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 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
For claim 5, the recitation “the setpoint of the torque)”, on line 3, should be changed to -- the setpoint of the torque --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bansal et al. (hereinafter Bansal, US 5,541,488 A) in view of Brabetz et al. (hereinafter Brabetz, WO 2019/101688 A1).
For claim 1, Bansal discloses a method for controlling an electric machine (see Bansal, col. 1, lines 8-10) using measurement coils (Figs. 4 and 7 of Bansal discloses measurement coils 240 -- see Bansal, abstract, lines 1-2; and col 3, lines 36-40 and col. 5, lines 1-8) arranged in an air gap situated between a stator and a rotor of the electric machine (Figs. 4 and 7 of Bansal disclose measurement coils 240 which are bit arranged in an air gap situated between a stator and a rotor of the electric machine. However, Fig. 3 of Brabetz discloses measurement coil 30 arranged in an air gap 14 situated between a stator 10 and a rotor 20 of the electric machine (see Brabetz, Fig. 3, paragraphs [0003], [0010], [0032], [0056]-[0057] and [0059]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal to incorporate teaching of Brabetz for purpose of providing crucial real-time data to detect imbalance, misalignment, vibration and electrical problem to reducing damage the motor control system), a plurality of phase windings assigned to different electric phases being present (Figs. 3-4 of Bansal discloses a plurality of phase windings assigned to different electric phases being present – see Bansal, Figs. 3-4, col. 4, lines 34-36), the method comprising:
measuring magnetic chaining fluxes in the air gap via the measurement coils (Figs. 2A-2b and 3 of Brabetz disclose measuring magnetic chaining fluxes in the air gap 14 via the measurement coils 30 – see Brabetz, Figs. 2a-2b and 3, paragraphs [0003], [0015]-[0017], [0029], [0053] and [0062]);
determining magnetic linkage fluxes of the plurality of phase windings of the different phases (Fig. 8 of Bansal discloses determining magnetic linkage fluxes of the plurality of phase windings of the different phases – see Bansal, Fig. 8, col. 5, lines 15-25);
transforming the determined magnetic linkage fluxes into a stator-fixed orthogonal coordinate system in order to obtain orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes (see Bansal, Figs. 8 and 10, col. 5, lines 30-50);
measuring phase currents flowing through the plurality of phase windings (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal, discloses measuring phase currents (ia, ib, ic) flowing through the plurality of phase windings (a, b, c) of motor 122 – see Bansal, Fig. 8, col. 4, lines 13-16);
transforming the measured phase currents into the stator fixed orthogonal coordinate system in order to obtain orthogonal phase currents (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal disclose transforming the measured phase currents (ia, ib, ic) into the stator fixed orthogonal coordinate system in order to obtain orthogonal phase currents (Id, Iq) via a translator 221 – see Bansal, Fig. 3 and 8, col. 4, lines 13-24)
ascertaining an instantaneous torque and/or a flux-forming component of a phase current vector formed from the orthogonal phase currents from the orthogonal magnetic linkage flows and the orthogonal phase currents (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal discloses ascertaining an instantaneous torque and/or a flux-forming component (Iq, Id) of a phase current vector formed from the orthogonal phase currents from the orthogonal magnetic linkage flows and the orthogonal phase currents (Id, Iq) – see Bansal, Figs. 3 and 8, col. 4, lines 13-33); and
controlling the electric machine base on the instantaneous torque and/or the flux-forming component thus determined (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal discloses controlling the electric machine 222 base on the instantaneous torque and/or the flux-forming component (Iq, Id) thus determined -- see Bansal, Figs. 3 and 8, col. 4, lines 8-41).
For claim 2, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the instantaneous torque is ascertained by the cross product of the orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes and the orthogonal phase currents (Fig. 8 of Bansal discloses the instantaneous torque (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal discloses output of element 229 which is assigned as the instantaneous torque) is ascertained by the cross product of the orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes Iq* and the orthogonal phase currents Iq via element 229 – see Bansal, Fis. 3 and 8, col. 4, lines 13-33).
For claim 4, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the flux-forming component of the phase current vector is determined by a projection of the phase current vector onto a linkage flux vector formed from the orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes (Figs. 3 and 8 of Bansal disclose the flux-forming component Id of the phase current vector (Id, Iq) is determined by a projection of the phase current vector onto a linkage flux vector formed from the orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes Id* -- see Bansal, Figs. 3 and 8, col. 4, lines 8-24).
For claim 7, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the control is designed as a field-oriented control (see Bansal, col. 1, line 17-19. It is noted that Bansal’s vector control is performed via coordinate transformation (e.g., Fig. 8, element 301)).
For claim 9, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein a rotor position and/or rotor speed is determined from the orthogonal magnetic linkage fluxes (see Bansal, Figs. 5 and 8, col. 4, lines 42-65 and col. 5, lines 15-64).
For claim 10, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of measurement coils is used, each of which is arranged on a stator tooth of the stator (see Bansal, Figs. 4 and 9 of Bansal disclose a plurality of measurement coils 240/340 is used, each of which is arranged on a stator tooth of the stator – see Bansal, Figs. 4 and 9, col. 4, lines 34-37).
For claim 11, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 10, wherein the measurement coils are planar coils applied to foil (Figs. 2a-2b and 3 of Brabetz disclose the measurement coils 35 are planar coils applied to foil 31 – see Brabetz, Figs. 2a-2b and 3, paragraph [0046] and [0049]-[0050]).
For claim 12, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 10, wherein the magnetic linkage fluxes of the plurality of phase windings of the different phases are determined from measured values of the plurality of the measurement coils by taking into account a previously known winding scheme of the phase windings around the stator teeth (Figs. 3-4 and 8 of Bansal discloses the magnetic linkage fluxes of the plurality of phase windings (a, b, c) of the different phases are determined from measured values of the plurality of the measurement coils 240 by taking into account a previously known winding scheme of the phase windings a, b, c) around the stator teeth – see Bansal, Figs. 3-4 and 8, col. 4, lines 8-42 and col. 5, lines 11-29).
For claim 13, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the measured phase currents and/or magnetic linkage fluxes are compared with each other, with expected values and/or with previously determined values for diagnostic purposes (Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose all limitations as applied to claim 1 above, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the measured phase currents and/or magnetic linkage fluxes which is silent for being compared with each other, with expected values and/or with previously determined values for diagnostic purposes. However, Brabetz discloses the measured phase currents and/or magnetic linkage fluxes via measuring coils 35 assigned to different segments which is relative to each other (see Brabet, Fig. 2b, paragraphs [0011], [0029]-[0030] and [0052]), so Brabet obviously discloses the measured phase currents and/or magnetic linkage fluxes are compared with each other, with expected values and/or with previously determined values for diagnostic purposes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal to incorporate teaching of Brabetz for purpose of controlling motor control system accurately.)
For claim 14, Bansal discloses a system for controlling an electric machine with the aid of measurement coils (Figs. 1, 3-4 and 8 of Bansal disclose a motor control system 100 for controlling an electric machine 122/222 with the aid of measurement coils 240 -- see Bansal, col 3, lines 4-6, 36-40, and col. 5, lines 1-8) arranged in an air gap situated between a stator and a rotor of the electric machine (Figs. 4 and 7 of Bansal disclose measurement coils 240 which are bit arranged in an air gap situated between a stator and a rotor of the electric machine. However, Fig. 3 of Brabetz discloses measurement coil 30 arranged in an air gap 14 situated between a stator 10 and a rotor 20 of the electric machine 222 (see Brabetz, Fig. 3, paragraphs [0003], [0010], [0032], [0056]-[0057] and [0059]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal to incorporate teaching of Brabetz for purpose of providing crucial real-time data to detect imbalance, misalignment, vibration and electrical problem to reducing damage the motor control system), the system comprising:
an evaluator to evaluate measured values of the measurement coils (Figs. 5-6 of Bansal discloses an evaluator to evaluate measured values of the measurement coils 240 – see Bansal, Fig. 5, col. 4, line 42 through col. 5, line 8); and
a control connected to the evaluator with actual value inputs (Figs. 3, 5 and 8 of Bansal disclose a control (Fig. 8 of Bansal discloses a control comprising summation means 225, 229, PI 227, 231, translator 223, PWM control and inverter 126) connected to the evaluator (as shown in Figs. 5-6) with actual value inputs Id*, Iq*, Id, Iq),
wherein evaluator and the control are set up to carry out the method according to claim 1 (see explanation as in claim 1 above).
Claims 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bansal et al. (hereinafter Bansal, US 5,541,488 A) in view of Brabetz et al. (hereinafter Brabetz, WO 2019/101688 A1), further in view of Dohnal et al. (hereinafter Dohnal, US 6,124,726 A).
For claim 3, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose all limitation as applied in claim 1 above. Bansal in view of Brabetz discloses the instantaneous torque which is not compared with a predetermined setpoint of the torque. However, Dohnal discloses a motor control system, wherein the instantaneous torque which is compared with a predetermined setpoint of the torque (Fig. 1 of Dohnal discloses the instantaneous torque which is compared with a predetermined setpoint of the torque at 16 -- see Dohnal, abstract, col. 4, lines 45-49; col. 5, lines 8-10; and col. 5, line 65 through col. 6, line 40). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal in view of Brabetz to incorporate teaching of Dohnal for purpose of adjusting the motor’s operation to achieve the desired torque.
For claim 8, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose all limitations as applied to claim 1 above. Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the control which is silent for being designed as direct torque control. However, Dohnal discloses a motor control system, wherein the control is designed as direct torque control (Figs. 1 and 2a-2b of Dohnal disclose a motor control system, wherein the control is designed as direct toque control via the controller 15 -- see Dohnal, Figs. 1 and 2a-2b, col. 5, line 15 through col. 6, line 40). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal in view of Brabetz to incorporate teaching of Dohnal for purpose of adjusting the motor’s operation to achieve the desired torque.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bansal et al. (hereinafter Bansal, US 5,541,488 A) in view of Brabetz et al. (hereinafter Brabetz, WO 2019/101688 A1), further in view of Frankstein (hereinafter US 2015/0002054 A1).
For claim 5, Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose all limitations as applied in clalim 4 above. Bansal in view of Brabetz disclose the flux-forming component of the phase current vector which is silent for being compared with a setpoint for the component, which setpoint is determined by the setpoint of the torque. However, Frankstein discloses a motor control system, wherein the flux-forming component of the phase current vector which is compared with a setpoint for the component, which setpoint is determined by the setpoint of the torque (Fig. 1 of Frankstein discloses the flux-forming component Id of the phase current vector which is compared with a setpoint included in lookup table 24 for the component via difference block 52, which setpoint is determined by the setpoint of the torque included in controller 19 – see Frankstein, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0012] and [0017]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Bansal in view of Brabetz to incorporate teaching of Frankstein for purpose of controlling the motor’s operation to achieve maximum efficiency.
For claim 6, Bansal in view of Brabetz, further in view of Frankstein disclose the method according to claim 5, wherein the setpoint for the said component is determined using a predetermined table on the basis of the setpoint of the torque (Fig. 1 of Frankstein discloses the setpoint for the component is determined using a predetermined table on the basis of the setpoint of the torque see Frankstein, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0012]-[0013] and [0017]).
Conclusion
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/THAI T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846