DETAILED ACTION
The office action is in response to application filed on 11-18-25. Claims 1-15 are pending in the application and have been examined.
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 submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Objections
The applicant argument is persuasive and Claim objection is withdrawal.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-6 and 8-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over US 2010/0244798 to NAKATOMI et al. (“NAKATOMI”) in view of US 2013/0002186 to Iwahori (“Iwahori”).
Regarding claim 1, NAKATOMI disclose an electrical system comprising (fig. 1): a DC source (2) configured to provide a DC electrical power (E); a voltage across the DC source being VIN (fig. 1, IN, In2 ); a bus electrically coupled to the DC source, the bus comprising a load; a DC-DC converter (3) having an input side (IN1 and IN2) and an output side (OUT1-3); a voltage across the output side of the DC-DC converter being VouTDC-DC (fig. 1, VOUT); and a control system (control CKT part); wherein the input side of the DC-DC converter is configured to receive a fraction of the DC electrical power provided by the DC source, the fraction being less than unity; the control system is configured to operate the switching arrangement to selectively configure the electrical system in at least one of a voltage increase mode and a voltage decrease mode; in the voltage increase mode (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches), and the bus to supply a voltage to the bus (OUT1 and OUT2) corresponding to VIN + VouT DC-DC that is an addition of the voltage across the DC source and the voltage across the output side of the DC-DC converter (Vout); and in the voltage decrease mode, the switching arrangement of the electrical system is configured to couple the output side of the DC-DC converter is coupled to the DC source (fig. 1) and the bus by the switching arrangement to supply a voltage to the bus corresponding to VIN -V ouT DC-Dc that is a difference between the voltage across the DC source and the voltage across the output side of the DC-DC converter (fig. 1, difference voltage CALC part 11).
But, NAKATOMI does not disclose explicitly a switching arrangement electrically coupled to the DC-DC converter, the DC source and the bus; the switching arrangement of the electrical system is configured to couple the output side of the DC-DC converter is coupled to the DC source,
However, Iwahori disclose a switching arrangement (fig. 1, voltage source inverter 8) electrically coupled to the DC-DC converter, the DC source and the bus; the switching arrangement of the electrical system is configured to couple the output side of the DC-DC converter is coupled to the DC source (para; 0003, This DC chopper CV boosts the voltage of DC power of a DC power source B, supplies the resultant DC power between the positive bus L1 and the negative bus L2),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify NAKATOMI by adding source inverter switch as part of its configuration as taught by Iwahori, in order to regulate the output voltage of the DC-DC to drive current for driving the AC motor.
Regarding claim 2, NAKATOMI disclose the switching arrangement is configured to selectively configure the electrical system in the voltage increase mode and, in the voltage, decrease mode (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches).
Regarding claim 4, NAKATOMI disclose the control system is configured to: monitor the voltage across the DC source (para; 0009, in bucking, the control circuit part of the DC-DC converter calculates a difference in voltage between the first and second capacitors); and operate the switching arrangement to selectively (fig. 1) reconfigure the electrical system between the voltage increase mode and the voltage decrease mode based on the monitored voltage across the DC source (para; 0081, switching signals which command ON-OFF-durations of which duty ratio is controlled on the basis of the first control quantity calculated by the proportional-plus-integral unit 12 (hereinafter referred to as a basic) a function that supplies the switching signal which commands ON-OFF intervals of which duty ratio).
Regarding claim 5, NAKATOMI disclose the control system is configured to operate the switching arrangement to selectively reconfigure the electrical system in (para; 0081, switching signals which command ON-OFF-durations of which duty ratio is controlled on the basis of the first control quantity calculated by the proportional-plus-integral unit 12 (hereinafter referred to as a basic): the voltage increase mode in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is less than a first voltage threshold (para; 0017, In boosting, pulse durations for the switch charging the capacitor having a low voltage are expanded); and the voltage decrease mode in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is greater than a second voltage threshold (para; 0056, lines 9-11, bucking, the pulse width on gate voltage waveforms for two switches Sw1and Sw4 is controlled to make a difference zero in voltages across the capacitors Cl and C2 connected in series), the second voltage threshold being equal to or greater than the first voltage threshold (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, NAKATOMI disclose the output side of the DC-DC converter comprises an output capacitor (Vc1 and Vc2), and wherein the control system is configured to: monitor the voltage across the bus; in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is less than the first voltage threshold, sequentially execute the steps of: charging the output capacitor until the voltage across the output capacitor is equal to (para; 0084, lines 5-9, DC-DC converter 3 controls balance between the voltages V cl and V c2 of the capacitors Cl and C2 on the basis of a powering/regenerating discrimination signal generated by the powering/regenerating discriminating part 5) or within a target range of a difference between the monitored voltage across the bus (para; 0057, is detected, a phase of pulse on the switching signal is varied. More specifically, duration (duty ratio) of a current flowing both first and second capacitors Cl and C2 is controlled) and the monitored voltage across the DC source; and then coupling the output side of the DC-DC converter to the DC source and the bus; and/or in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is greater than the second voltage threshold (para; 0056, lines 9-11, bucking, the pulse width on gate voltage waveforms for two switches Sw1and Sw4 is controlled to make a difference zero in voltages across the capacitors Cl and C2 connected in series), sequentially execute the steps of: charging the output capacitor until the voltage across the output capacitor is equal to or within a target range of a difference between the monitored voltage across the bus and the monitored voltage across the DC source; and then coupling the output side of the DC-DC converter to the DC source and the bus (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, NAKATOMI disclose the control system is configured to operate the switching arrangement to selectively (fig. 1) configure the electrical system in a converter isolation mode (para; 0028, lines 10-11, DC-DC converter is in either a powering mode or a regenerating mode on the basis of the detected current); and when the electrical system is configured in the converter isolation mode: the input side of the DC-DC converter is decoupled from the DC source and/or the bus (para; 0028, lines 10-11, DC-DC converter is in either a powering mode or a regenerating mode on the basis of the detected current); and/or the output side of the DC-DC converter is decoupled from the DC source and/or the bus.
Regarding claim 9, NAKATOMI disclose the control system is configured to operate the switching arrangement to selectively reconfigure the electrical system in: the voltage increase mode in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is less than a first voltage threshold (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches); the voltage decrease mode in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is greater than a second voltage threshold (para; 0054, the switches Sw1 and Sw4 provide a bucking operation), the second voltage threshold being equal to or greater than the first voltage threshold; and the converter isolation mode (para; 0028, lines 10-11, DC-DC converter is in either a powering mode or a regenerating mode on the basis of the detected current) in response to a determination that the monitored voltage across the DC source is: between the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold (para; 0083, lines 1-6, DC-DC converter 3 shown in FIG.1, the duty ratio controller 23 controls ON-OFF of the first to fourth switches SW 1 to Sw4 to provide a boost mode (for example, an output voltage one to two times the DC power source voltage E of the power supply 2), a conduction mode (rectifying mode), and a regeneration mode), or equal to the first voltage threshold or the second voltage threshold.
Regarding claim 10, NAKATOMI disclose the switching arrangement includes: a first pair of switching devices coupled in series (para; 0011, first and second switches connected in series and) through a first junction (31), and a second pair of switching devices (third switch Sw3 switches and fourth switch Sw4 witches) coupled in series through a second junction (33); the first pair of switching devices and the second pair of switching devices are coupled in parallel with each other with respect to a pair of converter connection terminals; and the DC source and the bus are coupled to the switching arrangement at the first junction and the second junction; the output side of the DC-DC converter is coupled to the switching arrangement at the pair of converter connection terminals (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, NAKATOMI disclose when the electrical system is configured in any of the voltage increase mode and the voltage decrease mode (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches): the input side of the DC-DC converter is coupled in parallel with respect to the DC source (fig. 1); and the output side of the DC-DC converter is coupled in series with respect to the DC source and the bus.
Regarding claim 12, NAKATOMI disclose when the electrical system is configured in each of the voltage increase mode and the voltage decrease mode: the input side of the DC-DC converter is coupled in parallel with respect to the DC source between the DC source and the switching arrangement (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches).
Regarding claim 13, NAKATOMI disclose when the electrical system is configured in each of the voltage increase mode and the voltage decrease mode: the input side of the DC-DC converter is coupled in parallel with respect to the DC source between the switching arrangement and the bus (para; 0007, the DC-DC converter can perform boosting and bucking operations because the switching part includes the first to fourth switches).
Regarding claim 14, NAKATOMI disclose the DC-DC converter is an isolated DC-DC converter (para; 0028, lines 10-11, DC-DC converter is in either a powering mode or a regenerating mode on the basis of the detected current).
Regarding claim 15, NAKATOMI disclose an aircraft comprising the electrical system (para; 0059, motor or a generator in a vehicle or the like 200).
Claims 3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over US 2010/0244798 to NAKATOMI et al. (“NAKATOMI”) in view of US 2013/0002186 to Iwahori (“Iwahori”) and further in view of US 2023/0207188 to SRIVASTAVA et al. (“SRIVASTAVA”).
Regarding claim 3, NAKATOMI disclose all the claim limitation as set forth in the rejection of claims above.
But, NAKATOMI in view of Iwahori does not disclose the electrical system is configured in the voltage decrease, a polarity of the output side of the DC-DC converter is in a first orientation with respect to a polarity of the DC source; and when the electrical system is configured in the voltage increase mode (734), the polarity of the output side of the DC-DC converter is in a second orientation with respect to the polarity of the DC source, and wherein the second orientation opposes the first orientation.
However, SRIVASTAVA disclose the electrical system is configured in the voltage decrease mode (para; 0047, high stepdown DC/DC converter), a polarity of the output side of the DC-DC converter is in a first orientation with respect to a polarity of the DC source (para; 0060, output voltage of the secondary side of the converter is based on the tum ratio of primary winding and the two secondary winding, wherein the two secondary windings are connected differentially with opposite polarity to each other); and when the electrical system is configured in the voltage increase mode, the polarity of the output side of the DC-DC converter is in a second orientation with respect to the polarity of the DC source, and wherein the second orientation opposes the first orientation (paras; 0047-0071).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify NAKATOMI in view of Iwahori by adding two secondary windings are connected differentially with opposite polarity to each other as part of its configuration as taught by SRIVASTAVA, in order to regulate the output voltage and sends the signal to the converter through an optocoupler.
Regarding claim 7, NAKATOMI disclose the control system is configured to: monitor the voltage across the DC source;
But, NAKATOMI in view of Iwahori does not disclose control a conversion ratio of the DC-DC converter based on the monitored voltage across the DC source.
However, SRIVASTAVA disclose control a conversion ratio of the DC-DC converter (abstract, output voltage of the secondary side of the converter is
based on the turn ratio of primary winding and the two secondary winding) based on the monitored voltage across the DC source (para; 0061, DC power from an input power source by implementing DC-DC flyback converter and providing low
power regulated DC output).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify NAKATOMI in view of Iwahori by adding converter ratio as part of its configuration as taught by SRIVASTAVA, in order to regulate the output voltage and sends the signal to the converter through an optocoupler.
Response to argument
Applicant’s argument filed on 11-18-25 with respect to claims 1 -15 has been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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 ESAYAS G YESHAW whose telephone number is (571)270-1959. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Sat 9AM-7PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menna Youssef can be reached at 5712703684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ESAYAS G YESHAW/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2849