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 (IDS) submitted on 6/24/24 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 11-19 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. The claims are indefinite because the invention is claimed as a method, yet no steps are recited, making the scope of the method claims uncertain. See MPEP 2173.05(q) “Use” Claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 11, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Wijekoon (WO 2022/226941). Examiner notes for the rejections below, US 2024/0055993 is used as an English equivalent.
With respect to claim 1, Wijekoon discloses a power converter (Fig. 7 4) with two DC voltage connections (Fig. 5 IN1,IN2) and several AC voltage connections (Fig. 7 OUTa,OUTb,OUTc), wherein the power converter comprises a first partial power converter (Fig. 5 SC1,SC2,D1,D2,BS) and a second partial power converter (Fig. 5 S3,S4), wherein the first partial power converter comprises first semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 5 S11,S12,S13,S14,D1,D2,BS) and is configured as a three-level power converter (Fig. 5 NPC is three level) or power converter with more than three levels, wherein the second partial power converter comprises second semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 5 S3,S4) and is configured as a two-level power converter, and wherein the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are each connected or are connectable between the two DC voltage connections (Fig. 5 IN1,IN2) and the several AC voltage connections (Fig. 7 OUTa,OUTb,OUTc).
With respect to claim 2, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor switching elements (paragraph 63, “The second switch of the first series connection and the second switch of the second series connection each may be an IGBT”) and the second semiconductor switching elements (paragraph 69, “The third switch and the fourth switch may be transistors, such IGBTs, FETs, MOSFETs, BJTs and/or JFETs”) are different from each other, in particular are of different types [MOSFET different type from an IGBT].
With respect to claim 3, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 2, wherein the first semiconductor switching elements comprise or are IGBTs (Fig. 6 S12,S22 comprise IGBTs).
With respect to claim 4, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 2, wherein the second semiconductor switching elements comprise or are MOSFETs (paragraph 69), in particular SiC-MOSFETs and/or GaN-HEMTs.
With respect to claim 5, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first partial power converter is configured as a three-level power converter of the T-type, NPC-type (Fig. 5 SC1,SC2,D1,D2,BS forms NPC) or flying capacitor type.
With respect to claim 6, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 1, wherein the second partial power converter comprises a plurality of second half bridges (Fig. 7 5a,5b,5c) each having two of the second semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 5 S3,S4).
With respect to claim 8, Wijekoon discloses the power converter according to claim 1 wherein the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are integrated into each other (Fig. 5 3 combined in parallel).
With respect to claim 11, Wijekoon discloses a method (Fig. 8 100) of power conversion using a power converter (Fig. 7 4) according to claim 1.
With respect to claim 14, Wijekoon discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein, in a mixed mode operation (paragraph 145 both operated), the first and second partial power converters are used for current conversion (Fig. 5 convert DC to AC).
With respect to claim 15, Wijekoon discloses the method according to claim 14, wherein, in a first mixed mode operation mode (paragraph 145), the first partial power converter is activated first, and then the second partial power converter is activated (paragraph 145, “In order to achieve that conduction losses reduction, these additional two switches S3 and S4 are operated such that they are switched between the nonconducting state and the conducting state (that is they open and close), when the series connection SC1 respectively SC2 (respective branch) connected in parallel is conducting.”).
Claim(s) 1, 7 ,11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Zhang (CN 104702140).
With respect to claim 1, Zhang discloses a power converter (Fig. 1) with two DC voltage connections (Fig. 1 P1,N1) and several AC voltage connections (Fig. 1 connections to ea,eb,ec), wherein the power converter comprises a first partial power converter (Fig. 1 Sa1-Sa3,Sb1-Sb3,Sc1-Sc3) and a second partial power converter (Fig. 1 Sa1’-Sa11’,Sb1’-Sb11’,Sc1’-Sc11’), wherein the first partial power converter comprises first semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 1 Sa1-Sa3,Sb1-Sb3,Sc1-Sc3) and is configured as a three-level power converter (Fig. 1 T type) or power converter with more than three levels, wherein the second partial power converter comprises second semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 1 Sa1’-Sa11’,Sb1’-Sb11’,Sc1’-Sc11’) and is configured as a two-level power converter (Fig. 1 T type comprises a 2-level converter), and wherein the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are each connected or are connectable between the two DC voltage connections (Fig. 1 P1,N1) and the several AC voltage connections (Fig. 1 connections to ea,eb,ec).
With respect to claim 7, Zhang discloses the power converter according to claim 1 wherein the first partial power converter (Fig. 1 Sa1-Sa3,Sb1-Sb3,Sc1-Sc3) and the second partial power converter (Fig. 1 Sa1’-Sa11’,Sb1’-Sb11’,Sc1’-Sc11’) are connected in parallel to one another and are formed separately from one another.
With respect to claim 11, Zhang discloses a method of power conversion using a power converter (Fig. 1) according to claim 1.
With respect to claim 17, Zhang discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein, in an energy transfer mode (Fig. 9) in which energy is transferred between an energy storage (Fig. 1 C1,C2) and a power grid (Fig. 1 ea,eb,ec) via the power converter, the second partial power converter is used for power conversion [since both used].
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) 9, 10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 2019/0238062) in view of Wijekoon (WO 2022/226941).
With respect to claim 9, Lu discloses an electrical machine unit (Fig. 7) comprising an electrical machine (Fig. 7 Load) having one or more phases (Fig. 7 three phase) and a power converter (Fig. 3 Inverter/Rectifier Module) wherein the one or more phases are each connected to a respective one of the several AC voltage connections (Fig. 7 inverter connections to Load). Lu does not require the power converter to be implemented according to claim 1.
Wijekoon teaches a power converter as set forth above. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement an electrical machine having one or more phases and
a power converter according to claim 1, wherein the one or more phases are each connected to a respective one of the several AC voltage connections, in order to power the electrical machine with high efficiency.
With respect to claim 10, Lu in view of Wijekoon make obvious the electrical machine unit () according to claim 9, which is configured as a traction drive (paragraph 44) of a vehicle (Fig. 14 EV).
With respect to claim 19, Lu in view of Wijekoon make obvious a method of power conversion using an electrical machine unit (Lu Fig. 7) according to claim 9.
Claim(s) 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wijekoon (WO 2022/226941) in view of Fong (US 2022/0329149).
With respect to claim 12, Wijekoon discloses the method according to claim 11 as set forth above, wherein both partial converters are active, and remains silent to one of the partial converters being inactive. It was known before the effective filing date of the invention to have one of the partial converters active and the other inactive.
Fong discloses wherein, in a partial operation mode, only one of the first (Fig. 4 35W Converter: ON) and second partial power converters is used for current conversion, and wherein the other of the first and second partial power converters is inactive (Fig. 4 65W Converter: OFF). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein, in a partial operation mode, only one of the first and second partial power converters is used for current conversion, and wherein the other of the first and second partial power converters is inactive, in order to reduce power consumption during low power operation.
With respect to claim 13, Wijekoon in view of Fong make obvious the method according to claim 12, wherein, in a first partial operation mode, when a demanded load is below a predetermined threshold, the second partial power converter is used for current conversion, and/or wherein, in a second partial operation mode [normal operation], when a demanded load is above the predetermined threshold, the first partial power converter is used for current conversion (since both used).
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wijekoon (WO 2022/226941) in view of Li (CN115579839).
With respect to claim 18, Wijenkoon discloses the method according to claim 11, as set forth above, wherein first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter are closed (Fig. 5 NPC switched first) and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter are closed (Fig. 5 S3,S4 switched after NPC switches conducting)
and remains silent as to the over-current protection.
Li discloses wherein, in an active-short-circuit mode, all low-side (Fig. 2 low side switches turned on) or high-side semiconductor switching elements are closed, wherein first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter are closed and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter are closed. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement in an active-short-circuit mode, all low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements are closed, wherein first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter are closed and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter are closed, in order to protect the load and converter by recirculating the current in the load during short circuit conditions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 is rejected as indefinite for the reasons stated above, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and if the indefinite type rejections stated above were overcome. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claim 16, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein, in a second mixed mode operation, and when the first and second partial power converters have an equal rated power within predetermined tolerances, the one of the first and second partial power converters that has lower switching losses is activated first, and then the other of the first and second partial power converters is activated.
The aforementioned limitations in combination with all remaining limitations of the respective claims are believed to render the aforementioned indicated claim and any dependent claims thereof patentable over the art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Alahutala (EP 2728734A1) discloses parallel converters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY RAYMOND BEHM whose telephone number is (571)272-8929. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5 EST.
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/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838