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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group II, claims 6-16, in the reply filed on 9/29/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out any supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 1-5 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/29/2025.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in the Republic of India on 9/08/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the IN202311060414 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 15 line 11 remove the number “10”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 contains the limitation “a thermo-electric generator (TEG) comprised of a heat exchanger, configured to convert heat energy into electrical energy based on a temperature differential between a heat concentrator, i.e., a hot side, and a heat dissipator, i.e., a cold side comprised in the heat exchanger; wherein the hot side is operatively coupled to a heat-generating component of an electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical device, and the cold side is operatively coupled to the hot side via the thermo-electric generator (TEG)”. The limitations “i.e. a hot side” and “i.e a cold side” are indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase “i.e” are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). For the purpose of this Office Action, claim 6 will be treated as if it reads “a thermo-electric generator (TEG) comprised of a heat exchanger, configured to convert heat energy into electrical energy based on a temperature differential between a heat concentrator on a hot side, and a heat dissipator on a cold side comprised in the heat exchanger so that it is clear that the limitations “hot side” and “cold side” are part of the claimed invention.
Claims 7-14 and 16 are additionally rejected as being dependent on a rejected base claim and including all of the limitations thereof.
Claim 11 contains the limitation “wherein the heat sink comprises a hot side coupled with a conduit of the condenser for concentrating the collected heat, a cold side for dissipating the heat, and a thermo-electric generator, operatively coupled to the hot side and the cold side for converting the heat energy into the electrical energy, based on the temperature differential between the hot side and the cold side”. It is unclear how the thermoelectric generator, hot side and cold side in claim 11 relate to the thermoelectric generator, hot side and cold side set forth in claim 6. Is the claim requiring an additional thermoelectric generator, hot side and cold side? For the purpose of this Office Action, claim 11 will be treated as if it reads “wherein the air-conditioner comprises a heat sink configured to extract the heat produced by the device through a coolant flowing through a condenser, wherein the thermoelectric generator is thermally coupled to the condenser”.
Claim 16 contains the limitation “wherein the heat source is a heat exchanger comprised in an air-conditioning device”. The term “the heat source” does not have antecedent basis in the claims. Claims 13, 12 and 6, from which claim 16 depends do not set forth a “heat source”. Claim 15 sets forth a heat source. For the purpose of this Office Action, claim 16 will be treated as if it depends from claim 15 to provide proper antecedent basis for the claim limitations.
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.
Claims 6-7 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Akei et al. (US 2007/0101737).
Regarding claim 6, Akei discloses a system for converting heat energy to electrical energy in Figure 8, comprising:
a thermo-electric generator (TEG) (33a) comprised of a heat exchanger (the thermoelectric generator exchanges heat with the heat source and the cold source), configured to convert heat energy into electrical energy based on a temperature differential between a heat concentrator on a hot side (hot thermal conductor 30a), and a heat dissipator on a cold side (cold thermal conductor 32a) comprised in the heat exchanger (the thermal conductors 30, 32 exchange heat with the TEG device and the heat and cold sources, [28] and [51]);
wherein the hot side (30a) is operatively coupled to a heat-generating component (compressor 65) of an electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical device (refrigeration or conditioning system, [51]), and the cold side (32a) is operatively coupled to the hot side (30a) via the thermo-electric generator (TEG) (33a) ([28] and [51]);
a power management module (power distribution member 75, [49]) configured to:
aggregate the converted electrical energy by the thermo-electric generator (TEG) (33a, b) with electrical energy from a primary source (power supply 76) ([49]-[53]); and
based on a monitored load requirement by the power management module (75), supply the aggregated power to the electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical device, thereby optimizing heat management and minimizing heat dissipation for the device ([49]-[55], the power management module distributes the power to the loads based on the load requirements).
Regarding claim 7, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the hot side (30a) comprises a heat sink (hot thermal conductor) comprised in the heat exchanger ([28],[51], Figure 4 and 8, the term “heat sink” includes any device which exchanges heat including the hot thermal conductor), and wherein the cold side (32a) comprises a heat dissipator (cold thermal conductor) comprised in the heat exchanger ([28], [51], Figures 4 and 8, the term “heat dissipator” includes any device which exchanges heat including the cold thermal conductor).
Regarding claim 9, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that a ratio between the power from the primary source and the power generated by the thermo-electric generator in the aggregated power is based on the load requirement and a quantum of power generated by the thermo-electric generator (TEG) ([52]-[53]).
Regarding claim 10, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical device is at least one of an air-conditioner, a battery bank, a compressor, and an internal combustion engine (air conditioner, [4] and claim 29).
Regarding claim 11, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the air-conditioner ([4] and claim 29) comprises a heat sink configured to extract the heat produced by the device through a coolant (working fluid) flowing through a condenser (66), wherein the thermoelectric generator (33) is thermally coupled to the condenser ([48] and [51]).
Regarding claim 12, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the TEG comprises a heat absorbing plate (Figures 4, 8 and [28], [31], layer 30 can be a flat metal material which reads on a “plate”) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (compressor 65 exchanges heat with thermoelectric, [51]) and wherein the TEG comprises a heat dissipater (32) in thermal communication with a low-temperature environment (relatively cold ambient environment, [41]).
Regarding claim 13, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the TEG comprises a plurality of thermoelectric converters (20) present between the heat absorbing plate (30) and the heat dissipater (32) (As discussed in [28], more than one thermoelectric device can be between the thermal conductors).
Regarding claim 14, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the system comprises a battery bank (78) operably connected to the power management module (75) ([54]).
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.
Claims 8, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akei et al. (US 2007/0101737) in view of Watts et al. (US 2009/0301539).
Regarding claim 8, Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that there can be more than one thermoelectric device ([28]), but Akei does not explicitly disclose that the thermo-electric generator (TEG) further comprises a plurality of p-type and n-type semiconductors connected in series to each other.
Watts discloses a thermoelectric generator (100) comprising a plurality of p-type and n-type semiconductors (104) connected in series to each other (Figure 1 and [38]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the thermoelectric generator of Akei such that it comprises a plurality of p-type and n-type semiconductors connected in series to each other, as taught by Watts, because it would amount to nothing more than the combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Regarding claim 15, Akei discloses a system for converting heat energy to electrical energy in Figure 8, comprising:
a thermo-electric generator (TEG) (33a) comprising a hot side (hot thermal conductor 30a) in thermal communication with a heat source in an electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical device (compressor 65 in refrigeration or conditioning system, [51]);
a cold side (cold thermal conductor 32a) operably coupled to the hot side (30a) and distant from the hot side ([28], [51] and Figures 4 and 8);
wherein the TEG (33a) is configured to convert heat energy into electrical energy based on a temperature differential between the hot side and the cold side to obtain auxiliary power ([51]);
a power management module (power distribution member 75, [49]) configured to:
aggregate power from a primary power source (power supply 76) and the auxiliary power generated by the TEG (33a, b) (49]-[53] and Figure 8) and at least one of, supply the aggregated power back to the electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical device from which the TEG derives auxiliary power, and supply the aggregated power to a power storage (78) or load (26) ([49]-[55] and Figure 8).
Akei additionally discloses that there can be more than one thermoelectric device ([28]), but Akei does not explicitly disclose that the thermo-electric generator (TEG) further comprises a plurality of series connected semi-conductor p-n junctions operably connected to the hot side and the cold side.
Watts discloses a thermoelectric generator (100) comprising a plurality of p-type and n-type semiconductors (104) connected in series to each other (Figure 1 and [38]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the thermoelectric generator of Akei such that it comprises a plurality of series connected semi-conductor p-n junctions operably connected to the hot side and the cold side, as taught by Watts, because it would amount to nothing more than the combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Regarding claim 16, modified Akei discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Akei additionally discloses that the heat source is a heat exchanger (compressor 65 exchanges heat with the thermoelectric device, [51]) comprised in an air-conditioning device ([4] and claim 29).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINDSEY A BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-1234. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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/LINDSEY A BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728