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 .
This office action is a response to an application filed 10/27/2023, in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Examiner Comment on Substitute Specification dated 11/02/2023
The Examiner has reviewed the substitute specification dated 11/02/2023, which is considered to be acceptable and does not appear to introduce new matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites the limitation “A system, comprising: N direct current coupling units, N direct current buses, and a controller, wherein the N direct current coupling units are in a one-to-one correspondence with the N direct current buses, and the N direct current coupling units are configured to supply power to a power grid, each of the N direct current coupling units comprises an energy unit, the energy unit is configured to generate electric energy, and N is a positive integer; and the main controller is configured…” (Emphasis added by the Examiner). While there is mention of a controller, there is not prior mention of “a main controller,” and it is not clear what controller this refers to. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, the limitation is being broadly interpreted to include any controller.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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 1, 2, and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese Patent Publication No. CN110401217A to Huang et al., (hereinafter Huang. English translation of CN110401217A is included and cited in this office action), in view of US Patent Publication No. 2022/0399801 to Suzuki et al., (hereinafter Suzuki).
Regarding claim 1, Huang teaches a system, comprising: N direct current coupling units (Grid connected (coupled) units, such as energy storage devices and photovoltaics DC power, where there can be a number n/i units, see Fig. 1, P2, p4, p85, P15, Huang ), N direct current buses (Tie lines between energy storage devices and/or PVs connecting to DC portion of dc to ac inverting units, are being interpreted as direct current buses, see Fig. 1, Huang), and a controller (Controller, see Fig. 1, p4, p69, Huang), wherein the N direct current coupling units are in a one-to-one correspondence with the N direct current buses (Each storage and/or pv unit is directly to connected to one DC to AC inverting converter through one line (i.e. bus), see Fig. 1, Huang), and the N direct current coupling units are configured to supply power to a power grid (Energy storage and/or PV cells provide power that can be supplied to a grid, see Fig. 1, p50, P4, p9, 85, Huang), each of the N direct current coupling units comprises an energy unit, the energy unit is configured to generate electric energy, and N is a positive integer (Grid connected (coupled) units, such as photovoltaics DC power and energy storage devices, where there can be a number n/i units, generate or supply energy, see Fig. 1, P2, p4, p85, P15, 50, 9, Huang); and the main controller is configured to: obtain a total network input demand power of the power grid, wherein the total network input demand power is a network input power required by the power grid (A difference is calculated to determine a total power adjustment needed of the system, and where a positive difference means that demand by a network, see p50, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); obtain first amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units, wherein the first amplitude limiting value indicates a maximum discharging power that can be supplied by the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit to the power grid (Maximum powers that can be discharged are determined, see p16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); and determine first network input power values of the N direct current coupling units based on the total network input demand power and the first amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units (Allocation based on total demand and maximum power discharge, see P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang), wherein the first network input power value is a power value that is allocated to the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit and that is input to the power grid, at least one of the N direct current coupling units is in a first amplitude limiting state, and the first amplitude limiting state is that a first network input power value allocated to a direct current coupling unit is equal to a first amplitude limiting value corresponding to the direct current coupling unit (A unit with max limited power required discharge of a direct current unit, see P9, p16, p30, Huang).
Although Huang implies an amplitude as in a amount, Huang does not explicitly teach the term amplitude.
Suzuki, from the same or similar field of power, energy storage, and power conversion systems, teaches the term amplitude (An amplitude that can be limited, see P52, p100, Suzuki).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the power and control as described by Huang and incorporating the term amplitude, as taught by Suzuki.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to consider a desired magnitude value of a property of concern (see p100, P52, Suzuki).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Huang and Suzuki teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Huang further teaches wherein each of the N direct current coupling units further comprises: an inverter unit (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang), configured to: receive, through the direct current bus, electric energy output by the energy unit, and supply electric energy to the power grid after performing direct current-to-alternating current conversion on the electric energy (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC from connected dc energy sources and Ac to connected gird, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang); and a main controller is configured to: determine a minimum value as a first amplitude limiting value of each direct current coupling unit for: a first power value of each direct current coupling unit and a second power value of each direct current coupling unit, wherein the first power value is a maximum discharging power of the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit (A maximum discharge for unit is determined that constitutes a requirement, see p16, 17, Huang), and the second power value is a maximum discharging power of the inverter unit in each direct current coupling unit (A converter adjust based on a requirement that is of determined maximum determined discharged, thus encompassing a second value maximum in relation to the inverter, see p15-p16, Huang).
Claim 7 is rejected on the same grounds as claims 1 and 2.
Claim 8 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 2.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Huang and Suzuki teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Huang further teaches wherein each of the N direct current coupling units further comprises an inverter unit and an energy unit (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC and connected to energy units, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang), the energy unit is configured to generate electric energy (Energy storage and/or PV cells provide power that can be supplied, see Fig. 1, p50, P4, p9, 85, Huang), and the inverter unit is configured to: receive, through the direct current bus, electric energy output by the energy unit and/or the energy storage unit, and supply electric energy to the power grid after performing direct current-to-alternating current conversion on the electric energy (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC from connected dc energy sources and Ac to connected gird, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang); and obtaining, by the main controller, the second amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units comprises: determining, by the main controller, a minimum value as the second amplitude limiting value of each direct current coupling unit for: a third power value of each direct current coupling unit, and a remaining discharging power value of each direct current coupling unit, wherein the third power value is a maximum discharging power of the energy storage unit in each direct current coupling unit (A maximum discharge for unit is determined that constitutes a requirement, see p16, 17, Huang), the remaining discharging power value is a second power value of each direct current coupling unit minus a first network input power value, the second power value is a maximum discharging power of the inverter unit in each direct current coupling unit (A difference is calculated to determine a total power adjustment needed of the system, and where a positive difference means that demand by a network, see p50, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang), and the first network input power value refers to a power value that is allocated to the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit and that is input to the power grid (Allocation of needed energy for each of unit, see p14015, P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang).
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang.
Regarding claim 14, Huang teaches a system, comprising: N direct current coupling units (Grid connected (coupled) units, such as energy storage devices and photovoltaics DC power, where there can be a number n/i units, see Fig. 1, P2, p4, p85, P15, Huang ), N direct current buses (Tie lines between energy storage devices and/or PVs connecting to DC portion of dc to ac inverting units, are being interpreted as direct current buses, see Fig. 1, Huang), and a main controller (Controller, see Fig. 1, p4, p69, Huang), wherein the N direct current coupling units are in a one-to-one correspondence with the N direct current buses (Each storage and/or pv unit is directly to connected to one DC to AC inverting converter through one line (i.e. bus), see Fig. 1, Huang), and the N direct current coupling units are configured to transmit electric energy to a power grid (Energy storage and/or PV cells provide power that can be supplied to a grid, see Fig. 1, p50, P4, p9, 85, Huang), each of the N direct current coupling units comprises an inverter unit (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang), and each of the N direct current coupling units further comprises an energy unit and/or an energy storage unit (Energy storage and/or PV cells provide power that can be supplied to a grid, see Fig. 1, p50, P4, p9, 85, Huang); the inverter unit is configured to: receive, through the direct current bus, electric energy output by the energy unit, and supply electric energy to the power grid after performing direct current-to-alternating current conversion on the electric energy, or the inverter unit is configured to absorb electric energy of the power grid through the direct current bus, and supply electric energy to the energy storage unit after performing alternating current-to-direct current conversion on the electric energy (Converters PCS that invert DC to AC from connected dc energy sources and Ac to connected gird, see Fig. 1, p15, Huang), wherein the energy unit is configured to generate electric energy, and the energy storage unit is configured to store electric energy (Energy storage and/or PV cells provide power and store energy that can be supplied to a grid, see Fig. 1, p50, P4, p9, 85, Huang); and the main controller is configured to: obtain discharging demand powers of N direct current coupling units (A discharge for unit is determined that constitutes a requirement, see p16, 17, Huang), wherein the discharging demand power indicates a power that is allocated to the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit and that is used to charge the energy storage unit in each of the N direct current coupling units (Allocation power discharge from energy storage, see P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); obtain charging demand powers of N direct current coupling units, wherein the charging demand power indicates a power that is allocated to the energy storage unit in each direct current coupling unit and that is obtained from the energy unit in each of the N direct current coupling units (Allocation power charge from energy storage that are coupled, see p14, p9, P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); and determine a first inversion power value of each direct current coupling unit based on the discharging demand powers of the N direct current coupling units and the charging demand powers of the N direct current coupling units (Allocation power charge from energy storage with power converter inverting from dc to ac, see p14, p9, P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang), wherein the first inversion power value indicates a power at which the inverter unit in each direct current coupling unit supplies electric energy to the power grid, or the first inversion power value indicates a power at which the inverter unit in each direct current coupling unit absorbs electric energy from the power grid (Power can be provided that is provided through an inverter pcs with pcs adjustment value amount to a grid, see Fig. 1, P2, p4, p85, P15, 50, 9, Huang).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang, in view of Suzuki.
Regarding claim 15, Huang teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Huang further teaches wherein the main controller is configured to: obtain a total charging demand power, wherein the total charging demand power is a total power that is allocated to the energy storage units in N direct current coupling units and that is obtained from the energy units in the N direct current coupling units (A difference is calculated to determine a total power adjustment needed of the system, and where a positive difference means that demand by a network, see p50, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); obtain third amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units, wherein the third amplitude limiting value indicates a maximum charging power that can be supplied by the energy storage unit in each direct current coupling unit (Maximum powers that can be discharged are determined, see p16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang); and determine a charging demand power of each direct current coupling unit based on the total charging demand power and the third amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units (Allocation based on total demand and maximum power discharge, see P10-16, p30, p50-51, p12-13, p8, p4, Huang), wherein at least one of the N direct current coupling units is in a third amplitude limiting state, and the third amplitude limiting state is that a charging demand power allocated to a direct current coupling unit is equal to a third amplitude limiting value corresponding to the direct current coupling unit (A unit with max limited power required discharge of a direct current unit, see P9, p16, p30, Huang).
Although Huang implies an amplitude as in a amount, Huang does not explicitly teach the term amplitude.
Suzuki, from the same or similar field of power, energy storage, and power conversion systems, teaches the term amplitude (An amplitude that can be limited, see P52, p100, Suzuki).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the power and control as described by Huang and incorporating the term amplitude, as taught by Suzuki.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to consider a desired magnitude value of a property of concern (see p100, P52, Suzuki).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 10, and 16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
While Huang discloses a system with direct coupling units and buses with coupling units configured to supply power to a grid, a controller that obtains a total power demand power of the power grid, and obtain amplitude limiting values, indicative of a maximum discharge power that can be supplied by an energy unit to the grid, and allocating power to a direct current coupling unit, and feeding power through inverters, and while Suzuki teaches an a magnitude value as an amplitude, and while Sergott et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0131381) discloses charging and discharging energy storage systems iterative power increase, none of these references taken either alone or in combination with the prior art of record disclose a system and method, including:
(Claim 3) “…wherein the main controller is configured to: perform a plurality of rounds of first iterative calculations, to determine the first network input power values of the N direct current coupling units, wherein each round of first iterative calculations in the plurality of rounds of first iterative calculations comprises: determining L1 first direct current coupling units, wherein the first direct current coupling unit is a direct current coupling unit to which no first network input power value is allocated in the previous first iterative calculation, L1 is a positive integer, and L1<=N;calculating first candidate network input power values of the L1 first direct current coupling units, wherein the first candidate network input power values are determined based on the total network input demand power and first power values of the Li direct current coupling units, and the first power value is a maximum discharging power of the energy unit in each direct current coupling unit; and determining first network input power values of the L1 first direct current coupling units based on the first candidate network input power values and first amplitude limiting values that are of the L1 first direct current coupling units.”,
(Claim 10) “…wherein determining, by the main controller, the second network input power value of each direct current coupling unit based on the energy storage network input demand power and the second amplitude limiting values of the N direct current coupling units comprises: performing, by the main controller, a plurality of rounds of second iterative calculations- to determine the second network input power values of the N direct current coupling units, wherein each round of second iterative calculations in the plurality of rounds of second iterative calculations comprises: determining, by the main controller, M1 third direct current coupling units, wherein each third direct current coupling unit is a direct current coupling unit to which no second network input power value is allocated in the previous second iterative calculation, M1 is a positive integer, and M1<=N; calculating, by the main controller, second candidate network input power values of the M1 third direct current coupling units, wherein the second candidate network input power values are determined based on the energy storage network input demand power and first energy values of the N direct current coupling units, and the first energy value is electric energy currently stored by the energy storage unit in each direct current coupling unit; and determining, by the main controller, second network input power values of the M1 third direct current coupling units based on the second candidate network input power values and second amplitude limiting values that are of the M1 third direct current coupling units.”
(Claim 16) “…wherein the main controller is configured to: perform a plurality of rounds of third iterative calculations; to determine charging demand powers of the N direct current coupling units, wherein each round of third iterative calculations in the plurality of rounds of third iterative calculations comprises: determining T1 fifth direct current coupling units, wherein the fifth direct current coupling unit is a direct current coupling unit to which no charging demand power is allocated in the previous third iterative calculation, T1 is a positive integer, and T1<=N; calculating candidate charging demand powers of the T1 fifth direct current coupling units, wherein the candidate charging demand power is determined based on the total charging demand power and second energy values of the N direct current coupling units, and the second energy value is a difference between a sum of electric energy values that can be stored by the energy storage unit in each direct current coupling unit and a stored electric energy value; and determining charging demand powers of the T1 fifth direct current coupling units based on the candidate charging demand powers and third amplitude limiting values that are of the T1 fifth direct current coupling units.,” and
in combination with the remaining elements and features of the claimed invention. It is for these reasons that the applicant’s invention defines over the prior art of record.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kudo, US. Patent Publication No. 2019/0123561 teaches demand and supply adjustment system that includes a sharing ration among energy storage devices.
Liu et al., US. Patent Publication No.2018/0262022 teaches an off-grid energy storage system with inverters and an output amplitude limiting unit.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILIO J SAAVEDRA whose telephone number is (571)270-5617. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30am-5:30pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert E Fennema can be reached at (571) 272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMILIO J SAAVEDRA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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