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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/23/2025 the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Diemer et al. (US 4,967,096) in view of Buffenbarger (US 2019/0079548).
Regarding claim 21, Diemer teaches A power distribution system for an aircraft (see figure 3), comprising: a first power source (fig. 3@ first prime mover 40) connected to a first converter (fig. 3@ converter 60), the first converter (60) being separably connected to a first bus (fig. 3@ power bus 70), the first bus (70) being connected to an alternate switching device (fig. 3@ power relay 150, 165, 170); a second power source (fig. 3@ second prime mover 45) connected to a second converter (fig. 3@ converter 65), the second converter (65) being separably connected to a second bus (fig. 3@ power bus 75), the second bus (75) being connected to the alternate switching device (power relay 150, 165, 170); an alternate power source (fig. 3@ APU GEN 100), the alternate power source (100) being connected to the alternate switching device (150, 165, 170), (see figure 3: APU GEN 100 being connected to relays [150, 165, 170] by relays [155, 160]); wherein: the separable connection between the first converter (60) and the first bus (70) and the separable connection between the second converter (65) and the second bus (75).
However, Diemer does not explicitly teach an alternate power source connected to an alternate converter; and the separable connection between the first converter and the first bus and the separable connection between the second converter and the second bus are controllable by at least one first controller, the at least one first controller being configured to operate using wire or relay logic; and the alternate switching device is controllable by at least one second controller, the at least one second controller being configured to operate using conditional logic.
Buffenbarger teaches an alternate power source (fig. 2@ 38) connected to an alternate converter (fig. 2@ 48), (par. [0027]); and the separable connection between the first converter (fig. 2@ 42) and the first bus (see figure 2: a connection to a bus when switch 54 is closed) and the separable connection between the second converter (fig. 2@ 44), and the second bus (see figure 2: a connection to a bus when switch 54 is closed) are controllable by at least one first controller (a first power controller 42), the at least one first controller (42) being configured to operate using wire or relay logic (see Abstract and par. [0004], [0010], [0012] and par. [0026-0027]); and the alternate switching device (54) is controllable by at least one second controller (power controller 48), the at least one second controller (48) being configured to operate using conditional logic (see Abstract and par. [0004], [0010], [0012] and [0026-0028], the switch 54 can be controlled by the respectively associated power controller 42, 44, 46, 48, 50).
Therefore, 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 Diemer with the teachings of Buffenbarger by having an alternate power source connected to an alternate converter; and the separable connection between the first converter and the first bus and the separable connection between the second converter and the second bus are controllable by at least one first controller, the at least one first controller being configured to operate using wire or relay logic; and the alternate switching device is controllable by at least one second controller, the at least one second controller being configured to operate using conditional logic in order to isolates a main power failure; if the primary source fails, the independent, conditionally controlled alternate power source and converter can dynamically step in, this prevents critical downtime and protects the load.
Regarding claim 22, the combination teaches wherein the alternate switching device (54) is configured to electrically separate the first bus and the second bus based on a detected failure of a first load connected to the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 23, the combination teaches wherein the at least one second controller is further configured to modify the alternate switching device based on a second detected failure of a second load connected to the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 24, the combination teaches wherein the second load is associated with an engine of the aircraft (see col. 15, lines 49-68, “Delivery of variable frequency power to the second motor/generator 55 causes it to operate as a motor, delivering motive force to the second prime mover 45 to start same”; Diemer).
Regarding claim 25, the combination teaches wherein the alternate switching device (power relay 150, 165, 170) includes two or more switches (power relay 150, 165, 170), (see figure 3; Diemer).
Regarding claim 26, the combination teaches wherein the first bus (70) is connected to a first switch (165) of the alternate switching device (power relay 150, 165, 170), and the second bus (75) is connected to a second switch (170) of the alternate switching device (see figure 3; Diemer).
Regarding claim 27, the combination teaches wherein the at least one second controller is configured to, based on the conditional logic, open the first switch and close the second switch, upon a detected failure of the power distribution system (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 28, the combination teaches wherein each of the separable connection between the first converter (60) and the first bus (70) and the separable connection between the second converter (65) and the second bus (75) includes at least one switch (fig. 3@ power bus relay 130 and power bus relay 135; Diemer).
Regarding claim 29, the combination teaches wherein the system comprises the at least one first controller (a first power controller 42) and the at least one second controller (power controller 48), (see figure 2; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 30, the combination teaches wherein the at least one first controller is configured to, based on the wire or relay logic, cause the separable connection between the first converter and the first bus to open upon a detected failure of a load connected to the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 31, the combination teaches wherein the at least one first controller (42) comprises a relay and contactor, one or more splices, a programmable logic device, (see par. [0012] “controller module”, Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 32, the combination teaches wherein the at least one second controller (48) is configured to operate using conditional logic software (see par. [0012] “controller module”, Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 33, the combination teaches wherein the at least one first controller is configured to operate based further on data received from a flight control system (see par. [0025-0028] and [0032]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 34, the combination teaches wherein the alternate converter is configured to, via the alternate switching device (54), provide alternate power from the alternate power source to a first load connected to the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger) and to a second load connected to the second bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 35, the combination teaches wherein the first converter (60) is electrically isolated from the first bus (70) and the second converter (65) is electrically isolated from the second bus (75), (see figure 3: converter 60 is electrically isolated from the bus 70 by power bus relay 130 and the converter 65 is electrically isolated from the bus 75 by power bus relay 135; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 36, the combination teaches wherein the alternate power source (fig. 3@ APU GEN 100) is an only alternate power source of the system (see figure 3; Diemer).
Regarding claim 37, the combination teaches wherein the at least one first controller is configured to prevent connection of the alternate converter to the first bus upon a detected short circuit associated with the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040] and [0050]; Buffenbarger).
Regarding claim 38, Diemer teaches A method for power distribution in an aircraft (see figure 3), the method comprising: connecting a first power source (fig. 3@ first prime mover 40) to a first converter (fig. 3@ converter 60), the first converter (60) being separably connected to a first bus (fig. 3@ power bus 70), the first bus (70) being connected to an alternate switching device (fig. 3@ power relay 150, 165, 170); connecting a second power source (fig. 3@ second prime mover 45) to a second converter (fig. 3@ converter 65), the second converter (65) being separably connected to a second bus (fig. 3@ power bus 75), the second bus (75) being connected to the alternate switching device (power relay 150, 165, 170); and connecting an alternate power source (fig. 3@ APU GEN 100) to the alternate switching device (150, 165, 170), (see figure 3: APU GEN 100 being connected to relays [150, 165, 170] by relays [155, 160]); wherein: the separable connection between the first converter (60) and the first bus (70) and the separable connection between the second converter (65) and the second bus (75).
However, Diemer does not explicitly teach connecting an alternate power source to an alternate converter; and the separable connection between the first converter and the first bus and the separable connection between the second converter and the second bus are controllable by at least one first controller, the at least one first controller being configured to operate using wire or relay logic; and the alternate switching device is controllable by at least one second controller, the at least one second controller being configured to operate using conditional logic.
Buffenbarger teaches connecting an alternate power source (fig. 2@ 38) to an alternate converter (fig. 2@ 48), (par. [0027]); and the separable connection between the first converter (fig. 2@ 42) and the first bus (see figure 2: a connection to a bus when switch 54 is closed) and the separable connection between the second converter (fig. 2@ 44) and the second bus (see figure 2: a connection to a bus when switch 54 is closed) are controllable by at least one first controller (a first power controller 42), the at least one first controller (42) being configured to operate using wire or relay logic (see Abstract and par. [0004], [0010], [0012] and par. [0026-0027]); and the alternate switching device (54) is controllable by at least one second controller (power controller 48), the at least one second controller (48) being configured to operate using conditional logic (see Abstract and par. [0004], [0010], [0012] and [0026-0028], the switch 54 can be controlled by the respectively associated power controller 42, 44, 46, 48, 50).
Therefore, 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 Diemer with the teachings of Buffenbarger by having connecting an alternate power source to an alternate converter; and the separable connection between the first converter and the first bus and the separable connection between the second converter and the second bus are controllable by at least one first controller, the at least one first controller being configured to operate using wire or relay logic; and the alternate switching device is controllable by at least one second controller, the at least one second controller being configured to operate using conditional logic in order to isolates a main power failure; if the primary source fails, the independent, conditionally controlled alternate power source and converter can dynamically step in, this prevents critical downtime and protects the load.
Regarding claim 39, the combination teaches wherein: the alternate converter is configured to, via the alternate switching device (54), provide alternate power from the alternate power source to a first load connected to the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger) and to a second load connected to the second bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040]; Buffenbarger); and the alternate power source (fig. 3@ APU GEN 100; Diemer) is an only alternate power source (see figure 3; Diemer).
Regarding claim 40, the combination teaches wherein the at least one first controller is configured to prevent an electrical connection of the alternate converter to the first bus based on a detected short circuit associated with the first bus (see par. [0010], [0032], and [0037-0040] and [0050]; Buffenbarger).
Conclusion
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/XUAN LY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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