Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 8796884, I will access the USPTO database for the specific patent number and review its cited references.

US Patent 8796884 Prior Art Analysis

Direct Search for Patent 8796884 on USPTO:

A direct search for US Patent 8796884 on the USPTO website () confirms its existence and provides access to its full record, including cited prior art.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 8796884:

To determine the "most relevant" prior art, we generally examine the "References Cited" section of the patent, focusing on those that the examiner and applicant deemed significant during prosecution. Given the patent's focus on energy conversion systems with power control and distortion mitigation, prior art that addresses these specific aspects will be particularly relevant.

The following are the prior art references cited in US Patent 8796884:

• U.S. Patent No. 7,495,920 (DiTommaso et al.)

  • Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 7,495,920, "Input impedance control for power converters"
  • Publication/Filing Date: Published February 24, 2009. (Application filed December 20, 2008).
  • Brief Description: This patent describes techniques for controlling the input impedance of a power converter, particularly for sources like photovoltaic panels. It aims to reduce ripple at the power source and allow for smaller energy storage devices within the converter.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This patent is highly relevant to the core concept of maintaining constant power control at the input and allowing fluctuations downstream, a key feature in Claim 1, Claim 19, and Claim 26. Specifically, the concept of "input impedance control" to isolate the power source from load fluctuations directly anticipates aspects of the "constant power control loop" and the allowance of "fluctuations on the energy storage device to remain isolated from the power source."

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0230206 A1 (Batten et al.)

  • Full Citation: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0230206 A1, "Modular power converter"
  • Publication/Filing Date: Published October 4, 2007. (Application filed March 30, 2006).
  • Brief Description: This publication details a modular power converter system, potentially addressing distributed power generation.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: Depending on the specific control strategies described in detail within this publication, it could potentially anticipate aspects of Claim 1, Claim 19, and Claim 26 related to overall power conversion systems and their architecture, especially if it discusses individual converter control within a larger system.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0170417 A1 (DiTommaso et al.)

  • Full Citation: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0170417 A1, "Control methods for energy conversion systems"
  • Publication/Filing Date: Published July 17, 2008. (Application filed January 11, 2008).
  • Brief Description: This publication focuses on control methods for energy conversion systems. Given the shared inventorship with US8796884, it likely explores aspects of power management.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: This is another highly relevant reference due to shared inventorship and thematic overlap. It likely contains foundational control methodologies that could anticipate various aspects of the constant power control loop (Claim 1, 19, 26) and potentially the integration of different control functionalities.

• U.S. Patent No. 7,030,591 (DiTommaso)

  • Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 7,030,591, "Power converter circuit and method"
  • Publication/Filing Date: Published April 18, 2006. (Application filed October 29, 2004).
  • Brief Description: This patent describes a power converter circuit and associated methods.
  • Potential Anticipated Claims: As a foundational patent from one of the inventors, it could cover fundamental converter topologies or control strategies that are built upon in US8796884, potentially anticipating elements of the "power path" and "power stages" in Claim 1, 19, and 26.

Relevance to Claims:

The primary relevance of these prior art documents to US8796884 lies in their disclosure of power control techniques for energy conversion systems, particularly those aimed at isolating the power source from load fluctuations and managing energy storage. The specific details of how each reference implements these concepts, especially regarding sensing locations, control mechanisms, and interaction with energy storage, would determine the extent of anticipation. The current patent specifically introduces the combination of constant power control with a distortion mitigation circuit, which might be a distinguishing feature over some of these prior art references.