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 .
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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 in line 13 includes “the remaining.” It is believed to be in error for
- - a remaining. - -
Claim 1 in line 14 includes “the injected.” It is believed to be in error for
- - an injected. - -
Claim 2 in lines 3-4 includes “the dynamic.” It is believed to be in error for
- - a dynamic. - -
Claim 3 in line 13 includes “the remaining.” It is believed to be in error for
- - a remaining. - -
Claim 3 in line 14 includes “the injected.” It is believed to be in error for
- - an injected. - -
Claim 5 in line 3 includes “the dynamic.” It is believed to be in error for
- - a dynamic. - -
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 1, 3, 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dalal (US 2018 / 0216526).
Regarding claim 1, Dalal teaches a method (Fig. 4) for managing the power transitions between a generation mode 402 and an assistance mode (406 power assist mode) in a turbomachine 204 having a high-pressure shaft 206 driving a high-pressure electric machine 212 and from which a high-pressure power (HP) is taken off (¶20, ¶25) and a low-pressure shaft 208 driving a low- pressure electric machine 222 and from which a low-pressure power is taken off (¶20,¶25), the generation mode corresponding to a predetermined sharing of power between the high-pressure power and the low-pressure power (¶20) and the assistance mode corresponding to a request for injection of an additional power into the high-pressure shaft or the low-pressure shaft (404, 406, power adjustment event leads to power assist operation, ¶18, ¶25), wherein to reach the requested additional power, when the high- or low-pressure power takeoff is interrupted (¶4, transition from power take-off to power assist is an interruption in the power takeoff) and the high- or low-pressure electric machine respectively driving the high- or low-pressure shaft whose takeoff is interrupted enters motor mode (406 power assist mode), the remaining taken-off power from the high- or low-pressure shaft in generator mode is adjusted based on the injected high- or low-pressure power coming from the high- or low-pressure electric machine that has entered motor mode (¶20, During power assist operation , the low pressure spool generator system can have enough capacity (in overload condition, e.g., 150% for 5 minute or 200% for 5 seconds) to carry all its own bus loads , bus loads (all essential plus all or some non-essential loads ) of the high pressure spool, and also provide power for the power assist operation. Power can be managed to remain within high pressure spool and low pressure spool horsepower extraction ratings. ¶21, When the power assist operation is limited to a few seconds , the low pressure spool generator system can be capable of providing this power as an overload condition. Power generator systems can be rated for 150% loads (5 min operation) and 200% loads (5 sec operation )).
Regarding claim 3, Dalal teaches a turbomachine 204 having a high-pressure shaft 206 from which a high-pressure power (HP) is taken off (¶20, ¶25) and a low-pressure shaft 208 from which a low-pressure power is taken off (¶20, ¶25), a control module 600 receiving power setpoints from an ECU (¶25, ¶47, ¶48, ¶54) and power converters (214, 224) associated with high- and low-pressure electric machines (212, 222) respectively mounted on the high- and low-pressure shafts (Fig. 2), a generation mode corresponding to a predetermined sharing of power between the high-pressure power and the low-pressure power (402) and an assistance mode corresponding to the injection of an additional power into the high-pressure shaft or the low-pressure shaft (406), wherein to reach the requested additional power, the control module is configured so that, when the takeoff of high- or low-pressure power is interrupted and the high- or low- pressure electric machine respectively driving the high- or low-pressure shaft whose takeoff is interrupted enters motor mode, the remaining taken-off power from the high- or low-pressure shaft in generator mode is adjusted based on the injected high- or low- pressure power coming from the high- or low-pressure electric machine that has entered motor mode (¶20, During power assist operation, the low pressure spool generator system can have enough capacity (in overload condition, e.g., 150% for 5 minute or 200% for 5 seconds) to carry all its own bus loads , bus loads (all essential plus all or some non-essential loads) of the high pressure spool, and also provide power for the power assist operation. Power can be managed to remain within high pressure spool and low pressure spool horsepower extraction ratings. ¶21, When the power assist operation is limited to a few seconds , the low pressure spool generator system can be capable of providing this power as an overload condition. Power generator systems can be rated for 150% loads (5 min operation) and 200% loads (5 sec operation )).
Regarding claim 4, Dalal teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above and Dalal further teaches the control module further comprises assistance modules configured to add the injected high- or low-pressure power to the remaining taken-off high- or low- pressure power and a selecting module configured to select the taken-off powers coming from the assistance modules (Fig. 3, ¶34-¶36, discusses how main line contactors 316 and 326 and core assist contactor 328 and a bus tie contactor 330 provide assistance modules and selecting modules to route power between the various operations).
Regarding claim 9, Dalal teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above and Dalal further teaches an aeronautical turbomachine such as a hybrid turbofan, a hybrid turboprop or a hybrid helicopter turbomachine (¶22, turbofan and helicopters are described. As engines can receive power from a battery they are hybrids, ¶20.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 5-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID OLYNICK whose telephone number is (571)272-2355. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:30 am-5 pm (ET).
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/DAVID P. OLYNICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741