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 Amendment
The amendment filed on 8 April 2026 has been entered. Claim(s) 1-16 remain pending in this application. Claim(s) 16 is new.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Velez (U.S. Pre-grant Publication 2014/0026588), hereinafter Velez.
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Velez discloses a gas turbine system (Figure 1) comprising:
a gas turbine, 10, including a compressor, 26, that is configured to compress air, 32, a combustor, 16, that is configured to generate combustion gas, 20, by combusting fuel, 14, in compressed air, 42, which is the air compressed by the compressor, and a turbine, 22, that is driven by the combustion gas, 20;
a bleed line, 44, 54 and 50, through which a part of the compressed air generated by the compressor is bled from the gas turbine as bleed air (Paragraph 0016 – bleed air is provided through the line, 44, which provides a portion of pressurized/compressed air);
an exhaust line, 56 and 52, that branches off from a middle of the bleed line and through which a part of the bleed air which has flowed into the bleed line is exhausted (a portion of the bleed air is provided through the exhaust line, 56 and 52, where it is exhausted back to the gas turbine or vented through the vent, 64);
an auxiliary turbine, 58, that is connected to the bleed line and driven by the bleed air which has flowed through the bleed line (Paragraph 0019 – the turbine, 58, extracts energy from the bleed air by being driven by the bleed air);
a bleed amount adjustment valve (the first valve, 76, in the bleed line, 44, is the bleed amount adjustment valve) that is provided in the bleed line (the bleed amount adjustment valve is in the bleed line) and that is configured to adjust a bleed amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air bled from the gas turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the bleed amount adjustment valve controls the amount of pressurized air provided from the compressor through the bleed line);
an inflow amount adjustment valve, 76,78, that is provided in the bleed line and that is configured to adjust an inflow amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air flowing into the auxiliary turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the inflow valve, 76,78, is provided in the bleed line and adjusts the amount of pressurized air provided to the turbine, 58, from the bleed line); and
an exhaust amount adjustment valve, 76,80, that is provided in the exhaust line and that is configured to adjust an exhaust amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air exhausted from the bleed line (Paragraph 0021 – the exhaust valve is provided in the exhaust line to control the amount of bleed air from the bleed line that is exhausted from the bleed line).
Regarding Claim 2, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. Velez further discloses a control device, 82, configured to control each of an opening degree of the bleed amount adjustment valve, an opening degree of the inflow amount adjustment valve, and an opening degree of the exhaust amount adjustment valve (Paragraphs 0021 and 0025 – the control device, 82, controls the adjustments of the valves of the inlet system, 38, to control the amount of air provided through each portion of the system; this includes control of the bleed amount adjustment valve, 76, inflow amount adjustment valve, 76,78, and exhaust amount adjustment valve, 76,80).
Regarding Claim 3, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitations of this claim are claimed as intended use – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Further paragraphs 0021 and 0025 describe that the control device is capable of control the adjustment of the bleed amount adjustment valve, inflow amount adjustment valve, and exhaust amount adjustment valve in various amounts to adjust the percentage of air through the different portions of the system, 38, and thus is capable of performing the claim function. Thus Velez discloses the limitations of Claim 3.
Regarding Claim 4, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitations of this claim are claimed as intended use – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Further paragraphs 0021 and 0025 describe that the control device is capable of control the adjustment of the bleed amount adjustment valve, inflow amount adjustment valve, and exhaust amount adjustment valve in various amounts to adjust the percentage of air through the different portions of the system, 38, and thus is capable of performing the claim function. Thus Velez discloses the limitations of Claim 4.
Regarding Claim 5, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitations of this claim are claimed as intended use – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Further paragraphs 0021 and 0025 describe that the control device is capable of control the adjustment of the bleed amount adjustment valve, inflow amount adjustment valve, and exhaust amount adjustment valve in various amounts to adjust the percentage of air through the different portions of the system, 38, and thus is capable of performing the claim function. Thus Velez discloses the limitations of Claim 5.
Regarding Claim 6, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitations of this claim are claimed as intended use – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Further paragraphs 0021 and 0025 describe that the control device is capable of control the adjustment of the bleed amount adjustment valve, inflow amount adjustment valve, and exhaust amount adjustment valve in various amounts to adjust the percentage of air through the different portions of the system, 38, and thus is capable of performing the claim function. Thus Velez discloses the limitations of Claim 6.
Regarding Claim 7, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitations of this claim are claimed as intended use – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Further paragraphs 0021 and 0025 describe that the control device is capable of control the adjustment of the bleed amount adjustment valve, inflow amount adjustment valve, and exhaust amount adjustment valve in various amounts to adjust the percentage of air through the different portions of the system, 38, and thus is capable of performing the claim function. Thus Velez discloses the limitations of Claim 7.
Regarding Independent Claim 9, Velez discloses a bleed control method of a gas turbine system (Figure 1) including:
a gas turbine, 10, including a compressor, 26, that is configured to compress air, 32, a combustor, 16, that is configured to generate combustion gas, 20, by combusting fuel, 14, in compressed air, 42, which is the air compressed by the compressor, and a turbine, 22, that is driven by the combustion gas, 20;
a bleed line, 44, 54 and 50, through which a part of the compressed air generated by the compressor is bled from the gas turbine as bleed air (Paragraph 0016 – bleed air is provided through the line, 44, which provides a portion of pressurized/compressed air);
an exhaust line, 56 and 52, that branches off from a middle of the bleed line and through which a part of the bleed air which has flowed into the bleed line is exhausted (a portion of the bleed air is provided through the exhaust line, 56 and 52, where it is exhausted back to the gas turbine or vented through the vent, 64), and
an auxiliary turbine, 58, that is connected to the bleed line and driven by the bleed air which has flowed through the bleed line (Paragraph 0019 – the turbine, 58, extracts energy from the bleed air by being driven by the bleed air),
the bleed control method comprising:
a bleed control step which includes adjusting a bleed amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air bled from the gas turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the controller controls the amount of bleed air provided from the compressor of the gas turbine by controlling the first valve, 76, in the bleed line, 44), adjusting an inflow amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air flowing into the auxiliary turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the inflow valve, 76,78, is adjusted to control the amount of pressurized air provided to the turbine, 58, from the bleed line), and adjusting an exhaust amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air exhausted from the bleed line (Paragraph 0021 – the exhaust valve, 76,80, is adjust to control the amount of bleed air from the bleed line that is exhausted from the bleed line).
Regarding Claim 10, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. Velez further discloses wherein the bleed control step includes an inflow amount increasing step and an inflow amount decreasing step,
in the inflow amount increasing step, the exhaust amount and the inflow amount are controlled such that the exhaust amount is gradually decreased, and the inflow amount is gradually increased in accordance with the decrease in the exhaust amount (Paragraph 0021 – the valves, 76,78 and 76,80, are controlled such that the inflow valve, 76,78, increases the flow to the turbine while the exhaust valve, 76,80, decreases), and
in the inflow amount decreasing step, the exhaust amount and the inflow amount are controlled such that the exhaust amount is gradually increased, and the inflow amount is gradually decreased in accordance with the increase in the exhaust amount (Paragraph 0021 – the valves, 76,78 and 76,80, are controlled such that the inflow valve, 76,78, decreases the flow to the turbine while the exhaust valve, 76,80, increases).
Regarding Claim 11, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. Velez further discloses wherein in the bleed control step, a bleed amount constant control step and an inflow amount constant control step are executed (Paragraphs 0021, 0024 and 0025 – the bleed valves are set at a certain percentage and thus when they are at the desired percentage they remain in a constant set and therefore are performing a constant control step),
in the bleed amount constant control step, the bleed amount is controlled such that the bleed amount is maintained to be constant (Paragraphs 0021, 0024 and 0025 – the first bleed valve, 76, in bleed line, is set to provide a desired percentage of pressurized air as bleed air and thus when it reaches and holds that percentage of bleed air it performs the bleed amount constant control step), and
in the inflow amount constant control step, the exhaust amount and the inflow amount are controlled such that the inflow amount is maintained to be constant in a time slot in which the bleed amount is maintained to be constant by executing the bleed amount constant control step (Paragraphs 0021, 0024 and 0025 – the inflow valve, 76,78, and exhaust valve, 76,80, are controlled to provide a desired percentage of bleed air to the turbine and thus when the reach and hold that percentage of inflow to the turbine the system performs the inflow amount constant control step).
Regarding Independent Claim 16, Velez discloses a gas turbine system (Figure 1) comprising:
a gas turbine, 10, including a compressor, 26, that is configured to compress air, 32, a combustor, 16, that is configured to generate combustion gas, 20, by combusting fuel, 14, in compressed air, 42, which is the air compressed by the compressor, and a turbine, 22, that is driven by the combustion gas, 20;
a bleed line, 44, 54 and 50, through which a part of the compressed air generated by the compressor is bled from the gas turbine as bleed air (Paragraph 0016 – bleed air is provided through the line, 44, which provides a portion of pressurized/compressed air);
an exhaust line (Paragraph 0019 – the vent, 64, is provided in the bleed line, 50, with the vent line being an exhaust line) that branches off from a middle of the bleed line and through which a part of the bleed air which has flowed into the bleed line is exhausted (Paragraph 0019 and 0023 – the vent line is on the bleed line, 50, and therefore vents/exhausts a portion of the bleed air from the middle of the bleed line) to atmosphere (Paragraphs 0019 and 0023 – the vent, 64, releases the bleed air from the bleed line to the surrounding/atmosphere);
an auxiliary turbine, 58, that is connected to the bleed line and driven by the bleed air which has flowed through the bleed line (Paragraph 0019 – the turbine, 58, extracts energy from the bleed air by being driven by the bleed air);
a bleed amount adjustment valve (the first valve, 76, in the bleed line, 44, is the bleed amount adjustment valve) that is provided in the bleed line (the bleed amount adjustment valve is in the bleed line) and that is configured to adjust a bleed amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air bled from the gas turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the bleed amount adjustment valve controls the amount of pressurized air provided from the compressor through the bleed line);
an inflow amount adjustment valve, 76,78, that is provided in the bleed line and that is configured to adjust an inflow amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air flowing into the auxiliary turbine (Paragraph 0021 – the inflow valve, 76,78, is provided in the bleed line and adjusts the amount of pressurized air provided to the turbine, 58, from the bleed line); and
an exhaust amount adjustment valve, 76,80, that is provided in the exhaust line and that is configured to adjust an exhaust amount which is a flow rate of the bleed air exhausted from the bleed line (Paragraph 0021 – the exhaust valve is provided in the exhaust line to control the amount of bleed air from the bleed line that is exhausted from the bleed line).
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.
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Velez in view of Esaki (U.S. Patent No. 11,572,841), hereinafter Esaki.
Regarding Claim 8, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above.
Velez further discloses an auxiliary power generator, 60, configured to generate power by driving the auxiliary turbine (Paragraph 0019 – the generator, 60, is driven by the turbine, 58, to generate power);
Velez does not disclose a switch configured to disconnect electrical connection between the auxiliary power generator and a power system, wherein the control device includes a switching controller that instructs the switch to operate, and
the switching controller instructs, in a case where a rotation speed of the auxiliary power generator is equal to a predetermined rated rotation speed during the inflow amount increasing step, the switch to electrically connect the auxiliary power generator to the power system and instructs, in a case where an actual output of the auxiliary power generator is decreased to predetermined output in the inflow amount decreasing step, the switch to disconnect the electrical connection between the auxiliary power generator and the power system.
However, Esaki teaches a gas turbine system (Figure 1) with a generator, 11, and control device, 15, and a switch (Column 6, Lines 7-13 and 64-66 – the generator is able to be electrically connected and disconnected to a load, 10, and thus a switch between the load and the generator exists) configured to disconnect electrical connection between the power generator and a power system (Column 6, Lines 7-13 and 64-66 – the generator is able to be electrically connected and disconnected to a load, 10, by the switch), wherein the control device includes a switching controller that instructs the switch to operate (Column 6, Lines 7-13 and 64-66 – the control device includes controllers and controls the switch therefore there is a controller that controls the switch).
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 the invention of Velez by including a switch configured to disconnect electrical connection between the auxiliary power generator and a power system, wherein the control device includes a switching controller that instructs the switch to operate, as taught by Esaki, in order to unload the generator as necessary (Esaki – Column 8, Lines 26-30).
The remaining limitations of “the switching controller instructs, in a case where a rotation speed of the auxiliary power generator is equal to a predetermined rated rotation speed during the inflow amount increasing step, the switch to electrically connect the auxiliary power generator to the power system and instructs, in a case where an actual output of the auxiliary power generator is decreased to predetermined output in the inflow amount decreasing step, the switch to disconnect the electrical connection between the auxiliary power generator and the power system” are Intended use/functional language – It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex paste Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). Thus the combination of Velez in view of Esaki result in the limitations of Claim 8.
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Velez in view of Oliverio (U.S. Patent No. 9,228,501), hereinafter Oliverio.
Regarding Claim 12, Velez discloses the invention as claimed and discussed above. Velez does not disclose wherein the bleed control step includes a bleed starting step executed before the bleed amount constant control step, and a bleed finishing step executed after the bleed amount constant control step,
in the bleed starting step, the bleed amount and the exhaust amount are controlled such that the bleed amount is gradually increased, and the exhaust amount is gradually increased in accordance with the increase in the bleed amount, and
in the bleed finishing step, the bleed amount and the exhaust amount are controlled such that the bleed amount is gradually decreased, and the exhaust amount is gradually decreased in accordance with the decrease in the bleed amount.
However, Oliverio teaches a gas turbine system (Figure 1) that operates a bleed valve system according to a method (Figure 4) that includes a bleed starting step executed before the bleed amount constant control step (Figure 4 – the portion of the method where the valve position moves from 0% to 100% is a starting step followed by a constant step where the position is at 100%), and a bleed finishing step executed after the bleed amount constant control step (Figure 4 – the portion of the method where the valve position moves from 100% to 0% is a finishing step which follows the constant step where the position is at 100%).
Further Velez teaches the inflow and exhaust valves may be operated such that they both open or both close at the same time.
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 the invention Velez such that the bleed control step includes a bleed starting step executed before the bleed amount constant control step, and a bleed finishing step executed after the bleed amount constant control step, as taught by Oliverio, where in the bleed starting step, the bleed amount and the exhaust amount are controlled such that the bleed amount is gradually increased, and the exhaust amount is gradually increased in accordance with the increase in the bleed amount, and where in the bleed finishing step, the bleed amount and the exhaust amount are controlled such that the bleed amount is gradually decreased, and the exhaust amount is gradually decreased in accordance with the decrease in the bleed amount in order to facilitate safe, effective and continuous operation during off-load transients (Oliverio – Column 6, Lines 17-22).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The limitations “wherein the inflow amount increasing step is executed between the bleed starting step and the bleed amount constant control step, and the inflow amount decreasing step is executed between the bleed amount constant control step and the bleed finishing step” along with the remain limitations of Claim 13 are not taught or fairly suggest by the prior art of record.
The limitations “wherein the bleed starting step is executed in a case where output of the gas turbine is less than or equal to bleed output less than rated output of the gas turbine” along with the remain limitations of Claim 14 are not taught or fairly suggest by the prior art of record.
The limitations “the bleed control method further comprises a paralleling step of instructing, in a case where a rotation speed of the auxiliary power generator is equal to a predetermined rated rotation speed during the inflow amount increasing step, the switch to electrically connect the auxiliary power generator to the power system, and
a disconnection step of instructing, in a case where actual output of the auxiliary power generator is decreased to predetermined output during the inflow amount decreasing step, the switch to disconnect the electrical connection between the auxiliary power generator and the power system.” along with the remain limitations of Claim 15 are not taught or fairly suggest by the prior art of record.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the exhaust line exhausting bleed air from the system) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
It is respectfully noted that Applicant argues that the exhaust line of Velez does not exhaust the bleed air from the system but the claim only requires that the bleed air be exhausted from the bleed line. There is no part of the claim and its structure that requires the bleed air be exhausted out of the system. Thus since the exhaust line of Velez exhausts the bleed air out of the bleed line, 50, the limitations of claim are disclosed. Therefore the rejection is proper.
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 KYLE ROBERT THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-4813. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer can be reached at (571)272-7118. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYLE ROBERT THOMAS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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