equal to Q, the EMS determines that the household energy storage system satisfies the first startup condition (¶[73]; the EMS checks the system for no active faults and for SOC to be greater than 35% then it sends a startup instruction to the system).
Xie discloses the claimed invention except for wherein Q is a number greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to M. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to select Q to be a value greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to M, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
With respect to claim 6, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Furthermore, Xie teaches sending, by the EMS, a charging instruction to a PCS and charging, by the PCS, the battery system according to the charging instruction (¶[86]; the EMS instructs the PCS to commence charging when the inverter is started thus one of ordinary skill understands the batteries are being charged).
Xie teaches in response to determining that the household energy storage system satisfies a second startup condition, sending, by the EMS, a startup instruction to the BMS (¶[10]; the EMS checks the system for faults and if none found it sends a startup instruction to the system which one of ordinary skill understands includes the BMS).
Xie teaches instructing, by the BMS according to the startup instruction, the battery system to power the EMS, the BMS, and the PCS such that the household energy storage system exits from the sleep mode (¶[10]; the EMS instruction to startup includes powering the system (i.e., the EMS, the BMS, and the PCS) from the batteries thus under control of the BMS which would exit the system from a shutdown state).
Xie teaches in response to detecting that the household energy storage system exits from the sleep mode, determining, by the EMS, that the black start of the household energy storage system succeeds (¶[88]; the EMS will place a PCS in voltage source mode when it determines that it is online in a charging state therefore it is understood it has determined the black start has succeeded hence placing the PCS in voltage source mode).
However, Xie fails to explicitly teach detecting, by the BMS from a P-th minute to a Q-th minute after the PCS charges the battery system, that the battery system is in the charging state and sending the case where the battery system is in the charging state to the EMS.
Beaston teaches detecting, by the BMS from a P-th minute to a Q-th minute after the PCS charges the battery system, that the battery system is in the charging state and sending the case where the battery system is in the charging state to the EMS (¶[370]; a timer is used to determine a specified time the charger started to operate and ended operating).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Beaston’s amount of time the charger is operating to Xie’s black start method in order to determine if a successful operation has occurred based on the amount of time since the charger has been in use. The advantage of this being the ability to provide back-up power to customers is enabled during the event of power disruptions (see ¶[233] of Beaston).
With respect to claim 7, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 6. Further, Xie teaches turning on, by the PCS, a photovoltaic inverter in the PCS according to the charging instruction to charge the battery system through electrical energy converted by the photovoltaic inverter (¶[86]; the inverter is started and controlled which one of ordinary skill understands is to charge the batteries).
With respect to claim 8, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 6. Further, Xie teaches detecting, by the BMS, whether a charging current flows through the battery system and in response to the charging current, determining that the battery system is in the charging state (¶[88]; one of ordinary skill understands the charging state is determined by measuring the current flow into the batteries).
With respect to claim 9, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 6. Further, Xie teaches in response to determining that the household energy storage system has no preset fault and determining that the SOC of the battery system is greater than or equal to H, the EMS determines that the household energy storage system satisfies the second startup condition, wherein H is a number greater than or equal to M (¶[73]; the EMS checks the system for no active faults and for SOC to be greater than 35% then it sends a startup instruction to the system, in which H = 35% is greater than or equal to M = 30%).
With respect to dependent claims 11 and 18, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 16, respectively. However, Xie fails to explicitly teach the limitations of claim 11 and 18.
Beaston teaches sending, by the EMS, a turning-off instruction to a switch unit of an energy gateway of the household energy storage system, wherein the switch unit comprises a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch and turning off, by the switch unit, the first switch and the second switch and turning on the third switch according to the turning-off instruction to turn off all loads in the household energy storage system (Fig. 1E; an energy gateway comprising switches 132A-132D and EMS 106. The switches 132A-132D receive an on or off signal from the EMS 106 in which non-critical loads are disconnected via switches 132B-132D and switch 132A remains on to provide power to the batteries 136 during a turning-off operation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Beaston’s switching topology to Xie’s black start method in order to properly ensure loads are disconnected while the battery remains connected in order to receive charging power. The advantage of this being the ability to provide back-up power to customers is enabled during the event of power disruptions (see ¶[233] of Beaston).
With respect to dependent claims 12 and 19, Xie teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 16, respectively. However, Xie fails to explicitly teach the limitations of claim 12 and 19.
Beaston teaches sending, by the EMS, a turning-off instruction to a switch unit of an energy gateway of the household energy storage system, wherein the switch unit comprises a first switch; and turning off, by the switch unit, the first switch of the switch unit according to the turning-off instruction to turn off all loads in the household energy storage system (Fig. 1E; an energy gateway comprising switches 132A-132D and EMS 106. The switch 132B receives an off signal from the EMS 106 turning off the critical loads from the energy storage system).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Beaston’s switching topology to Xie’s black start method in order to properly ensure loads are disconnected while the battery remains connected in order to receive charging power. The advantage of this being the ability to provide back-up power to customers is enabled during the event of power disruptions (see ¶[233] of Beaston).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ouyang et al. (WIPO Patent WO-2018137355-A1) discloses a system having a black start function and a black start method.
Yin et al. (USPGPN 20200251904) discloses a battery energy storage grid-load interactive method, terminal, system and medium for superimposed control.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Frank A Silva whose telephone number is (703)756-1698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 09:30 am -06:30 pm ET.
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/FRANK ALEXIS SILVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859