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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) and receipt of the certified copy.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/29/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because claim 8 is directed to a “computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein.” Products that do not have a physical or tangible form, such as a computer program per se (often referred to as “software per se”) when claimed as a product without any structural recitations are not directed to a statutory category. See MPEP § 2106.03.I (“software expressed as code or a set of instructions detached from any medium is an idea without physical embodiment. … a product claim to a software program that does not also contain at least one structural limitation … has no physical or tangible form, and [] does not fall within any statutory category.”). Although claim 8 recites a hardware storage device, the claim does not clearly limit the hardware storage device to a non-transitory storage device. Without such clarity, the claim could encompass non-statutory subject matter. Applicant can overcome the rejection by limiting the storage device to a non-transitory storage device.
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 1 -8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP2014036539 to Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (“Nissan”) in view of German Patent Application Publication No. DE10201806286 to Hassan Lamsahel (“Lamsahel”). Both Nissan and Lamsahel were cited in Applicant’s IDS of 08/29/2024, but the citations are to the attached English translations.
Regarding claim 1:
A method of controlling a multi-phase power converter comprising at least one pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter module for each phase (Nissan discloses a method for controlling an inverter for converting DC power into polyphase AC power. Nissan at page 1 and Fig.1.), the method comprising:
receiving a voltage reference value for each phase (Nissan discloses that phase voltage command correction unit 24 receives pre-correction phase voltage command values Vu′*, Vv′*, and Vw′* (“voltage reference value for each phase”). Nissan at pages 2-3 and Fig. 1.);
checking, for each pair of phases, whether a difference between the corresponding pair of voltage reference values is below a predetermined threshold value (Nissan discloses that the difference in the phase voltage command values for each pair of phases is checked against a correction voltage ΔV* (“predetermined threshold voltage”). Nissan at pages 3-5 and Fig. 4, steps S101, S103, and S105.);
generating a modified reference value for each phase by modifying the received voltage reference values in such a way that the difference between each pair of modified voltage reference values is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value (Nissan discloses a phase voltage command value (e.g., Vu*, Vv*, and Vw*) (“modified reference value for each phase”) can be generated by adding/subtracting (“modifying the received voltage reference values”) the correction voltage ΔV* to/from the pre-correction phase voltage command values Vu′*, Vv′*, and Vw′*, as appropriate. Nissan at page 4 and Fig. 4, steps S102, S104, and S106. For example, in one embodiment, a pair of phase voltage command values can be corrected by appropriate adding to the higher phase voltage command value and subtracting from the lower phase voltage command value such that the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Nissan at page 5.); and
generating PWM switching signals for the PWM inverter modules based on the modified voltage reference values (Nissan discloses that PWM signal generation unit 25 generates PWM signals PWMu*, PWMv*, PWMw* based on phase voltage command value Vu*, Vv*, and Vw*. Nissan at page 3 and Fig. 1. ;
wherein modifying the received voltage reference values for one pair of phases, for which the difference is below the predetermined threshold value, comprises: calculating a voltage shift value based on the difference and the predetermined threshold value (Difference between Vx* and Vx’* (where “x” is phase u, v, or w) is the “voltage shift value.” Nissan at pages 3-5 and Fig. 4, steps S101, S103, and S105.);
adding the voltage shift value to the voltage reference value corresponding to one phase of the pair of phases; and subtracting the voltage shift value from the voltage reference value corresponding to the other phase of the pair of phases (In one embodiment, Nissan discloses that a pair of phase voltage command values can be corrected by appropriate adding to the higher phase voltage command value and subtracting from the lower phase voltage command value such that the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Nissan at page 5.), the method further comprising:
receiving a further voltage reference value for each phase, adjusting the further voltage reference value for each phase based on the corresponding voltage shift value (Nissan discloses receiving a voltage reference value for a switching period, as discussed above. However, Nissan does not explicitly disclose “receiving a further voltage reference value for each phase, adjusting the further voltage reference value for each phase based on the corresponding voltage shift value.” In a same filed of endeavor, controlling an inverter (and thus analogous art), Lamsahel discloses that, if a PWM value (i.e., a voltage reference value) is corrected for a minimum time interval in a switching period, the PWM value in the following switching period (“further voltage reference value”) corresponding to the same switch should be adjusted in the “opposite direction” based on the corrected value (“adjusting the further voltage reference value for each phase based on the corresponding voltage shift value”). For example, if the PWM value is increased by a correction value in a switching period (referred to as “critical PWM value”), then the PWM value for the switch in the following switching period (referred to as the “corresponding PWM value”) should be decreased by the correction value. Lamsahel at par. [0015]. It would have been obvious and one skilled in the art would have been motivated to incorporate the PWM “re-correction” adjustment feature of Lamsahel in order to compensate for the “distortions and harmonics” due the initial corrected PWM values. Lamsahel at par. [0014]. There would have been a reasonable chance of success because both Nissan and Lamsahel relate to PWM value corrections in order to maintain a minimum time difference. See MPEP 2143.I.G.);
checking, for each pair of phases, whether a further difference between the corresponding pair of adjusted further voltage reference values is below the predetermined threshold value (After the “further voltage reference value” is received and adjusted as discussed above, steps S101, S103, and S105 from Fig. 4 of Nissan will be performed again on the “adjusted further voltage reference values.” Thus, the claimed “checking” is rendered obvious by Nissan in view of Lamsahel.);
generating a modified further voltage reference value for each phase by modifying the adjusted further voltage reference values in such a way that the further difference between each pair of modified further voltage reference values is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value (After the “adjusted further voltage reference values” are checked as discussed above, steps S102, S104, and S106 from Fig. 4 of Nissan will be performed again (“generating a modified further voltage reference value …”). For example, in one embodiment, a pair of phase voltage command values can be corrected by appropriate adding to the higher phase voltage command value and subtracting from the lower phase voltage command value such that the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Nissan at page 5.); and
generating further PWM switching signals for the PWM inverter modules based on the modified further voltage reference values (After the “generating [the] modified further voltage reference values” step discussed above, the PWM signal generation unit 25 will generate PWM signals PWMu*, PWMv*, PWMw* based on phase voltage command value Vu*, Vv*, and Vw* (“generating further PWM switching signals for the PWM inverter modules based on the modified further voltage reference values”). Nissan at page 3 and Fig. 1.);
wherein adjusting the further voltage reference value for each phase comprises subtracting the voltage shift value from the further voltage reference value if the voltage shift value was added to the voltage reference value of that phase when modifying the voltage reference values; and adding the voltage shift value to the further voltage reference value if the voltage shift value was subtracted from the voltage reference value of that phase when modifying the voltage reference values (As discussed above Lamsahel at par. [0015] discloses performing corrections to the PWN value (“adjusting the further voltage reference value”) in the “opposite direction.” Accordingly, Nissan in view of Lamsahel discloses the claimed “adjusting.”).
Regarding 2: The method according to claim 1,
wherein the voltage shift value is added to a largest one of the voltage reference values and subtracted from a smallest one of the voltage reference values (In one embodiment, Nissan discloses that a pair of phase voltage command values can be corrected by appropriate adding to the higher phase voltage command value and subtracting from the lower phase voltage command value such that the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Nissan at page 5.).
Regarding claim 3: The method according to claim 1,
wherein the voltage shift value is calculated as half the difference between the predetermined threshold value and the difference between the corresponding pair of voltage reference values (As discussed above with respect to claim 2, Nissan discloses that each phase of the pair of phases can be shifted so long as the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Thus, in this embodiment, each phase can be shifted a value that is greater than zero and less than ΔV*. The claimed “half the difference” falls within this disclosed range and is therefore obvious. See MPEP 2144.05.I.).
Regarding claim 4: The method according to claim 1,
wherein modifying the adjusted voltage reference values for one pair of phases, for which the further difference is below the predetermined threshold value, comprises: calculating a further voltage shift value based on the further difference and the predetermined threshold values; adding the further voltage shift value to the adjusted further voltage reference value corresponding to one phase of the pair of phases; and subtracting the further voltage shift value from the adjusted further voltage reference value corresponding to the other phase of the pair of phases (As discussed above, Nissan in view of Lamsahel renders obvious the claimed adjustment in a following switching period. Lamsahel at par. [0015] and Nissan at page 4 and Fig. 4, steps S102, S104, and S106.)
Regarding claim 5: The method according to claim 4,
wherein the further voltage shift value is added to a largest one of the adjusted further voltage reference values and subtracted from a smallest one of the adjusted further voltage reference values (In one embodiment, Nissan discloses that a pair of phase voltage command values can be corrected by appropriate adding to the higher phase voltage command value and subtracting from the lower phase voltage command value such that the difference becomes the correction voltage ΔV*. Nissan at page 5.).
Regarding clam 6: The method according to claim 4,
wherein the further voltage shift value is calculated as half the difference between the predetermined threshold value and the further difference between the corresponding pair of adjusted further voltage reference values (Please see analysis in claim 3.).
Regarding claim 7:
A controller for a multi-phase power converter, the multi-phase power converter comprising at least one pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter module for each phase (Nissan discloses an inverter 4 and controller 6. Nissan at page 1 and Fig. 1.), the controller comprising:
an input unit configured to receive a voltage reference value for each phase, and a processing unit configured to: check, for each pair of phases, whether a difference between the corresponding pair of voltage reference values is below a predetermined threshold value, generate a modified voltage reference value for each phase by modifying the received voltage reference values in such a way that the difference between each pair of modified voltage reference values is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value, and generate PWM switching signals for the PWM inverter modules based on the modified voltage reference values (Nissan in view of Lamsahel includes an input unit and processing unit (e.g., Nissan’s controller 6 as modified by the teachings of Lamsahel) that perform the claimed functions as discussed above with respect to claim 1. Nissan at pages 3-5 and Fig. 4 and Lamsahel at par. [0015].),
wherein the processing unit is configured to modify the received voltage reference values for one pair of phases, for which the difference is below the predetermined threshold value, by: calculating a voltage shift value based on the difference and the predetermined threshold value, adding the voltage shift value to the voltage reference value corresponding to one phase of the pair of phases, and subtracting the voltage shift value from the voltage reference value corresponding to the other phase of the pair of phases, wherein the input unit is configured to receive a further voltage reference value for each phase, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: adjust the further voltage reference value for each phase based on the corresponding voltage shift value, check, for each pair of phases, whether a further difference between the corresponding pair of adjusted further voltage reference values is below the predetermined threshold value, generate a modified further voltage reference value for each phase by modifying the adjusted further voltage reference values in such a way that the further difference between each pair of modified further voltage reference values is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value, and generate further PWM switching signals for the PWM inverter modules based on the modified further voltage reference values, wherein the processing unit is configured to adjust the further voltage reference value for each phase by: subtracting the voltage shift value from the further voltage reference value if the voltage shift value was added to the voltage reference value of that phase when modifying the voltage reference values, and adding the voltage shift value to the further voltage reference value if the voltage shift value was subtracted from the voltage reference value of that phase when modifying the voltage reference values (Please see analysis in claim 1.).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nissan in view of Lamsahel, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0203242 to Banda et al. (“Banda”).
Regarding claim 8:
A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method according to claim 1 (Nissan discloses that the “motor controller 6 includes a general-purpose electronic circuit including a microcomputer, a microprocessor, and a CPU and peripheral devices, and operates as the above-described units by executing a specific program.” Nissan at page 3. Nissan does not explicitly disclose that its controller includes a computer readable hardware storage device. In a same field of endeavor, power conversation between DC and AC sources (and thus analogous art), Banda discloses a controller 174 that includes processor 218 and memory device 220 . Banda at par. [0042] and Fig. 4.). It would have been obvious to incorporate memory as disclosed by Banda into the controller of Nissan in view of Lamsahel in order to “store suitable computer-readable instructions that, when implemented by the processor(s) 218, configure the controller 174 to perform the various functions ….” Banda at par. [0042]. Because Nissan in view of Lamsahel and Banda relate to configuration of controllers, there would have been a reasonable chance of success. See MPEP 2143.I.G.).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banda in view of Nissan and Lamsahel.
Regarding claim 9:
A wind turbine generator comprising a multi-phase power converter and a controller according to claim 7 (Banda discloses a wind turbine 10 with a line side converter 168 (“multiphase power converter”) and a converter controller 174 (“controller”). Banda at par. [0010] and Fig. 1. Banda does not explicitly disclose that the converter controller 174 includes the PWM control features recited in claim 7.
a multi-phase power converter and a controller according to claim 7 (As discussed above in claim 7, Nissan in view of Lamsahel discloses a multi-phase power converter and a controller that includes the features recited in claim 7. Nissan in view of Lamsahel relate to power conversation between DC and AC sources and thus is analogous art. It would have been obvious to and one skilled in the art would have been motivated to include the PWM control of Nissan in view of Lamsahel into the converter controller 174 of Banda in order to correct switching timing so as to reduce switching noise. Nissan at page 1, Technical-Field.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0141713 to Yoji Mori discloses shifting PWM command signals to reduce noise.
European Patent Publication No. EP2410652 to Sakai et al. discloses shifting PWM command signals to reduce noise.
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/B.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2116
/KENNETH M LO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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