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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 USC § 103 Rejection.
Claim Analysis – 35 USC § 101
The new 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance published in the Federal register (Vol. 84 No.4, Jan 7, 2019 pp 50-57) has been applied and the claims are deemed as being patent eligible. In particular, in the prong 1 analysis claims 1, 10 and 16 do not contain an abstract idea. Further even if they were interpreted to have an abstract idea they claim the practical application of improvement a plurality of field devices at a hydrocarbon well location under prong 2 analysis.
The claims 1, 10 and 16, taken as a whole, involves particular field devices at a hydrocarbon well locations. Taking each claim as a whole, each is directed to a particular practical application (comparing data from a particular field device at a hydrocarbon well locations to the expected characteristics of the at least one field device and outputting command that remotely configures generates a notification identifying problem), and that the claim would not monopolize a basic mathematical or mental tool across a wide range of uses. So, the claims are considered to be eligible.
Thus claims 1, 10 and 16 are deemed patent eligible under 35 USC 101. Claims 2-9, 11-15, and 17-20 are dependent claims of claims 1, 10 and 16 and they are directed to the practical application of the parent claim and are also patent eligible under 35 USC 101.
Remarks
Applicant’s arguments filed (04/30/2026) with respect to pending claims 1-20 have been fully considered and are directed to claims as amended. The arguments addressed to the 101 are persuasive, but are not persuasive with respect to the 103 Rejection.
A new ground of rejection is made in view of prior art and “Configure automation better with PACTware”. See below rejection for full detail.
Arguments
Applicant argues (page 12, lines 22-29 and continue on page 13):
“Weatherhead is directed to cloud-based workflow monitoring and distribution of workflow tasks to various (human) users based on respective user roles. Weatherhead does not teach or suggest automatically discovering new or replacement field devices. Instead, Weatherhead specifically describes systems and processes for commissioning well devices that rely on receiving commissioning "requests." …Furthermore, once such a request has been received, Weatherhead describes "generat[ing] a workflow for commissioning a respective component based on the role of the user," where "commissioning of a component may involve a number of different users performing a number of different workflows in a particular order." Id. In other words, the systems and processes described in Weatherhead rely on commissioning… This is directly contrary at least to the stated objective of the present application regarding eliminating reliance on human operators to discover and configure/calibrate new or replacement field devices at a hydrocarbon well location.”.
Applicant's arguments with respect to pending claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the Weatherhead reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. A new ground of rejection is made in view of prior art and “Configure automation better with PACTware”. See below rejection for full detail.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-11, 13-16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weatherhead (US Pub.20220164748), hereinafter Weatherhead in view of Gillette, II(US Pub.20130298652A1), hereinafter Gilette, II and “Configure automation better with PACTware”, hereinafter PACTware.
Regarding Claim 1, Weatherhead discloses a system, comprising:
a plurality of field devices positionable at a hydrocarbon well location (para [004], where the data related to the extracted hydrocarbons may be acquired using monitoring devices that may include sensors that acquire the data and transmitters that transmit the data to computing devices, routers, other monitoring devices, and the like, such that well site personnel and/or off-site personnel may view and analyze the data),
to monitor and measure operating conditions (para [0005], where to monitoring the properties of the well device and the hydrocarbon well site, the monitoring devices, such as remote terminal units (RTUs), para [0054], where RTU 46 may include a sensor that may measure pressure, temperature, fill level, flow rates, and the like) of hydrocarbon well drilling or production equipment (para [004], where Information related to the extracted hydrocarbons or related to the equipment extracting, transporting, storing, or processing the extracted hydrocarbons may be gathered at the well site or at various locations along the network of pipelines. This information or data may be used to ensure that the well site or pipelines are operating safely and that the extracted hydrocarbons have certain desired qualities (e.g., flow rate, temperature)., e.g., the fluid levels and flow rates corresponds to the operating conditions of hydrocarbon well drilling)
and to transmit, via one or more communication mediums, field device data comprising measured operating conditions of the hydrocarbon well drilling or production equipment and field device metadata comprising information about the plurality of field devices (para [004], where data related to the extracted hydrocarbons may be acquired using monitoring devices that may include sensors that acquire the data and transmitters that transmit the data to computing devices, routers, other monitoring devices, and the like, such that well site personnel and/or off-site personnel may view and analyze the data);
a computing device comprising:
a communication subsystem configured to receive the field device data and the field device metadata via the one or more communication mediums (para [0068], where RTU 46 may include a communication component 72, a processor 74, a memory 76, a storage 78, input/output (I/O) ports 80, a display 82, and the like. The communication component 72 may be a wireless or wired communication component that may facilitate communication between different RTUs 46, gateway communication devices, various control systems);
a processor (para 007, where a method may include receiving, via at least one processor of a cloud-computing system); and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor for causing the computing device (para 009, where a non-transitory computer-readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that cause a computing device to receive an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete) to perform operations comprising:
Weatherhead does not disclose:
automatically discovering the plurality of field devices by causing a device discovery module to actively scan connections to the communication subsystem for new or replacement field devices;
remotely configuring at least one performance attribute of each field device of the plurality of field devices in an initial calibration process that uses specifications of the plurality of field devices;
determining, using at least the field device metadata, expected
performance characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices;
comparing subsequently received field device data from at least one field device of the plurality of field devices to expected performance characteristics of the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices; and
in response to a result of comparing the subsequently received field device data to the expected performance characteristics, outputting a command to remotely reconfigure the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices, generate a notification identifying a problem with the at least one field device, or a combination thereof.
Gilette, II discloses replacement field devices (para [0018], where, when the improper vibration location is identified, the service technician has a starting point from which to investigate potential part replacement and/or repair); (para [0019], where data measurements (frequent measurements), the more likely the plotted data can be used to predict behavior that may lead to impending equipment failure);
remotely (Fig. 1, para 0098, where communication protocols between sensor devices 110 and coordinators 120 and a longer range protocol to communicate with remote devices via network 140) configuring at least one performance attribute of each field device(para [0025], where accuracy of this meter is based upon proper calibration and upkeep of the system) of the plurality of field devices in an initial calibration process that uses specifications of the plurality of field devices (para 0021, where device or system records and calibrates parameters such as temperatures and vibrational signals under proper working parameters for baseline measurements. Calibration establishes upper and lower calibration settings, which form the standard operating parameter foundries);
determining, using at least the field device metadata, expected
performance characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices;
comparing subsequently received field device data from at least one field device of the plurality of field devices to expected performance characteristics of the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices(para 0298, where after the standard operating temperature range has been established, at least some of the temperatures measured thereafter are compared to the standard temperature operating range; [0282] iii. a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to measure a characteristic associated with a monitored asset); and
in response to a result of comparing the subsequently received field device data to the expected performance characteristics, outputting a command (para 0271, where the server 1550 may issue a command to control, reconfigure, and/or update a software application operating on the gateway 1530, coordinator 1520, and/or sensor device 1510) to remotely reconfigure the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices(para [0226], where the sensor device can be one of a plurality of sensor devices in a remote sensing system; para [0273], where commands can be sent remotely), generate a notification identifying a problem with the at least one field device, or a combination thereof (para [0298], where examples 3-6 wherein when a temperature measured after the standard temperature operating range has been established exceeds a predetermined level, an alarm is transmitted, the alarm detectable by a user. 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to provide the steps of comparing the subsequently received field device data to the expected performance characteristics, as taught by Gillette, II into Weatherhead in order to easily identify the problems with field device.
PACTware discloses automatically discovering the plurality of field devices by causing a device discovery module to actively scan connections to the communication subsystem for [new or replacement field devices]/ (measuring points, field instruments) (page 12, right column, where automatically ready for use after selecting the primary communication interface on the control unit or adjustment device, the connection of the field instrument can be established directly…DC automatically finds the appropriate communication and instrument DTM on the adjustment device and establishes the online connection to the instrument, The field instrument is then automatically ready for immediate parametrization or diagnosis; page 10, right col. Parameterize: user interface makes it possible to read out all device information quickly and write data and change settings. Simulate, allows signals to be tracked and analyzed across different measuring points and any errors to be detected and rectified at an early stage).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to automatically finds the appropriate communication and instrument DTM on the adjustment device and establishes the online connection to the instrument, as taught by PACTware for the new or replacement field devices of Gilette, II and, further into Weatherhead in order to easy to recognize and quickly adapting to the individual measuring points.
Regarding Claim 2, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 1, further Weatherhead discloses wherein the device discovery module is communicatively coupled to the communication subsystem (Fig. 3, where communication link # 54 and control engine 52 connect to the RTU # 46 remote terminal units, and to the well devices, e.g., control unit with communication link corresponds to the communication subsystem) and the plurality of field devices (para 0098, where the cloud-based computing system 12 may determine whether a new asset (e.g., RTU 46, well device, etc.) has been discovered. As such, the cloud-based computing system 12 may receive a signal from the asset and determine whether the asset has been previously identified as a communicatively coupled device); (para 0129, where identification information may be acquired via login information at the computing device 26, via scanning components).
Regarding Claims 3 and 11, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 1/non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, further Weatherhead discloses wherein the operations cause the device discovery module to scan the connections to the communication subsystem (para [004], where data related to the extracted hydrocarbons may be acquired using monitoring devices that may include sensors that acquire the data and transmitters that transmit the data to computing devices, routers, other monitoring devices, and the like, such that well site personnel and/or off-site personnel may view and analyze the data); (para 0129, where identification information may be acquired via login information at the computing device 26, via scanning components);
(para 0054, where RTU 46 may include a sensor that may measure pressure, temperature, fill level, flow rates, and the like).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to periodically or continuously scan the connections to the communication subsystem of Weatherhead in order to predictability and determinism for time-critical tasks, while continuous scanning ensures no missed events and maximum responsiveness.
Regarding Claims 5 and 13, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 1, further Weatherhead discloses wherein the field device metadata includes identifying information about each field device of the plurality of field devices (para [0094], where software applications may be identified based on the properties of the well device(s) and the well site associated with the RTU 46).
Regarding Claims 6 and 14, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 5/ non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, further Weatherhead discloses wherein operations further comprise retrieving using the identifying information, the specifications for each field device(para 0058, where control engine 52 may, in turn, communicatively couple to a communication link 54 that may provide a protocol or specifications such as OPC Data Access that may enable the control engine 52 and the RTU 46 to continuously communicate its data to the cloud-based computing device 26. The communication link 54 may be communicatively coupled to the cloud gateway 22, which may then provide the control engine 52 and the RTU 46 access to communicate with the cloud-based computing device 12) of the plurality of field devices from at least one data repository (para 0061, where database management system 60 may be a relational database management system that stores and retrieves data as requested by various software applications);
(para 0095, where upon receiving the data from the RTU 46, the cloud-based computing system 12 may query the Internet, the Intranet, the database 24, or any other data repository for any available versions of the firmware or software associated with the RTU 46).
Regarding Claims 7 and 15, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 6/ non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further Weatherhead discloses wherein the at least one data repository is selected from the group consisting of a local or remotely located database, a website or other online repository of a manufacturer of the field device, a computer-readable flash memory device, and combinations thereof (para 0068, where memory 76 and the storage 78 may be any suitable articles of manufacture that can serve as media to store processor-executable code, data, or the like. These articles of manufacture may represent computer-readable media (i.e., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store the processor-executable code used by the processor 74).
Regarding Claim 9, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 1, further Weatherhead discloses wherein at least discovery, calibration, and monitoring functions relative to each field device of the plurality of field devices are under centralized control of the computing device (Fig. 5, para 0073, where control system 96 may include a computer-controlled system that monitors the data received via the RTUs 46), (para 0076, where RTU 46 may perform some initial data analysis using the processor 74 and may output the results of the data analysis via the display 82. In certain embodiments, the monitoring device 26 may transmit the results of the data analysis to the computing device 26, which may be a handheld electronic device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, etc.) via the communication component 72 using a communication protocol).
Regarding Claim 10, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by a computing device for causing the computing device to:
receive, from a communication subsystem, field device data and metadata about comprising measured operating conditions of hydrocarbon well drilling or production equipment monitored by a plurality of field devices positioned at a hydrocarbon well location and field device metadata comprising information about the plurality of field devices, the field device data and the field device metadata transmitted by the plurality of field devices via one or more communication mediums;
automatically discover the plurality of field devices by causing a device discovery
module to actively scan connections to the communication subsystem for new or replacement field devices;
remotely configure at least one performance attribute of each field device of the plurality of field devices in an initial calibration process that uses specifications of the plurality of field devices;
determine, using at least the field data metadata, expected performance characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices;
compare subsequently received field device data from at least one field device of the plurality of field devices to expected performance characteristics of the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices; and
in response to a result of comparing the subsequently received field device data to the expected performance characteristics, output a command to remotely reconfiguring the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices, generate a notification identifying a problem with the at least one field device, or a combination thereof, as recited in claim 1.
Additionally, Weatherhead disclose receive, from a communication subsystem, field device data comprising measured operating conditions of hydrocarbon well drilling or production equipment monitored by a plurality of field devices positioned at a hydrocarbon well location (para [0054], where RTU 46 may include a sensor that may measure pressure, temperature, fill level, flow rates, and the like, which is corresponds to the operating conditions) and field device metadata comprising information about the plurality of field device (para [0093], where computing system 12 may maintain a database that stores recent versions of firmware and/or software applications for various components that may be disposed in the hydrocarbon site 30. As such, the cloud-based computing system 12 may retrieve the recent versions of the firmware and/or software applications from the database or the like),
the field device data (para [0081], where signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may include identification data regarding the RTU 46 and/or an indication that a presence of the RTU 46. In one embodiment, the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may be received and rebroadcast by the gateway device 92 to extend the range in which the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may travel, e.g., identification data regarding the RTU 46 correspond to the information about the plurality of field device);
and the field device metadata transmitted by the plurality of field devices via one or more communication mediums (Abstract, where receiving, via at least one processor of a cloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete. Here, the workflow is associated with commissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site. The method may then include identifying one or more subsequent portions of the workflow to be performed and sending the one or more subsequent portions to one or more computing devices associated with one or more users assigned to the one or more well devices, e.g., metadata).
Regarding Claim 16, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose a method comprising:
automatically discovering, by the computing device, the plurality of field
devices by causing a device discovery module to actively scan connections to the
communication subsystem for new or replacement field devices;
remotely configuring, by the computing device, at least one performance
attribute of each field device of the plurality of field devices in an initial calibration process that uses specifications of the plurality of field devices;
determining, by the computing device, using at least the field device
metadata, expected performance characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices;
comparing, by the computing device, subsequently received field device data from at least one field device of the plurality of field devices to expected performance characteristics of the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices; and
in response to a result of comparing the subsequently received field device data to the expected performance characteristics, output a command remotely reconfigure the at least one field device of the plurality of field devices, generate a notification identifying a problem with the at least one field device, or a combination thereof, as recited in claim 10.
Additionally, Weatherhead discloses receiving, by computing device, from a communication subsystem, field device data comprising operating conditions of hydrocarbon well drilling or production equipment measured by a plurality of field devices positioned at a hydrocarbon well location(para [004], where the data related to the extracted hydrocarbons may be acquired using monitoring devices that may include sensors that acquire the data and transmitters that transmit the data to computing devices, routers, other monitoring devices, and the like, such that well site personnel and/or off-site personnel may view and analyze the data), and field device metadata comprising information about the plurality of field devices(para [0081], where signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may include identification data regarding the RTU 46 and/or an indication that a presence of the RTU 46. In one embodiment, the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may be received and rebroadcast by the gateway device 92 to extend the range in which the signals broadcast by the RTU 46 may travel, e.g., identification data regarding the RTU 46 correspond to the information about the plurality of field device (Fig. 3, where RTU connect with multiple field device)), the field device data and the field device metadata transmitted by the plurality of field devices via one or more communication mediums (Abstract, where receiving, via at least one processor of a cloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete. Here, the workflow is associated with commissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site. The method may then include identifying one or more subsequent portions of the workflow to be performed and sending the one or more subsequent portions to one or more computing devices associated with one or more users assigned to the one or more well devices, e.g., metadata).
Regarding Claim 18, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the method of claim 16, wherein: further Weatherhead discloses the field device metadata includes identifying information about each field device of the plurality of field devices (para [0094], where software applications may be identified based on the properties of the well device(s) and the well site associated with the RTU 46);and
the computing device retrieves the specifications (para [0058], where control engine 52 may, in turn, communicatively couple to a communication link 54 that may provide a protocol or specifications such as OPC Data Access that may enable the control engine 52 and the RTU 46 to continuously communicate its data to the cloud-based computing device 26. para [0061], where database management system 60 may be a relational database management system that stores and retrieves data as requested by various software applications) for each field device of the plurality of field devices from at least one data repository using the identifying information (para 0075, where the RTU 46 may operate in an environment that may have a data processing facility located within a particular range of the RTU 46 or within a range of a communication network accessible by the RTU 46 or the gateway device 92; para 0081, where the RTU 46 may transmit a number of signals via the communication component 72 to determine whether any cloud-based computing system 12 is within a particular communication range of the RTU 46; para 0116, where the operations of the well device based on the expected range of values associated with the data received from the RTU 46).
Regarding Claim 20, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the method of claim 16.
Weatherhead does not disclose monitoring operating characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices after discovery thereof (para 0298, where after the standard operating temperature range has been established, at least some of the temperatures measured thereafter are compared to the standard temperature operating range; [0282] iii. a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to measure a characteristic associated with a monitored asset); and
generating a notification upon detection of a problem with at least one field device of the plurality of field devices.
Gilette, II discloses monitoring operating characteristics of each field device of the plurality of field devices after discovery thereof;
generating a notification upon detection of a problem with at least one field device of the plurality of field devices(para 0298, where examples 3-6 wherein when a temperature measured after the standard temperature operating range has been established exceeds a predetermined level, an alarm is transmitted, the alarm detectable by a user. 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to provide generating a notification upon detection of a problem, as taught by Gillette, II in combination of Weatherhead and, in order to easy identify the problems with field device.
Claims 4, 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weatherhead in view of Gillette, II, and PACTware, as applied above and further in view of Rapoport (CN 104931646A), hereinafter Rapoport.
Regarding Claims 4 and 12 and 17, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 3/ non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11/the method of claim 16, further Weatherhead discloses wherein the measurement data consisting of pressure, temperature, fluid level, fluid flow rate, vibration, and combinations thereof (para 0069, where interface to pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors and the like).
Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware do not disclose measured operating conditions are one or more of pressure, temperature, fluid level, fluid flow rate, vibration, and combinations thereof.
Rapoport discloses measurement data is selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, fluid level, fluid flow rate, vibration, and combinations thereof (Claim 9, where parameter selected from a group consisting of: fluid level, flow rate, pressure, water concentration, the concentration of at least one component, the adding ratio of the at least one component, vibration speed, vibration time. rate of change of vibration speed, rotation speed, rotation time, rate of change of the rotational speed, rolling speed, rolling time, rolling velocity change rate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, fluid level, fluid flow rate, vibration, as taught by Rapoport in combination of Weatherhead and Gillette, II i and PACTware in order to more accurately analyzes the set of device is arranged on the drilling device.
Claims 8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weatherhead in view of Gillette, II, and PACTware, as applied above and further in view of Xue (CN110910073A), hereinafter Xue.
Regarding Claim 8, Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware disclose the system of claim 1.
Weatherhead further discloses operations further comprise identifying each field device of the plurality of field devices to the inventory management system(para [0094], where software applications may be identified based on the properties of the well device(s) and the well site associated with the RTU 46).
Weatherhead and Gillette, II and PACTware do not disclose wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system.
Xue discloses computing device is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system (Fig. 1, Page 3, lines 26-39, where the processor and a management network, central server is respectively connected with the client end and database network, a processor for interpreting the management instructions and to inventory system sends the data instruction and processing the checking system).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to provide computing device is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system, as taught by Xue in combination of Weatherhead and Gillette, II, and PACTware in order to provide real-time tracking, accuracy, and efficiency of the system.
Regarding Claim 19, Weatherhead and Gillette, II disclose and PACTware the method of claim 16, but do not disclose wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system and causes an inventory rebut do not disclose cord of the inventory management system to be updated when a field device is added to or removed from the system.
Xue discloses the computing device is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system and causes an inventory record of the inventory management system to be updated when a field device is added to or removed from the system (Fig. 1, Page 3, lines 26-39, where the processor and a management network, central server is respectively connected with the client end and database network, a processor for interpreting the management instructions and to inventory system sends the data instruction and processing the checking system; the management termina is a computer mainly finishes the operation, data form of adding modifying and deleting operations).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the applicants' invention was made to provide processor is communicatively coupled to an inventory management system, as taught by Xue in combination of Weatherhead and Gillette, II, and PACTware in order to provide real-time tracking, accuracy, and efficiency of the system.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/KALERIA KNOX/
Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/ANDREW SCHECHTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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