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 .
1. Claims 1-23, 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. Regarding Claim(s) 1 and 12; “fluid communication with the plurality of servers” is unclear; whereas in general a server alone does not necessitate fluid structures or housing etc to operably fluidly communicate with other structures, and rather requires a cooling device internal or externally in coupled therewith or otherwise requires a server blade internally comprises a fluid bath etc. Further, in re: claim(s) 1 and 12; “based on power data” is unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if a intended to denote a measured or calculated power data (defined by data values from i.e. a temperature sensor) and/or otherwise intended to denote separately measured or calculated power data (defined by i.e. power consumption, power dissipation, voltage or current etc. Going Further, in re: claim 1, “setting a predetermined pressure difference” is presented without any actual processors, controllers, and memory etc to constitute “setting” a pressure difference; whereas a fluid driver may simply denote a pump in which all pumps do not necessitate setting functions—if so intended. Also, “based on power data of the plurality of servers” is unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if the limitation intends to denote a particular voltage, current or thermal attribute or value that is sensed or on, off and standby status of each respective server and/or if otherwise intended to denote a number of calculations, computations or work load of each respective server. Regarding Claim(s) 5, 11, 16, and 23; “the current power data of the plurality of servers is smaller than maximum operation power data” is unclear; whereas the current power data is not properly asserted as the same or different with respect to the power data, or if intended to denote an actual detected power data and/or another specific characteristic of power comprising an electrical current attribute etc., and thus the claim appears to read on more than one plausible claim construction. Regarding Claim(s) 5, 13, 16, and 23; “maximum operation power data” is unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if the term is presented as the same power data in claim(s) 1 or 12 or otherwise denotes a separately measured or calculated power data (including data values from i.e. a temperature sensor) and/or separately measured or calculated power data including voltage or current etc.
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) 1-4, and 12-13, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Eadelson 2022/0316764).
Regarding Claim 1; Eadelson discloses a coolant flow rate control method (as constituted by a pressure regulator controlling a flow rate of a coolant—as set forth by para. 0006, wherein a method activating a flow generator to flow the coolant and self-regulated or controlled by a controller to increase or decrease and operated at low pressure —as set forth by para.’s 0072-0073 and/or where the flow rate is controlled by the pressure regulator associated with the flow generator—as set forth by para.’s 0053 and 0070), configured to be applied to a plurality of servers and a fluid driver (as constituted by a flow generator-130-Fig. 4B may be a pump, compressor, educator—as set forth by para. 0046), in fluid communication with the plurality of servers (as set forth by para.’s 0076-0077—whereas the method is used for cooling a heat source defined by a server room and/or CPUs thereof—as further set forth by para.’s 0031 and 0033; and wherein the flow generator is in fluid communication with each cooling interface-110 disposed in direct contact with the heat source and constitutes servers—as set forth by para. 0008), comprising: setting a predetermined pressure difference between inlets and outlets of the plurality of servers (as constituted by control of an inlet valve-113 and an outlet shut-off valve 118 which permits the regulation of the pressure of the cooling interface and maintains a cooling interface 110 within a window or range of temperatures—as set forth by para. 0056, wherein the valves are self-regulating to maintain pressure of the cooling interface—as further set forth by para. 0079; and para. 0046 discloses the flow generator permits the system to operate at a particular pressure or vary throughout the system with a pressure difference between the cooling interface at i.e. 111 and the flow generator and a pressure difference between the cooling interface at i.e. 112 and optional flow generator or condenser—as depicted by Fig. 4C—para. 0040) based on power data of the plurality of servers (at least in one claim construction as constituted by sensing a predetermined temperature at which a heat source is damaged or inoperable operating the cooling system when a threshold temperature has been reached may increase efficiency of the system and reduce resource use (e.g., power—as set forth by para.’s 0068-0069, wherein the method may maintain a temperature of the server room and/or the CPUs of servers thereof, and the cooling interfaces may be in direct contact therewith—as set forth by para. 0008 NOTE: the claim does not assert what parameters directly or indirectly provides an indication of power data or how the parameters are received, detected, and/or controlled etc). Except, explicitly disclosing adjusting a duty ratio of the fluid driver for maintaining an actual pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers to match the predetermined pressure difference. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify adjusting a duty ratio as asserted to match the actual pressure difference and the predetermined pressure difference, as in-part suggested by para. 0041 so as to maintain the pressure within the cooling interface so as to achieve a desired boiling point and/or prevent phase change in such a manner to maintain a specific temperature of the heat source—as further set forth by para.’s 0042 and 0045 and/or enhance the control or self-regulation of pressure to control flow rate of the coolant—as set forth by para. 0070, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding Claim 2; Eadelson discloses the already modified coolant flow rate control method according to claim 1, except, explicitly wherein the step of setting the predetermined pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers based on the power data of the plurality of servers comprises setting the predetermined pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers based on maximum operation power data of the plurality of servers, and the predetermined pressure difference is a maximum predetermined pressure difference. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the limitation as asserted since it was known in the art that the cooling system and flow generators may only be activated when an upper temperature threshold is reached that corresponds to a maximum operation power data—as suggested by para.’s 0046 and 0065 so as to allow for cooling efficiency and reduced power resources—as further suggested by para. 0069 while maintaining the cooling system at while maintaining the pressure difference at the cooling interface and the inlet and the outlet thereof relative to all other portions of the system at a maximum pressure difference of 1.5 atm.
Regarding Claim 3; Eadelson discloses the already modified coolant flow rate control method according to claim 2, further comprising: determining whether temperatures of heat sources of the plurality of servers are smaller than a predetermined temperature (as constituted by using a thermostat which only activates if a threshold temperature of the heat source has been reached---para. 0069); if the temperature of the heat source of at least one of the plurality of servers is smaller than the predetermined temperature, reducing an opening degree of a proportional valve at the inlet of the at least one of the plurality of servers (as set forth by para. 0049—as constituted by an inlet valve may be metered to control flow rate), and performing the step of adjusting the duty ratio of the fluid driver for maintaining the actual pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers to match the predetermined pressure difference (as already set forth).
Regarding Claim 4; Eadelson discloses the already modified coolant flow rate control method according to claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the temperatures of the heat sources of the plurality of servers are smaller than the predetermined temperature is performed after the step of setting the predetermined pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers based on the maximum operation power data of the plurality of servers (as already set forth).
Regarding Claim 12; Eadelson discloses a server cabinet, comprising: a plurality of servers (as set forth by para.’s 0002-0004--as constituted by a cabinet for a server room and regulating and maintaining a temperature of a heat source including high power electronic systems and server rooms having servers as further by para.’s 0031 and 0033), wherein the plurality of servers are connected in parallel to each other (whereas the cooling interfaces may be in direct contact with the heat source defining the respective servers—as set forth by para.’s 0004, 0008 and 0031, and each cooling interface is connected in parallel —as set forth by para. 0007), and each of the plurality of servers has an inlet and an outlet (as constituted by each 110 comprising an inlet valve-113 and an outlet valve 118—as set forth by para. 0045 and 0049); a fluid driver (whereas 130 is a flow generator—para. 0046), in fluid communication with the plurality of servers (where 130 fluidly couples each 110—as depicted by Fig. 4C); and a main controller, electrically connected to the fluid driver; wherein the main controller is configured to set a predetermined pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers (as constituted by control of an inlet valve-113 and an outlet shut-off valve 118 which permits the regulation of the pressure of the cooling interface and maintains a cooling interface 110 within a window or range of temperatures—as set forth by para. 0056, wherein the valves are self-regulating to maintain pressure of the cooling interface—as further set forth by para. 0079; and para. 0046 discloses the flow generator permits the system to operate at a particular pressure or vary throughout the system with a pressure difference between the cooling interface at i.e. 111 and the flow generator and a pressure difference between the cooling interface at i.e. 112 and optional flow generator or condenser—as depicted by Fig. 4C—para. 0040) based on power data of the plurality of servers (at least in one claim construction as constituted by sensing a predetermined temperature at which a heat source is damaged or inoperable operating the cooling system when a threshold temperature has been reached may increase efficiency of the system and reduce resource use (e.g., power—as set forth by para.’s 0068-0069, wherein the method may maintain a temperature of the server room and/or the CPUs of servers thereof, and the cooling interfaces may be in direct contact therewith—as set forth by para. 0008 NOTE: the claim does not assert what parameters directly or indirectly provides an indication of power data or how the parameters are received, detected, and/or controlled etc). Except, explicitly disclosing adjusting a duty ratio of the fluid driver for maintaining an actual pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers to match the predetermined pressure difference. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify adjusting a duty ratio as asserted to match the actual pressure difference and the predetermined pressure difference, as in-part suggested by para. 0041 so as to maintain the pressure within the cooling interface so as to achieve a desired boiling point and/or prevent phase change in such a manner to maintain a specific temperature of the heat source—as further set forth by para.’s 0042 and 0045 and/or enhance the control or self-regulation of pressure to control flow rate of the coolant—as set forth by para. 0070, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding Claim 13; Eadelson discloses the already modified server cabinet according to claim 12, except, explicitly wherein the main controller is configured to set the predetermined pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers based on maximum operation power data of the plurality of servers, and the predetermined pressure difference is a maximum predetermined pressure difference (as set forth by para.’s 0040-0041 and 0046—whereas the pressure difference controlled at the inlet and the outlet may be increased from 1.5 to 2 atm where the cooling system is activated when the heat source may be damaged or become inoperable for cooling efficiency and reduce resource power—para.’s 0068-0069 in which the cooling system and the heat source is powered by power wires and associated with a user interface including a smart phone or temperature sensors).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-21, 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.
Regarding Claim 14; the server cabinet according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of servers comprises a proportional valve disposed at the inlet, a heat source, a temperature sensor, and a baseboard management controller, the temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the heat source, and the baseboard management controller is electrically connected to the proportional valve, the heat source, and the temperature sensor; when the baseboard management controller of at least one of the plurality of servers determines that the temperature of the heat source is smaller than a predetermined temperature, the baseboard management controller of the at least one of the plurality of servers reduces an opening degree of the proportional valve at the inlet, and the main controller adjusts the duty ratio of the fluid driver for maintaining the actual pressure difference between the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers to match the predetermined pressure difference.
Regarding Claim 21; the server cabinet according to claim 12, further comprising a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor, wherein the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are electrically connected to the main controller, and the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are respectively configured to measure pressures of the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of servers, and the actual pressure difference is a difference between the pressures measured by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 11064635 B2
Bonnin; Jean-Christophe et al.
Fig. 2
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/COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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