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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments, filed on 11/13/2025, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Pelly et al (USPN 5751530) in view of Andersson et al (USPN 2010/0053830).
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.
2. Claims 1,3-5, 7, 9-11, 13-15, 17, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pelly et al (USPN 5751530) in view of Andersson et al (USPN 2010/0053830).
Regarding claim 1, Pelly discloses a protective device (a protective device 30 and a control device 150 shown in figure 3, 17A) configured for use in an electric power system, comprising:
an overvoltage element (an overvoltage element includes a DC blocking
capacitor 58, a voltage sensor 168 is configured to sense a voltage across
terminals 59, 56 of the DC blocking capacitor 58, see figure 17a) configured to
monitor a voltage (a voltage across terminals 59, 56) and to initiate a protective action (by triggering the switching components 64, 66, 70, 72) when the voltage
exceeds a first threshold (e.g. see col. 14, lines 43-47, col. 16, 17, lines 63-3);
a variable resistor (a varistor 60) disposed in parallel with the overvoltage
element (58) and to generate substantially all of an electrical resistance across the
overvoltage element when the voltage is less than the first threshold (under a
normal operation, the varistor 60 is high impedance and open circuit, all
resistance of the varistor 60 generated across the overvoltage element, 58, 168); and
a bypass device (64, 66, 70, 72) disposed in parallel with the overvoltage
element and the variable resistor (60) and configured to transition from a first
state (non-conducting state) to a second state (a conducting state) in response to a signal (a signal from 180, 182, see figure 17b);
wherein the signal to transition the bypass device (64, 66, 70, 72) from the
first state to the second state is generated a length of time (at a time t0, see
figure 5) after the voltage exceeds the first threshold (270V), and after the bypass
device (64, 66, 70, 72) provides a low-resistance path to dissipate the voltage
across the overvoltage element and the variable resistor (60) in the second state
(see 9, lines 45-49).
Pelly further discloses the bypass device (64, 66, 70, 72) configured to minimize a DC offset (such as a DC component shown in figure 5 is minimized by the bypass device).
However, Pelly does not explicitly disclose the signal to transition the bypass device from the first state to the second state is generated when a DC offset is minimized as claimed.
Andersson discloses an overvoltage protection device comprises a bypass device (a switching device 20, see figure 2), and a control device is configured to generate a signal in response to an overvoltage detected (e.g. see par. 0010), wherein the signal to transition the bypass device (20) from the first state (a non-conductive mode) to the second state (a conductive mode) is generated when a DC offset is minimized (see par. 0010, and 0025).
It 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 to have modified a control device of Pelly to incorporate a control device which generate a signal to a bypass device to minimize a DC offset as disclosed by Andersson in order to reduce voltage stress on the device and the bypass device so that enhancing a circuit performance.
Regarding claims 3, 13, Pelly discloses wherein the length of time (such as a
time t0) is based on a spike in the voltage (a surge voltage 91, see figure 5).
Regarding claims 4, 14, Pelly discloses wherein the variable resistor
comprises a metal oxide varistor (a varistor 60).
Regarding claims 5, 15, Pelly discloses the protective device (figure 3)
lacks a stabilizing resistor disposed in parallel with the overvoltage element
(figures 3, 17a do not include a stabilizing resistor).
Regarding claim 7, Pelly discloses an overcurrent element (402) configured
to monitor a current and to initiate the second protective action when the
current exceeds a second threshold (see col. 24, lines 20-39).
Regarding claims 9, 19, Pelly discloses wherein the protective device (see
figure 2) further comprises a high-impedance module (30).
Regarding claim 10, Pelly discloses wherein the length of time is approximately zero (the surge voltage 91 occurs at a time to approximately zero, see figure 5).
Regarding claim 11, Pelly discloses a method of operating a protective
device (a protective device includes a device 30, a controller 150 in figures 3, 17A) in an electric power system, the method comprising:
monitoring, using an overvoltage element (a DC blocking capacitor 58, and
a voltage monitor 168, see figures 3, 17a), a voltage and initiating a protective
action (by turning the SCRs 64, 66, 70, 72) when the voltage exceeds a first threshold (270V);
generating, using a variable resistor (a varistor 60) disposed in parallel with the overvoltage element (58) , substantially all of an electrical resistance across the overvoltage element when the voltage is less than the first threshold (under a
normal operation, the varistor 60 is high impedance and open circuit, all
resistance of the varistor 60 generated across the overvoltage element, 58, 168);
and
transitioning a bypass device (64, 66, 70, 72) disposed in parallel with the
overvoltage element (58, 168) and the variable resistor (60) from a first state
(non-conducting state) to a second state (a conducting state) in response to a signal;
wherein the signal to transition the bypass device from the first state to the
second state is generated a predetermined length of time (at a time t0, a surge
voltage 91 occurs) after the voltage exceeds the first threshold, and after the
bypass device provides a low-resistance path to dissipate the voltage across the
overvoltage element and the variable resistor in the second state (see col. 9, lines
45-49).
Pelly further discloses the bypass device (64, 66, 70, 72) configured to minimize a DC offset (such as a DC component shown in figure 5 is minimized by the bypass device).
However, Pelly does not explicitly disclose the signal to transition the bypass device from the first state to the second state is generated when a DC offset is minimized as claimed.
Andersson discloses an overvoltage protection device comprises a bypass device (a switching device 20, see figure 2), and a control device is configured to generate a signal in response to an overvoltage detected (e.g. see par. 0010), wherein the signal to transition the bypass device (20) from the first state (a non-conductive mode) to the second state (a conductive mode) is generated when a DC offset is minimized (see par. 0010, and 0025).
It 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 to have modified a control device of Pelly to incorporate a control device which generate a signal to a bypass device to minimize a DC offset as disclosed by Andersson in order to reduce voltage stress on the device and the bypass device so that enhancing a circuit performance.
Regarding claim 17, Pelly discloses an overcurrent element (402) configured
to monitor a current and to initiate the second protective action when the
current exceeds a first threshold (see col. 24, lines 20-39).
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claim 20 is allowed over prior art of record.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach:
A protective device configured for use in an electric power system, comprising: a plurality of current transformers in electrical communication with protected equipment in the electric power system and the overvoltage element; a series resistor disposed in series between the plurality of current transformers and the overvoltage element, the variable resistor, and the bypass device; wherein the signal to transition the bypass device from the first state to the second state is generated when the voltage exceeds the first threshold as recited in claim 20.
4. Claims 6, 8, 16, 18 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
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANNY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2054. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached at 571-271-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANNY NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838