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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 10 Jun 2024 and 19 Mar 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Woodworth (US 5323304 A).
Regarding Claim 18, Woodworth teaches a method for attenuating harmonics from a neutral (neutral 113, Fig 6) of a three-phase alternating current (“AC”) circuit (reduces harmonics with storage modules connected from 3-phase AC conductors to the neutral 113, Col 7, lines 27-38), the method comprising: connecting a first filter (120a, Fig 6) to a first phase source of the three-phase AC circuit (120a is connected to 112, Fig 6); connecting a second filter (120b, Fig 6) to second phase source of the three-phase AC circuit (120b is connected to 112, Fig 6); and connecting a third filter (120c, Fig 6) to a third phase source of the three-phase AC circuit (120c is connected to 112, Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 19, it is rejected for the same reasons as stated above for Claim 3.
Regarding Claim 20, Woodworth teaches further comprising connecting each of the first filter, the second filter, and the third filter to a neutral or to a ground (120a, 120b, and 120c are connected to the neutral 113, Fig 6).
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.
Claims 1 & 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woodworth (US 5323304 A), in view of Sella (US 20190326051 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Woodworth teaches receiving a[n input] signal (DRIVING SIGNAL, Fig 1) to turn on a hybrid power switch circuitry (20/30, Fig 1) when the received [input] signal is asserted (DRIVING SIGNAL turns on 20/30, Fig 1); generating a first logic signal (output of 11, Fig 1); generating a second logic signal (output of 13, Fig 1) in response to the feedback signal (ON-ENABLED, Fig 1); driving a silicon device (20/30, Fig 1) based on the first logic signal (output of 11, Fig 1); driving a device based on the second logic signal (output of 13, Fig 1) and generating the feedback signal based on whether the silicon device or the wide bandgap device is on or off (ON-ENABLED is based on whether 20 is on or off, Fig 1).
Woodworth does not teach a housing.
Sella teaches a conventional filter appliance for a multiphase electrical converter device (see Fig 1) including a housing (20, Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the housing in Woodworth, as taught by Sella, as it provides the advantage of protecting the filter from damage.
Regarding Claim 14, the combination of Woodworth and Sella teaches wherein each of the first filter, the second filter, and the third filter comprises a capacitor (120a-c/220a-c include a capacitor 124a-c/224a-c, Fig 6/7 of Woodworth) or an inductor, the inductor including inductive coils configured as a single coil, bifilar coils, or trifilar coils (120a-c/220a-c include a single coil inductor 122a-c/222a-c, Fig 6/7 of Woodworth).
Claims 2-4 & 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woodworth (US 5323304 A), in view of Sella (US 20190326051 A1), and further in view of Pagenkopf (US 20180108472 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Woodworth and Sella teaches all of the limitations of Claim 1.
The combination of Woodworth and Sella does not teach further comprising a fourth filter disposed within the housing, the fourth filter being electrically connected to a neutral or a ground.
Pagenkopf teaches a conventional capacitor neutral star connection (see Fig 5) including a fourth filter disposed within the housing (capacitor neutral star 419, Fig 5), the fourth filter being electrically connected to a neutral or a ground (419 is connected to the neutral 417, Fig 5).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the filter in Woodworth, as taught by Pagenkopf, as it provides the advantage of improved harmonic filtering.
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf teaches all of the limitations of Claim 2, and further teaches wherein the first filter is electrically connected to the second phase source of the three-phase AC power circuit (220a is connected to 211b, Fig 7 of Woodworth), the second filter is electrically connected to the third phase source of the three-phase AC power circuit (220b is connected to 211c, Fig 7 of Woodworth), and
the third filter is electrically connected to the first phase source of the three-phase AC power circuit (220c is connected to 211a, Fig 7 of Woodworth).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf teaches all of the limitations of Claim 3, and further teaches wherein the first filter comprises a first terminal (left terminal of 220a, Fig 7 of Woodworth) and a second terminal (right terminal of 220a, Fig 7 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source (the left terminal of 220a is connected to 211a, Fig 7 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the first filter being connected to the second phase source (the right terminal of 220a is connected to 211b, Fig 7 of Woodworth); the second filter comprises a first terminal (left terminal of 220b, Fig 7 of Woodworth) and a second (right terminal of 220b, Fig 7 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source (the left terminal of 220b is connected to 211b, Fig 7 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the second filter being connected to the third phase source (the right terminal of 220b is connected to 211c, Fig 7 of Woodworth); and the third filter comprises a first terminal (right terminal of 220c Fig 7 of Woodworth) and a second (left terminal of 220c, Fig 7 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source (the right terminal of 220c is connected to 211c, Fig 7 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the third filter being connected to the first phase source (the left terminal of 220c is connected to 211a, Fig 7 of Woodworth).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Woodworth and Sella teaches all of the limitations of Claim 2, and further teaches wherein the first, second, and third filters are electrically connected to the neutral (120a, 120b, and 120c are connected to the neutral 113, Fig 6 of Woodworth).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Woodworth and Sella teaches all of the limitations of Claim 9, and further teaches wherein the first filter comprises a first terminal (left terminal of 120a, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and a second terminal (right terminal of 120a, Fig 6 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source (left terminal of 120a is connected to 111a, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the first filter being connected to the neutral (right terminal of 120a is connected to 113, Fig 6 of Woodworth); the second filter comprises a first terminal (left terminal of 120b, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and a second (right terminal of 120b, Fig 6 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source (left terminal of 120b is connected to 111b, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the second filter being connected to the neutral (right terminal of 120b is connected to 113, Fig 6 of Woodworth); and the third filter comprises a first terminal (left terminal of 120c, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and a second (right terminal of 120c, Fig 6 of Woodworth), the first terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source (left terminal of 120c is connected to 111c, Fig 6 of Woodworth) and the second terminal of the third filter being connected to the neutral (right terminal of 120c is connected to 113, Fig 6 of Woodworth)..
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sella (US 20190326051 A1), in view of Goldin (US 20030048005 A1).
Regarding Claim 15, Sella teaches rectification apparatus for reducing oscillations produced along a neutral due to the emergence of harmonics, the rectification apparatus comprising: a pair of first filters (32, Fig 1) electrically connected to one another via a first header wire (37, Fig 1), the pair of first filters electrically connected to a neutral (100, Fig 1); a pair of second filters (42, Fig 1) electrically connected to one another via a second header wire (47, Fig 1), the pair of second filters electrically connected to a ground (102, Fig 1).
Sella does not teach a pair of capacitors each connected to the neutral and the ground.
Goldin teaches a conventional filter for harmonic cancellation (see Fig 3) including a pair of capacitors (338 and 340, Fig 3) each connected to the neutral and the ground (neutral 326 and ground, Fig 3).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the capacitors in Sella, as taught by Goldin, as it provides the advantage of attenuating harmonics for improved efficiency ([0035] of Goldin).
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sella (US 20190326051 A1), in view of Goldin (US 20030048005 A1), and further in view of Woodworth (US 5323304 A).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Sella and Goldin teaches all of the limitations of Claim 15.
The combination of Sella and Goldin does not teach further comprising: a third filter electrically connected to a first phase source of a three-phase AC power circuit; a fourth filter electrically connected to a second phase source of the three-phase AC power circuit; and a fifth filter electrically connected to third phase source of the three-phase AC power circuit.
Woodworth teaches a conventional A.C. storage module for reducing harmonic distortion (see Fig 6 & 7) including a third filter (120a/220a, Fig 6/7) electrically connected to a first phase source (111a/211a, Fig 6/7) of a three-phase AC power circuit (120a/220a is connected to 111a/211a of 3-phase source 112/212, Fig 6/7); a fourth filter electrically connected to a second phase source (111b/211b, Fig 6/7) of the three-phase AC power circuit (120b/220b is connected to 111b/211b of 3-phase source 112/212, Fig 6/7); and a fifth filter electrically connected to third phase source (111c/211c, Fig 6/7) of the three-phase AC power circuit (120c/220c is connected to 111c/211c of 3-phase source 112/212, Fig 6/7).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the A.C. storage module in Sella, as taught by Woodworth, as it provides the advantage of reducing harmonics to prevent damage to electronic equipment (Col 1, lines 14-34 of Woodworth).
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Sella, Goldin, and Woodworth teaches all of the limitations of Claim 16, and further teaches wherein each of the first filters, the second filters, the third filter, the fourth filter, and the fifth filter comprises a capacitor (120a-c/220a-c include a capacitor 124a-c/224a-c, Fig 6/7 of Woodworth) or an inductor, the inductor including inductive coils configured as a single coil, bifilar coils, or trifilar coils (120a-c/220a-c include a single coil inductor 122a-c/222a-c, Fig 6/7 of Woodworth).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 & 11-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of prior art Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf teaches all of the limitations of Claim 4.
The combination of Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf does not teach the first filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source and the fourth terminal of the first filter being connected to the second phase source; the second filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source and the fourth terminal of the second filter being connected to the third phase source; and the third filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source and the fourth terminal of the third filter being connected to the first phase source.
Prior art Goldin (US 20030048005 A1) is considered to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “the first filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source and the fourth terminal of the first filter being connected to the second phase source; the second filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source and the fourth terminal of the second filter being connected to the third phase source; and the third filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source and the fourth terminal of the third filter being connected to the first phase source.”
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of prior art Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf teaches all of the limitations of Claim 2.
The combination of Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf does not teach a wherein the first, second, and third filters are electrically connected to the ground.
Prior art Goldin (US 20030048005 A1) is considered to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “wherein the first, second, and third filters are electrically connected to the ground.”.
Claim 7-8 are indicated as allowable, as they depend on Claim 6.
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of prior art Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf teaches all of the limitations of Claim 10.
The combination of the combination of Woodworth, Sella, and Pagankopf does not teach wherein the first filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source and the fourth terminal of the first filter being connected to the neutral; the second filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source and the fourth terminal of the second filter being connected to the neutral; and the third filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source and the fourth terminal of the third filter being connected to the neutral.
Prior art Goldin (US 20030048005 A1) is considered to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “wherein the first filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the first filter being connected to the first phase source and the fourth terminal of the first filter being connected to the neutral; the second filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the second filter being connected to the second phase source and the fourth terminal of the second filter being connected to the neutral; and the third filter comprises a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal of the third filter being connected to the third phase source and the fourth terminal of the third filter being connected to the neutral.”
Regarding Claim 12, the combination of prior art Woodworth and Sella teaches all of the limitations of Claim 1.
The combination of Woodworth and Sella does not teach further comprising: a pair of fourth filters connected in parallel to one another and connected to a neutral; and a pair of fifth filters connected in parallel to one another and connected to a ground.
Prior art Goldin (US 20030048005 A1) and Pagenkopf (US 20180108472 A1) are considered to be the closest prior art.
However, none of the prior art, taken singly or in combination, teach “further comprising: a pair of fourth filters connected in parallel to one another and connected to a neutral; and a pair of fifth filters connected in parallel to one another and connected to a ground.”
Claim 13 is indicated as allowable, as it depends on Claim 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER C CAULK whose telephone number is (571)270-0623. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30, every other Fri off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.C.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838