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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As seen in Figure 3 of Song, the SSSD 11 comprises a first solid state switch device S1 which blocks current in a positive direction when turned off and a second solid state switch device S2 that blocks negative current when turned off (paragraph 26). As shown in Figure 6 of Song, positive current is shown flow to the transformer at t1 to create the saturation until the switch is deactivate at t2. As such, a first set of gate signals, applied to S1 and S2, are applied to allow a positive current to flow from t1 to t2. As seen in Figure 6, at t3 a negative current is allowed to flow to the transformer. As such, a second set of gate signals, applied to S1 and S2, are applied to allow the negative current to flow.
Furthermore, Song teaches that the ECS 14 utilizes the inrush current to determine when saturation occurs. As recited in paragraph 46, “Based on inrush current(s), the ECS 14 can derive which phase of the transformer flux is in saturation”.
After further consideration, claims 18-21 are considered to contain allowable subject matter as discussed further below.
The previous rejection has been modified to address the amendments made.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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(s) 1, 5-11, and 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Song et al (2022/0247167).
In re Claim 1, Song teaches a method for reducing inrush current to energize a transformer (60) from a first power source (40) or a second power source (50) using a transfer switch (12), the transfer switch including a first switch (11 on top as seen in Figure 1) and a second switch (11 on bottom as seen in Figure 1) connecting the transformer to the first power source or the second power source, respectively, the method comprising: monitoring, by a controller (14), an input phase voltage at one of the first switch or the second switch energizing the transformer from the first power source or the second power source, respectively (paragraph 30); sending, by the controller and at each phase (paragraph 17 teaches the system as seen in Figure 1 can be a multiphase arrangement), a set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of a switching pair (Sm1 and Sm2 (paragraph 18) controlled via a set of gate signals (paragraph 23)) of the first switch or the second switch to couple the transformer to the first power source or the second power source, respectively, based on a polarity of the input phase voltage (paragraphs 43-44 teach that the gate signals needed to turn on the switching pair are determined based on whether a positive or negative angle of the input voltage is occurring); and operating, by the controller, the switching pair in a normal operating mode at a next cycle of the input phase voltage once a transformer flux reaches a saturation point (paragraph 46), the switching pair comprises a first SSSD (S1) and a second SSSD (S2) connected in reverse orientation to enable a bidirectional flow of phase current in each phase (Figure 3, paragraph 26), wherein sending the set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of the switching pair further comprises: applying, by the controller for each phase, a first set of gate signals to the first SSSD based on the polarity of the input phase voltage to enable the transformer flux to build in a first direction (from time t1 to t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), removing, by the controller, the first set of gate signals to turn off the first SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), and applying, by the controller, a second set of gate signals to turn on the second SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t3, paragraph 46, Figure 6).
In re Claim 5, Song teaches the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprises at least one of: silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (SiC MOSFETs) (paragraph 26), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) (paragraph 26), integrated gate-commutated thyristors (IGCTs) (paragraph 26), and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) (paragraph 22).
In re Claim 6, Song teaches the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprises a first SiC MOSFET and a second SiC MOSFET connected in an anti-series arrangement (paragraph 26, Figure 3).
In re Claim 7, Song teaches the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprises a first SCR and a second SCR (Sm1 and Sm2, paragraph 23) connected in an anti-parallel arrangement (as seen in Figure 2), wherein the method further comprises: cycling, by the controller, the first SSSD on/off for one or more cycles to enable the transformer flux to gradually ramp up in a first direction (paragraph 46).
In re Claim 8, Song teaches a resonant circuit (13), wherein the resonant circuit is connected in parallel to the first SSSD and the second SSSD, the resonant circuit being configured to inject a reverse current to enable the first SSSD and the second SSSD to commute to zero during a turn-off (paragraphs 18, 19, and 22).
In re Claim 9, Song teaches operating the switching pair in the normal operating mode further comprises: selectively controlling, by the controller, cycling operations of the first SSSD and the second SSSD for each cycle based on the polarity of the input phase voltage to enable the transformer flux to gradually ramp up to saturation (paragraphs 43-46).
In re Claim 10, Song teaches the saturation point comprises a sudden increase in source current (paragraph 46, as seen in 640 at time t1-t2 of Figure 6).
In re Claim 11, Song teaches a system as seen in Figure 1 comprising: a first power source (40); a second power source (50); a transformer (60); a transfer switch (12) comprising: a first switch (11 on the top), wherein the first switch connects the first power source to the transformer, and a second switch (11 on the bottom), wherein the second switch connects the second power source to the transformer; and a controller (14) comprising a processor, and a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform operations (paragraph 15) comprising: monitor an input phase voltage at one of the first switch or the second switch energizing the transformer from the first power source or the second power source, respectively (paragraph 30), send, at each phase (paragraph 17 teaches the system as seen in Figure 1 can be a multiphase arrangement), a set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of a switching pair (S1 and S2 (paragraph 26) controlled via a set of gate signals (paragraph 23)) of the first switch or the second switch to couple the transformer to the first power source or the second power source, respectively, based on a polarity of the input phase voltage (paragraphs 43-44 teach that the gate signals needed to turn on the switching pair are determined based on whether a positive or negative angle of the input voltage is occurring), and operate the switching pair in a normal operating mode at a next cycle of the input phase voltage once a transformer flux reaches a saturation point (paragraph 46), the switching pair comprising a first SSSD (S1), and a second SSSD (S2), wherein the first SSSD and the second SSSD of the switching pair is connected in a reverse orientation to enable a bi-directional flow of phase current at each phase (Figure 3, paragraph 26), wherein sending the set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of the switching pair further comprises: applying, for each phase, a first set of gate signals to the first SSSD based on the polarity of the input phase voltage to enable the transformer flux to build in a first direction (from time t1 to t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), removing the first set of gate signals to turn off the first SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), and applying a second set of gate signals to turn on the second SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t3, paragraph 46, Figure 6), wherein the saturation point comprises a sudden increase in source current (paragraph 46, as seen in 640 at time t1-t2 of Figure 6).
In re Claims 14 and 15, Song teaches the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprise a first SiC MOSFET and a second SiC MOSFET connected in an anti-series arrangement (paragraph 26, Figure 3).
In re Claim 16, Song teaches the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprise a first SCR and a second SCR (Sm1 and Sm2, paragraph 23) connected in an anti-parallel arrangement (as seen in Figure 2), and a resonant circuit (13), wherein the resonant circuit is connected in parallel to the first SSSD and the second SSSD, the resonant circuit being configured to inject a reverse current to enable the first SSSD and the second SSSD to commute to zero during a turn-off (paragraphs 18, 19, and 22).
In re Claim 17, Song teaches a transfer switch (12) as seen in Figure 1, comprising: a first switch (11 on top) connected to a first power source (40); a second switch (11 on bottom) connected to a second power source (50); and a controller (14) in electrical connection with the transfer switch device (paragraph 22) performs operations comprising: monitor an input phase voltage at one of the first switch or the second switch energizing the transformer from the first power source or the second power source, respectively (paragraph 30), send, at each phase (paragraph 17 teaches the system as seen in Figure 1 can be a multiphase arrangement), a set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of a switching pair (Sm1 and Sm2 (paragraph 18) controlled via a set of gate signals (paragraph 23)) of the first switch or the second switch to couple the transformer to the first power source or the second power source, respectively, based on a polarity of the input phase voltage (paragraphs 43-44 teach that the gate signals needed to turn on the switching pair are determined based on whether a positive or negative angle of the input voltage is occurring), and operate the switching pair in a normal operating mode at a next cycle of the input phase voltage once a transformer flux reaches a saturation point (paragraph 46), the switching pair comprising a first SSSD (Sm1), and a second SSSD (Sm2), wherein the first SSSD and the second SSSD of the switching pair is connected in a reverse orientation to enable a bi-directional flow of phase current at each phase (paragraph 26); wherein the first SSSD and the second SSSD comprise at least one of: silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (SiC MOSFETs) (paragraph 26), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) (paragraph 26), integrated gate-commutated thyristors (IGCTs) (paragraph 26), and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) (paragraph 22), and wherein sending the set of gate signals to selectively control cycling of the switching pair further comprises: applying, for each phase, a first set of gate signals to the first SSSD based on the polarity of the input phase voltage to enable the transformer flux to build in a first direction (from time t1 to t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), removing the first set of gate signals to turn off the first SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t2, paragraph 46, Figure 6), and applying a second set of gate signals to turn on the second SSSD in response to the transformer flux reaching the saturation point (at time t3, paragraph 46, Figure 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 13, and 18-21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In re Claims 4, 13, and 18, Song fails to teach that the second SSSD (S2 or Sm2) is turned on at the same instant as the first set of gate signals are removed from the first SSD (S1 or Sm1) to prevent the transformer flux from remaining at the saturation point.
Claims 19-21 are dependent on claim 18.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/CHRISTOPHER J CLARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838