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 § 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.
1. Claim 22 is 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 22 recites the broad recitation “the medium voltage range comprises 1.5kV AC to 15kV AC at up to 250A”, and the claim also recites “in particular in the range 3kV-6.6kV” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
For purpose of examination, the examiner assume that the medium voltage range include in the range 3kV-6.6kV.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Claims 19, 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Fretheim et al (USPN 20240421568).
Regarding claim 19, Fretheim discloses a subsea power switching unit (100, see figures 1-2) comprising:
a pressure resistant housing (an enclosure 102, see figure 2; a power input from an external power source (an external power source 32 shown in figure 1);
a plurality of power outputs to external consumers or loads (consumers 14);
a medium voltage contactor (contactors associate with the overcurrent protection devices 106, see figure 2) for each phase of each power output; and
a protection relay (150, see figure 7) for each power output; wherein the power input feeds power to a main busbar (138) coupled to a plurality of contactors, one for each of the power outputs; and wherein the power input and power output connections in the pressure resistant housing (102) comprise subsea wetmatable connectors (160) (see pars. 0033, 0093).
Regarding claim 21, Fretheim discloses wherein the power switching unit (100) further comprises a voltage transformer (132) coupled between the main busbar (138) and the protection relay (150).
Regarding claim 22, Fretheim discloses wherein the medium voltage range comprises in the range 3kV-6.6kV (see par. 0023).
Regarding claim 23, Fretheim discloses wherein the power input comprises one of DC, single phase AC or three phase AC (three phase AC on the secondary side of AC transformer 104, see par. 0023).
Regarding claim 24, Fretheim discloses wherein each of the power outputs of the plurality of power outputs comprise one of DC, single phase AC or three phase AC (such as a three phase output from the AC- transformer 104, see par. 0023).
Regarding claim 25, Fretheim discloses wherein the external consumers (14) or loads comprise at least one of subsea flowline heating cables, subsea motors, subsea control systems (see par. 0058), or subsea instrumentation.
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.
3. Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fretheim et al (USPN 2024/0421568) in view of Askeland (USPN 9727054)
Regarding claim 27, Fretheim discloses a subsea load protection system comprising at least one of a subsea transformer (104) or alternatively a subsea variable speed drive (VSD); and a subsea power switching unit (100), Hazel further discloses the subsea power switching unit (100) provides various electrical fault protections (see par. 0027 and claim 10). However, Hazel does not explicitly disclose the switching unit include a short circuit protection as claimed.
Askeland discloses a subsea power distribution device (130) provides a short circuit fault protection (see abstract, col. 1, lines 50-55).
It 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 to have modified the switching unit of Fretheim to incorporate a short circuit protection as disclosed by Askeland in order to prevent overheating and insulation breakdown on equipment.
4. Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fretheim et al (USPN 2024/0421568) in view of Eriksen (USPN 2016/0053587).
Regarding claim 26, Hazel discloses all limitations of claim 19 as discussed above, but does not explicitly disclose a line insulation monitoring as claimed.
Eriksen discloses a subsea switching unit (100) (see figure 1) comprises a line insulation monitoring (21, 22).
It 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 to have modified the switching unit of Fretheim to incorporate a line insulation monitoring as disclosed by Eriksen in order to provide early insulation degradation detection so that protecting personnel and equipment from dangerous fault and enhancing a safety operation.
5. Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fretheim et al (USPN 2024/0421568) in view of Gunnar et al (USPN 2016/0380423).
Regarding claim 20, Fretheim discloses the unit (100) further comprises a current sensor for each power output, but does not explicitly disclose current transformer as claimed. However, using a transformer as current sensor is well known in the art.
Gunnar discloses a subsea switching unit (22) (see figures 1-2) comprises a
a current transformer for each power output (see par. 0030, 0045).
It 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 to have modified the current sensor of Fretheim to incorporate a current transformer as disclosed by Gunnar in order to provide safe and accurate large current measurement in an electrical system.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 1-18, 28-31 are allowed over prior art of record.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach:
a power supply system for use in a subsea environment, the power supply system comprising: a relay operable to compare the measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold, the relay operable in response to the measurement exceeding the first threshold to move the contactor to the open position, and in response to the measurement exceeding the second threshold to sequentially move the main circuit breaker to the open position, move the contactor to the open position, and move the main circuit breaker to the closed position as recited in claim 1.
A method of operating a power supply system, the method comprising: comparing the value to a first threshold and a second threshold; moving a contactor from a closed position to an open position in response to the value exceeding the first threshold; and performing in sequence the following steps in response to the value exceeding the second threshold: moving the main circuit breaker to the open position to stop the flow of power from the external power source to the SPSU; moving the contactor to an open position to define a fault contactor; and moving the main circuit breaker to the closed position to deliver power to the SPSU and to each of the plurality of power outputs except the power output connected to the fault contactor as recited in claim 12.
A method of operating a subsea load short circuit protection system, the method comprising: comparing a measured current or a measured voltage with a first threshold and a second threshold; if the measured current or measured voltage exceeds only the first threshold, instructing a contactor in the subsea power feed line to open; or, if the measured current or measured voltage exceeds both the first threshold and the second threshold, instructing a topside circuit breaker to open as recited in claim 28.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANNY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2054. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached at 571-271-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANNY NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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