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 .
Claims 1-7 are pending.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because it contains an embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code. Applicant is required to delete the embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code; references to websites should be limited to the top-level domain name without any prefix such as http:// or other browser-executable code. See MPEP § 608.01.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Echter et al, European Patent Num EP2276100A2 (hereinafter Echter).
Claim 1
Echter discloses a control apparatus for executing connection control in a power distribution network in which a solar cell and a plurality of loads are connected and which distributes power from the solar cell in a form of a direct current (Echter, para 18-19. 55-58 – A battery management system/”control apparatus” that controls the selective connections/”power distribution network” of battery cell blocks/”plurality of loads” to solar cells for charging.), the control apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory storing program instructions that cause the processor (Echter, para 58 – A programmed microprocessor and memory storing instructions.) to: acquire information from the loads connected to the solar cell via the power distribution network (Echter, para 14, 57 – A measuring device for measuring one or more parameters/”acquire information from the loads” of the plurality of cell blocks of the high voltage accumulator that are connected in a multiplex/”power distribution network” switching system.); and select a load to be connected to the solar cell so as to increase load side power based on load side power and solar cell side voltages obtained from the information, (Echter, para 14, 19 - Measuring the voltage/”acquire information from the loads” of all cell blocks, charging the cell block having the lowest voltage for a predetermined time; measuring again the voltage of all cell blocks after the predetermined time; if the same block still has the lowest voltage, recharging this block for a predetermined time; if another cell block has the lowest voltage, charge that cell block for a predetermined time.) and control the power distribution network so as to connect the selected load and the solar cell. (Echter, para 14 – A controller for selectively switching the charging voltage provided by the solar module to one or more of the cell blocks, based on the one or more measured parameters according to control logic implemented by the controller.)
This rejection also applies to claims 6-7.
Claim 5
Echter discloses all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
Echter further discloses power control system comprising the solar cell. (Echter, para 55-56 – A battery management system/”power control system” using solar cells.)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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.
Dependent claim(s) 3 is/are allowable over art based on their dependence upon claim 2.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Applicant’s claim defines over the prior art of record because the prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, does not teach in a voltage raising operation of selecting a load so as to increase a solar cell side voltage, the program instructions cause the processor to select a load having largest load side power as a load to be connected to the solar cell from among one or more loads having solar cell side voltages higher than a current solar cell side voltage, and in a voltage lowering operation of selecting a load so as to decrease a solar cell side voltage, program instructions cause the processor to select a load having largest load side power as a load to be connected to the solar cell from among one or more loads having solar cell side voltages lower than a current solar cell side voltage.
Claim 4 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Applicant’s claim defines over the prior art of record because the prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, does not teach the program instructions cause the processor to acquire a voltage value and a current value from each of the loads connected to the solar cell, calculate load side power of each of the loads from the voltage value and the current value, and calculate a solar cell side voltage from the voltage value, the current value, and a resistance value between the solar cell and each of the loads.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hitoshi et al, Japanese Patent Num JP2013240253A relates to claims regarding a solar cell panel provided with solar power generation cells to charge batteries based on the solar cell voltage levels.
Sander et al, US Patent Pub US 20080084177 A1 relates to claims regarding a battery charging manager coupled to charge the battery using power derived from solar power and monitoring the amount of power drawn by the load.
Funamoto et al, Japanese Patent Num JP2011250673A relates to claims regarding a solar cell output switching system connected to a battery.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E OGG whose telephone number is (469) 295-9163. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Thurs 7:30 am - 5:00 pm CT.
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/DAVID EARL OGG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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