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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-3 are pending and examined below.
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 1 and 2 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 (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the optical concentrator" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 2 is rejected as dependent on claim 1.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “an optical concentrator” in line 3. It is unclear whether this is the same optical concentrator of claim 1 or a second optical concentrator.
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 La Due et al., (WO 2022/118074).
Regarding claim 1, La Due discloses a solar power generator system, comprising:
a photovoltaic (PV) material (51a-f, facet cluster comprises multiple sections of the photovoltaic material) onto which optically concentrated incident sunlight (i.e., incident light rays 53 are refracted through the optical material 52, and incident light rays are concentrated 54) is transmitted from the optical concentrator (52), shown in figs. 1 and 6, see para [0016]-[0017]) during a first series of time intervals, i.e., pulses (see para [0010], [0013]),
thereby inducing and maintaining a state of continuous electron avalanche in the PV material (see para [0022]-[0024]),
the PV material continually generating an electrical current that exceeds an electrical current generated by the PV material in the absence of a state of continuous electron avalanche in the PV material (see para [0013]-[0014] and [0022]) (see para [0022]-[0031]);
a control means that reduces a temperature of the PV material during a second series of time intervals that alternate with the first series of time intervals, i.e., control by controlling RPM which determines pulse time and cool time (see para [0019]-[0022] and claim 1), to maintain integrity of the PV material while the state of continuous electron avalanche is maintained in the PV material (see para [0022]),
a state of electron avalanche breakdown is avoided in the PV material (see para [0010]-[0031]), and
the PV material continues to generate the electrical current (see para [0022]-0027]); and
an electrical load (86) to receive the electrical current continually generated by the PV material, (see para [0027]) (see para [0010]-[0031]).
Regarding claim 2, La Due discloses a solar power generation system of claim 1, further comprising:
a 1ens (fig. 1, identifier 52, fig. 6, identifier 129) through which passes incident sunlight (53); and
an optical concentrator having an input aperture and an output aperture (shown in fig. 1 and 6), the input aperture (inner surface 55) to receive the incident sunlight that passes through the lens, the optical concentrator to optically concentrate the incident sunlight (54) received via the input aperture, the output aperture (57a) to transmit the optically concentrated sunlight (54) (see para [0016]-[0024], also shown in fig. 6, input is surface of waveguide, output 124 and 124a, see para [0028]-[0031]) (see para [0010]-[0031]).
Regarding claim 3, La Due discloses a solar power generator, comprising:
a lens (fig. 1, 52, fig. 6, 129), positioned in a two-dimensional plane (shown in figs. 1 and 6), through which to receive radiant energy from the sun (53/54);
an optical concentrator having an input aperture (inner surface 55, and waveguide surface fig. 6, see para [0022]-[0031]) and an output aperture (fig. 1, 54, fig. 6, 124) (shown in fig. 1 and fig. 6, waveguide, no identifier, see para [0010]-[0031]),
the input aperture to receive the radiant energy from the sun that passes through the lens (shown in fig. 1 and fig. 6),
the optical concentrator to optically concentrate the radiant energy (54) received via the input aperture (see para [0010]-[0031]),
the output aperture to transmit the optically concentrated radiant energy (see para [0010]-[0031]);
a drive shaft (axle 58) having a longitudinal axis positioned near and substantially parallel to the two-dimensional geometric plane of the lens (52, fig. 1, 129, fig. 6) and the optical concentrator (shown in fig. 1, and waveguide, no identifier, of fig. 6, see para [0016]-[0031]);
a motor coupled to one end of the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft about the longitudinal axis at a constant speed (see para [0010]-[0031] and claims 1 and 2); and
a plurality of solar modules coupled to the drive shaft, each comprising photovoltaic material (facets, e.g., 51a-f, fig. 1, 67, fig. 2, etc.) (see para [0016]-[0019] and
each forming one of a corresponding plurality of planar facets in coaxial alignment with respect to the drive shaft (shown in fig. 1 and fig. 6), such that as the motor rotates the drive shaft at a constant speed (see La Due claim 1),
each of the plurality of solar modules repeatedly rotates by the output aperture of the optical concentrator for a respective first time period, receives the optically concentrated radiant energy during the respective first time period, thereby inducing and maintaining a state of continuous electron avalanche in the PV material and continually generating an electrical current that exceeds an electrical current generated by the solar module in the absence of a state of continuous electron avalanche in the PV material (see para [0019] and [0029]-[0031]),
each of the solar modules rotating outside the output aperture of the optical concentrator during a respective second time period during which a temperature of the PV material reduces to maintain integrity of the PV material while the state of continuous electron avalanche is maintained in the PV material (see para [0010]-[0031]),
a state of electron avalanche breakdown is avoided in the PV material, and the solar module continues to generate the electrical current (see para [0013]-[0014], [0022] and [0030]-[0031]) (see para [0010]-[0031]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. La Due (US 2018/0287554).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAYNE L MERSHON whose telephone number is (571)270-7869. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 to 6:00 M-F.
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JAYNE L. MERSHON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1721
/JAYNE L MERSHON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721
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