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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, wherein at least two BESS are electrically connected to the DC input terminal and a respective battery management system must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-6, 8-12, 17-22 and 26 are objected to because of the following informalities:
in claim 3, line 1, “the first transformer” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 4, lines 1-2, “the first transformer” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 4, line 2, “the first breaker” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 5, line 1, “the first breaker” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 6, line 2, “the first feeder” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 6, line 2, “the substation” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 8, line 1, “the second transformer” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 9, line 2, “the second transformer” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 9, line 2, “the second breaker” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 10, line 1, “the second breaker” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 10, line 2, “the substation” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 11, line 2, “the second feeder” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 11, line 2, “the substation” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 12, line 2, “the first feeder port” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 12, line 2, “the substation” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 12, line 2, “and least two” should be ‘and at least two’.
in claim 17, line 2, “the anode bus bar” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 18, line 2, “the first and second transformers” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 18, lines 2-3, “the first and second breakers” lacks antecedent basis.
in claim 19, line 1, “the bus bars” lack antecedent basis.
In claim 19, lines 1-2, “the common skid” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 20, line 2, “the common skid” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 21, line 1, “the skid” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 22, line 1, “the skid” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 26, lines 1-2, “the maximum rated power” lacks antecedent basis
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6, 11, 14 and 25-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites “preferable more than two” making the claim unclear whether at least two or more than two are required.
Claim 11 recites “preferable more than two” making the claim unclear whether at least two or more than two are required.
Claim 14 recites “preferably more than two anode terminals” making the claim unclear whether two or more than two are required.
Claim 14 recites “preferably more than two cathode terminals” making the claim unclear whether two or more than two are required.
Claim 21 recites “wherein the skid has at the breakers connections terminals for the feeder lines” is incoherent. For the purpose of examination the claim shall be interpreted as intending ‘wherein the skid has breaker connection terminals for the feeder lines’.
Claims 25-28 recite “a method” but do not provide any method steps making the scope of the claims unclear.
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) 1-2, 4, 7, 9, 13, 15, 16, 23, 25 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by King (US 2022/0121260).
With respect to claim 1, King discloses a system comprising, at least one renewable energy power plant (Fig. 1A 131) with a DC source port (Fig. 1A output of 131), wherein the DC source port is electrically connected to a DC input port of a first inverter (Fig. 1A 134), at least one battery energy storage system (BESS) (Fig. 1A 135) with a DC connection port (Fig. 1A port at output to136), wherein the DC connection port is electrically connected to a DC input port of a second inverter (Fig. 1A 136), and wherein a DC/DC converter (Fig. 1A 132) is electrically arranged in between the DC source port and the DC connection port.
With respect to claim 2, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein an AC output port of the first inverter is electrically connected to a secondary side port of a first transformer (Fig. 1A 111).
With respect to claim 4, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the DC input port of the first inverter (Fig. 1A 134), the first transformer (Fig. 1A 111) and the first breaker (Fig. 1A 137) are electrically connected to a first feeder line (Fig. 1A line to 112).
With respect to claim 7, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein an AC output port of the second inverter is electrically connected to a secondary side port of a second transformer (Fig. 1A 121).
With respect to claim 9, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the DC input port of the second inverter (Fig. 1A 136), the second transformer (Fig. 1A 121) and the second breaker (Fig. 1A 137) are electrically connected to a second feeder line (Fig. 1A connect to feeder to 122 not shown).
With respect to claim 13, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the DC source port comprises an anode terminal (Fig. 1A 131 return) and a cathode terminal (Fig. 1A 131 + bus).
With respect to claim 15, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the renewable energy power plant is comprised of at least one photovoltaic (PV) module (Fig. 1A 131), in particular an array of electrically connected PV modules.
With respect to claim 16, King discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter has two connection ports (Fig. 1A 132 DC input +, DC input- and DC output+, DCoutput-), each with two terminals.
With respect to claim 23, King discloses a system comprising, at least one renewable energy power plant (Fig. 1A 131) and at least one battery energy storage system (BESS) (Fig. 1A 135), wherein the renewable energy power plant is coupled to an AC grid (Fig. 1A 112,122,138) via an inverter (Fig. 1A 134), and the BESS is coupled (Fig. 1A coupled through 137) to the grid via a further inverter (Fig. 1A 136), and wherein the renewable energy power plant and the battery energy storage system are directly coupled with each other via a DC/DC converter (Fig. 1A 132).
With respect to claim 25, King discloses a method for operating the system of claim 1, wherein electric power is provided by the renewable energy power plant at the DC source port and wherein the provided electrical power is fed through both (Fig. 1A P1,P2) the first and the second inverter.
With respect to claim 28, King discloses the method of one of claims 25, wherein electrical power from at least one of the DC source port or the BESS bypasses the first inverter (Fig. 1A 135 bypasses 134 to feed 136) and is fed to the second inverter or bypasses the second inverter and is fed to the first inverter.
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) 14, 17 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King (US 2022/0121260) in view of Guo (CN 218648786).
With respect to claim 14, King discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the type of interconnection. The use of busbars to interconnect terminals were well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Guo discloses wherein least two, preferably more than two anode terminals of DC source terminals (Fig. 1 42) of different renewable energy power plants (Fig. 1 4) are electrically connected to a common anode busbar (Fig. 1 2) and/or least two, preferably more than two cathode terminals (Fig. 1 41) of DC source terminals of different renewable energy power plants (Fig. 1 4) are electrically connected to a common cathode busbar (Fig. 1 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein least two, preferably more than two anode terminals of DC source terminals of different renewable energy power plants are electrically connected to a common anode busbar and/or least two, preferably more than two cathode terminals of DC source terminals of different renewable energy power plants are electrically connected to a common cathode busbar, in order to provide a low impedance connection between the terminals.
With respect to claim 17, King discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, wherein a first connection port of the DC/DC converter (Fig. 1A input to 132) is electrically connected to the renewable energy power plant (Fig. 1A 131) and remains silent as to use of a busbar. The use of busbars to interconnect terminals were well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Guo discloses busbars for a PV system an anode bus bar (Fig. 1A 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement an anode bus bar to reduce the impedance of the interconnection such that an anode terminal of a first connection port of the DC/DC converter is electrically connected to the anode bus bar and/or a cathode terminal of the first connection port of the DC/DC converter is electrically connected to the anode bus bar, in order to reduce the impedance of the interconnection.
With respect to claim 24, King discloses a system comprising, at least one renewable energy power plant (Fig. 1A 131) and at least one battery energy storage system (BESS) (Fig. 1A 135), wherein the renewable energy power plant is connected to an AC grid (Fig. 1A 112,121,138) via an inverter (Fig. 1A 134) and a DC/DC converter (Fig. 1A 132), and the BESS is coupled to the grid via a further inverter (Fig. 1A 136), and wherein the renewable energy power plant and the battery energy storage system are directly coupled with each other via a DC/DC converter (Fig. 1A 132). King remains silent as to implementing a busbar. The use of busbars to interconnect terminals were well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Guo discloses wherein the renewable energy power plant (Fig. 1 4) is connected to a bus bar (Fig. 1 2) and the bus bar is coupled to an inverter (Fig. 1 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein the renewable energy power plant is connected to a bus bar and the bus bar is coupled to an AC grid via an inverter and a DC/DC converter, in order to reduce the impedance of the interconnection.
Claim(s) 3, 5-6, 8, 10-12, 18-19 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King (US 2022/0121260) in view of Zhou (US 2023/0163597).
With respect to claim 3, King discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the protection for the primary side of the transformer which was well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Zhou discloses a system wherein a primary side port of the first transformer (Fig. 4 T) is electrically connected to an input port of a first breaker, in particular a load disconnector (Fig. 4 SM2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein a primary side port of the first transformer is electrically connected to an input port of a first breaker, in particular a load disconnector, in order to be able to disconnect from the grid in case of a fault in the transformer (Zhou paragraph 136).
With respect to claim 5, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein an output port of the first breaker (Zhou Fig. 4 SM2) is electrically connected to a first feeder port (Fig. 4 SM2 port to PG) of a substation (Fig. 4 substation of PG not shown). See claim 3 for additional details.
With respect to claim 6, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, and remain silent as to multiple feeder lines. It was well known at the time of filing of the invention to implement at least two feeder lines to a substation It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement, wherein at least two, preferable more than two first feeder lines are electrically connected to the first feeder of the substation, since a substation has multiple feeder lines to feed multiple loads. See claim 3 for additional details.
With respect to claim 8, King discloses the system of claim 1, as set forth above, and remains silent as to a second breaker on the primary side of the second transformer.
Zhou discloses a load disconnector (Fig. 4 SM2) on a primary side of a transformer (Fig. 4 T). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein a primary side port of the second transformer is electrically connected to an input port of a second breaker, in particular a load disconnector, in order to disconnect the transformer from the grid in case of a fault in the transformer (Zhou paragraph 136).
With respect to claim 10, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein an output port of the second breaker (as in Zhou Fig. 4 SM2) is electrically connected to a second feeder port (as in Fig. 4 SM2 port to PG) of a substation (Fig. 4 substation of PG not shown). See claim 8 for additional details.
With respect to claim 11, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, and remain silent as to multiple feeder lines. It was well known at the time of filing of the invention to implement at least two feeder lines to a substation It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement, wherein at least two, preferable more than two second feeder lines are electrically connected to the second feeder of the substation, since a substation has multiple feeder lines to feed multiple loads. See claim 8 for additional details
With respect to claim 12, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein at least two first feeder lines are electrically connected to the first feeder port of the substation and least two second feeder lines are electrically connected to a second feeder port of the substation (see claims 6 and 11 for additional details).
With respect to claim 18, King discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and further discloses use of a skid in Figure 5A, but does not require implementation of the embodiment in Figure 1A within the skid. The use of skids in power systems were well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Zhou discloses implementing well known power components including an inverter (Fig 5 S11-S1N), transformer (Fig. 4 T) and circuit breakers (Fig. 4 SM2,SM1,ACS11-ACS1N) within a common skid (paragraph 190). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein at least the DC/DC converter, the first and second inverters, the first and second transformers and the first and second breakers are arranged in a common skid, in order to facilitate mobility of the system.
With respect to claim 19, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein the bus bars (Zhou Fig. 4 BC31,BC32) are arranged within the common skid. See claim 18 for additional details.
With respect to claim 21, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein the skid has at the breakers connections terminals for the feeder lines (King Fig. 1A 137 can break feeder lines). See claim 18 for additional details.
With respect to claim 22, King in view of Zhou make obvious the system as set forth above, wherein the skid has connection terminals (Zhou Fig. 4 BC11-BC1N) for the DC connection terminals (King Fig. 1A can connect to the DC terminals at P1,P2). See claim 18 for additional details.
Claims(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King (US 2022/0121260) in view of Guo (CN 218648786) and further in view of Zhou (US 2023/0163597).
With respect to claim 20, King discloses the system as set forth above, and remains silent as to the details of the busbars and to implementing a skid, which were well known at the time of filing of the invention.
Guo discloses wherein the bus bars (Guo Fig. 1 1,2) have connection terminals for electrically connecting DC power terminals and Zhou discloses a common skid (paragraph 190). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein the bus bars have connection terminals within the common skid for electrically connecting DC power terminals, in order to provide a low impedance distribution path, improve mobility and ease of connection.
Claims(s) 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King (US 2022/0121260) in view of Ramesh (US 11,762,517).
With respect to claim 26, King discloses the method of claim 25 as set forth above, and remains silent as to operation when the available power at the DC source exceeds the rated power of the inverter.
Ramesh discloses wherein when the electrical power (Fig. 3A 320) at the DC source port exceeds the maximum rated power (Fig. 3A 304) of the first inverter, the electrical power is fed through the first and the second inverter (Fig. 3A 306). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement in the topology of King, wherein when the electrical power at the DC source port exceeds the maximum rated power of the first inverter, the electrical power is fed through the DC/DC converter to charge the BESS and in parallel through the first and the second inverter, in order to utilize the maximum available power from the DC source.
Claims(s) 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King (US 2022/0121260) in view of Waldberg (US 2024/0286510).
With respect to claim 27, King discloses the method of claim 25 as set forth above, and King remains silent as to implementing a second BESS.
Waldberg discloses wherein at least two BESS (Fig. 1 22a,22b) and a respective battery management system (Fig. 2 126) of each of the BESS enables charging or discharging of the BESS depending on at least a state of charge (Fig. 5 208) of the respective BESS. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein at least two BESS are electrically connected to the DC input terminal and a respective battery management system of each of the BESS enables charging or discharging of the BESS depending on at least a state of charge of the respective BESS, in order to increase the energy storage and to be able to permit charging or discharging whenever needed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gutsch (DE 10215008305) discloses energy management for a power system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY RAYMOND BEHM whose telephone number is (571)272-8929. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5 EST.
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/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838