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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/30/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 6-7, 9-11, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al (US PGPub No. 2020/0362681) in view of Bolt (US PGPub No. 2023/0340954) in view of Oehring et al (US Patent No. 11,960,305).
Robinson teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a system of a pumping unit (100), comprising: a variable frequency drive (VFD, 104) communicatively coupled to a prime mover (112); a pump (114) rotationally coupled to the prime mover; a unit controller (interface 166 and MCC, 108) communicatively coupled to the VFD (FIG. 1; paragraph 25, 28-29), the unit controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory (paragraph 29 teaches both a processor and memory and allows for the components to part of a component coupled to the interface 116; see FIG. 1) and configured to: control a pumping operation of the pumping unit via control of the prime mover (paragraph 28 for example); receive a data stream of one or more parameters from the VFD indicative of the pumping operation (paragraphs 35-36); compare the one or more parameters to a lower limit threshold (paragraphs 24 teaching thresholds, paragraphs 51-52 teaching a control step); and modify the pumping operation in response to the lower limit threshold exceeding the one or more parameters (paragraphs 23, 38, 40, 47, and FIG. 5 disclosing different parameters for vector control; paragraph 34 disclosing a control scheme in which chosen parameters are adjusted and set);
Robinson teaches controlling the motor/pump based on measured parameters (paragraph 28, 35-36), but does not explicitly teach a torque/current and associated threshold;
Bolt teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a system of a pumping unit (102; FIG. 3), comprising: a variable frequency drive (115) communicatively coupled to a prime mover (116); a pump (118) rotationally coupled to the prime mover (paragraph 19); a unit controller (120) communicatively coupled to the VFD, the unit controller comprising a processor (152) and a non-transitory memory (150 and paragraph 23) and configured to: control a pumping operation of the pumping unit via control of the prime mover (paragraph 18); receive a data stream of one of a torque or electric current parameters from the VFD indicative of the pumping operation; compare the torque or electric current parameters to a lower limit threshold; and modify the pumping operation in response to the lower limit threshold exceeding the torque or electric current parameters (paragraphs 18 and 23 for example);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of pumps at the time the invention was filed to monitor parameters such as torque/current in the system of Robinson, as taught by Bolt, to monitor for wear and associated changes in the pumping system in order to maintain the system in a working state.
Robinson does not teach applying a delta to the thresholds of the parameter values listed in FIG. 5 for example;
Oehring teaches a pump (204), a controller (216), and a sensor providing parameter data to the controller (see FIG. 2); and wherein the pump is controlled based upon a comparison of a parameter value to a threshold (FIG. 3, “310”; C. 8 Lines 19-35); a negative delta applied to the parameter value in determining the threshold (C. 8 Lines 34-45, in which the threshold is adjusted by a desired amount at 312);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to set thresholds in the pump system of Robinson that are adjusted, as taught by Oehring, in order to more accurately meet a desired parameter of the pump system such as output flow with a reduced number of pump adjustments.
Robinson further teaches:
limitations from claim 2, further comprising one or more sensors configured to measure data indicative of a pumping operation, and wherein the one or more sensor are communicatively coupled to the unit controller (vibration sensors 220 for example, paragraph 40; see also paragraph 47 and FIG. 5 in which additional parameters are provided);
limitations from claim 3, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise a positional sensor, a torque sensor, a rotary encoder, a pressure sensor, a flowrate sensor, a vibration sensor (220; paragraph 40), a density sensor, or combinations thereof.
limitations from claim 9, further comprising: a line fluidically coupling the pumping unit to a wellbore (pump 2; paragraph 4 teaching injecting into a wellbore at high pressure; paragraph 26, 31 teaching pumping a high pressure to fracture formations); a wellbore treatment fluid for the pumping unit to pump into the wellbore; and wherein the wellbore treatment fluid is selected from a group consisting of a drilling mud, a fracturing slurry, a cementitious slurry, a spacer fluid, a completion fluid, an acidizing fluid, a gravel packing fluid, a resin compound, and water (see paragraph 4 teaching a slurry, water, proppant, sand, etc.);
limitations from claim 10, wherein: the pump (114) is a fluid end, a positive displacement pump, a plunger pump, a piston pump, a progressive cavity pump, a gear pump, a screw pump, a lobe pump, a double screw pump, an impeller and diffuser, a centrifugal pump, a multistage centrifugal pump, a turbine, or any other type of pump suitable for pressurizing fluids (paragraph 19); and wherein the prime mover is an electrical motor (112; paragraph 25);
limitations from claim 11, further comprising a second pump rotationally coupled to the prime mover (FIG. 1B; paragraph 31);
Bolt Further teaches:
limitations from claim 4, wherein the unit controller is further configured to: compare the one or more parameters to an upper limit threshold (paragraphs 18 and 23 for example);
Regarding claim(s) 6 and 26:
Robinson teaches controlling a pump using thresholds based on particular parameters (paragraphs 23, 38, 40, 47, and FIG. 5 disclosing different parameters for vector control; paragraph 34 disclosing a control scheme in which chosen parameters are adjusted and set), but does not teach applying a delta to the upper threshold of the parameter values listed in FIG. 5 for example;
Oehring teaches a pump (204), a controller (216), and a sensor providing parameter data to the controller (see FIG. 2); and wherein the pump is controlled based upon a comparison of a parameter value to a threshold (FIG. 3, “310”; C. 8 Lines 19-35); a positive delta applied to the parameter value in determining the threshold (C. 8 Lines 34-45, in which the threshold is adjusted by a desired amount at 312);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to set thresholds in the pump system of Robinson that are adjusted, as taught by Oehring, in order to more accurately meet a desired parameter of the pump system such as output flow with a reduced number of pump adjustments.
Oehring further teaches:
limitations from claim 7, wherein: setpoint comprises: a flowrate setpoint or a pressure setpoint (C. 8 Lines 34-45; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to choose from amongst known pump parameters to control the output of the pump of Robinson);
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al (US PGPub No. 2020/0362681) in view of Bolt (US PGPub No. 2023/0340954) in view of Oehring et al (US Patent No. 11,960,305) as applied to claims 1, 4,6, and 26 above, and in further view of Kabrich et al (US PGPub No. 2023/0235663).
Regarding claim 8:
While Robinson teaches an embodiment with multiple pumps (164; FIG. 1B), Neither Robinson nor Zhang teach using averages of multiple pumps as a control parameter;
Kabrich teaches a fracturing pump system (FIG. 1) including pumps (30) driven by electric motors (26; paragraph 17); and wherein an average across multiple pumps is relied upon as a parameter to control the pumps (units 14, pressure; paragraphs 40, 45-46);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of pumps at the time the invention was filed to utilize an average value of pump parameters when using multiple pumps in the system of Robinson, as taught by Kabrich, in order to determine the condition of the individual pumps as a whole and relative to one another.
Claim(s) 1, 4, and 26-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al (US PGPub No. 2020/0362681) in view of Bolt (US PGPub No. 2023/0340954) in view of WO 2018/160174 (herein Singh).
Robinson teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a system of a pumping unit (100), comprising: a variable frequency drive (VFD, 104) communicatively coupled to a prime mover (112); a pump (114) rotationally coupled to the prime mover; a unit controller (interface 166 and MCC, 108) communicatively coupled to the VFD (FIG. 1; paragraph 25, 28-29), the unit controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory (paragraph 29 teaches both a processor and memory and allows for the components to part of a component coupled to the interface 116; see FIG. 1) and configured to: control a pumping operation of the pumping unit via control of the prime mover (paragraph 28 for example); receive a data stream of one or more parameters from the VFD indicative of the pumping operation (paragraphs 35-36); compare the one or more parameters to a lower limit threshold (paragraphs 24 teaching thresholds, paragraphs 51-52 teaching a control step); and modify the pumping operation in response to the lower limit threshold exceeding the one or more parameters (paragraphs 23, 38, 40, 47, and FIG. 5 disclosing different parameters for vector control; paragraph 34 disclosing a control scheme in which chosen parameters are adjusted and set);
Robinson teaches controlling the motor/pump based on measured parameters (paragraph 28, 35-36), but does not explicitly teach a torque/current and associated threshold;
Bolt teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a system of a pumping unit (102; FIG. 3), comprising: a variable frequency drive (115) communicatively coupled to a prime mover (116); a pump (118) rotationally coupled to the prime mover (paragraph 19); a unit controller (120) communicatively coupled to the VFD, the unit controller comprising a processor (152) and a non-transitory memory (150 and paragraph 23) and configured to: control a pumping operation of the pumping unit via control of the prime mover (paragraph 18); receive a data stream of one of a torque or electric current parameters from the VFD indicative of the pumping operation; compare the torque or electric current parameters to a lower limit threshold; and modify the pumping operation in response to the lower limit threshold exceeding the torque or electric current parameters (paragraphs 18 and 23 for example);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of pumps at the time the invention was filed to monitor parameters such as torque/current in the system of Robinson, as taught by Bolt, to monitor for wear and associated changes in the pumping system in order to maintain the system in a working state.
Robinson teaches creating thresholds from known pump parameters, but does not teach applying a delta to the thresholds of the parameter values listed in FIG. 5 for example;
Singh teaches:
limitations from claims 26-29 a pump (120), a controller (110), and a sensor providing parameter data to the controller (see FIG. 2); and wherein the pump is controlled based upon a comparison of a parameter value to a threshold (FIG. 2; paragraphs 37-40); a negative or positive delta applied to the parameter value in determining the threshold, the delta based on sealing condition (paragraph 41 teaching that pump controlling variables are adjustable (equivalent to an applied delta) based upon stages of pump health such as affects sealing); and controlling the pump based on the thresholds (see STEP 208 in FIG. 2);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to set thresholds in the pump system of Robinson that are adjusted based on pump health (sealing ability), as taught by Singh, in order to account for wear on the pump which would affect pump operation relative to the measured parameter.
Singh further teaches:
limitations from claim 30, wherein: setpoint comprises: a flowrate setpoint or a pressure setpoint (paragraph 38; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to choose from amongst known pump parameters to control the output of the pump of Robinson);
Claim(s) 31-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al (US PGPub No. 2020/0362681) in view of Bolt (US PGPub No. 2023/0340954) in view of WO 2018/160174 (herein Singh) as applied to claims 1, 4,6, and 26 above, and in further view of Kabrich et al (US PGPub No. 2023/0235663).
Regarding claim 31:
While Robinson teaches an embodiment with multiple pumps (164; FIG. 1B), Neither Robinson nor Singh teach using averages of multiple pumps as a control parameter;
Kabrich teaches a fracturing pump system (FIG. 1) including pumps (30) driven by electric motors (26; paragraph 17); and wherein an average across multiple pumps is relied upon as a parameter to control the pumps (units 14, pressure; paragraphs 40, 45-46);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of pumps at the time the invention was filed to utilize an average value of pump parameters when using multiple pumps in the system of Robinson, as taught by Kabrich, in order to determine the condition of the individual pumps as a whole and relative to one another.
Robinson further teaches:
limitations from claims 32-34, further comprising: a line fluidically coupling the pumping unit to a wellbore (pump 2; paragraph 4 teaching injecting into a wellbore at high pressure; paragraph 26, 31 teaching pumping a high pressure to fracture formations); a wellbore treatment fluid for the pumping unit to pump into the wellbore; and wherein the wellbore treatment fluid is selected from a group consisting of a drilling mud, a fracturing slurry, a cementitious slurry, a spacer fluid, a completion fluid, an acidizing fluid, a gravel packing fluid, a resin compound, and water (see paragraph 4 teaching a slurry, water, proppant, sand, etc.);
limitations from claim 35, further comprising a second pump rotationally coupled to the prime mover (FIG. 1B; paragraph 31);
Conclusion
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/CHRISTOPHER S BOBISH/Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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