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 .
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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 11 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 11 and 17 recite limitation “:” in line 2 should be “;”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 4, 6, 9, 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Woodbury et al. (Pub NO. US 2011/0131793 A1; hereinafter Woodbury).
Regarding Claim 1, Woodbury teaches a power distribution network (power distribution network 10 in Fig. 6-Fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0037]) comprising:
a power source (power comes from wires of source in fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0003]-[0004]):
a main power line receiving power from the power source (See Fig. 6 and Fig. below; [0003]-[0004]);
a plurality of switchgear disposed along and electrically coupled to the main power line (See plurality of switchgears 16, 60 in fig. 6; 24, 82 in Fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0037]),
each switchgear including at least one current interrupting (16 in Fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0030]) device for interrupting current on the main power line (See [0030]-[0037]),
at least one current sensor (60 in Fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0030]) for measuring current on the main power line (current sensed are drawn from main power line in Fig. below; See [0030]-[0037]), and
a switchgear controller (controller 24 with 82 in Fig. 7 and Fig. below) responsive to current measurement signals from the at least one current sensor (See [0034]-[0037]); and
a communications link (84, 23 in fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0032]) providing communications between the switchgear controllers in the plurality of switchgear (See [0032]),
wherein the at least one current sensor in the plurality of switchgear detects traveling waves as a result of a fault on the main power line (See [0033]) and
the switchgear controllers broadcast messages on the communications link identifying whether the switchgear controller receives positive polarity or negative polarity traveling waves that identify whether the fault is downstream or upstream of the switchgear (downstream is load in Fig. 6; See [0030]-[0037]) so as to determine which current interrupting device will be opened to clear the fault (See [0033]-[0037]).
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Regarding Claim 4, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1 wherein the main power line is a three-phase power line (See [0024]) and each switchgear includes at least one current interrupting device for each phase (See [0024]) and a current sensor for each current interrupting device, and wherein the at least one current interrupting device to be opened to clear the fault depends on which phase is affected by the fault (See [0030]-[0037]).
Regarding Claim 6, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of lateral lines tapped off of the main power line in each switchgear (See plurality of lateral line with plurality of 16 to tape off main power line in fig. 6),
each switchgear further including a current interrupting device or a fuse and a current sensor for each lateral line (each lateral line includes current interrupting device 16 and current sensor 60 in fig. 6),
the current sensor for each lateral line detecting traveling waves from a fault on the lateral line (See [0030]-[0037]),
wherein the switchgear controller opens the current interrupting device or allows the fuse to operate on the lateral line if it detects a traveling wave on that lateral line so that other current interrupting devices in the network don't open (current interrupting device 16 is opened when fault detected by controller 24 in fig. 7; See [0030]-[0037]).
Regarding Claim 9, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1, wherein the current sensors are current transformers (See [0005]).
Regarding Claim 11, Woodbury teaches an underground power distribution network (power distribution network 10 in Fig. 6-Fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0037]) comprising:
a power source (power comes from wires of source in fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0003]-[0004]):
a three-phase feeder receiving power from the power source (See 3ɸ feeder in Fig. 1; See [0003]-[0004]);
a plurality of switchgear disposed along and electrically coupled to the feeder (plurality of switchgear 16’s are coupled to feeder in Fig. 1; See [0003]-[0004]),
each switchgear including at least one current interrupting device for each phase for interrupting current on the feeder (each switchgear 16’s are current interrupting device in fig. 1; See [0003]-[0004]),
a current sensor for each current interrupting device for measuring current on the feeder (60 in Fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0030]) for measuring current on the main power line (See [0030]-[0037]), and
a switchgear controller (controller 24 with 82 in Fig. 7 and Fig. below) responsive to current measurement signals from the current sensors in the switchgear (See [0034]-[0037]); and
a communications link (84, 23 in fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0032]) providing communications between the switchgear controllers in the plurality of switchgear (See [0032]),
wherein the current sensors in the plurality of switchgear detect traveling waves as a result of a fault on the feeder and the switchgear controllers broadcast messages on the communications link (controller 24 broadcasts messages through 84, 23 and DATA CHANNEL in Fig. 7; See [0030]-[0037]) identifying whether the switchgear controller receives positive polarity or negative polarity traveling waves that identify whether the fault is downstream or upstream of the switchgear so as to determine which current interrupting device will be opened to clear the fault (See [0033]-[0037]).
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Regarding Claim 15, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 11 further comprising a plurality of lateral lines tapped off of the feeder in each switchgear (See plurality of lateral line with plurality of 16 to tape off main power line in fig. 6),
each switchgear further including a current interrupting device or a fuse and a current sensor for each lateral line (each lateral line includes current interrupting device 16 and current sensor 60 in fig. 6),
the current sensor for each lateral line detecting traveling waves from a fault on the lateral line (See [0030]-[0037]),
wherein the switchgear controller opens the current interrupting device or allows the fuse to operate on the lateral line if it detects a traveling wave on that lateral line so that other current interrupting devices in the network don't open (current interrupting device 16 is opened when fault detected by controller 24 in fig. 7; See [0030]-[0037]).
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) 2-3, 5, 12-14 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woodbury in view of Dent et al. (Patent NO. US 9,785,213 B2; hereinafter Den).
Regarding Claim 2, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1 further comprising, wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages identifying when the at least one current sensor detects a traveling wave and its polarity (switchgear controller 24 provides message via DATA CHANNEL in fig. 7), switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (See [0030]-[0037]).
Woodbury is silent about a central controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller; the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers.
Den teaches a central controller (central controller 201 in fig. 1), switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1); the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using a central controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller; the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 3, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1 wherein, and wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages (switchgear controller 24 provides message via DATA CHANNEL in fig. 7) identifying when the at least one current sensor detects a traveling wave and its polarity (See [0030]-[0037]), switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (See [0030]-[0037]).
Woodbury is silent about one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller; the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers.
Den teaches one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller (master controller 201 in fig. 1), switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1); the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller; the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 5, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 4. Woodbury is silent about wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase.
Den teaches wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device (See Col. 7, Lines 50-55) and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase (See Col. 21, Lines 15-25).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 12, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 11 further comprising, wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages identifying when the at least one current sensor detects a traveling wave and its polarity (switchgear controller 24 provides message via DATA CHANNEL in fig. 7), switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (See [0030]-[0037]).
Woodbury is silent about a central controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller; the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers.
Den teaches a central controller (central controller 201 in fig. 1), switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1); the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using a central controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller; the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 13, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 11 wherein, and wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages (switchgear controller 24 provides message via DATA CHANNEL in fig. 7) identifying when the at least one current sensor detects a traveling wave and its polarity (See [0030]-[0037]), switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (See [0030]-[0037]).
Woodbury is silent about one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller; the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers.
Den teaches one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller (master controller 201 in fig. 1), switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1); the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller, switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller; the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 14, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 11. Woodbury is silent about wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase.
Den teaches wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device (See Col. 7, Lines 50-55) and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase (See Col. 21, Lines 15-25).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
Regarding Claim 17, Woodbury teaches an underground power distribution network (power distribution network 10 in Fig. 6-Fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0037]) comprising:
a power source (power comes from wires of source in fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0003]-[0004]):
a three-phase feeder receiving power from the power source (See 3ɸ feeder in Fig. 1; See [0003]-[0004]);
a plurality of switchgear disposed along and electrically coupled to the feeder (plurality of switchgear 16’s are coupled to feeder in Fig. 1; See [0003]-[0004]);
a plurality of lateral lines tapped off of the feeder in each switchgear (See plurality of lateral line with plurality of 16 to tape off main power line in fig. 6),
a current interrupting device or a fuse for each lateral line (each lateral line includes current interrupting device 16 and current sensor 60 in fig. 6),
a current sensor (60 in Fig. 6 and Fig. below; See [0030]) for each current interrupting device or fuse for measuring current on the feeder and the lateral lines (See [0030]-[0037]), and
a switchgear controller (controller 24 with 82 in Fig. 7 and Fig. below) responsive to current measurement signals from the current sensors in the switchgear (See [0034]-[0037]); and
a communications link (84, 23 in fig. 7 and Fig. below; See [0032]) providing communications between the switchgear controllers in the plurality of switchgear (See [0032]),
wherein the current sensors in the plurality of switchgear detect traveling waves as a result of a fault on the feeder or a lateral line and the switchgear controllers broadcast messages on the communications link (controller 24 broadcasts messages through 84, 23 and DATA CHANNEL in Fig. 7; See [0030]-[0037]) identifying whether the switchgear controller receives positive polarity or negative polarity traveling waves that identify whether the fault is downstream or upstream of the switchgear so as to determine which current interrupting device will be opened to clear the fault (See [0033]-[0037]), and
wherein the switchgear controller opens the current interrupting device or allows the fuse to operate on the lateral line if it detects a traveling wave on that lateral line so that other current interrupting devices in the network don't open (current interrupting device 16 is opened when fault detected by controller 24 in fig. 7; See [0030]-[0037]).
Woodbury is silent about each switchgear including an upstream current interrupting device, a downstream current interrupting device for each phase for interrupting current on the feeder.
Den teaches wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device (See Col. 7, Lines 50-55) and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase (See Col. 21, Lines 15-25).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using wherein each switchgear includes an upstream current interrupting device and a downstream current interrupting device for each phase, as taught by Den in order to provide power efficiently (Den; abstract).
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Regarding Claim 18, Woodbury in view of Den teaches the network according to claim 17. Den further teaches further comprising a central controller (central controller 201 in fig. 1), wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages to the central controller identifying when the current sensors detect a traveling wave and its polarity (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1), the central controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Regarding Claim 19, Woodbury in view of Den teaches the network according to claim 17. Den further teaches wherein one of the switchgear controllers is a master controller (master controller 201 in fig. 1), and wherein the switchgear controllers provide messages to the master controller identifying when the current sensors detect a traveling wave and its polarity (switchgear T2 provides messages to 201 in Fig. 1), the master controller instructing one of the switchgear controllers to open at least one of the current interrupting devices based on when the traveling waves are detected and their polarity (201 instructs T2 in Fig. 1; See Col. 13, Line 30 through Col. 14 line 5).
Claim(s) 7-8, 10, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woodbury in view of Boucher et al. (Patent NO. US 2024/0416779 A1; hereinafter Boucher).
Regarding Claim 7, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1. Woodbury is silent about wherein the network is an underground power distribution network.
Boucher teaches wherein the network is an underground power distribution network (See [0004], [0078]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using wherein the network is an underground power distribution network, as taught by Boucher in order to achieve better control of distribution system (Boucher; [0004]).
Regarding Claim 8, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1. Woodbury is silent about wherein the communications link is a fiber optics link.
Boucher teaches wherein the network is an underground power distribution network (See [0090]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using wherein the network is an underground power distribution network, as taught by Boucher in order to achieve better control of distribution system (Boucher; [0004]).
Regarding Claim 10, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 1. Woodbury is silent about wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear.
Boucher teaches wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (more than three switchgears 324A to 324N in fig. 3; See [0044]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (Boucher; [0004]).
Regarding Claim 16, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 11. Woodbury is silent about wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear.
Boucher teaches wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (more than three switchgears 324A to 324N in fig. 3; See [0044]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (Boucher; [0004]).
Regarding Claim 20, Woodbury teaches the network according to claim 17. Woodbury is silent about wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear.
Boucher teaches wherein the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (more than three switchgears 324A to 324N in fig. 3; See [0044]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Woodbury by using the plurality of switchgear is more than three switchgear (Boucher; [0004]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zakershobeiri et al. (Patent NO. US 12,272,931 B1) discloses Modular Electrical Panel.
MIYAMOTO et al. (Pub NO. US 2023/0275405 A1) discloses Switching System.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZANNATUL FERDOUS whose telephone number is (571)270-0399. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm (PST).
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/ZANNATUL FERDOUS/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858