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
Duty to Disclose: No Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) has been filed in the instant application. Examiner respectfully reminds Applicant of the duty of disclosure per 37 CFR 1.56 (a).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “control module”, “voltage-current dual disturbance rejection closed-loop control module” and “quasi-proportional resonance closed-loop control module” recited in claim 7; “active inverter device” and “zero-sequence circuit” recited in claim 8; and “equivalent controllable current source” recited in claim 9 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Examiner’s Note: Any structural detail that is of sufficient importance to be described should be shown in the drawings, see MPEP 608.02(d).
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-6, 10-11, and 14-15 are objected to because of the following informalities (note that the markings show the examiner’s suggested amendments):
Claim 1, line 11, “at the present fault point, and checking whether the critical value exceeds the present zero”, it appears that should be change to - - at the present fault point, and checking whether [[the]] a critical value exceeds the present zero - -.
Claim 2, line 5, “an initial voltage value of the faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence; and”, it appears that should be change to - - an initial voltage value of the target faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence; and - -.
Claim 5, line 9, “identifying the occurrence of a single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network”, it appears that should be change to - - identifying the occurrence of [[a]] the single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network - -.
Claim 5, line 11, “absence of a single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network”, it appears that should be change to - - absence of [[a]] the single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network - -.
Claim 6, line 1, “A system for active arc-suppression voltage-current conversion in a distribution”, it appears that should be change to - - A system for active arc-suppression voltage-current conversion in [[a]] the distribution - -.
Claim 6, line 4, “a single-phase grounding fault in the distribution network”, it appears that should be change to - - [[a]] the single-phase grounding fault in the distribution network - -.
Claim 6, line 6, “target faulty phase to reduce the voltage of the target faulty phase; the injection ceases when a”, it appears that should be change to - - target faulty phase to reduce the voltage of the target faulty phase; the injection ceases when [[a]] the - -.
Claim 10, line 2, “stores an active arc voltage-current conversion program for a distribution network; the active”, it appears that should be change to - - stores an active arc voltage-current conversion program for [[a]] the distribution network; the active - -.
Claim 11, line 5, “an initial voltage value of the faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence”, it appears that should be change to - - an initial voltage value of the target faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence - -.
Claim 14, line 9, “identifying the occurrence of a single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network”, it appears that should be change to - - identifying the occurrence of [[a]] the single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network - -.
Claim 14, line 11, “absence of a single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network”, it appears that should be change to - - absence of [[a]] the single-phase-to-ground fault in the distribution network - -.
Claim 15, line 5, “an initial voltage value of the faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence”, it appears that should be change to - - an initial voltage value of the target faulty phase prior to a fault occurrence - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
Examiner’s Note: Applicant is required to carefully review all pending claims for the presence of any similar informalities and to correct them accordingly.
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.
Claim(s) 1-18 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.
With regard to claim 1: Firstly, the terms “fault point” and “present fault point” render the claim vague and indefinite; which are recited in the limitations “obtaining a residual current value at a fault point of the target faulty phase during the injection of the compensating currents, as well as a present zero-sequence voltage of the target faulty phase; determining a critical zero-sequence voltage threshold based on a residual current value at the present fault point”. It is unclear because if the “fault point” and “present fault point” are the same point or different point. Clarification is required.
The terms “fault point” and “present fault point” are also recited in claims 2, 6, 11, and 15.
Secondly, the limitation “determining a critical zero-sequence voltage threshold based on a residual current value at the present fault point, and checking whether a critical value exceeds the present zero-sequence voltage”; the term “critical value” renders the claim vague and indefinite. The limitation is unclear which or what is the “critical value” and the applicant’s specification does not explain the critical value used to check if exceeds the present zero-sequence voltage. Clarification is required.
Claim(s) 2-18 are indefinite by dependence on claim 2.
Examiner’s Note: The dependent claims necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they dependent.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 1-18 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The closest prior art is considered to be Wang (CN 113765109 A) and Wang (CN 115622015 A).
Wang (CN 113765109 A) teaches a method for active arc-suppression voltage-current conversion in a distribution network (Abstract, lines 1-13), comprising the following steps: detecting a single-phase-to-ground fault (S1 – Fig. 1) in the distribution network and identifying a target faulty phase (page 2, lines 39-41; Machine Translation); injecting compensating currents (S3 – Fig. 1) into the target faulty phase to reduce a voltage of the target faulty phase (page 3, lines 19-20; Machine Translation).
Wang (CN 115622015 A) teaches a method for active arc-suppression voltage-current conversion (Abstract, lines 1-12; Machine Translation) based on power distribution network (Fig. 1), comprising the following steps: detecting system three-phase voltage and zero sequence voltage (EA, EB, EC – Fig. 1), judging whether the single-phase ground fault occurs (page 3, lines 1-2; Machine Translation), injecting non-power frequency current signal to the distribution network (Fig. 1) (page 3, lines 3-5; Machine Translation), realizing the distribution network to ground equivalent parameter measurement (page 3, lines 6-9; Machine Translation); calculating reference value of injection compensation current according to ground parameter (page 3, lines 6-9; Machine Translation), realizing full compensation of ground fault current (page 3, lines 6-9; Machine Translation); judging whether the grounding fault disappears (page 3, lines 10-13; Machine Translation), if the fault disappears, the active arc extinguishing device exits the fault processing work (page 3, lines 14-15; Machine Translation).
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regard to claim 1, in combination with other limitations of the claim, the prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest “obtaining a residual current value at a fault point of the target faulty phase during the injection of the compensating currents, as well as a present zero-sequence voltage of the target faulty phase; determining a critical zero-sequence voltage threshold based on a residual current value at the present fault point, and checking whether the critical value exceeds the present zero-sequence voltage; when the critical value exceeds the present zero-sequence voltage, ceasing the injection of the compensating currents into the target faulty phase and instead injecting active arc-suppression currents into a neutral point of the distribution network to reduce a ground current at a grounding point of the distribution network. ”
Claims(s) 2-18 would be allowed by dependency on claim 1 when the rejection of these claims under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) would be overcome.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see attached PTO-892.
Liu (CN 101291054 A) teaches a grounding remnant current fault diagnosis and protection methods for power system comprises reactor (9) which is connected with arc suppression coil (8) in series, zero-crossing conduct thyristor switch (6) which is connected with the reactor in parallel, protection circuit (5) and control circuit; control terminals (3, 4) are connected with the thyristor switch (6) by photo-coupling the zero-crossing detection trigger circuit (7); conducting the thyristor switch when controlling the terminals and adding input signal VI, and the system zero sequence voltage passes through zero point, short connecting the reactor, changing the sensible compensating current, stabilizing and adjusting the grounding residual current; detecting and calculating the protected circuit zero sequence current and grounding zero sequence thyristor switch transmittance before or after conducting the thyristor switch, judging whether the circuit has grounding fault when the change is more than setting value.
Zhang (CN 107843809 A) teaches a ground selection method based on zero-sequence discrimination includes the following steps: Step 1, when a ground fault occurs in the system, the protection device samples the zero-sequence voltage and the zero-sequence current of the system; Step 2, determine the value of the zero-sequence voltage value and the setting value obtained in Step 1; Step 3, determine the product of the zero-sequence voltage and the zero-sequence current obtained in step S1 and the set value; Step 4, determine the direction of the zero-sequence current obtained in step S1; Step 5, according to the result of the determination in step S4, calculate the active power value of each line so as to obtain the result of the grounding line selection.
Shu (US 2025/0158400 A1) teaches an adaptive arc suppression method for ground faults in distribution networks, merging active and passive relay protection strategies. The method proceeds as follows: based on collected ground parameters, the fault phase is identified; compensation current is calculated from the fault's electromotive force, ground leakage resistance, and ground capacitance; current is injected at the neutral point according to the compensation current; finally, the arc suppression scheme is executed based on the zero-sequence voltage of the network's busbars. This approach incorporates both voltage- and current-based methods, addressing the limitation of fixed operation scenarios in traditional arc suppression methods. By quickly adapting to various fault situations, this method ensures an efficient and prompt response tailored to specific scenario requirements.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nicolas Bellido whose telephone number is (571) 272-5034. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached at (571) 272-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/N.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/MONICA LEWIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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