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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, Fig. 1 drawn to claims 1, 6-10, 14-16, and 20 in the reply filed on 4/8/2026 is acknowledged. Subsequently, claims 2-5, 11-13, and 17-19 are considered withdrawn.
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, 6-8, 10, 14-16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (“Adaptive Droop Control of VSC-MTDC System for Frequency Support and Power Sharing” NPL dated 1 March 2018).
Regarding Claim 1:
Wang et al. discloses an energy storage system (Figs. 1, 3, and 6), comprising: at least one energy storage system (Figs. 1 and 3, DC-link capacitors and their related discussion); at least one power conditioning system (PCS) connected to the at least one energy storage system in a one-to-one correspondence (Figs. 1 and 3, GSVSC and its related discussion) wherein each of the at least one PCS is configured to: convert a direct current (DC) input from a corresponding energy storage system of the at least one energy storage system into an alternating current (AC); and output the AC to a power grid (Figs. 1 and 3, GSVSC and its related discussion; see, at least, page 1266 which discloses the “GSVSC controls the dc voltage and transfer power to the onshore ac grids.”); a frequency detection circuit configured to detect a frequency of an output voltage of the at least one PCS (Fig. 6, PLL measuring Vpcc, and their related discussion); a controller (Fig. 6, ADC controller and its related discussion) configured to: perform first frequency adjustment control and second frequency adjustment control on the at least one PCS (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23 and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid); and adjust, based on a frequency difference between the frequency and a target frequency, a first weight of the first frequency adjustment control and a second weight of the second frequency adjustment control, to control the frequency to be the target frequency to detect that islanding occurs in the at least one PCS (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23 and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective islanding detection being a direct consequence of the respective control performed, as discussed throughout the NPL), wherein the first frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a first direction in which the frequency is adjusted towards a reference frequency of the power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid); and wherein the second frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a second direction in which the frequency is adjusted away from the reference frequency (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid).
Regarding Claim 6:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: adjust the frequency in the first direction when a first adjusted adjustment weight of the first frequency adjustment control is greater than a second adjusted adjustment weight of the second frequency adjustment control (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Regarding Claim 7:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the first weight to be greater than the second weight when the at least one PCS is electrically connected to the power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Regarding Claim 8:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the first weight to be less than the second weight when the at least one PCS is disconnected from the power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Regarding Claim 10:
Wang et al. discloses a method, comprising: performing first frequency adjustment control and second frequency adjustment control on at least one power conditioning system (PCS) (Figs. 1, 3, and 6, ADC controller, equation 23, GSVSC, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid); and adjusting, based on a frequency difference between a frequency of an output voltage of the at least one PCS and a target frequency, a first weight of the first frequency adjustment control and a second weight of the second frequency adjustment control to control the frequency to be the target frequency to detect that islanding occurs in the at least one PCS (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23 and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective islanding detection being a direct consequence of the respective control performed, as discussed throughout the NPL), wherein the first frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a first direction in which the frequency is adjusted towards a reference frequency of a power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid), and wherein the second frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a second direction in which the frequency is adjusted away from the reference frequency (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid).
Regarding Claim 14:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 10. Wang further discloses adjusting the frequency in the first direction when a first adjusted adjustment weight of the first frequency adjustment control is greater than a second adjusted adjustment weight of the second frequency adjustment control (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system); and adjusting the frequency in the second direction when the first adjusted adjustment weight is less than the second adjusted adjustment weight (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Regarding Claim 15:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 10. Wang further discloses adjusting the first weight to be greater than the second weight when the at least one PCS is electrically connected to the power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Regarding Claim 16:
Wang et al. discloses an apparatus (Figs. 1, 3, and 6), comprising: a memory configured to store instructions (Figs. 1, 3, 6, respective memory of the ADC controller configured to carry out the respective strategy and storing the respective algorithms for frequency control and support as discussed throughout); and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions (Figs. 1, 3, 6, ADC controller and its related discussion) to: perform first frequency adjustment control and second frequency adjustment control on the at least one power conditioning system (PCS) (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23 and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid); and adjust, based on a frequency difference between a frequency of an output voltage of the at least one PCS and a target frequency, a first weight of the first frequency adjustment control and a second weight of the second frequency adjustment control to control the frequency to be the target frequency to detect that islanding occurs in the at least one PCS (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, PLL measuring Vpcc, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective islanding detection being a direct consequence of the respective control performed, as discussed throughout the NPL), wherein the first frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a first direction in which the frequency is adjusted towards a reference frequency of a power grid (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid); and wherein the second frequency adjustment control adjusts the frequency in a second direction in which the frequency is adjusted away from the reference frequency (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid).
Regarding Claim 20:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 16. Wang further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: adjust the frequency in the first direction when a first adjusted adjustment weight of the first frequency adjustment control is greater than a second adjusted adjustment weight of the second frequency adjustment control (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system); and adjust the frequency in the second direction when the first adjusted adjustment weight is less than the second adjusted adjustment weight (Fig. 6, ADC controller, equation 23, kvf,I, /f-f0/<Δfthre, and their related discussion; see, at least, pages 1267-1268 which disclose the ADC controller adjusting for a frequency deviation in order to regulate the frequency and enhance the frequency stability of the system in relation to the grid. The respective adjustments to the frequency are a continual process in order to achieve frequency stability of the system).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (“Adaptive Droop Control of VSC-MTDC System for Frequency Support and Power Sharing” NPL dated 1 March 2018) in view of Shijo et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2022/0085607).
Regarding Claim 9:
Wang teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Wang fails to teach in response to detection that islanding occurs in a target PCS, either disable the target PCS or switch the target PCS to an off-grid state.
However, Shijo et al. discloses detect that islanding occurs in a target PCS (see, at least, paragraphs 0022-0023, 0028-0031, etc.)l and either: disable the target PCS after detecting that the islanding occurs; or switch the target PCS to an off-grid state after detecting that the islanding occurs (Fig. 8, step S12, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraph 0060 which discloses the respective detected islanding and disabling of the target PCS, read on by stopping operation. See also step S14 which discloses the respective switching to disconnect the power system). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Wang to take action responsive to a detected islanding condition, as taught within Shijo, in order to prevent unintended energization, thereby improving system safety and compliance with known grid-interconnection requirements.
Conclusion
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/JOSEPH N INGE/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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