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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goergen et al. (USPN 10,732,688) in view of Chen (USPN 9,444,175).
With respect to claim 1, Goergen et al. discloses, in Figs. 1-5B and 9A, an integrated building design, control, and operation system using a high efficiency fault managed power microgrid (powering and control provided by the microgrid as shown in Figs. 1 and 3) within a building containing a plurality of AC outlets (e.g., plurality of 15A outlets of 19 of Fig. 3), the system comprising:
a first tier building power converter system (11, 12, 13, 14 and 30 of Figs. 1 and 3) that receives input power from one or more primary power sources (AC/DC/Pulse Power) and converts the received primary power into one or more fault managed power outputs (outputs from each 12 which provide fault managed power, see Col. 5 lines 41-52 and Col. 6 lines 5-17);
a plurality of loads, each load coupled to receive one of the fault managed power outputs (each 15 for providing the AC power. Each 15 receives at least one fault managed output from 12/30); and
a main building controller in communication with the first tier building converter system (POWER MANAGER 32 of Fig. 3, see also PSE of Fig. 5A) and configured to control the operation of the first tier power converter to initiate the provision of fault managed power (DC power supplied from each grouping 30 of 12 of Fig. 3 to each load 15 which is managed by 32/PSE, see Col. 6 lines 5-18) to the plurality of loads (each 15 receives managed power from 12/30) and/or to adjust the power level provided to such loads and/or to monitor the operating characteristics of the outputs (the power manager monitors the loads and adjusts the power level to loads, see Fig. 5B as well as provides fault management, see Col. 5 lines 41-52);
wherein at least one of the loads powered by one of the fault managed power outputs comprises a harness (each 15 of Figs. 1 and 3) DC-AC converters located within the harness (each 18 of each 15) that convert the provided fault managed power to AC power (the inverter converts DC power from 12 to AC power to 19/the devices connected to 19), the harness supplying AC power from the DC-AC converter to at least one output AC outlet coupled to the harness (19).
Goergen et al. merely discloses a generic AC outlet (19) coupled to the inverter. Additionally, Goergen et al. suggests that additional interfaces and/or powered devices may be connected to receive power (See Col. 6 lines 33-37). Nevertheless Goergen et al. fails to explicitly disclose that the AC outlet includes “a plurality of AC outlets coupled to the harness”.
However, it is old and well-known to couple a plurality of additional AC outlets to a harness and/or AC power outlet using a power strip. Such a power strip is disclosed in Fig. 7 of Chen, wherein the power strip (Fig. 7) includes a plurality of AC outlets (101-107) coupled to the harness/power source (via 108 and 109). The power strip of Fig. 7 of Chen allows for additional electronic devices to be connected to an AC power outlet/source (via 108) through the connections of 101-107. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to connect the power strip of Fig. 7 of Chen to at least one of the AC outlets 19 within 15 of Goergen et al. for the purpose of allowing one to connect additional electronic devices to the AC outlets thus increasing the amount of devices that may be connected to the AC outlet 19 when additional devices that require power are within proximity of the outlet 19 of Goergen et al. As combined above the plurality of AC outlets (101-107) of Chen are connected to the harness via 108 and 109 of Chen an the AC outlet 19 of Goergen et al.
The connections and wirings between the devices within 15 is interpreted as a “harness”. Assuming, arguendo, that Goergen and/or Chen fail to explicitly disclose a harness with the DC-AC converter such a harness is well-known in the art. For example, it is old and well-known to use a wiring harness to connect power terminals of a DC-AC converter to other power elements, or elements within the DC-AC converter. Wiring harness are old and well-known and provide for, among other things, protection of the electrical wiring in/between electronic elements and simplification of the connections between various circuit elements.
Examiner takes official notice of the above well-known use and benefits of a wiring harness. It would have been obvious to use a wiring harness with the DC-AC converter of the combination of Goergen and Chen above for the purpose of protecting the electrical wiring and simplifying the connections between the DC-AC converter and the other elements (e.g., AC outlet and connections to/from the power output of Goergen).
With respect to claim 2, the system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the fault manager power output is a low voltage DC output (12 generates lower power DC output voltages) that can be transmitted using an Ethernet supporting cable without the need for a separate conduit structure (12 is provided to 15 using Ethernet cables 17, see Col. 3 lines 7-14).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goergen et al. (USPN 10,732,688) in view of Chen (USPN 9,444,175) and in further view of Zaltsman (USPAPN 2008/0120667).
With respect to claim 3, the system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the loads (load as shown in Fig. 9A, or a load connected directly to 12 via 17, see Fig. 7 and Col. 3 lines 53-56) receives power (power via 99, or power via the Ethernet connection, see Col. 3 lines 53-56) and data (data via 91, or data via the Ethernet connection, see Col. 3 lines 53-56) through one of the fault managed power outputs (the POE power and data is received from the managed power output via 12 and 17).
Goergen et al. fails to explicitly disclose that one of the load devices/appliances that receives the POE/Ethernet connection and/or power and data as shown in Fig. 9A is “a television” and that further receives “control and programming information”.
Goergen fails to disclose all of the operations provided by the data that is transmitted to a television load. Thus, Goergen fails to explicitly disclose that data including “control, and programming information”.
However, it is old and well-known to provide data including programming and control information to a television using ethernet cabling. This is further evidenced by Zaltsman in paragraph 0096 which discloses data provided to a television includes programming information (DRM information) and control (control to provide video signals). While such information may be provided to a set top box the information is then provided to the television via video signal information.
It would have been obvious to include programming and control information for a television load device within the data provided to the television for the purpose of being able to send information to the television that allows the television to display video images and not require additional feeds, such information is well-known as evidenced by Zaltsman.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goergen et al. (USPN 10,732,688) in view of Chen (USPN 9,444,175) and in further view of Goergen et al. (USPN 11,582,048) (‘048 hereinafter).
With respect to claim 4, Goergen et al. discloses, in Col. 7 lines 61-63 that POE power source may be battery backed for supplying power during a power outage. However, Goergen et al. fails to disclose the specifics of the battery backup device. Thus, Goergen et al. fails to disclose:
the “system of claim 1 further comprising a battery module comprising one or more batteries, wherein at least one of the loads includes an input module that receives fault managed power and converts the received power into a power form that may be stored in the battery module; and
wherein the battery module is capable of providing a current greater than the current output of the first tier building power converter system.”
However, ‘048 discloses a POE power sources system (Figs. 1 and 3) that includes battery backup (19 of Fig. 1 and 38 of Fig. 3). The battery backup includes
a battery module comprising one or more batteries (19 of Fig. 1/38 of Fig. 3) at least one of the loads includes an input module that receives fault managed power and converts the received power into a power form that may be stored in a battery module (one of 19 of Fig. 1 and 38 of Fig. 3, wherein the battery receives the fault managed power via the conversion provided by 40 and 34 connected to 38 of Fig. 3); and
wherein the battery is capable of providing a current output greater than the current output of the first tier building power converter system (the claims merely recite the battery is “capable” of providing a current output greater than the output of the building power converter system and does not require that the batteries perform such an operation. The batteries are capable of operating as claimed when there is a power outage and there is not sufficient energy to operate the system. At such a time the power is generated for the current stored in the batteries and thus the batteries have a higher current than the converted energy at the time of outage).
‘048 provides specific circuitry capable of providing the battery backing as suggested by Goergen et al. It would have been obvious to use the battery backup circuitry of ‘048 to provide the battery backing as suggested by Goergen et al. for the purpose of having a specific device that provides for backup power during outages.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Cited Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bhate et al. (USPN 6,980,450) further evidences that wiring harnesses are well-known and used with DC-AC converters/inverters, see Col. 5 lines 35-57 wherein line 48 explicitly discloses wiring harnesses are part of the well-known elements of an inverter (i.e., DC-AC converter).
Vander Vorste et al. (USPN 6,830,477) discloses, in Fig. 1, that is known to connected multiple AC outlets (22/42) to a wiring harness (see Col. 4 lines 1-9).
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 Thomas J. Hiltunen whose telephone number is (571)272-5525. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM-5:30PM EST M-F.
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/THOMAS J. HILTUNEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849