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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 8, 10, 17, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Klimczak et al. (US 2021/0156893).
Regarding claim 1, Klimczak discloses, a method for arc handling ( If such an arc detection signal is
generated, the power output of the RF sources can be stopped in order to avoid further supplying energy into the plasma process, para 27), comprising: applying power to a plasma load with a power supply (The FIGURE illustrates a plasma supply system 100, having an arc detector 1. The arc detector 1 has two inputs 2, 2', which are each connected to an RF source 3, 3' [power supply], para 44; The arc detector 1 further has an output 4, that is connected to a load, in particular a plasma load, para 45); calculating an impedance of a plasma load based, at least in part, on monitoring voltage and current signals at an input of the plasma load (The measuring device may be a V /I-probe. A V /I-probe can be used for measuring voltage and current. The measured current and voltage can be used, for example, to calculate an impedance value as evaluation quantity, para 22;
the measuring device 7 [at input of plasma load]. The determinator 8 determines an evaluation quantity based on the at least two physical quantities measured by the measuring device 7. For example, the determinator determines an impedance, para 47; also see Fig. 1); detecting an arc in the plasma load based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (a tracker 12 for tracking for example an impedance determined by the determinator 8, para 49; The impedance can then be differentiated by the differentiator and the output quantity of the differentiator can be compared with the reference value. If the differentiated impedance falls below a reference value or exceeds a reference value, an arc may be detected, para 22); and managing the power applied by the power supply based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (If such an arc detection signal is generated, the power output of the RF sources can be stopped in order to avoid further supplying energy into the plasma process, para 27).
Regarding claim 8, the plasma load comprises an impedance presented to the power supply, and wherein detecting the arc further comprises at least one of: determining that the impedance presented to the power supply exceeds a first threshold (If the differentiated impedance falls below a reference value or exceeds a reference value, an arc may be detected, para 22); and determining that a rate of change of the impedance presented to the power supply exceeds a second threshold.
Regarding claim 10, a power system comprising: a power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to apply power to a plasma load (The FIGURE illustrates a plasma supply system 100, having an arc detector 1. The arc detector 1 has two inputs 2, 2', which are each connected to an RF source 3, 3' [power supply], para 44; The arc detector 1 further has an output 4, that is connected to a load,
in particular a plasma load, para 45); a controller coupled to the power supply, the controller comprising: an impedance calculation module (the data processing can be effected very quickly and therefore an arc can be detected quickly, para 29) configured to calculate an impedance of the plasma load based, at least in part, on monitoring voltage and current signals at an input of the plasma load (The measuring device maybe a V/I-probe. A V/I-probe can be used for measuring voltage and current. The measured current and voltage can be used, for example, to calculate an impedance value as evaluation quantity, para 22; the measuring device 7 [at input of plasma load]. The determinator 8 determines an evaluation quantity based on the at least two physical quantities measured by the measuring device 7. For example, the determinator determines an impedance, para 47; also see Fig. l); a first module configured to detect an arc in the plasma load based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (a tracker 12 for tracking for example an impedance determined by the determinator 8, para 49; The impedance can then be differentiated by the differentiator and the output quantity of the differentiator can be compared with the reference value. If the differentiated impedance falls below a reference value or exceeds a reference value, an arc may be detected, para 22); a second module configured to manage the power applied by the power supply based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (If such an arc detection signal is generated, the power output of the RF sources can be stopped in order to avoid further supplying energy into the plasma process, para 27). Regarding claim 17, the plasma load comprises an impedance presented to the power supply, and wherein detecting the arc further comprises at least one of: determining that the impedance presented to the power supply exceeds a first threshold (If the differentiated impedance falls below a reference value or exceeds a reference value, an arc may be detected, para 22); and determining that a rate of change of the impedance presented to the power supply exceeds a second threshold. Regarding claim 19, calculating the impedance of the plasma load comprises calculating a magnitude of the impedance of the plasma load (The measured current and voltage can be used, for example, to calculate an impedance value as evaluation quantity, para 22).
Regarding claim 20, a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions (the data processing can be effected very quickly and therefore an arc can be detected quickly, para 29) to perform a method for arc handling (If such an arc detection signal is generated, the power output of the RF sources can be stopped in order to avoid further supplying energy into the plasma process, para 27), the method comprising: applying power to a plasma load with a power supply (The FIGURE illustrates a plasma supply system 100, having an arc detector 1.
The arc detector 1 has two inputs 2, 2', which are each connected to an RF source 3, 3' [power supply],
para 44; The arc detector 1 further has an output 4, that is connected to a load, in particular a plasma load, para 45); calculating an impedance of a plasma load, based at least in part on monitoring voltage and current signals at an input of the plasma load (The measuring device may be a V/I-probe. A V/I-probe can be used for measuring voltage and current. The measured current and voltage can be used, for example, to calculate an impedance value as evaluation quantity, para 22; the measuring device 7 [at input of plasma load]. The determinator 8 determines an evaluation quantity based on the at least two physical quantities measured by the measuring device 7. For example, the determinator determines an impedance, para 47; also see Fig. l); detecting an arc in the plasma load based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (a tracker 12 for tracking for example an impedance determined by the determinator 8, para 49; The impedance can then be differentiated by the differentiator and the output quantity of the differentiator can be compared with the reference value. If the differentiated impedance falls below a reference value or exceeds a reference value, an arc may be detected, para 22); and managing the power applied by the power supply based, at least in part, on the calculated impedance (If such an arc detection signal is generated, the power output of the RF sources can be stopped in order to avoid further supplying energy into the plasma process, para 27).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2-5, 7, 11-14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klimczak et al. (US 2021/0156893) in view of Al-Dabbagh (US 5,602,709).
The teachings of Klimczak have been discussed above. Klimczak fails to disclose, regarding claims 2 and 11,: quantizing arc impedances for a plurality of arcs, including at least the arc, detected in the plasma load; and characterize each of the plurality of arcs based, at least in part, on the quantizing.
Al-Dabbagh is in the field of fault detection (Abstract) and teaches quantize arc impedances for a plurality of arcs, including at least the arc, detected in the plasma load; and characterize each of the plurality of arcs based, at least in part, on the quantizing (different types of arcing configurations have been shown to generate different levels of frequency signals, col 6, lines 29-31; summing the number of times during a data acquisition period in which the sampled magnitude of the given frequency component exceeds a selected threshold, col 5, lines 2-7).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Al-Dabbagh to provide quantizing arc impedances for a plurality of arcs, including at least the arc, detected in the plasma load; and characterize each of the plurality of arcs based, at least in part, on the quantizing for reducing false trips of the fault detector. (See Al-Dabbagh, col 11, lines 30-50).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Klimczak fails to disclose, identifying one or more of a source and a severity for one or more of the plurality of arcs including the arc.
Al-Dabbagh teaches wherein the first module is further configured to identify a severity for one or more
of the plurality of arcs including the arc (The preferred detection system can also accurately detect solid
ground faults, such as line to ground faults and double line to ground faults, which are more serious in
terms of the severity of the fault currents and should be disconnected immediately. These type of faults are considered first, to enable them to be detected and cleared quickly. High impedance faults have low levels of fault current, and, col 10, line 63- col 11, line 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Al-Dabbagh to provide identifying one or more of a source and a severity for one or more of the plurality of arcs including the arc for determining priority of action.
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Klimczak fails to disclose, characterizing each of the plurality of arcs as one of a high impedance arc, a low impedance arc, or an arc associated with an inadvertent current path. Al-Dabbagh teaches wherein the characterizing further comprises: characterizing each of the plurality of
arcs as a high impedance arc (When analysis of the input data indicates a high impedance arcing fault, col 9, lines 62-63).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Al-Dabbagh to provide characterizing each of the plurality of arcs as one of a high impedance arc, a low impedance arc, or an arc associated with an inadvertent current path for the purpose of quickly detecting a type of electrical fault which commonly occurs in a distribution feeder that many relay systems are unable to respond quickly and accurately (see Al-Dabbagh, col 1, lines 10-20).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Klimczak fails to disclose, managing the power applied by the power supply is further based at least in part on characterizing the arc as one of a high impedance arc or a low impedance arc. However, Al-Dabbagh teaches wherein managing the power applied by the power supply is further based at least in part on characterizing the arc as a high impedance arc (When analysis of the input data indicates a high impedance arcing fault, the fault detector 34 is also able to trip the circuitry breaker or relay of the feeder, col 9, lines 62-65).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Al-Dabbagh to provide managing the power applied by the power supply is further based at least in part on characterizing the arc as one of a high impedance arc or a low impedance arc for the purpose of quickly detecting a type of electrical fault which commonly occurs in a distribution feeder that many relay systems are unable to respond to quickly and accurately and to quickly protect the system
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Klimczak fails to disclose counting a number of arc occurrences for different ranges of arc impedances. However, Al-Dabbagh discloses, the quantizing further comprises: counting a number of arc occurrences for different ranges of arc impedances (different types of arcing configurations have been shown to generate different levels of frequency signals, col 6, lines 29-31; summing the number of times during a data acquisition period in which the sampled magnitude of the given frequency component exceeds a selected threshold, col 5, lines 2-7).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Al-Dabbagh to provide quantizing arc impedances for a plurality of arcs, including at least the arc, detected in the plasma load; and characterize each of the plurality of arcs based, at least in part, on the quantizing for reducing false trips of the fault detector. (See Al-Dabbagh, col 11, lines 30-50).
Claim(s) 9 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klimczak et al. (US 2021/0156893) in view of Zuercher et al (US 2004/0027749).
The teachings of Klimczak have been discussed above. Klimczak fails to disclose, regarding claims 9 and 18, the power supply comprises one of a direct current (DC) power supply and a pulsed DC power supply. However, Zuercher is in the field of arc detection (Abstract) and teaches wherein the power supply comprises a direct current (DC) power supply (FIG. 2 illustrates that in a 42 volt de system the source voltage shown in solid line and the voltage across the load shown in the dash line are both at 42 volts until an arc occurs. Voltage across the load then drops substantially as the arc introduces a substantial impedance in series with the load, para 25).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention to adapt Klimczak in view of Zuercher to provide the DC power supply as taught in Zuercher for the purpose of protecting the DC power supply by distinguishing between an arc fault and step changes caused by turning a load off and on in order to protect the system from insulation breakdown, production of combustion products, and the ejection of hot metal particles (see Zuercher, para 25).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN W JENNISON whose telephone number is (571)270-5930. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9-5.
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/BRIAN W JENNISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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