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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-5 and 7-12 are currently pending and claim 6 is canceled in response to claim amendments filed on May 12, 2026. The claim amendments overcame the 112b rejections as presented in the office action mailed 03/09/2026.
Response to Applicant’s Remarks
With respect to 35 U.S.C. §102 rejections:
With respect to claims 1 and 9, Applicant’s argument is unpersuasive. Applicant argues that claims 1 and 9 have been amended to recite a part of the selection conditions previously recited in claim 6 which are not alleged to be disclosed in Miyoshi.
Examiner disagrees. The following underlining limitation was rejected in claim 6 but is now amended in claims 1 and 9 as the part of the selection conditions:
With respect to claim 6, MIYOSHI teaches wherein the selection condition includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: a missing rate of the measuring data; a characteristic of the measuring data; an analysis result of the measuring data; a prediction result based on the measuring data; responsiveness of the control target energy resource with respect to the control command; an identifier of the facility; a characteristic of the facility (acquires the name of the power demand facility that matches the search condition from the database 112, page 41); a type of the control target energy resource; an identifier of the control target energy resource; a state of the control target energy resource; and a characteristic of the control target energy resource (power generation company information Ptbl includes, for example, the name and location of a registered power generation company, the type and power generation capacity of power generation device 203, and the registration suppression level. The registration suppression level is a suppression level registered in advance by the power generation company, page 15).
For this reason, Examiner will maintain the 102 rejections for claims 1 and 9 as set forth below.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informality: A missing period as follows: “the controlling the display comprises displaying, on the display, a parameter input screen for receiving an input of a parameter relating to the resource control for the energy resources, the parameter includes”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by MIYOSHI HIDEKAZU (JP-2017011988-A).
With respect to claims 1 and 9, MIYOSHI teaches an energy resource control system and method configured to perform resource control for energy resources to provide a power service (power management system 301 with multiple power demand facilities {i.e., building, factory, and household, page 10} where each facility includes a power generation control device 202 {i.e., PCS} to control the power generation device 203, fig.1 and page 10), the energy resource control system (fig.1) comprising:
a memory, and a processor connected to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations (power management system 302 includes a computer including a CPU and memory, page 27) comprising:
acquiring measuring data as power information measured in a facility (the power generation control device 202 creates suppression amount information based on the value of a power meter indicating the amount of power generated by the power generation device 203, page 28);
controlling a display unit to display data about the resource control (the display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the screen information acquisition unit 71 stores the past of the target supply with respect to the power supply using the power generation device 203 that generates electricity from the renewable energy, that is, the target supply. Screen information Sci1 and Sci2 based on output suppression information that is created based on suppression history information related to suppression of the target and indicates content related to suppression of target supply is acquired. Then, the control unit 72 displays the contents of the screen information Sci1 and Sci2 acquired by the screen information acquisition unit 71, page 32); and
generating a control command for a control target energy resource that is a target of the resource control (transmits a target supply suppression command C1 to the power management device 101…in the suppression command C1, for example, the start timing and length of the target period for suppressing the target supply (hereinafter also referred to as the suppression period CP), the total suppression power amount of the target supply, and the target supply are suppressed, page 10; the control unit 82 receives a unit suppression command from the communication unit 81, the control unit 82 suppresses the target supply of the power generation device 203 managed by its own power generation control device 202 according to the received unit suppression command, page 24),
the controlling the display comprises displaying, on the display, an energy resource input screen (fig.2) for receiving:
an input of a selection condition for the energy resources (fig.2 teaches screen Sc1 with 5 drop-down lists for user to select various conditions, such as the sub suppression period {DLp}, the sort key {DLs}, the power generation capacity range {DLc}, the sub area {DLa}, and the result totaling period {DLr} to control a plurality of power generation control apparatuses 202 to thereby generate a power generation apparatus 203 in a power generation facility, pages 11-13); and
an input of setting, to the control target energy resource, at least one energy resource, which satisfies the selection condition, of the energy resources (fig.2 teaches screen Sc1 with drop-down lists DLp, DLs, DLc, DLa, and DLr for setting conditions to control a plurality of power generation control apparatuses 202 to thereby generate a power generation apparatus 203 in a power generation facility, pages 11-13),
the generating comprises generating the control command based on: the control target energy resource according to the input of setting, received on the energy resource input screen, and the measuring data (when the unit suppression command creation unit 44 receives the contents of one or more target lines and the sub suppression period from the search processing unit 43, the unit suppression command creation unit 44 searches based on the received contents and sub suppression periods of the one or more target lines. A unit suppression command is created for each subject determined by the processing unit 43, page 24; the control unit 82 receives a unit suppression command from the communication unit 81, the control unit 82 suppresses the target supply of the power generation device 203 managed by its own power generation control device 202 according to the received unit suppression command, page 24), and the selection condition includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: [[a missing rate of the measuring data;]] a characteristic of the measuring data; an analysis result of the measuring data; a prediction result based on the measuring data (the drop-down list DLs includes, for example, “(1) output suppression request time”, “(2) output suppression request power amount”, “(3) output suppression request count”, “(4) output”. "Suppression request days", "(5) Predicted output amount in sub-suppression period", "(6) Output suppression equivalent price (actual)", "(7) Output suppression equivalent price (prediction)" and "(8) Output suppression Eight elements of “not reached” are included, page 12); [[responsiveness of the control target energy resource with respect to the control command]]; a type of the control target energy resource (power generation company information Ptbl includes, for example, the name and location of a registered power generation company, the type and power generation capacity of power generation device 203, and the registration suppression level. The registration suppression level is a suppression level registered in advance by the power generation company, page 15); an identifier of the control target energy resource (the search processing unit 43 refers to the power generation company information Ptbl, and has a power generation capacity of “50 to 500 kW” indicated by the search condition and a power generation company whose location is “first area”. A candidate group Gr1 that includes the name of the identified power generation company is created, page 38); [[a state of the control target energy resource;]] and a characteristic of the control target energy resource (The drop-down list DLc is used, for example, for the user to select a range of power generation capacity to be searched (hereinafter also referred to as a power generation capacity range). The power generation capacity is, for example, a rating of the generated power of the power generation device 203 operated by the power generation business subject to suppression request, page 12; power generation company information Ptbl includes, for example, the name and location of a registered power generation company, the type and power generation capacity of power generation device 203, and the registration suppression level. The registration suppression level is a suppression level registered in advance by the power generation company, page 15).
With respect to claim 3, MIYOSHI teaches wherein the parameter includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a reference value, a controllable amount and a bid amount, the reference value being calculated from the measuring data (the contents related to the control of the target supply or power demand are determined based on the numerical values related to the cost, usage status, performance, etc. of the device, the predicted value of the target supply or power demand, or the achievement level for the control request, page 8; fig.2 teaches screen Sc1 with 5 drop-down lists for user to select various conditions, such as the sub suppression period {DLp}, the sort key {DLs}, the power generation capacity range {DLc}, the sub area {DLa}, and the result totaling period {DLr} to control a plurality of power generation control apparatuses 202 to thereby generate a power generation apparatus 203 in a power generation facility, pages 11-13).
With respect to claim 4, MIYOSHI teaches wherein when the parameter includes the reference value, the parameter input screen is provided to further receive an input of an offset value with respect to the parameter (selects a candidate until the total suppression power amount exceeds a threshold value based on the total suppression power amount indicated by the suppression command, page 34), and the generating comprises setting a result obtained by reflecting the offset value in the parameter to a new parameter (a plurality of threshold values are set corresponding to each sub suppression period obtained by dividing the suppression period CP indicated by the suppression command C1, pages 34-35), and generating the control command based on the new parameter (The unit suppression command creation unit 54 outputs, for example, the created one or more unit suppression commands to the communication unit 21, page 35).
With respect to claim 5, MIYOSHI teaches wherein the controlling the display comprises displaying a control result screen including: a control result obtained based on the control command; and the measuring data obtained by controlling based on the control command (Sc2 screen of fig.3 teaches return of results based on the input control parameters of Sc1 and control suppression commands, page 23).
With respect to claim 7, MIYOSHI teaches wherein the operations further comprise outputting, to the control target energy resource, the control command (The control unit 82 controls the power generation device 203 based on the output suppression information acquired by the communication unit 81, page 39).
With respect to claim 11, MIYOSHI teaches a non-transitory computer-readable tangible recording medium storing a program designed to cause a computer system to perform the energy resource control method of claim 9 (each device in the power management system 301 includes a computer, and an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU in the computer reads and executes a program including a part or all of each step in the following sequence diagram from a memory (not shown). Each of the programs of the plurality of apparatuses can be installed from the outside. The programs of the plurality of apparatuses are distributed while being stored in a recording medium, page 27).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious, which makes the following claims allowable over the prior art:
With respect to claim 2, wherein the controlling the display comprises displaying a parameter input screen for receiving an input of a parameter relating to the power service, the parameter includes a reference value which is an amount of power to be consumed by the facility for a demand response (DR) event period, and the generating comprises, when receiving information about the DR event: deciding one of an amount of power, a power, a current which are to be supplied by the control target energy resource, such that a total value of a purchased power is made closer to a difference between the DR event and the reference value, based on: the parameter received on the parameter input screen; and the measuring data and generating the control command which includes the one of the amount of power, the power, the current decided in the deciding.
Claims 8, 10 and 12 are allowed.
The primary reason for the allowance of claim 8 is that the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious the subject matter of:
“An energy resource control system configured to perform resource control for energy resources to provide a power service, the energy resource control system comprising:
a memory, and
a processor connected to the memory,
wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
acquiring measuring data as power information measured in a facility;
controlling a display to display data about the resource control; and
generating a control command for a control target energy resource that is a target of the resource control,
the controlling the display comprises displaying, on the display, a parameter input screen for receiving an input of a parameter relating to the resource control for the energy resources,
the parameter includes a reference value which is an amount of power to be consumed by the facility for a demand response (DR) event period, and
the generating comprises, when receiving information about the DR event:
deciding one of an amount of power, a power, a current which are to be supplied by the control target energy resource, such that a total value of a purchased power is made closer to a difference between the DR event and the reference value, based on:
the parameter received on the parameter input screen; and
the measuring data, and
generating the control command which includes the one of the amount of power, the power, the current decided in the deciding.
The primary reason for the allowance of claim 10 is that the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious the subject matter of:
“An energy resource control method to be applied to an energy resource control system configured to perform resource control for energy resources to provide a power service, the energy resource control method comprising:
acquiring measuring data as power information measured in a facility;
controlling a display to display data about the resource control; and
generating a control command for a control target energy resource that is a target of the resource control,
the controlling the display comprises displaying, on the display, a parameter input screen for receiving an input of a parameter relating to the resource control for the energy resource,
the parameter includes a reference value which is an amount of power to be consumed by the facility for a demand response (DR) event period, and
the generating comprises, when receiving information about the DR event:
deciding one of an amount of power, a power, a current which are to be supplied by the control target energy resource, such that a total value of a purchased power is made closer to a difference between the DR event and the reference value, based on:
the parameter received on the parameter input screen; and
the measuring data,
and generating the control command which includes the one of the amount of power, the power, the current decided in the deciding.”
Claim 12 is allowed due to its dependency on claim 10.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The additional prior arts made of record and have not been relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as follows: US-20140200723-A1, US-20140172182-A1, US-20030216971-A1, and JP_6203351_B2.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIEN (CINDY) D KHUU whose telephone number is (571)272-8585. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ken Lo can be reached on 571-272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HIEN D KHUU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116 July 28, 2026
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