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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 15 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.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 1 and 3 have periods. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966),
that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness
under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating
obviousness or no obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8-14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sant’Anselmo et al. (US 20170012464 A1.) in view of (NUSnews, “Using the ‘shadow-effect’ to generate electricity”, 21 May 2020), and further in view of More et al. (US 20130184884 A1).
As per claim 1, Sant’Anselmo et al teach
A method (abstract, para 384) for optimizing (reliably generate) energy production by a wind turbine (a wind turbine generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, Fig. 13, para 151-153, 156, 179) having solar panels, the method comprising:
obtaining a geographic location of the wind turbine (solar wind farm location, paras 880,881,919);
obtaining a weather forecast for the geographic location (obtain weather forecast, para 907, weather condition anticipated, para 853, 855, Fig 16, weather is based on geographic location);
calculating an estimated wind energy production for each of a plurality of configurations of the wind turbine based on the weather (weather condition affect the estimated % turbine energy generation {see Fig.116 last column}; “variable blade pitch” in para 789 teaches plural pitch/configuration. Variable blade pitch, which gives the turbine blades the optimum angle of attack. Allowing the angle of attack to be remotely adjusted gives greater control, so the turbine collects the maximum amount of wind energy for the time of day and season);
calculating an estimated solar energy production for each of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbine based on the weather forecast (Fig.116 the rest of the % is solar, the column shows wind turbine electricity generation);
identifying one of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbines based on a combination of the estimated wind energy production and the estimated solar energy production (Variable blade pitch, which gives the turbine blades the optimum angle of attack. Allowing the angle of attack to be remotely adjusted gives greater control, so the turbine collects the maximum amount of wind energy for the time of day and season, in para 789; optimum wind energy is related to optimum combined energy, Fig.14F. applying vertical height of the support structure and, para 890, Fig, 126A through 126J, configuration of horizontal wind turbine assembly, para 891, combining vertical and horizontal wind turbine assembly in a fixed position to support the assembly into shifting wind, para 892; increase the available light that is received by the photovoltaic cells covering the turbine blades…using a curved reflective surface positioned so that incoming light is reflected by the curved surface); and
reconfiguring the wind turbine into the one of the plurality of configurations (blade pitch is varied for optimum wind energy generation para 789, maximum wind energy is related to optimum combined energy Fig.14F, also see maximum energy generation for Solar Wind Farm, para 885. Using a curved reflective surface position of the wind turbine to reflect the incoming sunlight by the curved surface which will illuminate more of the backside of the turbine blades that are in the shadow area to produce more electricity per unit of time, para 840, a solar panel co-existing with wind turbine generator wind farms, Fig. 105, para 319),
Sant’Anselmo et al. do not teach shadow energy generator. Instead, they teach solar energy generator and also provide rotating a reflecting surface with solar generator to generate energy when the blades are in the shade, para 840.
However, in the same field of endeavor, NUSnews teaches of a device called shadow-effect energy generator (SEG) which uses the contrast in illumination between lit and shadowed areas to generate electricity. Sant’ Anselmo turn the blades to get out of the shade which need a presence of wind. Whereas using an SEG would produce energy using the illumination contrast caused by shadows and illuminated section that results in an electric current (para 3, NUSnews, “Using the “shadow -effect’ to generate electricity”).
It would have been obvious to a person ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of the prior art because an SEG provides an improved method to use sun and shade to generate energy.
Although Sant’Anselmo et al. and NUSnews both teach a method for energy generation from solar power and wind, they do not teach wherein the one of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbine is identified as a configuration with a largest sum of the estimated wind energy production and the estimated shadow energy generator energy production.
In the same field of endeavor, More et al. teach wherein the one of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbine is identified as a configuration with a largest sum of the energy production from wind and sun. More et al. teach a method of sum of wind and solar power combination for configuration parameter. More et al. teach using a master controller 941 to collect data or system input such as performance measurements, historical calculations, predicated data etc. from a number of different sources such as wind power generation sites, or solar predication software module. This data is used to produce output control signals and then feed into combined master controller, (para 69, More et al.). The controller 941 also can collect energy during a peak mode where the site will produce the maximum power available, para 80, More et al.).
It would have been obvious to a person ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of More et al. into the system taught by Sant’ Anselmo et al. and NUSnews. The inventions are analogous for maximizing energy generation using combination of wind energy and shadow/solar energy. By incorporating More et al.’s parameter configuration, the system can collect energy from wind and solar power at their peak moment (para 80, More et al.).
As per claim 2, the combination of Sant’Anselmo and NUSnews teach
The method of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine includes a plurality of blades (Sant’Anselmo et al. teach Para 561, Fig 53E, Fig. 53A through 53D, different perspectives of photovoltaic wind turbined blades, para 261) and wherein the shadow energy generator is disposed on at least a portion of each of the plurality of blades (Sant’Anselmo et al. teaches using a curved reflective surface position of the wind turbine to reflect the incoming sunlight by the curved surface which will illuminate more of the backside of the turbine blades that are in the shadow area to produce more electricity per unit of time, para 840, a solar panel co-existing with wind turbine generator wind farms, Fig. 105, para 319; NUSnews teaches the SEG as creating a SEG device called shadow -effect energy generator which use the contrast in illumination between lit and shadowed area to generate electricity.
As per claim 3, Sant’Anselmo teach, et al. teach
The method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbine includes a blade pitch for each of the plurality of blades (variable blade pitch, para 789).
As per claim 4, the combination of Sant’Anselmo et al. and NUSnews teach
The method of claim 1, wherein the wind turbine includes a tower (Sant’Anselmo et al., Fig. 13, para 177) and wherein the shadow energy generator is disposed on at least a portion of the tower, (Sant’Anselmo et al., para 840, teaches that the turbine blades include photovoltaic cells; NUSnews teaches the SEG as creating a SEG device called shadow -effect energy generator which use the contrast in illumination between lit and shadowed area to generate electricity.
As per claim 5, the combination of Sant’Anselmo et al. and NUSnews teach
The method of claim 1, wherein the shadow energy generator is a solar panel having a layer of one of gold, aluminum, tungsten, and copper disposed on a layer of silicon (using polysilicon to improve solar energy capture, para 72, using copper indium with silicon layer to reduce cost, para 92; Sant’ Anselmo et al., SEG cell created as thin film of gold deposited on a silicon wafer, NUSnews).
As per claim 6, Sant’Anselmo et al. teach
The method of claim 1, wherein the weather forecast includes a predicted wind direction (wind direction Fig. 16D, para 412, Fig. 16B incoming wind direction), a predicted wind velocity (system control and system sensors, para 471-472, wind speed velocity), and predicted amount of sunlight (amount of sunlight energy threshold, para 140).
As per claim 8, the combination of Sant’Anselmo et al. and NUSnews teach
The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated shadow energy generator energy production for each of the plurality of configurations of the wind turbine is further based on the geographic location (solar wind farm location, (Sant’Anselmo et al., paras 880,881,919) and a date and time (Sant’Anselmo et al., the microprocessor software will manage time, day, date, para 397,electricity generated 24 hours a day, the embodiment will generate electricity 24 hours a day, seven days per week, Fig. 14C, para 389) corresponding to the weather forecast (Sant’Anselmo et al., weather conditions, weather data including sun, Fig. 110. Para 833, variable weather condition, Fig. 115). NUSnews teaches the SEG as creating a SEG device called shadow -effect energy generator which use the contrast in illumination between lit and shadowed area to generate electricity.
As per claim 9,
Claim 9 has the same limitations as claim 1. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 10,
Claim 10 has the same limitations as claim 2. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 11,
Claim 11 has the same limitations as claim 3. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 12,
Claim 12 has the same limitations as claim 4. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 13,
Claim 13 has the same limitations as claim 5. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 14,
Claim 14 has the same limitations as claim 6. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 16,
Claim 16 has the same limitations as claim 8. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 17,
Claim 17 has the same limitations as claim 1 and claim 9. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 18,
Claim 18 has the same limitations as claims 2 and 10. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 19,
Claim 19 has the same limitations as claims 3 and 11. Please refer to the analysis above.
As per claim 20,
Claim 20 has the same limitations as claims 4 and 12. Please refer to the analysis above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Please refer to the form PTO-892 Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rokeya Alam whose telephone number is (571)-272-0083. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30am - 4:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. Scott Baderman can be reached at telephone number (571-272-3644). The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/ROKEYA SHAWALI ALAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2118
/SCOTT T BADERMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2118