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 § 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.
The factual inquiries 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, 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gross et al. (US 2006/0284489 A1) in view of Leyh et al. (US 9,698,589 B1).
In regards to claim 1, Gross discloses, in figure 1, a data centre electrical energy distribution system (10) (Par 0020) comprising: a plurality of AC bus sections (16, 18) (Par 0024); a plurality of MV DC bus sections (24, 26) (Par 0025); and a plurality of LV DC bus sections (36, 38) (Par 0028); wherein a primary AC source (12) is coupled to at least one of the AC bus (16) (Par 0023), wherein a secondary AC source (14) is coupled to at least one of the AC bus sections (18) (Par 0023; “DERs 14 may comprise any system for providing backup AC power.”) or to at least one MV DC bus section (OR is an alternative suggestion); wherein at least one DC source (28, 30) is coupled to each MV DC bus section (24, 26) (Par 0027), wherein each AC bus section (16, 18) and each LV DC bus section (36, 38) is an island having, respectively, no connection to another AC bus section at the same voltage level and no connection to another LV DC bus section at the same voltage level, other than through the MV DC bus sections (24, 26) (See Fig. 1; AC bus sections 16, 18 and LV DC bus sections 36, 38 are isolated from each other with no connections at the same voltage level other than through the MV DC bus sections 24, 26) (Par 0023, 0025-0026).
Gross does not disclose wherein each MV DC bus section is connected to a neighboring MV DC bus section to form an MV DC ring bus, the connection being through semiconductor switching units between the neighboring MV DC bus sections, switches of the semiconductor switching units being closed in normal operation.
However, Leyh discloses, in figure 1, wherein each MV DC bus section (114(1), 114(2), 114(n)) is connected to a neighboring MV DC bus section (Col 4, lines 6-17) to form an MV DC ring bus (130) (Col 4, lines 51-60), the connection being through semiconductor switching units (120(1), 120(2), 120(n)) between the neighboring MV DC bus sections (114(1), 114(2), 114(n)) (Col 4, lines 6-17), switches of the semiconductor switching units being closed in normal operation (Col 6, lines 4-34).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gross’s MV DC bus sections by including wherein each MV DC bus section is connected to a neighboring MV DC bus section to form an MV DC ring bus, the connection being through semiconductor switching units between the neighboring MV DC bus sections, switches of the semiconductor switching units being closed in normal operation as taught by Leyh in order to alleviate or eliminate the stranded DC power by allowing unused power capacity in one sector to be transported across multiple sectors in either direction with minimal loss (Leyh; Col 7, lines 3-6).
In regards to claim 3, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1. Gross further discloses, in figure 1, wherein each section of the MV DC bus (24, 26) is coupled to one or more energy storage units (28, 30) (Par 0027).
In regards to claim 4, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 3. Gross further discloses, in figure 1, wherein the one or more energy storage units (28, 30) comprise at least one of battery energy storage, capacitors, supercapacitors, or flywheel energy storage (Par 0027).
In regards to claim 5, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1. Gross further discloses, in figure 1, wherein the system (10) comprises at least two AC bus sections (16, 18) (Par 0024), and at least two LV DC bus sections (36, 38) (Par 0028), but does not disclose at least three MV DC bus sections.
However, Leyh discloses, in figure 1, at least three MV DC bus sections (114(1), 114(2), 114(n)) (Col 4, lines 6-17).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gross’s MV DC bus sections by including at least three MV DC bus sections as taught by Leyh in order to alleviate or eliminate the stranded DC power by allowing unused power capacity in one sector to be transported across multiple sectors in either direction with minimal loss (Leyh; Col 7, lines 3-6).
In regards to claim 6, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1. Gross further discloses, in figure 1, wherein the primary AC source (12) comprises a utility supply (Par 0022-0023), or an AC generator, in particular a gas turbine (OR is an alternative suggestion).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gross et al. (US 2006/0284489 A1) in view of Leyh et al. (US 9,698,589 B1) in further view of Stokman et al. (US 2023/0054222 A1).
In regards to claim 2, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1. Leyh further discloses, in figure 1, wherein the plurality of MV DC bus sections (114(1), 114(2), 114(n)) comprise three or four sections of each type (Col 4, lines 6-17), but does not disclose wherein the plurality of AC bus sections and the plurality of LV DC bus sections comprise three or four sections of each type.
However, Stokman discloses, in figure 1, wherein the plurality of AC bus sections (A, B, 11, 13) and the plurality of LV DC bus sections (DCB1-DCB4) comprise three or four sections of each type (Par 0028-0029; 0033).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gross’s DC-based power distribution architecture by including wherein the plurality of AC bus sections and the plurality of LV DC bus sections comprise three or four sections of each type as taught by Stokman in order to improve DC distribution architecture that is well-suited for critical loads, such as for use in a data center, and that provides for not only high efficiency power distribution, but also high reliability, redundancy, and safety (Stokman; Par 0004).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gross et al. (US 2006/0284489 A1) in view of Leyh et al. (US 9,698,589 B1) in further view of Wang et al. (US 2017/0063093 A1).
In regards to claim 7, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1, but does not disclose further comprising an alternative AC source, wherein the alternative AC source comprises one of a gas turbine, or a wind turbine.
However, Wang discloses, in figure 1, an alternative AC source (119), wherein the alternative AC source comprises one of a gas turbine, or a wind turbine (Par 0009).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gross’s DC-based power distribution architecture by including an alternative AC source, wherein the alternative AC source comprises one of a gas turbine, or a wind turbine as taught by Wang in order to reduce power consumption from a utility grid and reduce the energy cost of the power distribution system and prevent loss of power to a datacenter (Wang; Par 0001).
In regards to claim 8, Gross and Leyh disclose a system according to claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the DC source comprises a hydrogen fuel cell.
However, Wang discloses, in figure 1, wherein the DC source (123) comprises a hydrogen fuel cell (Par 0011).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gross’s DC source by including wherein the DC source comprises a hydrogen fuel cell as taught by Wang in order to reduce power consumption from a utility grid and reduce the energy cost of the power distribution system and prevent loss of power to a datacenter (Wang; Par 0001).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX WONG LAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3409. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00.
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/ALEX W LAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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