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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/21/2026 has been entered.
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) 1-2, 4-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NEWHOUSE et al. (2010/0001582).
With respect to claim 1, NEWHOUSE discloses a direct current (DC) contactor arrangement for bidirectional power switching, comprising: a DC+ contactor for connecting a power source with a load (first contactor 320 is connected to a positive terminal of energy source and a load); and a DC− contactor for connecting the power source with the load (second contactor 322 is connected to a negative terminal of energy source and a load); wherein at least one of the DC+ contactor or the DC− contactor is a unidirectional DC contactor configured to control high current flow in a pre-defined direction (note that as shown in figure 1 when the system is activated current flows in only one direction and therefore the contactors are unidirectional. Abstract and Paragraph 0036 disclose that the system provides high voltage and/or current to the bus); and wherein the DC+ contactor and the DC− contactor are configured to be switched at different times, when the DC+ contactor and the DC− contactor are under load (figure 5 discloses that the negative contactor is activated first, then at a different time the positive contactor is activated).
With respect to claim 2, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a minimum time span for the different times between the switching of the DC+ and DC− contactors is defined by a threshold current through the DC contactor that is switched later in case of the switching is switch-off; or by a pre-defined time span in case of the switching is switch-on. Figure 5 discloses that the time for switching the contactors is based on a threshold value, figure 6 discloses switching the contactors after a time period.
With respect to claim 4, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when the switching is switch-off, the DC switch, which is switched later, is operated in reverse direction. Paragraphs 0020-0021, 0024, 0041, figure 5 discloses decoupling the switches and allowing current flow between the devices.
With respect to claim 5, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to claim 4, wherein, when the switching is switch-on, the DC switch, which is switched later, is operated in forward direction. Figure 5 discloses operating the later switched switch in a forward direction.
With respect to claims 6-7, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to one of the claims, wherein the DC+ contactor and the DC− contactor are unidirectional DC contactors, and wherein the DC contactor, which is switched first, is operated in reverse direction; wherein the DC+ contactor and the DC− contactor are unidirectional DC contactors, and wherein the DC contactor, which is switched first, is operated in forward direction. NEWHOUSE discloses that the system is bidirectional, power is provided to load 402 and from the power supply, thus the positive and negative contactors 320 and 322 are operated in a forward direction and in a reverse direction.
With respect to claim 8, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein one of the DC contactors is a unidirectional contactor configured to be operated in reverse or in forward direction, and one of the DC contactors is a bidirectional contactor. Note that as shown in figure 1 when the system is activated current flows in only one direction and therefore the contactors are unidirectional, paragraph 0041 and figure 5 discloses decoupling the switches and allowing current flow between the devices.
With respect to claim 9, NEWHOUSE discloses the DC contactor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the DC contactor arrangement further comprises a control circuit configured for generating a signal for switching the DC+ contactor and the DC− contactor. Figures 3-4 disclose controller 302 for generating signals to control the contactors 320 and 322.
With respect to claim 10, NEWHOUSE discloses the apparatus necessary to complete the recited method steps, as discussed above in the rejection of claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 was previously 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the argument that Newhouse fails to disclose or suggest “wherein at least one of the DC+ contactor or the DC- contactor is a unidirectional DC contactor configured to control high current flow in a pre-defined direction”. It is respectfully submitted that Newhouse discloses that the contactors are unidirectional (current flows in one direction) and can also be of two directions (current flows in the opposite direction), power flow between or among the energy sources and the components, paragraph 0020. Furthermore, Newhouse discloses in the Abstract and Paragraphs 0032, 0036 that the system provides high voltage and/or current to the bus and the components, as required by the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS AMAYA whose telephone number is (571)272-8941. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00AM-4:00PM.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836