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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/28/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 63 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 63, line 1, insert “wherein” in front of “a battery energy storage system”
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.
Claim(s) 39-43, 49-52, 63 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Galin et al. US 2021/0094427 (hereinafter Galin).
Regarding claim 39, Galin discloses a system, comprising:
an electrical load comprising an electrical vehicle (EV) charging site (¶¶ 0004-0005, 0116 and fig. 5: an integrated inverter EV-charger (IIEVC)),
wherein said EV charging site comprises a plurality of EV chargers (¶ 0072; EV 107 may be a multiple of electric vehicles…Each EV of EVs 107 may be coupled to IIEVC 102 through a cable) and a plurality of battery energy storage systems (Fig. 1A -1G, elements 106, 109; Fig. 4A, storages 1, 2, 3; ¶¶ 0200-0202; Storages 1904 may include storage devices such batteries or supercapacitors);
a main utility feed (fig. 1A, element 113; electric panel) that connects said electrical load (fig. 1A, element 110; loads) to a power grid (fig. 1A, element 111; power grid), wherein said main utility feed has a power capacity (¶¶ 0053-0054, 0057 and claims 1, 18; first current-limiting circuitry connected to the first input terminal, wherein the first current-limiting circuitry is configured to limit current received on the first input terminal to a first maximum current corresponding to a first maximum power; a dual-configuration circuit breaker disposed in electric panel 113 may be configured to impose a first current limit (e.g., 40A) provided for charging EV 107 and a second current limit (e.g., 20A) limiting a current that IIEVC 102 may provide to power grid 111);
a sensor configured to measure power on said main utility feed (¶¶ 0076, 0077, 0133, 0137 and claim 1; sensors/sensor interfaces 217 may include voltage sensors configured to measure a voltage at the input 240 of power converter 203 and DC charging circuit 204. Sensors/ sensor interfaces 217 may additionally or alternatively include voltage sensors configured to measure a voltage at the output 250 of power converter 203, which may also be the input to AC charging circuit 205); and
a controller communicatively coupled to said sensor (¶¶ 0074, 0078; Measurements measured and/or obtained by sensors/sensor interfaces 217 may be provided to control device) and said plurality of battery energy storage systems (fig. 1A-1G, elements 106, 109 and ¶¶ 0200-0204; a controller 1918 may be included in enclosure 1912 which may run an algorithm which allows a configuration of enclosure to supply power from powers P1, P2 and P3 to loads 1914 and/or storage devices of EVs 1916 via operation of selector units 1920),
wherein said controller is programmed to cause:
(i) a subset (fig. 1A, element 106/109) of said plurality of battery energy storage systems (¶¶ 0073, 0204, 0206; selector units may include multiple switches and/or relays (such as relays 716 as shown in FIG. 7) which when selected selector unit 1920 allow multiple connection paths to enable the supply of power from power sources to storages and/or loads; when selected by the selector units allow multiple connection paths 113b-113g to enable the selective supply of DC and/or AC power from power sources 101 and power grid 111 to loads 110 as well as to and/or from storages 106/109) to charge using power from said main utility feed (113) when said power on said main utility feed does not exceed a threshold (¶¶ 0067, 0116; when the power from power grid 11 is at a low cost rate per kWh, the controller can charge storage device 106 with power provided by power source 101), and
(ii) a subset (fig. 1A, element 106/109) of said plurality of battery energy storage systems (¶¶ 0073, 0204, 0206) to discharge power when said power on said main utility feed (113) does exceed said threshold (¶¶ 0067, 0202; when the power from power grid 111 is at a high cost rate per kWh, the controller may charge EV 107 with less (or zero) power from power grid 111, and may charge EV 107 with power provided by storage device 106).
Regarding claim 40, Galin discloses the system wherein said electrical load further comprises a building (¶ 0055; a home), and wherein said discharged power in (ii) is transmitted to said building (¶ 0055; the loads can be home appliances).
Regarding claim 41, Galin discloses the system wherein said discharged power in (ii) is transmitted to said plurality of EV chargers (¶¶ 0067, 0133, 0137; the controller may charge EV 107 with less (or zero) power from power grid 111, and may charge EV 107 with power provided by storage device 106).
Regarding claim 42, Galin discloses the system comprising a conductor (¶ 0072; Each EV of EVs 107 may be coupled to IIEVC 102 through a cable) in electrical communication with said main utility feed (see fig. 1G),
wherein said conductor transmits power to one or more EV chargers of said plurality of EV chargers (¶ 0072; Each EV of EVs 107 may be coupled to IIEVC 102 through a cable) and one or more battery energy storage systems of said plurality of battery energy storage systems (¶¶ 0067, 0073, 0116).
Regarding claim 43, Galin discloses the system wherein said conductor (¶ 0141) is disposed in an overhead cable or bus (¶¶ 0072, 0090).
Regarding claim 49, Galin discloses the system further comprising one or more renewable energy sources (¶ 0068).
Regarding claim 50, Galin discloses the system wherein said one or more renewable energy sources comprise a solar array (claim 7) or a wind turbine (claim 6).
Regarding claim 51, Galin discloses the system wherein said controller is programmed to implement maximum power point tracking of said one or more renewable energy sources (¶¶ 0006, 0091).
Regarding claim 52, Galin discloses the system wherein an EV charger of said plurality of EV chargers is installed with an arc-fault detection device (¶¶ 0084, 0208).
Regarding claim 63, Galin discloses the system a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems (fig. 19A, element 1904; storages) comprises one or more electrochemical cells or other energy storage (¶ 0201; may include supercapacitors).
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.
Claim(s) 44-47 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galin in view of Bianco et al. US 2011/0074351 (hereinafter Bianco).
Regarding claim 44, Galin does not teach the system wherein said overhead cable bus comprises a support leg adjacent to an EV charger of said one or more EV chargers.
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However, Bianco further discloses the system wherein said overhead cable bus (title and abstract) comprises a support leg (see fig. 18-19) adjacent to an EV charger (216) of said one or more EV chargers (fig. 11).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Bianco by including the support leg in the charging stations as suggested by Bianco, because it would be advantageous to stabilize the charging station and prevent damages.
Regarding claim 45, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein said support leg comprises an internal cavity for routing power and communication cables to said EV charger.
However, Bianco further discloses the system wherein said support leg comprises an internal cavity for routing power and communication cables to said EV charger (see fig. 30A and 30B, ¶¶ 0113-0114 and Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Bianco by placing the cables inside the internal cavity, because it would be advantageous to prevent the cables from severe weather and prolong service life of the whole station.
Regarding claim 46, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein said overhead cable bus comprises lighting.
However, Bianco further discloses wherein said overhead cable bus comprises lighting (¶¶ 0103, 0128, 0129).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Bianco by including lighting on the cable bus, because it would be advantageous to improve user experience and provide intuitive feedback from the charging station.
Regarding claim 47, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein said overhead cable bus comprises one or more electronic displays.
However, Bianco further discloses the system wherein said overhead cable bus comprises one or more electronic displays (¶ 0100; The module also has a display 364 for displaying the various messages as required).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Bianco by including the display in the module, because it would be advantageous to improve user experience and provide intuitive feedback from the charging station.
Claim(s) 48 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galin et al. US 2021/0094427 (hereinafter Galin).
Regarding claim 48, Galin discloses the system wherein said plurality of battery energy storage systems (fig. 19A, 19B) are connected with said plurality of EV chargers (¶ 0072), but it does not disclose the plurality of battery energy storage systems are interspersed with the plurality of EV chargers. Rearranging the location of the battery energy storage systems and/or the EV chargers from the location shown by the prior art to intersperse with the EV chargers and/or the battery energy storage systems, absent any criticality, is only considered to be an obvious modification of the prior art system device that a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be able to provide using routine experimentation since the courts have held that there is no invention in shifting the position if the operation of the device would not be thereby modified in order to simplify the design and utilize all the space. See In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) and MPEP 2144.04 VI.
Claim(s) 53 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galin in view of Phadke (US 2014/0268943).
Regarding claim 53, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein said arc-fault detection device comprises a series or parallel impedance configured to prevent propagation of an arc-fault detection signal.
However, Phadke discloses the system wherein said arc-fault detection device (¶¶ 0018-0020, 0025-0027) comprises a series or parallel impedance (¶¶ 0030-0035) configured to prevent propagation of an arc-fault detection signal (¶¶ 0040-0045).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Phadke by inhibit arcing in the event of a break in the connection between the DC power source and the load, because it would be advantageous to prevent arcing in the connection and reduce the chance of fire hazard.
Claim(s) 54-58, 61-62 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galin in view of Beaston et al. US 2018/0123357 (hereinafter Beaston).
Regarding claim 54, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a plurality of cabinets.
Beaston further discloses the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a plurality of cabinets (fig. 52B, 53B, 54A-54C and ¶¶ 0374-0376).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Beaston by installing the battery energy storage systems in the cabinets, because it would be advantageous to reduce risk of ground-level hazards and improve fire suppression.
Regarding claim 55, Galin in view of Beaston discloses the system wherein said plurality of cabinets are connected via openings (Beaston, ¶¶ 0035-0038, 0042-0045 and fig. 55A-D, 56A-E).
Regarding claim 56, Galin in view of Beaston discloses the system wherein said openings comprise fire dampers (Beaston, isolated by hard enclosure; see fig. 55A-D).
Regarding claim 57, Galin in view of Beaston discloses the system wherein said openings are between plinth bases under the cabinets (Beaston, Fig. 55A-D; plinth-like foundation for battery units).
Regarding claim 58, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises an environmental conditioning unit.
Beaston discloses the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises an environmental conditioning unit (¶ 0369, HVAC units 5204a and 5204b).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Beaston by installing HVAC units on the battery storage systems, because it would be advantageous to maintain the optimize operating temperature and prolong the service life of the battery storage system.
Regarding claim 61, Galin in view of Beaston discloses wherein said battery energy storage system comprises a heat or smoke sensor, wherein said heat or smoke sensor is communicatively coupled to said controller (Beaston, ¶ 0253; temperature monitoring circuit).
Regarding claim 62, Galin in view of Beaston discloses wherein said plurality of EV chargers or said plurality of battery energy storage systems are disposed on a skid (Beaston, Fig. 55A-D; skid-like foundation for battery units).
Claim(s) 59-60 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galin in view of Wen (CN218529951U).
Regarding claim 59, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a hose connection.
Wen discloses the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a hose connection (page 2: The water inlet/hose connection).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Wen by including water inlet in the system, because it would be advantageous to eliminate potential fire hazards.
Regarding claim 60, Galin fails to disclose the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a water drain.
Wen discloses the system wherein a battery energy storage system of said plurality of battery energy storage systems comprises a water drain (page 2: the condensed water channel is provided with a filter at the drain outlet).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Galin to incorporate with the teaching of Wen by including drain outlet, because it would be advantageous to avoid damaging the internal circuitry.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZIXUAN ZHOU whose telephone number is (571)272-6739. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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/ZIXUAN ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 07/01/2026
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