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 Amendment
Previous mode objection and 112 rejections have been WITHDRAWN in view of the amendments.
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, 7, and 19-21 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faisal et al. “Review of solid state transfer switch on requirements, standards, topologies, control, and switching mechanisms” in view of Schimanek et al. CN105393420A.
Faisal teaches:
1, 2. A hybrid fast transfer switch, comprising:
a mechanical switch (see FIGURE 5, first and second “mechanical switch” reading on said claimed “mechanical switch”) including a first stationary contact, a second stationary contact and a movable contact, wherein the first stationary contact is connected to a first power source (ie of said Main ATS, not shown), the second stationary contact is connected to a second power source (ie of said standby ATS, not shown FIG5), and the movable contact is connected to a load (see “Load, FIG5) (noting that all of said contacts of first and second switches reading on said claimed “mechanical switch” are connected together to form a complete and operative circuit of FIGURE 5);
a first diversion branch connected between the first power source and the load (ie main ATS side Solid state switch branch, FIG5);
a first energy absorption branch connected between the first power source and the load (ie main ATS MOV branch);
a second diversion branch connected between the second power source and the load (standby ATS solid state switch branch);
and a second energy absorption branch connected between the second power source and the load (standby ATS MOV branch).
Faisal fails to teach:
the first diversion branch including a first switch having a first body diode and a second switch having a second body diode, the first switch is connected to the first power source, the second switch is connected to the load, and the first switch is connected to the second switch in a reverse series configuration such that the first body diode and the second body diode have different orientations;
the second diversion branch including a third switch having a third body diode and a fourth switch having a fourth body diode, the third switch is connected to the second power source, the fourth switch is connected to the load, and the third switch is connected to the fourth switch in the reverse series configuration such that the third body diode and the fourth body diode have different orientations.
and;
wherein the switches are MOSFETS.
Schimanek teaches a switching structure wherein said switch comprises
a first switch having a first body diode (ie switch of S2, FIGURE 3) and a second switch (switch of S3) having a second body diode, the first switch is connected to the first power source (ie 11), the second switch is connected to the load (ie rechargeable battery 12) , and the first switch is connected to the second switch in a reverse series configuration such that the first body diode and the second body diode have different orientations (see FIGURE 3).
It would have been obvious to incorporate the reverse series MOSFETs as taught by Schimanek in place of the generically taught “solid state switch” of Faisal wit the motivation of desirable reliably preventing current flow in the opposite direction in the deactivated state (see Schimanek Specification, expert below:
“the second switch component 16 comprises two MOSFET, reverse series-connected semiconductor switches S2 and S3. when building a secondary energy source 12 semiconductor switch S2, S3 is turned on and the node 14 is electrically connected and reverse connected in series. based on the design and principle of the MOSFET body diode, switch elements S2, S3 need to display mode interconnection, so that in the deactivated state reliably prevents current flow from node 14 to energy 12 and reliably preventing the flow in the opposite direction. Furthermore, on the binding post of the secondary energy source 12 connected with the second measuring device 22, which includes a current measuring device 23 and the voltage measuring device 24.”
Wherein the motivation to realize the switches with MOSFETS includes high efficiency, fast switching speeds, high input impedance, and ease of integration.
2. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein each of the first diversion branch and the second diversion branch includes one or more of: insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) connected in reverse series, a full-bridge submodule or a [semi-controlled] controlled device (controlled device read on by said controlled solid state switch).
Faisal further teaches:
3. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein each of the first energy absorption branch and the second energy absorption branch includes one or more of: a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) (read on by MOV, FIG5)
7. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical switch includes a first mechanical switch and a second mechanical switch that are independent of each other, the first mechanical switch includes the first stationary contact and the movable contact, and the second mechanical switch includes the second stationary contact and the movable contact (see FIG5).
19. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein the first switch is a first metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) and the second switch is a second MOSFET (taught by the combination of Faisal and Schimanek above), and a first drain terminal of the first switch is coupled to a second drain terminal of the second switch (noting all of said source, drain, and gates are coupled to form an operative transistor).
20. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein the first switch is a first metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) and the second switch is a second MOSFET (taught by the combination of Faisal and Schimanek above), and a first source terminal of the first switch is coupled to a second source terminal of the second switch (noting all of said source, drain, and gates are coupled to form an operative transistor).
Faisal further teaches:
21. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein each of the first energy absorption branch and the second energy absorption branch includes a metal oxide voltage limiter (MOV) or a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) (see FIG5 noting that a MOV is a type of TVS).
Claim(s) 4, 5 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faisal et al. “Review of solid state transfer switch on requirements, standards, topologies, control, and switching mechanisms” in view of Schimanek et al. CN105393420A and Akita et al. CN107852024A.
Faisal teaches wherein the switching out utilizes a relay however fails to teach:
4. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein a switching out of the mechanical switch utilizes one or more of a Thomson effect actuator or or an electromagnet driver.
5. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein a switching in of the mechanical switch utilizes one or more of an energy storage spring or or an electromagnet driver.
Akita teaches:
4. wherein a switching out of the mechanical switch utilizes one or more of a Thomson effect actuator or an electromagnet driver (read on by electromagnetic drive type, see Claim 2).
5. wherein a switching in of the mechanical switch utilizes one or more of an energy storage spring or an electromagnet driver (read on by electromagnetic drive type, see Claim 2).
It would have been obvious to use the particular electromagnetic drive type relay as taught by Akita to realize the otherwise generic relay with the motivation of electromagnetic drive relay benefits of enhanced safety, energy efficiency, and cost savings.
Claim(s) 16-18 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faisal et al. “Review of solid state transfer switch on requirements, standards, topologies, control, and switching mechanisms” in view of Schimanek et al. CN105393420A and Lu US 2023/0052000.
Faisal teaches the ATS connected to two AC sources (ie see FIG7) however fails to teach:
16. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein: the first diversion branch is connected to a first transformer, the first power source is connected to the first transformer, and the first energy absorption branch is connected to the first transformer.
17. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 16, wherein: the second diversion branch is connected to a second transformer, the second power source is connected to the second transformer, and the second energy absorption branch is connected to the second transformer.
18. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 16, wherein the first power source and the second power source are alternating current power sources.
Lu teaches:
16. a first transformer input (T1, FIG6), a first power source (AC source 16) is connected to the first transformer, and a first branch is connected to the first transformer (upper branch of first source 16).
17. a second branch (second source branch of 18) is connected to a second transformer (T2), the second power source is connected to the second transformer, and the second branch is connected to the second transformer (see FIG6).
18. wherein the first power source and the second power source are alternating current power sources (see FIG6).
It would have been obvious to provide an AC source and transformer as taught by Lu into the system to realize the transfer switch input sources of Faisal with the motivation of dual AC main inputs with transformer benefits including redundancy reliability, maintenance with interruption, adaptability to different power/voltage levels (ie via said transformers).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faisal et al. “Review of solid state transfer switch on requirements, standards, topologies, control, and switching mechanisms” in view of Zhang et al. CN114362631B.
Faisal teaches the use of two separate mechanical switches but fails to teach:
6. The hybrid fast transfer switch according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical switch is a single-pole double-throw mechanical switch.
Zhang teaches a transfer switch configurations comprising either of two discrete switches as taught by Faisal or the alternative configuration using a single SPDT switch (See Claim 1). It would have been obvious to use the alternative design as taught by Zhang of a single SPDT switch with the motivation of reduced cost using a single component, simplified wiring, space efficiency and reduced circuit complexity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22-28 are allowed.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zeng CN107786188B; and
Liu CN112821348A.
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 DANIEL CAVALLARI whose telephone number is (571)272-8541. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 0900-18:30.
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/DANIEL CAVALLARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836