DETAILED ACTION
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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-12, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bash et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0278070, “Bash”).
Regarding claim 1, Bash discloses a method for optimizing operation of a plurality of cooling units (¶0021), the method comprising:
obtaining a current energy consumption of a first configuration of the plurality of cooling units (108, 110) in which a first number of the plurality of cooling units are active (¶0060);
determining a predicted energy consumption of a second configuration of the plurality of cooling units in which a second number of the plurality of cooling units are active, wherein one or more of the second number of the plurality of cooling units operates in an altered mode of operation relative to the first configuration (¶0090); and
generating, in response to determining that the predicted energy consumption is lower than the current energy consumption, a computer-executable instruction configured to cause the plurality of cooling units to operate according to the second configuration (¶0091-¶0092).
Regarding claim 2, Bash further discloses transmitting the computer-executable instruction to at least one of the plurality of cooling units (¶0091-¶0092).
Regarding claim 3, Bash further discloses determining whether a difference between the current energy consumption and the predicted energy consumption is greater than a threshold (threshold at which the controller determines cost may be reduced, ¶0092); and
generating the computer-executable instruction in response to determining the difference is greater than the threshold (¶0092).
Regarding claim 4, Bash further discloses wherein the second number of the plurality of cooling units active in the second configuration is greater than the first number of the plurality of cooling units active in the first configuration (see ¶0054, where Bash explains that the number of units in the first configuration or second configuration may vary, and thus apparatus is capable of having the number of units in the first and second configuration be less or greater than the other).
Regarding claim 5, Bash further discloses wherein the second number of the plurality of cooling units active in the second configuration is smaller than the first number of the plurality of cooling units active in the first configuration (see ¶0054, where Bash explains that the number of units in the first configuration or second configuration may vary, and thus apparatus is capable of having the number of units in the first and second configuration be less or greater than the other).
Regarding claim 6, Bash further discloses wherein the altered mode of operation is a mixed pump and compressor mode of operation (¶0054, as compressor 13 and pump 132 would operate in this mode).
Regarding claim 7, Bash further discloses wherein the determining the predicted energy consumption comprises:
determining, for each of a plurality of candidate second configurations (for example being off or reducing the power to the compress/pump), a respective predicted energy consumption, each of the plurality of candidate second configurations having at least one of a different respective number of the plurality of cooling units active (¶0054).
Regarding claim 8, Bash further discloses determining which of the plurality of candidate second configurations (for example reducing the power to the compress/pump while not maintaining the setpoint temperature or reducing the power to the compress/pump while maintaining the setpoint temperature) has a smallest predicted energy consumption; and
selecting that candidate second configuration as the second configuration (reducing the power to the compress/pump while maintaining the set point temperature, see ¶0065).
Regarding claim 9, Bash further discloses storing the plurality of candidate second configurations and the respective predicted energy consumptions in a database (see ¶0059).
Regarding claim 10, Bash further discloses wherein the determining the predicted energy consumption is based on a current ambient temperature (¶0090).
Regarding claim 11, Bash further discloses repeating at least one of the obtaining of the current energy consumption (as it is implied that the process is repeated, see ¶0042).
Regarding claim 12, Bash further discloses determining whether a total cooling capacity deliverable by the plurality of cooling units in the second configuration is suitable for cooling a data centre housing the plurality of cooling units (as it is implied that the cooling would be sufficient in the second configuration, ¶0054).
Regarding claim 16, Bash discloses a control device comprising:
a processor (of 112, ¶0027); and
a memory storing computer-executable instructions (208, ¶0059), the computer-executable instructions when executed causing the processor to:
obtain a current energy consumption of a first configuration of a plurality of cooling units (108, 110) in which a first number of the plurality of cooling units are active (¶0060);
determine a predicted energy consumption of a second configuration of the plurality of cooling units in which a second number of the plurality of cooling units are active, wherein one or more of the second number of the plurality of cooling units operates in an altered mode of operation relative to the first configuration (¶0091-¶0092); and
generate, in response to determining that the predicted energy consumption is lower than the current energy consumption, a computer-executable instruction configured to cause the plurality of cooling units to operate according to the second configuration (¶0091-¶0092).
Regarding claim 17, Bash discloses a cooling system comprising:
a plurality of cooling units (108, 110); and
a control device (112), wherein the control device comprises:
a processor (of 112, ¶0027); and
a memory storing computer-executable instructions (208, ¶0059), the computer-executable instructions when executed causing the processor to:
obtain a current energy consumption of a first configuration of the plurality of cooling units (108, 110) in which a first number of the plurality of cooling units are active (¶0060);
determine a predicted energy consumption of a second configuration of the plurality of cooling units in which a second number of the plurality of cooling units are active, wherein one or more of the second number of the plurality of cooling units operates in an altered mode of operation relative to the first configuration (¶0091-¶0092); and
generate, in response to determining that the predicted energy consumption is lower than the current energy consumption, a computer-executable instruction configured to cause the plurality of cooling units to operate according to the second configuration (¶0091-¶0092).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY E ARANT whose telephone number is (571)272-1105. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 ET.
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/HARRY E ARANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
