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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kouroussis(US 2015/0115711), Pfeifer(US 2012/0054527) and Brett(GB 2522678).
Regarding claim 1, Kouroussis discloses a system for facilitating rack wise power measurement of a data centre of an entity, said system comprises: a sensor monitoring device, said sensor monitoring device comprising a plurality of sensors(Paragraph 36, The one or more controllers 332 are configured and disposed to communicate with a monitor and control module 320. The monitor and control module 320 includes sensors 322 along with a relays and status control unit 324), wherein said plurality of sensors is configured to sense a current flowing through each rack of the data centre and wherein the plurality of sensors outputs a voltage corresponding to the current(Paragraph 34, The one or more batteries, the one or more power supplies, the plurality of connectors, the plurality of power sensors, the plurality of load sensors, and the controllers can comprise a consolidated rack mount power system. An example system is shown in the first configuration 200 which includes rack 210, in turn composed of consolidated rack mount power systems 212, 214, 216, and 218. The one or more batteries, the one or more power supplies, the plurality of connectors, the plurality of power sensors, the plurality of load sensors, and the controllers can comprise a consolidated side mount power system); a processor, operatively coupled to the sensor monitoring device through a network(Paragraph 36, The system 300 comprises on or more controllers 332. The one or more controllers 332 are configured and disposed to communicate with a monitor and control module 320), said processor coupled with a memory, wherein said memory stores instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to: receive a first set of signals from the plurality of sensors, the first set of signals pertaining to a DC current and DC voltage corresponding to each of the plurality of racks(Paragraphs 21, 42-43, The DC load sensors 132 are configured to provide instantaneous current requirements of the one or more DC loads 130. The AC load sensors 138 are configured to provide instantaneous current requirements of the one or more AC loads 134. Flow 500 continues with the use of a plurality of load sensors 550. The load sensors can be used to monitor various parameters of the one or more power loads. The power load parameters can include DC power load, instantaneous DC power load, AC power load, instantaneous AC power load, and so on. The controllers can be configured to detect changes in power load requirements including dynamic changes in power load requirements based on data from the one or more power sensors 540); receive a second set of signals from the plurality of sensors, the second set of signals pertaining to an AC current and AC voltage corresponding to each of the plurality of racks(Paragraphs 21, 42-43, The DC load sensors 132 are configured to provide instantaneous current requirements of the one or more DC loads 130. The AC load sensors 138 are configured to provide instantaneous current requirements of the one or more AC loads 134. Flow 500 continues with the use of a plurality of load sensors 550. The load sensors can be used to monitor various parameters of the one or more power loads. The power load parameters can include DC power load, instantaneous DC power load, AC power load, instantaneous AC power load, and so on. The controllers can be configured to detect changes in power load requirements including dynamic changes in power load requirements based on data from the one or more power sensors 540); sample the first set of signals to extract a first set of attributes, the first set of attributes pertaining to one or more sampled values of the DC current and DC voltage(Paragraphs 42-43, Flow 500 continues with the use of a plurality of load sensors 550. The load sensors can be used to monitor various parameters of the one or more power loads. The power load parameters can include DC power load, instantaneous DC power load, AC power load, instantaneous AC power load, and so on. The controllers can be configured to detect changes in power load requirements including dynamic changes in power load requirements based on data from the one or more power sensors 540); sample the second set of signals to extract a second set of attributes, the second set of attributes pertaining to one or more sampled values of the AC current and AC voltage(Paragraphs 42-43, Flow 500 continues with the use of a plurality of load sensors 550. The load sensors can be used to monitor various parameters of the one or more power loads. The power load parameters can include DC power load, instantaneous DC power load, AC power load, instantaneous AC power load, and so on. The controllers can be configured to detect changes in power load requirements including dynamic changes in power load requirements based on data from the one or more power sensors 540); and, based on the extracted first and second set of attributes, calculate a power value for each first and second set of attributes extracted within a specified interval of time(Paragraphs 37, The controllers 332 can perform a detection, using the plurality of power sensors 322, to determine that current or voltage readings from a plurality of power supplies 314 differ in excess of a certain threshold number from a specified current or voltage value. Power supply trends over a recent time period can be used to analyze trends in power usage for the data center).
Kouroussis does not specifically disclose said plurality of sensors operatively coupled to a plurality of racks of the data centre by mounting proximally to corresponding power conductors associated with the plurality of racks and the sensors communicating wirelessly. However, Pfeifer discloses the system includes two sets of devices: (a) RPDUs 320, and (b) Wireless bridge devices (WBD) 310. An RPDU 320 (also denoted a power distribution unit (PDU) herein) includes a series of electrical outlets or jacks for distributing electrical power for a plurality of electrical or electronic devices 314 in a rack 312 of electrical equipment. The RPDU 320 is connected to an electrical power source via electrical cable 322. The RPDU 320 also includes power measurement circuitry for sampling and measuring the electrical power consumed by electrical devices 314 connected to each of the electrical outlets. The RPDU 320 includes circuitry for converting the sampled electrical power consumption measurements into power consumption data, which can be transferred to a wireless bridge device (WBD) 310 via a data line 324(Paragraph 50) and a wireless node 200 may further include one or more sensor devices 212, 214, and 216. These sensor devices can include power consumption or power usage sensors, voltage measurement devices, electrical current measurement devices, wattage measurement devices, inductance measurement devices, electromagnetic field (EMF) measurement devices, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, air pressure sensors, air flow sensors, moisture detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire/smoke detectors, motion detectors, seismic detectors, electrical current sensors, power sensors, air quality sensors, air particle count sensors, magnetic anomaly sensors, and/or other types of sensors for detecting and measuring a desired system or environmental condition(Paragraph 46). The node 200 may further include a non-volatile memory 218, a control signal generation device 222, and a network interface device 208 (e.g., a radio transceiver or wireless device capable of connection with a network)(Paragraph 47). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Kouroussis and Pfeifer to have plurality of sensors operatively coupled to a plurality of racks of the data centre by mounting proximally to corresponding power conductors associated with the plurality of racks and the sensors communicating wirelessly. The motivation to do so would be to reduce wires.
Kouroussis and Pfeifer do not specifically disclose non-invasive sensors that are not electrically integrated into the power conductors. However, Brett discloses sensors that are non-invasive; the circuit being measured does not have to be rewired. All that is needed is the ability to clip the sensor around one of the conductors in the supply(Page 3, Lines 10-12). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Kouroussis, Pfeifer and Brett to have non-invasive sensors that are not electrically integrated into the power conductors. The motivation to do so would be for a low cost method to remotely measure and monitor the magnitude of power flow in an electrical system without the need to cut into the connection at each point where power is being sensed(Brett: Page 2, 11-14).
Regarding claim 2, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor further determines a cumulative energy from the power value for each first and second set of attributes extracted over the specified interval of time( Paragraphs 37, The controllers 332 can perform a detection, using the plurality of power sensors 322, to determine that current or voltage readings from a plurality of power supplies 314 differ in excess of a certain threshold number from a specified current or voltage value. Power supply trends over a recent time period can be used to analyze trends in power usage for the data center).
Regarding claim 3, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor further determines a total power consumed by the plurality of racks in the data centre(Paragraph 23, he calculation of necessary power supplies and DC-to-AC converters can be performed by querying the DC load sensors 132 and the AC load sensors 138 to determine the DC and AC power requirements).
Regarding claim 4, Pfeifer discloses the system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless sensor monitoring device further comprises a microcontroller unit (MCU) (414) and an antenna (404) operatively coupled to a transceiver (410) and one more modules coupled to a DC circuitry(Paragraph 25, The power monitoring gateway 108 and the PDUs 104 are identical to the devices of the same number shown in FIG. 1 except for the addition of PDU wireless ports 122 in the PDUs 104 and gateway wireless port 124 in the power monitoring gateway 108. These wireless ports 122 and 124, may be incorporated into the PDUs 104 and power monitoring gateway 108 in addition to, or instead of, the wire pair 106 shown in FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is any or a combination of one or more DC Smart Power Sensors and one or more AC Smart Power Sensors(Paragraph 23, he calculation of necessary power supplies and DC-to-AC converters can be performed by querying the DC load sensors 132 and the AC load sensors 138 to determine the DC and AC power requirements).
Regarding claim 6, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a centralised server (112) operatively coupled to the processor (202) stores a plurality of DC current and voltages, a plurality of AC currents and voltages, a plurality of sampled AC and DC current and voltage values, a plurality of power values corresponding to the sampled AC and DC current and voltage values(Paragraphs 37, 42-43, Flow 500 continues with the use of a plurality of load sensors 550. The load sensors can be used to monitor various parameters of the one or more power loads. The power load parameters can include DC power load, instantaneous DC power load, AC power load, instantaneous AC power load, and so on. The controllers can be configured to detect changes in power load requirements including dynamic changes in power load requirements based on data from the one or more power sensors 540. Power supply trends over a recent time period can be used to analyze trends in power usage for the data center).
Regarding claim 7, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is of a predefined size placed at predetermined locations in each said rack(Paragraph 36, the monitor and control module 320 includes sensors 322).
Regarding claim 8, Kouroussis discloses the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user device is communicably coupled to the centralized server through the network, wherein the user device enables a user to store, access and monitor the centralized server remotely through the network(Paragraph 37, The controllers 332 can be configured and disposed to send status messages to a host or routers 342 via a wired or wireless network. In embodiments, the network includes Internet access. In embodiments, the diagnostic and/or status messages include sending e-mails and/or text messages to data center personnel and status reporting via SNMP or other suitable protocol. The host can render a graphical representation of the operating conditions of the power supplies).
Claims 9-20 recite similar limitations as claims 1-8 and taught by Kouroussis, Pfeifer and Brett, as explained above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but are moot due to new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
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/NIMESH G PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2187