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 .
Summary
This is the response to the communication filed on 08/13/2025.
Claims 11-27 remain pending in the application with claims 20-27 are withdrawn from consideration in light of the Applicants’ election of claims 11-19 for examination.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group 1, claims 11-19 in the reply filed on 08/13/2025 is acknowledged.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in CN on 05/05/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202310505635.6 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 11-13 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (CN215452860 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claims 11 and 18-19, Lin discloses a photovoltaic tracking support for supporting a photovoltaic module (figs. 1-2), the photovoltaic tracking support comprising:
a main beam 1, a plurality of columns (5 and 7), and a plurality of drive devices 6, wherein the plurality of drive devices are disposed at intervals along the length direction of the main beam (fig. 1), the plurality of columns configured to support the main beam (fig. 1), the main beam configure to mount a photovoltaic module (paragraph [n0026] discloses the photovoltaic panels, or the claimed photovoltaic module, are installed on the longitudinal beam 2, which are attached to the main beam), and the plurality of drive devices operable to change the orientation of the photovoltaic module (single-axis photovoltaic tracking device);
a plurality of angle sensors for detecting the angle (paragraph [n0024] discloses the photovoltaic panel installed on the longitudinal beam is adjusted and rotated at a certain angle according to the light angle and the signal capture of the light angle depends on the signal execution sensor 3; therefore, the signal execution sensor is the structural equivalence to the claimed angle sensor for detecting the angle) at different length positions of the main beam (paragraph [n0025] discloses the signal execution sensor 3 is installed near the swing arm 4 of each push rod 6, which is disposed at different length positions of the main beam); and
a self-correcting device comprising a controller (control box [n0025]) and a plurality of position detectors (upper and lower limit sensors associated with each push-rod, [n0025]), wherein the plurality of angle sensors 3, the plurality of position detectors (upper and lower limit sensors), and the plurality of drive devices are electrically connected to the controller [n0025], the plurality of position detectors configured to transmit to the controller rotational position signals characterizing different length positions of the main beam (the upper and lower limit sensors are positioned along the length positions of the main beam as they are positioned alongside the push rods; the upper and lower limit sensors transmit the signals associated with the extension of the respective push rods, which affects the rotation position of the main beam; therefore, the signals from the upper and lower limits as disclosed by Lin corresponds to the claimed rotational position signals characterizing different length positions of the main beam as claimed), and the controller configured to control the plurality of drive devices according to the signals of the plurality of angle sensors and the plurality of position detectors [n0025-n0026].
Addressing claims 12-13, fig. 1 of Lin shows the plurality of columns is distributed at regular intervals along the length direction of the main beam 1 with a plurality of upper ends rotationally connected to the main beam.
Claim(s) 11-13 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zeng et al. (CN217824852 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claims 11 and 18-19, Zeng discloses a photovoltaic tracking support (fig. 2) for supporting a photovoltaic module 27, the photovoltaic tracking support comprising:
a main beam 22, a plurality of columns 21, and a plurality of drive devices 23 (figs. 3A-3B), wherein the plurality of drive devices are disposed at intervals along the length direction of the main beam (fig. 2), the plurality of columns configured to support the main beam, the main beam configured to mount a photovoltaic module 27, and the plurality of drive devices operable to change the orientation of the photovoltaic module (single-axis rotation [n0021]);
a plurality of angle sensors (tilt sensor 25 provided at each drive device, fig. 3A and paragraph [n0026]) for detecting the angle at different length positions of the main beam [n0026]; and
a self-correcting device comprising a controller 40 and a plurality of position detectors (Hall sensor with each motor at each drive device, [n0004 and n0010]), wherein the plurality of angle sensors, the plurality of position detectors, and the plurality of drive devices are electrically connected to the controller [n0024], the plurality of position detectors configured to transmit to the controller rotational position signals characterizing different length positions of the main beam (paragraph [n0025] discloses the Hall sensor at the driving motor of each drive device sends real-time speed of the motor to the controller that corresponds to the claimed rotational position signal because the motor’s speed corresponds to the rotation of the motor as well as the rotation of the main beam; additionally, the Hall sensor is provided at multiple locations along the length positions of the main beam alongside their corresponding motors of the drive devices; therefore, the rotational position signal produced by multiple Hall sensors correspond to the claimed rotational position signals characterizing different length positions of the main beam as claimed), and the controller configured to control the plurality of drive devices according to the signals of the plurality of angle sensors and the plurality of position detectors [n0025-n0028].
Addressing claims 12-13, figs. 2-3B show the plurality of columns is distributed at regular intervals along the length direction of the main beam and comprises a plurality of upper ends rotationally connected to the main beam.
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.
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) 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng et al. (CN217824852 with provided machine English translation) in view of Loecklin (US 2020/0217691).
Addressing claims 14-15, Zeng is silent regarding the limitation of current claim.
Loecklin discloses a position detector 100A comprises a turntable 110 attached to a rotating shaft 112 and a photoelectric sensor (102 and 106), with sensing zones (116 + 114) being disposed at different angle positions on the turntable and the photoelectric sensor being electrically connected to the controller and transmitting a sensing signal to the controller if a sensing zone is detected [0023-0024]. Loecklin further discloses in paragraph [0063] that the position detector 100A is configured to measuring angle, rotation and speed.
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the tracing support of Zeng by substituting the known hall sensor with the position detector with the turntable attached to the rotating main beam and the associated photoelectric sensor disclosed by Loecklin in order to measuring the rotational speed of the motor with accuracy and reliability Loecklin [0063]. In the modified tracking support of Zeng in view of Loecklin, the position detector disclosed by Loecklin is electrically connected to the controller for transmitting the rotational speed of the motor suitable for the sun tracking scheme disclosed by Zeng.
Addressing claims 16-17, fig. 1A of Loecklin shows the plurality of sensing zones 116 as slits arranged in an arc on the turntable.
Conclusion
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/BACH T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726 09/23/2025