Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 04, 2026
Application No. 18/829,151

Prefabricated Alternating-Current Integrated Power Module

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 09, 2024
Priority
Nov 24, 2023 — CN 2023 2 3213443.2
Examiner
ALONZO MILLER, RHADAMES J
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
VERTIV TECH CO., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
67%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
9m
Est. Remaining
72%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 67% — above average
67%
Career Allowance Rate
333 granted / 496 resolved
+7.1% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
519
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.1%
-37.9% vs TC avg
§103
56.1%
+16.1% vs TC avg
§102
29.6%
-10.4% vs TC avg
§112
10.0%
-30.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 496 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . 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 4/23/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner has considered the information disclosure statement. 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)(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. (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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Paatero (US Patent Application Publication # 2016/0366781). Regarding Claim 1, Paatero discloses a prefabricated alternating-current integrated power module (i.e. UPS system 10), comprising: a modular low-voltage input and bus coupling device (i.e. input/output I/O module 12), a low-voltage compensation device (i.e. battery), a maintenance bypass device (i.e. control bus provided for maintenance of the UPS module w/ bypasses & static bypasses), an uninterruptable power supply power module device (i.e. uninterrupted power supply modules 18), and an uninterruptable power supply feed device (i.e. bus connection means 38 & power connectors 40), wherein the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device are detachably connected along a horizontal direction (i.e. horizontal arrangement as shown in Fig. 1) (Fig. 1-7, 9-13; Abstract; Paragraphs 0052-0074). 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. Claims 2-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paatero (US Patent Application Publication # 2016/0366781) in view of Falk (WIPO Publication # WO2022218590A1). Regarding Claim 2, Paatero does not explicitly disclose a modular transformer device, wherein the transformer device is detachably connected with the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device along the horizontal direction. Falk teaches a modular transformer device (i.e. one or more transformers 36), wherein the transformer device is detachably connected with the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device along the horizontal direction (Fig. 5; Paragraphs 0031, 0033, 0066, 0075; Claim 13). Falk teaches a modular uninterruptable power supply system similar to the one disclosed by Paatero, but with a transformer included in order to step-up or step-down the voltage supplied or received while also isolating the system. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to provide a transformer device in the UPS system of Paatero, as taught by Falk, in order to add further functionality to the system and expanding the applications in which it could be used. Regarding Claim 3, Paatero discloses a modular medium-voltage input switch device (i.e. switch gears), wherein the medium-voltage input switch device is detachably connected with the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device along the horizontal direction (Paragraphs 0013-0017, 0021-0023, 0049, 0051, 0061). Paatero teaches that the I/O frame can comprise system level hardware which may comprise switch gears and system can be configures for different voltage requirements. Regarding Claim 4, Paatero discloses that a cabinet connection hole (i.e. connection brackets 56 and ends 32/36 are provided with holes for being connected by means of screws or bolts) is disposed on a side wall of a framework (i.e. docking frames 14/16) of each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device, for detachably connecting the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device with each other (Fig. 1-2, 9-11; Paragraphs 0050-0068). Regarding Claim 5, Paatero discloses that an independent bus room (i.e. housing 34 w/ horizontal bus bars 30) is arranged in each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device, and a plurality of the bus rooms are communicated (i.e. through bus connection means 38) with each other after detachable connection (Fig. 4-7, 9-11; Paragraphs 0050-0068). Regarding Claim 6, Paatero discloses that wherein, for the bus room (12) in which a plurality groups of buses (i.e. horizontal bus bars 30) are placed, a partition plate (i.e. removable covers 22) is arranged in the bus room for dividing the bus room into independent compartments, each for accommodating a respective one group of the plurality groups of buses (Fig. 1-2; Paragraph 0052). Frames 14/16 are internally provided with removable covers 22 Regarding Claim 7, Paatero discloses that an independent secondary circuit compartment (i.e. area below horizontal bus bars 30 where cables 42 & internal plugs 44 are located) is arranged in each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device, the secondary circuit compartment is arranged below the bus room, and a plurality of the secondary circuit compartments are communicated with each other after the detachable connection (Fig. 3-6, 9-11; Paragraphs 0058). Regarding Claim 8, Paatero discloses an integrated module base (i.e. foot 58 & wheels 50 of docking frames 14,16), wherein more than one of the modular medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device are detachably installed on the integrated module base (Fig. 7, 13; Paragraph 0063, 0070). Regarding Claim 9, Paatero discloses that a bottom fixing hole (i.e. lever assembly 46 w/ guiding means) is disposed on a bottom plate of a framework of each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device , the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device, for detachably connecting the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device to the integrated module base (Fig. 3-4, 6, 9-11; Paragraph 0059, 0063). Regarding Claim 10, Paatero discloses that the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device are arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction (Fig. 1-3). Regarding Claim 11, Paatero does not explicitly disclose discloses that each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device is arranged with a grounding component at bottom, and a plurality of the grounding components are communicated with each other to form a grounding system after detachable connection. Falk teaches that each of the medium-voltage input switch device, the transformer device, the low-voltage input and bus coupling device, the low-voltage compensation device, the maintenance bypass device, the uninterruptable power supply power module device and the uninterruptable power supply feed device is arranged with a grounding component (i.e. metallic cladding or metal mesh connected to ground/earth potential) at bottom, and a plurality of the grounding components are communicated with each other to form a grounding system after detachable connection (Fig 5, 8; Paragraphs 0038-0039, 0082). Falk teaches a modular uninterruptable power supply system similar to the one disclosed by Paatero and shows that a connection to ground/earth potential. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to provide such a grounding component in the UPS system of Paatero, as taught by Falk, in order to properly ground the system to ensure proper functionality of said system. Regarding Claim 12, Paatero discloses that the uninterruptable power supply feed device is arranged with an independent cable compartment (i.e. cable landings & cables 42) for cable entry and exit (Paragraph 0017, 0020, 0025, 0049, 0058). Relevant Cited Art The cited art in PTO-892 was found during the examiner's search, but was not relied upon for this office action. However, it is still considered pertinent to the applicant's disclosure. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RHADAMES J ALONZO MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-7829. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6pm PST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at (571) 272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RJA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847 /TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 09, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 22, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
67%
Grant Probability
72%
With Interview (+4.7%)
2y 9m (~9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 496 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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