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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendment dated 6/1/2026 has addressed the previous indefiniteness type rejections. Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) and the prior art rejections have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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, 5, 8, 11, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Xu (US 10,084,391).
With respect to claim 1, Xu discloses a power converter with two DC voltage connections (Fig. 4 Vdc/2,-Vdc/2) and several AC voltage connections (Fig. 4 connection S2-S3,connection S7-S8,connection to L), wherein the power converter comprises: a first partial power converter (Fig. 4 S1-S6) wherein the first partial power converter comprises first semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 4 S1-S6) and is configured as a three-level power converter (Fig. 4 NPC) or power converter with more than three levels, and a second partial power converter (Fig. 4 S7-S8) comprising second semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 4 S7,S8) and 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 and the several AC voltage connections, wherein the power converter is configured to use, in a partial operation mode (column 13, lines 16-22 “two level mode”), only one of the first and second partial power converter for current conversion, wherein the other of the first and second partial power converters is inactive, and wherein the power converter is configured to use, in a mixed mode operation (column 13, lines 35-40 “mixed mode”), the first and second partial power converters for current conversion.
With respect to claim 5, Xu 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 (column 13, lines 23-28 “T-type three level mode”, NPC-type (column 13, lines 29-34 “three-level active clamped mode”) or flying capacitor type.
7. The power converter (110a, 310a, 410a) according to claim 1 wherein the first partial power converter (110.1a, 310.1a) and the second partial power converter (110.2a, 310.2a) are connected in parallel to one another and are formed separately from one another.
With respect to claim 8, Xu discloses the power converter according to claim 1 wherein the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are integrated (Fig. 4 partial converters integrated in parallel) into each other.
With respect to claim 11, Xu discloses a method of power conversion using a power converter according to claim 1, comprising converting current using (Fig. 8 801-803) at least one of the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter (Figures 6-7).
With respect to claim 13, Xu discloses the method according to claim 11, further comprising using, in a first partial operation mode (Fig. 9 903), when a demanded load is below a predetermined threshold (Fig. 9 902 set threshold), the second partial power converter for current conversion, and/or, in a second partial operation mode (Fig. 9 904), when a demanded load is above the predetermined threshold, the first partial power converter for current conversion.
With respect to claim 15, Xu discloses the method according to claim 11, further comprising activating in a first mixed mode operation mode, the first partial power converter first, and then activating the second partial power converter (column 10, lines 36-47).
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) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 10,084,391) in view of Wijekoon (WO 2022/226942).
With respect to claim 6, Xu discloses the power converter according to claim 1 as set forth above, and remains silent as to wherein the second partial power converter comprises a plurality of second half bridges each having two of the second semiconductor switching elements.
Wijekoon discloses wherein the second partial power converter comprises a plurality (Fig. 7 5a,5b,5c) of second half bridges (Fig. 5 S3,S4) each having two of the second semiconductor switching elements (Fig. 5 S3,S4). 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 the second partial power converter comprises a plurality of second half bridges each having two of the second semiconductor switching elements, in order to power a multiphase load.
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 10,084,391) in view of Cheng (US 2016/0118909).
With respect to claim 7, Xu discloses the power converter according to claim 1 as set forth above and remains silent as to wherein the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are connected in parallel to one another and are formed separately from one another.
Cheng discloses wherein the first partial power converter (Fig. 1A 101) and the second partial power converter (Fig. 1A 102) are connected in parallel to one another and are formed separately from one another. 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 the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter are connected in parallel to one another and are formed separately from one another, to increase the flexibility of the power converting system by modularizing the individual partial converters.
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 Xu (US 10,084,391).
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) according to claim 1, 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.
Xu teaches a power converter as set forth above in Claim 1. 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 unit comprising 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 Xu make obvious the electrical machine unit (Fig. 7 Load) 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 Xu make obvious a method of power conversion using an electrical machine unit (Lu Fig. 7) according to claim 9, comprising converting current using (Xu Fig. 8 801-803) at least one of the first partial power converter and the second partial power converter (Xu Figures 6-7).
Claim(s) 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 10,084,391) in view of Zhang (CN 104702140).
With respect to claim 17, Xu discloses the method according to claim 11 as set forth above, and remains silent as to implementing an energy transfer mode in which energy is transferred between an energy storage and a power grid via the power converter, the second partial power converter for power conversion.
Zhang discloses an energy transfer mode (Fig. 9) in which energy is transferred between an energy storage (Fig. 1 Vin,C1,C2) and a power grid via (Fig. 1 ea,eb,ec) the power converter, the second partial power converter for power conversion (Fig. 1 both used). 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 energy transfer mode in which energy is transferred between an energy storage and a power grid via the power converter, the second partial power converter for power conversion, in order to recharge the energy and provide power to the power grid.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 10,084,391) in view of Li (CN 115579839).
With respect to claim 18, Xu discloses the method according to claim 11 as set forth above, and remains silent as to wherein, in an active-short-circuit mode, all low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements are closed, closing first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter.
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, closing first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter. 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 an active-short-circuit mode, all low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements are closed, closing first the low-side or high-side semiconductor switching elements of the first partial power converter and then the low-side or high-side switching elements of the second partial power converter, in order to protect the load and converter by recirculating the current in the load during short circuit conditions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 16 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:
With respect to claim 2, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein the first semiconductor switching elements and the second semiconductor switching elements are different from each other, in particular are of different types.
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, activating the one of the first and second partial power converters that has lower switching losses first, and then activating the other of the first and second partial power converters.
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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARRY R BEHM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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