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
This application is claiming the benefit of prior-filed application No. 16/576,762, filed 19 September 2019 under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c). Copendency between the current application and the prior application is required. Since the applications are not copending, the benefit claim to the prior-filed application is improper. Applicant is required to delete the claim to the benefit of the prior-filed application, unless applicant can establish copendency between the applications.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 5, 6, 11, 15, 16, and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 8, “BMS system”, should be --BMS--.
Claim 5, line 1, “SOC, SOH”, should be --state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH)--.
Claim 5, line 2, “BMS for management. When the battery is charged”, should be --BMS for management; and when the battery is charged--.
Claim 6, line 3, “EMS (energy management system)”, should be --EMS--.
Claim 11, line 5, “operating the relay operates”, should be --operating the relay--.
Claim 11, line 6, “BMS system”, should be --BMS--.
Claim 15, line 1, “SOC, SOH”, should be --state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH)--.
Claim 15, line 2, “BMS for management. When the battery is charged”, should be --BMS for management; and when the battery is charged--.
Claim 16, line 3, “EMS (energy management system)”, should be --EMS--.
Claim 17, line 1, “The method of claim 1, wherein when commercial power is lost”, should be --The method of claim 11, wherein when commercial power is lost--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) 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 Claim 1, the limitation “A system to supply emergency power to an elevator” is unclear. This limitation is unclear because the claim does not describe any emergency power being supplied to a load and/or elevator or what is supplying the emergency power. Additionally, the claim recites a relay coupled to utility power but fails to describe where the relay is outputting the received utility power.
Regarding Claim 11, the limitation “A method to supply emergency power to an elevator” is unclear. This limitations is unclear because the claim does not describe what is supplying the emergency power to the elevator and/or load. The limitation recited on lines 9-11 “providing emergency power during utility power outages permitting the elevator to function with a sequence of operations is for elevators with regenerative power and includes an integrated electrical and communication single line diagram and four operation profiles” is also unclear because it still does not clearly identify what is providing the emergency power and where it is being received. “permitting the elevator to function with a sequence of operations is for elevators with regenerative power and includes an integrated electrical and communication single line diagram and four operation profiles” is unclear and has not been clearly defined and/or described in Applicant’s original disclosure.
Additionally, the claim recites a relay coupled to utility power but fails to describe where the relay is coupled to the system.
Regarding Claims 2-10, they depend from Claim 1 and are also rejected for the reasons stated above.
Regarding Claims 12-20, they depend from Claim 11 and are also rejected for the reasons stated above.
Regarding Claims 1, 4-8, 11, and 14-18, the following limitations have been recited:
Claim 1, line 3, “the lithium batteries”;
Claim 1, line 9, “the state of charge”;
Claim 4, line 1, “the batteries of the CEP”;
Claim 5, line 2, “the battery”;
Claim 6, line 2, “the batteries”;
Claim 6, line 4, “the charging circuit”;
Claim 7, lines 1-2, “the undervoltage/phase imbalance relay”;
Claim 8, lines 1-2, “the primary position to the secondary position”;
Claim 11, line 2, “the lithium batteries”;
Claim 11, line 7, “the state of charge”;
Claim 14, line 1, “the batteries of the CEP”;
Claim 15, line 2, “the battery”;
Claim 16, line 2, “the batteries”;
Claim 16, line 4, “the charging circuit”;
Claim 17, lines 1-2, “the undervoltage/phase imbalance relay”;
Claim 18, lines 1-2, “the primary position to the secondary position”;
There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding Claims 2-10, they depend from Claim 1 and are also rejected for the reasons stated above.
Regarding Claims 12-20, they depend from Claim 11 and are also rejected for the reasons stated above.
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 1-3, 6-9, 11-13, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasa US 5,058,710, in view of Kim US 2021/0091569, in view of Kondo et al. US 2022/0024720.
Regarding Claims 1 and 11, Iwasa teaches a system to supply emergency power to an elevator (col. 1, lines 10-18), comprising:
one or more batteries (battery 32, fig. 1),
an inverter coupled to the lithium batteries (DC-AC inverter 28, fig. 1), and
a relay coupled to utility power (power source monitoring relay 10, fig. 1),
wherein the relay operates to provide utility power to the system (A power source monitoring relay monitors AC power coming from a utility, and upon power failure, switches a battery from a charging mode to a power source mode wherein DC power is supplied, refer abstract) and notifies the EMS that utility power is on, wherein the EMS initiates charging of the BMS system,
providing emergency power during utility power outages permitting the elevator to function with a sequence of operations is for elevators (During power failure, by a make/break operation of the related contacts NP of power source monitoring relay 1, AC-DC converter 2 and battery charger 6 are cut off from the power lines, and battery 5 is connected via the DC link to the DC-AC inverter 3 for controlling the motor. With the aid of the power supplies from battery 5, the driving of motor 4 is continued until the cage reaches the nearest story. The power from battery 5 is supplied to the elevator control devices via the emergency power generating device, so that there is no break in the control operation, refer to col. 1, line 65 - col. 2, line 7) with regenerative power (For this power supply system, when motor 4 is driven mechanically by the elevator system's counterweight, it can act as a generator with the electrical power generated by it fed back to the power source side. With the power feedback system, the operation efficiency can be improved., refer to col. 1, lines 52-57) and includes an integrated electrical and communication single line diagram and four operation profiles (this limitation is unclear and has not been adequately described in Applicant’s disclosure).
Iwasa is silent regarding a battery management system (BMS) coupled to the inverter, an Energy Management Software (EMS) coupled to the BMS, wherein the relay notifies the EMS that utility power is on, wherein the EMS initiates charging of the BMS system, wherein the BMS sends charging command to the inverter, which operates until the state of charge is 100%, where the inverter goes into a standby mode
Kim teaches an inverter (126, fig. 4) coupled to the batteries (124, fig. 4),
a battery management system (BMS) (BMS within 124, fig. 4) coupled to the inverter,
an Energy Management Software (EMS) (116, fig. 4) coupled to the BMS, and
a relay coupled to utility power (114 and 130, fig. 4),
wherein the relay notifies the EMS that utility power is on, wherein the EMS initiates charging of the BMS system, wherein the BMS sends charging command to the inverter, which operates until the state of charge is 100%, where the inverter goes into a standby mode (The controller 116 also receives line quality data as captured through protective relays 114. The controller 116 also controls HVAC systems, fire alarms, alert signal systems, and/or suppression systems, sensors, and input/output devices 122. The controller 116 also controls a battery system 124 with a battery management system and a plurality of battery racks. The controller 116 can control the charging of the battery system 124 using a power conversion system 126, which has a DC disconnect 128 for safe disconnect from the battery system 124., refer to [0089]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the arrangement as taught by
Kim with the system of Iwasa in order to further improve the efficiency of the system.
The combination of Iwasa and Kim is silent wherein the battery is one or more lithium batteries.
Kondo teaches wherein the battery is one or more lithium batteries (When the commercial power supply is supplied to the elevator 20, the battery 14 is charged. Examples of a type of the battery 14 include a lithium ion battery and a lead storage battery, refer to [0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the batteries as taught by
Kondo with the system of the combination of Iwasa and Kim in order to further improve the efficiency of the system.
Regarding Claims 2 and 12, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively, and further teaches placing the BMS in charging mode while commercial or utility power is on (refer to [0089] of Kim).
Regarding Claims 3 and 13, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 2 and 12, respectively, and further teaches comprising an undervoltage/ phase imbalance relay energizing a contactor coil that closes a charging circuit (114 and 130, fig. 4 of Kim).
Regarding Claims 6 and 16, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively and further teaches wherein while commercial power is on, the elevator provides regenerative power and it reaches the BMS, the BMS charges the batteries up to 100% of their capacity and once batteries reach 100% charge capacity, the EMS (energy management system) connects a resistor bank to the charging circuit if regenerative power is created by elevator (refer to col. 1, lines 52-57 of Iwasa).
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively wherein when commercial power is lost, the undervoltage/ phase imbalance relay de-energizes a charging contactor circuit, while energizing a contactor coil that closes a discharging circuit from the BMS to an automatic transfer switch (ATS), which feeds the elevator and an ancillary load (130, 132, 126, 124, fig. 4, and refer to [0089] of Kim).
Regarding Claims 8 and 18, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 7 and 17, respectively wherein the ATS switches from the primary position to the secondary position to operate the elevator and ancillary loads where there is no utility power (130, 132, 126, 124, fig. 4, and refer to [0089] of Kim).
Regarding Claims 9 and 19, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 7 and 17, respectively wherein when commercial power is restored, the undervoltage/ phase imbalance relay de-energizes the discharging circuit and re-energizes charging circuit of the BMS and the ATS switches from the secondary position to the primary position (130, 132, 126, 124, fig. 4, and refer to [0089] of Kim).
Claims 4-5, 10, 14-15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasa US 5,058,710, in view of Kim US 2021/0091569, in view of Kondo et al. US 2022/0024720, in view of Huang et al. US 2023/0307934.
Regarding Claims 4 and 14, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively, however is silent wherein the inverter charges the batteries of the CEP unit until they reach 75% of their capacity.
Huang teaches wherein the inverter charges the batteries of the CEP unit until they reach 75% of their capacity (refer to Table 2, [0071]-[0078]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the arrangement as taught by
Huang with the system of the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo in order to further improve the efficiency of the system.
Regarding Claims 5 and 15, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively, however is silent wherein the inverter reports the SOC, SOH and temperature to the BMS for management, and when the battery is charged, the BMS reports completion to the EMS.
Huang teaches wherein the inverter reports the SOC, SOH and temperature to the BMS for management, and when the battery is charged, the BMS reports completion to the EMS (refer to [0063]-[0064]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the arrangement as taught by
Huang with the system of the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo in order to further improve the efficiency of the system.
Regarding Claims 10 and 20, the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo teaches all of the limitations of Claims 1 and 11, respectively, however is silent comprising a circuit to shutdown the system if a thermal switch of a resistor bank opens, a state of charge (SOC) is less than or equal to 5% of battery capacity, or a threshold temperature is met.
Huang teaches comprising a circuit to shutdown the system if a threshold temperature is met (refer to [0099]-[0101]).
. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the arrangement as taught by
Huang with the system of the combination of Iwasa, Kim, and Kondo in order to further improve the efficiency of the system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN K BAXTER whose telephone number is (571)270-0258. The examiner can normally be reached 10-7:00 PM Monday-Thursday.
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/BRIAN K BAXTER/
Examiner, Art Unit 2836
20 August 2025
/DANIEL KESSIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836