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 .
Preliminary amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the preliminary amendment filed on September 4, 2023, which has been entered. Claims 12-22 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peng et al (WO 2017/107512 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Peng et al teaches a photovoltaic solar tracker assembly (see Figs. 1, 6A & 6B) comprising: one or several photovoltaic solar trackers (tracker 120); a rechargeable power supply system, which includes energy storage elements to power the tracker or trackers (energy from photovoltaic component 111 may be used to power the tracker system and charge a super capacitor 606); a charging system (for example, DC/DC conversion unit 604), to recharge the energy storage elements; and a tracker controller (control unit 607); wherein the energy storage elements comprise one or more supercapacitors (super capacitor 606) (also see the last paragraph beginning on page 4 through the end of page 5, and the description of Fig. 6A beginning in the middle of page through the end of page 15, of the attached translation).
Regarding claim 13, Peng et al teaches the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 12, wherein the energy storage elements consist of one or more supercapacitors (the embodiments of Figs. 1, 6A & 6B consist of the energy storage elements being super capacitors).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al (WO 2017/107512 A1).
Regarding claim 14, the teachings of Peng, as applied to the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 12, have been discussed above.
The embodiments of Figs. 1 & 6A of Peng et al do not specifically teach wherein the energy storage elements comprise one or more supercapacitors and one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein the rechargeable batteries are LiFePO4 batteries.
However, the embodiment of Fig. 2 of Peng et al states that the energy storge module (240) can be a combination of one or more of an energy storage battery, a super capacitor, and the like, where the energy storage battery may be a lithium battery (see paragraph beginning at the bottom of page 8, and continuing to page 9, of the attached translation).
Furthermore, LiFePO4 batteries were a well-known type of lithium battery to those of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date. Applicant also states that LiFePO4 batteries are used in the current state of the art, in the background of the invention on page 1 of the specification.
Therefore, in view of the teachings of the embodiment of Fig 2 of Peng et al and the general knowledge in the art, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include, with the embodiment of Figs. 1 & 6A of Peng et al, wherein the energy storage elements comprise one or more supercapacitors and one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein the rechargeable batteries are LiFePO4 batteries, in order to provide a greater energy storage capacity and utilize stable cost-effective lithium batteries.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al (WO 2017/107512 A1) in view of Li et al (US 2019/0305163 A1).
Regarding claim 15, the teachings of Peng et al as applied to the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 12, have been discussed above.
Peng et al does not specifically teach wherein the charging system includes a maximum power point tracking system, MPPT, to bring the charging system to operation at maximum available recharge power, injecting the energy storage elements with maximum available power.
Li et al teaches a photovoltaic solar tracker assembly (see Figs. 1 and 3-5) including a maximum power point tracking system, MPPT, to bring the charging system to operation at maximum available recharge power (see paras. 0023, 0024 and 0026), injecting the energy storage elements (battery 24 and capacitor connected to bus 42, as shown in Fig. 5) with maximum available power.
In view of the teachings of Li et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include, with the system of Peng et al, wherein the charging system includes a maximum power point tracking system, MPPT, to bring the charging system to operation at maximum available recharge power, injecting the energy storage elements with maximum available power, since the use of MPPT with photovoltaic systems is known to increase the efficiency of the system.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al (WO 2017/107512 A1) in view of Li et al (US 2019/0305163 A1) and Teggatz et al (US 2013/0015805 A1).
Regarding claim 21, the teachings of Peng et al as modified by Li et al as applied to the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 15, have been discussed above. As discussed above, Peng et al as modified by Li et al teaches wherein the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors are connected to the charging system.
Peng et al as modified by Li et al does not specifically teach, where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged selectively in series or in parallel.
Teggatz et al teaches an energy storage system (see Figs. 2, 5, 7) where the storage elements may (capacitors 76), where appropriate, be connected to others, to be recharged selectively in series or in parallel (see paras. 0007-0010, 0023-0025, 0029, 0030).
In view of the teachings of Teggatz et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the system of Peng et al as modified by Li et al, where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged selectively in series or in parallel, since this would allow each super capacitor to be charged according to its own characteristics, thereby improving efficiency, performance and the life span of the super capacitors (see paras. 0026, 0027, and 0029 of Teggatz et al).
Claim(s) 16-20 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al (WO 2017/107512 A1) in view of Teggatz et al (US 2013/0015805 A1).
The teachings of Peng et al, as applied to the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 12, have been discussed above. As discussed above, Peng et al teaches wherein the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors are connected to the charging system.
Peng et al does not specifically teach (claim 16) where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged in series; (claim 17) where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged in parallel; (claim 18) wherein the recharge is carried out in parallel, the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors are connected to be independently recharged, allowing injection of maximum current to each supercapacitor; (claim 19) wherein the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors can be connected to be discharged in series and charged in parallel; (claim 22) which additionally includes, for each supercapacitor or group of supercapacitors, a charge management system, so that, during recharging, each supercapacitor does not exceed a predetermined upper limit voltage value.
Teggatz et al teaches an energy storage system (see Figs. 2, 5-7) where the storage elements may (capacitors 76), where appropriate, be connected to others, to be recharged selectively in series or in parallel (see paras. 0007-0010, 0023-0025, 0029, 0030); wherein the recharge is carried out in parallel, the storage elements (cells 22, 52, 64 and/or capacitors 76) are connected to be independently recharged, allowing injection of maximum current to each storage element (see paras. 0026, 0027, and 0029); wherein the storage elements (cells 22, 52, 64 and/or capacitors 76) can be connected to be discharged in series and charged in parallel (see paras. 0007-0010, 0023-0025, 0029, 0030); for each storage element (cells 22, 52, 64 and/or capacitors 76) or group of storage elements, a charge management system (control and monitoring, as shown in Figs. 5-7), so that, during recharging, each storage element does not exceed a predetermined upper limit voltage value (see paras. 0026-0029).
In view of the teachings of Teggatz et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the system of Peng et, (claim 16) where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged in series; (claim 17) where appropriate, some supercapacitors are connected to others, to be recharged in parallel; (claim 18) wherein the recharge is carried out in parallel, the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors are connected to be independently recharged, allowing injection of maximum current to each supercapacitor; (claim 19) wherein the supercapacitor or the supercapacitors can be connected to be discharged in series and charged in parallel; (claim 22) which additionally includes, for each supercapacitor or group of supercapacitors, a charge management system, so that, during recharging, each supercapacitor does not exceed a predetermined upper limit voltage value, since this would allow each super capacitor to be charged according to its own characteristics, where necessary, thereby improving efficiency, performance and the life span of the super capacitors (see paras. 0026, 0027, and 0029 of Teggatz et al).
Regarding claim 20, Peng et al as modified by Teggatz et al teaches the photovoltaic solar tracker assembly according to claim 19, which additionally includes isolated DC/DC regulators (for example, DC/DC conversion unit 604) powering each supercapacitor with the required current and voltage, and with the ability to detect voltage values greater than a predetermined threshold value (the combination of the control and monitoring of Teggatz et al with Peng et al will provide the ability to detect voltage values greater than a predetermined threshold value, since Teggatz et al teaches monitoring safe charging & discharging, see paras. 0009, 0026-0029).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wan et al (US 12,413,178 B2) teaches a photovoltaic tracker system (see Figs. 1 & 3), including an energy storage apparatus that may be a super-capacitor (see col. 6, lines 63 – col. 7, line 9).
Yin (CN 106849848 A) teaches a photovoltaic generating system with tracking and a super capacitor (see the abstract of the attached translation).
Han (KR 20130057069 A) teaches a photovoltaic generating system with tracking and a super capacitor (see the abstract of the attached translation).
Scanlon (US 2013/0118099 A1) teaches a photovoltaic tracker system (see Fig. 11), including an energy storage apparatus that may be a super-capacitor (see para. 0090). Also see Scanlon (US 8,119,963 B2).
Balachandreswaran et al (US 2013/0056614 A1) teaches a photovoltaic system (see Figs. 1 & 2) with tracking and MPPT (see para. 0022).
The additional references cited on the attached PTO-892 are general teachings of photovoltaic systems that include tracking.
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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