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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/08/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Applicant’s Amendment filed on 02/17/2026 in which claims 1-2, 11, and 15 have been amended and entered of record.
Claims 9 and 11 have been amended herein to overcome the rejections under 35 USC § 112(a). Based on the amended claims, the rejections under 35 USC § 112(a) are withdrawn.
Claims 1-15 are pending for examination.
Response to Argument
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended independent claims 1 and 15 have been considered but are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the combination of references fails to disclose, teach, or suggest, inter alia, "wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply”, then Applicant start attacking the references individually (see Remarks pages 7-10).
In response, the arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Examiner respectfully disagree because applicant has attacked the references individually when they are meant to be considered a combination. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Applicant further argues that, Ballantine's teaching of using a battery to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module teaches away from Applicant's invention (see Remarks page 9).
In response, the arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Examiner respectfully disagree because first of all, Applicant does not explicitly disclose the newly amended limitation “the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply”. From the Specification, The Applicant’s disclosure merely discloses the disadvantages of using batteries as power storage device vs. dihydrogen system as power storage device in the system level (see Specification paragraphs [0007]-[0008], [0053] [0055]).
Claim Objections
Claim 1, lines 6-8 recite “wherein the dihydrogen production unit is and configured to store the produced dihydrogren”, the limitation should be “wherein the dihydrogen production unit is [[and]] configured to store the produced dihydrogren”
Claim 2, line 2 recites “a rectifier” should be “the rectifier”.
Claim 11, lines 1-2, 4, 5, and 7 recite “the set-up circuit” should be “the voltage set up circuit”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 1, lines 9-11 recite “wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply”. The newly amended limitation is not in the original disclosure. Paragraph merely discloses the disadvantages of using batteries as power storage device vs. dihydrogen system as power storage device in the system level (see Specification paragraphs [0007]-[0008], [0053] [0055]). The disclosure does not explicitly disclose the negative limitation “without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply” to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power deliver, thus new matter. Applicant is reminded that a negative limitation must be explicitly discloses (See MPEP § 2163 - § 2163.07(b) for a discussion of the written description requirement of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph; and 2173.05(i) Negative Limitations [R-07.2022]).
Regarding claim 15, the claim is reject similar to claim 1 above.
Regarding dependent claims 2-14, the claims are rejected due the rejections of claim 1 above.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kapat et al., US Patent Publication 20230167559; hereinafter “Kapat” in view of Mazumder US Patent Publication 20090196082; hereinafter “Mazumder” and further in view of BALLANTINE et al., US Patent Publication 20210156039; hereinafter “BALLANTINE”.
Regarding claim 1, Kapat discloses a power storage device (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), comprising,
a dihydrogen production unit (Fig. 1, 15, 17, and 19) comprising:
an electrolyzer module (Fig. 1, 15, 17, and 19) configured to produce dihydrogen from a DC current (to produce dihydrogen, DC current must be applied to the electrolyzer) delivered to the electrolyzer module via a rectifier (electrical grid is an AC current [0031], therefore, a rectifier is usually used to convert AC current to DC current);
a power storage controller (Control electronic 6) configured to control the dihydrogen production unit [0046]-[0048];
wherein the dihydrogen production unit is and configured to store the produced dihydrogren [0046]-[0048]; and
wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply, and
an electric power production unit (Fig. 1, 8 and 49) [0048] configured to supply the grid with electric power from dihydrogen produced by the dihydrogen production unit [0048], wherein the electric power production unit comprises a first power converter (Fig. 1, 8 and 49 convert dihydrogen and oxygen to electric power) including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics.
Kapat disclose the power storage device for converting electric power to dihydrogen and oxygen when the electric grid in surplus electrical supply and convert dihydrogen and oxygen back to electric power using converter such as turbine generator system.
Kapat does not discloses the power storage device using converter using switching devices for converting dihydrogen and oxygen back to electric power; configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics first power converter including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics.
Mazumder discloses a power system converting dihydrogen and oxygen to electric power using converter having switching devices configured to regulate grid power factor [0038] [0058] and suppress harmonics first power converter including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor [0038] [0058] and suppress harmonics ([0039] “while ensuring a total harmonic distortion that is comparable to the VSI topology” indicate suppressing harmonics). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Kapat to incorporate the teaching of Mazumder and use converter having switching devices configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics. Doing so would allow the storage system capable of regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics since using fuel cell system to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics is well-known in the art.
The combination of Kapat and Mazumder does not explicitly disclose the electrolyzer module configured to produce the dihydrogen from a DC current electrolyzer delivered to the electrolyzer module via a rectifier and maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery. BALLANTINE discloses a hydrogen generation system configured to produce dihydrogen from a DC current delivered to the electrolyzer module via a rectifier [0022]-[0023]; and
maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module [0060] during non-production cycle to reduce start-stop cycle ([0031] “stand-by mode”) ([0060] “maintaining a voltage bias on the electrolyzer”) without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply ([0031] “auxiliary power source 123 may include a fuel cell”, or “may be electrically connected to an electric power bus which electrically connects the power source 120”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat and Mazumder to incorporate the teaching of BALLANTINE into the combination to use DC current delivered to the electrolyzer module via a rectifier; and maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module. Doing so would allow to operate the electrolyzer from AC power sources since DC current is required to operate electrolyzer to convert water into dihydrogen and oxygen; and prevent degrading performance of the electrolyzer.
Regarding claim 15, Kapat discloses a grid (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), comprising,
at least one power storage device (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) comprising:
a dihydrogen production unit (Fig. 1, 15, 17, and 19) comprising:
an electrolyzer module (Fig. 1, 15, 17, and 19) configured to produce dihydrogen (Fig. 1, H2) [0046]-[0048] from electric power supplied by the grid (Fig. 1, 31) [0047] via a rectifier,
a power storage controller (Control electronic 6) configured to control the dihydrogen production unit [0046]-[0048], the dihydrogen production unit being configured to store the produced dihydrogen [0046]-[0048];
wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller ([0023] “126 may produce DC power from a rectifier/inverter fed by an AC power supply” [0026] “or from both AC and DC power at the same time by rectifying the AC power to DC power using an AC/DC inverter, and then controlling the DC power magnitude that is provided to the electrolyzers 108 using a DC/DC converter”) to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery ([0031] “stand-by mode”) ([0060] “maintaining a voltage bias on the electrolyzer”) without use of a battery or an auxiliary power supply ([0031] “auxiliary power source 123 may include a fuel cell”, or “may be electrically connected to an electric power bus which electrically connects the power source 120”,);
an electric power production unit (Fig. 1, 8 and 49) [0048] comprising a power converter (Fig. 1, 8 and 49 convert dihydrogen and oxygen to electric power) including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics, and further configured to supply the grid (Fig. 1, 31) with electric power [0048] from dihydrogen produced by the dihydrogen production unit (Fig. 1, 15, 17, and 19); and
a power supply device (Fig. 1, 4) [0044] connected to the grid (Fig. 1, 31).
Kapat disclose the power storage device for converting electric power to dihydrogen and oxygen when the electric grid in surplus electrical supply and convert dihydrogen and oxygen back to electric power using converter such as turbine generator system.
Kapat does not discloses the power storage device using converter using switching devices for converting dihydrogen and oxygen back to electric power; configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics first power converter including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics.
Mazumder discloses a power system converting dihydrogen and oxygen to electric power using converter having switching devices configured to regulate grid power factor [0038] [0058] and suppress harmonics first power converter including a switching module configured to regulate grid power factor [0038] [0058] and suppress harmonics ([0039] “while ensuring a total harmonic distortion that is comparable to the VSI topology” indicate suppressing harmonics). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Kapat to incorporate the teaching of Mazumder and use converter having switching devices configured to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics. Doing so would allow the storage system capable of regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics since using fuel cell system to regulate grid power factor and suppress harmonics is well-known in the art.
The combination of Kapat and Mazumder does not explicitly disclose producing dihydrogen from electric power supplied by the grid via a rectifier; wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery. BALLANTINE discloses a hydrogen generation system producing dihydrogen from electric power supplied by the grid ([0031] “auxiliary power source 123 may include a fuel cell”, or “may be electrically connected to an electric power bus which electrically connects the power source 120”) via a rectifier [0022]-[0023]; wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller([0023] “126 may produce DC power from a rectifier/inverter fed by an AC power supply” [0026] “or from both AC and DC power at the same time by rectifying the AC power to DC power using an AC/DC inverter, and then controlling the DC power magnitude that is provided to the electrolyzers 108 using a DC/DC converter”) to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery ([0031] “stand-by mode”) ([0060] “maintaining a voltage bias on the electrolyzer”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat and Mazumder to incorporate the teaching of BALLANTINE into the combination and produce dihydrogen from electric power supplied by the grid via a rectifier; wherein the rectifier is also controlled by the power storage controller to maintain a polarization voltage across the electrolyzer module during power delivery. Doing so would allow to operate the electrolyzer from AC power sources since DC current is required to operate electrolyzer to convert water into dihydrogen and oxygen; and prevent degrading performance of the electrolyzer.
Claim(s) 2, 4-7, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kapat, Mazumder and BALLANTINE in view of Macele et al., US Patent Publication 20220352724; hereinafter “Macele”.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder and BALLANTINE discloses the power storage device of claim 1, wherein the dihydrogen production unit (Fig. 1, electrolyzer 15) comprises a rectifier (inherence, electrolyzer 15 requires direct current for electrolysis which discloses by BALLANTINE) including input terminals intended to be connected to the grid (Fig. 1, 31) and two output terminals (DC current output of the rectifier as discloses by BALLANTINE inherently has two terminals), an electrolyser unit (Fig. 1, 15) the electrolyzer module being connected to the two output terminals (DC current output of the rectifier as discloses by BALLANTINE inherently has two terminals which connected to the electrolyzer as combined).
Kapat discloses the dihydrogen production unit connected to AC grid for receiving power from the AC grid [0044]- [0045]. The combination of Kapat, Mazumder and BALLANTINE does not explicitly disclose the dihydrogen production unit comprising a rectifier including inputs terminals intended to be connected to the grid and two output terminals. Macele discloses an electrolyser unit having a rectifier (Fig. 2, 45) including inputs terminals (Fig. 2, 45 rectifier bridge usually has two input terminals) and two output terminals (Fig. 2, 45 rectifier bridge usually has two output terminals to provide DC power for hydrogen electrolysis). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat, Mazumder and BALLANTINE to incorporate the teaching of Macele and provide a rectifier including inputs terminals intended to be connected to the grid and two output terminals, an electrolyser unit connected to the output terminals. Doing so would allow properly generate dihydrogen since it is a common knowledge in the art that the electrolysis requires direct current (DC) power and a full bridge having two input connections and two output connections are required to generate a negative and positive terminals for electrolysis process since rectifiers are well-known components in the art.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 2 above, Kapat does not explicitly disclose a first filtering unit between the rectifier and the electrolyzer module to smooth current and voltage ripples. Mazumder discloses a rectifier bridge having a filter circuit at an output of a bridge rectifier circuit (Fig. 7A, LC). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Kapat to incorporate the teaching of Mazumder and provide a filter circuit at the output of the rectifier to have a first filtering unit between the rectifier and the electrolyser module to smooth current and voltage ripples. Doing so would provide a clean output power since having a filter circuit at an output of a bridge rectifier is a basic common knowledge in the art.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 2 above, Macele further discloses an electric power production unit (Fig. 3) comprises the first power converter (Fig. 3, 170) having output terminals (Fig. 3, three output terminals of inverter 170) intended to be connected to the grid (Fig. 3, 50), and a fuel cell unit (Fig. 3, 130) connected to the first power converter (Fig. 3, 170) and configured to supply the first power converter with electric power generated from dihydrogen stored in the dihydrogen production unit [0072].
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 5 above, Mazumder also discloses an electric power production unit (Fig. 7A) generate electric power from a fuel cell stack (Fig. 7A, fuel cell stack) having a first capacitor (Fig. 7A capacitor Vdc) extending between the two input terminals (Fig. 7A; two input terminals of HF DC/AC inverter), two primary switching modules (Fig. 7A; 30 and 32), each of the two primary switching modules comprising one output connection (Fig. 7B; top and bottom of HF DC/AC inverter) and two output connections (Fig. 7A; output connection of HF DC/AC inverter that connected to HF transformer), a secondary switching module (Fig. 7A; PWM Cycloconverter) comprising two input connections (Fig. 7A; two input connections of PWM Cycloconverter that connected to the HF transformer) and three output connections (Fig. 7A; outputs abc), and a high frequency transformer (Fig. 7B; HF transformer 44), the input connection of a first primary switching module being connected to the input terminals (Fig. 7A; the input connections of the ) and the output connections of the first primary switching module being connected to a primary circuit of the high frequency transformer (Fig. 7A; outputs of HF DC/AC inverter connect to primary of the HF transformer 44), the output of the second primary switching module being connected to the secondary circuit of the high frequency transformer (Fig. 7A; outputs of HF DC/AC inverter connect to HF transformer 44) and the input connections of the secondary switching module being connected to the input connections of the secondary switching module (Fig. 7A, inputs of PWM Cycloconverter connected to secondary of the HF transformer 44), the output connection of the secondary switching module being connected to the output terminals (Fig. 7A, outputs of PWM Cycloconverter connected to abc).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 6 above, Mazumder also discloses each of the two primary switching modules (Fig. 7A; Q1, Q2 and Q3, Q4 of HF DC/AC inverter) comprise two bridges extending (Fig. 7A; Q1, Q2 and Q3, Q4 of HF DC/AC inverter) between the two input connections (Fig. 7A; output connections of the fuel cell stack), each of the two bridges comprising two switching cells connected together in series (Fig. 7A; Q1 and Q2 are in series and Q3 and Q4 are in series), each of the two output connections (Fig. 7A; output of middle connection of Q1 and Q2; and output of middle connection of Q3 and Q4) being connected to a midpoint between two switching cells of a corresponding bridge (Fig. 7A; middle connection of Q1 and Q2; and middle connection of Q3 and Q4).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 6 above, Mazumder also discloses the secondary switching module (Fig. 7A, 34) comprises a capacitor (Fig. 7A, C) extending between the input connections (Fig. 7A, inputs connections from HF transformer), bridges (Fig. 7A, first bridge S1 and S2, second bridge S3 and S4, third bridge S5 and S6) extending between the two input connections (Fig. 7A, inputs connections from HF transformer), each bridge comprising two switching cells connected together in series (Fig. 7A, first bridge S1 and S2, second bridge S3 and S4, third bridge S5 and S6), each output being connected to a connection between two switching cells of a bridge (Fig. 7A, connections abc between the first bridge S1 and S2, the second bridge S3 and S4, and the third bridge S5 and S6).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele in view of Liu et al., US Patent Publication 20060114642; hereinafter “Liu”.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 2 above, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele does not disclose the rectifier is a controlled rectifier comprising bridge rectifiers extending between the two output terminals, each bridge rectifier comprising two thyristors connected together in series, a connection between two thyristors of each bridge rectifier being connected to an input terminal of the rectifier.
Liu disclose a rectifier (Fig. 10, inverter 170 acts as rectifier when uses power from grid to produce Hydrogen [0041]) is a controlled rectifier (Fig. 10, inverter 170 is a controlled rectifier) comprising bridge rectifiers (Fig. 10, inverter 170 is a controlled rectifier) extending between two output terminals (Fig. 10, 198 and 200), each bridge rectifier comprising two thyristors (Fig. 1B, 134) [0084] connected together in series (Fig. 1B, two right side and two left side rectifiers of bridge 134) [0084], a connection between two thyristors of each bridge rectifier (Fig. 10, middle point between 186 and 192, 188 and 194, or 190 and 196) being connected to an input terminal of the rectifier (Fig. 10, 172, 174, and 176). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele to incorporate the teaching of Liu and have the rectifier is a controlled rectifier comprising bridge rectifiers extending between the two output terminals, each bridge rectifier comprising two thyristors connected together in series, a connection between two thyristors of each bridge rectifier being connected to an input terminal of the rectifier. Doing so would allow to regulate power and to correct power factor as needed.
Claim(s) 8-10 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kapat, Macele and Mazumder in view of Marushima et al., US Patent 11,421,329; hereinafter “Marushima”.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 6 above, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele does not disclose a first transformer comprising a primary circuit intended to be connected to the grid and a secondary circuit connected to the input terminals of the rectifier. Marushima discloses a hydrogen production system having a first transformer (Fig. 1, 78) comprising a primary circuit (Fig. 1, transformer has primary winding) intended to be connected to the grid (Fig. 1, 66) and a secondary circuit (Fig. 1, transformer has secondary winding) connected to the input terminals of the rectifier (Fig. 1, 76). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, and Macele to incorporate the teaching of Marushima and provide a first transformer comprising a primary circuit intended to be connected to the grid and a secondary circuit connected to the input terminals of the rectifier. Doing so would allow to adjust the AC voltage level supply by the grid to a proper operating voltage for the dihydrogen production unit since it is well-known in the art to use transformer for adjusting AC voltage.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE and Macele discloses the power storage device of claim 2 above, Macele discloses the electric power production unit comprising a second power converter (Fig. 3, 170) connected to the input connections of the voltage set up circuit (Fig. 3, 171) , and a fuel cell unit (Fig. 3, 130) connected to the second power converter (Fig. 3, 170) and configured to supply the second power converter with electric power generated from dihydrogen stored in the dihydrogen production unit [0072]. The combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE and Macele does not disclose wherein the output connections of voltage set up circuit are connected to the input terminals of the rectifier and the input connections of the voltage setup circuit are configured to receive electrical power from the grid. Marushima discloses a hydrogen production system (Fig. 1) having a voltage set up circuit (Fig. 1, 78) comprising input connections (Fig. 1, input of 78) and output connections (Fig. 1, output of 78), the voltage set up circuit being configured to change a voltage on the input connections and deliver the change voltage on the output connections (Column 6, lines 61-63), the output connections of voltage set up circuit are connected to the input terminals of the rectifier (Fig. 1, 76) and the input connections of the voltage setup circuit are configured to receive electrical power from the grid (Fig. 1, input connections of transformer 78 are connected to grid 66). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE and Macele to incorporate the teaching of Marushima and provide a voltage change circuit comprising input connections and output connections, the voltage change circuit being configured to change a voltage on the input connections and deliver the set-up voltage on the output connections, wherein the output connections of voltage set up circuit are connected to the input terminals of the rectifier and the input connections of the voltage setup circuit are configured to receive electrical power from the grid. Doing so would allow to adjust the AC voltage level supply by the grid to a proper operating voltage for the dihydrogen production unit since it is well-known in the art to use transformer for adjusting AC voltage.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, Macele, and Marushima discloses the power storage device of claim 9 above, Macele also discloses the second power converter comprises two input terminals (Fig. 3, two input terminals of 170 that connected to 130) connected to the fuel cell (Fig. 3, 130) and output terminals (Fig. 3, two output terminals of 170 that connected to 171) connected to the input connections of the voltage set up circuit (Fig. 3, 171) , and wherein the second power converter includes a secondary switching module (Fig. 3, 170) comprising two input connections and two output connections (Fig. 3, input and output of 170), the input connections of the secondary switching module being connected to the input terminals of the second power converter (Fig. 3, input of 170 is connected to input of 170) and the output connections of the secondary switching module being connected to the output terminals of the second power converter (Fig. 3, output of 170 is connected to output of 170).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, Macele, and Marushima discloses the power storage device of claim 9 above, Mazumder also discloses an electric power production unit (Fig. 7A) generate electric power from a fuel cell stack (Fig. 7A) having a second filtering unit (Fig. 7A, capacitor Vdc) between the fuel cell and the first (Fig. 7A Isolated DC/DC converter) or second power converter to smoothen current and voltage ripples (Fig. 7A, capacitor Vdc is a lowpass filter thus filtering voltage ripples).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, Macele, and Marushima in view of Kolhatkar US Patent Publication 20180187653; hereinafter “Kolhatkar”.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Kapat, Mazumder, BALLANTINE, Macele, and Marushima discloses the power storage device of claim 9 above, Kolhatkar also discloses the set-up circuit comprises a second transformer (Fig. 1, 118) comprising a primary circuit (Fig. 1, primary side of 118) intended to be connected to the grid (Fig. 1, primary side of 118 would connected to the grid as obvious combined in claim 9) and a secondary circuit comprising a first set of at least one winding connected to the input connections of the set-up circuit (Fig. 1, one of the secondary winding of 118 would connected to the second power converter as obvious combined in claim 9) and a second set of at least one winding connected to the output connections of the set-up circuit (Fig. 1, one of the secondary winding of 118 would connected to the rectifier circuit as obvious combined in claim 9), the first set and second set of the at least one winding being configured to set up at least one voltage received on the input connections of the set-up circuit (Fig. 1, the coupling between the two secondary winding and the primary winding of the transformer 118 setup the at least one voltage received on the input connections of the set-up circuit).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kapat, Macele, Mazumder and Marushima in view of Vinot et al., US Patent 20190081478; hereinafter “Vinot”.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Kapat, Macele, Mazumder and Marushima discloses the power storage device of claim 8 above, the combination of Kapat, Macele, Mazumder and Marushima does not disclose transformer comprises a tap changer configured to modify the value of a tension in the secondary circuit of the said transformer. Vinot discloses an electrical network having a transformer comprises a tap changer configured to modify the value of a tension in the secondary circuit of the said transformer [0208]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Kapat, Macele, Mazumder and Marushima to incorporate the teaching of Vinot and use tap changing transformer to have wherein
Conclusion
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/THAI H TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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