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 . This action is made non-final.
Claims 1-5 filed on 05/13/2024 have been reviewed and considered by this office action.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on Application No. JP 2023-080399 filed on 05/15/2023. Copies of certified papers required by 37 CFR 1.55 have been received. Priority is acknowledged under 35 USC 119(e) and 37 CFR 1.78.
No certified English translation is in the official record for the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) filed on 05/13/2024 have been reviewed and considered by this office action.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 05/13/2024 have been reviewed and are considered acceptable.
Specification
The specification filed on 05/13/2024 is objected to because of the following informalities: The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “Power Management System for Adjusting Supply and Demand for a Grid.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim 1, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rothschild et al. (US 11190017 B1, herein Rothschild).
Examiners Note: the term “prosumer” is defined as [column 1 line 60] a plurality of power producers and consumers.
Regarding claim 1, Rothschild teaches a control apparatus comprising a controller configured to transmit, to a power storage facility and a power generation facility, instructions to control each of the power storage facility and the power generation facility, the controller being configured to (See FIG.1, power generation facility is interpreted as (135 and 120) in the figure, power storage facility is interpreted as (115) in the figure):
control the power storage facility to charge power at a first adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when planned electrical energy exceeds actual electrical energy (charging power is interpreted as stored [column 7 line 51-53] excess electricity transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 may be stored in the local power storage 115);
control the power generation facility to generate power at a second adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the first adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power storage facility has been controlled to charge ([column 8 line 67- column 9 line 5] when the local power-generating devices 135 in the locale produce more electricity than is currently needed at the plurality of prosumer units 105 and if the local power storage 115 is fully charged, this excess electricity may be transmitted to the regional power grid 120 for utilization in other locales);
control the power generation facility to generate power at a third adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the planned electrical energy is equal to or less than actual electrical energy ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120);
and control the power storage facility to discharge power at a fourth adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the third adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power generation facility has been controlled to generate ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120).
Regarding claim 4, Rothschild teaches a control method executed by a control apparatus that transmits, to a power storage facility and a power generation facility, instructions to control each of the power storage facility and the power generation facility, the control method comprising (see FIG.4):
calculating a difference between planned electrical energy and actual electrical energy (net usage amounts is difference between planned and actual [column 17 line 20-29] the data may be analyzed for determining net usage amounts of the local distribution grid 145 (e.g., difference between the amount of power received from the regional power grid 120 and the amount of power transmitted to the regional power grid) and the prosumer unit 105 (e.g., difference between amount of power the prosumer unit received from the local distribution grid 145 and the amount of power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145));
controlling the power storage facility to charge power at a first adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the planned electrical energy exceeds the actual electrical energy (charging power is interpreted as stored [column 7 line 51-53] excess electricity transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 may be stored in the local power storage 115);
controlling the power generation facility to generate power at a second adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the first adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power storage facility has been controlled to charge ([column 8 line 67- column 9 line 5] when the local power-generating devices 135 in the locale produce more electricity than is currently needed at the plurality of prosumer units 105 and if the local power storage 115 is fully charged, this excess electricity may be transmitted to the regional power grid 120 for utilization in other locales.);
controlling the power generation facility to generate power at a third adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the planned electrical energy is equal to or less than actual electrical energy ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120);
and controlling the power storage facility to discharge power at a fourth adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the third adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power generation facility has been controlled to generate ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120).
Regarding Claim 5, Rothschild teaches A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program configured to be executed by a control apparatus that transmits, to a power storage facility and a power generation facility, instructions to control each of the power storage facility and power generation facility, thereby causing the control apparatus to execute operations, the operations comprising:
calculating a difference between planned electrical energy and actual electrical energy (net usage amounts is difference between planned and actual [column 17 line 20-29] the data may be analyzed for determining net usage amounts of the local distribution grid 145 (e.g., difference between the amount of power received from the regional power grid 120 and the amount of power transmitted to the regional power grid) and the prosumer unit 105 (e.g., difference between amount of power the prosumer unit received from the local distribution grid 145 and the amount of power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145));
controlling the power storage facility to charge power at a first adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the planned electrical energy exceeds the actual electrical energy (charging power is interpreted as stored [column 7 line 51-53] excess electricity transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 may be stored in the local power storage 115);
controlling the power generation facility to generate power at a second adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the first adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power storage facility has been controlled to charge ([column 8 line 67- column 9 line 5] when the local power-generating devices 135 in the locale produce more electricity than is currently needed at the plurality of prosumer units 105 and if the local power storage 115 is fully charged, this excess electricity may be transmitted to the regional power grid 120 for utilization in other locales.);
controlling the power generation facility to generate power at a third adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the planned electrical energy is equal to or less than actual electrical energy ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120);
and controlling the power storage facility to discharge power at a fourth adjustment amount corresponding to a difference that occurs when the third adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power generation facility has been controlled to generate ([column 10 line 45-53] if the local power source 135 at the prosumer unit is not producing sufficient power output to support the load, the inverter 137 may connect the prosumer unit 105 to the local distribution grid 145 to supplement the prosumer unit 105 with excess locally-generated power transmitted to the local distribution grid 145 from another prosumer unit 105, excess locally-generated power stored in the local power storage 115, or regional power supplied from the regional power grid 120).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rothschild, in view of Tustomu et al. (JP 2017147912 A, herein Tustomu).
Regarding claim 2, Rothschild teaches the control apparatus according to claim 1,
Rothschild further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to:
([column 16 line 55-59] at OPERATION 428 an indication of excess power generation at the prosumer unit 105 may be received. For example, local power-generating devices 135 at the first prosumer unit 105 may produce more power than the demand of the loads at the prosumer unit);
and control the consumer facility to suppress power consumption at a sixth adjustment amount corresponding a difference ([column 16 line 33-42] if inefficient usage of a particular application or device at a prosumer unit 105 may be determined (e.g., the appliance/device runs during a peak time, but could be scheduled to run during a non-peak time), a determined action may be to notify the prosumer of the inefficiency via an instruction to a home automation or home energy management system at the prosumer unit 105 or via a notification to the prosumer user/owner) that occurs when the fourth adjustment amount exceeds electrical energy that the power storage facility has been controlled to discharge (when the fourth adjustment amount exceeds the electrical energy is interpreted as operating inefficiently [column 16 line 23-26] DECISION OPERATION 420, a determination may be made as to whether the local distribution grid 145 and/or if the prosumer unit 105a connected to the local distribution grid may be operating inefficiently suppress power at a sixth adjustment amount).
Rothschild does not explicitly teach control a consumer facility to consume power at a fifth adjustment amount corresponding to a difference.
Tsutomu teaches control a consumer facility to consume power at a fifth adjustment amount corresponding to a difference (the second adjustment amount is when there is the amount exceeds electrical energy the power generation facility is controlled to generate is interpreted as “the electric power demand will fall below the power supply amount” [0026] The non immediate demand request includes a request to prompt power consumption when it is predicted that the electric power demand will fall below the power supply amount and a request to suppress power consumption when the electric power demand is predicted to exceed the power supply amount.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the control unit of Rothschild to incorporate the teachings of Tsutomu so as to include promoting consumer electricity use when there is a surplus of energy. Doing so would allow the promotion of energy use in consumer units when there is excess energy. (Tsutomu [0047] possible to control the double demand response of the electricity demand, and it is possible to plan the same amount at the same time).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rothschild, in view of McKellar et al. (US 11015877 B2, herein McKellar).
Regarding claim 3, Rothschild teaches the control apparatus according to claim 1 but doesn’t teach,
McKellar teaches wherein the power generation facility includes a thermal storage facility that converts heat stored in a thermal storage tank into electricity to generate power of thermal energy storage (see FIG. 2 [column 3 line 5-10] primary output of the at least one thermal energy source 102 may be thermal energy in the form of a heated heat transfer fluid (“HTF”). The HTF may transfer heat from the at least one thermal energy source 102 to a thermal power conversion subsystem 112 for converting the thermal energy to electrical energy.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the power storage unit of Rothschild to incorporate the teachings of McKellar so as to include a thermal storage tank within the power generation unit. Doing so would allow a more efficient way of storing and generating energy. ([column 2 line 45-48] efficient management of energy production and distribution in times of low and high energy demand and in times of low and high energy production).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 11015877 B2 – Energy Storage Systems Including Thermal Storage Tank (Electric Grid containing a thermal storage tank which converts thermal energy to electrical energy)
US 11190017 B1 – System and Method for Smart Local Power Distribution (Electric Grid optimizing the power consumption of “prosumers” [producers and consumers])
JP 201714912 A – Power Demand Control System, Power Demand Control Method, and Power Demand Control Program (shows cases of immediate demand and non-immediate demand and promotes or suppresses energy use for consumers)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason Choi whose telephone number is (571) 270 0512. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:00-6:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Fennema can be reached at (571)272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.J.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2117
/ROBERT E FENNEMA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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