DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed 10/04/2024, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2, 9, 10, and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re claim 1, it appears that “a tap change” (line 14) should be “the tap change”.
Re claim 2, it appears that “a tap change” (line 8) should be “the tap change”.
Re claim 9, it appears that “a raise command” (line 8) should be “the raise command”.
Re claim 10, it appears that “a lower command” (line 8) should be “the lower command”.
Re claim 16, it appears that “a voltage” (line 5) should be “the voltage”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-6, 8-15 and 17-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,747,840. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims both recite a control system having three tap changers associated with a phase line of a multi-phase power system.
Instant Application 18/906,440
Conflicting US Patent 11,747,840
1. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a first tap changer ;a second tap changer; a third tap changer, wherein each of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer associated with a respective phase line; and an electronic processor coupled to the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer, the electronic processor configured to: determine whether a voltage level of the first phase line exceeds a threshold; control power to the first tap changer with power converted from the first phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage level of the first phase line exceeds the threshold; and control power to the first tap changer with power converted from the second phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage level of the first phase line does not exceed the threshold.
1. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a plurality of regulator controls including, a first regulator control configured to control a first tap changer associated with the first phase line; a second regulator control configured to control a second tap changer associated with the second phase line; a third regulator control configured to control a third tap changer associated with the third phase line; a converter circuit configured to convert power flowing through the first, second, and third phase lines to levels used for powering the first, second, and third tap changers; and an electronic processor coupled to the first regulator control, the second regulator control, and the third regulator control, the electronic processor configured to: determine whether a voltage level of the first phase line exceeds a threshold; control a first relay to power the first tap changer with power converted from the first phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage level of the first phase exceeds the threshold; determine whether a voltage level of the second phase line exceeds the threshold when the voltage level of the first phase line is less than the threshold; and control a second relay to power the first tap changer with power converted from the second phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage of the first phase line is less than the threshold.
2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether a voltage level of the second phase line exceeds the threshold when the voltage level of the first phase line does not exceed the threshold; determine whether a voltage level of the third phase line exceeds the threshold when the voltage level of the second phase line does not exceed the threshold; and control power to the first tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage level of the first phase line does not exceed the threshold, the voltage level of the second phase line does not exceed the threshold, and the voltage level of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether a voltage level of the third phase line exceeds the threshold when the voltage level of the second phase line is less than the threshold; and control a third relay to power the first tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage of the first phase line is less than the threshold, the voltage of the second phase line is less than the threshold, and the voltage of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: control power to the second tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the second phase line when the voltage level of the second phase line does not exceed the threshold and the voltage level of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: control the third relay to power the second tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the second phase line when the voltage of the second phase line is less than the threshold and the voltage of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: control power to the third tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the third phase line when voltage level of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: control the third relay to power the third tap changer with power converted from the third phase line to affect a tap change on the third phase line when voltage of the third phase line exceeds the threshold.
5. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a converter circuit configured to convert power flowing through the first, second, and third phase lines to levels used for powering the first, second, and third tap changers, wherein the converter circuit harvests positive half cycles of the power flowing through the first, second, and third phase lines to power the first, second, and third tap changers.
5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the converter circuit harvests positive half cycles of the power flowing through the first, second, and third phase lines to power the first, second, and third tap changers.
6. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a first regulator control configured to control the first tap changer, a second regulator control configured to control the second tap changer, and a third regulator control configured to control the third tap changer.
1. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a plurality of regulator controls including, a first regulator control configured to control a first tap changer associated with the first phase line; a second regulator control configured to control a second tap changer associated with the second phase line; a third regulator control configured to control a third tap changer associated with the third phase line…
7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the first regulator control, the second regulator control, and the third regulator control are supported on a single printed circuit board (PCB) that is coupled to the electronic processor.
6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first regulator control, the second regulator control, and the third regulator control are supported on a single printed circuit board (PCB) that is coupled to the electronic processor.
8. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a first tap changer; a second tap changer; a third tap changer, each of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer associated with a respective phase line; and an electronic processor coupled to the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer, the electronic processor configured to, determine an average voltage of the multi-phase power system based on a voltage of the first phase line, a voltage of the second phase line, and a voltage of the third phase line; determine a voltage regulation command based on the average voltage and a multi-phase setpoint; determine whether the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer are set to a same tap position; issue the voltage regulation command when the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer are at the same tap position.
8. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a plurality of regulator controls including, a first regulator control configured to control a first tap changer associated with the first phase line; a second regulator control configured to control a second tap changer associated with the second phase line; a third regulator control configured to control a third tap changer associated with the third phase line; an electronic processor coupled to the first regulator control, the second regulator control, and the third regulator control, the electronic processor configured to, determine an average voltage of the multi-phase power system based on a voltage of the first phase line, a voltage of the second phase line, and voltage of the first phase line; determine a voltage regulation command based on the average voltage and a multi-phase setpoint; determine whether the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer are set to a same tap position; issue the voltage regulation command to each of the first, second, and third regulator controls when the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer are at the same tap position.
9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the voltage regulation command is a raise command or a lower command; determine which of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer is set to a lowest tap position; and issue the voltage regulation command to the respective tap changer that is set to the lowest tap position when the voltage regulation command is a raise command.
9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the voltage regulation command is a raise command or a lower command; determine which of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer is set to a lowest tap position; and issue the voltage regulation command to the regulator control associated with the respective tap changer that is set to the lowest tap position when the voltage regulation command is a raise command.
10. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the voltage regulation command is a raise command or a lower command; determine which of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer is set to a highest tap position; and issue the voltage regulation command to the respective tap changer that is set to the highest tap position when the voltage regulation command is a lower command.
10. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the voltage regulation command is a raise command or a lower command; determine which of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer is set to a highest tap position; and issue the voltage regulation command to the regulator control associated with the respective tap changer that is set to the highest tap position when the voltage regulation command is a lower command.
11. The control system of claim 8, wherein the multi-phase setpoint includes a target bandcenter voltage for the multi-phase power system.
11. The control system of claim 8, wherein the multi-phase setpoint includes a target bandcenter voltage for the multi-phase power system.
12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the average voltage exceeds the target bandcenter voltage by a first amount; and wherein the voltage regulation command is a lower command when the average voltage exceeds target bandcenter voltage by the first amount.
12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the average voltage exceeds the target bandcenter voltage by a first amount; and wherein the voltage regulation command is a lower command when the average voltage exceeds target bandcenter voltage by the first amount.
13. The control system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the average voltage does not exceed the target bandcenter voltage by a first amount; and wherein the voltage regulation command is a raise command when the average voltage does not exceed the target bandcenter voltage by the first amount.
13. The control system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether the average voltage is less than the target bandcenter voltage by a first amount; and wherein the voltage regulation command is a raise command when the average voltage is less than the target bandcenter voltage by the first amount.
14. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to independently control each of the first, second, and third tap changers when operation of at least one of the first, second, and third tap changers is blocked.
14. The control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to independently control each of the first, second, and third regulator controls when operation of at least one of the first, second, and third regulator controls is blocked.
15. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a first tap changer; a second tap changer; a third tap changer, each of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer associated with a respective phase line; and an electronic processor coupled to the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer, the electronic processor configured to, determine whether each of a voltage of the first phase line, a voltage of the second phase line, and a voltage of the third phase line are within band of a target bandcenter; perform a voltage regulation operation when one or more of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line are out of band of the target bandcenter; and adjust a tap position of the tap changer associated with the phase line having a voltage furthest from the bandcenter.
15. A control system for a multi-phase power system including a first phase line, a second phase line, and a third phase line, the control system comprising: a plurality of regulator controls including, a first regulator control configured to control a first tap changer associated with the first phase line; a second regulator control configured to control a second tap changer associated with the second phase line; a third regulator control configured to control a third tap changer associated with the third phase line; and an electronic processor coupled to the first regulator control, the second regulator control, and the third regulator control, the electronic processor configured to, determine whether each of a voltage of the first phase line, a voltage of the second phase line, and a voltage of the first phase line are within band of a target bandcenter; perform a voltage regulation operation when one or more of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line are out of band of the target bandcenter; determine whether any of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than a threshold; and adjust a tap position of the tap changer associated with the phase line having a voltage furthest from the bandcenter when of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than the threshold.
16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to: determine whether any of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than a threshold; and adjust the tap position of the tap changer associated with the phase line having a voltage furthest from the bandcenter when of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than the threshold.
15. …determine whether any of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than a threshold; and adjust a tap position of the tap changer associated with the phase line having a voltage furthest from the bandcenter when of the voltages of the first phase line, the second phase line, and the third phase line differ from the target bandcenter by more than the threshold.
17. The control system of claim 15, further comprising a front panel including: a first sub-panel associated with first tap changer; a second sub-panel associated with the second tap changer; and a third sub-pan associated with the third tap changer.
17. The control system of claim 15, further comprising a front panel including: a first sub-panel associated with first regulator control; a second sub-panel associated with the second regulator control; and a third sub-pan associated with the third regulator control.
18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulation operation includes controlling the first, second, and third tap changers in a ganged manner.
18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulation operation includes controlling the first, second, and third tap changers in a ganged manner.
19. The control system of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulation operation includes controlling the first, second, and third tap changers in an independent manner.
19. The control system of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulation operation includes controlling the first, second, and third tap changers in an independent manner.
20. The control system of claim 15, wherein a value of the target bandcenter can be defined by a user.
20. The control system of claim 15, wherein a value of the threshold can be defined by a user.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAKAISHA JACKSON whose telephone number is (571)270-3111. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MONICA LEWIS can be reached on 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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/LaKaisha Jackson/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights