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 on 1/10/2025 and 6/16/2026 seems to be in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "11 to 15" (for example see Fig. 10) and "51 to 55" have both been used to designate Power Control Device. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Examiner suggest amending section marks as error below to display “51 to 55” instead of “11 to 15”.
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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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et. al. WO Publication 2022130802 (Abe) in view of Inagaki et. al. JP Publication 2001112261.
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Regarding claim 1, Abe discloses a power control device (i.e., 11c) (Fig. 2) for controlling a power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 2) configured to convert an input power (for example see power generated by elements 11-14) to output, the power control device comprising:
a setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) configured to set a control mode of the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 2) to either one of a constant voltage control, a constant current control, a constant power control (Abe discloses the use of either a constant voltage control, a constant current control, a constant power control, more particularly Abe discloses the feedback control performed by each power converter is not limited to dropV control and dropP control based on the reference function, but is constant voltage control that keeps the voltage constant and constant power control that keeps the power constant. Constant voltage control, which is an example of voltage control, and constant power control, which is an example of power control, are examples of control methods for controlling the output of the power conversion unit 11a).
and set a target value of output of the power converter corresponding to the control mode based on the control mode and a reference function defined according to an input value (for example Abe discloses, for example using voltage, current or power as input values wherein a control area information is provided for each of the plurality of control areas, and the plurality of control area information is stored in the storage unit 11cd. The determination unit 11cc may generate control area information accordingly) (see Fig. 4a – 5d);
and an output unit (i.e., 11ca) (Fig. 3) configured to output the control mode set by the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) and the target value set by the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) to the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 2).
Abe fails to disclose an output stop according to an input value. However, Inagaki discloses an output stop according to an input value (for example Inagaki discloses if any one of the power converters (i.e., 2a, 2b, 2c) operating at a current close to zero output is stopped), since operating at a current close to zero output affect operation efficiency.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally provided an output stop according to an input value in Abe, as taught by Inagaki, in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, discloses wherein the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) is configured to set the control mode based on a control area a control area defining a range of voltage, current, and power for performing any one of the constant voltage control, the constant current control, the constant power control, and the control area is set to suppress a disturbance of the input value (for example see Fig. 4a-5D).
Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied above, more particularly Abe discloses using current as the input value and, as a applied above, Inagaki discloses the output stop corresponding to the reference function (for example power near zero due to a current near zero) based on an input value (for example current) in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency, as applied above in linking claim.
Regarding claim 3, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, more particularly Abe discloses wherein the control area is defined to suppress reduction of efficiency of the power converter (for example see Fig. 4A-5D).
Regarding claim 4, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, more particularly Abe discloses wherein the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) is configured to suppress the reduction of efficiency of the power converter by setting the control mode to the power near zero (for example see Fig. 4C and control area AR122). Further, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied above in linking claims, more particularly Inagaki discloses the setting unit (i.e., 12b) (Fig. 1) configured to suppress the reduction of efficiency of the power converter by setting the control mode to the auto stop when the power is near zero in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Regarding claim 5, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, further discloses comprising a communication unit (i.e., 11d) (Fig. 3) configured to acquire control information indicating a control method of the power converter from an external device (i.e., 200) (Fig. 1), and a target value of output of the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3), wherein when the control method indicated by the control information is either the constant power control or the constant current control, the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 3) is configured to set the control mode to the control method indicated by the control information, and the output unit is configured to output the target value acquired by the communication unit and the set control mode to the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, further comprises an area setting unit configured to set a control area defining a range of voltage, current, and power for performing any one of the constant voltage control, the constant current control, the constant power control (for example see Fig. 4A-5D), wherein when the control method indicated by the control information is the constant voltage control, the setting unit is configured to set a control mode defined in the control area corresponding to the target value and a target value determined based on the reference function, and the output unit (i.e., 11ca) (Fig. 3) is configured to output the set control mode and the target value to the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3). Further, as pointed out above in linking claims, Abe in view of Inagaki discloses the claimed invention, more particularly Inagaki discloses the output stop corresponding to the reference function based on an input value in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Regarding claim 7, Abe in view of Inagaki, as applied in linking claims, discloses the claimed invention including a power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3) configured to acquire the control mode and the target value from the power control device (i.e., 11c) (Fig. 3), perform a control according to the acquired control based on the acquired target value when the acquired control mode is any one of the constant voltage control and the constant power control. Further as applied above in linking claim, Abe in view of Inagaki Inagaki, more particularly Inagaki discloses a stop output when the control mode is the output stop in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Regarding claim 8, Abe discloses a control method of a power control device for converting an input power to output, the method comprising:
a setting step of setting a control mode of the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3) to either one of a constant voltage control, a constant current control, a constant power control, and setting a target value of output of the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3) corresponding to the control mode based on the control mode and a reference function defined according to an input value ;
and an output step of outputting the control mode set at the setting step and the target value set at the setting step to the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 3).
Abe fails to disclose an output stop according to an input value. However, Inagaki discloses an output stop according to an input value (for example Inagaki discloses if any one of the power converters 2b operating at a current close to zero output is stopped), since operating at a current close to zero output affect operation efficiency.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally provided an output stop according to an input value in Abe, as taught by Inagaki, in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Regarding claim 9, Abe discloses a central control device (i.e., 40) (Fig. 1) for controlling a power control device of a power converter (i.e., 11-14) (Fig. 1) configured to convert an input power to output, wherein the power control device (i.e., 11c) (Fig. 1) includes a setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 1) configured to set a control mode of the power converter (i.e., 11) (Fig. 1) to either one of a constant voltage control, a constant current control, a constant power control, and set a target value (for example a current, voltage or pawer) of output of the power converter corresponding to the control mode based on the control mode and a reference function defined according to an input value (se Fig. 4A-5D);
and an output unit (i.e., 11ca) (Fig. 1) configured to output the control mode set by the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 1) and the target value set by the setting unit (i.e., 11cb) (Fig. 1) to the power converter (i.e., 11a) (Fig. 1), the method comprising a step of outputting the reference function to the power control device by the central control device.
Abe fails to disclose an output stop according to an input value. However, Inagaki discloses an output stop according to an input value (for example Inagaki discloses if any one of the power converters 2b operating at a current close to zero output is stopped), since operating at a current close to zero output affect operation efficiency.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally provided an output stop according to an input value in Abe, as taught by Inagaki, in order to avoid affecting operation efficiency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YAHVEH COMAS TORRES whose telephone number is (571)272-4011. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays - Thursday 830am.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu V Tran can be reached on (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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/YAHVEH COMAS TORRES/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
