UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`16/266,210
`
`02/04/2019
`
`Yusuke IWAMATSU
`
`PMWKPOI 10US
`
`9690
`
`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
`
`PEREZ BRYAN REYNALDO
`
`ART UNIT
`2838
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`07/08/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`16/266,210
`Examiner
`BRYAN R PEREZ
`
`Applicant(s)
`IWAMATSU et al.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2838
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 02/04/2019.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—12 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 02/04/2019 is/are: a)[:] accepted or b). objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
`
`b)D Some**
`
`C)D None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail DateW.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190627
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`This non-final office action is responsive to Applicants' application filed on 02/04/2019.
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`Claims 1-12 are presented for examination and are rejected for the reasons indicated
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`herein below.
`
`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
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`the same under either status.
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`Drawings
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`The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show
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`every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the third reference
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`must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be
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`entered.
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`Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121 (d) are required in
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`reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 3
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`replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate
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`prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure
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`number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “am ended.” if a drawing figure
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`is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet,
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`and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate
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`changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for
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`consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering
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`of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an
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`application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacem ent Sheet” or “New
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`Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`If the changes are not accepted by the examiner,
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`the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next
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`Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`The following is aquotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`(b) CONCLUSION—Thespecification shallconcludewith oneormoreclaims particularly
`pointing outanddistinctlyclaimingthesubjectmatterwhichtheinventororajointinventor
`regards as the invention.
`
`The following is aquotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph:
`The specificationshall conclude with one or more claims particularlypointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matterwhich the applicant regards as his invention.
`
`Claim 1-12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second
`
`paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the
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`subject matter which the inventor or ajoint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards
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`as the invention.
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`it is not: clear how secondary controller is maintaining DC bus voltage
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 4
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`at a constant level, for the sake of examining this has been interpreted as DC bus
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`reaches a constant level by itself:
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`A patent for a claimed invention maynotbe obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed
`invention is not identicallydisclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences
`between the claimed invention and the priorartare such that the claimed invention as awhole
`would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person
`having ordinaryskill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentabilityshall not
`be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
`
`Claims 1on5, ”3&2 reiected under 35 33:532., 1833 as being unpatentable
`
`aver Fujisaki et al. (20150270787) in view of Chiang (20160043628)
`
`Regarding claim 1. Fujisaki teaches a power conversion system {fig 1}
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`comprising: a DC-DC converter [313} that converts a DC power Evin} supplied from a
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`solar cell W20] into a DC power of a different voltage lie. EC bus, Wm} and outputs
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`the DC power to a DC bus;
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`an inverter [11} that converts the DC power input from the DC bus into an AC
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`power [Gutput cf 11] and outputs the AC power to a system {La £3];
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`and a second controller {23] that controls the inverter to maintain the voltage on
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`the DC bus constant when the voltage on the DC bus is lower than a second reference
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`{delta “sign Shown in fig 4} voltage and controls the inverter to maximize an output
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 5
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`power [mere eeieiii: eewei‘ hes been inierereied es inteeeieei regeieied
`
`euteu‘i veitegey iii ihie ease fig} of the inverter when the voltage is equal to or
`
`higher than the second reference voltage [exeeedii‘ig deiie Wee firivee euieui
`
`eeitege te e regeieted ee‘ieuti.
`
`However, Fujisaki does not explicitly mention afirst controller that controls the
`
`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
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`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage.
`
`Chiang teaches a first controller {centreiiei‘ {if fig 3, $315} that controls the
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`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
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`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage
`
`{impiieii iii €133,
`
`siege up is steeped whee feeebeek :9 thee refereeee].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fujisaki power converter to a
`
`similar configuration as Chiang power converter in order to have a circuit with a
`
`protection method thereof while a feedback current signal of the power conversion
`
`apparatus is abnormal and thus providing a circuit less susceptible to damages.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 6
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`Regarding claim 2. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, except for wherein the first reference voltage and the second
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`reference voltage are set to be higher than a peak value of a system voltage.
`
`It would
`
`have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing date
`
`of the claimed invention to adjust a threshold value to a specific magnitude in order to
`
`drive circuit towards design requirement, since it has been held that discovering an
`
`optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
`
`Regarding claim 3, Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, except for wherein the first reference voltage is set to be lower
`
`than the second reference voltage.
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary
`
`skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust a
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`threshold value higher/lower than a secondary threshold value in order to drive circuit
`
`towards design requirement, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value
`
`of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
`
`Regarding claim 4. The power conversion system according to claim 3, wherein a
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`difference [a differeeee between input eeltege end eeedt editege is dictated
`
`by eeeed eeere’dee between firstieeeeed eeetreifer} is provided between a
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`speed of power control of the DC-DC converter by the first controller and a speed of
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`power control of the inverter by the second controller.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 7
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`Regarding claim 5. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication line [fig 2, 21 serves as
`
`69mm fine Fujisaki} provided for control between the first controller and the second
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`controller, wherein one of: the process of communicating a result of comparing the
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`voltage on the DC bus with the first reference voltage from the first controller to the
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`second controller via the communication line [filfifimfiififlk and the process of
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`communicating a result of comparing the voltage on the DC bus with the second
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`reference voltage from the second controller to the first controller via the communication
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`line is executed.
`
`Regarding claim 7. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, wherein the first reference voltage and the second reference
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`voltage are set to be higher than a peak value of a system voltage and the maximum
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`power point voltage of the solar cell, and the second controller controls the voltage on
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`the DC bus to be maintained at a voltage lower than the first reference voltage and the
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`second reference voltage and higher than the peak value of the system voltage and the
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`maximum power point voltage of the solar cell {fliéfimfimfi}.
`
`Regarding claim 8. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, wherein the first controller progressively lowers an output power of
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 8
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`the DC-DC converter when the voltage on the DC bus becomes equal to or higher than
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`the first reference voltage and progressively raises the output power of the DC-DC
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`converter when the voltage on the DC bus becomes lower than the first reference
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`voltage {8381385513 Mjisaki].
`
`Regarding claim 9. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, wherein the first power controller forces suspension of an
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`operation of the DC-DC converter when the voltage on the DC bus is equal to or higher
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`than a third reference voltage [duty carafe} higher than the first reference voltage
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`{Chiang $153..
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`Regarding claim 10. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1, wherein when an output power of the solar cell is restricted, the
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`second controller controls the inverter such that the voltage on the DC bus is equal to or
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`higher than the first reference voltage [Ehéat’sg €115].
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`Regarding claim 11. Fujisaki teaches a power converter [fig 1} comprising:
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 9
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`a DC-DC converter pet that converts a DC power supplied from a solar cell
`
`{$23} into a DC power of a different voltage [Le 33: bee, Vpr‘r} and outputs the DC
`
`power to a DC bus;
`
`and the power converter being connected to a further power converter including:
`
`an inverter [11} that converts the DC power input from the DC bus into an AC power
`
`and outputs the AC power to a system Ere, e};
`
`and a second controller {23] that controls the inverter to maintain the voltage on
`
`the DC bus constant when the voltage on the DC bus is lower than a second reference
`
`{delta “ripe ehewr‘r Era fig 6%} voltage and controls the inverter to maximize an output
`
`power [mere eprppt pewer her; peers interpreree e3 interrried regpieeee
`
`eetppt veitegey firs Effie ease fig} of the inverter when the voltage is equal to or
`
`higher than the second reference voltage [exeeedir‘rg deite Vpe {iri‘eee errtprrf:
`
`eeirege te e regpietee eptppt}.
`
`However, Fujisaki does not explicitly mention afirst controller that controls the
`
`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
`
`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage.
`
`Chiang teaches a first controller {centreiier ref fig 3, $315} that controls the
`
`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 10
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`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
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`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage
`
`{implicit in $115, step up is stopped when feedback is» than reference].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fujisaki power converter to a
`
`similar configuration as Chiang power converter in order to have a circuit with a
`
`protection method thereof while a feedback current signal of the power conversion
`
`apparatus is abnormal and thus providing a circuit less susceptible to damages.
`
`Regarding claim 12. Fujisaki teaches a power converter {fig 1} connected to a
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`further power converter including:
`
`a DC-DC converter {3.83} that converts a DC power supplied from a solar cell
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`{€523} into a DC power of a different voltage [but of 1&3] and outputs the DC power to
`
`a DC bus;
`
`the power converter comprising: an inverter [11} that converts the DC power
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`input from the DC bus into an AC power [but of 11] and outputs the AC power to a
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`system [43;
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 11
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`and a second controller {23] that controls the inverter to maintain the voltage on
`
`the DC bus constant when the voltage on the DC bus is lower than a second reference
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`{defite Vprt shpwrt tr: fig 4} voltage and controls the inverter to maximize an output
`
`power [met eptpet pewer has peep tpterpreted es tpterttted regpteted
`
`pptpttt wattage, irt thtS case fig} of the inverter when the voltage is equal to or
`
`higher than the second reference voltage {expeettirtg tiette Vprt drives eptpp’t
`
`eettege te e regpteted eetppt as shevrrp Err figs].
`
`However, Fujisaki does not explicitly mention afirst controller that controls the
`
`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
`
`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage.
`
`Chiang teaches a first controller {peptretter pt fig 3, $315} that controls the
`
`DC-DC converter to perform a step-up operation when a voltage on the DC bus is lower
`
`than a first reference voltage and controls the DC-DC converter to suspend the step-up
`
`operation when the voltage is equal to or higher than the first reference voltage
`
`{tmpttett Err tilts, step up is stepped whee teeepepk :3 than reterepee].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fujisaki power converter to a
`
`similar configuration as Chiang power converter in order to have a circuit with a
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 12
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`protection method thereof while a feedback current signal of the power conversion
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`apparatus is abnormal and thus providing a circuit less susceptible to damages.
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`attain”: 6 refieeted under 35 u.s.c.1m as being unpatantabie ever Fujisaki et
`
`al. in view of Chiang and further in view of Sakakibara (20110085361)
`
`Regarding claim 6. Fujisaki as modified teaches the power conversion system
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`according to claim 1,
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`However, Fujisaki does not explicitly mention wherein hysteresis is introduced in
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`the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage.
`
`Sakakibara teaches wherein hysteresis is introduced in the first reference voltage
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`and the second reference voltage {$314}.
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fujisaki power converter to a
`
`similar configuration as Sakakibara power converter in order to use a hysteresis to
`
`prevent output oscillation, and a small hysteresis of a few millivolts is integrated into
`
`many modern comparators, thus improving efficiency of comparator.
`
`Examiner Note
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/266,210
`Art Unit: 2838
`
`Page 13
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`The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers in the references as
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`applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified
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`citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific
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`limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well.
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`It
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`is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the
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`references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as
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`well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the
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`examiner.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to BRYAN PEREZ whose telephone number is (571)272-
`
`8837. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri. (7:30 — 5:00).
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, Monica Lewis, can be reached on (571) 272-1838. The fax phone number
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`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal.
`
`