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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/02/2026 has been entered.
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 01/02/2026. The previous 35 USC 112 rejections have been withdrawn. Claims 1-10, 12-18, and 22-24 from which claims 8-10 and 18 remain pending for consideration.
Claim Objections
Claims 14-17 and 24 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 14, the phrase “a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the the first and second motors” is understood to include a typographical error and for examination purposes will be interpreted as -- a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the first and second motors --
Regarding claim 14, the phrase “a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency”, in view of amended claim 1, is understood to be missing a word and for examination purposes will be interpreted as -- a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency --
Claims 15-17 and 24 are also objected due to dependency.
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.
Claims 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 23 recites the limitation " the second threshold percentage of the second maximum operating load" in lines 15-16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, the phrase “the second threshold percentage of the second maximum operating load” will be interpreted as -- the second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load --
Claim 24 recites the limitation " the second threshold percentage of the second maximum operating load" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, the phrase “the second threshold percentage of the second maximum operating load” will be interpreted as -- the second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load --
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 1-7, 12-17, and 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin (US20160298884A1), in view of Wallis et al. (US20200003457A1, herein after referred to as Wallis), in view of Roullet et al. (WO2023244671A1, herein after referred to as Roullet), in view of Matsukura et al. (US20180066871A1, herein after referred to as Matsukura), in view of Moon et al. (US20030230099A1, herein referred to as Moon), and in further view of Scarcella et al. (US20190128568A1, herein after referred to as Scarcella).
Regarding claim 1, Martin teaches a vapor cycle cooling system (VCCS) (refrigeration system 100 Fig. 1), comprising: a first compressor system (left branch Fig. 3) comprising a first compressor (top fractional compressor 220 in the left branch Fig. 3) in series with a second compressor (bottom fractional compressor 220 in the left branch Fig. 3); a second compressor system (right branch Fig. 3), in parallel to the first compressor system (Fig. 3), the second compressor system comprising a third compressor (top fractional compressor 220 in the right branch Fig. 3) in series with a fourth compressor (bottom fractional compressor 220 in the right branch Fig. 3); a condenser (condenser 160 Fig. 1) fluidically coupled to the first and second compressor systems (Figs. 1 and 3 and paragraph [0024]); a first expansion device (expansion valve 190 Fig. 1), a first evaporator (evaporator 120 Fig. 1), the first evaporator fluidically coupled to the first and second compressor systems (Figs. 1 and 3 and paragraph [0024]).
Martin teaches the invention as described above but fails to explicitly teach “the first compressor system comprising a first motor, the second compressor system comprising a second motor, the first expansion device in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger, the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device, the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator; a system controller”.
However, Wallis teaches a first compressor system (first compressors 12 Fig. 1 correspond to the first compressor system of Martin) comprising a first motor (disclosed “motor assembly” in paragraphs [0064] and [0065]), a second compressor system (second compressors 14 Fig. 1 correspond to the second compressor system of Martin) comprising a second motor (motor assembly 54 Fig. 2), a first expansion device (first expansion device 18 Fig. 1 corresponds to the first expansion device of Martin) in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger (flash tank 20 Fig. 1), the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device (fifth expansion device 204 Fig. 1), the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator (Fig. 1 where fifth heat exchanger 26 corresponds to the first evaporator of Martin); a system controller (control module 210 Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of Martin to include “the first compressor system comprising a first motor, the second compressor system comprising a second motor, the first expansion device in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger, the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device, the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator; a system controller” in view of the teachings of Wallis to control the operation of the first and second compressor systems.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “a first motor controller, a second motor controller; the system controller electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers, wherein the system controller comprises processing circuitry configured to: receive, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch for the VCCS”.
However, Roullet teaches a first motor controller (VSD 124 Fig. 5), a second motor controller (VSD 142 Fig. 5); a system controller (controller 200 Fig. 5 corresponds to the system controller of Wallis) electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers (paragraph [0053] and Fig. 5), wherein the system controller comprises processing circuitry (processing circuitry 204 Fig. 5) configured to: receive, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch (disclosed “difference between the inlet and/or outlet temperature” of the evaporators or condensers of vapor compression system 100 Fig. 5 in paragraph [0063]) for a VCCS (Vapor compression system 100 Fig. 5 corresponds to the VCCS of Martin) to drive the compressors at different speeds (paragraph [0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “a first motor controller, a second motor controller; the system controller electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers, wherein the system controller comprises processing circuitry configured to: receive, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch for the VCCS” in view of the teachings of Roullet to drive the compressors at different speeds.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “a filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the first and second motors”.
However, Matsukura teaches a filter drier (filter dryer 27 Fig. 1), in series with, and fluidically coupled to a condenser (condenser 5 Fig. 1 corresponds to the condenser of Martin); and a motor and motor controller cooling loop (cooling pipe 26 Fig. 1) fluidically coupled to a first motor (drive 15 Fig. 1 corresponds to the first motor of Wallis) to remove contaminants and moisture (paragraph [0097]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “a filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the first and second motors” in view of the teachings of Matsukura to remove contaminants and moisture.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “the filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the second motor”.
However, Applicant has not disclosed that having “the filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the second motor” does anything more than produce the predictable result of cooling a second motor/motor controller. Since it has been held that a duplication of part has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced, see MPEP 2144.04 Vi. B, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, to modify the method of Matsukura and meet the claimed limitations in order to provide the predictable results of cooling a second motor/motor controller.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “the processing circuitry configured to: determine, based on the temperature mismatch, an amount of cooling by the VCCS to correct the temperature mismatch; determine a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency for the determined amount of cooling; determine, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, a first target operating load for the first compressor system and a second target operating load for the second compressor system, wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load for the second compressor system; output, by the system controller, a first control signal to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load; and output, by the system controller, a second control signal to the second motor controller instructing the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load”.
However, Moon teaches a processing circuitry (referring to paragraph [0029], a person skilled in the art would recognize that unit controller 70 Fig. 7 which is described as “a microcomputer” would include a processing circuitry which would correspond to the processing circuitry of Roullet) configured to: determine, based on a temperature mismatch (paragraphs [0039] and [0040] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that the disclosed “required capacity” is the heat transfer rate required to eliminate a temperature mismatch effect at the indoor units locations), an amount of cooling (corresponds to the amount of cooling generated in the cooling process described in paragraph [0044]) by a VCCS (the system illustrated in Fig. 7 corresponds to the VCCS of Martin) to correct the temperature mismatch (a person skilled in the art would recognize that the cooling process described in paragraph [0044] is performed to address any temperature mismatch effect at the indoor units locations); determine a combination of target operating loads (the combination of the disclosed “first minimum capacity” and “second minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]) for a first compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 40 in paragraph [0039] corresponds to the first compressor system of Martin) and a second compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 30 in paragraph [0039] corresponds to the second compressor system of Martin) to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency (referring to Fig. 5 and paragraph [0044], the system of Moon is operating at 50% of the maximum capacity) for the determined amount of cooling (paragraph [0044] and Figs. 5-6); determine, by a system controller (unit controller 70 Fig. 7 corresponds to the system controller of Wallis) and based on the combination of target operating loads (paragraph [0044] and Figs. 5-6), a first target operating load for the first compressor system (disclosed “second minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]) and a second target operating load for the second compressor system (disclosed “first minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]), wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load (corresponds to the disclosed “second maximum capacity” in paragraph [0032]) for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load (corresponds to the disclosed “first maximum capacity” in paragraph [0031]) for the second compressor system; output, by the system controller, a first control signal (paragraph [0044] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that controller 70 is generating signals to compressors 30 and 40 since it is disclosed that controller 70 operates compressors 30 and 40 at the required load) to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load (paragraph [0044]); and output, by the system controller, a second control signal (paragraph [0044] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that controller 70 is generating signals to compressors 30 and 40 since it is disclosed that controller 70 operates compressors 30 and 40 at the required load) to the second motor controller instructing the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load (paragraph [0044]) to cope with different air conditioning loads (paragraph [0013]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “the processing circuitry configured to: determine, based on the temperature mismatch, an amount of cooling by the VCCS to correct the temperature mismatch; determine a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency for the determined amount of cooling; determine, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, a first target operating load for the first compressor system and a second target operating load for the second compressor system, wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load for the second compressor system; output, by the system controller, a first control signal to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load; and output, by the system controller, a second control signal to the second motor controller instructing the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load” in view of the teachings of Moon to cope with different air conditioning loads.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “wherein the VCCS is configured to cool one thermal load for a vehicle”.
However, Scarcella teaches wherein a VCCS (vapor compression refrigeration system 30 Fig. 3 corresponds to the VCCS of Martin) is configured to cool one thermal load (container 20 Fig. 1) for a vehicle (paragraph [0040]) to provide cooling to a specific section of a vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “wherein the VCCS is configured to cool one thermal load for a vehicle” in view of the teachings of Scarcella to provide cooling to a specific section of a vehicle.
Regarding claim 14, Martin teaches a method (the method disclosed in paragraph [0008]) comprising: cooling, by a vapor cycle cooling system (VCCS) (refrigeration system 100 Fig. 1), one thermal load (refrigerated space 110 Fig. 1), wherein the VCCS comprises: a first compressor system (left branch Fig. 3) comprising a first compressor (top fractional compressor 220 in the left branch Fig. 3) in series with a second compressor (bottom fractional compressor 220 in the left branch Fig. 3); a second compressor system (right branch Fig. 3), in parallel to the first compressor system (Fig. 3), the second compressor system comprising a third compressor (top fractional compressor 220 in the right branch Fig. 3) in series with a fourth compressor (bottom fractional compressor 220 in the right branch Fig. 3); a condenser (condenser 160 Fig. 1) fluidically coupled to the first and second compressor systems (Figs. 1 and 3 and paragraph [0024]); a first expansion device (expansion valve 190 Fig. 1), a first evaporator (evaporator 120 Fig. 1), the first evaporator fluidically coupled to the first and second compressor systems (Figs. 1 and 3 and paragraph [0024]).
Martin teaches the invention as described above but fails to explicitly teach “the first compressor system comprising a first motor, the second compressor system comprising a second motor, the first expansion device in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger, the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device, the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator; a system controller”.
However, Wallis teaches a first compressor system (first compressors 12 Fig. 1 correspond to the first compressor system of Martin) comprising a first motor (disclosed “motor assembly” in paragraphs [0064] and [0065]), a second compressor system (second compressors 14 Fig. 1 correspond to the second compressor system of Martin) comprising a second motor (motor assembly 54 Fig. 2), a first expansion device (first expansion device 18 Fig. 1 corresponds to the first expansion device of Martin) in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger (flash tank 20 Fig. 1), the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device (fifth expansion device 204 Fig. 1), the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator (Fig. 1 where fifth heat exchanger 26 corresponds to the first evaporator of Martin); a system controller (control module 210 Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the method of Martin to include “the first compressor system comprising a first motor, the second compressor system comprising a second motor, the first expansion device in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a flash heat exchanger, the flash heat exchanger fluidically coupled to a second expansion device, the second expansion device fluidically coupled to the first evaporator; a system controller” in view of the teachings of Wallis to control the operation of the first and second compressor systems.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “a first motor controller, a second motor controller; the system controller electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers; receiving, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch for the VCCS”.
However, Roullet teaches a first motor controller (VSD 124 Fig. 5), a second motor controller (VSD 142 Fig. 5); a system controller (controller 200 Fig. 5 corresponds to the system controller of Wallis) electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers (paragraph [0053] and Fig. 5); receiving, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch (disclosed “difference between the inlet and/or outlet temperature” of the evaporators or condensers of vapor compression system 100 Fig. 5 in paragraph [0063]) for a VCCS (Vapor compression system 100 Fig. 5 corresponds to the VCCS of Martin) to drive the compressors at different speeds (paragraph [0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the method of the combined teachings to include “a first motor controller, a second motor controller; the system controller electrically coupled to the first and second motor controllers; receiving, by the system controller, an indication of a temperature mismatch for the VCCS” in view of the teachings of Roullet to drive the compressors at different speeds.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “a filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the filter drier and the first and second motors”.
However, Matsukura teaches a filter drier (filter dryer 27 Fig. 1), in series with, and fluidically coupled to a condenser (condenser 5 Fig. 1 corresponds to the condenser of Martin); and a motor and motor controller cooling loop (cooling pipe 26 Fig. 1) fluidically coupled to the filter drier and a first motor (drive 15 Fig. 1 corresponds to the first motor of Wallis) to remove contaminants and moisture (paragraph [0097]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the method of the combined teachings to include “a filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the filter drier and the first and second motors” in view of the teachings of Matsukura to remove contaminants and moisture.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “the filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the second motor”.
However, Applicant has not disclosed that having “the filter drier, in series with, and fluidically coupled to the condenser; and a motor and motor controller cooling loop fluidically coupled to the second motor” does anything more than produce the predictable result of cooling a second motor/motor controller. Since it has been held that a duplication of part has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced, see MPEP 2144.04 Vi. B, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, to modify the method of Matsukura and meet the claimed limitations in order to provide the predictable results of cooling a second motor/motor controller.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “determining, by the system controller and based on the temperature mismatch, an amount of cooling by the VCCS to correct the temperature mismatch; determining, by the system controller, a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency for the determined amount of cooling; determining, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, a first target operating load for the first compressor system and a second target operating load for the second compressor system, wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load for the second compressor system; outputting, by the system controller, a first control signal to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load; and outputting, by the system controller, a second control signal to the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load”.
However, Moon teaches determining, by a system controller (unit controller 70 Fig. 7 corresponds to the system controller of Wallis) and based on a temperature mismatch (paragraphs [0039] and [0040] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that the disclosed “required capacity” is the heat transfer rate required to eliminate a temperature mismatch effect at the indoor units locations), an amount of cooling (corresponds to the amount of cooling generated in the cooling process described in paragraph [0044]) by a VCCS (the system illustrated in Fig. 7 corresponds to the VCCS of Martin) to correct the temperature mismatch (a person skilled in the art would recognize that the cooling process described in paragraph [0044] is performed to address any temperature mismatch effect at the indoor units locations); determining, by the system controller, a combination of target operating loads (the combination of the disclosed “first minimum capacity” and “second minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]) for a first compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 40 in paragraph [0039] corresponds to the first compressor system of Martin) and a second compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 30 in paragraph [0039] corresponds to the second compressor system of Martin) to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency (referring to Fig. 5 and paragraph [0044], the system of Moon is operating at 50% of the maximum capacity) for the determined amount of cooling (paragraph [0044] and Figs. 5-6); determining, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads (paragraph [0044] and Figs. 5-6), a first target operating load for the first compressor system (disclosed “second minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]) and a second target operating load for the second compressor system (disclosed “first minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]), wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load (corresponds to the disclosed “second maximum capacity” in paragraph [0032]) for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load (corresponds to the disclosed “first maximum capacity” in paragraph [0031]) for the second compressor system; outputting, by the system controller, a first control signal (paragraph [0044] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that controller 70 is generating signals to compressors 30 and 40 since it is disclosed that controller 70 operates compressors 30 and 40 at the required load) to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load (paragraph [0044]); and outputting, by the system controller, a second control signal (paragraph [0044] where a person skilled in the art would recognize that controller 70 is generating signals to compressors 30 and 40 since it is disclosed that controller 70 operates compressors 30 and 40 at the required load) to the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load (paragraph [0044]) to cope with different air conditioning loads (paragraph [0013]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the method of the combined teachings to include “determining, by the system controller and based on the temperature mismatch, an amount of cooling by the VCCS to correct the temperature mismatch; determining, by the system controller, a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency for the determined amount of cooling; determining, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, a first target operating load for the first compressor system and a second target operating load for the second compressor system, wherein the first target operating load is less than a first maximum operating load for the first compressor system, and wherein the second target operating load is less than a second maximum operating load for the second compressor system; outputting, by the system controller, a first control signal to the first motor controller instructing the first motor controller to operate the first compressor system at the first target operating load; and outputting, by the system controller, a second control signal to the second motor controller to operate the second compressor system at the second target operating load” in view of the teachings of Moon to cope with different air conditioning loads.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “the thermal load is for a vehicle”.
However, Scarcella teaches a thermal load (container 20 Fig. 1 corresponds to the thermal load of Martin) for a vehicle (paragraph [0040]) to provide cooling to a specific section of a vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the method of the combined teachings to include “the thermal load is for a vehicle” in view of the teachings of Scarcella to provide cooling to a specific section of a vehicle.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings teach wherein the flash heat exchanger is fluidically coupled to the first and second compressor systems (Fig. 1 of Wallis).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, the combined teachings teach wherein the first compressor system further comprises a first interstage line (line connecting top left fractional compressor 220 to bottom left fractional compressor 220 Fig. 3 of Martin) between the first compressor and the second compressor (Fig. 3 of Martin), wherein the second compressor system further comprises a second interstage line between (line connecting top right fractional compressor 220 to bottom right fractional compressor 220 Fig. 3 of Martin) the third compressor and the fourth compressor (Fig. 3 of Martin), and wherein the flash heat exchanger is fluidically coupled to both the first interstage line and the second interstage line (Fig. 1 of Wallis where first header 44 and fourth header 84 correspond respectively to the first and the second interstage lines of Martin).
Regarding claims 4 and 16, the combined teachings teach wherein a flash heat exchanger (flash tank economizer subsystem 100 Fig. 3 of Scarcella corresponds to the flash heat exchanger of Wallis) is in series with, and fluidically coupled to, a filter drier (Fig. 3 where filter/dryer 150 corresponds to the filter drier of Matsukura).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, the combined teachings teach wherein the second compressor system has a different load capacity (disclosed “different capacities in paragraph [0065] of Wallis) than the first compressor system.
Regarding claim 6, the combined teachings teach wherein the one thermal load comprises one cabin air for the vehicle (corresponds to the air cooled inside interior 24 Fig. 1 of Scarcella).
Regarding claim 7, the combined teachings teach wherein the flash heat exchanger is a flash sub-cooler (paragraph [0078] of Wallis where it is disclosed that the liquid working fluid is separated from the vapor working fluid inside flash tank 20 which a person skilled in the art would recognize as the functional description of a flash sub-cooler).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach wherein to determine the first and second target operating loads, the processing circuitry is further configured to: select the first and second target operating loads to cause each of the first and second compressor systems to operate at a maximum efficiency (paragraph [0044] and Fig. 5 of Moon where all compressors are running at 50% of their full capacity).
Regarding claim 13, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “wherein the second target operating load is a fraction of the first target operating load, and the second target operating load is lower than the first target operating load”.
However, Moon does disclose a first target operating load that is a fraction of the second target operating load where the first target operating load is lower than the second target operating load (paragraph [0034]).
Therefore, the first or second target operating load is recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e. a variable which achieves a recognized result. In this case, the recognized result is “wherein the second target operating load is a fraction of the first target operating load, and the second target operating load is lower than the first target operating load”.
Therefore, since the general conditions of the claims, i.e. a first and second target operating loads where one of the target operating loads is a lower fraction of the other, were disclosed in the prior art by Moon, it is not inventive to discover the optimum workable range by routine experimentation, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide “wherein the second target operating load is a fraction of the first target operating load, and the second target operating load is lower than the first target operating load”.
Regarding claim 22, the combined teachings teach wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output, by the system controller, a third control signal (corresponds to when controller 70 provide instructions to stop the operations of second compressors 40 as described in paragraph [0042] of Moon) to the second motor controller instructing the second motor controller to maintain the second compressor system in an idle mode (corresponds to when second compressors 40 are instructed to stop operations as described in paragraph [0042] of Moon) as the first motor controller operates the first compressor system at the first target operating load (step 160 Fig. 6 and paragraph [0042] of Moon).
Regarding claim 23, the combined teachings teach wherein the first compressor system is configured to operate at maximum efficiency when a first operating load of the first compressor (the load at which compressors 40 are operating in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon) is at a first threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (compressors 40 are operating at 50% of their maximum capacity in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon), wherein the second compressor system is configured to operate at maximum efficiency when a second operating load of the second compressor (the load at which compressors 30 are operating in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon) is at a second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon, compressors 30 are operating at 50% of their maximum capacity which is equal to ¼ of the maximum capacity of compressors 40), and wherein to determine the first target operating load for the first compressor system and the second target operating load for the second compressor system (paragraph [0044] of Moon), the processing circuitry is configured to: determine, based on the combination of target operating loads, the first target operating load, with the first target operating load being the first threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (paragraph [0044] of Moon where compressors 40 are set to operate at 50% of their maximum capacity), and determine, based on the combination of target operating loads, the second target operating load, with the second target operating load being the second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (paragraph [0044] of Moon where compressors 30 are set to operate at 50% of their maximum capacity which is equal to ¼ of the maximum capacity of compressors 40).
Regarding claim 24, the combined teachings teach wherein the first compressor system is configured to operate at maximum efficiency when a first operating load of the first compressor (the load at which compressors 40 are operating in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon) is at a first threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (compressors 40 are operating at 50% of their maximum capacity in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon), wherein the second compressor system is configured to operate at maximum efficiency when a second operating load of the second compressor (the load at which compressors 30 are operating in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon) is at a second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (in the cooling operation described in paragraph [0044] of Moon, compressors 30 are operating at 50% of their maximum capacity which is equal to ¼ of the maximum capacity of compressors 40), and wherein determining the first target operating load for the first compressor system and the second target operating load for the second compressor system (paragraph [0044] of Moon) comprises: determining, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, the first target operating load, with the first target operating load being the first threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (paragraph [0044] of Moon where compressors 40 are set to operate at 50% of their maximum capacity), and determining, by the system controller and based on the combination of target operating loads, the second target operating load, with the second target operating load being the second threshold percentage of the first maximum operating load (paragraph [0044] of Moon where compressors 30 are set to operate at 50% of their maximum capacity which is equal to ¼ of the maximum capacity of compressors 40).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 01/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments on pages 9-10 that Moon does not disclose or suggest “determine[ing] a combination of target operating loads for the first compressor system and the second compressor system to cause the VCCS to operate at a maximum efficiency for the determined amount of cooling” as recited in amended independent claims 1 and 14, Examiner disagrees.
For clarity purposes, the above rejections of amended claims 1 and 14 and repeated down below:
Moon teaches determine[ing] a combination of target operating loads (the combination of the disclosed “first minimum capacity” and “second minimum capacity” in paragraph [0044]) for a first compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 40 in paragraph [0039]) and a second compressor system (the disclosed plurality of compressors 30 in paragraph [0039]) to cause a VCCS (the system illustrated in Fig. 7) to operate at a maximum efficiency (referring to Fig. 5 and paragraph [0044], the system of Moon is operating at 50% of the maximum capacity) for a determined amount of cooling (corresponds to the amount of cooling generated in the cooling process described in paragraph [0044]).
Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive and the rejections are maintained.
Conclusion
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/SAMBA NMN GAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763