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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of the embodiment of Figure 8 in the reply filed on 6/22/2026 is acknowledged.
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 7/17/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
A title such as the following is suggested: Chain-link converter having both high-frequency submodules and low-frequency submodules.
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, 3 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Hu (CN 114977850A).
With respect to claim 1, Hu discloses a chain-link converter, comprising: a first node (Fig. 4 node Lo-HFSM1); a second node (Fig. 4 Ubus -); and a plurality of switch submodules (Fig. 4 HFSM1,LFSMn), wherein the plurality of switch submodules are connected in series, and the plurality of switch submodules are electrically connected between the first node and the second node, and a switching time of at least one switch submodule (Fig. 4 LFSM1) is greater than the switching time of other switch submodules (Fig. 4 HFSM1).
With respect to claim 3, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of switch submodules comprise a plurality of low-frequency submodules (Fig. 4 LFSM1-LFSMn) and a first high-frequency submodule (Fig. 4 HFSM1).
With respect to claim 17, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3, further comprising a power source (Fig. 4 Ubus) or a load electrically connected between the first node and the second node.
With respect to claim 18, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 17, wherein the power source is a DC power source (Fig. 4 Ubus) or an AC power source, the first high-frequency submodule comprises a first switch circuit (Fig. 4 HFSM1) and a first energy storage element (Fig. 4 Cf) connected in parallel, and the low-frequency submodules comprise a second switch circuit (Fig. 4 LFSMn) and a second energy storage element (Fig. 4 Ebat) connected in parallel.
With respect to claim 19, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 18, wherein the first switch circuit comprises a half-bridge inverter circuit or full bridge circuit. (Fig. 4 LFSMn)
With respect to claim 20, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 18, wherein when the power source is the DC power source (Fig. 7 Ubs), the second switch circuit comprises a half-bridge circuit (Fig. 7 LFSM2) or full bridge circuit (Fig. 7 LFSMn).
Claim(s) 1, 3, 17-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Tu (CN 112737378A).
With respect to claim 1, Tu discloses a chain-link converter, comprising: a first node (Fig. 5 node at uk1); a second node (Fig. 5 node at ukn); and a plurality of switch submodules (Fig. 5 n modules), wherein the plurality of switch submodules are connected in series, and the plurality of switch submodules are electrically connected between the first node and the second node, and a switching time of at least one switch submodule (Fig. 5 fast frequency module 1 on left) is greater than the switching time of other switch submodules (Fig. 5 low frequency modules 2 to n).
With respect to claim 3, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of switch submodules comprise a plurality of low-frequency submodules (Fig. 5 low frequency modules 2-n) and a first high-frequency submodule (Fig. 5 high frequency module 1).
With respect to claim 17, Tu discloses he chain-link converter according to claim 3, further comprising a power source (Fig. 5 Us) or a load electrically connected between the first node and the second node.
With respect to claim 18, Tu discloses he chain-link converter according to claim 17, wherein the power source is a DC power source or an AC power source (Fig. 5 Us), the first high-frequency submodule comprises a first switch circuit (Fig. 5 module 1) and a first energy storage element (Fig. 5 Cd1) connected in parallel, and the low-frequency submodules comprise a second switch circuit (Fig. 5 module n) and a second energy storage element (Fig. 5 Cdn) connected in parallel.
With respect to claim 19, Tu discloses he chain-link converter according to claim 18, wherein the first switch circuit comprises a half-bridge inverter circuit or full bridge circuit (Fig. 5 module 1).
With respect to claim 21, Tu discloses he chain-link converter according to claim 18, wherein when the power source is the AC power source, the second switch circuit comprises a full bridge circuit (Fig. 5 module 1).
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) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu (CN 112737378A) in view of Jiang (CN 104617803).
With respect to claim 2, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 1 as set forth above, wherein the high-frequency module using fast switching devices such as SiC MOSFETs while the low-frequency module uses slower switching devices such as traditional IGBTs, and Tu remains silent as to the switching times of the submodules.
Jiang discloses a chain-link converter wherein the switching time of at least one switch submodule is greater than twice of the switching time of other switch submodules “because the SiC device generally has a high rated voltage, low loss and high switching speed, the dynamic performance of the SiC-MOSFET is better than the traditional IGBT, namely SiC device power device based on Si material has more excellent switching characteristic. it can make the switch frequency of existing Si device is increased by several times, the switching loss is not increased” (paragraph 27). 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 switching time of at least one switch submodule is greater than twice of the switching time of other switch submodules, in order to take advantage of the faster switching speed of the SiC device to reduce the switching loss.
Claim(s) 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu (CN 112737378A) in view of Anheuer (US 2021/0152081).
With respect to claim 4, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the grounding.
Anheuer discloses a chain-link converter wherein a ground terminal (Fig. 1 ground symbol) is electrically connected (Fig. 1 22) to the second node (Fig. 1 emitter of 7), and one of the low-frequency submodules (Fig. 1 7) is electrically connected to the second node. 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 a ground terminal is electrically connected to the second node, and one of the low-frequency submodules is electrically connected to the second node, in order to reference the converter to ground to ground the converter.
With respect to claim 5, Tu in view of Anheuer make obvious the chain-link converter according to claim 4, wherein the first high-frequency submodule (Fig. 6 submodule 1) is electrically connected to the first node.
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu (CN 112737378A) in view of Zhu (CN 216531105).
With respect to claim 6, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silence as to the distributed capacitance.
Zhu discloses a chain link converter (Fig. 1) wherein the submodule are of two types wherein a submodule is powered by a fast source of a supercapacitor (Fig. 3 SC) and another submodule is powered by a slow source (Fig. 2 battery). 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 high frequency modules are powered by capacitors and the low frequency modules are powered by batteries, since the capacitor can source current faster while the battery is slower but has more energy storage capability. Therefore, 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 a distributed capacitance to ground of any of the low-frequency submodules is greater than the distributed capacitance to ground of the first high-frequency submodule, since the larger batteries have higher distributed capacitance to ground than the more compact capacitors.
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu (CN 112737378A) in view of Vasiladiotis (US 2019/0341862).
With respect to claim 16, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the switching times of the low frequency submodules.
Vasiladiotis discloses a chain-link converter (Fig. 1 1) wherein the submodules utilize slow switching devices of thyristors (Fig. 2 S1-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 some of the low-frequency submodules utilize thyristors in order to lower the cost of the submodule. Therefore, 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 switching time of at least one low-frequency submodule is greater than the switching time of other low-frequency submodules, in order to take advantage of the reduced cost of thyristors as switching devices.
Claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu (CN 112737378A) in view of Li (US 9,893,633).
With respect to claim 20, Tu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 18 as set forth above with an AC source and does not disclose a DC source.
Li discloses a chain-link converter (Fig. 2 1700), wherein when the power source is the DC power source (Fig. 2 1792), the second switch circuit comprises a half-bridge circuit (Fig. 3 1810) or full bridge circuit (Fig. 3 1805). 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 when the power source is the DC power source, the second switch circuit comprises a half-bridge circuit or full bridge circuit, in order to power a load from an available DC source.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 114977850A) in view of Jiang (CN 104617803).
With respect to claim 2, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 1 as set forth above, wherein the high-frequency module using fast switching devices such as SiC MOSFETs while the low-frequency module uses slower switching devices such as traditional IGBTs, and Hu remains silent as to the switching times of the submodules.
Jiang discloses a chain-link converter wherein the switching time of at least one switch submodule is greater than twice of the switching time of other switch submodules “because the SiC device generally has a high rated voltage, low loss and high switching speed, the dynamic performance of the SiC-MOSFET is better than the traditional IGBT, namely SiC device power device based on Si material has more excellent switching characteristic. it can make the switch frequency of existing Si device is increased by several times, the switching loss is not increased” (paragraph 27).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 switching time of at least one switch submodule is greater than twice of the switching time of other switch submodules, in order to take advantage of the faster switching speed of the SiC device to reduce the switching loss.
Claim(s) 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 114977850A) in view of Anheuer (US 2021/0152081).
With respect to claim 4, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the grounding.
Anheuer discloses a chain-link converter wherein a ground terminal (Fig. 1 ground symbol) is electrically connected (Fig. 1 22) to the second node (Fig. 1 emitter of 7), and one of the low-frequency submodules (Fig. 1 7) is electrically connected to the second node.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 a ground terminal is electrically connected to the second node, and one of the low-frequency submodules is electrically connected to the second node, in order to reference the converter to ground to ground the converter.
With respect to claim 5, Hu in view of Anheuer make obvious the chain-link converter according to claim 4, wherein the first high-frequency submodule (Fig. 6 submodule 1) is electrically connected to the first node.
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 114977850A) in view of Zhu (CN 216531105).
With respect to claim 6, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silence as to the distributed capacitance.
Zhu discloses a chain link converter (Fig. 1) wherein the submodule are of two types wherein a submodule is powered by a fast source of a supercapacitor (Fig. 3 SC) and another submodule is powered by a slow source (Fig. 2 battery). 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 high frequency modules are powered by capacitors and the low frequency modules are powered by batteries, since the capacitor can source current faster while the battery is slower but has more energy storage capability. Therefore, 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 a distributed capacitance to ground of any of the low-frequency submodules is greater than the distributed capacitance to ground of the first high-frequency submodule, since the larger batteries have higher distributed capacitance to ground than the more compact capacitors.
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 114977850A) in view of Vasiladiotis (US 2019/0341862).
With respect to claim 16, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 3 as set forth above, and remains silent as to the switching times of the low frequency submodules.
Vasiladiotis discloses a chain-link converter (Fig. 1 1) wherein the submodules utilize slow switching devices of thyristors (Fig. 2 S1-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 some of the low-frequency submodules utilize thyristors in order to lower the cost of the submodule. Therefore, 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 switching time of at least one low-frequency submodule is greater than the switching time of other low-frequency submodules, in order to take advantage of the reduced cost of thyristors as switching devices.
Claim(s) 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 114977850A) in view of Liu (US 2022/0052622).
With respect to claim 21, Hu discloses the chain-link converter according to claim 18 as set forth wherein the power source is a DC source and does not disclose an AC source.
Liu discloses a chain-link converter wherein when the power source is the AC power source (Fig. 1 Vg), the second switch circuit comprises a full bridge circuit (Fig. 1 submodule n). 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 when the power source is the AC power source, the second switch circuit comprises a full bridge circuit, in order to power the load from an available AC power source.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hu (US 2023/0208133) is a US equivalent to Hu (CN 114977850A).
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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