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 claims 1-2, 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, 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 further view of Pan et al. (US 2013/0197704).
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).
Kibbee and Rauma does not disclose a direct current-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.
However, Pan discloses, in figure 6, a direct current-direct current voltage converter (195) that converts a voltage value of direct-current voltage that is output of the alternating current-direct current converter (AC/DC rectifiers of generation system 22) to a voltage value corresponding to the cable (feeder cables 40) (Par 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 Rauma’s electric power system on the shore-side by including a direct current-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 Pan in order to reduce the total cost of the power converters and improve the overall system efficiency and performance (Pan; Par 0003).
In regards to claim 2, Kibbee, Rauma and Pan 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 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 by an alternating current-direct current converter of the power generation facility to direct-current power, and then the power is transmitted to an outside of the power generation facility using the 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 by an alternating current-direct current converter (101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, 112) of the power generation facility 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 power generation facility (115, 116, 106, 107) using the 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 by an alternating current-direct current converter of the power generation facility to direct-current power, and then the power is transmitted to an outside of the power generation facility using the 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).
Kibbee and Rauma does not disclose a voltage value of the direct-current power is converted by a direct current-direct current voltage converter of the power generation facility to a voltage value corresponding to a cable.
However, Pan discloses, in figure 6, a voltage value of the direct-current power (output of 195) is converted by a direct current-direct current voltage converter (195) of the power generation facility to a voltage value corresponding to a cable (feeder cables 40) (Par 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 Rauma’s electric power system on the shore-side by including a voltage value of the direct-current power is converted by a direct current-direct current voltage converter of the power generation facility to a voltage value corresponding to a cable as taught by Pan in order to reduce the total cost of the power converters and improve the overall system efficiency and performance (Pan; Par 0003).
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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