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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/7/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 4/7/2026 does not place the application in condition for allowance.
The previous art rejections are revised to incorporate new claim limitations.
New analysis follows.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Lines 14-15 recite “each of the plurality of control circuit adjusts”;
Lines 16-17 recite “to make the output voltage of each of the plurality of conversion circuits individually becoming local maximum”.
Claims 10 objected to because of the following informalities:
Lines 16-17 recite “each of the plurality of control circuit adjusts”;
Lines 18-19 recite “to make the output voltage of each of the plurality of conversion circuits individually becoming local maximum”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-7, 9, 10, 21 and 24-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2015/0137606 to Adest (of record).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 5-7, and 9, Adest teaches a solar energy optimization device (Figs. 8C, 9) comprising
A plurality of conversion circuits (305a, etc. or 905a, etc. of the Figs., ¶0043, 0044, 0082, 0088, 0093), wherein each of the conversion circuits is individually connected in series with a solar module (101a, etc., ¶0050, 0087), the conversion circuits and the solar modules are connected in series to a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit (¶0089, 0094, 0095), the MPPT circuit is configured to determine (the scope of the term “determine” is at least inclusive of synonyms like “measure”, “set”, or “fix”; the instant reasoning leans towards “set” or “fix”, but a skilled artisan would not disqualify other interpretations) a photovoltaic current according to the solar modules (the MPPT circuit “locks on” to a particular current, as described in Fig. 8D, ¶0089, 0090), and each of the conversion circuits is used for converting a photovoltaic voltage of one of the solar modules into an output voltage (¶0092, especially: “Control circuit 311 may be configured to set (step 803) the input power received at the input terminals 614/616 to a maximum power for a predetermined output voltage point or voltage range or at a predetermined output current point or current range.”, “maximum power point tracking circuit 107, if present, may stably track (step 805) the voltage and/or current point or range. When a maximum is reached (decision block 807), MPPT tracking circuit 107 locks (step 809) onto the power point (e.g., the "predetermined point" in FIG. 8D)”)
A plurality of control circuits (311 of Fig. 8C, 900 of Fig. 9), wherein each of the plurality of control circuits is electrically coupled to a corresponding conversion circuit of the plurality of conversion circuits (as shown in Fig. 6, ¶0063-0068, for instance, or Fig. 7, ¶0069-0084), and each of the plurality of control circuits adjusts a conversion parameter (¶0044, 0065, 0070, 0072, describes pulse width modulation; ¶0049 describes duty cycle; ) of the corresponding conversion circuit to make the output voltage of each of the plurality of conversion circuits individually become a local maximum based on the photovoltaic current (¶0088: “The MPPT loop in converter 305 locks the input voltage and current from each solar panel 101a-101d to its optimal power point (i.e., to converge on the maximum power point).”; ¶0092: “Control circuit 311 may be configured to set (step 803) the input power received at the input terminals 614/616 to a maximum power for a predetermined output voltage point or voltage range or at a predetermined output current point or current range.”), and each of the plurality of conversion circuits provides a maximum power.
Per claim 3, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. The output voltages of the solar modules which are optimized are not exactly identical (¶0098).
Per claim 5, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. One of the solar modules 101 includes only one solar board (¶0041).
Per claim 6, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. Each of the conversion parameter is a duty cycle or frequency (Ibid.).
Per claim 7, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. Each of the control circuits is connected to one of the output terminals of the conversion circuits, so that the output voltages are fed back to the control circuits respectively (Figs. 6, 9, ¶0044, 0049, 0088, 0093).
Per claim 9, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. Each of the conversion circuits (explicitly shown in Fig. 6) includes a first switch element (628) and a second switch element (648), and each of the control circuits (606) is connected to one of the first switch elements and one of the second switch elements, so that the conversion circuits are controlled by the control circuits respective (¶0066-0068).
Regarding claims 10, 21, and 24-27, Adest teaches a solar energy generation system (Figs. 8C, 9) comprising
A plurality of solar modules (101a, etc., ¶0050, 0087)
A plurality of conversion circuits (305a, etc. or 905a, etc. of the Figs., ¶0043, 0044, 0082, 0088, 0093), wherein the conversion circuits and the solar modules are alternately connected in series
A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit (¶0089, 0094, 0095), wherein the conversion circuits and the solar modules are connected in series to the MPPT circuit, the MPPT circuit is configured to determine (the scope of the term “determine” is at least inclusive of synonyms like “measure”, “set”, or “fix”; the instant reasoning leans towards “set” or “fix”, but a skilled artisan would not disqualify other interpretations) a photovoltaic current according to the solar modules (the MPPT circuit “locks on” to a particular current, as described in Fig. 8D, ¶0089, 0090), and each of the conversion circuits is used to convert a photovoltaic voltage of one of the solar modules into an output voltage (¶0092, especially: “Control circuit 311 may be configured to set (step 803) the input power received at the input terminals 614/616 to a maximum power for a predetermined output voltage point or voltage range or at a predetermined output current point or current range.”, “maximum power point tracking circuit 107, if present, may stably track (step 805) the voltage and/or current point or range. When a maximum is reached (decision block 807), MPPT tracking circuit 107 locks (step 809) onto the power point (e.g., the "predetermined point" in FIG. 8D)”)
A plurality of control circuits (311 of Fig. 8C, 900 of Fig. 9), wherein each of the plurality of control circuits is electrically coupled to a corresponding conversion circuit of the plurality of conversion circuits (as shown in Fig. 6, ¶0063-0068, for instance, or Fig. 7, ¶0069-0084), and each of the plurality of control circuits adjusts a conversion parameter (¶0044, 0065, 0070, 0072, describes pulse width modulation; ¶0049 describes duty cycle) of the corresponding conversion circuit to make the output voltage of each of the plurality of conversion circuits individually become a local maximum based on the photovoltaic current (¶0088: “The MPPT loop in converter 305 locks the input voltage and current from each solar panel 101a-101d to its optimal power point (i.e., to converge on the maximum power point).”; ¶0092: “Control circuit 311 may be configured to set (step 803) the input power received at the input terminals 614/616 to a maximum power for a predetermined output voltage point or voltage range or at a predetermined output current point or current range.”), and each of the plurality of conversion circuits provides a maximum power.
Per claim 21, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. The output voltages of the solar modules which are optimized are not exactly identical (¶0098).
Per claim 24, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. One of the solar modules 101 includes only one solar board (¶0041).
Per claim 25, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. Each of the conversion parameter is a duty cycle or frequency (Ibid.).
Per claim 26, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. Each of the control circuits is connected to one of the output terminals of the conversion circuits, so that the output voltages are fed back to the control circuits respectively (Figs. 6, 9, ¶0044, 0049, 0088, 0093).
Per claim 27, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. Each of the conversion circuits (explicitly shown in Fig. 6) includes a first switch element (628) and a second switch element (648), and each of the control circuits (606) is connected to one of the first switch elements and one of the second switch elements, so that the conversion circuits are controlled by the control circuits respective (¶0066-0068).
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adest as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 2, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 1. Adest teaches that each of the control circuits is configured to adjust on the conversion parameters in a first or second direction (“perturb” or “perturb and observe” in the cited text) in order to achieve optimized power (¶0065, 0097, 0098). While the reference does not explicitly recite that each of the control circuits is configured to function in the claimed way, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art that Adest’s control circuits could be configured as such in order to optimize output power.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adest as applied to claim 10 above.
Regarding claim 20, Adest teaches the limitations of claim 10. Adest teaches that each of the control circuits is configured to adjust on the conversion parameters in a first or second direction (“perturb” or “perturb and observe” in the cited text) in order to achieve optimized power (¶0065, 0097, 0098). While the reference does not explicitly recite that each of the control circuits is configured to function in the claimed way, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art that Adest’s control circuits could be configured as such in order to optimize output power.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 9, 10, 20, 21, and 24-27 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The rejections above rely upon a reference previously made of record. However, the reasoning relies upon a different series of embodiments which illustrates the function of the MPPT circuit in determining (interpreted as synonymous with setting or fixing) a current which flows through all of the solar modules connected to the device or in the system.
The examiner encourages Applicant to schedule an interview prior to submission of an official response to discuss the distinct limitations of their invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ryan S Cannon whose telephone number is (571)270-7186. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30am-5:30pm PST.
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, Jeffrey Barton can be reached at (571) 272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Ryan S. Cannon
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/RYAN S CANNON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
Prosecution Insights