DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the preliminary amendment filed 12/14/2023.
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 .
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-2, 4-5, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
Claims 3, 6-7, 15, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Claims 8-9, 13-14, 16, and 18-19 are objected to for depending from a rejected base claim.
Claim Objections
Claims 11-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 4 of claim 11, “and comprising” should read “comprising”. Claims 12-20 are objected to due to their dependencies.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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 1-2, 4-5, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by RILEY (US 2006/0085346 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, RILEY teaches a method comprising:
obtaining, by a primary node (¶ 21, 23, Fig. 1: data concentrator 21 is a primary node), characteristic data, wherein the characteristic data comprises first characteristic data between two secondary nodes (¶ 30-31: The data concentrator designates a secondary node as a proxy. The proxy sends messages to determine another node it is connected to. After discovering the other node, a message including characteristic data regarding the route between the two secondary nodes is sent back to the data concentrator.)
that have a direct connection relationship (Fig. 2: node 30 is directly connected to node 36 via route B) in a plurality of secondary nodes in a low-voltage transformer area, (¶ 19, Fig. 1: A low voltage transformer area includes a plurality of secondary nodes 15 and 16 receiving power from transformers 10 and 12. The nodes are directly connected via lines 13 and 14.)
and wherein the characteristic data comprises at least one of delay data or channel quality data; and (¶ 31, 38: The characteristic data includes channel quality data, such as the signal strength between the two secondary nodes.)
identifying, by the primary node, a topology of the low-voltage transformer area based on the characteristic data, (¶ 23, 27, 31: In a discovery mode, based on the characteristic data, including a number of hops and the signal strength between the nodes, the topology of the low-voltage transformer area is determined.)
wherein the delay data is a first delay for transmitting information on a power line between the two secondary nodes, and (Since the characteristic data only requires at least one of delay data or channel quality data, this wherein clause does not have to be taught by the reference if the other wherein clause (see below) is taught by the reference.)
wherein the channel quality data comprises quality of a power line channel between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 18-19, 31, 33, 38: The messages between the nodes are transmitted over a power line channel by modulating a carrier signal. The characteristic data that is appended to the messages is a route quality.)
Regarding Claim 2, RILEY further teaches wherein the characteristic data further comprises second characteristic data between the primary node and a secondary node that is in the low-voltage transformer area and that has a direct connection relationship with the primary node, (¶ 51: Characteristic data is included in messages between the secondary nodes (meter nodes) of the low voltage area and the primary node (data concentrator). The characteristic data includes a route quality. See Fig. 2 and ¶ 30: For example, secondary node 30 is directly connected to data concentrator via route A.)
and wherein obtaining the characteristic data comprises: sending, by the primary node, indication information to a first secondary node, wherein the indication information indicates to the first secondary node to report the characteristic data; and (¶ 29-30: The data concentrator sends the message with the indication information for reporting characteristic data, such as the indication information discussed in ¶ 44-48.)
receiving, by the primary node and from the first secondary node, the first characteristic data and the second characteristic data. (¶ 30-31, 51, Fig. 2, 4B-4C: The primary node receives the characteristic data of the quality of the route between the first secondary node (meter 30) and another secondary node (meter 36), i.e. the first characteristic data, and receives an indication of the route quality between the first secondary node and itself, i.e. the second characteristic data.)
Regarding Claim 4, RILEY teaches an apparatus of a first secondary node comprises: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: (¶ 18, Fig 1, 2: Meter nodes are secondary nodes comprising processors and memory for performing instructions. A first secondary node, such as the meter node 30, is illustrated in Fig. 2.)
receive indication information from a primary node; and (¶ 29-30: A data concentrator is a primary node that sends out a message requesting a response. A first secondary node receives the message and acts as a proxy.)
report characteristic data in response to the indication information, (¶ 31: The first secondary node reports characteristic data, namely channel quality information such as signal strength, back to the primary mode.)
wherein the characteristic data comprises first characteristic data between two secondary nodes that have a direct connection relationship in a plurality of secondary nodes in a low-voltage transformer area, (¶ 19, Fig. 1: A low voltage transformer area includes a plurality of secondary nodes 15 and 16 receiving power from transformers 10 and 12. The nodes are directly connected via lines 13 and 14.)
wherein the characteristic data identifies a topology of the low-voltage transformer area (¶ 23, 27, 31: In a discovery mode, based on the characteristic data, including a number of hops and the signal strength between the nodes, the topology of the low-voltage transformer area is determined.)
and comprises at least one of delay data or channel quality data, (¶ 31, 38: The characteristic data includes channel quality data, such as the signal strength between the two secondary nodes.)
wherein the delay data is a first delay for transmitting information on a power line between the two secondary nodes, and (Since the characteristic data only requires at least one of delay data or channel quality data, this wherein clause does not have to be taught by the reference if the other wherein clause (see below) is taught by the reference.)
wherein the channel quality data comprises quality of a power line channel between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 18-19, 31, 33, 38: The messages between the nodes are transmitted over a power line channel by modulating a carrier signal. The characteristic data that is appended to the messages is a route quality.)
Regarding Claim 5, RILEY further teaches wherein the characteristic data further comprises second characteristic data between the primary node and a secondary node that is in the low-voltage transformer area and that has a direct connection relationship with the primary node. (¶ 51: Characteristic data is included in messages between the secondary nodes (meter nodes) of the low voltage area and the primary node (data concentrator). The characteristic data includes a route quality. See Fig. 2 and ¶ 30: For example, secondary node 30 is directly connected to data concentrator via route A.)
Regarding Claim 10, RILEY further teaches wherein the channel quality data further comprises quality of a radio channel between the two secondary nodes that have a direct connection relationship in the low-voltage transformer area. (¶ 3, 18, 33, 31, 38: The signals transmitted over the powerline are modulated radio signals, so the quality of the route between the two secondary nodes would be a quality of a radio channel.)
Regarding Claim 11, RILEY teaches an apparatus of a primary node [[and]] comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store computer instructions that, the one or more processors cause the apparatus to: (Fig. 1, 2 data concentrator 35, ¶ 21-22: A data concentrator is a primary node comprising a processor and memory for performing instructions.)
obtain characteristic data, wherein the characteristic data comprises first characteristic data between two secondary nodes (¶ 30-31: The data concentrator designates a secondary node as a proxy. The proxy sends messages to determine another node it is connected to. After discovering the other node, a message including characteristic data regarding the route between the two secondary nodes is sent back to the data concentrator.)
that have a direct connection relationship (Fig. 2: node 30 is directly connected to node 36 via route B) in a plurality of secondary nodes in a low-voltage transformer area, (¶ 19, Fig. 1: A low voltage transformer area includes a plurality of secondary nodes 15 and 16 receiving power from transformers 10 and 12. The nodes are directly connected via lines 13 and 14.)
and wherein the characteristic data comprises at least one of delay data or channel quality data; and (¶ 31, 38: The characteristic data includes channel quality data, such as the signal strength between the two secondary nodes.)
identify a topology of the low-voltage transformer area based on the characteristic data, (¶ 23, 27, 31: In a discovery mode, based on the characteristic data, including a number of hops and the signal strength between the nodes, the topology of the low-voltage transformer area is determined.)
wherein the delay data is a first delay for transmitting information on a power line between the two secondary nodes, and (Since the characteristic data only requires at least one of delay data or channel quality data, this wherein clause does not have to be taught by the reference if the other wherein clause (see below) is taught by the reference.)
wherein the channel quality data comprises quality of a power line channel between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 18-19, 31, 33, 38: The messages between the nodes are transmitted over a power line channel by modulating a carrier signal. The characteristic data that is appended to the messages is a route quality.)
Regarding Claim 12, RILEY further teaches wherein the characteristic data further comprises second characteristic data between the primary node and a secondary node that is in the low-voltage transformer area and that has a direct connection relationship with the primary node, and wherein obtaining the characteristic data comprises: (¶ 51: Characteristic data is included in messages between the secondary nodes (meter nodes) of the low voltage area and the primary node (data concentrator). The characteristic data includes a route quality. See Fig. 2 and ¶ 30: For example, secondary node 30 is directly connected to data concentrator via route A.)
sending indication information to a first secondary node; (¶ 29-30: The data concentrator sends the message with the indication information for reporting characteristic data, such as the indication information discussed in ¶ 44-48.)
receiving the first characteristic data from the first secondary node; and measuring the second characteristic data. (¶ 30-31, 51, Fig. 2, 4B-4C: The primary node receives the characteristic data of the quality of the route between the first secondary node (meter 30) and another secondary node (meter 36), i.e. the first characteristic data, and receives an indication of the route quality between the first secondary node and itself, i.e. the second characteristic data.)
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.
The factual inquiries 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 nonobviousness.
Claims 3, 6-7, 15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RILEY (US 2006/0085346 A1) in view of FLAMMER (US 2015/0253367 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, RILEY teaches all the limitations of claim 4, on which claim 3 depends.
RILEY does not teach wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, and wherein the characteristic data between the two secondary nodes comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes.
However, FLAMMER, which is similarly directed to determining an electric grid topology based on time data determined from a plurality of nodes on the grid, teaches wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, (¶ 27, 48-51: Each node in a power distribution network is coupled to at least one powerline having a phase (i.e. a “physical phase”, known in the art as phase A, phase B, or phase C. Two nodes that are connected directly may be connected to the same phase.)
and wherein the characteristic data between the two secondary nodes comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 33, 52-54: Each node records zero-crossing information, which is characteristic data. Two pieces of characteristic data, namely the zero-crossing times of two nodes, are used to determine the relative phase difference between the two nodes. The information may indicate that the nodes have the same phase, and if one of their phases is known, then the other node is determined to have the same phase. Based on this characteristic data, the topology of the power distribution network is determined.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art to modify the determination of the topology of a low voltage area of a power grid based on signal quality data between two nodes on the grid taught by RILEY by including determination of zero-crossing times of the two nodes to determine whether or not they are on the same powerline phase as taught by FLAMMER. Since the references are similarly directed to determining electric grid topology, the combination would have yielded predictable results and would have amounted to including other characteristic data in the messages to aide in determining the connections between the nodes. As taught by FLAMMER, using this method would have been advantageous to a person of ordinary skill in the art in order to ensure that the loading across the powerline is balanced (¶ 50) as well as enable a utility provider to accurately adjust the grid topology, which requires first positively identifying which loads are coupled to which power lines (¶ 10).
Regarding Claim 6, RILEY teaches all the limitations of claim 4, on which claim 6 depends.
RILEY does not teach wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, and wherein the first characteristic data comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes.
However, FLAMMER, which is similarly directed to determining an electric grid topology based on time data determined from a plurality of nodes on the grid, teaches wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, (¶ 27, 48-51: Each node in a power distribution network is coupled to at least one powerline having a phase (i.e. a “physical phase”, known in the art as phase A, phase B, or phase C. Two nodes that are connected directly may be connected to the same phase.)
and wherein the first characteristic data comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 33, 52-54: Each node records zero-crossing information, which is characteristic data. Two pieces of characteristic data, namely the zero-crossing times of two nodes, are used to determine the relative phase difference between the two nodes. The information may indicate that the nodes have the same phase, and if one of their phases is known, then the other node is determined to have the same phase. Based on this characteristic data, the topology of the power distribution network is determined.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art to modify the determination of the topology of a low voltage area of a power grid based on signal quality data between two nodes on the grid taught by RILEY by including determination of zero-crossing times of the two nodes to determine whether or not they are on the same powerline phase as taught by FLAMMER. Since the references are similarly directed to determining electric grid topology, the combination would have yielded predictable results and would have amounted to including other characteristic data in the messages to aide in determining the connections between the nodes. As taught by FLAMMER, using this method would have been advantageous to a person of ordinary skill in the art in order to ensure that the loading across the powerline is balanced (¶ 50) as well as enable a utility provider to accurately adjust the grid topology, which requires first positively identifying which loads are coupled to which power lines (¶ 10).
Regarding Claim 15, RILEY teaches all the limitations of claim 11, on which claim 15 depends.
RILEY does not teach wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, and wherein the first characteristic data comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes.
However, FLAMMER, which is similarly directed to determining an electric grid topology based on time data determined from a plurality of nodes on the grid, teaches wherein at least one physical phase is comprised between the two secondary nodes, (¶ 27, 48-51: Each node in a power distribution network is coupled to at least one powerline having a phase (i.e. a “physical phase”, known in the art as phase A, phase B, or phase C. Two nodes that are connected directly may be connected to the same phase.)
and wherein the first characteristic data comprises two pieces of characteristic data that have a same physical phase between the two secondary nodes. (¶ 33, 52-54: Each node records zero-crossing information, which is characteristic data. Two pieces of characteristic data, namely the zero-crossing times of two nodes, are used to determine the relative phase difference between the two nodes. The information may indicate that the nodes have the same phase, and if one of their phases is known, then the other node is determined to have the same phase. Based on this characteristic data, the topology of the power distribution network is determined.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art to modify the determination of the topology of a low voltage area of a power grid based on signal quality data between two nodes on the grid taught by RILEY by including determination of zero-crossing times of the two nodes to determine whether or not they are on the same powerline phase as taught by FLAMMER. Since the references are similarly directed to determining electric grid topology, the combination would have yielded predictable results and would have amounted to including other characteristic data in the messages to aide in determining the connections between the nodes. As taught by FLAMMER, using this method would have been advantageous to a person of ordinary skill in the art in order to ensure that the loading across the powerline is balanced (¶ 50) as well as enable a utility provider to accurately adjust the grid topology, which requires first positively identifying which loads are coupled to which power lines (¶ 10).
Regarding Claim 7, RILEY teaches all the limitations of claim 4, on which claim 7 depends.
RILEY does not teach wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to report electric power data in response to the indication information, wherein the electric power data comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, power, a power factor, a phase angle, waveform distortion of the voltage, waveform distortion of the current, power frequency, electric energy, a maximum demand, a load record, or an event record collected at a preset network time base (NTB).
However, FLAMMER, which is similarly directed to determining an electric grid topology based on information determined from a plurality of nodes on the grid, teaches wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to report electric power data in response to the indication information, wherein the electric power data comprises at least one of a voltage (¶ 79), a current (¶ 79), power, a power factor, a phase angle (¶ 33), waveform distortion of the voltage (¶ 82-83), waveform distortion of the current, power frequency, electric energy, a maximum demand (¶ 82), a load record (¶ 84), or an event record collected at a preset network time base (NTB) (¶ 82). (See ¶ 82: Nodes in a power distribution network report time series data related to electric power, including voltage, current, phase angle, voltage sags/swells, and other event records.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the determination of the topology of a low voltage area of a power grid based on signal quality data between two nodes on the grid taught by RILEY by further causing the nodes to report electric power data in response to a request from the primary node as taught by FLAMMER. Since the references are similarly directed to determining electric grid topology, the combination would have yielded predictable results and would have amounted to including other characteristic data in the messages to aide in determining the connections between the nodes and the state of the power grid. As taught by FLAMMER (¶ 82), reporting electric power data would have allowed for computing of load predictions and demand estimations. This would have been advantageous to a utility provider in order to ensure that the loading across the powerline is balanced (¶ 50).
Regarding Claim 17, RILEY teaches all the limitations of claim 11, on which claim 17 depends.
RILEY does not teach wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to obtain electric power data of the secondary nodes in the low- voltage transformer area, wherein the electric power data comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, power, a power factor, a phase angle, waveform distortion of the voltage, waveform distortion of the current, power frequency, electric energy, a maximum demand, a load record, or an event record collected in the low-voltage transformer area at a same network time base (NTB).
However, FLAMMER, which is similarly directed to determining an electric grid topology based on information determined from a plurality of nodes on the grid, teaches wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to obtain electric power data of the secondary nodes in the low- voltage transformer area, wherein the electric power data comprises at least one of a voltage (¶ 79), a current (¶ 79), power, a power factor, a phase angle (¶ 33), waveform distortion of the voltage (¶ 82-83), waveform distortion of the current, power frequency, electric energy, a maximum demand (¶ 82), a load record (¶ 84), or an event record collected in the low-voltage transformer area at a same network time base (NTB)(¶ 82). (See ¶ 82: Nodes in a power distribution network report time series data related to electric power, including voltage, current, phase angle, voltage sags/swells, and other event records.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the determination of the topology of a low voltage area of a power grid based on signal quality data between two nodes on the grid taught by RILEY by further causing the nodes to report electric power data in response to a request from the primary node as taught by FLAMMER. Since the references are similarly directed to determining electric grid topology, the combination would have yielded predictable results and would have amounted to including other characteristic data in the messages to aide in determining the connections between the nodes and the state of the power grid. As taught by FLAMMER (¶ 82), reporting electric power data would have allowed for computing of load predictions and demand estimations. This would have been advantageous to a utility provider in order to ensure that the loading across the powerline is balanced (¶ 50).
Claims 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RILEY (US 2006/0085346 A1) in view of FLAMMER (US 2015/0253367 A1) and further in view of BHAGERIA (US 2015/0032278 A1).
Regarding Claim 20, RILEY in view of FLAMMER teaches all the limitations of claim 17, on which claim 20 depends.
While FLAMMER teaches “stream algorithms” for processing raw time series electric power data reported by the nodes on a grid (¶ 82-85), RILEY in view of FLAMMER does not teach wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to perform data analysis on at least one of the delay data, the channel quality data, or the electric power data by using an intelligent algorithm to identify the topology, wherein the intelligent algorithm comprises at least one of an artificial neural network algorithm, a genetic algorithm, a simulated annealing algorithm, an ant colony algorithm, or a particle swarm optimization algorithm.
However, BHAGERIA, which teaches configuration analysis for determining network topology, teaches wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the computer instructions further cause the apparatus to perform data analysis on at least one of the delay data, the channel quality data, or the electric power data by using an intelligent algorithm to identify the topology, wherein the intelligent algorithm comprises at least one of an artificial neural network algorithm, a genetic algorithm, a simulated annealing algorithm, an ant colony algorithm, or a particle swarm optimization algorithm. (¶ 41: A topology of a microgrid is determined through analysis of real-time, historical, and forecasted data related to elements on the grid, including at least electric power data such as energy consumption and power demand, using intelligent algorithms, including at least genetic algorithms.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art to modify the reporting of characteristic data to a primary node by secondary nodes taught by RILEY in view of FLAMMER by analyzing the characteristic data, such as by genetic algorithms, as taught by BHAGERIA in order to determine an optimal configuration for a grid. Since the references are similarly directed to configuration and management of power distribution networks, the combination would have yielded predictable results. BHAGERIA (¶ 13, 41) teaches that use of such algorithms to determine an optimal configuration for a microgrid would result in optimizing the power generation within the microgrid to provide service to the maximum number of critical and non-critical power consuming devices
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, 13-14, 16, and 18-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
McConnell (US 2015/0372718 A1) teaches determining distance measurements between nodes on a powerline based on signal strength. (¶ 46, 58, Fig. 3)
Hui (US 2015/0237130 A1) teaches synchronization of time data of nodes connected to different powerline phases. (¶ 46)
Leonard (US 2018/0356449 A1) teaches clustering of voltage data of meter nodes in a distribution network for updating a network topology. (Figs. 3, 7, Abstract)
Kulshreshtha (US 2016/0359677 A1) teaches techniques for determining network topologies based on paired latencies. (Abstract, Figs. 5-6)
Flammer (US 2016/0097796 A1) teaches determination of power grid topology based on timestamps reported by first and second nodes. (Fig. 6)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAMI RAFAT OKASHA whose telephone number is (571)272-0675. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, SCOTT BADERMAN can be reached at (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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/RAMI R OKASHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118
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