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
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 correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bostick (US 2004/0112595 A1), Mizunuma (1993, SPIE), and Veneruso (US 2007/0051510 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bostick teaches a system for monitoring a casing within a well, the system comprising:
tubing with an outer surface [[fig. 1] shows borehole #10 and wellhead #50];
a housing having an inner wall, an outer wall, and two end walls extending between the inner wall and the outer wall to define an annular enclosure [[0035] optical cable 55 is connected at one end to the optical sensor 30 and runs through the sensor carrier 25, alongside the outer surface 7 of the casing string 5], the housing extending around at least a portion of the tubing with an outer surface of the inner wall in contact with the outer surface of the tubing [[abstract] optical sensors may be attached to an outer surface of the casing string or to an inner surface of the casing string, as well as embedded within a wall of the casing string];
a [cylinder] [[0014] optical cable includes an internal optical fiber which is protected from mechanical and environmental damage by a surrounding capillary tube; [0029] optical sensor may comprise a large diameter optical waveguide having an outer cladding and an inner core disposed therein], the cylinder extending outward from an outer surface of the outer wall of the housing, the cylinder sized to contact an inner surface of the casing during use [[0006] cementing operation may optionally be conducted in order to fill the annular area with cement and set the casing string within the wellbore. Using apparatus known in the art, the casing string may be cemented into the wellbore by circulating cement into the annular area defined between the outer wall of the casing and the borehole];
a plurality of optical distance sensors, associated electronics, and a battery positioned inside the housing, each optical distance sensor comprising a laser operable to emit light towards an inner surface of the outer wall of the housing [[prior art claim 1] least one optical sensor attached to the casing string, the at least one optical sensor capable of measuring one or more wellbore or formation parameters; [0011] monitoring systems … [s]uch instruments are either battery operated, or are powered by electrical cables deployed from the surface; [0039] appropriate optical signal processing equipment for receiving and/or analyzing the return signals (reflected light) from the one or more optical sensors 30 transmitted via the one or more optical cables 55. For example, the logic circuitry may include any combination of dedicated processors, dedicated computers, embedded controllers, general purpose computers, programmable logic controllers, and the like], wherein a laser of one of the plurality of optical sensors is operable to emit light at an angle relative to the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing [[0013] optical signal processing equipment includes an excitation light source. Excitation light may be provided by a broadband light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED) located … Bragg gratings or lasers and couplers which split the signal light into more than one leg for delivery to more than one sensor], and other optical distance sensors of the plurality of optical sensors measure [an intensity and angle of incidence] of the laser light reflected off the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing [[0039] receiving and/or analyzing the return signals (reflected light) from the one or more optical sensors 30 transmitted via the one or more optical cables 55];
a transmitter configured to transmit signals associated with the [intensity and the angle of incidence] of the reflected light [[[0039] receiving and/or analyzing the return signals (reflected light) from the one or more optical sensors 30 transmitted via the one or more optical cables 55]; and
a computing device comprising [[0039] computers]:
a memory configured to store instructions [[0039] computers]; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising [[0039] computers, embedded controllers, general purpose computers, programmable logic controllers, and the like. Accordingly, the logic circuitry may be configured to perform operations described herein by standard programming means (e.g., executable software and/or firmware)]:
receiving the signals from the transmitter [[0011] monitoring systems have historically been configured to provide an electrical line that allows the measuring instruments, or sensors, to send measurements to the surface];
detecting a change in data captured by at least one of the optical distance sensors over time [[0011-0012] monitoring systems employ … seismic sensors … recently optical sensors have been developed which communication readings from the wellbore to optical signal processing equipment located at the surface; [0061] each of the seismic sources may transmit an acoustic wave directly to the seismic sensor 30 for calibration purposes to account for the time delay caused by reflection from the formation 15. The direct transmission of the acoustic wave is necessary to process the gathered information and interpret the final image by deriving the distance between the seismic source and the seismic sensor 30 plus the travel time].
Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Mizunuma teaches wherein a laser of one of the plurality of optical sensors is operable to emit light at an angle relative to the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing internal to the annular enclosure [[title] deformation detection on the pipe inner wall using a laser beam; [abstract] displacement measuring technique using a laser-beam scanner for detailed non-contact mapping of the interior geometry of pipes.; [abstract] the technique, which is based on optical measurement using triangulation, measures radial displacement with an accuracy of ± 0.2 mm for radii between 33 and 42.5 mm.; [sec. 5] we proposed a new pipe testing system that is able to measure the pipe wall deformation in all radial directions and to image the interior geometry of pipes nondestructively and quantitatively. Our system is based on a laser-beam scanning displacement measuring technique, which uses optical triangulation and an optical scanner placed between a laser diode and a position sensor.], and other optical distance sensors of the plurality of optical sensors measure an intensity [[sec. 4.1] threshold level] and angle of incidence of light reflected off the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing internal to the annular enclosure [[sec. 1] another optical method is the displacement-sensor rotating method, which has a very small non-contact displacement sensor, based on optical triangulation, that rotates completely within the pipe. … technique uses an optical scanner, which is placed between a laser diode and a position sensor, in order to measure pipe deformation of the entire inner surface]; and the change in data represents a change in a distance between an optical distance sensor of the plurality of optical distance sensors and an inner surface of the outer wall of the housing [[figs. 4-5] show experimental results of measured radius versus measurement direction in degrees; [fig. 8] shows geometry of measured pipe interior along with deformation along pipe diameter; [fig. 12] shows three dimensional view of pipe inner wall with deformation obtained with threshold extraction].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify the embedded optical sensors in drill string as taught by Bostick, with the detection of inner pipe wall deformation using laser scanner and optical sensor as taught by Mizunuma so that triangulation may be used to map the pipe interior to produce a three dimensional scan (Mizunuma) [[fig. 8][fig. 12]].
Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Veneruso teaches a cylinder comprising an elastomer [[0095] ‘packer’ is a device that can be run into a wellbore with a smaller initial outside diameter that then expands externally to seal the wellbore … squeezing … elastomeric elements … balloon … production or test packers may be set in cased holes and inflatable packers may be set in open or cases holes.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the embedded optical sensors in drill string as taught by Bostick, with the cylinder formed from an elastomer as taught by Veneruso because a packer may be used during well completion to isolate the annulus from the production conduit, enabling controlled production, injection or treatment using an expandable elastomeric element (Veneruso) [[0095]].
Regarding claim 2, Bostick teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the optical distance sensors are organized along the inner wall of the housing [[0024] optical sensor is permanently deployed with the casing string through the attachment of a sensor protector to an inner surface of the casing string, the optical sensor housed within the sensor protector].
Claims 3, 7-8, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bostick (US 2004/0112595 A1), Mizunuma (1993, SPIE), and Veneruso (US 2007/0051510 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of O’Keefe (US 2018/0100929 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the associated electronics are configured to encode the time of arrival and incidence angle of an emitted light received at an optical distance sensor of the array of optical distance sensors into data and send the data via the transmitter to a computer [[0003] flash LIDAR or time-of-flight (TOF) cameras are a class of scannerless LIDAR in which a laser or LED source illuminates a plurality of directions at once and a photodetector array such as a focal plane array (FPA) of avalanche photodiodes detects the timing of reflections from the plurality of directions; [0060] Therefore, the CFOBs enable an arrival direction to be associated with a light reflection at the detector array by identifying the particular detector element that senses the light reflection and a known relationship (e.g. transfer function) between the detector element and a direction or subset of directions in a FOV.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Regarding claim 7, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the system of claim 1, wherein each laser of the plurality of optical distance sensors emit light simultaneously [[0018] CFOBs can be combined to provide simultaneous transmission and combination of laser reflections to a single shared photodetector array in a remotely located ranging subassembly. Alternatively, separate image bundles can simultaneously transmit laser reflections onto a single detector array, providing spatial multiplexing of the image array].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Blois, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Regarding claim 8, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the system of claim 7, wherein each emitted light has a distinct frequency [[0111] for example, continuous wave (CW) light-based range finding can modulate a continuous or semi-continuous beam of light and each period of the modulation frequency can be considered an outgoing light pulse].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Regarding claim 18, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the method of claim 17, wherein a first optical distance sensor emits light and a second optical distance sensor measures the intensity and angle of incidence of the emitted light [[0111][0117] LIDAR 1500 can further comprise two detectors 1520a and 1520b each located to receive a separate plurality of the set of light reflections from reflection splitter 1510a. Each detector can function to detect a separate plurality of the set of light reflections and generate a corresponding set of reflection signals].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Regarding claim 19, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the method of claim 17, wherein multiple optical distance sensors other than the first optical distance sensor measure the intensity and angle of incidence of the emitted light [[0117]].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Regarding claim 20, Blois does not explicitly teach and yet O’Keefe teaches the method of claim 12, wherein emitting light comprises the plurality of optical distance sensors emitting lights simultaneously [[0111][0117]].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the laser reflections as taught by O’Keeffe so that both the timing and direction of laser reflections may be detected (O’Keeffe) [[abstract]].
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bostick (US 2004/0112595 A1), Mizunuma (1993, SPIE), and Veneruso (US 2007/0051510 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cox (US 2007/0056794 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Cox teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical distance sensors includes four optical distance sensors distributed at 90 degrees of azimuthal separation [[0011] sensor may be a laser doppler vibrometer; [fig. 3] #112 a, b, f, h sensors].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Blois, with the four sensors as taught by Cox so that each quadrant of the tool may be imaged.
Claims 9-15 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bostick (US 2004/0112595 A1), Mizunuma (1993, SPIE), and Veneruso (US 2007/0051510 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Blois (US 2023/0041700 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the lasers are low power lasers [[0025] lidar … down hole tool (Archimedes) … laser radar system … Archimedes will be in standby mode (low power) and may activate (full power) when the tubular, or the wellbore, is frequency pulsed, pressure pulsed, or mud pulsed.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the low power laser distance and ranging of Blois so that lower power usage is available while in standby mode (Blois) [[0025]].
Regarding claim 10, Blois teaches the system of claim 9, wherein the lasers are green or yellow lasers [[0152] a green laser may be used to scan objects and features in a downhole operating environment].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the green laser as taught by Blois so that it is more detectable in the dark.
Regarding claim 11, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises an electric-acoustic transducer [[0176] TLT may be equipped to acoustically communicate, such as by sonar or similar techniques, with other tools, systems, and devices, downhole in the wellbore. These communications may be monitored and/or controlled from the surface].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the electro-acoustic transducer as taught by Blois so that electric transducer may act as the detector but communicated acoustically because acoustic waves travel more easily through the ground.
Regarding claim 12, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches measuring the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity of each emitted light with the plurality of optical distance sensors [[abstract] time of flight/lidar tool] (claim 12 is a method which is otherwise analogous to the system of claim 1 and is therefore rejected for similar reasons).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity detection as taught by Blois so that light beams other than perpendicular to the surface can be accounted for in the measurement of distance.
Regarding claim 13, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising encoding the measured time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity into a signal [[0046] any data gathered by a TLT may be stored at the TLT, transmitted from the TLT to a computing system on the surface, transmitted in real time even while the TLT is still downhole].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity detection as taught by Blois so that light beams other than perpendicular to the surface can be accounted for in the measurement of distance.
Regarding claim 14, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the signal via the transmitter to a computer [[0046] any data gathered by a TLT may be stored at the TLT, transmitted from the TLT to a computing system on the surface, transmitted in real time even while the TLT is still downhole].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity detection as taught by Blois so that light beams other than perpendicular to the surface can be accounted for in the measurement of distance.
Regarding claim 15, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the transmitter comprises an electric-acoustic transducer [[0176] TLT may be equipped to acoustically communicate, such as by sonar or similar techniques, with other tools, systems, and devices, downhole in the wellbore. These communications may be monitored and/or controlled from the surface.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the electro-acoustic transducer as taught by Blois so that electric transducer may act as the detector but communicated acoustically because acoustic waves travel more easily through the ground.
Regarding claim 21, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches the method of claim 12, wherein deploying the system in the well comprises placing the system around a piece of tubing as the tubing is being installed in the well [[prior art claim 15] deploying a Time of Flight (TOF)/LiDAR tool including a LiDAR module within a component and/or at an exterior portion of the component].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the electro-acoustic transducer as taught by Blois so that electric transducer may act as the detector but communicated acoustically because acoustic waves travel more easily through the ground.
Regarding claim 22, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois teaches a plurality of light sources positioned within the housing [[0050] light generation and transmission using one or more light sources, such as lasers for example], each light source operable to emit light towards an optical distance sensor [[0050] reflected light reception, such as by way of one or more detectors; TOF calculations for emitted/reflected light]
(claim 22 is a system which is otherwise analogous to the system of claim 1 and is therefore rejected for similar reasons).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity detection as taught by Blois so that light beams other than perpendicular to the surface can be accounted for in the measurement of distance.
Regarding claim 23, Bostick does not explicitly teach and yet Blois the system of claim 1, wherein multiple optical distance sensors other than the first optical distance sensor measure the intensity and angle of incidence of the emitted light, wherein each of the multiple optical distance sensors is configured to receive the emitted light at different times [[fig. 38] shows laser transmitted and reflected from object to arrive at photo diode receiver; [0043] respective distances from the light source, may reflect the light differently, and at different times, the differences in return times of the reflected light may be used to create images, maps, and representations of features in the interior of the casing or whole. The return times may be measured since the time when the light was transmitted is known, and the time when reflected light is received at the detector is known; [0129] the receiver or detector may be an array that comprises, for example, multiple photodiodes; [0142] receiver, or detector, portion of the optoelectronic transceiver may comprise one or more optical receivers, such as photodiodes for example, that are operable to convert an optical signal to an electrical signal. The transmitter and receiver may, or may not, be housed in a single housing.; [0156] data gathered by the LiDAR module may be intensified once converted to digital form from analog signals].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the laser distance measurement as taught by Bostick, with the time of arrival, incidence angle, and/or intensity detection as taught by Blois so that light beams other than perpendicular to the surface can be accounted for in the measurement of distance.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pgs. 7-8, filed 3/17/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered but are not persuasive. The arguments allege that optical sensor do not emit light perpendicular to the inner surface and instead emit light at an angle relative to the inner surface. Firstly, optical sensors are not typically understood to emit light and instead this is usually provided by optical emitters. Nevertheless, any light which is emitted is done at an angle relative to the inner surface. In other words, a perpendicular emission is at an angle.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JONATHAN D ARMSTRONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7339. 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, Isam Alsomiri can be reached on 571-272-6970. 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.
/JONATHAN D ARMSTRONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
Prosecution Insights