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 .
Status of Claims.
Claim(s) 1-20 are currently pending.
Claim(s) 7-8 and 18-19 have been withdrawn a nonelected curved photovoltaic module (Species A), there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species B (claims 1-6, 9-17 and 20) in the reply filed on 12/31/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6 and 17 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 claims 6 and 17
Claims 5 and 16, from which claims 6 and 17 depend, recite multiple alternative configurations of the curved surface. However, claims 6 and 17 require conditional limitations using the phrase “when…”, each condition corresponding to a different alternative recited in claims 5 and 16. One of ordinary skill cannot reasonably ascertain if one OR both conditional limitations recited in claims 6 and 17 are required by the claim. This renders the claim unclear and therefore indefinite. For purposes of examination on the merits, it is interpreted that at least one of the conditional limitations is required.
Appropriate correction and clarification is required.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9, 11-17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0316302 A1*, Okawa et al. (hereinafter “Okawa”) in view of US 2012/0167954 A1, Meakin et al. (hereinafter “Meakin”).
*Cited in the IDS.
Regarding claims 1 and 12
Okawa teaches a photovoltaic building surface (corresponding to roof deck 102) comprising a plurality of curved photovoltaic members (each member corresponds to angled waves 182a-b, wherein “[e]ach of the angled waves 182a-b includes a raised, angled portion of laminate with solar cells, e.g., as described above with reference to FIGS. 1A-D”) [Figs. 1A-1C and 1E, paras. 0015 and 0032], adjacent curved photovoltaic members (182a-b) being connected to each other [para. 0033], each of the plurality of curved photovoltaic members (182a-b) comprising:
a power generation layer (corresponding to semiconductor layer 138 including PV cells 108) comprising a first side (corresponding to the front side) and a second side (corresponding to the back side) opposite to the first side [Figs. 1B-1C and 1E, paras. 0016 and 0025];
a front plate (corresponding front sheet 130) located at the first side of the power generation layer (138) [Figs. 1C, paras. 0024 and 0032], the front plate (130) being a rigid light-transmitting plate in a shape with a curved surface (the front sheet comprises glass and has a curved surface) [Figs. 1A-1C and 1E, paras. 0019-0020]; and
a back plate (corresponding to backsheet 132) [Fig. 1C and para. 0024], wherein the front plate (130), the power generation layer (138), and the back plate (132) are sequentially laminated [Fig. 1C, paras. 0024, 0027-0028 and 0044],
wherein the power generation layer (138) comprises a photoelectric conversion layer (corresponding to substrate 700 having alternating P-type and N-type emitter regions 720 and 722) and an electrode layer (corresponding to conductive contact structures 728/730) disposed at a side of the photoelectric conversion layer away from the front plate (130) [Fig. 7A, paras. 0016, 0051-0054],
the photoelectric conversion layer (138) being configured to convert light energy into electric energy (semiconductor layer 138 includes solar cells 108 which convert solar radiation into electrical energy) [Figs. 1A-1C and 1F, paras. 0003 and 0025].
PNG
media_image1.png
191
434
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Fig. 1A
PNG
media_image2.png
241
374
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Fig. 1B
PNG
media_image3.png
199
395
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Fig. 1C
Okawa does not teach a current transmission layer located at the second side of the power generation layer and electrically connected to the power generation layer, wherein the back plate is located at a side of the current transmission layer away from the power generation layer, and the electrode layer is electrically connected to the current transmission layer.
Meakin teaches a photovoltaic member (100A) comprising current transmission layer (corresponding to conducting ribbons 105, interconnects 106 and 107) located at a second side (i.e., bottom side) of a power generation layer (corresponding to back contact solar cells 101) and electrically connected to the power generation layer (101) (see bottom view depicted in Fig. 1A and para. 0020; see also Fig. 2F), wherein a back plate (corresponding to backsheet 103) is located at a side of the current transmission layer (105/106/107) away from the power generation layer (101) [Figs. 1A and 2F, paras. 0025 and 0032], and the electrode layer is electrically connected to the current transmission layer (the solar cell array 101A are connected in a desired way by use of conducting ribbons 105) [Fig. 1A and para. 0020].
Okawa and Meakin are analogous inventions in the field of photovoltaic members comprising back-contact solar cells sandwiched between front and back plates. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the photovoltaic member of Okawa to comprise a current transmission layer located at a second side of the power generation layer and electrically connected to said power generation layer, as discloses in Meakin, for the purpose of interconnecting adjacent back contact solar cells.
It is noted that the above combination teaches the back plate (132) located at a side of the current transmission layer (105/106/107) away from the power generation layer (138), the electrode layer (728/730) electrically connected to the current transmission layer (105/106/107), and the front plate (130), the power generation layer (138), the current transmission layer (105/106/107), and the back plate (132) sequentially laminated. [Okawa, Figs. 1A-1C; Meakin, Fig. 1A].
Regarding claims 2 and 13
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein: the back plate (132) is a planar flexible film that is configured to bend into a shape with the same curved surface as the front plate (the solar cell module, including the backsheet, 132, is formed as a flat sheet and then thermally reformed to curve the second, fourth and sixth regions 112, 116 and 120) [Okawa, Figs. 1A-1C and para. 0027]
Regarding claims 3 and 14
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein:
the power generation layer (138) is a planar silicon-based structure [Okawa, Figs. 1A-1C and 7A, paras. 00227 and 0053-0054]; and
the current transmission layer (105/106/107) is a metal conductive structure [Meakin, Fig. 1A and para. 0026],
wherein each of the power generation layer (138) and the metal conductive structure (105/106/107) is configured to bend into a shape with the same curved surface as the front plate (130) (“the solar module 100 can be formed as a flat sheet and then be thermally reformed to curve the second, fourth, and sixth regions 112, 116, and 120”) [Okawa, para. 0027; Meakin, para. 0035].
Regarding claims 4 and 15
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein curved photovoltaic member has a bending radius ranging from 25 mm to 200 mm (the minimum radius of curvature is 7.5 mm) [Okawa, para. 0037].
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990) [MPEP 2144.05].
Regarding claims 5 and 16
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein: a longitudinal projection of the curved surface is a special-shaped curve constituted by a plurality of curve segments (116/118) and a straight segment (122) [Figs. 1B-1C and 1E, paras. 0019-0020].
PNG
media_image4.png
210
480
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 6 and 17
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein:
when the longitudinal projection of the curved surface is the special-shaped curve constituted by the plurality of curve segments (116/118) and the straight segment (122) [Okawa, Figs. 1B-1C and 1E, para. 0020], the plurality of curve segments (182a-b) has a same bending direction and a same bending radius [Okawa, Figs. 1B-1C and 1E].
Regarding claims 9 and 20
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member/photovoltaic building surface as set forth above, wherein the electrode layer (728/730) comprises a plurality of positive electrodes (728) and a plurality of negative electrodes (730) [Okawa, Fig. 7A and para. 0055], each of the plurality of positive electrodes (728) being in a linear shape, each of the plurality of negative electrodes (730) being in a linear shape (“the conductive contact structures 728/730 include metal and are formed by a deposition, lithographic, and etch approach or, alternatively, a printing or plating process or, alternatively, a foil or wire adhesion process.”) [Okawa, Fig. 7A and para. 0055], the current transmission layer (105/106/107) being in a linear shape [Meakin, Fig. 1A], and the plurality of negative electrodes (730) and the plurality of positive electrodes (730) being connected in series and/or in parallel through the current transmission layer (the conducting ribbons 105 and interconnects 106 electrically connect adjacent solar cells in series and/or parallel) [Meakin, para. 0020].
Regarding claim 11
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member as set forth above, further comprising a first adhesive layer (corresponding to thermoset encapsulant 136) and a second adhesive layer (corresponding to encapsulant 134) [Okawa, Fig. 1C and para. 0025], the first adhesive layer (136) being configured to connect the front plate (130) and the power generation layer (138) [Okawa, Fig. 1C], and the second adhesive layer (134) being configured to connect the current transmission layer (105/106/107) and the back plate (132) [Okawa, Fig. 1C; Meakin, Fig. 1A and para. 0020].
The limitations “configured to connect the front plate and the power generation layer” and “configured to connect the current transmission layer and the back plate” are considered intended use and are given weight to the extent that the prior art is capable of performing the intended use. Since the structure of the prior art is the same as the one claimed, the same is considered capable of performing the intended use.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okawa in view of Meakin, as applied to claims 1-6, 9, 11-17 and 20 above, and further in view of US 2018/0198011 A1, Jeon et al. (hereinafter “Jeon”).
Regarding claim 10
Modified Okawa teaches the curved photovoltaic member as set forth above, wherein:
the power generation layer (138) comprises a plurality of power generation sub-layers (corresponding to PV cells 108) arranged in an array [Okawa, Figs. 1A-1C, paras. 0016 and 0025], each of the plurality of power generation sub-layers (108) comprising a plurality of positive electrodes (728) and a plurality of negative electrodes (730) [Okawa, Fig. 7A and para. 0055], the plurality of positive electrodes (728) and the plurality of negative electrodes (730) being alternatively arranged [Okawa, Fig. 7A and para. 0055]; and
the current transmission layer (105/106/107) comprises a plurality of first conductive wires (105C and 107), a plurality of second conductive wires (105A), and a plurality of third conductive wires (105C and 106) that are arranged sequentially at intervals in a first direction [Meakin, Fig. 1A and para. 0020], wherein:
the plurality of first conductive wires (105C and 107) being configured to electrically connect positive electrodes (728) or negative electrodes (730) in the power generation sub-layer (108) [Meakin, Fig. 1A and para. 0020; see Fig. 7A of Okawa for structural configuration of positive and negative electrodes];
the plurality of second conductive wires (105A) being configured to electrically connect positive electrodes (728) and negative electrodes (730) of two adjacent power generation sub-layers (108) of the plurality of power generation sub-layers (108) in the first direction [Meakin, Fig. 1A and para. 0020; see Fig. 7A of Okawa for structural configuration of positive and negative electrodes]; and
the plurality of third conductive wires (105C and 106) being configured to electrically connect positive electrodes (728) or negative electrodes (730) in the power generation sub-layer (108) and configured to electrically connect positive electrodes (728) and negative electrodes (730) of two adjacent power generation sub-layers (108) of the plurality of power generation sub-layers (108) in a second direction (Y/longitudinal direction) of the current transmission layer (105/106/107) [Okawa, Fig. 1A].
PNG
media_image5.png
437
487
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Meakin, Fig. 1A
Modified Okawa is silent to the plurality of positive electrodes (728) and to the plurality of negative electrodes (730) being arranged in a second direction, wherein the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction.
Jeon teaches a photovoltaic member (corresponding to a solar cell panel) [Fig. 2 and para. 0036], comprising a plurality of back contact solar cells (100, analogous to the claimed power generation sub-layers), each back contact solar cell (100) comprising a plurality of alternating positive and negative electrodes (141 and 142) [Figs. 2 and 5, para. 0038], wherein the alternating positive and negative electrodes (141 and 142) extend in a second direction that is perpendicular to a first direction in corresponding to a plurality of conductive wires (210 and 220) for interconnection of adjacent solar cells (100) [Figs. 2-3 and paras. 0037-0039].
Modified Okawa and Jeon are analogous inventions in the field of photovoltaic members comprising back contact solar cells. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have provided the positive and negative electrodes of modified Okawa in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, as in Jeon, as such is a known, suitable electrical scheme for interconnecting adjacent back contact solar cells in electrical series.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2023/0420588 A1, Thakkar et al. teaches a flexible solar module (100) that may be curved in one direction, such that the individual cells (210) may also be curved in one direction, such as for a panel molded for the dashboard of a vehicle [Fig. 1A and para. 0048].
US 20190245478 A1, de Vries et al. teaches fitting multiple PV structures onto a curved PV roof tile (102) thereby allowing a curved roof or a roof with curved tiles to produce solar power [Fig. 1 and para. 0051].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAYLA GONZALEZ RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5054. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday, 9:00-5:00 - EST.
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, Allison Bourke can be reached at (303)297-4684. 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.
/MAYLA GONZALEZ RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721