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 § 112
Claim 9 is 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.
Regarding claim 9, the phrase "particularly" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). The Examiner has interpreted the limitation as “The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electrical contacts respectively represent electrical contacts of solar cells between a metal-plated section, and a semiconductor section of the respective solar cell”.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Trupke (U.S. 2018/0159469) in view of Work (U.S. 3,708,669) and Mabille (U.S. 2016/0056761).
Regarding claim 1:
Trupke discloses A method for repairing and/or optimizing a solar module having a sun-facing front and a sun-averted back, wherein a multiplicity of solar cells are encapsulated between the front and the sun-averted back, comprising the following steps:
a) providing a solar module ([0078], module; Fig. 7A, 100);
b) emerging the solar module in a reverse direction by the application of an electric voltage ([0081]-[0085], applied voltages in in a narrow area);
c) locally illuminating ([0081] and [0085], EL imaging with a light source) and scanning the front of the solar module ([0081] and [0085], EL imaging with a light source) to which the electric voltage is applied with a point light source ([0081] and [0085], optical excitation), such that a current flux flows through the solar cells which are encapsulated in the solar module ([0085], current flow).
However, Trupke fails to disclose wherein the current flux, assumes a current density of 200 A/cm2 to 20,000 A/cm2, and which acts on the solar cells for between 10 ns and 10 ms.
Work teaches wherein the current flux, assumes a current density of 200 A/cm2 to 20,000 A/cm2 (Col. 3, lines 10-17, 1,000 amp per square centimeter), and which acts on the solar cells for between 10 ns and 10 ms (Col. 3, lines 50-67, 0.5 ms or 1.5 ms).
It would have been obvious to one of an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of Trupke with the current density and timing of Work in order to improve defect position detection in an image (Mabille; [0020]). KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 2:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step b) comprises the connection of an electrical contact element of the solar module to one pole of an electric voltage source (Trupke; Fig. 5A, connection between 102, 108, and 106; [0079] terminals), and the connection of a further electrical contact element of the solar module to another pole of the electric voltage source (Trupke; Fig. 5A, connection between 102, 108, and 106; [0079] terminals), and the application of an electric voltage in a reverse direction of the solar module (Trupke; Fig. 5A, 302 applied voltage; Fig. 5b, 520 optical excitation).
Regarding claim 3:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein any bypass diode(s) which is/are present in the solar module is/are removed or bridged prior to step b) (Trupke; [0079], bypass diodes are disabled or disconnected).
Regarding claim 4:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, between step a) and step b), a step aa) capturing at least one electroluminescence image of at least one part of the solar module (Trupke; [0081] and [0085], EL images captured).
Regarding claim 5:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising, between step aa) and step b), a step ab) classifying and/or computer-supported further processing of the at least one electroluminescence image thus captured (Trupke; [0100]-[0102], defects are classified within images).
Regarding claim 6:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 5, wherein step ab) comprises a classification of electrical contacts of solar cells (Trupke; [0101-[0102], contact defects are classified).
Regarding claim 7:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 5, wherein step ab) comprises a computer-supported further processing, in which defective or deficient electrical contacts of solar cells are identified (Trupke; [0101]-[0104], defects are identified and classified), and step c) comprises the localized illumination and scanning of that part of the front of the solar module which is energized by the electric voltage in which at least one defective or deficient contact in the solar cells has been identified (Trupke; [0102] and [0105], imaging of defects identified).
Regarding claim 8:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step c) is executed in a subregion of the solar module (Trupke; [0105], imaging of the same cell).
Regarding claim 9, as best understood:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electrical contacts respectively represent electrical contacts of solar cells between a metal-plated section, and a semiconductor section of the respective solar cell (Trupke; [0091], contacts).
Regarding claim 10:
The combination of Trupke, Work, and Mabille discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar module: is part of a solar module system which, in addition to the solar module, comprises at least one further solar module (Trupke; [0116], multiple modules), which is electrically connected to the solar module (Trupke; Fig. 5A, multiple 102), and step a) comprises a release of the electrical connection of the solar module to the at least one further solar module, such that two contact elements of the solar module are connectable to an electric voltage source (Trupke; Fig. 5A, 102 connected to voltage source 302).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOORENA KEFAYATI whose telephone number is (469)295-9078. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Makiya can be reached at 571-272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/DAVID J MAKIYA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884