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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8-9, 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vaughan (US 2012/0279681 – provided by Applicant in the IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Vaughan teaches a packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system (see Fig. 4, see paragraph [0007]), the packaged heating and/or cooling unit comprising:
a heat pump configured to provide heating and/or cooling to the fluid (paragraph [0041], see Fig. 4);
a connection to a piping distribution system to selectively connect to a hot fluid circuit and/or a cold fluid circuit (14, 16, Fig. 4, see paragraph [0041]); and
a controller configured to connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement (paragraph [0041] which notes selectively individual heating or cooling, further see paragraph [0046] which notes a programmable controller) , and
further configured to selectively control connection to either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement (see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 2, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump a fluid through the packaged heating and/or cooling unit (22, see paragraph [0032]).
Regarding claim 3, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, further comprising a tempering valve configured to temper an entrance fluid temperature of the fluid to the packaged heating and/or cooling unit (60, 62, Fig 5c, see paragraph [0049]).
Regarding claim 5, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 2, wherein the pump is a variable speed pump (see paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 8, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, wherein the heat pump unit further comprises a fan configured to control airflow to condense or evaporate the working fluid (40, Fig. 4, paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 9, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected to a production module controller that is configured to receive the signal from the building automation system for the heating requirement or the cooling requirement and select the packaged heating and/or cooling unit or another packaged heating and/or cooling unit for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement by sending the signal to the controller of the packaged heating and/or cooling unit (see at least paragraph [0044] which notes that the different buildings can have signals sent for either heating or cooling).
a connection to a piping distribution system to selectively connect to a hot fluid circuit and/or a cold fluid circuit (14, 16, Fig. 4, see paragraph [0041]); and
a controller configured to connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement (paragraph [0041] which notes selectively individual heating or cooling, further see paragraph [0046] which notes a programmable controller), and
further configured to selectively control connection to either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement (see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 14, Vaughan teaches a controller for a packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air condition, and refrigeration (HVACR) system (see Fig. 4, see paragraph [0007]), the controller being configured to: connect to and receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement (paragraph [0041], see Fig. 4), control connection of the packaged heating and/or cooling unit to either a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit, and independently control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement (paragraph [0041] which notes selectively individual heating or cooling, further see paragraph [0046] which notes a programmable controller), wherein the packaged heating and/or cooling unit comprises a heat pump and a connection to a piping distribution system (14, 16, Fig. 4, see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 15, Vaughan teaches the method to control a packaged heating and/or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air condition, and refrigeration (HVACR) system (see Fig. 4, see paragraph [0007]), the method comprising:
connecting to and receiving a signal from a building automation system for a heating requirement or a cooling requirement, selectively controlling connection of the packaged heating and/or cooling unit to either a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit (paragraph [0041] which notes selectively individual heating or cooling, further see paragraph [0046] which notes a programmable controller), and
independently controlling the packaged heating and/or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for either the heating requirement or the cooling requirement (paragraph [0041] which notes selectively individual heating or cooling, further see paragraph [0046] which notes a programmable controller),
wherein the packaged heating and/or cooling unit comprises a heat pump and a connection to a piping distribution system (14, 16, Fig. 4, see paragraph [0041]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vaughan in view of Arshansky (US 2003/0140638).
Regarding claim 4, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, but does not teach a strainer between the fluid pump and the piping distribution system.
Arshansky teaches a refrigeration system (Arshansky, Title) which features a strainer (Arshansky, 70, Fig. 2a, paragraph [0061]) between a pump and a pipe distribution (Arshansky, 78, Fig. 2a, paragraph [0061]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to provide Vaughan with a strainer between the fluid pump and the piping distribution system, as taught by Arshansky, in order to protect the pump from harmful damage by having the strainer prevent debris from entering the pump.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vaughan in view of Hollander (US 2018/0128506).
Regarding claim 6, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, further comprising a sensor on a fluid inlet and/or outlet piping to detect at least a temperature and/or pressure and/or flow rate in the packaged heating and/or cooling unit (see paragraph [0051] which notes both a temperature sensor and a pressure controller).
Vaughan does not teach that the controller is configured to adjust a speed of a compressor of the heat pump and/or the pump based on the detected temperature and/or pressure and/or flow rate.
Taras teaches a heat pump (Taras, Title) which features adjusting the speed of the pump in order to satisfy the temperature requirements of the conditioned space (Taras, paragraph [0049]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to provide Vaughan with adjusting a speed of the pump based on the detected temperature, as taught by Taras, in order to maintain the desired temperature in the space.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vaughan in view of Hollander (US 2018/0224174).
Regarding claim 7, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 1, but does not teach the piping distribution system is selected from a dual feed piping or a triple feed piping arrangement to supply the fluid to at least the hot fluid circuit, the cold fluid circuit, and/or a cool fluid circuit.
Hollander teaches a water recirculation system (Hollander, Title) which features a dual feed pipe arrangement (Hollander, paragraph [0011], Fig. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to provide Vaughan with a dual feed piping, as taught by Hollander, in order to assess how this impacts the desired optimization of the unit.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vaughan in view of Chen (US 8,011,199).
Regarding claim 10, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 9, but does not specifically teach the signal is a temperature setpoint for either the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit, and wherein the packaged heating and/or cooling unit is distributively controlled to maintain the temperature setpoint.
Chen teaches an HVAC control logic which maintains a space temperature in a desired range (Chen, claim 1 at least). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to provide Vaughan with maintaining a temperature setpoint, as taught by Hollander, in order to provide users with their desired comfort settings.
Regarding claim 11, Vaughan teaches the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 9, but does not specifically teach the signal is a temperature setpoint for the hot fluid circuit and a temperature setpoint for the cold fluid circuit, and wherein the controller is configured to control the packaged heating and/or cooling unit to maintain the respective temperature setpoint for the hot fluid circuit or the respective temperature setpoint for the cold fluid circuit.
Chen teaches an HVAC control logic which maintains a space temperature in a desired range (Chen, claim 1 at least). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to provide Vaughan with maintaining a temperature setpoint, as taught by Hollander, in order to provide users with their desired comfort settings.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art of record is Vaughan (US 2012/0279681) in view of FOR1 (JP2004101104A).
The prior art of record when considered as a whole, either alone or in combination, does not anticipate or render obvious:
Regarding claim 12, the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 9, wherein when the signal from the building automation system is for the cooling requirement and the packaged heating and/or cooling unit has a predetermined fluid flow rate equal to or higher than a minimum allowed flow for the heat pump, another packaged heating and/or cooling unit is signaled for operation for the cooling requirement, and wherein the production module controller is further configured to implement a variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the packaged heating and/or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and/or cooling unit to provide the cooling requirement.
FOR1 teaches flow rate control between primary and secondary pumps, each with variable flow control methods, but fails to teach the specifics regarding how the control is initiated and implementing control logic between the two packaged heating and/or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and/or cooling unit to provide the cooling requirement.
In the Examiner’s opinion, it would not be obvious to further modify the prior art structures to arrive at the claimed invention, absent impermissible hindsight. Therefore, rendering claim 12, with dependent claims therefrom are considered allowable.
Regarding claim 13, the packaged heating and/or cooling unit of claim 9, wherein when the signal from the building automation system is for the heating requirement and the packaged heating and/or cooling unit has a second predetermined fluid design flow rate equal to or higher than a minimum allowed flow for the heat pump, another packaged heating and/or cooling unit is signaled for operation for the heating requirement, and wherein the production module controller is further configured to implement a variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the packaged heating and/or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and/or cooling unit to provide the heating requirement.
FOR1 teaches flow rate control between primary and secondary pumps, each with variable flow control methods, but fails to teach the specifics regarding how the control is initiated and implementing control logic between the packaged heating and/or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and/or cooling unit to provide the heating requirement.
In the Examiner’s opinion, it would not be obvious to further modify the prior art structures to arrive at the claimed invention, absent impermissible hindsight. Therefore, rendering claim 13, with dependent claims therefrom are considered allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAEL N BABAA whose telephone number is (571)270-3272. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry-Daryl Fletcher can be reached at (571)-270-5054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NAEL N BABAA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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