IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,255,451
Granted Patent B2
US 12,255,451 · App. 17/864,276 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

Modular power grid

Inventors: Stefan Matan (Novato, CA); Fred C. Horton (Santa Rosa, CA); Frank P. Marrone (Cloverdale, CA)
Assignee: Apparent Labs, LLC
H02J13/00028G01R11/48G05F1/66G06G7/635H02J3/00H02J3/01H02J3/1892H02J3/381H02J13/00H02J13/00034H02J2300/24H02J2310/12Y02E40/40Y02E40/70Y04S10/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,255,451
App. No.
17/864,276
Granted
Mar 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Distributed grid intelligence can enable a modular power grid. Multiple consumer nodes are coupled to a same point of common coupling (PCC). Local power sources are coupled to the PCC. None of the power sources has sufficient generation capacity alone to meet peak demand of the multiple consumer nodes of the grid segment. The grid segment includes multiple control nodes to control distribution of power from the power sources to the multiple consumer nodes based on power demand from the multiple consumer nodes and based on operation of the other power sources. Thus, consumer nodes can share power generated locally, but operate independently without the need for central management or a central power plant, and different independent segments can be coupled to each other to expand the grid network.

Claims (32)

1. A power grid system, comprising:

a first control node coupled to a power grid at a first point of common coupling (PCC), the first control node having a first microinverter to generate reactive power on a consumer side of the first PCC for devices downstream from the first PCC, the reactive power to provide for reactive power demand downstream from the first PCC;

a second control node coupled between a second PCC downstream from the first PCC and a first grid segment downstream from the second PCC, the second control node having a second microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the second PCC, the first grid segment including consumer premises, at least some of which have local energy generation and including a first neighborhood power source capable of meeting peak power demand of at least multiple of the consumer premises of the first grid segment and lacking sufficient generation capacity to meet peak power demand of all consumer premises of the first grid segment, the first neighborhood power source being dispatchable, with its generation operation controlled by dispatch information by grid system management; and

a third control node coupled between a third PCC downstream from the first PCC and a second grid segment downstream from the third PCC, a third control node having a third microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the third PCC;

wherein the first control node includes a controller to cause the first microinverter to generate a current-based output current to control power distribution from the second grid segment to the first distribution from the second grid segment to the first grid segment via the first PCC when the first grid segment has peak power demand greater than the first neighborhood power source can satisfy.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control node is associated with a first customer premises, the second control node is associated with a second customer premises, and the third control node is associated with a third customer premises.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control node is associated with a customer premises and the second control node is associated with the customer premises.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control node is associated with multiple customer premises.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first PCC is further to couple to a utility power grid having a central management system and a central power source.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third PCC is to couple to a second neighborhood power source that lacks sufficient generation capacity to meet peak power demand of the second grid segment.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control node and the second control node are coupled as primary node and subsidiary node, respectively, where the first control node controls power distribution within the first grid segment as the primary node, and the second control node distributes power subject to direction of the primary node.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control node couples to a second local energy source on the consumer side of the second PCC, wherein the second microinverter is to generate power from energy from the second local energy source, and wherein the third control node couples to a third local energy source on the consumer side of the third PCC, wherein the third microinverter is to generate power from energy from the third local energy source.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second microinverter is to generate a first ratio of real power to reactive power based on demand of the first grid segment, wherein the third microinverter is to generate a second ratio of real power to reactive power based on demand of the second grid segment.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first microinverter is to generate a third ratio of real power to reactive power based on the demand of the first grid segment and the demand of the second grid segment.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the third microinverter is to adjust the second ratio of real power to reactive power based on the demand of the first grid segment.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first microinverter is a first group of microinverters, wherein the second microinverter is a second group of microinverters, and wherein the third microinverter is a third group of microinverters.

13. A grid control node, comprising:

a first connector to connect to a power grid at a first point of common coupling (PCC) and having a first microinverter to generate reactive power on a consumer side of the first PCC for devices downstream from the first PCC, the reactive power to provide for reactive power demand downstream from the first PCC;

a second connector to couple to a first grid segment through a second PCC downstream from the first PCC, the second connector to couple to a second control node through the second PCC, the second control node having a second microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the second PCC, the first grid segment including consumer premises, at least some of which have local energy generation and including a first neighborhood power source capable of meeting peak power demand of at least multiple of the consumer premises of the first grid segment and lacking sufficient generation capacity to meet peak power demand of all consumer premises of the first grid segment, the first neighborhood power source being dispatchable, with its generation operation controlled by dispatch information by grid system management; and

a third connector to couple to a second grid segment through a third PCC separate from the second PCC, the third PCC downstream from the first PCC, the third connector to couple to a third control node through the third PCC, the third control node having a third microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the third PCC;

a controller to cause the first microinverter to generate a current-based output current to control power distribution from the second grid segment to the first grid segment via the first PCC when the first grid segment has peak power demand greater than the first neighborhood power source can satisfy.

14. The grid control node of claim 13 , wherein the first microinverter is to generate a third ratio of real power to reactive power based on the demand of the first grid segment and the demand of the second grid segment.

15. The grid control node of claim 14 , wherein the first microinverter is to adjust the third ratio of real power to reactive power based on the demand of the first grid segment.

16. The grid control node of claim 13 , wherein the first microinverter comprises a first group of microinverters.

17. A method for controlling a power grid, comprising:

monitoring, at a first control node coupled to a first point of common coupling (PCC), first power demand and first power generation of a first grid segment downstream from the first PCC, the first control node having a first microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the first PCC, the first grid segment including consumer premises, at least some of which have local energy generation and including a first neighborhood power source capable of meeting peak power demand of at least multiple of the consumer premises of the first grid segment and lacking sufficient generation capacity to meet peak power demand of all consumer premises of the first grid segment, the first neighborhood power source being dispatchable, with its generation operation controlled by dispatch information by grid system management;

monitoring, at a second control node coupled to a second PCC, second power demand and second power generation of a second grid segment downstream from the second PCC, the second control node having a second microinverter to generate power on a consumer side of the second PCC;

monitoring, at a third control node coupled to a third PCC, the first power demand, the first power generation, the second power demand, and the second power generation, wherein the first PCC and the second PCC are downstream from, and couple to, the third PCC; and

controlling, with a third microinverter of the third control node, power distribution by generating a current-based output current from the second grid segment to the first grid segment when the first grid segment has peak power demand greater than the first neighborhood power source can satisfy.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein controlling power distribution with the third microinverter comprises generating a ratio of real power to reactive power based on the demand of the first grid segment and the demand of the second grid segment.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second PCC couples to a second power source that lacks sufficient generation capacity to meet peak power demand of the first grid segment, wherein controlling the power distribution from the second grid segment to the first grid segment comprises controlling the distribution based at least in part on generation of power by the second power source.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein controlling power distribution with the third microinverter comprises generating a ratio of real power to reactive power based on power from the second power source to provide to the first grid segment.

Continuity (5)
Continuation 17343457 · Jun 9, 2021
Continuation 16413387 · May 15, 2019
Continuation 14791429 · Jul 4, 2015
Provisional Application 62021085 · Jul 4, 2014
Related Publication 20220344969A1 · Oct 27, 2022
References Cited (248)
US 4315248A · Ward · 1982 [cited by applicant]
US 4752697A · Lyons et al. · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 5731965A · Cheng et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5798631A · Spee et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 6219623B1 · Wills · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6281601B1 · Edelman et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6323620B1 · Miyoshi et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6697951B1 · Sinha et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6925361B1 · Sinnock · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7633284B2 · Ingram et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 8121741B2 · Taft et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8352091B2 · Haugh · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8406019B2 · Garces et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8423194B2 · Besore et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8432052B2 · Lu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8768528B2 · Millar et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8810202B2 · Nomura · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8922056B2 · Thisted · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8933572B1 · Abdur-Rahim et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8990114B2 · Terano et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9046077B2 · Kirchner et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9168839B2 · Paupert · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9244446B2 · Bhageria et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9318947B2 · Schauder et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9325173B2 · Varma et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9368968B2 · Schrock et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9418393B2 · Forbes · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9455577B2 · Bhageria et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9457680B2 · Shinzaki et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9469203B2 · Momose et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9473042B1 · Chu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9515491B2 · Bhageria et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9639074B2 · Hibiya et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9640997B2 · Chandrashekhara et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9656567B2 · Kothavale et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9685887B2 · Martin · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9843189B2 · Kamalasadan et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9997919B2 · Cho et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10007285B2 · Arya et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10211633B2 · Kashiwagi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10429935B2 · Hall et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20020072868A1 · Bartone et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020149953A1 · Smedley et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030020333A1 · Ying · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030047209A1 · Yanai et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030187550A1 · Wilson et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040071000A1 · Escobar et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040111226A1 · Brewster et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040260488A1 · Al-Hamrani · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050212688A1 · Chung · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070005195A1 · Pasquale et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070073445A1 · Gonzalez et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070135970A1 · Zhou et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080106098A1 · Miller et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080143290A1 · Chavakula · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080167756A1 · Golden et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080211230A1 · Gurin · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090096211A1 · Stiesdal · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090200988A1 · Bridges et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090200994A1 · Fornage · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100067271A1 · Garces et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100076613A1 · Imes · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100138063A1 · Cardinal et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100179704A1 · Ozog · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100187914A1 · Rada et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100208501A1 · Matan et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100217451A1 · Kouda et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100238003A1 · Chan et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100306027A1 · Haugh · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100308585A1 · Jorgensen et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110074152A1 · Yasugi · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110088748A1 · Lee · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110103110A1 · Godridge et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110130889A1 · Khajehoddin et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110198846A1 · Wakasa et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110202418A1 · Kempton et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110204717A1 · Shaffer · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110285130A1 · Thisted · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110316480A1 · Mills-Price et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120029720A1 · Cherian et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120049629A1 · Miller et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120053741A1 · Beyerle et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120059527A1 · Beaston et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120086273A1 · Rognli · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120197449A1 · Sanders · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120205981A1 · Varma et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120245744A1 · Prosser et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120249048A1 · Nishibayashi et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120271470A1 · Flynn et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120310559A1 · Taft · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120326503A1 · Birkelund · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130015708A1 · Ukita et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130015713A1 · Hagihara · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130018516A1 · Chee et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130043725A1 · Birkelund · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130076140A1 · Darden et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130111494A1 · Hyser et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130131878A1 · Wilkins et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130154570A1 · Nomura · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130162215A1 · Cooper · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130184894A1 · Sakuma et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140012427A1 · Katayama et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140052310A1 · Baba et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140062086A1 · Dumenjóet al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140070617A1 · Detmers et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140078625A1 · Zheng et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140094985A1 · Hibiya et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140095985A1 · Argue et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140103727A1 · Taimela et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140114844A1 · Forbes · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140121849A1 · Ansari et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140129160A1 · Tran · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140156095A1 · Rouse et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140159485A1 · Daniel et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140176090A1 · Harjeet et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140225457A1 · Elliott · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140249688A1 · Ansari · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140265695A1 · Thompson · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140306533A1 · Paquin et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140376278A1 · Fornage et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140379156A1 · Kamel et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150120070A1 · Tarnowski · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150186904A1 · Guha et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150236510A1 · Recio et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150270712A1 · Kanayama et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150357815A1 · Luh et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150364919A1 · Schumer et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160087439A1 · Matan et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160091912A1 · Stanlake · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170005515A1 · Sanders et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170155249A1 · Thompson · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 101677184A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
EP 2515406A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006067760A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012130243A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013183622A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013544063A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 101333828B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009083448A2 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011032265A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012015507A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012058114A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014019055A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015099857A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
Australian Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2015283879, Mailed Nov. 17, 2017, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian First Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2015283878, Mailed Feb. 2, 2018, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian First Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2018264131, Mailed Jul. 10, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian First Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2019200738, Mailed Dec. 20, 2019, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian First Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2020204639, Mailed Jan. 28, 2021, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian Second Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2015283878, Mailed Jan. 21, 2019, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Australian Second Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2015283879, Mailed Nov. 12, 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brazilian and English Translation of Brazil First Office Action for Patent Application No. BR112017000117-9, Mailed May 19, 2020, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brazilian and English Translation of Brazil First Office Action for Patent Application No. BR112017000119-5, Mailed May 19, 2020, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brazilian and English Translation of Brazil Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 112017000119-5, Mailed Jul. 27, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brazilian Translation of Brazil Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 112017000117-9, Mailed Aug. 7, 2022, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Canadian Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2954190, Mailed Aug. 5, 2021, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Canadian Second Examination Report for Patent Application No. 2954188, Mailed Mar. 25, 2022, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese and English Translation of P.R. China State Intellectual Property Office First Office Action for Patent Application No. 201880047630.7, Mailed Jun. 21, 2019, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese and English Translation of P.R. China State Intellectual Property Office First Office Action for Patent Application No. 201580047520.0, Mailed Jun. 27, 2019, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese and English Translation of P.R. China State Intellectual Property Office Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 201580047520.0, Mailed Mar. 20, 2020, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
English Translation of Japanese Final Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500031, Mailed Jul. 9, 2021, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
English Translation of Japanese First Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500031, Mailed Oct. 3, 2019, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Fifth Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Oct. 29, 2021, 4 pages. (EP Exam Report Article 94(3) EPC). [cited by applicant]
European Fifth Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Nov. 2, 2021, 4 pages. (EP Exam Report Article 94(3) EPC). [cited by applicant]
European Fourth Office Action for Patent Application No. 1514617.5, Mailed Dec. 22, 2020, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Fourth Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Dec. 18, 2020, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Aug. 30, 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Aug. 30, 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Apr. 16, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Apr. 16, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Sixth Office Action, (EP Exam Report Article 94(3) EPC), for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Aug. 24, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Sixth Office Action, (EP Exam Report Article 94(3) EPC), for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Aug. 24, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Third Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Dec. 20, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Third Office Action for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Dec. 17, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Examiners Answer to Appeal Brief for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,440, Mailed Nov. 13, 2019, 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Examiners Answer to Appeal Brief for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,441, Mailed Nov. 13, 2019, 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Examiners Answer to Appeal Brief for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,442, Mailed Nov. 13, 2019, 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for Patent Application No. 15814562.3, Mailed Jan. 31, 2018, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for Patent Application No. 15814617.5, Mailed Jan. 31, 2018, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed Dec. 20, 2017, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed Oct. 22, 2018, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,435, Mailed Mar. 2, 2018, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,435, Mailed Nov. 9, 2018, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,436, Mailed Mar. 5, 2018, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,437, Mailed Mar. 8, 2018, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Aug. 1, 2019, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Jun. 21, 2018, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Oct. 19, 2018, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,439, Mailed Feb. 28, 2019, 46 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,439, Mailed Jan. 25, 2018, 47 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,440, Mailed Jan. 10, 2019, 64 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,440, Mailed Jan. 25, 2018, 62 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,441, Mailed Feb. 5, 2018, 63 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,441, Mailed Jan. 10, 2019, 67 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,442, Mailed Jun. 22, 2017, 74 pages. [cited by applicant]
Patent Board Decision-Affirmed in Part for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed Sep. 24, 2020, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Second Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Feb. 27, 2019, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Third Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed May 15, 2020, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,442, Mailed Feb. 2, 2018, 68 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,442, Mailed Jan. 10, 2019, 75 pages. [cited by applicant]
First Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 16/413,387, Mailed Oct. 24, 2019, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
First Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 17/343,457, Mailed Feb. 17, 2022, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability, PCT/US2015/039230, Mailed Jan. 19, 2017, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability, PCT/US2015/039232, Mailed Jan. 19, 2017, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/039230, Mailed Sep. 30, 2015, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/039232, Mailed Sep. 24, 2015, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese and English Translation of Japanese Appeal Board Decision for Patent Application No. 2017-500018, Mailed Nov. 22, 2021, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese and English Translation of Japanese First Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500018, Mailed Sep. 11, 2019, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese and English Translation of Japanese Fourth Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500031, Mailed Jul. 4, 2022, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese and English Translation of Japanese Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500018, Mailed May 28, 2020, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese and English Translation of Japanese Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 2017-500031, Mailed Sep. 16, 2020, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean and English Translation of Korean Office Action for Patent Application No. 10-2017-7003169, Mailed Mar. 15, 2018, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean and English Translation of Korean Office Action for Patent Application No. 10-2017-7003170, Mailed Mar. 15, 2017, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean and English Translation of Korean Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 10-2017-7003170, Mailed Sep. 28, 2018, 26 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean and English Translation of the Notice of Preliminary Rejection for Patent Application No. 10-2019-7025751, Mailed Oct. 19, 2020, pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean Notice of Preliminary Rejection for Patent Application No. 10-2019-7025719, Mailed Oct. 19, 2020, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean Second Office Action for Patent Application No. 10-2017-7003169, Mailed Sep. 28, 2018, 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Mexico First Office Action for Patent Application No. MX/a/2017/000207, Mailed Mar. 28, 2019, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Moroccan Search Report for Patent Application No. 39560, Mailed Oct. 24, 2017, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Moroccan Search Report for Patent Application No. 39561, Mailed Sep. 21, 2017, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,432, Mailed Dec. 26, 2017, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,434, Mailed Feb. 16, 2018, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed Feb. 19, 2021, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed May 19, 2021, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Aug. 19, 2020, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 16/179,768, Mailed May 14, 2020, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 16/413,387, Mailed Feb. 5, 2020, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
NPL—P. Sheaffer, et al., Universal Interconnection Technology Workshop Proceedings, [on line]. NREL/BK-560-32865. Colorado: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory Operated by Midwest … [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,422, Mailed Jun. 28, 2018, 82 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed Aug. 30, 2017, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,429, Mailed May 24, 2018, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,431, Mailed Oct. 3, 2017, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,432, Mailed Aug. 31, 2017, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,433, Mailed Jan. 8, 2018, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,434, Mailed Sep. 25, 2017, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,435, Mailed Jul. 6, 2018, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,435, Mailed Sep. 21, 2017, 24 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,436, Mailed Oct. 10, 2017, 16 bages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,436, Mailed Jul. 23, 2018, 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,437, Mailed Oct. 13, 2017, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,437, Mailed Aug. 1, 2018, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,438, Mailed Jan. 11, 2018, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,439, Mailed Jul. 11, 2018, 47 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,439, Mailed Jun. 1, 2017, 39 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,440, Mailed Jun. 15, 2017, 68 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,440, Mailed Jun. 28, 2018, 65 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,441, Mailed Jun. 26, 2017, 73 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 14/791,441, Mailed Jun. 28, 2018, 74 pages. [cited by applicant]