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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Lines 7-9: “wherein at least a portion of the liquid cooling loop comprises a serialized configuration that serially couples the server clusters a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers” should be amended to recite “wherein the serialized configuration .
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 11-12 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 11 recites the limitation "the plurality of heat exchangers" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites “a plurality of heat exchangers” in line 2. Are these the same heat exchangers as introduced in claim 11, or a different set of heat exchangers?
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.
Claims 1, 3 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (US 11044833 B2) in view of Upadhya (US 20070227709 A1).
As to Claim 1, Huang discloses:
A liquid cooling arrangement (see Fig. 3) for cooling heat-generating components (components of 50, 50’) of a data processing server rack (racks 5, 5’), comprising:
a liquid cooling loop (1, 10, 20, 21, 3, 10’, 20’, 21’, 3’, 4, 40) configured to convey a cooling liquid (col. 2, Lines 57-58 “The invention can connect servers 50, 50′ in two racks 5 to form a circulating cooling pipeline”);
a plurality of server clusters (5, 5’) fluidly connected to the liquid cooling loop (5 and 5’ each comprising portion of defined loop), each of the server clusters (5, 5’) including a plurality of server assemblies (servers 50, 50’) that incorporate at least one respective liquid cooling unit (21, 21’) in which the liquid cooling units of a same server cluster (5, 5’) are fluidly connected in parallel to one another (water blocks 21 of rack 5 are connected in parallel to distributing duct 10, water blocks 21’ of rack 5’ are connected in parallel to distributing duct 10’), each of the liquid cooling units (21, 21’) configured to collect at least a portion of a thermal energy generated by a respective one of the heat-generating components of the server assembly (components of 50, 50’; col. 2, Lines 36-39 “the working fluid can be conveyed from the water tank 1 to the water blocks 21 through the distributing duct 10 to dissipate heat from heat sources in the servers 50”);
a heat exchanger (cooling device 4) fluidly connected to the plurality of server clusters (5, 5’) via the liquid cooling loop (4 connected to defined cooling loop), the heat exchanger 4 configured to receive the heated cooling liquid discharged from the respective liquid cooling units (21, 21’) of the server clusters (5, 5’) and cool the received heated cooling liquid (col. 2, Lines 50-55 “the invention may be further provided with a cooling device 4 between the water tank 1 and an output end of the converging duct 3 to cool the working fluid in the converging duct 3. A connecting pipe 40 is connected between the water tank 40 and the cooling device 4 to form a circulating pipeline so as to make the working fluid circulate in the circulating pipeline”); and
a pump 20 fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger 4 via the liquid cooling loop (20 and 4 fluidly connected to each other via defined loop), the pump 20 configured to forcibly circulate a flow of the cooling liquid throughout the liquid cooling loop (pump 20 circulates cooling fluid),
wherein at least a portion of the liquid cooling loop comprises a serialized configuration that serially couples the server clusters (5, 5’) and serially couples a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the heat exchanger 4 (5 and 5’ are serially arranged as all the fluid from rack 5 flows to 5’ and 5’ is coupled to cooling device 4).
Huang does not disclose:
a plurality of heat exchangers fluidly connected to the plurality of server clusters via the liquid cooling loop, each of the heat exchangers being fluidly connected in parallel with each other and configured to receive the heated cooling liquid discharged from the respective liquid cooling units of the server clusters and cool the received heated cooling liquid; and
a pump fluidly coupled to the plurality of heat exchangers via the liquid cooling loop,
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers.
However, Upadhya discloses:
a plurality of heat exchangers (Fig. 1B, 160, 165) fluidly connected to a server cluster (computer 110) via the liquid cooling loop (120,130,140, 150, 160/165; heat exchangers 160/165 connected to computer 110, wherein 160/165 corresponds to 4 of Huang and 4 is connected to both racks 5, 5’), each of the heat exchangers 160,165 being fluidly connected in parallel with each other (see Fig. 1B, 160,165 connected in parallel; Par. 0040 “the radiator of some embodiments is actually comprised of two or more radiator elements 160 and 165 disposed in parallel”) and configured to receive the heated cooling liquid discharged from the respective liquid cooling units of the server clusters (120,130,140 of 110) and cool the received heated cooling liquid (160,165 reject heat, see Par. 0040); and
a pump (pumps 150, 155) fluidly coupled to the plurality of heat exchangers 160,165 via the liquid cooling loop (at least pump 150 connected to 160,165),
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster (computer 110, wherein 110 corresponds to one of 5, 5’ of Huang) to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers 160,165 (110 is serially coupled to 160,165, wherein 160,165 correspond to 4 of Huang and 4 of Huang is serially coupled to the serially coupled racks 5, 5’);
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators (Par. 0040).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Huang as further suggested by Upadhya (e.g., providing the heat exchangers 160,165 of Upadhya in place of cooling device 4 of Huang) e.g., providing:
a plurality of heat exchangers fluidly connected to the plurality of server clusters via the liquid cooling loop, each of the heat exchangers being fluidly connected in parallel with each other and configured to receive the heated cooling liquid discharged from the respective liquid cooling units of the server clusters and cool the received heated cooling liquid; and
a pump fluidly coupled to the plurality of heat exchangers via the liquid cooling loop,
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers;
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators.
As to Claim 3, the obvious modification of Huang in view of Upadhya discloses:
the heated liquid from the plurality of server assemblies (5, 5’ of Huang) of an upstream server cluster is forwarded to a consecutive downstream serially-coupled sever cluster via the liquid cooling loop (all heated liquid from 5 is passed to 5’ which is serially coupled downstream of 5; Huang), and
the parallel-arranged heat exchangers (160,165 of Upadhya, correspond in location to 4 of Huang) are configured to cool the received heated liquid from the last downstream server cluster (5’ of Huang) and forward, via the liquid cooling loop, the cooled liquid to the pump 20 for recirculation to the server clusters (5, 5’; fluid travels from 5’ through cooling device, 160/165 of Upadhya in combination above, and to 20 of Huang, back to rack 5).
As to Claim 11 (as best understood), Huang discloses:
A liquid cooling arrangement (see Fig. 3) for cooling heat-generating components (components of 50, 50’) of a data processing server rack (racks 5, 5’), comprising:
a liquid cooling loop (1, 10, 20, 21, 3, 10’, 20’, 21’, 3’, 4, 40) configured to convey a cooling liquid (col. 2, Lines 57-58 “The invention can connect servers 50, 50′ in two racks 5 to form a circulating cooling pipeline”);
a plurality of server clusters (5, 5’) fluidly connected to the liquid cooling loop (5 and 5’ each comprising portion of defined loop), each of the server clusters (5, 5’) including a plurality of server assemblies (servers 50, 50’) that incorporate at least one respective liquid cooling unit (21, 21’) in which the liquid cooling units (5, 5’) of a same server cluster are fluidly connected in parallel to one another (water blocks 21 of rack 5 are connected in parallel to distributing duct 10, water blocks 21’ of rack 5’ are connected in parallel to distributing duct 10’), each of the liquid cooling units (21, 21’) configured to collect at least a portion of a thermal energy generated by a respective one of the heat-generating components of the server assembly (components of 50, 50’; col. 2, Lines 36-39 “the working fluid can be conveyed from the water tank 1 to the water blocks 21 through the distributing duct 10 to dissipate heat from heat sources in the servers 50”); and
a pump 20 fluidly coupled to a heat exchanger 4 via the liquid cooling loop (20 and 4 fluidly connected to each other via defined loop), the pump 20 configured to forcibly circulate a flow of the cooling liquid throughout the liquid cooling loop (pump 20 circulates cooling fluid),
wherein at least a portion of the liquid cooling loop comprises a serialized configuration that serially couples the server clusters (5, 5’; 5 and 5’ are serially arranged as all the fluid from rack 5 flows to 5’ and 5’).
Huang does not disclose:
a pump fluidly coupled to a plurality of heat exchangers via the liquid cooling loop.
However, Upadhya discloses:
a pump (pumps 150,155) fluidly coupled to a plurality of heat exchangers (160,165) via the liquid cooling loop (120,130,140, 150, 160/165; 160,165 connected to cooling loop, see Figs. 1 and 1B);
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators (Par. 0040).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Huang as further suggested by Upadhya (e.g., providing the heat exchangers 160,165 of Upadhya in place of cooling device 4 of Huang) e.g., providing:
a pump fluidly coupled to a plurality of heat exchangers via the liquid cooling loop;
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators.
As to Claim 12 (as best understood), the obvious modification of Huang in view of Upadhya discloses:
further comprising the plurality of heat exchangers (160,165 of Upadhya, corresponding to cooling device 4 of Huang) fluidly connected to the plurality of server clusters (5, 5’) via the liquid cooling loop (4 connected to defined cooling loop, in combination 160,165 connected to 5, 5’ of Huang), the heat exchangers (160,165, corresponding to 4) configured to receive the heated cooling liquid discharged from the at least one respective liquid cooling units (21, 21’) of the server clusters (5, 5’) and cool the received heated cooling liquid (col. 2, Lines 50-55 “the invention may be further provided with a cooling device 4 between the water tank 1 and an output end of the converging duct 3 to cool the working fluid in the converging duct 3. A connecting pipe 40 is connected between the water tank 40 and the cooling device 4 to form a circulating pipeline so as to make the working fluid circulate in the circulating pipeline”),
wherein the serialized configuration serially couples a last downstream server cluster (5’ of Huang) of the serially-coupled server clusters (5,5’) to the heat exchangers 160,165 (5 and 5’ are serially arranged as all the fluid from rack 5 flows to 5’ and 5’ is coupled to cooling device 4, corresponding to 160,165 of Upadhya).
Huang and Upadhya do not explicitly disclose:
each of the heat exchangers being fluidly connected in parallel with each other and
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers.
However, Upadhya discloses:
each of the heat exchangers 160,165 being fluidly connected in parallel with each other (see Fig. 1B, 160,165 connected in parallel; Par. 0040 “the radiator of some embodiments is actually comprised of two or more radiator elements 160 and 165 disposed in parallel”) and
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster (computer 110, wherein 110 corresponds to one of 5, 5’ of Huang) to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers 160,165 (110 is serially coupled to 160,165, wherein 160,165 correspond to 4 of Huang and 4 of Huang is serially coupled to the serially coupled racks 5, 5’).
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators (Par. 0040).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Huang in view of Upadhya as further suggested by Upadhya e.g., providing:
each of the heat exchangers being fluidly connected in parallel with each other and
serially coupling a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel-arranged heat exchangers;
in order to provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/07/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant suggests “Huang discloses that a plurality of servers 50, 50', housed within respective racks 5, 5', are fluidly-coupled together within the respective racks 5, 5' in a parallel arrangement via distributing duct 10, converging duct 3, and branch modules 2. Applicant notes that the Huang configuration depicted by FIG. 3 is directed to the use of two racks, namely a first rack 5 and a second rack 5' that are fluidly coupled to each other via the first rack converging duct 3 and the second rack distributing duct 10'. (Huang: p. 2, II. 11-20, 11. 56-60; FIGs. 2, 3). Therefore, Huang clearly fails to teach a data processing server rack that comprises "a plurality of server clusters fluidly connected to the liquid cooling loop, each of the server clusters including a plurality of server assemblies wherein at least a portion of the liquid cooling loop comprises a serialized configuration that serially couples the server clusters," as required by amended 11.” (Remarks, Pg. 7).
In response, Examiner notes that the servers 50,50’ of Huang are indeed in a parallel arrangement, however, the racks 5, 5’ (e.g., server clusters) are arranged in series and therefore teaches a plurality of server clusters arranged in series. Additionally, this response is relevant to the remarks on Pg. 8 directed to Huang in regard to claim 1.
Applicant also suggests “Upadhya is silent as to the use of a "server" - much less, the "server clusters". As such, Upadhya fails to remotely teach or suggest a data processing server rack that comprises "a plurality of server clusters fluidly connected to the liquid cooling loop, each of the server clusters including a plurality of server assemblies…wherein at least a portion of the liquid cooling loop comprises a serialized configuration that serially couples the server clusters".
Similarly, Upadhya also fails to remotely teach or suggest that the liquid cooling loop "serially couples a last downstream server cluster of the serially-coupled server clusters to the parallel- arranged heat exchangers," as required by amended independent 1. Equally notable, Upadhya specifically discloses that individual processing units 115, 125, 135 are cooled, via a closed loop, by respective fluidly-coupled cooling plates 120, 130, 140 that are configured in a serial arrangement. (Upadhya: [0036]; FIGs. 1, 2). As such, Upadhya fails to teach or suggest that "the liquid cooling units of a same server cluster are fluidly connected in parallel to one another", as required by amended independent 1.” (Remarks, Pg. 9).
In response, Examiner notes that Upadhya is relied upon to teach parallel arranged heat exchangers and in combination with Huang, replaces the cooling device 4. The parallel arranged heat exchangers of Upadhya provide smaller form factor, lower cost and a common locus for heat rejection, further reducing the size and number of fans and amount of air displacement needed to reject heat from the radiators (Par. 0040).
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 MATTHEW S MUIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW SINCLAIR MUIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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