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 .
Notes: Many arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) and arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) use specialized coils to detect faults, although they are generally not a simple, exposed "helical coil" in the way a spring looks.
Here is the specific ways coils are used in arc fault detection:
Rogowski Coils: Advanced arc fault detection devices often use a Rogowski coil. This is a helical coil of wire wrapped around a non-magnetic core (or air core.
Applicant’s election of Specie I (Figures 1-3 and claims 1-3, 5-6, 12-18, and 20) in the reply filed on 09/22/25 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Objections
Claims 13-14, and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claims 13-14, and 16, each in line 1, please, change “wherein” to - - further comprising - - for proper reading.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-2, and 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Macerini et al. (U.S. 2018/0048137) in view of Zhong et al. (U.S. 2018/0138723).
As to claims 1, 15, Macerini discloses a photovoltaic inverter (500) as shown in figures 4-6 comprising:
a casing (a circuit breaker device for the photovoltaic inverter 500, not label);
at least one circuit board (6, figure 6) disposed in the casing;
a current sensor (1, para-0039) disposed on the at least one circuit board (6);
an arc detector (10) disposed on the at least one circuit board (6);
a [[self-test]] coil (Rogowski/magnetic coil 21, 22) disposed on the at least one circuit board (6); and
at least one direct current input terminal (DC load currents L1-Ln) disposed on the casing and connected to the at least one circuit board, wherein the [[self-test]] coil (21, 22) is configured to deliver a test signal to be sensed by the arc detector (10), and the direct current input terminal (L1) is configured to deliver a direct current (DC) through the arc detector (10).
Macerini does not specifically disclose the coil which is a self-test coil, the self-test coil is configured to deliver a test signal to be sensed by the arc detector and the current sensor is configured to detect a magnitude of the direct current passing through the direct current input terminal.
Zhong teaches a circuit breaker (1) as shown in figures 1-3 comprising the coil which is a self-test coil (25), the self-test coil (25) is configured to deliver a test signal to be sensed by the arc detector (18) and the current sensor (16) is configured to detect a magnitude (para-0024-0028) of the direct current passing through the direct current input terminal (4, 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Zhong employed in the PV inverter of Macerini in order to provide excellent controlling overcurrent protection characteristic/structure.
Regarding claims 2, 17, Macerini as modified by Zhong teaches the at least one circuit board (the circuit board for the circuit breaker) comprises a first circuit board, wherein the current sensor (16), the self-test coil (25) and the arc detector (18) are all disposed on the first circuit board.
As best understood to claims 13, 16, Macerini as modified by Zhong further comprising [[wherein]] a first helical coil formed by the arc detector (10) and a second helical coil formed by the self-test coil (25 of Zhong) in the at least one circuit board are coaxial.
The arc detector (10) inherently has a helical coil build in the detector, and the self-test coil (25, figure 2B) of Zhong shows a helical coil.
As best understood claim 14, Macerini as modified by Zhong further comprising [[wherein]] a helical coil of the art detector (10) in the at least circuit board (6) defines a ring shape (see note as above), and the self-test coil (25 of Zhong) is disposed in a segment of the ring shape (figure 2B).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims, 3, 5-6, 12, 18, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848