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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2, 4-5 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-2, 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kibbee et al. (US 2012/0038210 A1) in view of Rauma et al. (US 2019/0322184 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Kibbee discloses, in figure 3, a power generation facility (314) used in a power transmission system (300) that charges a storage battery (110’’) mounted on a moving body (105’’) with power generated by the power generation facility (314) (Par 0040); and feeds the power from the storage battery (110’’) transported by the moving body (105’’) to a power receiving facility (Fig. 1A; transmission facility 102) (Par 0034), the power generation facility (314) comprising: a power generator (Par 0040; “Also shown in FIG. 3 is floating power production source 314 which may be an offshore platform having generators powered by stranded natural gas produced offshore at or near platform 314.”).
Kibbee does not disclose an alternating current-direct current converter that converts alternating-current power generated by the power generator to direct-current power, wherein the direct-current power is transmitted to an outside of the facility using a cable, and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility that feeds power to the storage battery on the moving body.
However, Rauma discloses, in figure 1, an alternating current-direct current converter (101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, and 112) that converts alternating-current power generated by the power generator (AC power 137) to direct-current power (Par 0026), wherein the direct-current power (output of 101-104, 109-112) is transmitted to an outside of the facility (115, 116, 106, 107) using a cable (Par 0026; “The direct voltage links 106 and 107 may comprise for example bendable cables”), and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility (115, 116) that feeds power to the storage battery (132) on the moving body (126) (Par 0026-0027).
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 Kibbee’s energy transport system by including an alternating current-direct current converter that converts alternating-current power generated by the power generator to direct-current power, wherein the direct-current power is transmitted to an outside of the facility using a cable, and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility that feeds power to the storage battery on the moving body as taught by Rauma in order to control the one or more controllable direct voltage converters to convert the one or more direct voltages into one or more direct voltages suitable for the vessel and to support a broad input voltage range more cost effectively than is a case with a controllable rectifier for converting alternating voltage into controllable direct voltage (Rauma; Par 0015-0016).
In regards to claim 2, Kibbee and Rauma disclose the power generation facility according to claim 1. Kibbee further discloses, in figure 3, wherein the power generation facility (314) is configured as a wind power generation facility installed offshore (Par 0011, 0040).
In regards to claim 4, Kibbee and Rauma disclose the power generation facility according to claim 1. Rauma further discloses a direct-current voltage converter (133) that converts a voltage value of direct-current voltage that is output of the alternating current-direct current converter (101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, and 112) to a voltage value corresponding to the cable (Par 0027).
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 Kibbee’s energy transport system by including a direct-current voltage converter that converts a voltage value of direct-current voltage that is output of the alternating current-direct current converter to a voltage value corresponding to the cable as taught by Rauma in order to control the one or more controllable direct voltage converters to convert the one or more direct voltages into one or more direct voltages suitable for the vessel and to support a broad input voltage range more cost effectively than is a case with a controllable rectifier for converting alternating voltage into controllable direct voltage (Rauma; Par 0015-0016).
In regards to claim 5, Kibbee discloses, in figure 3, a power output method of a power generation facility (314) used in a power transmission system (300) that charges a storage battery (110’’) mounted on a moving body (105’’) with power generated by the power generation facility (314) (Par 0040); and feeds power from the storage battery (110’’) transported by the moving body (105’’) to a power receiving facility (Fig. 1A; transmission facility 102) (Par 0034).
Kibbee does not disclose wherein alternating-current power generated by a power generator is converted to direct-current power, and then the power is transmitted to an outside of the facility using a cable in the form of direct current, and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility that feeds power to the storage battery on the moving body.
However, Rauma discloses, in figure 1, wherein alternating-current power generated by a power generator (AC power 137) is converted to direct-current power (output of 101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, 112; Par 0026), and then the power is transmitted to an outside of the facility (115, 116, 106, 107) using a cable in the form of direct current (Par 0026; “The direct voltage links 106 and 107 may comprise for example bendable cables”), and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility (115, 116) that feeds power to the storage battery (132) on the moving body (126) (Par 0026-0027).
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 Kibbee’s energy transport system by including wherein alternating-current power generated by a power generator is converted to direct-current power, and then the power is transmitted to an outside of the facility using a cable in the form of direct current, and the cable is a direct-current transmission line to a relay facility that feeds power to the storage battery on the moving body as taught by Rauma in order to control the one or more controllable direct voltage converters to convert the one or more direct voltages into one or more direct voltages suitable for the vessel and to support a broad input voltage range more cost effectively than is a case with a controllable rectifier for converting alternating voltage into controllable direct voltage (Rauma; Par 0015-0016).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Regis Betsch can be reached at (571)-270-7101. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEX W LAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REGIS J BETSCH/SPE, Art Unit 2836
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