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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Lines 5-6 recites “a second transistor and a third transistor of the three transistors being connected in reverse series” instead of “a second transistor and a third transistor of the three transistors are connected in reverse series.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 20 is 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 20 recites the limitation "the alternating current out of limit mode" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-3 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fox et al. (US 20090256422 A1), hereinafter referred to as Fox.
Regarding independent claim 1, Fox discloses a power supply system (Fig. 2 and ¶[29]: uninterruptible online power supply circuit 50), comprising:
an input terminal configured to receive an alternating current input (Fig. 2 and ¶[29]: AC source input terminals A, B, C);
an output terminal configured to be connected to a load (Fig. 2 and ¶[29]: AC load output terminals A’, B’, C’ connected to AC load 60);
a first switch(Fig. 2: first relay M1), a second switch (second relay M2), and a third switch (third relay M3);
a rectification and charging-discharging module comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the input terminal through the first switch (Fig. 2: PFC rectifier 52 coupled to AC input terminals A, B, C through first relay M1), and wherein the third terminal is configured to be coupled to a battery through the third switch (Fig .2 and ¶[31, 42]: PFC rectifier 52 coupled to batteries 70 through fuse 106);
a conversion module with a fourth terminal and a fifth terminal, wherein the fourth terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the rectification and charging-discharging module via a direct current bus (Fig. 2: inverter 54 connected to PFC rectifier 52 through DC bus 62), and the fifth terminal is coupled to the output terminal (Fig. 2: inverter 54 connected to AC load output terminals A’, B’, C’); and
a bypass module (Fig. 2: second relay M2) comprising a sixth terminal and a seventh terminal, wherein the sixth terminal is coupled to the input terminal, and the seventh terminal is coupled to the output terminal through the second switch (Fig. 2 and ¶[34]: one end of second relay M2 coupled to AC input terminals A, B, C and the other end of second relay coupled to AC load output terminals A’, B’, C’),
wherein the power supply system is configured to operate in one of a line mode, a battery mode, or an alternating current out of limit mode by switching the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch on or off (¶[32, 42, 46-49]: normal mode, backup mode, first supplemental mode, and second supplemental modes are implemented using first and second relays M1 and M2 and fuse 106).
Regarding independent claim 20, Fox discloses a method of operating a power supply system (Fig. 2 and ¶[29]: uninterruptible online power supply circuit 50), the method comprising:
detecting at least one of a voltage, a current or a frequency at an input terminal or an output terminal of the power supply system (¶[25, 44, 54]: voltage and current monitored at input and output);
determining that the power supply system operates in one of a line mode, a battery mode, or the alternating current out of limit mode based on at least one of the detected voltage, current, or frequency ([6, 32]: backup mode occurs based on power supply operating in a predetermined condition and the main AC source is interrupted);
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching off a first switch and switching on a second switch and a third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the line mode (¶[46]: in normal mode, relays M1 and M3 are on, and M2 is off);
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching off the first switch and the second switch and switching on the third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the battery mode (alternative language used); and
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching on the first switch and switching off the second switch and the third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the alternating current out of limit mode (alternative language used).
Regarding claim 2, Fox discloses the power supply system according to claim 1, wherein:
in the line mode, the first switch is switched off, and the second switch and the third switch are switched on (alternative language used in claim 1);
in the battery mode, the first switch and the second switch are switched off, and the third switch is switched on (¶[47]: backup mode makes the system pull power from the secondary power source 68 and not from the AC source terminals A, B, C. The examiner interprets relays M1 and M2 as off and fuse 106 as on); and
in the alternating current out of limit mode, the first switch is switched on, and the second switch and the third switch are switched off (alternative language used in claim 1).
Regarding claim 3, Fox discloses the power supply system according to claim 2, wherein, in a state in which the load is connected to the output terminal and the battery is connected to the third terminal:
in the line mode (alternative language used in claim 1),
the bypass module is configured to operate and supply power to the load,
the conversion module is configured to rectify an alternating current or voltage received from the bypass module and charge the direct current bus, and
the direct current bus is configured to charge the battery through the rectification and charging-discharging module;
in the battery mode,
the bypass module is disabled,
the rectification and charging-discharging module is configured to discharge the battery, and
the conversion module is configured to convert a direct current or voltage received from the rectification and charging-discharging module into an alternating current or voltage
(¶[47, 50]: backup mode makes the system pull power from the secondary power source 68 and not from the AC source terminals A, B, C. The examiner interprets relays M1 and M2 as off and fuse 106 as on. Power is pulled from the secondary power source 68 to the PFC rectifier 52 and then used to supply the inverter 54 and the DC load 64.); and
in the alternating current out of limit mode (alternative language used in claim 1),
the bypass module is disabled,
the rectification and charging-discharging module is configured to rectify an alternating current or voltage received via the input terminal, and
the conversion module is configured to convert a direct current or voltage received from the rectification and charging-discharging module into an alternating current or voltage.
Regarding claim 19, Fox discloses the power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a controller configured to detect at least one of a voltage, a current, or a frequency at the input terminal or the output terminal to provide the power supply system (¶[44-45, 52-53, 55-56, 60, 62] and Fig. 1: control module 20 monitor voltages and currents supplied to and provided from UPS circuit 50) with a control signal for switching corresponding switches and transistors in the power supply system on or off (¶[45] control signal are transmitted to relays M1 and M2), the control signal causing the power supply system to switch between the line mode, the battery mode, and the alternating current out of limit mode (¶[32, 42, 46-49]: normal mode, backup mode, first supplemental mode, and second supplemental modes are implemented using first and second relays M1 and M2 and fuse 106).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 and 11-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art of record as considered and understood by the examiner does not disclose or fairly suggest the power supply system according to claim 3, wherein:
the rectification and charging-discharging module comprises two first switch units configured to be coupled to the battery such that the battery is coupled between the two first switch units, and
the conversion module comprises two second switch units coupled, respectively, to the two first switch units of the rectification and charging-discharging module,
taken in combination with the other limitations of claim 4.
Claims 5-10 are allowed by virtue of their dependence from claim 4.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of record as considered and understood by the examiner does not disclose the power supply system according to claim 3,
wherein the rectification and charging-discharging module comprises a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a third switch unit that are connected, respectively, to three phases of the alternating current input,
wherein the conversion module comprises three switch units coupled, respectively, to the first switch unit, the second switch unit, and the third switch unit of the rectification and charging-discharging module via the direct current bus, and
the bypass module comprises three switches connected, respectively, to the three phases,
taken in combination with the other limitations of claim 11.
Claims 12-18 are allowed by virtue of their dependence from claim 11.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ghosh et al. (US 20110278934 A1) discloses an uninterruptible power supply 100 (Fig. 1) with isolated connection between rectifier 110 and battery 120.
Dai et al. (US 20100127569 A1) discloses a first terminal of a rectification and charging-discharging module coupled to the input terminal through the first switch.
Hjort et al. (US 20100225170 A1) discloses a first terminal is coupled to the input terminal through a first switch (Fig. 1 and ¶[2-3]: rectifier 14 connected 1st AC source through circuit breaker 12), a bypass module coupled to the output terminal through a second switch (Fig. 1 and ¶[2-3]: bypass switch 23 connecting AC source to output AC), and a third terminal of a rectification and charging-discharging module coupled to a battery through a third switch (Fig. 1 and ¶[2-3]: rectifier 14 connected to battery 18 through switch 15).
Regarding independent claim 1, Faria et al. (US 6295215 B1, 2001-09-25) discloses a power supply system (Fig. 3: three-phase power supply apparatus 300), comprising:
an input terminal configured to receive an alternating current input (Fig. 3: AC input port 301);
an output terminal configured to be connected to a load (Fig. 3: output port 302);
a first switch, a second switch (Fig. 3 and Col 6, lines 52-65: SCR gating control circuit 332 functions as a switch for the connection between input port 301 and output port 302), and a third switch;
a rectification and charging-discharging module comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the input terminal (Fig. 3: AC/DC converter 310 directly connected to input port 301), and wherein the third terminal is configured to be coupled to a battery (Fig. 3: AC/DC converter 310 connected to auxiliary DC power source 370 through first voltage bus 311);
a conversion module with a fourth terminal and a fifth terminal, wherein the fourth terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the rectification and charging-discharging module via a direct current bus (Fig. 3: multimode DC/AC converter 320 connected to second voltage bus 312), and the fifth terminal is coupled to the output terminal (Fig. 3: multimode DC/AC converter 320 connected to output port 302 through first current sensor 350 and switch 360); and
a bypass module comprising a sixth terminal and a seventh terminal, wherein the sixth terminal is coupled to the input terminal, and the seventh terminal is coupled to the output terminal through the second switch (Fig. 3 and Col 6, lines 52-65: bypass circuit 330, connected to input port 301 and output port 302, has SCR gating control circuit 332 which couples/decouples the connection between input port 301 and output port 302),
Faria does not disclose the first terminal of the rectification and charging-discharging module is coupled to the input terminal through the first switch, the third terminal of the rectification and charging-discharging module is coupled to a battery through the third switch, and the power supply system is configured to operate in one of a line mode, a battery mode, or an alternating current out of limit mode by switching the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch on or off.
Regarding independent claim 20, Faria discloses a method of operating a power supply system (Fig. 3: three-phase power supply apparatus 300), the method comprising:
detecting at least one of a voltage, a current or a frequency at an input terminal or an output terminal of the power supply system (Col 6, lines 23-34: first and second current sensors 350 and 340 measure output voltage and current signals vout and iout );
determining that the power supply system operates in one of a line mode, a battery mode, or the alternating current out of limit mode based on at least one of the detected voltage, current, or frequency (Col 6, lines 23-34: The examiner interprets that if a voltage and current are detected, the system may be considered in line mode, battery mode, or alternating current out of limit mode);
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching off a first switch and switching on a second switch and a third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the line mode (Fig. 3 and Col 6, lines 23-34: the examiner interprets the system configuration in Faria as line mode when (1) switch 360 is off, (2) bypass circuit 330 is connecting input 301 to output 302, and (3) switching circuit 326 connects voltage buses 311 and 312 to switch 360);
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching off the first switch and the second switch and switching on the third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the battery mode (Fig. 3 and Col 1, lines 50-65: the examiner interprets the system configuration of Faria as battery mode when (1) switch 360 is off, bypass circuit 330 is disconnecting input 301 from output 302, and (3) switching circuit 326 disconnects voltage buses 311 and 312 from switch 360); and
providing the power supply system with a control signal for switching on the first switch and switching off the second switch and the third switch, based on determining that the power supply system operates in the alternating current out of limit mode (Fig. 3: the examiner interprets the system configuration of Faria as alternating current out of limit mode when (1) switch 360 is on, (2) bypass circuit 330 is disconnecting input 301 from output 302, and (3) switching circuit 326 disconnects voltage buses 311 and 312 from switch 360).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ryu-Sung Peter Weinmann whose telephone number is (703)756-5964. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman, can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 January 20, 2026
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859