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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/10/2026 has been entered.
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 1-3, 6, 8, 11-15, 17-18 and 20-23 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.
Claim 1, line 23, recites “a failure” which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this is the same or different from the one recited in claim 1, line 21.
Claim 1, line 19; claim 14, lines 13; claim 20, line 17 recites the limitation “the comparison” which lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 1, line 23, 25; claim 14, lines 22, 27; claim 20, line 25, 29; claim 23, line 3 recites the limitation “the indicated failure” which lacks antecedent basis.
Claims dependent thereon are rejected for the same reasons.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 14, 15, 20-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowoisky et al (US 20230361655 as referenced in OA dated 8/1/2024) in view of Schenk et al (US 20240056007)
Regarding claim 1, Nowoisky discloses a propulsion system (Figure 1. Paragraph 0041) comprising:
a gas turbine engine (Figure 1; 20, 1, 32) having a turbomachine (Figure 1; 20, 1. Paragraph 0038), the turbomachine comprising a compressor (Paragraph 0038), a turbine (Paragraph 0038), and a shaft (Figure 1; 1) rotatable with the turbine; and
an electric assembly (Figure 2; 21, 22, 3, 4, 11) comprising:
an electric machine (Figure 1; 21) rotatable with the shaft;
a control system (Figure 2; 22, 3, 4, 11) in electric communication with the electric machine, the control system configured to:
receive and process a raw data signal (Figure 2; I from 21 to 3. Paragraph 0057) from the electric machine indicative of an electric power flow to or from the electric machine (Paragraph 0045), the electric power flow being a proxy for a change in a rotational speed (Paragraph 0041, 0057) of one or more components (Figure 1; 1) rotatable with the electric machine such that the control system determines changes in rotational speed of the one or more components from the raw data signal (Paragraph 0041, 0057);
compare a processed raw data signal (The processing of the measurement variables in Paragraph 0047) derived from the received raw data signal to a library (The historical features of Paragraph 0019) of electric power flow signal patterns associated with processed data signals indicative of electric power flow to or from the electric machine (The historical features of Paragraph 0019 are electric power flow signals indicative of electric power flow to or from the electric machine) during various operations (The operations of the gas turbine engine of the historical features of Paragraph 0019) of the gas turbine engine;
determine, based on comparing the processed raw data signal to the library, health information (The health information based on the comparison)of the gas turbine engine including whether the processed raw data signal is indicative of the electric power flow indicating a failure (The blade out in Paragraph 0005 and 0041):
in response to determining that the processed raw data signal is indicative of the failure, provide a responsive action signal (The signal to turn off the fuel in Paragraph 0047) to an engine controller (The controllers of the gas turbine engine that receives the signal from 11 in Paragraph 0047) of the gas turbine engine to instruct a responsive action (Turning off the fuel in Paragraph 0047. Paragraph 0041) in response to the failure; and
provide the responsive action signal to the engine controller to modify the electric power flow to or from the electric machine in response to the failure (Paragraph 0047).
Nowoisky does not disclose an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine.
However, Schenk teaches an electric bus assembly (The EECs and their shared power supply to the electric machine of Paragraph 0098, 0107) in electric communication with an electric machine (The electric machine of Paragraph 0098).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky to include an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine as taught by and suggested by Schenk because it has been held that applying a known technique, in this case Schenk’s use of the electric machine to power the EECs according to the steps described immediately above, to a known device, in this case, Nowoisky’s propulsion system, ready for improvement to yield predictable results, in this case to be able to powering a plurality of EECs, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. 398 (2007), 82 USPQ2d at 1396; MPEP 2143(D) The modification has the electric machine of Nowoisky powering the EECs of Nowoisky. In the combined invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk, the responsive signal action is provided to the electric bus assembly because the EECs of Nowoisky are part of the electric bus assembly).
Regarding claim 2, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the control system includes a converter assembly (Figure 1; 22) operable with the electric machine to condition the electric power flow to or from the electric machine.
Regarding claim 3, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the control system is configured to receive the raw data signal from the converter assembly, wherein the control system further comprises a controller (Figure 2; 3, 11) configured to receive the raw data signal indicative of the electric power flow to or from the electric machine from the converter assembly (Paragraph 0047).
Regarding claim 14, Nowoisky discloses a method for operating a propulsion system, the method comprising:
receiving, from an electric machine (Figure 1; 21), a raw data signal (Figure 2; I from 21 to 3. Paragraph 0057) indicative of an electric power flow to or from the electric machine (Paragraph 0045), the electric machine rotatable with a shaft (Figure 1; 1) of a turbomachine (Figure 1; 20, 1) of a gas turbine engine (Figure 1; 20, 1, 32), the electric power flow being a proxy for a change in a rotational speed (Paragraph 0041, 0057) of one or more components (Figure 1; 1) rotatable with the electric machine such that changes in rotational speed of the one or more components are determined from the raw data signal (Paragraph 0041, 0057);
processing the raw data signal to generate a processed data signal (The processing done by the Figure 2; 11. Paragraph 0047) indicative of the electric power flow to or from the electric machine;
comparing the processed data signal derived from the raw data signal to a library (The historical features of Paragraph 0019) of electric power flow signal patterns associated with processed data signals indicative of the electric power flow to or from the electric machine (The historical features of Paragraph 0019 are electric power flow signals indicative of electric power flow to or from the electric machine) during various operations (The operations of the gas turbine engine of the historical features of Paragraph 0019) of the gas turbine engine;
determining, based on comparing the processed data signal to the library, health information (The health information based on the comparison) of the gas turbine engine including whether the processed data signal is indicative of the electric power flow indicating a failure (The blade out in Paragraph 0005 and 0041); and
in response to determining that the processed data signal is indicative of the failure, providing a responsive action signal (The signal to turn off the fuel in Paragraph 0047) to an engine controller (The controllers of the gas turbine engine that receives the signal from 11 in Paragraph 0047) of the gas turbine engine to instruct a responsive action (Turning off the fuel in Paragraph 0047. Paragraph 0041) in response to the failure; and
providing the responsive action signal to the engine controller to modify the electric power flow to or from the electric machine in response to the failure (Paragraph 0047, Stopping the fuel flow, reduces the speed of the shaft and generator which reduces electric power from the electric machine via the electric bus assembly to mitigate the failure).
Nowoisky does not disclose an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine.
However, Schenk teaches an electric bus assembly (The EECs and their shared power supply to the electric machine of Paragraph 0098, 0107) in electric communication with an electric machine (The electric machine of Paragraph 0098).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky to include an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine as taught by and suggested by Schenk because it has been held that applying a known technique, in this case Schenk’s use of the electric machine to power the EECs according to the steps described immediately above, to a known device, in this case, Nowoisky’s propulsion system, ready for improvement to yield predictable results, in this case to be able to powering a plurality of EECs, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. 398 (2007), 82 USPQ2d at 1396; MPEP 2143(D) The modification has the electric machine of Nowoisky powering the EECs of Nowoisky. In the combined invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk, the responsive signal action is provided to the electric bus assembly because the EECs of Nowoisky are part of the electric bus assembly).
Regarding claim 15, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the raw data signal from the electric machine comprises receiving the raw data signal (Paragraph 0052) from the electric machine with a converter assembly (Figure 1; 22) operable with the electric machine, and wherein the method further comprises:
providing a signal indicative of the electric power flow to or from the electric machine from the converter assembly to a controller (Figure 2; 3, 11).
Regarding claim 20, Nowoisky discloses a combustion engine assembly (Figure 1) comprising:
a combustion engine (Figure 1; 20, 1. A gas turbine engine as defined by Merriam Webster and Dictionary.com is a combustion engine) having a driven shaft (Figure 1; 1); and
an electric assembly (Figure 2; 21, 22, 3, 4, 11) comprising:
an electric machine (Figure 1; 21rotatable with the driven shaft;
a control system (Figure 2; 22, 3, 4, 11) in electric communication with the electric machine, the control system configured to:
receive and process a raw data signal (Figure 2; I from 21 to 3. Paragraph 0057) from the electric machine indicative of an electric power flow to or from the electric machine (Paragraph 0045), the electric power flow being a proxy for a change in a rotational speed (Paragraph 0041, 0057) of one or more components (Figure 1; 1) rotatable with the electric machine such that the control system determines changes in rotational speed of the one or more components from the raw data signal (Paragraph 0041, 0057);
compare a processed raw data signal (The processing of the measurement variables in Paragraph 0047) derived from the raw data signal to a library (The historical features of Paragraph 0019) of electric power flow signal patterns associated with processed data signals indicative of the electric power flow to or from the electric machine (The historical features of Paragraph 0019 are electric power flow signals indicative of electric power flow to or from the electric machine)during various operations (The operations of the gas turbine engine of the historical features of Paragraph 0019) of the combustion engine;
determine, based on comparing the processed raw data signal to the library, health information (The health information based on the comparison) of the combustion engine including whether the processed raw data signal is indicative of the electric power flow indicating a failure (The blade out in Paragraph 0005 and 0041);
in response to determining that the processed raw data signal is indicative of provide a responsive action signal (The signal to turn off the fuel in Paragraph 0047) to an engine controller (The controllers of the gas turbine engine that receives the signal from 11 in Paragraph 0047) of the combustion engine to instruct a responsive action (Turning off the fuel in Paragraph 0047. Paragraph 0041) in response to the failure; and
provide the responsive action signal to the engine controller to modify the electric power flow to or from the electric machine in response to the failure (Paragraph 0047).
Nowoisky does not disclose an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine.
However, Schenk teaches an electric bus assembly (The EECs and their shared power supply to the electric machine of Paragraph 0098, 0107) in electric communication with an electric machine (The electric machine of Paragraph 0098).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky to include an electric bus assembly in electric communication with the electric machine as taught by and suggested by Schenk because it has been held that applying a known technique, in this case Schenk’s use of the electric machine to power the EECs according to the steps described immediately above, to a known device, in this case, Nowoisky’s combustion engine system, ready for improvement to yield predictable results, in this case to be able to powering a plurality of EECs, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. 398 (2007), 82 USPQ2d at 1396; MPEP 2143(D) The modification has the electric machine of Nowoisky powering the EECs of Nowoisky. In the combined invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk, the responsive signal action is provided to the electric bus assembly because the EECs of Nowoisky are part of the electric bus assembly).
Regarding claim 21, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the failure comprises at least one of a compressor stall, a flameout, a bird strike, a blade out condition (The failure is a blade out condition), or a shaft shear.
Regarding claim 22, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the responsive action comprises at least one of correcting a compressor stall or preventing excessive vibration (A blade out condition causes the rotor to become unbalanced which causes vibrations) in response to a blade out condition (The blade out in Paragraph 0005 and 0041. Stopping fuel to the gas turbine engine prevents excessive vibrations in response to the blade out condition because it stops the shaft from moving at high speeds, Paragraph 0005.).
Regarding claim 23, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed
Nowoisky further discloses wherein the control system is configured to reduce the electric power flow to or from the electric machine via the engine controller (In the combined invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk, t the control system is configured to reduce the electric power flow to or from the electric machine via the electric bus assembly because the engine controller is part of the electric bus assembly) to mitigate the failure (Stopping the fuel flow, reduces the speed of the shaft and generator which reduces electric power from the electric machine via the electric bus assembly to mitigate the failure).
Claim(s) 6, 12, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowoisky in view of Schenk as applied to claim 1, 14 above, and further in view of Geib et al (US 20120330495 as referenced in OA dated 8/1/2024)
Regarding claim 6, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein the control system is configured to the health information of the gas turbine engine using a pattern recognition analysis.
However, Geib teaches wherein the control system is configured to determine the health information of the gas turbine engine using a pattern recognition analysis (The variety of pattern classification and machine learning techniques of Paragraph 0018)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the control system is configured to determine the health information of the gas turbine engine using a pattern recognition analysis as taught by and suggested by Geib in order to enable quick and accurate diagnostics (Paragraph 0027, The modification uses pattern recognition to determine the health of the gas turbine engine).
Regarding claim 12, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein the control system operates at a frequency of at least 250 hertz.
However, Geib teaches the control system operates at a frequency of at least 250 hertz (Paragraph 0015).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the control system operates at a frequency of at least 250 hertz as taught by and suggested by Geib in order to provide a suitable sampling rate (Paragraph 0015, The modification has the control system having a sampling rate of 3kHz).
Regarding claim 18, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein determining the health information of the gas turbine engine in response to the received data comprises analyzing the processed data signal derived from the received data using a pattern recognition analysis.
However, Geib teaches wherein determining the health information of the gas turbine engine in response to the received data comprises analyzing the processed data signal derived from the received data using a pattern recognition analysis (Paragraph 0018).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein determining the health information of the gas turbine engine in response to the received data comprises analyzing the processed data signal derived from the received data using a pattern recognition analysis as taught by and suggested by Geib in order to enable quick and accurate diagnostics (Paragraph 0027, The modification uses pattern recognition to determine the health of the gas turbine engine).
Claim(s) 8, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowoisky in view of Schenk as applied to claim 1, 15 above, and further in view of Wall et al (US 20230314281 as referenced in OA dated 8/1/2024).
Regarding claim 8, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein the processed data signal is derived from the raw data signal using a Fourier frequency transform.
However, Wall teaches a propulsion system (Figure 4) comprising:
a gas turbine engine (Figure 4; 100) having a turbomachine (At least Figure 4; 123, 119, 126), the turbomachine comprising a compressor (Figure 4; 123), a turbine (Figure 4; 119), and a shaft (Figure 4; 126) rotatable with the turbine; and
an electric assembly comprising:
an electric machine (Figure 4; 218) rotatable with the shaft; and
a control system (Figure 4; 221, 230a and Figure 5; 230b) in electric communication with the electric machine, the control system configured to determine health information of the gas turbine engine in response to a raw data signal (Paragraph 0026, 0099, 0103);
wherein a processed data signal is derived from the received data using a Fourier frequency transform (Paragraph 0021).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the processed data signal is derived from the raw data signal using a Fourier frequency transform as taught by and suggested by Wall in order to extract frequency information (Paragraph 0021, The modification processes the signal of Nowoisky in view of Geib using a Fast Fourier Transformation)
Regarding claim 17, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach processing the raw data signal from the converter assembly with the controller to generate a processed data signal.
However, Wall teaches a method for operating a propulsion system (Figure 4), the method comprising:
receiving data from an electric machine (Figure 4; 218), the electric machine rotatable with a shaft (Figure 4; 126) of a turbomachine (At least Figure 4; 123, 119, 126) of a gas turbine engine (Figure 4; 100); and
determining health information of the gas turbine engine in response to a raw data signal (Paragraph 0026, 0099, 0103);
wherein the method further comprises processing the raw data signal with a controller (Figure 4; 221, 230a and Figure 5; 230b) to generate a processed data signal (Paragraph 0021).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the method further comprises processing a raw data signal (in the context of Nowoisky, this raw data signal is from the converter) with the controller to generate a processed data signal as taught by and suggested by Wall in order to extract frequency information (Paragraph 0021, The modification processes the signal of Nowoisky in view of Schenk using a Fast Fourier Transformation).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowoisky in view of Schenk as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of McQuiston et al (US 20220065177 as referenced in OA dated 4/8/2026)
Regarding claim 11, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein the compressor is a low pressure compressor, wherein the turbine is a low pressure turbine, wherein the shaft is a low pressure shaft, wherein the turbomachine further comprises a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine, and a high pressure shaft rotatable with the high pressure turbine, wherein the electric machine is a low pressure electric machine, and wherein the electric assembly further comprises a high pressure electric machine, wherein the control system is further in electric communication with the high pressure electric machine, the control system configured to receive data indicative of the electric power flow to or from the high pressure electric machine and determine health information of the gas turbine engine in response to the received data from the high pressure electric machine.
However, McQuiston teaches wherein a compressor is a low pressure compressor (Figure 2; 44 is a low pressure compressor), wherein a turbine is a low pressure turbine (Figure 2; 42 is a low pressure turbine), wherein a shaft is a low pressure shaft (Figure 2; 46), wherein the turbomachine further comprises a high pressure compressor (Figure 2; 34), a high pressure turbine (Figure 2; 36), and a high pressure shaft (Figure 2; 38) rotatable with the high pressure turbine, wherein an electric machine is a low pressure electric machine (Figure 2; 102A), and wherein an electric assembly (Figure 2; 102A and 102B) further comprises a high pressure electric machine (Figure 2; 102B), wherein a control system (Figure 3; 300) is further in electric communication with the high pressure electric machine (Paragraph 0073).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the compressor is a low pressure compressor, wherein the turbine is a low pressure turbine, wherein the shaft is a low pressure shaft, wherein the turbomachine further comprises a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine, and a high pressure shaft rotatable with the high pressure turbine, wherein the electric machine is a low pressure electric machine, and wherein the electric assembly further comprises a high pressure electric machine, wherein the control system is further in electric communication with the high pressure electric machine as taught by and suggested by McQuiston in order to provide an improved efficiency (Paragraph 0004, The modification uses the gas turbine engine of McQuiston).
It is herein asserted that the combined invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk and McQuiston has the control system configured to receive data indicative of the electric power flow to or from the high pressure electric machine and determine health information of the gas turbine engine in response to the received data from the high pressure electric machine because the control system of McQuiston, which is coupled to the high pressure system, is the control system of Nowoisky in view of Geib.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowoisky in view of Schenk as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Matthews et al (US 20130255220 as referenced in OA dated 8/1/2024) and Geib.
Regarding claim 13, Nowoisky in view of Schenk teaches the invention as claimed.
Nowoisky in view of Schenk does not teach wherein the engine controller in communication with the control system defines an operating frequency of less than 250 hertz, wherein the control system comprises a controller defining an operating frequency of at least 250 hertz, higher than the operating frequency of the engine controller.
However, Matthews teaches wherein an engine controller (Figure 2; 50) in communication with a control system (Figure 2; 40) defines an operating frequency (Paragraph 0038, the operating frequency of Figure 2; 50 is 1, 2, or 3 Hz) of less than 250 hertz, wherein the control system comprises a controller (Figure 2; 70) defining an operating frequency (The operating frequency of Figure 2; 70 is more than 100 Hz)\ higher than the operating frequency of the engine controller.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk wherein the engine controller in communication with the control system defines an operating frequency of less than 250 hertz, wherein the control system comprises a controller defining an operating frequency, higher than the operating frequency of the engine controller as taught by and suggested by Matthews in order to reduce the cost (Paragraph 0038, the modification has the operating frequency of the engine controller being 1, 2, or 3 Hz and less than the operating frequency of the controller).
Nowoisky in view of Schenk and Matthews does not teach an operating frequency of at least 250 hertz.
However, Geib teaches a control system operates at an operating frequency of at least 250 hertz (Paragraph 0015).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Nowoisky in view of Schenk and Matthews to have an operating frequency of at least 250 hertz as taught by and suggested by Geib in order to provide a suitable sampling rate (Paragraph 0015, The modification has the control system having a sampling rate of 3kHz).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 14, 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN G KANG whose telephone number is (571)272-9814. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 PM EST.
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/EDWIN KANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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