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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/21/2025 has been entered.
Drawings
Applicant’s amended specification filed 02/21/2025 overcome drawing objection issued in Office Action mailed 10/02/2024. The drawings filed 05/17/2023 are accepted.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: recitation “a step of using the transient engine speed set point to determinethe torque set point …” is believed to be in error for - - a step of using the transient engine speed set point to [[determinethe]]determine the torque set point - -
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 11, 14-15, and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomassin 20160061053 in view of DJELASSI 20130008171 and Gansler 20190002113, as evidenced by Brown 20210172384.
Regarding claim 11, Thomassin teaches the invention as claimed: A method (performed by EEC 48, see Figs. 1-2 and [0040]) for controlling a turbomachine (10) mounted to an aircraft (abstract) to provide a desired thrust for the aircraft (achieved by a power split between a power output provided by the fuel and a power output provided by the electronic motor 32 during deceleration or acceleration, see [0038-0041 and 0043] and Fig. 3),
the turbomachine (10, Figs. 1-2) comprising a fan (12) for directing air
flow that is separated into a primary flow (a core air enters compressor 14, see Figs. 1-2) and a secondary flow (a bypass air flows through bypass duct, see Fig. 1) positioned upstream of a gas generator (comprising compressor 14, combustor 16, and turbine 18), said gas generator being flowed by the primary flow (see Figs. 1-2) and comprising a high pressure compressor (compressor 14, which is a high pressure compressor comparing to fan 12),a combustion chamber (16), a high pressure turbine (18A) and a low pressure turbine (18B), said low pressure turbine (18B) being connected to said fan (12) by a low pressure rotating shaft (24) and said high pressure turbine (18A) being connected to said high pressure compressor (14) by a high pressure rotating shaft (20), and an electric
motor (32) forming a torque injection device on the high pressure rotating shaft (20, see Fig. 2 and [0030]),
the method (performed by EEC 48, see Fig. 3 and [0043]) for controlling the turbomachine (10) to provide the desired thrust for the aircraft (achieved by a power split between a power output provided by the fuel and a power output provided by the electronic motor 32 during deceleration or acceleration, see [0038-0041 and 0043] and Fig. 3) comprising:
a step of determining a fuel flow set point in the combustion chamber of the turbomachine (per [0038 and 0040], a fuel flow provided to the combustor is monitored to detect an engine transition intention, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, and per [0043] during the engine transition, various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., a fuel flow set point is determined by EEC 48 in order to decelerate or accelerate turbomachine 10) and a torque set point supplied to the electric motor (per [0039 and 0041], during the engine transition, the electricity is provided to motor 32 is partially or fully supply power for such engine transition, and per [0043] during the engine transition, various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., a torque set point is also determined by EEC 48 in order to decelerate or accelerate turbomachine 10);
wherein the fuel flow set point is determined by a fuel regulation loop (a series of algorithms used by the EEC 48 for determined the fuel flow set point during the engine transition, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, see [0043]) comprising:
a step of detecting an engine speed transition intention according to a change of the fuel flow (EEC 48 detects the transient condition that involves deceleration or acceleration of turbomachine 10 according to a change of the fuel flow, and said transient condition is the claimed engine speed transition intention, see bottom of [0038 and 0040]),
a step of determining a transient engine speed set point (per [0043], various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor during deceleration or acceleration according to various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, i.e., EEC 48 is required to determine a transient engine speed set according to said various requirements),
wherein the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop (a series of algorithms used by the EEC 48 for determined the torque set point during the engine transition, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, see [0043]),
a step of using the transient engine speed set point (the transient engine speed set point during deceleration or acceleration determined according to the various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, per [0043]) to determine the fuel flow set point and the torque set point (said transient engine speed set point is used by EEC 48 to control the power split, i.e., the fuel flow set point and the torque set point is determined by EEC 48 according to said transient engine speed set point during deceleration or acceleration), and
a step of using the fuel flow set point and the torque set point to control thrust of the turbomachine (per [0043], during the engine transition, EEC 48 controls the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., the fuel flow set point and the torque set point determined by EEC 48 are used by the EEC 48 to control the thrust of the turbomachine 10, i.e., decelerate or accelerate engine speed).
Thomassin does not teach wherein said fuel flow set point is determined by said fuel regulation loop comprising: a step of detecting said engine speed transition intention as a function of a difference between a current engine speed and a determined engine speed set point, a step of determining a fuel correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point, and a step of determining said fuel flow set point as a function of the fuel correction variable;
wherein said torque set point is determined by said torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a torque correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point.
However, DJELASSI teaches a method (performed by an electronic controller 20 using various algorithms in Fig. 2) for controlling a turbomachine (1) mounted to an aircraft (as shown in Fig. 1) to provide a desired thrust for the aircraft (by controlling a fuel flow provided to the combustor 52 during deceleration or acceleration, see abstract and [0015]) comprising:
a step of determining (at integrator module 8) a fuel flow set point (WF32C, see Fig. 2 and [0051]) in a combustion chamber (52) of the turbomachine (1),
wherein the fuel flow set point (WF32C in Fig. 2 and [0051]) is determined by a fuel regulation loop (the fuel control loop as shown in Fig. 2) comprising:
a step of detecting an engine speed transition intention (at module 9, an intention of declaration or acceleration is detected, see [0062-0064]) as a function of a difference between a current engine speed (N1) and a determined engine speed set point (N1C, see Fig. 2 and [0062]),
a step of determining (at module 10) a transient engine speed set point (the speed trajectory, N2T, which can be a deceleration trajectory or an acceleration trajectory, see Fig. 2 and [0067-0068]), wherein the transition engine speed set point (a speed trajectory generated in module 10) is a time-varying engine speed setpoint that integrates a predetermined rate-of-change setpoint for engine speed in order to enable acceleration or deceleration to take place over a length of time that is in compliance with specifications for the engine ([0068-0069]),
a step of determining (at module 12) a fuel correction variable (dWF32B, which can be a deceleration variable or an acceleration variable) as a function of the transient engine speed set point (N2T, see Fig. 2 and [0071-0072]), and
a step of determining (via summer module 14, selector module 7, and integrator module 8) the fuel flow set point (WF32C, which can be a deceleration set point or an acceleration set point) as a function of the fuel correction variable (dWF32B is an input provided to the summer module 14, see Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin with
i) DJELASSI’s step of detecting the engine speed transition intention as a function of a difference between a current engine speed and a determined engine speed set point in order to detect an engine speed transient intention with a simple and effective manner before varying the engine speed (DJELASSI, [0018]); and
ii) DJELASSI’s step of determining a correction variable, i.e., a deceleration correction variable or an acceleration correction variable, as a function of the transient engine speed set point and DJELASSI’s step of determining a set point, i.e., a deceleration set point or an acceleration set point, as a function of the correction variable, such that
the fuel flow set point is determined by the fuel regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a fuel correction variable as a function of the transient engine speed set point, and a step of determining the fuel flow set point as a function of the fuel correction variable;
wherein the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a torque correction variable, i.e., a deceleration correction variable or an acceleration correction variable, as a function of the transient engine speed set point
in order to improve the reproducibility of acceleration and deceleration times and system stability (DJELASSI, [0015 and 0026]). It is noted that such motivation is applied to both of the fuel flow regulation loop and the torque regulation loop because the desired thrust during engine speed transient, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, is provided by a power split between the fuel and the torque as taught by Thomassin.
Additionally, as evidenced by Brown 20210172384, in a hybrid turbomachine configured to be powered by a fuel and a motor (see Fig. 3), a transient engine speed set point (generated by thrust demand scheduler 170) is used to determine both of a fuel flow correction variable and a torque correction variable (see Fig. 3 and [0063-0064]).
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI does not teach said turbomachine comprising a low pressure compressor, and said low pressure turbine being connected to said low pressure compressor and said fan by said low pressure rotating shaft, and said method comprising:
a step of determining a temperature correction variable as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter;
wherein said torque set point is determined by said torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining said torque correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point and the temperature correction variable.
However, Gansler teaches a method (method 300 in Figs. 5-6 that is performed by the controller 72 or 500, in Figs. 2 and 6) for controlling a turbomachine (102A, see Fig. 4 that shares same configurations of Fig. 2) to provide a desired thrust duration engine acceleration (step 302 in Fig. 5 and [0075]), the turbomachine (102A, see Fig. 4) comprising:
a fan (104A) for directing air flow that is separated into a primary flow (an air flow enters engine core 102 at core inlet 108, see Figs. 2 and 4) and a secondary flow (an air flow passing through bypass duct 144, see Figs. 2 and 4) positioned upstream of a gas generator (engine core 102, see Figs. 2 and 4),
said gas generator (102, see Figs. 2 and 4) being flowed by the primary flow (see Figs. 2 and 4) and comprising a low pressure compressor (110), a high pressure compressor (112), a combustion chamber (114), a high pressure turbine (116) and a low pressure turbine (118),
said low pressure turbine (118) being connected to said low pressure compressor (110) and said fan (104A) by a low pressure rotating shaft (124) and said high pressure turbine (116) being connected to said high pressure compressor (112) by a high pressure rotating shaft (122), and
an electric motor (56A) forming a torque injection device on the high pressure rotating shaft (122; see Fig. 4 and [0070]), the method (method 300 in Figs. 5-6 that is performed by the controller 72 or 500, in Figs. 2 and 6) for controlling the turbomachine to provide the desired thrust during engine acceleration comprising:
a step of providing a fuel flow in the combustion chamber (per Fig. 5 and [0076 and 0088], after receiving a command to accelerate the turbomachine at step 302, a fuel flow is provided to the combustion chamber 114 to accelerate the turbomachine in order to provide a desired thrust; and per Fig. 6 and [0088], motor 56A only provide torque when it is necessary, i.e., the controller 72 or 500 only provides fuel flow to the combustor at the beginning of the acceleration) and determining a torque set point supplied to the electric motor (per [0076 and 0088] and Fig. 5, when the exhaust temperature exceeding an upper threshold, the desired thrust output for acceleration is provided by a power split between the fuel and the torque from motor 56A without exceeding the exhaust temperature upper threshold, i.e., the controller 72 or 500 is required to determine an electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over a time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 302-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]);
a step of determining a temperature correction variable (an amount of electrical power provide to motor 56A determined according to a delta value of the exhaust temperature parameter over the time period of the acceleration in order to only control the exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 314, 322 and 324, in Fig. 5 and [0082]) as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (a measured exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 306 and 314 in Fig. 5 and [0078 and 0082]) and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (the upper exhaust temperature parameter threshold, see step 314 in Fig. 5 and [0078]);
wherein the torque set point (the electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over the time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 302-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]) is determined by a torque regulation loop (from step 306 to step 326 in Fig. 5 and from step 302 to step 342 in Fig. 6) comprising:
a step of determining a torque correction variable (an amount of electrical power of the electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over the time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 316-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]) as a function of the temperature correction variable (the amount of electrical power provide to motor 56A determined according to the delta value of the exhaust temperature parameter over the time period of the acceleration in order to only control the exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 314, 322 and 324, in Fig. 5 and [0082]) and also based on the desired thrust for acceleration (see step 302 in Fig. 5 and [0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI with
i) Gansler’s low pressure compressor, such that
the turbomachine comprising a low pressure compressor, and the low pressure turbine being connected to the low pressure compressor and the fan by the low pressure rotating shaft
because it is noted that the use of a known prior art structure, in this case the use of a low pressure compressor driven by a low pressure turbine as taught by Gansler, to obtain predictable results, in this case to compress a primary air provided by a fan, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, MPEP 2141 III(A);
ii) Gansler’s method for controlling the turbomachine to provide the desired thrust during acceleration, such that
the method comprising: a step of determining a temperature correction variable as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter, and
the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining the torque correction variable as a function the transient engine speed set point, i.e., the acceleration engine speed set point, and the temperature correction variable (the modification is to add Gansler’s temperature correction variable as an additional requirement along with DJELASSI’s transient engine speed set point when determining the torque correction variable as taught by Thomassin in view of DJELASS during acceleration, which read on the claimed limitation)
in order to maintain the engine operation temperature below the maximum internal temperature thresholds without significantly reducing the maximum amount of thrust and to prevent undesirable and premature wear (Gansler, [0004-0005]).
Regarding claim 14, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler as discussed so far does not teach - a step of activating a temperature protection control by comparing the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter with the maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter reduced by a predetermined adjustment threshold, and - a step of activating the temperature correction variable when the temperature protection control is activated.
However, Gansler further teaches - a step of activating a temperature protection control (said electrical power is provided to the motor in step 316 in response of a thermal limit of the turbomachine is reached to prevent premature wear, [0078], which means a step of activating a temperature protection is performed after detecting the thermal limit is reached) by comparing the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (the measured exhaust temperature parameter in step 314) with the maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (the upper exhaust temperature parameter threshold in step 314 and per [0078]) reduced by a predetermined adjustment threshold (per [0079], a data indicates the measured exhaust temperature parameter is approaching or exceeding said upper exhaust temperature parameter threshold, which means a predetermined adjustment threshold is reduced from said upper exhaust temperature parameter threshold, i.e., when said predetermined adjustment threshold is a positive value, the data indicates approaching, when said predetermined adjustment threshold is a negative value, the data indicates exceeding), and
- a step of activating the temperature correction variable when the temperature protection control is activated (said temperature protection control is only activated after detecting the thermal limit is reached per [0078 and 0088] in order to provide said electrical power to the motor in step 316, wherein said electrical power is determined based at least in part on the temperature correction variable of the electrical power in step 324 per [0082], which means said temperature correction variable is only activated when said temperature protection control is activated).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler with Gansler’s step of activating a temperature protection control and Gansler’s step activating the temperature correction variable for the same reason for applying Gansler to claim 11 as discussed above.
Regarding claim 15, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler as discussed so far does not teach during the step of implementing the torque regulation loop, a further step of resetting to zero the torque set point, the step of resetting to zero the torque set point being inhibited in case of activation of a temperature protection control.
However, Gansler further teaches during the step of implementing the torque regulation loop (starts at step 306, see Figs. 5-6), a further step of resetting to zero the torque set point (by terminating the provision of said electrical power to the motor in step 330, see Fig. 6), the step of resetting to zero the torque set point being inhibited in case of activation of a temperature protection control (said terminating is determined according to the date indicative of turbomachine temperature in step 342, and per [0088] said electrical power is only provided to the motor when it is necessary; which means when a temperature protection control is activated after detecting thermal limit of turbomachine is reached per [0078], it is necessary to provide said electrical power to the motor to prevent premature wear per [0078], i.e., terminating the provision of said electrical power to the motor is inhibited).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler with Gansler’s further step of resetting for the same reason for applying Gansler to claim 11 as discussed above.
Regarding claim 17, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler as discussed so far does not teach step of simple integration of the torque correction variable in order to determine the torque set point.
Gansler further teaches a step of simple integration of the torque correction variable (the amount of electrical power related to the electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over the time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 316-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088], and thirdly provide health management of motor, which stops providing electrical power to motor when motor is overheated, see steps 336 and 338 in Fig. 6) in order to determine the torque set point (per [0090], the computer system comprising integrated circuit to execute the method 300, in order to determine said electrical power set point, which is select an amount of electrical power from i) the amount of power that controls the exhaust temperature parameter, ii) the amount of power that provides desired thrust for acceleration, and iii) zero).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler with Gansler’s step of simple integration of the torque correction variable for the same reason for applying Gansler to claim 11 as discussed above.
Regarding claim 18, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin further teaches a computer program (see [0037]) comprising instructions (the various algorithms per [0043 and 0037]) for executing the steps of the control method (the method for providing the desired thrust by controlling the power split between a power output provided by the fuel and a power output provided by the electronic motor 32 during deceleration or acceleration, see [0038-0041 and 0043] and Fig. 3) when said computer program is executed by a computer (EEC 48).
Regarding claim 19, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin further teaches an electronic control unit (EEC 48) for the turbomachine (10) comprising a memory (see [0037]) having the computer program (see [0037]).
Regarding claim 20, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
Thomassin further teaches the turbomachine (10) comprising the electronic control unit (EEC 48, see Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 21, Thomassin teaches the invention as claimed: A method (performed by EEC 48, see Figs. 1-2 and [0040]) for controlling a turbomachine (10) mounted to an aircraft (abstract) to provide a desired thrust for the aircraft (achieved by a power split between a power output provided by the fuel and a power output provided by the electronic motor 32 during deceleration or acceleration, see [0038-0041 and 0043] and Fig. 3),
the turbomachine (10, Figs. 1-2) comprising a fan (12) for directing air
flow that is separated into a primary flow (a core air enters compressor 14, see Figs. 1-2) and a secondary flow (a bypass air flows through bypass duct, see Fig. 1) positioned upstream of a gas generator (comprising compressor 14, combustor 16, and turbine 18), said gas generator being flowed by the primary flow (see Figs. 1-2) and comprising a high pressure compressor (compressor 14, which is a high pressure compressor comparing to fan 12),a combustion chamber (16), a high pressure turbine (18A) and a low pressure turbine (18B), said low pressure turbine (18B) being connected to said fan (12) by a low pressure rotating shaft (24) and said high pressure turbine (18A) being connected to said high pressure compressor (14) by a high pressure rotating shaft (20), and an electric
motor (32) forming a torque injection device on the high pressure rotating shaft (20, see Fig. 2 and [0030]),
the method (performed by EEC 48, see Fig. 3 and [0043]) for controlling the turbomachine (10) to provide the desired thrust for the aircraft (achieved by a power split between a power output provided by the fuel and a power output provided by the electronic motor 32 during deceleration or acceleration, see [0038-0041 and 0043] and Fig. 3) comprising:
a step of determining a fuel flow set point in the combustion chamber of the turbomachine (per [0038 and 0040], a fuel flow provided to the combustor is monitored to detect an engine transition intention, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, and per [0043] during the engine transition, various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., a fuel flow set point is determined by EEC 48 in order to decelerate or accelerate turbomachine 10) and a torque set point supplied to the electric motor (per [0039 and 0041], during the engine transition, the electricity is provided to motor 32 is partially or fully supply power for such engine transition, and per [0043] during the engine transition, various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., a torque set point is also determined by EEC 48 in order to decelerate or accelerate turbomachine 10);
wherein the fuel flow set point is determined by a fuel regulation loop (a series of algorithms used by the EEC 48 for determined the fuel flow set point during the engine transition, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, see [0043]) comprising:
a step of detecting an engine speed transition intention according to a change of the fuel flow (EEC 48 detects the transient condition that involves deceleration or acceleration of turbomachine 10 according to a change of the fuel flow, and said transient condition is the claimed engine speed transition intention, see bottom of [0038 and 0040]),
a step of determining a transient engine speed set point (per [0043], various algorithms are used by the EEC 48 to control the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor during deceleration or acceleration according to various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, i.e., EEC 48 is required to determine a transient engine speed set according to said various requirements),
wherein the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop (a series of algorithms used by the EEC 48 for determined the torque set point during the engine transition, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, see [0043]),
a step of using the transient engine speed set point (the transient engine speed set point during deceleration or acceleration determined according to the various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, per [0043]) to determine the fuel flow set point and the torque set point (said transient engine speed set point is used by EEC 48 to control the power split, i.e., the fuel flow set point and the torque set point is determined by EEC 48 according to said transient engine speed set point during deceleration or acceleration), and
a step of using the fuel flow set point and the torque set point to control thrust of the turbomachine (per [0043], during the engine transition, EEC 48 controls the power split between the power provided by fuel and the power provided by motor, i.e., the fuel flow set point and the torque set point determined by EEC 48 are used by the EEC 48 to control the thrust of the turbomachine 10, i.e., decelerate or accelerate engine speed).
Thomassin does not teach wherein said fuel flow set point is determined by said fuel regulation loop comprising: a step of detecting said engine speed transition intention as a function of a difference between a current engine speed and a determined engine speed set point, a step of determining a fuel correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point, and a step of determining said fuel flow set point as a function of the fuel correction variable;
wherein said torque set point is determined by said torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a torque correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point.
However, DJELASSI teaches a method (performed by an electronic controller 20 using various algorithms in Fig. 2) for controlling a turbomachine (1) mounted to an aircraft (as shown in Fig. 1) to provide a desired thrust for the aircraft (by controlling a fuel flow provided to the combustor 52 during deceleration or acceleration, see abstract and [0015]) comprising:
a step of determining (at integrator module 8) a fuel flow set point (WF32C, see Fig. 2 and [0051]) in a combustion chamber (52) of the turbomachine (1),
wherein the fuel flow set point (WF32C in Fig. 2 and [0051]) is determined by a fuel regulation loop (the fuel control loop as shown in Fig. 2) comprising:
a step of detecting an engine speed transition intention (at module 9, an intention of declaration or acceleration is detected, see [0062-0064]) as a function of a difference between a current engine speed (N1) and a determined engine speed set point (N1C, see Fig. 2 and [0062]),
a step of determining (at module 10) a transient engine speed set point (the speed trajectory, N2T, which can be a deceleration trajectory or an acceleration trajectory, see Fig. 2 and [0067-0068]), wherein the transition engine speed set point (a speed trajectory generated in module 10) is a time-varying engine speed setpoint that integrates a predetermined rate-of-change setpoint for engine speed in order to enable acceleration or deceleration to take place over a length of time that is in compliance with specifications for the engine ([0068-0069]),
a step of determining (at module 12) a fuel correction variable (dWF32B, which can be a deceleration variable or an acceleration variable) as a function of the transient engine speed set point (N2T, see Fig. 2 and [0071-0072]), and
a step of determining (via summer module 14, selector module 7, and integrator module 8) the fuel flow set point (WF32C, which can be a deceleration set point or an acceleration set point) as a function of the fuel correction variable (dWF32B is an input provided to the summer module 14, see Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin with
i) DJELASSI’s step of detecting the engine speed transition intention as a function of a difference between a current engine speed and a determined engine speed set point in order to detect an engine speed transient intention with a simple and effective manner before varying the engine speed (DJELASSI, [0018]); and
ii) DJELASSI’s step of determining a correction variable, i.e., a deceleration correction variable or an acceleration correction variable, as a function of the transient engine speed set point and DJELASSI’s step of determine a set point, i.e., a deceleration set point or an acceleration set point, as a function of the correction variable, such that
the fuel flow set point is determined by the fuel regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a fuel correction variable as a function of the transient engine speed set point, and a step of determining the fuel flow set point as a function of the fuel correction variable;
wherein the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining a torque correction variable, i.e., a deceleration correction variable or an acceleration correction variable, as a function of the transient engine speed set point
in order to improve the reproducibility of acceleration and deceleration times and system stability (DJELASSI, [0015 and 0026]). It is noted that such motivation is applied to both of the fuel flow regulation loop and the torque regulation loop because the desired thrust during engine speed transient, i.e., deceleration or acceleration, is provided by a power split between the fuel and the torque as taught by Thomassin.
Additionally, as evidenced by Brown 20210172384, in a hybrid turbomachine configured to be powered by a fuel and a motor (see Fig. 3), a transient engine speed set point (generated by thrust demand scheduler 170) is used to determine both of a fuel flow correction variable and a torque correction variable (see Fig. 3 and [0063-0064]).
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI does not teach said turbomachine comprising a low pressure compressor, and said low pressure turbine being connected to said low pressure compressor and said fan by said low pressure rotating shaft, and said method comprising:
a step of determining a temperature correction variable as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter;
wherein said torque set point is determined by said torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining said torque correction variable as a function of said transient engine speed set point and the temperature correction variable.
However, Gansler teaches a method (method 300 in Figs. 5-6 that is performed by the controller 72 or 500, in Figs. 2 and 6) for controlling a turbomachine (102A, see Fig. 4 that shares same configurations of Fig. 2) to provide a desired thrust duration engine acceleration (step 302 in Fig. 5 and [0075]), the turbomachine (102A, see Fig. 4) comprising:
a fan (104A) for directing air flow that is separated into a primary flow (an air flow enters engine core 102 at core inlet 108, see Figs. 2 and 4) and a secondary flow (an air flow passing through bypass duct 144, see Figs. 2 and 4) positioned upstream of a gas generator (engine core 102, see Figs. 2 and 4),
said gas generator (102, see Figs. 2 and 4) being flowed by the primary flow (see Figs. 2 and 4) and comprising a low pressure compressor (110), a high pressure compressor (112), a combustion chamber (114), a high pressure turbine (116) and a low pressure turbine (118),
said low pressure turbine (118) being connected to said low pressure compressor (110) and said fan (104A) by a low pressure rotating shaft (124) and said high pressure turbine (116) being connected to said high pressure compressor (112) by a high pressure rotating shaft (122), and
an electric motor (56A) forming a torque injection device on the high pressure rotating shaft (122; see Fig. 4 and [0070]), the method (method 300 in Figs. 5-6 that is performed by the controller 72 or 500, in Figs. 2 and 6) for controlling the turbomachine to provide the desired thrust during engine acceleration comprising:
a step of providing a fuel flow in the combustion chamber (per Fig. 5 and [0076 and 0088], after receiving a command to accelerate the turbomachine at step 302, a fuel flow is provided to the combustion chamber 114 to accelerate the turbomachine in order to provide a desired thrust; and per Fig. 6 and [0088], motor 56A only provide torque when it is necessary, i.e., the controller 72 or 500 only provides fuel flow to the combustor at the beginning of the acceleration) and determining a torque set point supplied to the electric motor (per [0076 and 0088] and Fig. 5, when the exhaust temperature exceeding an upper threshold, the desired thrust output for acceleration is provided by a power split between the fuel and the torque from motor 56A without exceeding the exhaust temperature upper threshold, i.e., the controller 72 or 500 is required to determine an electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over a time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 302-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]);
a step of determining a temperature correction variable (an amount of electrical power provide to motor 56A determined according to a delta value of the exhaust temperature parameter over the time period of the acceleration in order to only control the exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 314, 322 and 324, in Fig. 5 and [0082]) as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (a measured exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 306 and 314 in Fig. 5 and [0078 and 0082]) and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter (the upper exhaust temperature parameter threshold, see step 314 in Fig. 5 and [0078]);
wherein the torque set point (the electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over the time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 302-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]) is determined by a torque regulation loop (from step 306 to step 326 in Fig. 5 and from step 302 to step 342 in Fig. 6) comprising:
a step of determining a torque correction variable (an amount of electrical power related to the electrical power set point provided to motor 56A over the time period of the acceleration in order to firstly control the exhaust temperature parameter and secondly provide the desired thrust for acceleration, see steps 316-326 in Fig. 5 and [0079, 0082, and 0088]) as a function of the temperature correction variable (the amount of electrical power provide to motor 56A determined according to the delta value of the exhaust temperature parameter over the time period of the acceleration in order to only control the exhaust temperature parameter, see steps 314, 322 and 324, in Fig. 5 and [0082]) and also based on the desired thrust for acceleration (see step 302 in Fig. 5 and [0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI with
i) Gansler’s low pressure compressor, such that
the turbomachine comprising a low pressure compressor, and the low pressure turbine being connected to the low pressure compressor and the fan by the low pressure rotating shaft
because it is noted that the use of a known prior art structure, in this case the use of a low pressure compressor driven by a low pressure turbine as taught by Gansler, to obtain predictable results, in this case to compress a primary air provided by a fan, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, MPEP 2141 III(A);
ii) Gansler’s method for controlling the turbomachine to provide the desired thrust during acceleration, such that
the method comprising: a step of determining a temperature correction variable as a function of a turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter and a maximum value of the turbomachine outlet gas temperature parameter, and
the torque set point is determined by a torque regulation loop comprising: a step of determining the torque correction variable as a function the transient engine speed set point, i.e., the acceleration engine speed set point, and the temperature correction variable (the modification is to add Gansler’s temperature correction variable as an additional requirement along with DJELASSI’s transient engine speed set point when determining the torque correction variable as taught by Thomassin in view of DJELASS during acceleration, which read on the claimed limitation)
in order to maintain the engine operation temperature below the maximum internal temperature thresholds without significantly reducing the maximum amount of thrust and to prevent undesirable and premature wear (Gansler, [0004-0005]).
Claims 13 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomassin 20160061053 in view of DJELASSI 20130008171 and Gansler 20190002113 as evidenced by Brown 20210172384, and in further view of Tony Kuphaldt – NPL - Lessons in Industrial Instrumentation and Takeda 20100319356.
Regarding claim 13, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
The combination as discussed above teaches the torque correction variable is determined as a function of the temperature correction variable and the transient engine speed set point, i.e., the acceleration engine speed set point.
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler as discussed so far does not teach an acceleration correction variable is determined from said acceleration engine speed set point.
However, Thomassin further teaches a step of using the transient engine speed set point (the acceleration engine speed set point determined according to the various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, per [0043]) to determine an acceleration fuel flow set point and an acceleration torque set point (said transient engine speed set point is used by EEC 48 to control the power split, i.e., an acceleration fuel flow set point and an acceleration torque set point is determined by EEC 48 according to said transient engine speed set point during acceleration).
Moreover, DJELASSI further teaches a step of determining (at module 12) a fuel acceleration correction variable (dWF32B, see Fig. 2 and [0071-0072]) as a function of the transient engine speed set point (N2T that is an acceleration speed set point, [0062-0063]), and a step of determining (via summer module 14, selector module 7, and integrator module 8) a fuel flow acceleration set point (WF32C, see Fig. 2) as a function of the fuel acceleration correction variable (dWF32B, which is determined based on the acceleration speed set point N2T, see Fig. 2 and [0062-0063]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler with DJELASSI’s step of determining an acceleration correction variable, as a function of an acceleration engine speed set point, such that
an acceleration correction variable, i.e., an acceleration torque correction variable, is determined from the transient engine speed set point, i.e., the acceleration engine speed set point
for the same reason for applying DJELASSI to claim 11 as discussed above.
Additionally, as evidenced by Brown 20210172384, in a hybrid turbomachine configured to be powered by a fuel and a motor (see Fig. 3), a transient engine speed set point (generated by thrust demand scheduler 170) is used to determine both of a fuel flow correction variable and a torque correction variable (see Fig. 3 and [0063-0064]).
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler does not teach wherein, during said step of determining said torque correction variable, a maximum value is selected between said temperature correction variable and said acceleration correction variable.
However, Kuphaldt teaches a process control involves the use of function blocks (the blocks in Fig of p. 2567) when a control system is required to choose between multiple signals of differing values in order to make the best control decision (para. 1 of chapter 31.7 in p. 2567), wherein the function blocks including High selector, Low selector, Rate limiter, High limit, and Low limit, and the High selector is configured to select a maximum value from the multiple signals of differing values (para. 3 of chapter 31.7 in p. 2567). Moreover, Takeda teaches a method of providing torque to a gas turbine engine via a motor (Fig. 14) comprising: selecting a maximum value (via a high selector 112 in Fig. 14) from a plurality of determined motor torque instruction values (36-1 … 36-3); providing the selected maximum value to the motor (6, see [0077]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to provide Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler with Kuphaldt and Takeda’s teaching of using a function block to select a maximum valve between a plurality of determined correction variables, such that
wherein, during the step of determining the torque correction variable, a maximum value is selected between the temperature correction variable and the acceleration correction variable
in order to make the best control decision (Kuphaldt’s para. 1 of chapter 31.7 in p. 2567) and to ensure the output of the motor is sufficient to compensate the gas turbine output requirements even with erroneous inputs (Takeda, [0077]).
Regarding claim 22, Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above.
The combination as discussed above teaches the torque correction variable is determined as a function of the temperature correction variable and the transient engine speed set point, i.e., the acceleration engine speed set point.
Thomassin in view of DJELASSI and Gansler as discussed so far does not teach an acceleration correction variable is determined from said acceleration engine speed set point.
However, Thomassin further teaches a step of using the transient engine speed set point (the acceleration engine speed set point determined according to the various requirements, e.g., engine transition type, duration and level of urgency for reaching the new condition, per [0043]) to determine an acceleration fuel flow set point and an acceleration torque set point (said transient engine speed set point is used by EEC 48 to control the power split, i.e., an acceleration fuel flow set point and an accel