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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 June 29, 2026 has been entered.
Accordingly claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 12 and 16 have been amended. No claims have been cancelled. No new claims have been added. Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from consideration. Therefore, claims 1-17 remains pending in this application. It also includes remarks and arguments.
Specification
The disclosure objection (s) is withdrawn based on the amendment and remarks filed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-7 and 16 rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention has been withdrawn based on the amendment and remarks filed.
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.
Claims 1-10 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Farkas et al. (US 2005/0071092).
Regarding claim 1, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2, 3 and 4] discloses a device [see power system 100 in Fig. 1 corresponding to the device] comprising:
a control circuit [see load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit, see 0021-0022] configured to:
receive, from a first power circuit of a plurality of power circuits, an indication that the first power circuit has detected that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state [such that Fig. 3 includes power system components 310 connected to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit). The power system components 310 may include the components of the power system 100 shown in Fig. 1, such as the transfer switch 120, the UPS’s 130a-d, the PDUs 140-f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. The system components 310 may include sensors 312 for measuring the load demand on the power system components 310, e.g. the sensor data 314. The sensors 312 may include conventional power measurements, such as current and/or voltage measuring circuit such that the load manager 160 receives measurement data by one or more of the sensors 312 included in the one or more power system components 312, see 0031. The load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit receives sensor data 314 via sensors 312 from one or more of the power system components 310 need to be balanced based on the indication of failure whereby the one or more power system components 310 cannot meet the load demand or that insufficient power provided within the respective power system component 312 has developed, see 0021 and 0032. This failure of one or more power system components 310 or insufficient power produced by the one or more power system components 310 results in a low efficiency state of the power system components 310 due operating below its desired efficiency, see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034. The power system components 310 of the power system 100, including utility grid 110, auxiliary batteries 114, generators, UPS130a-130d, PDU 140a-140f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. all corresponds to the plurality of power circuits which includes a first and second power circuit, see 0017-0019, 0021, and 0031. The indication of failure or insufficient power produced within one or more power system components 310 via sensors 312 corresponds to an indication that the first power circuit detect its own a low efficiency state and sends indication of the low efficiency state via sensor data 314 to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit) to the , see 0031-0032 and 0041]; and
redistribute, in response to the indication, at least a portion of a load of the first power circuit to a second power circuit of the plurality of power circuits [such that if the primary power source, for example power utility grid 110 within the power system 100 fails or sufficient power is not being provided by the primary source, the transfer switch 120 supplies power to the remaining power system components from the alternative energy source(s), such as generators 112 and/or batteries 114, UPS’s 130a-130d, PDU’s 140a-140f, circuits 1-4, and the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, so in other words if one of the redundant power system components 310 fails or lacks sufficient power for the respective load demands, the other power system components 310 can support the entire load (s) demand (s) by either reducing its loading or increasing its loading by either increasing or reducing current draw from the respective power system components 310, or switching power sources within the power system to support the entire load demand of the respective load(s), see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032, 0039 and Fig. 2A and Fig. 4 The switching power sources or power system components 310 based on the load demand and failure of the power system components corresponds to the redistributing, in response to the indication, at least a portion of the first power circuit to a second power circuit of the plurality of power circuits, see 0020-0022 and 0024-0032, and 0039 and Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 2, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 1, wherein: the indication is in response to detecting the total current output exceeding an upper load threshold [such that the thresholds may be associated with a maximum capacity of the power system component 310 such as a maximum power output, maximum load current, etc. The thresholds and other data needed to perform load balancing may be stored in the load balance repository 320 in Fig. 3. For example, the load balance repository 320 stored data identifying the connection of a power system component 310 to other power system components 310. Further, the load balance repository 320 may store the sensor data 314 periodically received by the load manager 160, see 0037 and 0044]; and the control circuit [see load manager 160] is configured to redistribute at least the portion of the total current output of the first power circuit by: selecting the second power circuit based on matching voltage rails [e.g. channel outputs of the respective PDS that distribute power to the respective loads] with the first power circuit [see 0017, 0020-0022,0024-0032, 0039 and Fig. 4]; enabling the second power circuit [such as switching the source of power to redundant power system component that supplies power to the respective load when the primary source of power or circuit has failed or insufficient power is provided by the primary source of power. Switching from one power source or circuit to an alternate power source or circuit corresponds to enabling the second power circuit, see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032, and 0039]; and switching at least the portion of the total current output from of the first power circuit to the second power circuit [such if the primary power source, for example power utility grid 110 within the power system 100 fails or sufficient power is not being provided by the primary source, the transfer switch 120 supplies power to the power system from the alternative energy source(s), such as generators 112 and/or batteries 114, so in other words if one of the redundant power system components fails or lacks sufficient power for the respective load, the other power system components can support the entire load (s) demand (s) by either reducing its loading or increasing its loading by either increasing or reducing current draw from the power system components, or switching power sources within the power system to support the entire load demand of the respective load(s), see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032, 0039, 0042-0044 and Fig. 2A and Fig. 4. This corresponds to switching at least the portion of the load of the first power circuit to the second power circuit].
Regarding claim 3, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device
of claim 2, wherein the control circuit [see load manager 60 in Fig. 1] is further configured to select the second power circuit from disabled power circuits of the plurality of power circuits [such that the redundant power component or circuit in the power system is not connected to the respective load until the load manager switches the power source from the primary power source to the alternative power source via either the transfer switch or PUTS 340. After the switching, the redundant power component or circuit is used to provide to the respective load when the primary power source has failed or provides lack of sufficient power to the respective load, and see 0021-0025, 0030,0038-0039 and 0042-0044].
Regarding claim 4, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2, 4 and 7] discloses the device of claim 2, wherein the first power circuit corresponds to an always-on power circuit configured to communicate via network interface with the control circuit [see such that power may be drawn from the power utility grid 100 as needed, for example, if the alternative energy sources cannot meet the load demand. Therefore, the first power circuit which includes alternative energy sources corresponds to an always-on power circuit configured to communicate via network interface [see 724 in Fig. 7] with the load manager 160 in Fig. 1 [see 0017, 0031-0034, 0039 and 0052].
Regarding claim 5, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 2, wherein the upper load threshold is dynamically determined [see 0034 and 0037].
Regarding claim 6, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 2, wherein the upper load threshold is predetermined [see 0034 and 0037].
Regarding claim 7, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 1, wherein: the indication is in response to a current output of the first power circuit falling below a current threshold [see 0031, 0037 and 0043]; and the control circuit [see load manager 60 in Fig. 1] is configured to redistribute at least the portion of the total current output of the first power circuit by: switching the load via transfer switch 120 in Fig. 1 or PUTS 340 switch in Fig. 4 of the first power circuit to the second power circuit [such if the primary power source, for example power utility grid 110 within the power system 100 fails or sufficient power is not being provided by the primary source, the transfer switch 120 supplies power to the power system from the alternative energy source(s), such as generators 112 and/or batteries 114, so in other words if one of the redundant power system components fails or lacks sufficient power for the respective load, the other power system components can support the entire load (s) demand (s) by either reducing its loading or increasing its loading by either increasing or reducing current draw from the power system components, or switching power sources within the power system to support the entire load demand of the respective load(s), see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032, 0039, 0042-0044 and Fig. 2A and Fig. 4. This corresponds to the control circuit is configured to redistribute at least the portion of the load of the first power circuit by switching the total current output of the first power circuit to the second power circuit, and disabling the first power circuit].
Regarding claim 8, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses a system [see power system 100 in Fig. 1 corresponding to system] comprising:
a plurality of power circuits configured to supply to supply power to a load based on a total current output of the plurality of power circuits, wherein at least a first power circuit of the plurality of power circuits has a current sensor is coupled to the load [such that power system components 310 of the power system 100, includes utility grid 110, auxiliary batteries 114, generators, UPS130a-130d, PDU 140a-140f, and sensors 312 in Fig. 3 all of which corresponds to the plurality of power circuits is coupled to the respective computing systems 150a-150i which are loads in the power system 100, see 0017-0019. Further, the power system components 310 corresponding to the plurality of power circuits includes sensors 312 for current and/or voltage measuring circuits, see 0031] and is configured to: detect with the current sensor of the first power circuit, that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state; and send, in response to the detection, an indication that the first power circuit is in the low efficiency state [such that Fig. 3 includes power system components 310 connected to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit). The power system components 310 corresponding to the plurality of power circuit including a first power circuit may include the components of the power system 100 shown in Fig. 1, such as the transfer switch 120, the UPS’s 130a-d, the PDUs 140-f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. The system components 310 may include sensors 312 for measuring the load demand on the power system components 310, e.g. the sensor data 314. The sensors 312 may include conventional power measurements, such as current and/or voltage measuring circuit such that the load manager 160 receives measurement data by one or more of the sensors 312 included in the one or more power system components 312, see 0031. The load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit receives sensor data 314 via sensors 312 from one or more of the power system components 310 need to be balanced based on the indication of failure whereby the one or more power system components 310 cannot meet the load demand or that insufficient power provided within the respective power system component 312 has developed, see 0021 and 0032. This failure of one or more power system components 310 or insufficient power produced by the one or more power system components 310 results in a low efficiency state of the power system components 310 due operating below its desired efficiency, see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034. The power system components 310 of the power system 100, including utility grid 110, auxiliary batteries 114, generators, UPS130a-130d, PDU 140a-140f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. all corresponds to the plurality of power circuits which includes a first and second power circuit, see 0017-0019, 0021, and 0031. The indication of failure or insufficient power produced within one or more power system components 310 via sensors 312 corresponds to an indication that the first power circuit detect its own a low efficiency state and sends indication of the low efficiency state via sensor data 314 to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit) to the , see 0031-0034 and 0041]; and
a control circuit [see load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit, see 0021-0022] configured to: receive, from the first power circuit of a plurality of power circuits, an indication that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state; select, based on the indication, a second power circuit of the plurality of power circuits; and switch at least a portion of the load coupled to the first power circuit to the second power circuit [such that the load manager 160 receives measurement data by one or more of the sensors 312 in Fig. 3 within the power system 100. The measurement data includes the load demand on the power system components, such as current and/or voltage. The load manager 160 determines from the sensor data whether the load demands on one or more of the power system components need to be balanced based on the indication of failure or insufficient power provided within the respective power system component, see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034. Further, if the primary power source, for example power utility grid 110 within the power system 100 fails or sufficient power is not being provided by the primary source, the transfer switch 120 supplies power to the power system from the alternative energy source(s), such as generators 112 and/or batteries 114, so in other words if one of the redundant power system components fails or lacks sufficient power for the respective load, the other power system components can support the entire load (s) demand (s) by either reducing its loading or increasing its loading by either increasing or reducing current draw from the power system components, or switching power sources within the power system to support the entire load demand of the respective load(s). These two load sharing techniques are performed by the load manager 160 in Fig. 1 to select or switch one or more redundant power components to support the load demand, see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0034 and 0039 and Fig. 2A and Fig. 4. This corresponds to select, based on the indication, a second power circuit of the plurality of power circuits, and switch at least a portion of the total current output from the first power circuit to the second power circuit, see 0022, 0024 and 0039 in Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 9, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the control circuit [see load manager 60 in Fig. 1] is configured to select the second power circuit based on matching voltage rails [e.g. channel outputs of the respective PDS that distribute power to the respective loads] of the first and second power circuits [such that the load manager 160 in Fig. 1 may perform two load sharing techniques which selects or switch one or more redundant power components to support the load demand, see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032 and Fig. 2A, see 0022 and 0024].
Regarding claim 10, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the system of claim 8, further comprising at least one switch [see transfer switch 120 in Fig. 1 and/or load transfer switch PUTS 340 in Fig. 4] for switching the load between the first and second power circuits [see 0017 and 0038-0039].
Regarding claim 12, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the first power circuit is configured to send the indication in response to detecting a current output of the first power circuit exceeding an upper load threshold [such that the load manager 160 receives measurement data by one or more of the sensors 312 in Fig. 3 within the power system 100. The measurement data includes the load demand on the power system components, such as current and/or voltage. The load manager 160 determines from the sensor data whether the load demands on one or more of the power system components need to be balanced based on the indication of failure or insufficient power provided within the respective power system component, see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034. The power system components of the power system 100, includes utility grid 110, auxiliary batteries 114, generators, UPS130a-130d, PDU 140a-140f and sensors 312 in Fig. 3, see 0031-0034. Further, the load demand on the power system components may be associated a load exceeding an upper threshold, see 0037].
Regarding claim 13, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the system of claim 8, the system of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to: select the second power circuit from disabled power circuits of the plurality of power circuits; and enable the second power circuit [see load manager 60 in Fig. 1] is further configured to select the second power circuit from disabled power circuits of the plurality of power circuits [such that the redundant power component or circuit in the power system is not connected to the respective load until the load manager switches the power source from the primary power source to the alternative power source via either the transfer switch or PUTS 340. After the switching, the redundant power component or circuit is used to provide to the respective load when the primary power source has failed or provides lack of sufficient power to the respective load, and see 0021-0025, 0030,0038-0039 and 0042-0044].
Regarding claim 14, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 12, wherein the upper load threshold is dynamically determined [see 0034 and 0037].
Regarding claim 15, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 12, wherein the upper load threshold is predetermined [see 0034 and 0037].
Regarding claim 16, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 8, wherein: the first power circuit is configured to send the indication is in response to detecting that a current output of the first power circuit is below a current threshold; and the control circuit [see load manager 60 in Fig. 1 and 0021-0022] is configured to redistribute at least the portion of the load of the first circuit by: switching the current output via transfer switch 120 in Fig. 1 and/or PUTS 340 switch in Fig. 4 of the first power circuit to the second power circuit; and disabling the first power circuit [such if the primary power source, for example power utility grid 110 within the power system 100 fails or sufficient power is not being provided by the primary source, the transfer switch 120 supplies power to the power system from the alternative energy source(s), such as generators 112 and/or batteries 114, so in other words if one of the redundant power system components fails or lacks sufficient power for the respective load, the other power system components can support the entire load (s) demand (s) by either reducing its loading or increasing its loading by either increasing or reducing current draw from the power system components, or switching power sources within the power system to support the entire load demand of the respective load(s), see 0017, 0020-0022, 0024-0032, 0039, 0042-0044 and Fig. 2A and Fig. 4. This corresponds to the control circuit is further configured to switch the current output from the first power circuit to the second power circuit, and disabling the first power circuit].
Regarding claim 17, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the device of claim 16, wherein the current threshold is dynamically determined or predetermined [see 0034 and 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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farkas et al. (US 2005/0071092).
Regarding claim 11, Farkas et al. in [Figs. 1, 2A, 2 and 4] discloses the system of claim 10, except for wherein the at least one switch [transfer switch 120 in Fig. 1 and/or PUTS 340 switch in Fig. 4 of and 0038-0039] corresponds to a multiplexer.
However, it would have obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filling date of the invention to modify the switch as taught by Farkas et al. with an well-known multiplexer type switch in the prior art in order to provide a much faster digital control and system optimization that saves on cost, space and power.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s argues again that Farkas does not disclose “a control circuit configured to receive, from a first power circuit of the plurality of power circuits in response to the first power circuit detecting a low efficiency state, an indication that the first power circuit has detected that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state” with respect to claim 1. However, the examiner does not agree with the Applicants assessment. Further, Farkas discloses sensors 312 as shown in Fig. 3 included within the power system components 310 measures the load demand on the power system components 310 which implies that the power systems components 310 measures the power system components are in a low efficiency state based on the power measuring circuits of the sensors 312, such as current and/or voltage measuring circuits as disclosed in para. 0031. These measuring circuits are used to determined when the power systems components 310 are in a low efficiency state [see 0002, 0017,0031-0034, and 0049]. Furthermore, Farkas discloses that the load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit receives measurements data by one or more of the sensors 312 in Fig. 3 within the power system 100 , see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034 and 0049.
Applicants argues that Farkas does not disclose “at least a first power circuit of the plurality of power circuits is coupled to the load and is configured to detect, with the current sensor that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state, and a control circuit configured to receive from the first power circuit of the plurality of power circuits, the indication that the first power circuit is in a low efficiency state with respect to claim 8. However, the examiner does not agree with the Applicants assessment. Farkas discloses in Fig. 3 the power system components 310 connected to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit). The power system components 310 corresponding to the plurality of power circuit including a first power circuit may include the components of the power system 100 shown in Fig. 1, such as the transfer switch 120, the UPS’s 130a-d, the PDUs 140-f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. The system components 310 may include sensors 312 for measuring the load demand on the power system components 310, e.g. the sensor data 314. The sensors 312 may include conventional power measurements, such as current and/or voltage measuring circuit such that the load manager 160 receives measurement data by one or more of the sensors 312 included in the one or more power system components 312, see 0031. The load manager 160 corresponding to the control circuit receives sensor data 314 via sensors 312 from one or more of the power system components 310 need to be balanced based on the indication of failure whereby the one or more power system components 310 cannot meet the load demand or that insufficient power provided within the respective power system component 312 has developed, see 0021 and 0032. This failure of one or more power system components 310 or insufficient power produced by the one or more power system components 310 results in a low efficiency state of the power system components 310 due operating below its desired efficiency, see 0002, 0017, and 0031-0034. The power system components 310 of the power system 100, including utility grid 110, auxiliary batteries 114, generators, UPS130a-130d, PDU 140a-140f, the circuits 1-4, the computer systems (or the computer system power supplies) 150a-I, etc. all corresponds to the plurality of power circuits which includes a first and second power circuit, see 0017-0019, 0021, and 0031. The indication of failure or insufficient power produced within one or more power system components 310 via sensors 312 corresponds to an indication that the first power circuit detect its own a low efficiency state and sends indication of the low efficiency state via sensor data 314 to the load manager 160 (e.g. corresponding to the control circuit) to the , see 0031-0034 and 0041. Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRENCE RONIQUE WILLOUGHBY whose telephone number is (571)272-2725. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30pm.
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/TERRENCE R WILLOUGHBY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
7/23/26
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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