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
Applicant’s arguments, see pg. 1-3, filed 03/25/2026, with respect to claims 1-14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112a and 112b rejection of 01/30/2026 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments regarding the 103 rejection filed 03/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Claim 1, the applicant discloses that the Office Action rejection does not identify any disclosure in the cited references of the amended limitation (i) normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure, or (ii) performing such normalization at a centralized gateway by converting different data formats into a single standardized format prior to SCADA processing. The examiner agrees. However, upon review, the examiner has added an additional reference that teaches the amended limitation and therefore maintains the rejection.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claims specified contain the phrase "and like. This phrase can interpreted by the MPEP 2173.05(d) as exemplary claim language and can render the claim indefinite. Applicant can overcome the claim objection by removing said phrase. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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 through 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pionzio et al. (US20020029097, 2002-03-07) herein referred to as Pionzio, in view of Kiles et al. (US20190170118A1, 2019-06-06) herein referred to as Kiles, in view ofMeng et al. (CN110134740A, 2019-08-16) herein referred to Meng and Hyldgaard (DK201300364A1, 2015-01-12).
Regarding Claim 1, Pionzio et al. teaches a system for remote monitoring of wind turbines for extraction and transformation of wind turbine data into a uniform consolidated datamart, the wind turbines being either an individual unit or a cluster of plurality of wind turbines and equipped with plurality of sensors with signal conditioning and processing circuits capturing operational parameters related to input and output characteristics thereof (Abstract; [0021]), the system comprising:
a modem receiving wind turbine data from the plurality of sensors and operably connected to a cloud network either in a wired or wireless manner to facilitate data transfer there between (TPU (210) [0049-0051]);
a M2M gateway unit receiving data from the modem and connected to an application server (APU; [0027-0029])
a SCADA server connected to the application server through a centralized gateway; wherein the centralized gateway converts the received data format into single IEC-61850 standard and passes to the SCADA server (Abstract);
a real time database module operably connected to the SCADA server wherein the data from SCADA server is transformed to a readable format to have a single view of all the data collected from the wind turbines (TACS [0023], [0030]);
an application module consuming data from the OLAP database module available at source independent of the data from real time database module to ensure the users can analyze the historical data by slicing and dicing across the regions/farms/turbine makes & models without impacting on data collection from turbine [0007, 0030].
Pionzio fails to specifically teach by normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related field, Kiles teaches providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto [0065].
Kiles fails to teach an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related filed Meng teaches an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module (page 9 third and fourth paragraph).
Meng fails to teach normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related field, Hyldgaard teaches normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format (pg. 2-3)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Pionzio to incorporate the teachings of Kiles, Meng and Hyldgaard by including: an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto in order to communicate with different data systems and assist in operating an efficient and reliable wind farm remotely.
Regrading Claim 2, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination fails to specifically teach wherein the modem is a GPRS modem supported with GPRS technology for data transmission. However, GPRS modem is known by one of ordinary skill in the art as a modem with GSM capability. This is taught by Kiles [0065] as previously stated in Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 3., the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches wherein the plurality of sensors of the wind turbine cluster is connected to the modem through a serial converter unit and a data collection unit (Pionzio [0080]; fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches wherein the plurality of sensors of the individual wind turbine is connected to the modem through a data acquisition controller configured to receive sensor data and transmit the sensor data to the modem (Pionzio: [[0022; 0049-0050] [0083](TPU)).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches wherein the SCADA server receives data directly from the modems through the M2M gateway module, a gateway module configured to aggregate and route data between the modem and the SCADA server and the centralized gateway module (Kiles: [0081]).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches wherein the real time database module is an OLTP database configured as a central repository of real time data from the individual turbines (Pionzio: [0021-0025]).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the centralized gateway module works on protocols selected from OPC, OPC-DA, IEC104, IEC103, IES101, IEC61850, MODBUS TCP & OPC-XML-DA and like (Pionzio: [0164]).
Regarding Claim 8, Pionzio et al. teaches a system for remote monitoring of wind turbines for extraction and transformation of wind turbine data into a uniform consolidated datamart, irrespective of make and model of wind turbine, the wind turbines being either an individual unit or a cluster of plurality of wind turbines and equipped with plurality of sensors with signal conditioning and processing circuits capturing operational parameters related to input and output characteristics thereof (Abstract; [0021]), the system comprising:
a modem receiving wind turbine data from the plurality of sensors and operably connected to a cloud network either in a wired or wireless manner to facilitate data transfer there between (TPU (210) [0049-0051];
a M2M gateway unit receiving data from the modem and connected to an application server (APU; [0027-0029])
a SCADA server connected to the application server through a centralized gateway; wherein the centralized gateway converts the received data format into single IEC-61850 standard and passes to the SCADA server (Abstract);
a real time database module operably connected to the SCADA server wherein the data from SCADA server is transformed to a readable format to have a single view of all the data collected from the wind turbines (TACS [0023], [0030]);
an application module consuming data from the OLAP database module available at source independent of the data from real time database module to ensure the users can analyze the historical data by slicing and dicing across the regions/farms/turbine makes & models without impacting on data collection from turbine [0007, 0030].
Pionzio fails to specifically teach by normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related field, Kiles teaches providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto [0065].
Kiles fails to teach an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related filed Meng teaches an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module (page 9 third and fourth paragraph).
Meng fails to teach normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format.
However, in a related field, Hyldgaard teaches normalizing data received from wind turbines of different makes and models into a common data structure; configured to normalize data received from wind turbines of different makes and models by converting different data formats into a single standardized data format (pg. 2-3)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Pionzio to incorporate the teachings of Kiles, Meng and Hyldgaard by including: an OLAP database module operably connected to the real time database module through an ETL module; providing a secured connectivity over GSM network for data transfer thereto in order to communicate with different data systems and assist in operating an efficient and reliable wind farm remotely.
Regrading Claim 9, the combination teaches the method as claimed in claim 8. The combination fails to specifically teach wherein the modem is a GPRS modem supported with GPRS technology for data transmission. However, GPRS modem is known by one of ordinary skill in the art as a modem with GSM capability. This is taught by Kiles [0065] as previously stated in Claim 8.
Regarding Claim 10, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 8. The combination further teaches wherein the plurality of sensors of the wind turbine cluster is connected to the modem through a serial converter unit and a data collection unit (Pionzio [0080]; fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 8. The combination further teaches wherein the plurality of sensors of the individual wind turbine is connected to the modem through a data acquisition controller configured to receive sensor data and transmit the sensor data to the modem (Pionzio: [[0022; 0049-0050] (TPU)).
Regarding Claim 12, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 8. The combination further teaches wherein the SCADA server receives data directly from the modems through the M2M gateway module, a custom gateway module and the centralized gateway module (Kiles: [0081]).
Regarding Claim 13, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 8. The combination further teaches wherein the real time database module is an OLTP database configured as a central repository of real time data from the individual turbines (Pionzio: [0021-0025]).
Regarding Claim 14, the combination teaches the system as claimed in claim 1. The combination further teaches The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the centralized gateway module works on protocols selected from OPC, OPC-DA, IEC104, IEC103, IES101, IEC61850, MODBUS TCP & OPC-XML-DA and like (Pionzio: [0164]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL J SINGLETARY whose telephone number is (571)272-4593. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Catherine Rastovski can be reached at 571-270-0349. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL J SINGLETARY/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/Catherine T. Rastovski/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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