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 .
This action is responsive to the claim amendment filed on 12/23/2025. Claims 1, 3-7, 9-10, 12-15 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 3-4, 9 and 12-14 have been amended. Claims 2, 8 and 11 have been cancelled.
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, 5-7, 9-10 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuzawa (EP2610558A2, previously cited and applied) in view of Ryu et al. (2021/0262709, previously cited and applied).
Regarding claim 1, Matsuzawa discloses a heating system, comprising:
a heat pump (10) configured to supply heat to a process fluid (the water which circulated by the pump 40; see figure 1);
an auxiliary heating source (20) configured to supply heat to the process fluid (see figure 1);
a controller (100), configured to:
determine a heating coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump based on an ambient outdoor air temperature (abstract and paragraphs [0010] and [0023]);
determine a temperature target (a target temperature which stored in the target temperature memory unit 121) for the heat pump based on the determined heating coefficient of performance (COP) and a reference heating coefficient of performance (a predetermined value for COP; abstract; see figures 1-3); and
direct operation of the heat pump (control operation of the compressor 1) and the auxiliary heating source (20) according to the determined temperature target (the predetermined target temperature; abstract),
wherein the temperature target (the target temperature which stored in the target temperature memory unit 121) is determined such that the heating coefficient of performance is equal (the COP becomes the predetermined value) to or greater than the reference coefficient of performance (the predetermined value of the COP; paragraph [0026] and claim 1).
However, Matsuzawa fails to disclose the reference coefficient of performance is at least partially based on one or more of carbon output, energy cost, or target efficiency level.
Ryu teaches a heating system comprising a heat pump (100) and an auxiliary heating source (the combustion heating unit 510; see figure 2). Wherein a reference coefficient of performance (COP) is at least partially based on one or more of carbon output, energy cost, or target efficiency level (the expected efficiency of the heat pump 10; paragraph [0065]-[0071]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the heating system of Matsuzawa to incorporate the claimed control relationship between the COP and expected efficiency as taught by Ryu in order to improve the operation efficiency of the heating system based on reference values.
Regarding claim 3, Matsuzawa discloses the controller (100) is further configured to determine the overall target temperature (the predetermined temperature at the time of installing the heat pump system 200) for the heating system based on the ambient outdoor air temperature (the outdoor temperature measured by sensor 102; see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 5, Matsuzawa discloses the reference heating coefficient of performance (the predetermined value of the COP) is a heating coefficient of performance of the auxiliary heating source (20; see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 6, Matsuzawa as modified fails to disclose the auxiliary heating source is a fossil fuel boiler.
Ryu teaches heating system comprising an auxiliary heating source is a fossil fuel boiler (500; paragraph [0038]; see figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the heating system of Matsuzawa to substitute electric heater of Matsuzawa with the claimed fossil fuel boiler as taught by Ryu in order to obtain the similar or predictable result which to heat water to provide heating by using fossil fuel (see MPEP 2143 section B).
Regarding claim 7, Matsuzawa discloses the auxiliary heating source is an electric boiler (paragraph [0015]).
Regarding claim 9, Matsuzawa as modified in detail as claim 1 above discloses a method of controlling a heating system, comprising:
obtaining, at a controller (100), an ambient outdoor air temperature (the outdoor air temperature which measured by sensor 102; see figure 1);
determining, using the controller (100), a coefficient of performance (the COP) of a heat pump based on the ambient outdoor air temperature (abstract and paragraph [0023]);
determining, using the controller (100), a target temperature (a target temperature which stored in the target temperature memory unit 121) for the heat pump based on the coefficient of performance (the COP) and a reference coefficient of performance (a predetermined value for COP; abstract; see figures 1-3), wherein the temperature target (the target temperature which stored in the target temperature memory unit 121) is determined such that the heating coefficient of performance (the COP) is equal to (the COP becomes the predetermined value) or greater than the reference coefficient of performance (the predetermined value of COP; paragraph [0026] and claim 1) and wherein the reference coefficient of performance (the reference COP) is at least partially based on one or more of carbon output, energy cost, or target efficiency level (the expected efficiency; paragraphs [0065]-[0071]); and
operating the heat pump (10) and an auxiliary heating source (20) to add heat to a process fluid (water) to achieve the target temperature (the target temperature which stored in the target temperature memory unit 121) in the process fluid (the water; the supply temperature becomes a target temperature; abstract; see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 10, Matsuzawa discloses the method further comprising determining, using the controller (100), an overall target temperature (the predetermined temperature at the time of installing the heat pump system 200) based on the ambient outdoor air temperature (the outdoor temperature which measured by sensor 102; see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 12, Matsuzawa discloses the reference heating coefficient of performance (the predetermined value of the COP) is a heating coefficient of performance of the auxiliary heating source (20; see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 13, Matsuzawa as modified fails to disclose the auxiliary heating source is a fossil fuel boiler.
Ryu teaches heating system comprising an auxiliary heating source is a fossil fuel boiler (500; paragraph [0038]; see figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the heating system of Matsuzawa to substitute electric heater of Matsuzawa with the claimed fossil fuel boiler as taught by Ryu in order to obtain the similar or predictable result which to heat water to provide heating by using fossil fuel (see MPEP 2143 section B).
Regarding claim 14, Matsuzawa discloses the auxiliary heating source is an electric boiler (paragraph [0015]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is allowed.
Claim 15 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.
The primary reference Matsuzawa fails to disclose the claimed linear function relationship between the overall target temperature and the ambient outdoor air temperature of the heating system as required in claims 4 and 15. Also, the prior art of record fails to provide further teachings or motivation to modify the heating system of Matsuzawa in order to arrive the claim invention. Therefore, claims 4 and 15 are allowable.
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.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments on the Remarks filed on 12/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues in paragraph 1 of page 7 that “That is while Matsuzawa teaches that the restrictive temperature setting unit 143, at the outdoor temperature measured by the outdoor temperature measuring unit 112, obtains a supply temperature by which the COP becomes the predetermined value, and sets the supply temperature to the temperature A, there is no indication in Matsuzawa that the temperature target is determined such that the heating coefficient of performance is equal to or greater than the reference coefficient of performance the reference coefficient of performance is at least partially based on one or more of carbon output, energy cost, or target efficiency level, as recited in Claim 1. Instead, as discussed during the interview, Matsuzawa only teaches that the auxiliary heat source 20 is turned on/off and that the upper restrictive temperature is provided to reduce the number of stops of the compressor” has been fully considered. However, the Office respectfully disagrees. Matsuzawa clearly discloses “the COP becomes the predetermined value” (paragraph [0026] which means that “the heating coefficient of performance is equal to the reference coefficient” as required in claims 1 and 9. Also, in paragraph [0017] and the last 4 lines of paragraph [0021], Matsuzawa discloses the water supplied to the heating appliance 30 should become a target temperature by using the controller 130 to set the auxiliary heat source 20 to ON. Therefore, Matsuzawa discloses the argued target temperature and the COP limitation. In addition, the teaching reference Ryu teaches the relationship between the COP and the excepted efficiency of the heating system (paragraphs [0065]-[0071]). The combination of Matsuzawa and Ryu discloses the argued limitation “the reference COP is at least partially based on target efficiency level”. Therefore, the modified Matsuzawa discloses the amended claims 1 and 9.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 KUN KAI MA whose telephone number is (571)-270-3530. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/KUN KAI MA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763