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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed July 8, 2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the reference EP 3 265 303 has not been considered. Only the abstract of EP 3 265 303 has been received.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Page 17, line 16, “voltage V21 over and current I21” should be “voltage V21 and current I21”. Page 18, line 12, “sensors 34-45” should be “sensors 34-36”. Page 18, line 23, “actual is to be used” should be “actual voltage-power curve is to be used”. Page 19, line 16, “The program 42 is alike the program 43” should be “The program 42 is like the program 43”. Page 20, line 17, “signal M21”should be “signal MI21”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings were received on July 8, 2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claims 35, 50, and 54 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 35, line 23, “panels towards by” should be “panels by”. Claim 35, line 24, “the solar panels” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 50, lines 14-15, “the solar panels” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 54, line 12, “the solar panels” lacks proper antecedent basis. 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 41 and 48-49 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.
Regarding claim 41, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Claims 48-49 inherit this deficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 35-40, 42-47, and 50-54 are objected to as being dependent upon a base claim that has been objected to, or because of informalities, but would be allowable if rewritten with the informalities corrected.
Claims 41 and 48-49 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 35-49 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of
record discloses or suggest the maximum power point tracker is configured and connected to the batteries and photovoltaic panels for increasing the power output of the photovoltaic panels by adjusting the current produced by, and/or the voltage over, the photovoltaic panels towards the maximum power point, therein adjusting a current at which the batteries are charged by the photovoltaic panels via the DC-DC converter such that the current corresponds to the increased power output of the photovoltaic panels, in combination with the remaining claimed features. The international patent application publication of Poss (WO 2004/110659) is the closest prior art. Poss discloses a refuse collection assembly having a refuse collection container, a housing, one or more electrically powered functional parts of the refuse collection system, one or more photovoltaic panels, one or more batteries, a control unit, and a maximum power point tracker, but Poss does not disclose the maximum power point tracker configured and connected to the batteries and photovoltaic panels as recited above.
Claims 50-53 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of
record discloses or suggests the system further comprising a maximum power point tracker comprising a DC-DC converter, the DC-DC converter being electrically connected at a first output thereof to the one or more photovoltaic panels, and at second output thereof to the one or more batteries, wherein the maximum power point tracker is configured and connected to the batteries and photovoltaic panels for increasing the power output of the photovoltaic panels towards the maximum power point thereof, by adjusting the current produced by, and/or the voltage over, the photovoltaic panels towards the maximum power point, therein adjusting a current at which the batteries are charged by the photovoltaic panels via the DC-DC converter such that it corresponds to the increased power output of the photovoltaic panels, in combination with the remaining claimed features. Poss is the closest prior art. Poss discloses a control unit for a refuse collection system, the refuse collection system comprising an energy supply unit comprising one or more photovoltaic panels, and one or more batteries, wherein the energy supply unit is operatively connected as set forth in the claim, and wherein the control unit is configured and programmed as set forth in the claim, but Poss does not disclose the system further comprising a maximum power point tracker as set forth above.
Claim 54 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the maximum power point tracking increasing via the DC-DC converter, the power output of the photovoltaic panels towards the maximum power point thereof, by adjusting the current produced by, and/or the voltage over, the solar panels towards the maximum power point, therein adjusting a current at which the batteries are charged by the photovoltaic panels via the DC-DC converter such that the current corresponds to the increased power output of the photovoltaic panels, in combination with the remaining claimed features. Poss is the closest prior art. Poss discloses an energy supply unit comprising one or more photovoltaic panels, and one or more batteries, charging the one or more batteries, and supplying the one or more functional parts of the refuse collection system which are involved with the collection of the refuse with electrical energy, but Poss does not disclose the maximum power point tracking as set forth above.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAL KAPLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8587. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached at 571-270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAL KAPLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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