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
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 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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ozawa et al (US Patent No. 5107447).
Regarding claim 1, Ozawa teaches a method for limiting lightning overvoltage of a direct current power transmission line (i.e., abnormality diagnosing system and method for high voltage power apparatus; fig. 1), comprising: S1, acquiring static operation data of the direct current transmission line (i.e., The system of the present invention comprises a detector 50 including sensors (50a, 50b, . . . 50n) disposed at each part of the machinery to obtain various data; Col. 5 lines 47+) and lightning current monitoring data of the line subjected to lightning strike through a monitoring instrument (i.e., monitoring instrument 3000; fig. 1) (e.g., a local or field panel 1000 for processing these detection quantities, judging the abnormality values and diagnosing part of them and transferring the result to a diagnosing apparatus of an upper order, a transmitting unit 2000 for transferring the signals from the local panel to a remote place and a central monitoring panel 3000 for making collective diagnosis by processing the transmitted signals; Col. 5 lines 47+), wherein the static operation data comprises voltage and current of the line not subjected to lightning strike (i.e., current quantity Q versus time; fig. 43) (e.g., When partial discharge occurs, its discharge quantity Q increases with time t as shown in FIG. 43. Its change changes generally with the impressed voltages V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3. This relation is determined in advance for each of the kinds of abnormality L, M, N and stored in the remaining life data base 357; Col. 34 lines 39+), and the lightning current monitoring data comprises lightning current amplitude, lightning current waveform and lightning strike time (i.e., the amplitude V in each time T of lightning strike Q; Table 7, Col. 34 lines 20+); superimposing an impact (i.e., abnormality index S; Table 6, Col. 34 lines 3+) of the lightning current monitoring data on line operation onto the static operation data by electromagnetic transient simulation software (i.e., simulation to establish Table 1; Col. 10 lines 42+) to form dynamic operation data comprising voltage and current values (e.g., Simulated partial discharge is intentionally generated in advance at several portions of the gas insulated apparatus by paying specific attention to at least two specific frequency bands F.sub.2, F.sub.2, F.sub.3 of the 500 to 1,500 MHz band and the absolute values of the intensity of F.sub.1, F.sub.2 and F.sub.3 as well as their relative intensity F.sub.1 /F.sub.2, F.sub.2 /F.sub.3 and F.sub.3 /F.sub.1 are measured; Col. 11 lines+ 61+); and establishing a coordinate system (i.e., coordinate system 90A; fig. 48) with time as a horizontal axis (i.e., horizontal axis Time; fig. 51) and the voltage of the dynamic operation data as a vertical axis (i.e., vertical axis Voltage across pole; fig. 51) to draw a line dynamic operation function curve (i.e., line dynamic operation function curve 831, 832; fig. 51); S2, correcting (i.e., correcting/adjusting based on the calibration curve; fig. 7) (e.g., The remaining spectral intensity judgement unit 318 shown in FIG. 7 compares the intensity of the spectrum remaining after subtraction processing with the predetermined detrimental level, judges the existence of an abnormality inside the gas insulated apparatus if the former exceeds the latter and at the same time, determines the charge quantity of discharge from the calibration curve of the predetermined spectral intensity and the charge quantity of discharge; Col. 11 lines 14+) lightning protection performance parameters of the direct current power transmission line in real time (i.e., FIG. 39(a)-39(b) show a real time type signal transfer system) according to environmental factor data (i.e., environmental factor data Task 1-Task n; fig. 37) (e.g., the reference values for making the abnormality judgement in the field panel 1000 needs instruction information, such as when the reference values must be changed in accordance with the environmental condition or with the condition of the apparatus or when fine monitoring must be effected consecutively after any abnormality is detected by rough monitoring and these instructions are transferred as DOWN information from the monitoring apparatus 3000 to the local or field panel 1000. The data storage quantity in the panel 1000 changes in accordance with the monitoring items; Col. 28 lines 42+), wherein the lightning protection performance parameters comprise an air clearance (i.e., air clearance between element 20 and element 25; fig. 1) of a tower head (i.e., bushing 18 acts the tower head; fig. 1) at a line tower (i.e., line tower 20; fig. 1) and a lightning impulse discharge voltage (i.e., lightning impulse discharge voltage line 14) of a line insulator (i.e., line insulator 1; fig. 1), and the environmental factor data comprises topography (i.e., topography; fig. 24), landforms, temperature, humidity, contamination level (i.e., the level of foreign matter; fig. 1) and air pressure values (i.e., air pressure values; fig. 18 and Table 4) in an environment where the line is located (i.e., the environment of the remote location; fig. 1) (e.g., The characteristics of the temperature difference shown in FIG. 24 vary with the topography, latitude, longitude, etc., of the substation where the breaker is disposed. Therefore, a greater effect can be obtained by measuring the similar characteristics to those of FIG. 24 after installation at the site and preparing the final judgement standard; fig. 28); and establishing a coordinate system (i.e., coordinate system 90A; fig. 48) with time as the horizontal axis (i.e., horizontal axis Time; fig. 51) and the lightning impulse discharge voltage as the vertical axis (i.e., vertical axis Voltage across pole; fig. 51) to draw a line lightning protection performance function curve (i.e., line lightning protection performance function curve 825; fig. 51) (e.g., FIG. 52 shows another embodiment of the diagnosis system in accordance with the present invention. Unlike the detector 50 of the gas insulated apparatus 1 for detecting insulation abnormality, power supply abnormality and foreign matter, the detector 50C in FIGS. 40 and 52 is disposed in order to detect the abnormal voltages such as thunder, switching surge, etc., the meteorological conditions such as temperature, rainfall, wind force, etc., unusual weather such as an earthquake and the various control signals of the system and the substation. When an abnormality is judged by the abnormality judgement of the apparatus and the signal enters from A, the detector makes the collective judgement together with the aforementioned various detectors 50C so as to change the judgement reference values, the detectors, the detection period and the system; Col. 38 lines 16+); and S3, subtracting (i.e., FIGS. 10(a)-10(c) illustrate the principle of spectrum subtraction in the present invention) a voltage value on the line dynamic operation function curve (i.e., voltage spectral intensity H values/data, wherein H = V^2/Hz from the antenna 306; fig. 3) from a voltage value on the line lightning protection performance function curve at any moment in the same coordinate system (i.e., voltage spectral intensity data from detector 304; fig. 3) to obtain a voltage difference (i.e., voltage difference stored in block 318; fig. 7) (e.g., The spectrum subtraction unit 317 subjects the signal from the antenna 306 to the frequency spectrum analysis and subtracts it from the result of spectrum analysis result of the signal from the partial discharge detector 304 by use of the data that is stored in the memory 311. Since the antenna 306 detects the external discharge with high sensitivity, the spectrum of the external discharge can be removed by subtracting its spectrum. FIG. 10 explains its principle; Col. 10 lines 61+), and a lightning arrester (i.e., lightning arrester 15; fig. 1) arranged in the line activating discharge protection (i.e., the line activating discharge protection 14; fig. 1) and recording discharge data (i.e., the recording discharge data stored in the memory unit 91; fig. 2) of the lightning arrester when the voltage difference is less than 15%-20% (i.e., free of difference; fig. 10c) of dynamic operating voltage at the moment (i.e., the dynamic operating voltage of the curves in figs. 10a and 10b) (e.g., FIG. 10(a) shows the spectral distribution of the signals detected by the partial discharge detector 304 when the internal discharge and the external discharge occur simultaneously. It includes the components below 400 MHz and the components between 500 and 1,500 MHz and corresponds exactly to FIG. 9(d). In addition to the frequency component of below 400 MHz, the spectrum of the signals detected by the antenna 306 (FIG. 10(b)) contains frequency components between 500 to 1,500 MHz. A spectral distribution (FIG. 10(c)) free from the influences of the external discharge can be obtained by adjusting and subtracting the variation of (a) and (b); Col. 10 lines 61+).
Regarding claim 2, Ozawa teaches the method of claim 1; wherein the lightning arrester comprises a body unit (i.e., body unit 2; fig. 5) and a clearance unit (i.e., clearance unit 324) that are connected in sequence (implicit, as seen in fig. 5), wherein a sensing module (i.e., sensing module 304) is arranged in the body unit, and gas (i.e., SF.sub.6 gas having excellent insulation performance and arc extinction performance is sealed therein; fig. 5) located between electrodes (i.e., electrodes 325; fig. 5) at both ends of a clearance (i.e., clearance 330; fig. 5) in the clearance unit is sealed by an insulating material (i.e., insulating material 326).
Regarding claim 3, Ozawa teaches the method of claim 1; wherein line sections affected by lightning strike (i.e., line sections affected by lightning strike 14; fig. 1) are sequentially divided into a safe area (i.e., safe area bushing 18; fig. 1), a disturbance area (i.e., disturbance area contact portion 40; fig. 1) and a hazardous area (i.e., hazardous area lightning arrestor 15; fig. 1) according to a spacing (i.e., spacer 10; fig. 1) between the line dynamic operation function curve and the line lightning protection performance function curve at different positions (implicit, as seen in fig. 1) from a lightning strike point (i.e., lightning strike point 20; fig. 1), and a direct current line lightning arrester (i.e., direct current line lightning arrester 15; fig. 1) is installed and arranged in the hazardous area (implicit, as seen in fig. 1).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozawa et al (US Patent No. 5107447) in view of Kester et al (US Publication No. 20110216463).
Regarding claim 4, Ozawa teaches the method of claim 2.
Ozawa does not teach wherein one end of the clearance unit of the lightning arrester is fixed to the line, and one end of the body unit is fixed to a tower cross arm above the line or to a tower below the line.
Kester teaches in a similar field of endeavor in surge arrestors (i.e., transmission applications 900; fig. 9); wherein one end (902b) of the clearance unit (902) of the lightning arrester (902)is fixed to the line (906), and one end (908b) of the body unit (908) is fixed to a tower cross arm (912a) above the line or to a tower below the line (implicit, as seen in fig. 9).
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 tower cross arm in Ozawa, as taught by Kester, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design.
Claims 5-8 are withdrawn.
Conclusion
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
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