DETAILED ACTION
The present office action is responsive to the applicant’s filling an RCE request on 04/05/2026.
The application has claims 1, 4-13, 16-20 present. Claims 1, 5, 13 and 20 have been amended. All present claims have been examined.
Previous rejections under 35 USC § 103 have been withdrawn as necessitated by the claim amendments.
This action is made Non-Final.
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 .
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns, paragraphs, figures and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. The entire reference is considered to provide disclosure relating to the claimed invention. The claims & only the claims form the metes & bounds of the invention. Office personnel are to give the claims their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the supporting disclosure. Unclaimed limitations appearing in the specification are not read into the claim. Prior art was referenced using terminology familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such an approach is broad in concept and can be either explicit or implicit in meaning. Examiner's Notes are provided with the cited references to assist the applicant to better understand how the examiner interprets the applied prior art. Such comments are entirely consistent with the intent & spirit of compact prosecution.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-8, 12, 13 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banatao et al. (US 20220101277), in view of Tappan et al. (US 20210141503), Schwimmer et al. (WO2022038396), Budiman et al. (US20110130857).
In regards to claims 1, 13 and 20, Banatao teaches computer-implemented method comprising: (See Fig. 1 and 3 and at least para 16, 31-35, 58 and 70-72: teaching for chemical reaction schemes These schemes may be iteratively modified or updated as conditions are changed. Scheme data is used as input information/data. See at least Fig. 3: the operations simulation chemical recycling is initiated from the input data [input 333, output 335 and reaction model 339. Representing or providing the logical layout of the recycling process); generating by the at least one processor a virtual recycling process model corresponding to the recycling process associated with the plant based at least in part on the representation data (see at least FIG. 3 and at least para 52 teaches that different approaches may be incorporated in a guided chemical recycling simulation in order to generate an optimized reaction condition (340). Also, one or more chemical processes can be simulated as a series of reaction models (353a-n) and generating outputs (355a-n) Each reaction model may be represent a chemical unit operation forming a stage of a recycling process); and generating by the at least one processor at least one recycling process optimization action based at least in part on the virtual recycling process model (see FIG. 3 shows optimized reaction condition including reaction scheme 345); initiating performance of the at least one recycling process optimization action, wherein initiating performance of the at least one recycling process optimization action comprises: causing operation of at least one of the plurality of physical components of the plant based at least in part on the at least one recycling process optimization action (see at least FIG. 3 and at least para 52 teaches that different approaches may be incorporated in a guided chemical recycling simulation in order to generate an optimized reaction condition (340). Also, one or more chemical processes can be simulated as a series of reaction models (353a-n) and generating outputs (355a-n) Each reaction model may be represent a chemical unit operation forming a stage of a recycling process. See FIG. 3 shows optimized reaction condition including reaction scheme 345).
Banatao doesn’t specifically teach identifying physical representation data representing a physical layout of a recycling process associated with a plant, wherein the physical representation data comprises a physical representation of a plurality of physical components of the plant associated with the recycling process and a physical representation of a plurality of feed paths associated with the plurality of physical components of the plant associated with the recycling process,
However, Banatao does teach on para 4: “constituent materials may be identified using chemical fingerprints derived from a comprehensive library including spectrum information, physical properties, computational algorithms, and machine learning”. Para 3 teaches “managing reuse of molecular components incorporated in waste materials”. Para 19, 21-22: “…the characterization data 113 may include physical and chemical characterization including, but not limited to, surface resistivity data, physical characterization data such as hardness or tensile properties, or other physical or chemical properties that may contain characteristic information to differentiate the waste material 111 from other types of waste materials”.
Tappan teaches techniques for visual representation of physical machinery on industrial environment where all machinery available on an industrial setting can be represented on an interface, which allows to have all machinery and processes from the machinery and sensor data associated to it be presented to a user thru the interface for monitoring (see FIG. 3, 4 and 5 abstract and at least para 2, 3, 5, 6).
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Tappan for graphical interface which allows monitoring of machinery on an industrial environment in combination with the teachings of Banatao for recycling workflow and system for characterizing waste materials and protocols, in order to be able to provide a virtual representation of the machinery from a recycling plant that accomplishes the recycling processes of Banatao, since it enhances the system in order to visual provide a representation of the machinery and their processes and monitoring of their processes (see para 2-3, 5-6).
Although Banatao as modified by Tappan teach physical representation as shown above, however, fail to teach spatial location of the physical components of the plant.
Schwimmer teaches spatial location of the physical components of the plant (see para 2-4: teaches: modeling physical scene plant environment. Para 4 “When modeling industrial facilities in the virtual simulation environment, it is often a common requirement that the position and the orientation of the virtual objects in the virtual scene accurately reflect the position and the orientation of the real objects in the real scene during the industrial scenario”).
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Schwimmer with the teachings of Banatao as modified by Tappan, in order to be able to provide a virtual representation of the complete plant scene with spatial location (position of the modeled object as they are in real life), since it enhances the system in order to accurately provide a visual representation of the machinery and their processes and thus enhancing the system for monitoring and control.
Banatao doesn’t specifically teach wherein the virtual recycling process model comprises
virtual representation of at least a portion of an output feed of a first physical component of
the plurality of physical components being routed to a feed input of a second physical
component of the plurality of physical components by at least one of the plurality of feed
paths.
Budiman teaches wherein the virtual recycling process model comprises
virtual representation of at least a portion of an output feed of a first physical component of
the plurality of physical components being routed to a feed input of a second physical
component of the plurality of physical components by at least one of the plurality of feed
paths (see at least para 182 and FIG. 3 teaches virtual model of the processing plant with a representation of various physical components like blending equipment, a storage tank and a filling/packaging equipment, etc. shown in a model representation. Para 182: “FIG. 3 depicts the interaction among a blending equipment, a storage tank, and a filling/packaging equipment that shows the impact of combining batches, product mix and batch size production decisions on the quantity of each product that can be produced in one production shift. In FIG. 3, the decision to combine batches in blending bulk product A to be packaged into packaged products 1, 2, and 3”).
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Budiman with the teachings of Banatao as modified by Tappan, in order to be able to provide a virtual representation of the complete plant, since it provides an optimization platform that comprises an algorithmic solver which loads plant model data and executes solver. The algorithmic solver is operable to manipulate decision variables in the model to identify the set of variable values that optimize the objective function (see para 28).
In regards to claims 4 and 16, Banatao teaches further comprising: causing a user interface to be displayed, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of the virtual recycling process model or the at least one recycling process optimization action (see at least FIG. 4 and para 57-59: teaches recycling process simulation).
In regards to claims 5 and 17, Banatao teaches wherein the first component of the plurality of components includes a first feed input and a first feed output and the second component of the plurality of components includes a second feed input and a second feed output (see at least FIG. 3 at least para 50-53: teaches multiple inputs and outputs).
Although Banatao doesn’t specifically teach a plurality of physical components, it does teach on para 4: “constituent materials may be identified using chemical fingerprints derived from a comprehensive library including spectrum information, physical properties, computational algorithms, and machine learning”. Para 3 teaches “managing reuse of molecular components incorporated in waste materials”. Para 19, 21-22: “…the characterization data 113 may include physical and chemical characterization including, but not limited to, surface resistivity data, physical characterization data such as hardness or tensile properties, or other physical or chemical properties that may contain characteristic information to differentiate the waste material 111 from other types of waste materials”.
Tappan teaches techniques for visual representation of physical machinery on industrial environment where all machinery available on an industrial setting can be represented on an interface, which allows to have all machinery and processes from the machinery and sensor data associated to it be presented to a user thru the interface for monitoring (see FIG. 3, 4 and 5 abstract and at least para 2, 3, 5, 6).
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Tappan for graphical interface which allows monitoring of machinery on an industrial environment in combination with the teachings of Banatao for recycling workflow and system for characterizing waste materials and protocols, in order to be able to provide a virtual representation of the machinery from a recycling plant that accomplishes the recycling processes of Banatao, since it enhances the system in order to visual provide a representation of the machinery and their processes and monitoring of their processes (see para 2-3, 5-6).
In regards to claims 6 and 18, Banatao teaches wherein the first feed output is configured to output a first output feed and the second feed output is configured to output a second output feed (see at least FIG. 3 at least para 50-53: teaches multiple inputs and outputs for multiple target products and optimization).
In regards to claims 7 and 19, Banatao doesn’t specifically teaches wherein at least a portion of the first output feed is routed to the second feed input at least in part by a first recycle feed path of the plurality of feed paths and at least a portion of the second output feed is routed to the first feed input at least in part by a second recycle feed path of the plurality of feed paths.
Banatao does show on FIG. 3 and teaches at least on para 50: “Reaction models 339 may also be stored as part of the chemical reaction inventory 330, which may permit the unit operations simulation 310 to include rules-based reaction models in addition to machine-learning approaches as part of guided chemical recycling 350 formulations. The inputs 333 and outputs 335 may be cross-referenced in the chemical reaction inventory 330, such that the material identification data 320 may be paired with potential target products that may serve to define an initial set of chemical reaction schemas that may be optimized”. On para 51: As part of generating optimized reaction conditions 340, unit operations simulations 310 may modify known and widely used reactions and to assist in the exploration and discovery of novel catalysts, reagents, or solvents 343 and reaction conditions 341 that might be applicable to deconstruct waste materials.
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Banatao in order to accomplished routing feeds from one to the other, since it would have enhanced the system to allow cross referencing and modification of reactions for resulting of targets, exploring or discovery of new of novel catalysts, reagents, or solvents and reaction conditions that might be applicable to deconstruct waste materials (see para 51).
In regards to claim 8, Banatao doesn’t specifically teach wherein at least a portion of the first output feed is routed to a third component of the plurality of components and at least a portion of the second output feed is routed to a fourth component of the plurality of physical components.
Banatao show on FIG. 3 and teaches at least on para 50: “Reaction models 339 may also be stored as part of the chemical reaction inventory 330, which may permit the unit operations simulation 310 to include rules-based reaction models in addition to machine-learning approaches as part of guided chemical recycling 350 formulations. The inputs 333 and outputs 335 may be cross-referenced in the chemical reaction inventory 330, such that the material identification data 320 may be paired with potential target products that may serve to define an initial set of chemical reaction schemas that may be optimized”. On para 51: As part of generating optimized reaction conditions 340, unit operations simulations 310 may modify known and widely used reactions and to assist in the exploration and discovery of novel catalysts, reagents, or solvents 343 and reaction conditions 341 that might be applicable to deconstruct waste materials.
As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Banatao in order to accomplished routing feeds from one to the other, since it would have enhanced the system to allow cross referencing and modification of reactions for resulting of targets, exploring or discovery of new of novel catalysts, reagents, or solvents and reaction conditions that might be applicable to deconstruct waste materials (see para 51).
In regard to claim 12, Banatao teaches wherein the recycling process is a multiple-input multiple-output recycling process (see FIG. 3 multiple inputs and outputs, and least on para 50: “Reaction models 339 may also be stored as part of the chemical reaction inventory 330, which may permit the unit operations simulation 310 to include rules-based reaction models in addition to machine-learning approaches as part of guided chemical recycling 350 formulations. The inputs 333 and outputs 335 may be cross-referenced in the chemical reaction inventory 330, such that the material identification data 320 may be paired with potential target products that may serve to define an initial set of chemical reaction schemas that may be optimized”. On para 51: As part of generating optimized reaction conditions 340, unit operations simulations 310 may modify known and widely used reactions and to assist in the exploration and discovery of novel catalysts, reagents, or solvents 343 and reaction conditions 341 that might be applicable to deconstruct waste materials).
Claim(s) 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banatao et al. (US 20220101277), Budiman et al. (US20110130857), in view of Tappan et al. (US 20210141503) and Schwimmer et al. (WO2022038396) as applied to claims above and further in view of Yokomizo et al. (US 20190144766).
In regards to claim 9, although Banatao provides some examples for recycling materials and target outcomes (see at least para 15, 17, 21-22), it doesn’t specifically teach wherein the first feed comprises at least one of naphtha, distillate, heavy distillate, or hydrocracker bottoms.
Yokomizo teaches wherein the first feed comprises at least one of naphtha, distillate, heavy distillate, or hydrocracker bottoms (see at least para 6, 9, 42-44: teaches recycling slurry hydrocracked products and provides example data including distillate within the recycling process).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Yokomizo with the teachings of Banatao in order to be able to model for specific other specific material to be recycled and obtained from the recycling, since it would enhance the system for modeling for many materials.
In regards to claim 10, although Banatao provides some examples for recycling materials and target outcomes (see at least para 15, 17, 21-22), it doesn’t specifically teach wherein the second feed comprises at least one of propane, butane, gasoline, light cycle oil, heavy gas oil, or slurry.
Yokomizo teaches wherein the second feed comprises at least one of propane, butane, gasoline, light cycle oil, heavy gas oil, or slurry (see at least para 6, 9, 42-44: teaches recycling slurry hydrocracked products and provides example data including slurry, gas oil within the recycling process).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Yokomizo with the teachings of Banatao in order to be able to model for specific other specific material to be recycled and obtained from the recycling, since it would enhance the system for modeling for many materials.
In regards to claim 11, although Banatao provides some examples for recycling materials and target outcomes (see at least para 15, 17, 21-22), it doesn’t specifically teach wherein the plurality of physical components of the plant comprises at least one of a fluid catalytic cracking component or a hydrocracking component.
Yokomizo teaches wherein the plurality of physical components of the plant comprises at least one of a fluid catalytic cracking component or a hydrocracking component (see abstract and at least para 5-6, 9, 42-48: teaches recycling slurry hydrocracked products within a recycling process).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use these teachings of Yokomizo with the teachings of Banatao in order to be able to model for specific other specific material to be recycled and obtained from the recycling, since it would enhance the system for modeling for many materials.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIO M VELEZ-LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7971. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10:30am-5:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARIO M VELEZ-LOPEZ/
Examiner, Art Unit 2118
/SCOTT T BADERMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2118
Prosecution Insights