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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Paragraph [0096], line 3, “switch SW8” should be “switch SW3”. Paragraph [0096], lines 3-4, “one end of the switch SW8” should be “one end of the switch SW3”. Paragraph [0096], line 4, “the other end of the switch SW8” should be “the other end of the switch SW3”. Paragraph [0096], line 6, “the switch SW8” should be “the switch SW3”. Paragraph [0096], line 6, “the switch SW5 and switch SW8” should be “the switch SW5 and switch SW3”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: C3 in Figure 4. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 7 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 7, “al least” should be “at least”. Claim 1, line 9, “demand;” should be “demand; and”. Claim 1, line 10, “al least” should be “at least”. Claim 4, lines 2-3, “and the bidirectional DC/AC unit” should be deleted. The claim does not recite what the bidirectional DC/AC unit does. For examination purposes, “the bidirectional DC/AC unit” has been disregarded. Claim 7, line 1, “claim 1” should be “claim 6” to provide antecedent basis for “the fault detection”. For examination purposes, it has been assumed that claim 7 depends from claim 6. Claim 9, line 10, “al least” should be “at least”. Claim 9, line 13, “al least” should be “at least”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by the US patent application publication of Erokhovets (2021/0203165).
As to claim 1, Erokhovets discloses a power fusion system (see Figs. 1-2)
comprising: a control unit (101,201) at least one power conversion unit (103,105,106,203,205,206), and a DC/AC unit (108,208); the power conversion unit (103,105,106,203,205,206) is configured to convert current output by at least one power supply into DC (see Figs. 1-2); the DC/AC unit (108,208) coupled to all of the at least one power conversion units (103,105,106,203,205,206), and is configured to convert DC output by the at least one power conversion units into AC that meets power supply demand; and the control unit (101,201) communicates with all of the at least one power conversion units and the DC/AC unit (108,208) and is configured to control operation of the at least one power conversion units (103,105,106,203,205,206) and the DC/AC unit (108,208) (see paragraphs [0022] and [0025]).
As to claim 2, the at least one power conversion unit (103,105,106,203,205,206) comprises a DC/DC unit (105,205); the DC/DC unit (105,205) is configured to convert a DC output by the at least one power supply into DC satisfying an input requirement of the DC/AC unit (108,208) (see paragraph [0023], lines 1-3 and Figs. 1-2).
As to claim 3, the at least one power conversion unit (103,105,106,203,205,206) further comprises an AC/DC unit (106), the AC/DC unit (106) is configured to convert an AC output by the at least one power supply into DC satisfying an input requirement of the DC/AC unit (108,208) (see paragraph [0023], lines 1-3 and Figs. 1-2).
As to claim 8, the system further comprises a DC bus (12,22); wherein all of the at least one power conversion units (103,105,106,203,205,206) are connected in parallel with the DC bus (12,22); and the DC/AC unit (108,208) is connected with the DC bus (12,22) (see Figs. 1-2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 30 allowed.
Claims 4-7 and 9-29 are objected to as being dependent upon a base claim that has been objected to, or because of informalities, but would be allowable if rewritten with the informalities corrected.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 30 is allowed because none of the prior art of record discloses or
suggests the distribution box configured to determine power supply demand and allocate the power supply connected with the power fusion system according to the power supply demand, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 4 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the at least one power conversion unit being a bidirectional power conversion unit, and the bidirectional power conversion unit being configured to charge an energy storage power supply according to a charging instruction if the at least one power supply coupled to the bidirectional power conversion unit is the energy storage power supply, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claim 5 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the control unit further configured to increase power supply if the sum of power output by all power supplies in the at least one power supply cannot meet the power supply demand, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claim 6 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the control unit further configured to perform a fault detection on all power supplies in the at least one power supply and disconnect any failed power supplies, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claim 7 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the control unit further configured to perform the fault detection on the power conversion unit and disconnect any failed power conversion unit, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claims 9-29 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the distribution box configured to determine the power supply demand and allocate the at least one power supplies coupled with the power fusion system to supply power to a load according to the power supply demand, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The US patent of Adest et al. (11,687,112) discloses a plurality of power conversion units and a DC/AC unit, wherein each power conversion unit is configured to convert current output by at least one power supply into DC, the DC/AC unit is coupled to all of the power conversion units and is configured to convert DC output by the power conversion units into AC, but the power conversion units and the DC/AC unit each have their own control units.
This application is in condition for allowance except for the following formal matters:
See the informalities set forth above.
Prosecution on the merits is closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213, (Comm’r Pat. 1935).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire TWO (2) MONTHS from the mailing date of this letter. Extensions of time may be granted under 37 CFR 1.136 but in no case can any extension carry the date for reply to this Office action beyond the maximum period of SIX MONTHS set by statute (35 U.S.C. 133).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAL KAPLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8587. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAL KAPLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836