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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-9, 12-15 are currently pending in this application.
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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by OGATA (2011/0138831).
Regarding Claim 12, OGATA teaches A method of operating a plurality of compressors including a first compressor (101) and a second compressor (102), the method comprising: controlling the plurality of compressors between a heating condition and a cooling condition [0059]; and adjusting an oil level between the first compressor and the second compressor of the plurality of compressors in the heating condition and/or the cooling condition [0005]-[0010][0028].
Regarding Claim 13, OGATA teaches wherein in the heating condition (compression of the refrigerant corresponds to the heating condition since heat is added during compression), a rotation speed of the first compressor is set between an upper limit rotation speed and a lower limit rotation speed [0103]-[0110].
Regarding Claim 14, OGATA teaches wherein the cooling condition (expansion of the refrigerant corresponds to the cooling condition since the refrigerant cools during expansion), a rotation speed of the first compressor is set equal to an upper limit rotation speed of the first compressor [0076]-[0087], [0103]-[0110].
Regarding Claim 15, OGATA teaches Wherein the cooling condition, the rotation speed of the first compressor is set equal to the upper limit rotation speed (f1 at starting operation) of the first compressor [0103]-[0110].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 7-9 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
The rejection of the new claims is set forth above.
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 HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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