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 1-8, 10, 12-16 are pending.
Claims 9, 11 are cancelled.
Abstract
The abstract is objected to because of the following informalities:
The term “(101-103)” should be removed. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: The term “the reactive power indicator of nth one of the power converters” should read “the reactive power indicator of an nth one of the power converters”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: The term “encoded with a computer program” should read “encoded with the computer program”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 15 is 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 the claim refers to software per se.
Claim 16 is 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 the media is not excluding transitory media.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8, 10, 13-15 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6-8, 10, 13-15 each recite the limitation "alternating voltage". It appears that the disclosure is directed to AC power, which is understood as being "alternating current" by a person having ordinary skill in the art. The “alternating current” is known in the electrical arts as being a voltage source power supply, with a steady voltage level and a current that varies dependent on the load. The term “alternating voltage” implies a current source power supply as known in the electrical arts as being a current source power supply, with a steady current level and a voltage that varies dependent on the load. The Examiner is interpreting the phrase as intending to refer to “alternating current” or AC, the steady voltage power supply as known in the art and commonly used, based on reading the specification and the multiple subscript references to “ac”. The meaning of the term is not clear from the claims or specification.
Dependent claims 2-7 are rejected based on dependence on claim 1.
Dependent claims 12-14 are rejected based on dependence on claim 10.
Dependent claims 16 are rejected based on dependence on claim 15.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter, in lines 5, 9, and 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims 2-7 are rejected based on dependence on claim 1.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter, in lines 3, 5, and 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter, in lines 4, 8, 13, and 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims 12-14 are rejected based on dependence on claim 10.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter, in lines 3, 4, and 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “the power converter” in reference to a singular converter, in lines 5, 9, and 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Dependent claims 16 are rejected based on dependence on claim 15.
Claims 1, 3-8, 10, 12-15 each recite some form of the limitation subscript “_n”, “_N”. There is no explanation in the claims to clarify what the n or N is indicative of. The Examiner is interpreting the notations to be the number of power converter. The meaning of the term is not clear from the claims or specification.
Dependent claims 2-7 are rejected based on dependence on claim 1.
Dependent claims 12-14 are rejected based on dependence on claim 10.
Dependent claims 16 are rejected based on dependence on claim 15.
Claim 4 recites the limitation variable “Ireact_i”. The Examiner is interpreting the “i” to be the range “1….N” as described elsewhere in the claim. The meaning of the term is not clear from the claims or specification.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as set forth in this office action.
Dependent claim(s) 2-7 is/are allowable over art based on their dependence upon claim 1.
Claim 8 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as set forth in this office action.
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as set forth in this office action.
Dependent claim(s) 12-14 is/are allowable over art based on their dependence upon claim 10.
Claim 15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections(s) under 35 USC 101, and 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as set forth in this office action.
Dependent claim(s) 16 is/are allowable over art based on their dependence upon claim 15.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter in each of the independent claims: 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 forming a reactive power indicator for each of the power converters based on data indicative of reactive power of the power converter, forming an arithmetic average of the reactive power indicators of the power converters, and forming an unbalance indicator for each of the power converters based on a difference between the reactive power indicator of the power converter and the arithmetic average of the reactive power indicators of the power converters, and controlling an alternating voltage amplitude reference of a converter stage of each of the power converters based on at least the unbalance indicator of said each of the power converter, the converter stage of the each of the power converters being connected via a line filter to the alternating voltage terminals of said each of the power converters.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Feng et al, US Patent Pub US 20120243274 A1 relates to claims regarding controlling a plurality of power converters connected in parallel between an ac arrangement and a common dc link, and modifying an output voltage droop characteristic of at least one of the plurality of parallel-connected power converters.
Yuzurihara et al, US Patent Pub US 20120212191 A1 relates to claims regarding controlling reactive power of a three-phase converter, an average active power operation step for calculating an average active power value by using an output voltage value and an output current value of DC output of the three-phase converter, a reactive power control step for calculating an average reactive power value, and a control signal for controlling the power factor.
Yoshioka et al, Japanese Patent Num JP2002084759A relates to claims regarding balancing output reactive power between inverters operated in parallel, and an average value of the detected inverter output current.
Summanen et al, US Patent Pub US 20210265906 A1 relates to claims regarding power converters, controlling power converters based on reactive power, and line filters.
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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