DETAILED ACTION
The office action is in response to original application filed on 12-30-24. Claims 1-20 are pending in the application and have been examined.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted filed before the mailing of a first Office action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97(b) (3). Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by US 2018/0054064 to Narla et al. (“Narla”).
Regarding claim 1, Narla discloses device comprising (fig. 3): a relay leg (326) configured to connect a power source (302) to a grid (AC grid 306) via at least a latching relay (328); and a control circuit (340) comprising a power bank configured to store energy (para; 0031, energy generation system 300 includes a battery pack 314 for storing power from or providing power to storage inverter 316) and provide a power pulse to open or close (para; 0038, controller 340 may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 1 when controller 340 detects the presence of AC grid 306; and may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 2 when controller 340 detects that the presence of AC grid 306 is lost) the latching relay.
Regarding claim 2, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to store energy above a threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient) that corresponds to a minimum energy required to generate the power pulse that is sufficient to open or close the latching relay (para; 0038, controller 340 may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 1 when controller 340 detects the presence of AC grid 306; and may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 2 when controller 340 detects that the presence of AC grid 306 is lost).
Regarding claim 3, Narla discloses the control circuit is configured to control charging of the power bank to a level above the threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient).
Regarding claim 4, Narla discloses the control circuit is configured to ensure the power bank is charged to a level above the threshold throughout operation of the device (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient).
Regarding claim 5, Narla discloses the control circuit is configured to measure an electrical parameter (para; 0010, to output power to a load circuit through an output line; a sensor configured to measure an amount of power flow through the output line; and a feedback line coupled between a panel controller and the sensor, where the feedback line provides an avenue through which the measured amount of power flow may be received by the panel controller) of the power bank to ensure the power bank is charged to a level above the threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient).
Regarding claim 6, Narla discloses the control circuit is configured to charge the power bank from a plurality of power sources (306, 302).
Regarding claim 7, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to provide the power pulse to a monitoring circuit (306) configured to drive a coil of the latching relay (para; 0031, automatic smart transfer switch 328 may be positioned to route power between storage inverter 316 and both main electrical panel 330 and AC grid 306. For instance, automatic smart transfer switch 328 may be positioned between inverter 316 and both main electrical panel 330 and AC grid 306. Main electrical panel 330 may be a physical interface from which an entire set of loads may receive power from inverter 316 or AC grid 306).
Regarding claim 8, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to provide the power pulse to a pre-commissioning circuit (main electrical pane 330) configured to test (para; 0007, Each motorized circuit breaker can include a sensor configured to monitor power usage from a respective load of the one or more loads) the device prior to connection with the grid (para; 0022, The automatic smart transfer switch can be configured to select between the inverter and the utility grid to connect to the loads at the installation site. When the automatic smart transfer switch selects the utility grid to connect to the loads during on-grid mode grid may be directly connected to the loads while the off-grid output of the inverter is isolated).
Regarding claim 9, Narla discloses the device comprises: an inverter (304) configured to connect a photovoltaic power source to a three-phase AC grid (306); and an automatic switching circuit (328) that comprises the latching relay and is configured to disconnect the inverter from the three-phase AC grid based on a power interruption or fault (para; 0022, The automatic smart transfer switch can be configured to select between the inverter and the utility grid to connect to the loads at the installation site).
Regarding claim 10, Narla discloses a circuit, comprising (fig. 3): a relay leg (326) configured to connect a power source (302) to a grid (306) via at least a latching relay (328); a controller (340) configured to control, based on input data, the latching relay; and a power bank (para; 0031, energy generation system 300 includes a battery pack 314 for storing power from or providing power to storage inverter 316) configured to store energy and provide a power pulse to open or close (para; 0038, controller 340 may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 1 when controller 340 detects the presence of AC grid 306; and may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 2 when controller 340 detects that the presence of AC grid 306 is lost) the latching relay.
Regarding claim 11, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to store energy above a threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient) that corresponds to a minimum energy required to generate the power pulse that is sufficient to open or close the latching relay (para; 0038, controller 340 may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 1 when controller 340 detects the presence of AC grid 306; and may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 2 when controller 340 detects that the presence of AC grid 306 is lost).
Regarding claim 12, Narla discloses a digital signal processor coupled to the controller (para; 0038, Controller 340 may be any suitable device capable of being configured to manage the operation of automatic smart transfer switch 328, such as a microcontroller, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and the like) and configured to measure an electrical parameter (para; 0010, to output power to a load circuit through an output line; a sensor configured to measure an amount of power flow through the output line; and a feedback line coupled between a panel controller and the sensor, where the feedback line provides an avenue through which the measured amount of power flow may be received by the panel controller) of the power bank to ensure the power bank is charged to a level above the threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient).
Regarding claim 13, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to provide the power pulse to a monitoring circuit (306) configured to drive a coil of the latching relay (para; 0031, automatic smart transfer switch 328 may be positioned to route power between storage inverter 316 and both main electrical panel 330 and AC grid 306. For instance, automatic smart transfer switch 328 may be positioned between inverter 316 and both main electrical panel 330 and AC grid 306. Main electrical panel 330 may be a physical interface from which an entire set of loads may receive power from inverter 316 or AC grid 306).
Regarding claim 14, Narla discloses the controller is configured to: send, to the monitoring circuit, a pulse width modulation signal that indicates when to control the latching relay; and send, to the monitoring circuit (para; 0054, Panel controller 542 can send electrical signals to specific motorized circuit breakers 534 to either interrupt or establish their power flow. In order for panel controller 542 to control motorized circuit breakers 534, wired or wireless communication lines (not shown for clarity purposes) may be coupled between panel controller 542 and each motorized circuit breaker 534. Any suitable wired communication lines, e.g., RS485, controller area network (CAN) bus, and the like, and any suitable wireless communication lines, e.g., wireless fidelity (WiFi), Zigbee, radio, and power line communication (PLC), can be used), a direct current (DC) signal (para; 0006, energy generation system includes an energy generation device; an energy generation inverter coupled to the energy generation device and configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the energy generation device to alternating current (AC) power) that causes the monitoring circuit to control the latching relay to disconnect the power source from the grid.
Regarding claim 15, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to provide the power pulse to a pre-commissioning circuit (main electrical pane 330) configured to test (para; 0007, Each motorized circuit breaker can include a sensor configured to monitor power usage from a respective load of the one or more loads) an inverter prior to connection with the grid (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient).
Regarding claim 16, Narla discloses the power bank comprises a storage element (314), switching circuit (fig. 3), and a measurement circuit (para; 0011, The panel controller can be further configured to manage the operation of the motorized switch based upon the measured amount of power flow and para; 0010, to output power to a load circuit through an output line; a sensor configured to measure an amount of power flow through the output line; and a feedback line coupled between a panel controller and the sensor, where the feedback line provides an avenue through which the measured amount of power flow may be received by the panel controller).
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.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over US 2018/0054064 to Narla et al. (“Narla”) in view of US 2010/0263704 to Fornage et al. (“Fornage”).
Regarding claim 17, Narla discloses a system comprising (fig. 1): a first control circuit (PV Inverter 104); a first relay leg (126) configured to connect a power source (102) to a first terminal via a first relay (126) controlled by the first control circuit; a second control circuit (Storage inverter 116); a second terminal connected (128) to the first terminal (at the black dot ) and connected to a grid (106) via a second relay (128) controlled by the second control circuit, wherein the second relay comprises a latching relay (124); and a power bank (114) configured to store energy and provide a power pulse to open or close (para; 0025, lines 31-36, when transfer relays 124 are in a first position, storage inverter 116 may provide power to or receive power from AC grid 106, and when transfer relays are in a second position, storage inverter 116 may provide power to back-up loads 108 in off-grid (voltage source) operation, e.g., when the utility grid is not available) the latching relay.
But, Narla does not disclose a connection box;
However, Fornage discloses connection box (fig. 6A, 602);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Narla by adding inverter housing as part of its configuration as taught by Fornage, in order to allowing the PV module DC contacts be coupled to a DC connection assembly of the
connector housing and securing the mounted inverter.
Regarding claim 18, Narla discloses the power bank is configured to store energy above a threshold (buck and/or boost) DC/DC 318 charge the battery 314 efficient) that corresponds to a minimum energy required to generate the power pulse that is sufficient to open or close the latching relay (para; 0038, controller 340 may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 1 when controller 340 detects the presence of AC grid 306; and may cause automatic smart transfer switch 328 to be in position 2 when controller 340 detects that the presence of AC grid 306 is lost).
Regarding claim 19, Narla discloses the connection box comprises a pre-commissioning circuit (main electrical pane 330) configured to test (para; 0007, Each motorized circuit breaker can include a sensor configured to monitor power usage from a respective load of the one or more loads) an inverter prior to connection with the grid; and wherein the power bank is configured to provide the power pulse to the pre-commissioning circuit (fig. 5, 544).
Regarding claim 20, Narla discloses an inverter (304);
But, Narla does not disclose a safety mechanism configured to extend through a hole in a casing of the inverter and to keep a switching contact of the latching relay open at least until the safety mechanism is removed.
However, Fornage discloses a safety mechanism (para; 0052, the safety latch 606 may be hinged to the flanges 626 and pivot toward the connector housing 602 when moved from an open to a closed position to secure the inverter 102) configured to extend through a hole in a casing (fig. 6A, 602) of the inverter and to keep a switching contact of the latching relay (safety latch 606) open at least until the safety mechanism is removed (para; 0053, thereby requiring the inverter output power to be disconnected prior to removing the inverter 102 from the universal connector assembly 110 and preventing any shock hazard during inverter removal).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Narla by adding inverter housing as part of its configuration as taught by Fornage, in order to allowing the PV module DC contacts be coupled to a DC connection assembly of the connector housing and securing the mounted inverter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lai et al. US 2020/0259362 A1- A solar power system may comprise a solar panel set, a controller, a lithium battery set, and at least a DC load. The controller has a control unit built therein to control a double-contact relay, a single-contact relay, and a transformer. The rated voltage of the solar panel set is higher than the rated voltage of the lithium battery set between 115% and 130%. When the actual voltage of the solar panel set is lower than 115% of the rated voltage of the lithium battery set, the solar panel set is configured to low-loss charge the lithium battery set under the low illumination condition. When the actual voltage of the solar panel set is higher than 115% of the rated voltage of the lithium battery set, the solar panel set under the high illumination condition is adapted to have voltage-drop through the transformer and high-efficiently charge the lithium battery set.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ESAYAS G YESHAW whose telephone number is (571)270-1959. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Sat 9AM-7PM.
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/ESAYAS G YESHAW/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2849