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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 10, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In paragraph [0054] of the US Pub. No (US 2024/0258970) and first line, it recites “controller 25”, which should be rewritten as “controller 26” to be consistent with the drawing figures.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-6, 8-14, 16 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hopf et al. (US 2013/0320778) and in view of Bhavaraju et al. (US 2013/0264883).
Regarding claims 1 and 22, Hopf et al. in [Figs. 1-3 and 5], discloses an electronic circuit for a photovoltaic, PV, module, comprising: PV terminals [see 101 and 102]; and string terminals [see 103 and 104 in Fig. 1 and 0031 ] for coupling to a PV string [see DC line 3 which connects to the PV string as shown in Fig. 5] ; a current path [see Io and 0033] running between the PV terminals [see 101 and 102] and the string terminals [see 103 and 104], which current path is configured to conduct an electric current generated in the PV module [see 1] in a first current flow direction to the PV string; a disconnector [see 110] arranged between a first terminal of the PV terminals [see 101] and a second terminal of the string terminals [see 102], which disconnector [see 110] is configured to interrupt the current path [see Io] in a first state along the first current flow direction; and to close the current path in a second state along the first current flow direction [see 0033 and 0039-0045].
Hopf et al. does not disclose a controller, which is configured to acquire current flow information about a current flow in at least one sub-portion of the current path along a second current flow direction opposite to the first current flow direction; and to control the disconnector from the first state into the second state based on the current flow information.
However, Bhavaraju et al. in [Fig. 1 and 5], discloses a controller [see 34], which is configured to acquire current flow information about a current flow [via sensors 36 and 37 in Fig. 2] in at least one sub-portion of the current path along a second current flow direction opposite to the first current flow direction [see 0024, and 0031-0034]; and to control the disconnector [see hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector and 0021, 0023-0024] from the first state into the second state based on the current flow information [see 0021-0024 and 0031-0034].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior art prior to the filling date of the invention to modify the controller as taught by Hopf et al. with the controller configured to acquire current flow information about a current flow in at least one sub-portion of the current path along a second current flow direction opposite to the first current flow direction; and to control the disconnector from the first state into the second state based on the current flow information as taught by Bhavaraju et al. in order for fault detection and isolation of a PV power system.
Regarding claim 2, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the disconnector is configured to acquire the current flow information from a pulse in the second current flow direction [see Bhavaraju et al. and see hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector also includes sensors 36 and 37 in Fig. 3 which are configured to acquire the current flow information from a pulse in the second current flow direction, for example a current flow that is in a reverse direction from a current flow can be acquired by detection of a fault current being many times greater than the normally operation current or rated current, and 0021-0024 and 0031-0034].
Regarding claim 3, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, which is configured to acquire a pulse via the string by means of the current flow along the second current flow direction, which pulse indicates the current flow information, in order to change into the second state [see Bhavaraju et al. and see hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector also includes sensors 36 and 37 in Fig. 3 which are configured to acquire the current flow information from a pulse in the second current flow direction, for example a current flow that is in a reverse direction from a current flow can be acquired by detection of a fault current being many times greater than the normally operation current or rated current, and 0021-0024 and 0031-0034].
Regarding claim 4, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the disconnector comprises a semiconductor switch with a switchable current path and a diode acting in parallel with the switchable current path, wherein the disconnector is configured to conduct, in the first state of the disconnector, the current flow via the diode along the second current flow direction [see Bhavaraju et al., Fig. 1, hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector which also includes a semiconductor switch 24 with a switchable current path and a diode acting in parallel with the switchable current path, wherein the disconnector 10 is configured to conduct, in the first state of the disconnector, the current flow via the diode along the second flow direction and 0021, 0023-0025, and 0031-0034].
Regarding claim 5, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the disconnector comprises at least a first and a second semiconductor switch, which are connected to one another in series or in parallel, with diodes acting along the second current flow direction [see Bhavaraju et al., Fig. 1, hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector which also includes a first semiconductor switch 24 and a second semiconductor switch, see diode which is connected in parallel with the first semiconductor switch, with diodes acting along the second current flow direction and 0021, 0023-0025, and 0031-0034].
Regarding claim 6, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1 comprising a sensor element, which is configured to recognize a current flow along the second current flow direction; wherein the current flow information is based on the recognized current flow [see Bhavaraju et al. and see hybrid DC contactor 10 including electro-mechanical contactor 17 and 22 corresponding to the disconnector also includes sensors 36 and 37 in Fig. 3 which are configured to acquire the current flow information from a pulse in the second current flow direction, for example a current flow that is in a reverse direction from a current flow can be acquired by detection of a fault current being many times greater than the normally operation current or rated current, and 0021-0024 and 0031-0034].
Regarding claim 8, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1 with a bypass diode, which is coupled between the string terminals and is configured to enable, in the first state, an electric current flow in the PV string [ see Hopf et al. in Figs. 3 and 5, bypass diode 112 coupled between the string terminals 101 and 102 configured to enable, in the first state, an electric current flow in the PV string 1 and 0030-0031and 0053].
Regarding claim 9, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the disconnector from the second state into the first state based on a switch-off event [see Hopf et al., and 0064, further Bhavaraju et al. in Figs. 1 and 5 discloses a controller 34 configured to control the disconnector 10 from the second state into the first state based on a switch-off event, for example a short circuit, and 0032-0035].
Regarding claim 10, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to recognize the switch-off event as a switch-off event caused in the PV module or the string or the electronic circuit [see Bhavaraju et al. in Figs. 1 and 5, discloses a controller 34 configured recognize the switch-off event as a switch-off event caused in the PV module see 0032-0035 or the string see 0032-0035 or the electronic circuit, and 0032-0035].
Regarding claim 11, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the disconnector into the second state, after the recognized switch-off event, depending on the current flow along the second current flow direction acquired via the PV string [see Bhavaraju et al. in Figs. 1 and 5 discloses a controller 34 configured to control the disconnector 10 into the second state, after the recognized switch-off event, depending on the current flow along the second current flow direction acquired via the PV string, for example a short circuit corresponds to the switch-off event, and 0032-0035].
Regarding claim 12, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily switch the disconnector into the first state upon a temporary power setback of the PV module, and to subsequently control it back into the second state independently of the current flow, acquired via the PV string, along the second current flow direction to check whether a temporary power setback causing the switch-off has ended [see Bhavaraju et al. in Figs. 1 and 5 discloses a controller 34 configured to control the disconnector 10 into the first state upon a temporary power setback of the PV module, and to subsequently control it back into the second state independently of the current flow, acquired via the PV string, along the second current flow direction to check whether a temporary power setback causing the switch-off has ended and 0032-0035].
Regarding claim 13, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, which is configured without a communication interface [see Bhavarajiu et al. and 0032-0035].
Regarding claim 14, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses the electronic circuit according to claim 1, which is configured to perform, in the second state of the disconnector, at least one of the following functions:
Maximum Power Point Tracking for the PV module;
Disconnecting the PV module from the PV string upon recognition of a short circuit [see Bhavarajiu et al. and 0032-0035];
Disconnecting the PV module from the PV string upon recognition of a open circuit;
Disconnecting the PV module from the PV string upon recognition of the PV module being showed and/or a reconnecting of the PV module to the PV string upon recognition of an end of the shadowing.
Regarding claim 16, Hopf et al. in view of Bhavaraju et al. discloses a photovoltaic assembly having: a PV module; and an electronic circuit coupled to the PV module according to claim 1 [see Hopf et al., in Figs. 1-3 and 5, PV module 1; and electronic circuit 130 coupled to the PV module 1].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 6, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 17 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 16, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims
Claims 18-21 would be allowable over the prior art references of record because the claims are dependent upon base claim 17.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRENCE RONIQUE WILLOUGHBY whose telephone number is (571)272-2725. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30pm.
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/TERRENCE R WILLOUGHBY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 1/24/26
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836