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 .
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.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mohd Zulkefli et al. [Mohd Zulkefli] (US PGPub 2023/0315037).
As to claim 17
Mohd Zulkefli discloses a high-level communication framework for simulating the dispatching of optimized set-points of distributed energy resources (DERs) (solar energy panels 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) for secondary frequency regulation of an electrical grid (electrical power grid; see paragraph 0015, line 2), comprising:
a gateway computer (central controller 110; see Fig. 1);
a local machine computer (edge controller 120, see Fig. 1) operably connected to the gateway computer (see Fig. 1); and
distribution grid assets (plurality of DERs 130, see Fig. 1) operably connected to the gateway computer (see Fig. 1);
wherein the gateway computer includes a memory (RAM 206/ROM 208, see Fig. 2) storing instructions (instructions) which when executed cause the gateway computer to (see paragraph 0025, lines 1-10):
receive data (feedback data 121; see Fig. 4) from the distribution grid assets concerning a plurality of distributed energy resources (DERs) (solar energy panels 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) and concerning at least one battery energy storage system (BESS) (battery storage unit 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) (see paragraph 0054, lines 2-5) (see paragraph 0038, lines 1-6 and paragraph 0041, lines 1-11);
transmit the data from the distribution grid assets to the local machine computer (see paragraph 0022, lines 5-8);
receive data from the local machine computer comprising updated set-points (revised energy usage information; see paragraph 0041, line 14) for each of the plurality of DERs and for the at least one BESS (see paragraph 0022, lines 8-11 and paragraph 0041, lines 1-14); and
transmit the optimal set-points for each of the plurality of DERs to the distribution grid assets for dispatch to each respective DER (see paragraph 0040, lines 6-17).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mohd Zulkefli et al. [Mohd Zulkefli] (US PGPub 2023/0315037) in view of Yang et al. [Yang] (US PGPub 2015/0039145).
As to claim 18
Mohd Zulkefli discloses the high-level communication framework as cited in claim 17; however, Mohd Zulkefli fails to specifically disclose the high-level communication framework wherein the local machine computer receives a state of charge (SOC) value and a power supplied value from the electrical grid at intervals of every four (4) seconds.
Yang discloses a local machine computer receives a state of charge (SOC) value and a power supplied value from the electrical grid at an interval (see paragraph 0168, lines 10-15; fast responsive DERs).
Though Yang does not specifically the intervals being of every four (4) seconds.
At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art to consider a response time within 4 seconds as a fast response time.
Mohd Zulkefli and Yang are analogous are because they are from the same field of endeavor which is managing DERs. At the time of invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mohd Zulkefli’s invention with Yang’s in order to ensure that the DERs are fact reacting DERs, since doing so would assist with optimization by executing a DER schedule each time there is an update in power generation (see Yang paragraph 0171, lines 4-7)
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 7, 9-11, 14, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mohd Zulkefli et al. [Mohd Zulkefli] (US PGPub 2023/0315037) in view of Dall’Anese et al. [Dall’Anese] (US PGPub 2021/0184470).
As to claim 1
Mohd Zulkefli discloses a method for providing secondary frequency regulation support to a power transmission system (grid control system 100, see Fig. 1), comprising:
requesting, by a real-time central controller (central controller 110; see Fig. 1) from a power distribution network (distribution network; see paragraph 0015, lines 3-4/dwellings 104, see Fig. 1) comprising a plurality of behind the meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DERs) (solar energy panels 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) and at least one substation battery energy storage system (BESS) (battery storage unit 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4), current status data (feedback data 121; see Fig. 4) of the power distribution network (see paragraph 0054, lines 2-5) (see paragraph 0038, lines 1-6 and paragraph 0041, lines 1-11); and
receiving, by the real-time central controller from the power distribution network, the current status data (see paragraph 0038, lines 10-16 and paragraph 0041, lines 8-11).
Though Mohd Zulkefli discloses the method requesting and receiving current status data of the power distribution network; Mohd Zulkefli fails to specifically disclose the method:
receiving, by the real-time central controller from a system operator, an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signal;
calculating, by the real-time central controller, a mismatch value based on the current status data and the AGC signal;
determining, by the real-time central controller, that the absolute value of the mismatch value is greater than a predetermined tolerance; and
setting, by the real-time central controller in response to the determination, an optimal setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs and an optimal setpoint value for the at least one BESS.
Dall’Anese discloses a method for providing secondary frequency regulation support to a power transmission system, comprising:
receiving, by a real-time central controller (power management unit 4, see Fig. 1) from a system operator (connection point 7, see Fig. 1/utility companies/distribution system operators; see paragraph 0131, line 4), an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signal (power measurement 13, see Fig. 1/automatic generation control (AGC); see paragraph 0004, line 6);
calculating, by the real-time central controller, a mismatch value (coefficient value 14, see Fig. 1/set of coefficient values; see paragraph 0027, lines 4-5) based on current status data (received measurements 12, see Fig. 1) and the AGC signal (see paragraph 0027, lines 1-8);
determining, by the real-time central controller, that the absolute value (absolute value; see paragraph 0050, line 13) of the mismatch value (aggregate power setpoint values) is greater than a predetermined tolerance (limits; see paragraph 0033, line 7) (see paragraph 0027, lines 1-8; paragraph 0033, lines 1-8; and paragraph 0050, lines 1-14); and
setting, by the real-time central controller in response to the determination, an optimal setpoint value (setpoint values; see paragraph 0032, line 10) for each of a plurality of DERs (energy resources 8A,8B, see Fig. 1/PV panels) and an optimal setpoint value (setpoint values; see paragraph 0032, line 10) for at least one BESS (energy resource 8C, see Fig. 1/energy storage device) (see paragraph 0032, lines 9-11 and paragraph 0033, lines 1-5).
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor which is managing local DERs. At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mohd Zulkefli’s invention with Dall’Anese’s in order to compare an AGC signal with Mohd Zulkefli’s feedback data 121, since doing so would determine coefficient values to help ensure satisfaction of engineering limits (see Dall’Anese paragraph 0004, lines 3-10).
As to claim 2
Dall’Anese discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, by the real-time central controller via a distribution substation, a secondary frequency response comprising the optimal setpoint values to each of the plurality of DERs and the optimal setpoint value to the at least one BESS for secondary frequency regulation support (see paragraph 0132, lines 1-10).
As to claim 3
Dall’Anese discloses the method of claim 2, wherein a time frame for the secondary frequency response comprises a range from several seconds to several minutes (see paragraph 0132, lines 1-10).
As to claim 6
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the current status data comprises a setpoint value for each of the plurality of distributed energy resources (DERs), a state-of-charge (SOC) value and a setpoint value of the substation battery energy storage system (BESS), and a power value representative of power supplied by the power transmission system (see Mohd Zulkefli paragraph 0040, lines 1-2).
As to claim 7
Dall’Anese discloses the method of claim 6, wherein setting an optimal setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs and an optimal setpoint value for the at least one BESS comprises:
receiving, by the central controller, input values comprising a current setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs, the mismatch value, a total distributed generator (DG) value, a total power loss value, and a total demand value; and
generating, by the central controller using a linearized optimal power flow process, optimal setpoint values for each of the plurality of DERs and the optimal setpoint value for the at least one BESS (see paragraph 0141, lines 6-18).
As to claim 9
Mohd Zulkefli discloses a central controller (central controller 110; see Fig. 1/computing device 200, see Fig. 2) for providing secondary frequency regulation support to a power transmission system (grid control system 100, see Fig. 1), comprising:
a processor (processing element 204, see Fig. 2); and
a memory (RAM 206/ROM 208, see Fig. 2) operably connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores processor-executable instructions (instructions) which when executed cause the processor to (see paragraph 0025, lines 1-10):
request current status data (feedback data 121; see Fig. 4) of a power distribution network (distribution network; see paragraph 0015, lines 3-4/dwellings 104, see Fig. 1), wherein the power distribution network comprises a plurality of behind the meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DERs) (solar energy panels 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) and at least one substation battery energy storage system (BESS) (battery storage unit 130; see Fig. 1/also see paragraph 0022, lines 2-4) (see paragraph 0054, lines 2-5) (see paragraph 0038, lines 1-6 and paragraph 0041, lines 1-11); and
receive the current status data from the power distribution network (see paragraph 0038, lines 10-16 and paragraph 0041, lines 8-11).
Though Mohd Zulkefli discloses the central controller requesting and receiving current status data of the power distribution network; Mohd Zulkefli fails to specifically disclose the processor of the central controller to:
receive an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signal from a system operator;
calculate a mismatch value based on the current status data and the AGC signal;
determine that the absolute value of the mismatch value is greater than a predetermined tolerance; and
set an optimal setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs and an optimal setpoint value for the at least one BESS.
Dall’Anese discloses a central controller for providing secondary frequency regulation support to a power transmission system, comprising a processor to:
receive an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signal (power measurement 13, see Fig. 1/automatic generation control (AGC); see paragraph 0004, line 6) from a system operator (connection point 7, see Fig. 1/utility companies/distribution system operators; see paragraph 0131, line 4);
calculate a mismatch value (coefficient value 14, see Fig. 1/set of coefficient values; see paragraph 0027, lines 4-5) based on current status data (received measurements 12, see Fig. 1) and the AGC signal (see paragraph 0027, lines 1-8);
determine that the absolute value (absolute value; see paragraph 0050, line 13) of the mismatch value (aggregate power setpoint values) is greater than a predetermined tolerance (limits; see paragraph 0033, line 7) (see paragraph 0027, lines 1-8; paragraph 0033, lines 1-8; and paragraph 0050, lines 1-14); and
set an optimal setpoint value (setpoint values; see paragraph 0032, line 10) for each of a plurality of DERs (energy resources 8A,8B, see Fig. 1/PV panels) and an optimal setpoint value (setpoint values; see paragraph 0032, line 10) for at least one BESS (energy resource 8C, see Fig. 1/energy storage device) (see paragraph 0032, lines 9-11 and paragraph 0033, lines 1-5).
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor which is managing local DERs. At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mohd Zulkefli’s invention with Dall’Anese’s in order to compare an AGC signal with Mohd Zulkefli’s feedback data 121, since doing so would determine coefficient values to help ensure satisfaction of engineering limits (see Dall’Anese paragraph 0004, lines 3-10).
As to claim 10
Dall’Anese discloses the central controller of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises processor-executable instructions which when executed cause the processor to transmit the optimal setpoint values to each of the plurality of DERs and the optimal setpoint value to the BESS for secondary frequency regulation support (see paragraph 0132, lines 1-10).
As to claim 11
Dall’Anese discloses the central controller of claim 9, wherein a time frame for the secondary frequency response comprises a range from several seconds to several minutes (see paragraph 0132, lines 1-10).
As to claim 14
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese discloses the central controller of claim 9, wherein the current status data comprises a setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs, a state-of-charge (SOC) value and a setpoint value of the substation battery energy storage system (BESS), and a power value representative of power supplied by the power transmission system (see Mohd Zulkefli paragraph 0040, lines 1-2).
As to claim 15
Dall’Anese discloses the central controller of claim 9, wherein the instructions for setting an optimal setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs and an optimal setpoint value for the BESS comprises processor-executable instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
receive input values comprising a current setpoint value for each of the plurality of DERs, the mismatch value, a total distributed generator (DG) value, a total power loss value, and a total demand value; and
generate, using a linearized optimal power flow process, optimal setpoint values for each of the plurality of DERs and the optimal setpoint value for the BESS (see paragraph 0141, lines 6-18).
Claim(s) 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mohd Zulkefli et al. [Mohd Zulkefli] (US PGPub 2023/0315037), in view of Dall’Anese et al. [Dall’Anese] (US PGPub 2021/0184470), and further in view of Yang et al. [Yang] (US PGPub 2015/0039145).
As to claim 4
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese disclose the method as cited in claim 1; however, Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese fail to specifically disclose the method further comprising:
prior to requesting the current status data, initializing, by the real-time central controller, a time interval for requesting the receipt of current status data from the power distribution network.
Yang discloses a method for providing secondary frequency regulation support to a power transmission system (microgrid EMS 100, see Fig. 1) comprising:
prior to requesting current status data (DER power generation information; see paragraph 0021, lines 6-7/information from across the entire microgrid; see paragraph 0168, lines 3-4), initializing, by a real-time central controller (central controller; see paragraph 0168), a time interval (desired time interval; see paragraph 0168, line 14) for requesting the receipt of current status data from the power distribution network (see paragraph 0168, lines 1-15).
Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang are analogous are because they are from the same field of endeavor which is managing DERs. At the time of invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mohd Zulkefli’s and Dall’Anese’s inventions with Yang’s in order to ensure that the DERs are fact reacting DERs, since doing so would assist with optimization by executing a DER schedule each time there is an update in power generation (see Yang paragraph 0171, lines 4-7).
As to claim 5
Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of DERs comprises fast-responding DERs (see paragraph 0168, lines 10-11).
As to claim 8
Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang disclose the method as cited in claim 1; however, Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang fail to specifically disclose the method wherein the real-time central controller receives the status data from the power distribution network at time intervals of four (4) seconds.
Yang does however disclose the DERs being fast responsive DERs (see Yang paragraph 0168, lines 10-15). At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art to consider a response time within 4 seconds as a fast response time.
As to claim 12
Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese disclose the central controller as cited in claim 9; however, Mohd Zulkefli and Dall’Anese fail to specifically disclose the central controller wherein the memory further comprises processor-executable instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
prior to requesting the current status data, initialize a time interval for requesting the receipt of current status data from the power distribution network.
Yang discloses a central controller (central controller; see paragraph 0168) wherein a memory (DRAM/memory 134, see Fig. 1) further comprises processor-executable instructions (program code) which when executed cause a processor (processing circuit 128, see Fig. 1) to:
prior to requesting current status data (DER power generation information; see paragraph 0021, lines 6-7/information from across the entire microgrid; see paragraph 0168, lines 3-4), initialize a time interval (desired time interval; see paragraph 0168, line 14) for requesting the receipt of current status data from the power distribution network (see paragraph 0168, lines 1-15).
Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang are analogous are because they are from the same field of endeavor which is managing DERs. At the time of invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mohd Zulkefli’s and Dall’Anese’s inventions with Yang’s in order to ensure that the DERs are fact reacting DERs, since doing so would assist with optimization by executing a DER schedule each time there is an update in power generation (see Yang paragraph 0171, lines 4-7).
As to claim 13
Yang discloses the central controller of claim 9 wherein the plurality of DERs comprise fast-responding DERs (see paragraph 0168, lines 10-11).
As to claim 16
Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang disclose the central controller as cited in claim 9; however, Mohd Zulkefli, Dall’Anese, and Yang fail to specifically disclose the central controller wherein the time interval for receiving the status data from the power distribution network at time intervals of four (4) seconds.
Yang does however disclose the DERs being fast responsive DERs (see Yang paragraph 0168, lines 10-15). At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art to consider a response time within 4 seconds as a fast response time.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael J. Brown whose telephone number is (571)272-5932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 5:30am-4:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamini Shah can be reached at (571)272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael J Brown/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
Prosecution Insights