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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 02/03/2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/03/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 7, in line 8, “the DCDC converter comprising:” appears that it should read as “the DCDC converter comprises:”, because of grammar.
Regarding claim 9, in line 11-12, “the submarine DCDC converter” appears that it should read as “the DCDC converter”, because claim 7 recites a DCDC converter and there is no antecedent basis in claim 7 or claim 8 for the submarine DCDC converter.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Regarding claim 8, the recitation “a second submarine cable sub-system having a configuration similar to that of the first submarine cable sub-system” is indefinite. The term similar is a relative term of degree, and neither the claim nor the specification provides a standard for measuring how nearly the configuration of the second submarine cable sub-system must approach that of the first submarine cable sub-system in order to fall within the claim. The specification does not resolve the ambiguity, stating only that the first and second submarine cable sub-systems 10 and 20 may have configurations roughly identical to each other (see [0023] of the specification), which is itself a term of degree. For purposes of examination, a second submarine cable sub-system having a configuration similar to that of the first submarine cable sub-system is interpreted as a second submarine cable sub-system comprising two land feeding apparatuses, a submarine branching unit, and a DCDC converter, corresponding to the third and fourth land feeding apparatuses 21 and 22, the submarine branching unit 24, and the second submarine DCDC converter 120 described for the second submarine cable sub-system 20 in [0022] of the specification.
Regarding claim 8, the recitation “DCDC converters are arranged so as to face each other in an interconnected section between the first and second submarine cable sub-systems” is indefinite because there is no antecedent basis for the plural DCDC converters. Claim 7 recites only a single DCDC converter, in the first submarine cable sub-system, and claim 8 does not affirmatively recite a DCDC converter in the second submarine cable sub-system. A DCDC converter is present in the second submarine cable sub-system only by way of the interpretation of a configuration similar to that of the first submarine cable sub-system set forth immediately above, which is itself the indefinite recitation addressed there. For purposes of examination, DCDC converters is interpreted as the DCDC converter of the first submarine cable sub-system together with a DCDC converter of the second submarine cable sub-system, corresponding to the first and second submarine DCDC converters 110 and 120 described in [0025] of the specification.
Regarding claim 9, the recitation “the first submarine cable sub-system is in one of the first and second states, and the second submarine cable sub-system is in the other of the first and second states” is indefinite. The first state and the second state are defined earlier in claim 9 as states of the submarine DCDC converter, defined by the connections made by the first switch and the second switch of the polarity switching unit. It is therefore unclear what it means for a submarine cable sub-system, rather than a converter, to be in one of those states. For purposes of examination, this recitation is interpreted as the DCDC converter of the first submarine cable sub-system being in one of the first and second states and the DCDC converter of the second submarine cable sub-system being in the other of the first and second states, corresponding to the first submarine DCDC converter 110 performing negative outputting and the second submarine DCDC converter 120 performing positive outputting as described in [0026] and [0032] of the specification.
Dependent claims 9 and 10 of claim 8 inherit the deficiencies of claim 8 and are therefore also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu et al. (US Patent Application Publication US 2004/0130215 A1, hereinafter “Muramatsu”) in view of Inoue (US Patent 5,214,312).
Regarding claim 1, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) a submarine DCDC converter (submarine power feeding branching device 53a, which is housed in a pressure-resistant case; see [0066] of Muramatsu) comprising: a DCDC conversion circuit (constant current-constant current converter 61; see [0066] of Muramatsu) configured to supply a first constant current input to an input terminal (input terminal 65; see [0067] of Muramatsu) from a land feeding apparatus (land constant current feeding device 51a; see [0058] of Muramatsu) through a first submarine cable (trunk submarine cable 52a; see [0074] of Muramatsu) to a first output terminal (first output terminal 66, to which the square waveform producing portion supplies a restored first constant current; see [0070] of Muramatsu), generate a second constant current using the first constant current (the constant current-constant current converter 61 utilizes the first constant current supplied to the input terminal 65 to produce a second constant current; see [0008] of Muramatsu), and supply the generated second constant current to a second output terminal (second output terminal 67, through which the output constant current is supplied to the branch submarine cable 54a as the second constant current; see [0078] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal.
However, Inoue teaches (see Fig. 32) a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal (the power polarity changing unit of the power feed unit provided in each of the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC, each such power feed unit being “capable of inverting power feed polarity” and being “capable of supplying a current of either a positive polarity or a negative polarity to the optical marine cable”; see col. 21, lines 44-47 and col. 17, lines 36-39 of Inoue).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine DCDC converter of Muramatsu to include a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal, as taught by Inoue, because it can help a single common device serve either as the device that leads the second constant current to the second output terminal or as the device that leads the second constant current from the second output terminal, and thereby help avoid the need for “plural submarine branching devices which have different specifications”, which Muramatsu identifies as a disadvantage of the prior submarine power feeding system (see [0045] of Muramatsu).
Regarding claim 6, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) a method for controlling a submarine DCDC converter (a method of operating the submarine power feeding branching device 53a; see [0073] of Muramatsu), comprising: supplying a first constant current input to an input terminal (input terminal 65; see [0067] of Muramatsu) from a land feeding apparatus (land constant current feeding device 51a; see [0058] of Muramatsu) through a first submarine cable (trunk submarine cable 52a; see [0074] of Muramatsu) to a first output terminal (first output terminal 66, to which the square waveform producing portion supplies a restored first constant current; see [0070] of Muramatsu), generating a second constant current using the first constant current (the constant current-constant current converter 61 utilizes the first constant current supplied to the input terminal 65 to produce a second constant current; see [0008] of Muramatsu), and supplying the generated second constant current to a second output terminal (second output terminal 67, through which the output constant current is supplied to the branch submarine cable 54a as the second constant current; see [0078] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose switching a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal.
However, Inoue teaches (see Fig. 32) switching a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal (the power polarity changing unit of the power feed unit provided in each of the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC inverts the polarity of the current that the power feed unit outputs to the power feed line of the optical marine cable, each such power feed unit being “capable of supplying a current of either a positive polarity or a negative polarity to the optical marine cable”; see col. 21, lines 44-47 and col. 17, lines 36-39 of Inoue).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for controlling a submarine DCDC converter of Muramatsu to include switching a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal, as taught by Inoue, because it can help a single common device serve either as the device that leads the second constant current to the second output terminal or as the device that leads the second constant current from the second output terminal, and thereby help avoid the need for “plural submarine branching devices which have different specifications”, which Muramatsu identifies as a disadvantage of the prior submarine power feeding system (see [0045] of Muramatsu).
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Inoue, and further in view of Takigawa (US Patent Application Publication US 2014/0103739 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 6) wherein the DCDC conversion circuit comprises a transformer (transformer TR1) including a primary winding provided on a side on which the first output terminal is located (the primary winding of the transformer TR1, which is connected to the input terminal 65 at the midpoint thereof and the two ends of which are connected to the first output terminal 66 through the first switch S1 and the second switch S2, respectively; see [0068] of Muramatsu) and a secondary winding provided on a side on which the second output terminal is located (the secondary winding of the transformer TR1, which is connected to the ground terminal 68 at the midpoint thereof and the two ends of which are connected to the second output terminal 67 through the first diode D1 and the second diode D2, respectively; see [0068] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose wherein the polarity switching unit comprises: a first switch disposed between a first terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal; and a second switch disposed between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal.
However, Takigawa teaches (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 9) a first switch (line switching unit 221a, which includes a bi-stable relay having a switch SW51; see [0050] and [0053] of Takigawa) disposed between a first terminal (power reception terminal A; see [0052] of Takigawa) of the secondary winding and the second output terminal (the power supply circuit 400, to which the path W523 of the switch SW51 is connected; see [0086] of Takigawa); and a second switch (line switching unit 221b, which likewise includes a bi-stable relay and “connects the feed line to the power supply circuit 400 or the sea earth SE”; see [0052] and [0053] of Takigawa) disposed between a second terminal (power reception terminal B; see [0052] of Takigawa) of the secondary winding and the second output terminal (the power supply circuit 400; see [0086] of Takigawa).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine DCDC converter of Muramatsu wherein the polarity switching unit comprises a first switch disposed between a first terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal and a second switch disposed between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal, as taught by Takigawa, because it can help the submarine apparatus continue to receive the supply of power and work continuously even if a failure occurs in a feed line, and can thereby help avoid having to pull up the submarine apparatus and perform maintenance, which “takes considerable effort and expense” (see [0049] and [0006] of Takigawa). Examiner’s Note: The first diode D1 and the second diode D2 of Muramatsu already occupy the respective positions between the two ends of the secondary winding and the second output terminal 67 in which the claimed first and second switches are disposed (see [0068] of Muramatsu), so that placing the two changeover switches of Takigawa in those positions is a simple substitution of one known element for another that yields the predictable result that the end of the secondary winding connected to the second output terminal 67 can be selected, and hence that the direction of the constant current output at the second output terminal 67 can be reversed.
Regarding claim 3, Muramatsu does not disclose wherein the polarity switching unit switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between a first state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the second output terminal, and the second switch connects the second terminal to an underwater ground electrode, and a second state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the underwater ground electrode, and the second switch connects the second terminal to the second output terminal.
However, Takigawa teaches (see Fig. 4B and Fig. 4C) wherein the polarity switching unit (the switching execution unit 220 formed of the line switching units 221a and 221b, operating under control of the switching control unit 210; see [0027] and [0050] of Takigawa) switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between a first state (the connection relationship shown in Fig. 4C, in which the feed line of the power reception terminal A is connected to the power supply circuit 400 and the feed line of the power reception terminal B is connected to the sea earth SE; see [0048] of Takigawa) in which the first switch (line switching unit 221a) connects the first terminal (power reception terminal A) to the second output terminal (power supply circuit 400), and the second switch (line switching unit 221b) connects the second terminal (power reception terminal B) to an underwater ground electrode (sea earth SE), and a second state (the connection relationship shown in Fig. 4B, in which the feed line of the power reception terminal A is connected to the sea earth SE and the feed line of the power reception terminal B is connected to the power supply circuit 400; see [0048] of Takigawa) in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the underwater ground electrode (sea earth SE), and the second switch connects the second terminal to the second output terminal (power supply circuit 400).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine DCDC converter of Muramatsu wherein the polarity switching unit switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between a first state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the second output terminal, and the second switch connects the second terminal to an underwater ground electrode, and a second state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the underwater ground electrode, and the second switch connects the second terminal to the second output terminal, as taught by Takigawa, because it can help the submarine apparatus continue to receive the supply of power and work continuously even if a failure occurs in a feed line, and can thereby help avoid having to pull up the submarine apparatus and perform maintenance, which “takes considerable effort and expense” (see [0049] and [0006] of Takigawa). Examiner’s Note: The underwater ground electrode to which the switches are alternately connected is already present in Muramatsu, the ground terminal 68 serving as one of the output side terminals of the constant current-constant current converter 61 (see [0067] of Muramatsu) and the seawater being used as the return circuit for each of the trunk and the branch submarine cables (see [0059] of Muramatsu).
Claims 7, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Inoue, and further in view of Verhaege et al. (European Patent Application Publication EP 2393220 A1, hereinafter “Verhaege”).
Regarding claim 7, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) a submarine cable system (the submarine electric power feeding system; see [0052] of Muramatsu) comprising: a first submarine cable sub-system comprising: a DCDC converter to which the first constant current is supplied (submarine power feeding branching device 53a, which is interposed in the trunk submarine cable 52a and to the input terminal 65 of which the first constant current is fed; see [0054] and [0074] of Muramatsu), wherein the DCDC converter comprises: a DCDC conversion circuit (constant current-constant current converter 61; see [0066] of Muramatsu) configured to supply the first constant current input to an input terminal (input terminal 65; see [0067] of Muramatsu) to a first output terminal (first output terminal 66, to which the square waveform producing portion supplies a restored first constant current; see [0070] of Muramatsu), generate a second constant current using the first constant current (the constant current-constant current converter 61 utilizes the first constant current supplied to the input terminal 65 to produce a second constant current; see [0008] of Muramatsu), and supply the generated second constant current to a second output terminal (second output terminal 67, through which the output constant current is supplied to the branch submarine cable 54a as the second constant current; see [0078] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable; and a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal.
However, Inoue teaches (see Fig. 32) a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable (the submarine branching unit BU, by which the submarine optical cables are branched and connected respectively to the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC having the power feed units; see col. 21, lines 44-47 of Inoue); and a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal (the power polarity changing unit of the power feed unit provided in each of the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC, each such power feed unit being “capable of inverting power feed polarity” and being “capable of supplying a current of either a positive polarity or a negative polarity to the optical marine cable”; see col. 21, lines 44-47 and col. 17, lines 36-39 of Inoue).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu to include a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable, with the DCDC converter interposed in the branched submarine cable so that the first constant current is supplied to the DCDC converter from the branched submarine cable, and to include a polarity switching unit configured to switch a polarity of the second constant current output from the second output terminal, as taught by Inoue, because it can help a single common device serve either as the device that leads the second constant current to the second output terminal or as the device that leads the second constant current from the second output terminal, and thereby help avoid the need for “plural submarine branching devices which have different specifications”, which Muramatsu identifies as a disadvantage of the prior submarine power feeding system (see [0045] of Muramatsu). Examiner’s Note: It would further have been obvious to interpose the DCDC converter of Muramatsu in the branched submarine cable rather than in the trunk submarine cable, because it can help extend the constant-current feeding arrangement onto the branched cable, Muramatsu teaching that the constant current feeding system is used for the branch submarine cables as well as the trunk submarine cables and that additional devices are accordingly easy to provide along the branch submarine cables (see [0063] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable, the land constant current feeding devices 51a, 51b and 51c of Muramatsu instead being connected respectively to the separate trunk submarine cables 52a, 52b and 52c so that a single one of them feeds each such cable (see [0053] of Muramatsu).
However, Verhaege teaches (see Fig. 8) two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable (the terminals 16 and 17 of the DC power feed equipment provided at the shore stations 102, to which both ends of the electric conductor of the trunk hybrid cable 103 are connected and which may be provided on different HVDC generators, the same electric current being imposed at both of the terminals 16 and 17 by current-controlled generators; see [0064] and [0067] of Verhaege).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu to include two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable, as taught by Verhaege, because it can help maintain operation of a portion of the submarine cable even if the cable is interrupted between the sea earthing electrode and one of the end sections, since the portion between the sea earthing electrode and the other end section may still operate as a subsystem (see [0008] of Verhaege).
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5) further comprising a second submarine cable sub-system (the trunk submarine cable 52b, the land constant current feeding device 51b connected thereto, and the submarine power feeding branching device 53b interposed therein; see [0053] and [0054] of Muramatsu), wherein DCDC converters are arranged so as to face each other in an interconnected section between the first and second submarine cable sub-systems (the companions of each pair of the submarine power feeding branching devices 53a and 53b, which are interposed in adjacent two of the trunk submarine cables 52a-52c and between the second output terminals of which the branch submarine cable 54a is connected; see [0055] and [0056] of Muramatsu), and a polarity of a current output from one of the DCDC converters is different from that of a current output from the other DCDC converter (the first type 53a produces constant current flowing from the inside to an output terminal thereof while the second type 53b produces constant current flowing from an output terminal thereof to the inside, the pair producing “the second constant currents flowing in opposite direction and having identical intensity”; see [0054] and [0115] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose the second submarine cable sub-system comprising a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable, as required by the recitation of a configuration similar to that of the first submarine cable sub-system under the interpretation set forth above.
However, Inoue teaches (see Fig. 32) a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable (the submarine branching unit BU, by which the submarine optical cables are branched and connected respectively to the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC having the power feed units; see col. 21, lines 44-47 of Inoue).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu so that the second submarine cable sub-system likewise comprises a submarine branching unit configured to branch the submarine cable, as taught by Inoue, because it can help supply electric power to a node disposed on the seabed on the branched side of the second submarine cable sub-system in the same manner as in the first submarine cable sub-system, and thereby help the two sub-systems be built and maintained from a common set of apparatuses (see [0045] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose the second submarine cable sub-system comprising two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable, as that recitation is interpreted above.
However, Verhaege teaches (see Fig. 8) two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable (the terminals 16 and 17 of the DC power feed equipment provided at the shore stations 102, to which both ends of the electric conductor of the trunk hybrid cable 103 are connected and which may be provided on different HVDC generators, the same electric current being imposed at both of the terminals 16 and 17 by current-controlled generators; see [0064] and [0067] of Verhaege).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu so that the second submarine cable sub-system likewise comprises two land feeding apparatuses each of which is configured to supply a first constant current to a submarine cable, as taught by Verhaege, because it can help maintain operation of a portion of the submarine cable of the second submarine cable sub-system even if that cable is interrupted, since the portion between the sea earthing electrode and the remaining end section may still operate as a subsystem (see [0008] of Verhaege).
Regarding claim 10, as best understood, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5) further comprising: a connection cable connecting two DCDC converters to each other (the branch submarine cable 54a, which is connected between the companions of a pair of the submarine power feeding branching devices 53a and 53b; see [0056] of Muramatsu); and a submarine apparatus to which electric power is supplied (the submarine observation device 56, which is placed on the bottom of the sea and receives the constant voltage that the submarine repeater 55 interposed in the branch submarine cable 54a produces from the second constant current; see [0057] and [0060] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose a branching unit configured to branch a connection cable connecting two DCDC converters to each other, the submarine observation device 56 of Muramatsu instead being connected to the submarine repeater 55 that is interposed in the branch submarine cable 54a (see [0057] of Muramatsu).
However, Inoue teaches (see Fig. 32) a branching unit configured to branch a connection cable connecting two DCDC converters to each other (the submarine branching unit BU, which is interposed in a submarine cable and by which the submarine optical cables are branched, the branched cables being connected respectively to the cable landing stations AA, BB and CC having the power feed units; see col. 21, lines 44-47 of Inoue; the connection cable connecting two DCDC converters to each other being the branch submarine cable 54a of Muramatsu that is connected between the companions of a pair of the submarine power feeding branching devices 53a and 53b, see [0056] of Muramatsu).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu to include a branching unit configured to branch the connection cable connecting the two DCDC converters to each other, so that electric power is supplied to the submarine apparatus through the branching unit, as taught by Inoue, because it can help supply electric power to a submarine apparatus located away from the connection cable itself, Muramatsu teaching that the constant current feeding system is used for the branch submarine cables so that additional observation devices are easy to provide along them (see [0063] of Muramatsu).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Inoue and Verhaege, and further in view of Takigawa.
Regarding claim 9, as best understood, Muramatsu discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) wherein the DCDC conversion circuit comprises a transformer (transformer TR1) including a primary winding provided on a side on which the first output terminal is located (the primary winding of the transformer TR1, which is connected to the input terminal 65 at the midpoint thereof and the two ends of which are connected to the first output terminal 66 through the first switch S1 and the second switch S2, respectively; see [0068] of Muramatsu) and a secondary winding provided on a side on which the second output terminal is located (the secondary winding of the transformer TR1, which is connected to the ground terminal 68 at the midpoint thereof and the two ends of which are connected to the second output terminal 67 through the first diode D1 and the second diode D2, respectively; see [0068] of Muramatsu).
Muramatsu does not disclose wherein the polarity switching unit comprises: a first switch disposed between a first terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal; and a second switch disposed between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal; and wherein the polarity switching unit switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between a first state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the second output terminal, and the second switch connects the second terminal to an underwater ground electrode, and a second state in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the underwater ground electrode, and the second switch connects the second terminal to the second output terminal.
However, Takigawa teaches (see Fig. 4B, Fig. 4C, Fig. 5 and Fig. 9) a first switch (line switching unit 221a, which includes a bi-stable relay having a switch SW51; see [0050] and [0053] of Takigawa) disposed between a first terminal (power reception terminal A; see [0052] of Takigawa) of the secondary winding and the second output terminal (the power supply circuit 400, to which the path W523 of the switch SW51 is connected; see [0086] of Takigawa); and a second switch (line switching unit 221b, which likewise includes a bi-stable relay and “connects the feed line to the power supply circuit 400 or the sea earth SE”; see [0052] and [0053] of Takigawa) disposed between a second terminal (power reception terminal B; see [0052] of Takigawa) of the secondary winding and the second output terminal (the power supply circuit 400; see [0086] of Takigawa). Takigawa further teaches wherein the polarity switching unit (the switching execution unit 220 formed of the line switching units 221a and 221b, operating under control of the switching control unit 210; see [0027] and [0050] of Takigawa) switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between a first state (the connection relationship shown in Fig. 4C, in which the feed line of the power reception terminal A is connected to the power supply circuit 400 and the feed line of the power reception terminal B is connected to the sea earth SE; see [0048] of Takigawa) in which the first switch (line switching unit 221a) connects the first terminal (power reception terminal A) to the second output terminal (power supply circuit 400), and the second switch (line switching unit 221b) connects the second terminal (power reception terminal B) to an underwater ground electrode (sea earth SE), and a second state (the connection relationship shown in Fig. 4B, in which the feed line of the power reception terminal A is connected to the sea earth SE and the feed line of the power reception terminal B is connected to the power supply circuit 400; see [0048] of Takigawa) in which the first switch connects the first terminal to the underwater ground electrode (sea earth SE), and the second switch connects the second terminal to the second output terminal (power supply circuit 400).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the submarine cable system of Muramatsu wherein the polarity switching unit comprises a first switch disposed between a first terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal and a second switch disposed between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the second output terminal, and switches a state of the submarine DCDC converter between the first state and the second state, as taught by Takigawa, because it can help the submarine apparatus continue to receive the supply of power and work continuously even if a failure occurs in a feed line, and can thereby help avoid having to pull up the submarine apparatus and perform maintenance, which “takes considerable effort and expense” (see [0049] and [0006] of Takigawa). Examiner’s Note: Because the companion submarine power feeding branching devices 53a and 53b interposed in adjacent two of the trunk submarine cables produce the second constant currents flowing in opposite direction (see [0054] and [0115] of Muramatsu), the DCDC converter of the first submarine cable sub-system would thereby be set in one of the first and second states while the DCDC converter of the second submarine cable sub-system would be set in the other of the first and second states.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 4, none of the cited prior art alone or in combination discloses or teaches the claimed invention in which “the polarity switching unit is disposed outside the DCDC conversion circuit and is disposed in a cable connection part configured to connect an output of the DCDC conversion circuit to the second output terminal”. The closest prior art, Takigawa, places its line switching units 221a and 221b inside the optical submarine branching apparatus 21 together with the power supply circuit 400 and the switching control unit 210 (see [0050] of Takigawa), and Muramatsu houses the whole of the submarine power feeding branching device 53a, including the constant current-constant current converter 61, in a single pressure-resistant case (see [0066] of Muramatsu). Takigawa expressly recognizes the difficulty that the claimed arrangement addresses, stating that where the feed line switching apparatus does not work it is necessary to pull up the submarine branching apparatus and perform maintenance, which “takes considerable effort and expense” (see [0006] of Takigawa), yet Takigawa nonetheless places its switching elements inside that same apparatus. Neither reference locates the switching elements outside the conversion circuit in a cable connection part that connects the output of the conversion circuit to the second output terminal, and therefore neither discloses or teaches the above limitation.
Regarding claim 5, none of the cited prior art alone or in combination discloses or teaches the claimed invention in which “a rectification circuit connected to both ends of the primary winding of the transformer and configured to rectify a current flowing through the primary winding”. The closest prior art, Verhaege, discloses an electric converter in which a rectifier bridge 92 is connected to the secondary winding 91 rather than to the primary winding 90, the primary winding being coupled to the main line 49 through a switching arrangement 95 (see [0061] of Verhaege). Inoue likewise discloses a power supply circuit PS comprising four diodes D1, D2, D3 and D4 connected in a bridge circuit that feeds a power supply unit PW, and not a transformer primary winding (see col. 21, lines 31-34 of Inoue). Muramatsu places its rectifying smoothing portion, formed of the first and second diodes D1 and D2 and the second condenser C2, on the secondary side of the transformer TR1 (see [0069] of Muramatsu). Accordingly, none of the cited references discloses or teaches a rectification circuit connected to both ends of the primary winding and rectifying the current flowing through the primary winding.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 5,446,392 discloses submarine equipment in which a diode bridge rectifier circuit is connected in series to the feed line of a submarine cable so as to provide one-way current to a power unit regardless of the direction in which the operating current is fed from the cable landing stations.
US 7,529,020 B2 discloses an optical amplifier module retained within the outer housing of an undersea optical fiber cable joint, the module replacing the internal fiber splice housing of that joint and having retaining elements connectable to the cable termination units thereof.
US 6,917,465 B2 discloses an optical amplifier module housed in a universal cable joint and having an isolated electrical path that supplies electrical power received from a conductor of the jointed optical fiber cable to a circuit board located within the module.
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/MONICA LEWIS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/JYE-JUNE LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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