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 § 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(s) 2,3,5-8,10,11is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PODBELSKI et al. 20120194895 in view of MAIMON et al. AU2012100413A4
CLAIM 2
PODBELSKI et al. et al. discloses CLAIM 2 (New) A method for controlling a tint state of at least one of a plurality of optically switchable windows (Fig. 1), the method comprising:
measuring solar irradiance (Fig. 3) (table 1) for the at least one of the plurality of optically switchable windows.
PODBELSKI et al. does not disclose a photovoltaic spandrel glass comprising at least one photovoltaic array integrated with spandrels titles and/or spandrel glass.
MAIMON et al. discloses CLAIM 1. A solar window glass panel which is formed by at least one sheet of glass, the solar window glass panel includes: a solar panel formed using thin-film amorphous silicon which is 5 carried by the at least one sheet of glass; the solar panel is configured, by providing varying tinting through adjustment of the amount of thin-film amorphous silicon present in the solar panel, to adjust transmittance of the solar panel in which a selected amount of visible light transmitted and total solar energy transmitted is 10 allowed to pass through the solar panel; wherein the transmittance is linked to the power output of the solar panel so that an increase in transmittance results in a decrease of power output. 15
Spandrel is well known to be the area around a glass façade on a building, spandrel glass is hiding the structural members that might be behind the spandrel glass. The spandrel glass, glass used to cover this area, has a tinted property that limits (transmittance) the visual site of what is behind the spandrel glass.
MAIMON et al. teaches the transmittance is linked to the power output of the solar panel so that an increase in transmittance results in a decrease of power output. 15
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to incorporate a photovoltaic array (solar panel) into a tinted glass to form the photovoltaic spandrel glass comprising at least one photovoltaic array integrated with spandrels titles and/or spandrel glass to take advantage of the increased power output of the solar panel due to the decreased transmittance of the spandrel glass.
CLAIM 3
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 3 (New) The method of claim 2, wherein measuring the solar irradiance is based at least in part on real-time photovoltaic power generation data (PODBELSKI et al. Fig. 3).
CLAIMS 5,10
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 5 (New) The method of claim 2.
The references do not disclose forecasting weather based at least in part on the measured solar irradiance.
It is obvious that one of ordinary skill in the art of forecasting weather would know that days with high solar irradiance are sunny days and a record of past sunny days could help in predicting future periods of the same season, to forecast the weather.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to forecasting weather based at least in part on the measured solar irradiance.
CLAIMS 6,11
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 6 (New) The method of claim 2.
The references do not disclose modeling climate based at least in part on the measured solar irradiance.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to model climate based on solar irradiance since it is well known in the art that modeling past weather predicts future weather and high solar irradiance is an indication of sunny weather, therefore modeling past high solar irradiance periods of weather provides information to forecast future weather periods.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modeling climate based at least in part on the measured solar irradiance.
CLAIM 7
PODBELSKI et al. et al. discloses 7 (New) A system for controlling a tint state of at least one of a plurality of optically switchable windows (Fig. 1), the system comprising:
measuring solar irradiance (Fig. 3) (table 1) for the at least one of the plurality of optically switchable windows.
PODBELSKI et al. does not disclose a photovoltaic spandrel glass comprising at least one photovoltaic array integrated with spandrels titles and/or spandrel glass.
MAIMON et al. discloses CLAIM 1. A solar window glass panel which is formed by at least one sheet of glass, the solar window glass panel includes: a solar panel formed using thin-film amorphous silicon which is 5 carried by the at least one sheet of glass; the solar panel is configured, by providing varying tinting through adjustment of the amount of thin-film amorphous silicon present in the solar panel, to adjust transmittance of the solar panel in which a selected amount of visible light transmitted and total solar energy transmitted is 10 allowed to pass through the solar panel; wherein the transmittance is linked to the power output of the solar panel so that an increase in transmittance results in a decrease of power output. 15
Spandrel is well known to be the area around a glass façade on a building, spandrel glass is hiding the structural members that might be behind the spandrel glass. The spandrel glass, glass used to cover this area, has a tinted property that limits (transmittance) the visual site of what is behind the
spandrel glass.
The references do not disclose a photovoltaic monitor configured to gather solar irradiance data from the photovoltaic array;
PODBELSKI et al. discloses measuring available energy from PV module (Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to gather solar irradiance data from the energy measurement (energy from the PV is a measurement of irradiance on the PV) to form a data base for modeling the weather since it is well known in the art that modeling past weather predicts future weather and high solar irradiance is an indication of sunny weather, therefore modeling past high solar irradiance periods of weather provides information to forecast future weather periods.
CLAIM 8
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 8 (New) The system of claim 7.
PODBELSKI et al. discloses wherein the solar irradiance data is based at least in part on real-time photovoltaic power generation data (Fig. 3).
Claim(s) 4,9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PODBELSKI et al. 20120194895 in view of MAIMON et al. AU2012100413A4 in further view of BROEN et al. US20160154290
CLAIM 4
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 4 (New) The method of claim 2.
The references do not disclose further determining incident solar heat gain based at least in part on the measured solar irradiance.
BROWN et al. discloses [0195] Thermoelectric generators may be used in combination with other power sources. For instance, thermoelectric generators may be provided in combination with batteries, PV panels, piezoelectric generators, fuel cells, etc. In a particular embodiment, a window includes both a PV panel and a thermoelectric generator (with or without other power options such as batteries, etc.). Because solar panels typically use only the high frequency part of the solar radiation, they are especially useful in combination with a thermoelectric generator. Low frequency heat energy, which would otherwise be lost where a PV panel is used in isolation, is instead captured by the thermoelectric generator and converted to electricity. Such a combined power scheme can help optimize energy efficiency.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to determine incident solar heat gain based on solar irradiance because the heat gain is the low frequency heat energy dependent on the solar radiation and knowing the solar radiation the heat energy load can be predicted.
CLAIM 9
PODBELSKI et al. in view of MAIMON et al. disclose CLAIM 9 (New) The system of claim 7.
The references do not disclose wherein the one or more window controllers are configured to: determine incident solar heat gain based at least in part on the solar irradiance data.
BROWN et al. discloses [0195] Thermoelectric generators may be used in combination with other power sources. For instance, thermoelectric generators may be provided in combination with batteries, PV panels, piezoelectric generators, fuel cells, etc. In a particular embodiment, a window includes both a PV panel and a thermoelectric generator (with or without other power options such as
batteries, etc.). Because solar panels typically use only the high frequency part of the solar radiation, they are especially useful in combination with a thermoelectric generator. Low frequency heat energy, which would otherwise be lost where a PV panel is used in isolation, is instead captured by the thermoelectric generator and converted to electricity. Such a combined power scheme can help optimize energy efficiency.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to determine incident solar heat gain based on solar irradiance because the heat gain is the low frequency heat energy dependent on the solar radiation and knowing the solar radiation the heat energy load can be predicted.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT L DEBERADINIS whose telephone number is (571)272-2049. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am to 6 pm.
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May 15, 2026
/ROBERT L DEBERADINIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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