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 6/16/25 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because in Fig. 1 it discloses a AC/DC converter coupled between a DC bus and power grid (“AC”) and a AC/DC controller in Fig. 3. However, it appears that the AC/DC converter is not the correct labeled converter and should be rewritten as an DC/AC converter in Fig. 1 and an DC/AC controller in Fig. 3. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Throughout the disclosure it recites or discloses an bi-directional AC/DC converter [e.g. 0022, 0024, 0026, and 0027 and more] which appears to be incorrectly written based on the drawing figures and should be replaced or rewritten as an bi-directional DC/AC converter which is coupled between an DC bus connected to the Solar panel (PV panel) and AC bus connected to the power grid.
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.
Claims 1,4-5, 7, 13-14, 17-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Moon Chong-Sop et al., hereinafter “Moon et al.” (EP 2325970).
Regarding claim 1, Moon et al. discloses an electric energy regulation method [see Figs. 3-6], applied in an electric energy management system [see Fig. 3 entirely including an electric energy management system and 0001-0002] configured to manage electric power among a photovoltaic module interface [see 231, abstract, 0016 and 0019], an energy storage module interface [see 220, abstract and 0019], a load module interface [see 250, abstract and 0019], and a power grid module interface [see 240, abstract and 0019], the method comprising:
selectively obtaining interface power information corresponding to each of the photovoltaic module interface [see 0013 and 0025-0028], the load module interface [see 0013 and 0025], and the power grid module interface based on a current operating mode of the electric energy management system [such that the current operation mode of the electric energy management system can be either a normal operation mode, abnormal mode of the grid, driving , power supply, or power storage mode of the power generated by the power generation system 230 including the photovoltaic system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240 or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 which is determined by the integrated controller, 214 see 0013 and 0025-0028], the interface power information comprising a magnitude of interface power and a flow direction of the interface power [such that the interface power information comprising a magnitude of the interface power includes the monitoring states of the power generated amount, energy storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250 in order to decide the flow of direction of the interface power which is based on the distributed power flow generated by either of the power generation system 130 including the photovoltaic power generation system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240, or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 to the storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250, see 0013 and 0025-0028. Further, the flow of the power and its direction between the components of Fig. 2 are denoted by solid lines, see 0019 and also shown in Fig. 4]; determining a target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on the magnitude of the interface power and the flow direction of the interface power in the interface power information corresponding to each interface obtained selectively [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery], the target dispatch power being a power that the electric energy management system requires the energy storage module interface to supply or absorb energy [such that it is determined that the generated power is to be stored “absorb energy” in the battery 220 based on the based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220, see Fig. 5 and 504]; and determining a to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount of the renewable energy generation system is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or a surplus electric power of the electric energy management system based on the target dispatch power, and invoking the energy storage module interface to supply energy based on the to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or absorb energy based on the surplus electric power [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220. This determination anticipates that the battery absorbing energy in its charging mode based on a surplus of electric power from either the grid or power generated by the renewable energy generation system].
Regarding claim 4, Moon et al. discloses in [Fig. 2], the method according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode comprises: a self-consumption mode [see 0025], a peak shaving and valley filling mode [such that when the grid is in a normal status and supplies to the load corresponds to a peak shaving mode and when the grid is in an abnormal status and unable to provide required power supply from the grid corresponds to an valley filing mode see 0025 and 0027], and an energy storage priority mode [see 0025].
Regarding claim 5, Moon et al. discloses in [Fig. 3], the method according to claim 4, wherein: said selectively obtaining interface power information corresponding to each of the photovoltaic module interface 231, the load module interface 250, and the power grid module interface 240 based on a current operating mode of the electric energy management system [see 0025-0028] comprises :obtaining a current actual power of each of the photovoltaic module interface 231 and the load module interface 250 under the self-consumption mode [see 0025-0028]; and said determining a target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on the magnitude of the interface power and the flow direction of the interface power in the interface power information corresponding to each interface obtained selectively comprises: determining the target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on a difference between the current actual power of the photovoltaic module interface and the current actual power of the load module interface [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery. The determining of the target dispatch power in the electric energy management system is based a difference in the amount of generated power, e.g. photovoltaic module interface 231 and required load’s power consumption amount].
Regarding claim 7, Moon et al. in [Fig. 2] discloses the method according to claim 4, wherein: said selectively obtaining interface power information corresponding to each of the photovoltaic module interface, the load module interface, and the power grid module interface based on a current operating mode of the electric energy management system [see 0025-0028] comprises: obtaining a current actual power of the photovoltaic module interface and a current actual power of the load module interface under the energy storage priority mode [see 0025-0028]; and said determining a target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on the magnitude of the interface power and the flow direction of the interface power in the interface power information corresponding to each interface obtained selectively [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery and see 0025-0028] comprises: determining the target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on a difference between the current actual power of the photovoltaic module interface and the current actual power of the load module interface [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery. The determining of the target dispatch power in the electric energy management system is based a difference in the amount of generated power, e.g. photovoltaic module interface 231 and required load’s power consumption amount].
Regarding claim 13, Moon et al. in [Fig. 2], discloses the method according to claim 4, further comprising: determining an operation state of the electric energy management system based on the current operating mode of the electric energy management system and the target dispatch power [such that the current operation mode of the electric energy management system can be either a normal operation mode, abnormal mode of the grid, driving , power supply, or power storage mode of the power generated by the power generation system 230 including the photovoltaic system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240 or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 which is determined by the integrated controller, 214 see 0013 and 0025-0028 and such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery and see 0025-0028].
Regarding claim 14, Moon et al. in [Fig. 3], discloses an electronic device, comprising: one [see integrated controller 214] or more processors; a memory [such that the integrated controller inherently contains an integrated memory controller or microcontroller for tasks and control access see 0044-0047]; and one or more application programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one [see 214] or more processors, the one or more programs being configured to implement an electric energy regulation method, the electric energy regulation method being applied in an electric energy management system [see Fig. 3-6] configured to manage electric power among a photovoltaic module interface [see 231, abstract, 0016 and 0019], an energy storage module interface [see 220, abstract and 0019], a load module interface [see 250, abstract and 0019], and a power grid module interface [see 240, abstract and 0019], the method comprising:
selectively obtaining interface power information corresponding to each of the photovoltaic module interface [see 0013 and 0025-0028], the load module interface [see 0013 and 0025], and the power grid module interface based on a current operating mode of the electric energy management system [such that the current operation mode of the electric energy management system can be either a normal operation mode, abnormal mode of the grid, driving , power supply, or power storage mode of the power generated by the power generation system 230 including the photovoltaic system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240 or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 which is determined by the integrated controller, 214 see 0013 and 0025-0028], the interface power information comprising a magnitude of interface power and a flow direction of the interface power [such that the interface power information comprising a magnitude of the interface power includes the monitoring states of the power generated amount, energy storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250 in order to decide the flow of direction of the interface power which is based on the distributed power flow generated by either of the power generation system 130 including the photovoltaic power generation system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240, or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 to the storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250, see 0013 and 0025-0028. Further, the flow of the power and its direction between the components of Fig. 2 are denoted by solid lines, see 0019 and also shown in Fig. 4]; determining a target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on the magnitude of the interface power and the flow direction of the interface power in the interface power information corresponding to each interface obtained selectively [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery], the target dispatch power being a power that the electric energy management system requires the energy storage module interface to supply or absorb energy [such that it is determined that the generated power is to be stored “absorb energy” in the battery 220 based on the based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220, see Fig. 5 and 504]; and determining a to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount of the renewable energy generation system is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or a surplus electric power of the electric energy management system based on the target dispatch power, and invoking the energy storage module interface to supply energy based on the to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or absorb energy based on the surplus electric power [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220. This determination anticipates that the battery absorbing energy in its charging mode based on a surplus of electric power from either the grid or power generated by the renewable energy generation system].
Regarding claim 17, Moon et al. in [Figs. 3-6], discloses the electronic device according to claim 14 as discussed above in claim 4.
Regarding claim 18, Moon et al. in [Figs. 3-6], discloses the electronic device according to claim 17 as discussed above in claim 5.
Regarding claim 20, Moon et al. in [Fig. 3], discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having a program code stored thereon, wherein the program code is capable of being called by a processor [such that the integrated controller 214 inherently contains an integrated memory controller or microcontroller for tasks and control access see 0044-0047] to implement an electric energy regulation method, the electric energy regulation method being applied in an electric energy management system configured to manage electric power among a photovoltaic module interface [see 131, abstract, 0016 and 0019], an energy storage module interface [see 120, abstract and 0019], a load module interface [see 150, abstract and 0019], and a power grid module interface [see 140, abstract and 0019], the method comprising:
selectively obtaining interface power information corresponding to each of the photovoltaic module interface [see 0013 and 0025-0028], the load module interface [see 0013 and 0025], and the power grid module interface based on a current operating mode of the electric energy management system [such that the current operation mode of the electric energy management system can be either a normal operation mode, abnormal mode of the grid, driving , power supply, or power storage mode of the power generated by the power generation system 230 including the photovoltaic system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240 or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 which is determined by the integrated controller, 214 see 0013 and 0025-0028], the interface power information comprising a magnitude of interface power and a flow direction of the interface power [such that the interface power information comprising a magnitude of the interface power includes the monitoring states of the power generated amount, energy storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250 in order to decide the flow of direction of the interface power which is based on the distributed power flow generated by either of the power generation system 130 including the photovoltaic power generation system 231, the power supplied from the grid 240, or the power stored in the energy storage device 220 to the storage device 220, the grid 240 and the load 250, see 0013 and 0025-0028. Further, the flow of the power and its direction between the components of Fig. 2 are denoted by solid lines, see 0019 and also shown in Fig. 4]; determining a target dispatch power in the electric energy management system based on the magnitude of the interface power and the flow direction of the interface power in the interface power information corresponding to each interface obtained selectively [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery. The target dispatch power in the electric energy management system corresponds to either of the current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, or the power “absorbed” charged in the battery], the target dispatch power being a power that the electric energy management system requires the energy storage module interface to supply or absorb energy [such that it is determined that the generated power is to be stored “absorb energy” in the battery 220 based on the based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220, see Fig. 5 and 504]; and determining a to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount of the renewable energy generation system is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or a surplus electric power of the electric energy management system based on the target dispatch power, and invoking the energy storage module interface to supply energy based on the to-be-supplemented electric power [such that in Fig. 6, a grid condition is monitored in operation 600 and determined whether an abnormal status occurs in the grid. In this operation, the power supply to the grid is blocked and a battery discharging mode is selected. At this time, if the power is sufficiently generated by the renewable energy generation system, the power generated by the renewable energy generation system may be supplied to the load. In operation 608 power stored in the battery is supplied to the load. In other words, the power stored in the battery would supplement the renewable energy generation system when the generated power amount is not sufficient for the required loads power consumption amount] or absorb energy based on the surplus electric power [such that it is determined whether the power generated will be supplied to a grid or to a load or will be stored in a battery based on a current power selling price to the system, the generated power amount, required load’s power consumption amount, and the power charged in the battery 220. This determination anticipates that the battery absorbing energy in its charging mode based on a surplus of electric power from either the grid or power generated by the renewable energy generation system].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 3 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 1, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 6 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 4, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 4, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 9-11 are also indicated as allowable subject matter because the claims are dependent upon base claim 8.
Claim 12 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 4, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 14, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 16 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 14, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 19 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 17, 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 TERRENCE RONIQUE WILLOUGHBY whose telephone number is (571)272-2725. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30pm.
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/TERRENCE R WILLOUGHBY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 1/10/26
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836