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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 09/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive due to the following: -
With respect to (I. Status of the Claims /A); Applicant argues in bullet A, page 1 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's amendment does not overcome the prior arts. In other words, the PRTG of Pinheiro Martins is the circuit device/circuit breakers LDS, ES/fig. 4, MCB4/fig. 6 as clearly stated in "Pinheiro Martins; para. [0074] to remotely open or close the motorized line and earth disconnect switches" and the PRTG is disposed between the transmission line and the power transformer as clearly stated in "Pinheiro Martins; para. [0073] The protection and automation device PRTG is preferably installed in the CST and used for the following purposes:, ---.". Finally, the PRTG is equipped with miscellaneous fault countermeasures and indications as clearly stated in "Pinheiro Martins; para. [0076] to detect a short-circuit in the EHV circuit of CSS or eventually in the power transformers' primary winding, using an overcurrent protection that compares the magnitude of the measured current, with a predefined threshold value. In case of a positive detection, it sends and an auto-recloser inhibit command to the transmission line end substations and also blocks the transmission line manual energization".
With respect to (II. Affirmation of Election of Species 1, FIG. 2, With Traverse /B); Applicant argues in bullet B, page 2 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the restriction set forth in the Office Action mailed on 09/16/2026 is proper and thoroughly executed.
With respect to (III. The Disclosed Species Share a Common Special Technical Feature /C); Applicant argues in bullet C, page 2 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "Pinheiro Martins does not disclose that common feature" is fully incorrect as explained above in bullet A. As such, and as noted above in bullet B, the unity of invention requirement is conducted properly.
With respect to (A. Pinheiro Martins' PRTG Is Not the Claimed Power-Path Circuit Device /D); Applicant argues in bullet D, pages 2-3 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "The Office Action does not identify such a device in Pinheiro Martins." is fully incorrect as thoroughly explained above in bullet A. In other words, the Examiner does not understand why the Applicant is stating the complete opposite of the Pinheiro Martins teachings because, Pinheiro Martins explicitly teaches that the PRTG opens and closes in response to any fault event for protection purposes. Again, the Examiner does not understand the Applicant's point of view whatsoever.
With respect to (B. The LDS and ES Do Not Perform the Claimed Fault-Current Interruption /E); Applicant argues in bullet E, pages 3-4 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "Consequently, even if PRTG, LDS, and ES are considered collectively, the cited disclosure still does not identify a single circuit device satisfying the claimed requirement that the device itself conduct HV/XHV power during normal operation and itself interrupt or limit fault-indicative current." is fully incorrect as thoroughly explained above in bullet A. In other words, Pinheiro Martins explicitly teaches the above feature via the circuit device PRTG plain and simple reproduced here; "Pinheiro Martins [0073] The protection and automation device PRTG is preferably installed in the CST and used for the following purposes: [0074] to remotely open or close the motorized line and earth disconnect switches; [0075] to monitor and supervise the line and earth disconnect switch positions and transmit this information to the transmission line end substations; [0076] to detect a short-circuit in the EHV circuit of CSS or eventually in the power transformers' primary winding, using an overcurrent protection that compares the magnitude of the measured current, with a predefined threshold value. In case of a positive detection, it sends and an auto-recloser inhibit command to the transmission line end substations and also blocks the transmission line manual energization; [0077] to supervise the auxiliary power supply status WD Ret.".
With respect to (C. Pinheiro Martins Does Not Disclose the Circuit Breaker of Claims 24 and 25 /F); Applicant argues in bullet F, page 4 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "A communicated inhibit command to remote equipment does not transform PRTG or LDS into the claimed circuit breaker." is fully incorrect. In other words, Pinheiro Martins explicitly teaches the above feature via the circuit device PRTG as discussed above in bullet E. {See discussion of bullet E}
With respect to (D. Ozawa Does Not Disclose a GIS Substation Housed in a Portable or Mobile Container /G); Applicant argues in bullet G, page 4 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "It does not disclose that gas-insulated apparatus 1, or a gas-insulated substation incorporating that apparatus, is housed in the vehicle. Portability of diagnostic equipment is not housing of the GIS substation itself in a portable or mobile container." is fully incorrect. Ozawa explicitly teaches the above feature via apparatus 1 plain and simple, reproduced here; "The gas insulated apparatus 1 includes various switches such as grounded switches 8 that are stored in a tank 2 at the ground potential as shown in FIG. 1 and an SF.sub.6 gas having excellent insulation performance and arc extinction performance is sealed therein. Power is introduced into the apparatus by an aerial cable 20 through a bushing 18 and is sent to a transformer 25 through a bus consisting of a center conductor 14 supported by a spacer 10, a disconnecting switch 6, a breaker 4, and the like. As to the signal processing portions, the present invention uses a local or field panel system for integrating the signals of many sensors, analog/digital conversion, optical transmission, a field panel buildup system of diagnostic information, a high function mobile diagnosing car, a time division system of signal recording, an atmospheric start system, a continuous system, a system for checking soundness of a signal detection system, a loop system of transmission, a star system, and the like, because most of the signals are weak and remote transmission is necessary. In this manner signal transmission can be affected with high reliability and high accuracy.".
With respect to (V. The Separate Rejection of Claim 31 over Pinheiro Martins, Ozawa, and Adili /H); Applicant argues in bullet H, pages 5-6 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "Because Adili does not teach or suggest a power voltage transformer having a high voltage side so rated, Adili does not cure the deficiencies of Pinheiro Martins and Ozawa identified in § IV above." is fully incorrect. In other words, Adili explicitly teaches the power transformer rating within the range of 72 kV to 550 kV. Also, Adili explicitly teaches the compatible cable's profile with any desired transformer rating to be selected and deployed by the user into any high voltage application(s). And, the motivation behind Adili's modification to the teachings of Pinheiro Martins is reasonable because claim 31 is merely selecting a transformer rating range (72 kV to 550 kV) that is already accounted for and within the range of (60 kV to 800 kV) as discussed thoroughly in claim 22. In other words, claim 31 does not require any further analysis whatsoever because again, claim 31 has only one limitation and that is; the transformer rating range feature, which is already satisfied by Pinheiro Martins and Adili, respectively as discussed above.
With respect to (V. The Separate Rejection of Claim 31 over Pinheiro Martins, Ozawa, and Adili /H); Applicant argues in bullet H, page 6 of Remarks filed on 09/23/2026. In accordance with broadest reasonable interpretation, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the Applicant's conclusion reproduced here; "Pinheiro Martins' CST, CSS, and CSP are different functional portions of one charging installation: a tap, a substation, and a charging park. They are not individual substations, and Pinheiro Martins does not disclose them as selectively interconnectable individual substations each containing the elements required by claim 36." is fully incorrect. In other words, Pinheiro Martins explicitly teaches the scalable power supply system via the miscellaneous scheme of CST, CSS, and CSP as depicted for example in fig. 4.
Thus, for the reasons stated above, the action set forth in the Office Action mailed on 09/16/2026 is maintained.
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 22-25 and 32-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pinheiro Martins et al (US Publication No. 20210362613) in view of Ozawa et al (US Patent No. 5107447).
Regarding claim 22, Pinheiro teaches a substation (substation CSS; fig. 4) connectable to a high or extra-high voltage transmission line (extra-high voltage transmission line CST; fig. 4), the substation comprising: a power line (power line/CST; fig. 4) having a first end (first end/CST; fig. 4) electrically connected to a singular point (singular point/CST; fig. 4) of the transmission line, a circuit device (i.e., circuit device PRTG/CST; fig. 6) electrically connected to a second end (second end/CST; fig. 4) of the power line to receive the high or the extra-high voltage from the transmission line, the circuit device responsive to a faulty condition (i.e., protecting the charging station from electrical faults; [0049]) that can arise during operation of the substation and, while the transmission line is energized (e.g., protection equipment for protecting the transmission line from electrical faults of the charging station, and/or protection equipment for protecting the electric vehicle chargers from electrical faults; para. [0049]), configured to interrupt (i.e., interrupt via ES and LDS) (e.g., to remotely open or close the motorized line and earth disconnect switches; para. [0074]) or limit a flow of high-voltage or extra-high-voltage current indicative of the faulty condition (e.g., [0076] to detect a short-circuit in the EHV circuit of CSS or eventually in the power transformers' primary winding, using an overcurrent protection that compares the magnitude of the measured current with a predefined threshold value. In case of a positive detection, it sends and an auto-recloser inhibit command to the transmission line end substations and also blocks the transmission line manual energization; [0077] to supervise the auxiliary power supply status WD Ret.); the power voltage transformer (power voltage transformer PT1; fig. 4) electrically connected to the circuit device (implicit, as seen in fig. 4), having a high-voltage side rated in a range from 60 kV to 800 kV (i.e., extra high voltage networks, in particular 60 kV to 800 kV networks; [0008]), wherein the power voltage transformer is configured to supply low voltage power (i.e., The charging station park CSP, according to an embodiment, includes the electric vehicle charging station loads (CS) connected to the low voltage feeders provided by the CSS; para. [0014]), wherein the low voltage power is below 1kV (i.e., for example below the medium voltage 1 kV to 69 kV networks, used for distribution in urban and rural areas; para. [0009]), directly transformed from the high or the extra high voltage power received by the power voltage transformer from the circuit device (e.g., The charging station substation CSS preferably includes all power transformers that are part of the high voltage electric vehicle charging station and the several low voltage feeders that will power supply the electric vehicle charging stations; para. [0064]); wherein transformation of the high or the extra-high voltage to the low voltage power is carried out without (i.e., bypass; [0019]) medium-voltage circuitry between the transmission line and the power voltage transformer (e.g., able to supply at least several kVA at low voltage receiving power directly from a high voltage transmission line, thus enabling the bypass of medium voltage network distribution; [0019]); the circuit device (i.e., the circuit device PRTG; fig. 6) being disposed in a high-voltage or extra-high-voltage power-current path (i.e., high-voltage or extra-high-voltage power-current path CTS, the first/top end of the transmission line at the CTS; fig. 4/fig. 6) between the second end of the power line (i.e., the second end of the power line CTS; the second/bottom end of the transmission line at the CTS; fig. 4/fig. 6) and a power voltage transformer (i.e., power voltage transformer PT1; fig. 4) and being configured during normal operation of the substation to conduct high-voltage or extra-high-voltage power received from the transmission line to the power voltage transformer; (e.g., [0073] The protection and automation device PRTG is preferably installed in the CST and used for the following purposes: [0074] to remotely open or close the motorized line and earth disconnect switches; [0075] to monitor and supervise the line and earth disconnect switch positions and transmit this information to the transmission line end substations).
Ozawa teaches in a similar field of endeavor in high voltage applications (i.e., gas insulated apparatus 1; fig. 1); wherein the gas insulated substation (i.e., gas insulated apparatus 1; fig. 1) is housed in a portable or mobile container (i.e., It is convenient to employ an exclusive portable type mounted onto a vehicle as the system 90CB and better economy can be obtained by using it for a plurality of substations. It is further possible to dispose the system B90SB in the form of a robot or the like inside the substation, which is operated upon abnormality detection by the system A90SA to make detailed diagnosis of the abnormality occurring portion; fig. 52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the air/gas insulated substation in Pinheiro, as taught by Ozawa, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design.
Regarding claim 23, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; wherein the circuit device is configured to inhibit effects of the faulty condition (implicit, as seen in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 24, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; further comprising a current transformer (current transformer CT; fig. 4) electrically connected to an output of the circuit device (output M/CST; fig. 6), wherein the circuit device comprises a circuit breaker (i.e., CBs LDS, ES/fig. 4, MCB4/fig. 6) configured to open (e.g., [0073] The protection and automation device PRTG is preferably installed in the CST and used for the following purposes: [0074] to remotely open or close the motorized line and earth disconnect switches) and thereby interrupt a flow of current (flow of current in CST; fig. 6) in response to the current transformer sensing a current flow (flow of current in CST; fig. 6) indicative of the faulty condition (e.g., to detect a short-circuit in the EHV circuit of CSS or eventually in the power transformers' primary winding, using an overcurrent protection that compares the magnitude of the measured current, with a predefined threshold value. In case of a positive detection, it sends and an auto recloser inhibit command to the transmission line end substations and also blocks the transmission line manual energization; para. [0076]).
Regarding claim 25, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; wherein the circuit device is a circuit breaker (implicit, as seen in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 32, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; wherein transformation of the high or the extra high voltage to the low power voltage is carried out directly (direct tap to the power line via CST; fig. 4).
Regarding claim 33, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; connectable to power an electric vehicle charging station (CSS; fig. 4).
Regarding claim 34, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; connectable for village electrification (implicit, as seen in fig. 4).
Regarding claim 35, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; connectable for establishing a low voltage electrical power distribution in a rural or semi-rural area (implicit, as seen in fig. 4).
Regarding claim 36, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Pinheiro further teaches the substation; a system of substations (system; para. [0011]), a scalable power supply system (i.e., scalable as CST, CSS, and CSP; fig. 4). And, for the rest of the limitations/features in claim 36 is rejected for the same reasons that have already been stated/discussed above in rejected claim 22. {See rejection of claim 22}
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pinheiro Martins et al (US Publication No. 20210362613) in view of Ozawa et al (US Patent No. 5107447) and further in view of Adili (US Publication No. 20220231451).
Regarding claim 31, Pinheiro in view of Ozawa and the teachings of Pinheiro as modified by Ozawa have been discussed above.
Neither Pinheiro nor Ozawa teaches wherein the high voltage side of the power voltage transformer is rated from 72 kV to 550 kV.
Adili teaches in a similar field of endeavor in high voltage applications (i.e., apparatus 1; fig. 1); wherein the high voltage side of the power voltage transformer is rated from 72 kV to 550 kV (i.e., The invention is preferably suitable for voltages above 50 kV, especially for voltages between 100 and 800 kV, preferably between 200 and 550 kV, as a high-voltage indoor cable end termination for example for a transformer. Preferably, this embodiment is used for voltages up to 72 kV; para. [0010]- [0064]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the transformer rating in Pinheiro, as taught by Adili, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design.
Claims 1-21 are cancelled.
Claims 26-30 are not elected.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUAAMAR Q AL-TAWEEL whose telephone number is (571)270-0339. The examiner can normally be reached 0730-1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu V Tran can be reached at (571) 270- 1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUAAMAR QAHTAN AL-TAWEEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838
