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 .
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ning et al. (US 2024/0048068) in view of Xiao et al. (CN105703470).
Regarding claim 1, Ning teaches An uninterruptible power supply (see figures 5; and par. [0002], “circuit control in an uninterruptible power supply”), comprising: a rectifying module (fig. 5@ LEG B; and par. [0005], “the dual-use leg B can implement a rectification (AC-DC) function”), a battery (fig. 5@ [BAT-, BAT+), wherein: the rectifying module (LEG B) is connected between mains electricity and a busbar (fig. 5@ [BUS+, BUS-]), and comprises a first rectifying sub-module and a second rectifying sub-module (see figure 5 and par. [0005]); the positive electrode of the battery (fig. 5@ BAT+) is connected with respective alternating-current ports of the first rectifying sub-module via relays (see figure 5); the negative electrode of the battery (fig. 5@ BAT-) is connected with respective alternating-current ports of the second rectifying sub-module via relays (see figure 5).
However, Ning does not explicitly teach a charge-discharge module, wherein the charge-discharge module is connected between the battery and the busbar, and comprises at least : a first switching device connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the battery, and a second switching device connected between the negative electrode of the battery and a negative electrode of the busbar; and a capacitor is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery.
Xiao teaches a charge-discharge module (see figure 5), wherein the charge-discharge module is connected between the battery (fig. 5@ [BAT+, BAT-]) and the busbar, and comprises at least : a first switching device connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the battery ([BAT+, BAT-]), and a second switching device connected between the negative electrode of the battery and a negative electrode of the busbar; and a capacitor (fig. 5@ upper capacitor and lower capacitor) is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery ([BAT+, BAT-]), (see figure 5).
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 Ning with the teachings of Xiao by having a charge-discharge module, wherein the charge-discharge module is connected between the battery and the busbar, and comprises at least : a first switching device connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the battery, and a second switching device connected between the negative electrode of the battery and a negative electrode of the busbar; and a capacitor is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery in order to improves safety and efficiency and prevents high inrush currents during connection, protects components from voltage spikes, manages pre-charge states smoothly, and allows safe isolation and energy buffering during power fluctuations.
Regarding claim 2, the combination teaches one end of the first rectifying sub-module (LEG B) is connected with a positive electrode of the busbar (BUS+), and the other end of the first rectifying sub-module is connected with a midpoint of the busbar; and one end of the second rectifying sub-module is connected with the midpoint of the busbar, and the other end of the second rectifying sub-module is connected with the negative electrode of the busbar (BUS-), (see figure 5; Ning).
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches a first relay is connected between a first common end of the capacitor and the first switching device, and the positive electrode of the battery ([BAT+); and a second relay is connected between a second common end of the capacitor and the first switching device, and the negative electrode of the battery (BAT-), (see figure 5; Xiao).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches wherein the charge-discharge module further comprises: a third switching device connected between the positive electrode of the battery and a positive electrode of the busbar (see figure 5; Xiao).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10 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 XUAN LY whose telephone number is (571)272-9885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/XUAN LY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
Prosecution Insights