DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Notice to Applicant
The following is a Non-Final, first Office Action responsive to Applicant’s communication of 9/14/23, in which applicant filed the application. Claims 1-8 are pending in the instant application and have been rejected below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/14/2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: APPARATUS AND METHOD for a Piping Line in a Virtual Space.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e. an abstract idea) without reciting significantly more.
Step One - First, pursuant to step 1 in MPEP 2106.03, the claim 1 is directed to an apparatus which is a statutory category.
Step 2A, Prong One - MPEP 2106.04 - The claim 1 recites:
An apparatus for… manually route piping…
receive an input of designated coordinates for a piping line routed so as to connect a plurality of instruments constituting a plant to each other in a virtual space for designing a plant; and
assign a plurality of pieces of identification information to the piping line using the input designated coordinates as a boundary
The claim is directed to Mental processes (concepts performed in the human mind including observation/evaluation), as the limitations can be performed in a human mind or using pen and paper. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(III). Here, the claim takes input on coordinates for a piping line, routed to connect instruments in a virtual space, and assigning identification information (Applicant’s example in 0094 as published is piping line number). Without further details, at this time, the claim is directed to an abstract idea as inputting coordinates of a person for a piping line in a virtual space, along with assigning identification information (numbering) is performed in the same manner mentally and with pen and paper.
Step 2A, Prong Two - MPEP 2106.04 - This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. At this time, additional elements include:
“automatically” route piping, the apparatus comprising:
at least one of processing circuitry configured to”.
The “automatically” and “processing circuitry” to receive inputted designated coordinates and for a user to assign identification information, is viewed as apply the exception (abstract idea) using a generic computer component (See MPEP 2106.05(f)) and field of use (MPEP 2106.05h). Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea.
Step 2B in MPEP 2106.05 - The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, automatically and “processing circuitry”, is considered MPEP 2106.05(f) (Mere Instructions to Apply an Exception – “Thus, for example, claims that amount to nothing more than an instruction to apply the abstract idea using a generic computer do not render an abstract idea eligible.” Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. at 235) and MPEP 2106.05h (field of use) as above in Step 2a, prong two. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept.
The claim fails to recite any improvements to another technology or technical field, improvements to the functioning of the computer itself, use of a particular machine, effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, adding unconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular useful application, and/or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular environment. See 84 Fed. Reg. 55. The claim is not patent eligible. Viewed individually or as a whole, these additional claim element(s) do not provide meaningful limitation(s) to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea such that the claim(s) amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Independent claim 7, at Step One, is pursuant to step 1 in MPEP 2106.03, directed to an apparatus which is a statutory category. It is directed to an abstract idea for similar reasons as claim 1. Claim 7 has some different limitations – in claim 7 it receives from a user – to arrange a first object on a start point, a second object with an end point, then similar limitations as in claim 1 – recite input of designated coordinates and routing piping; then the designated coordinates from user input are used for forming a route connecting the start and end point. The claim is directed to an abstract idea as inputting arrangement of a start and end from two objects for designing a plant, inputting coordinates of a person for a piping line in a virtual space, along with using coordinates i8nput to form a rout from start and end point, and is performed in the same manner mentally and with pen and paper. It is rejected for the same reasons at step 2a, prong two and step 2B as claim 1 above. These limitations [automatically; processing circuitry] individually or in combination are viewed as “apply it [abstract idea] on a computer” (MPEP 2106.05f) and “field of use” (MPEP 2106.05h).
Claim 8, at Step One, is pursuant to step 1 in MPEP 2106.03, directed to a method which is a statutory category. It is directed to an abstract idea for the same reasons as claim 1; it is rejected for the same reasons at step 2a, prong two and step 2B. In addition, claim 8 recited “executed by a computer including a processing circuitry.” These limitations individually or in combination are viewed as “apply it [abstract idea] on a computer” (MPEP 2106.05f) and “field of use” (MPEP 2106.05h), similar to claim 1 above.
Claim 2 narrows the abstract idea by receiving an attributing relating to piping line from the user.
Claim 3 narrows the abstract idea by receiving an input of a design group, selected from either pressure/temperature/fluid; and a material from either pipe/fitting/flange/valve.
Claim 4 narrows the abstract idea by having the person choose if the piping in the design as being intended to be “pipe, fitting, flange, or valve”, then receiving input of coordinates, and further having a connection part between “materials” (e.g. pipes/fittings/flanges/valves) that has a candidate for a position of the boundary (boundary was input as coordinates in claim 1).
Claims 5 narrows the abstract idea by having the input of coordinates for a material where piping arranged in advance in the instrument constituting the plant.
Claim 6 narrows the abstract idea by designating different colors based on identification information. To extent computer/circuitry is used, this is “apply it [abstract idea] on a computer” (MPEP 2106.05f) and “field of use” (MPEP 2106.05h) for having colors displayed.
Therefore, the claim(s) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
For more information on 101 rejections, see MPEP 2106.
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oota (US 5,740,341), in view of Garimella (US 2017/0032057).
Concerning claim 1, Oota discloses:
An apparatus for automatically and manually route piping (Oota – see col. 8, lines 61-65 - In route designing in the step (4) of FIG. 6, the route design support processing 509 generates routing design information 510 according to the component arrangement design information 508 which is the arrangement design information of components 601 in the step of (3) of FIG. 6; “manually” – see col. 12, lines 12-15 - when the designer inputs the coordinates values of turning points (including a start and end point) of the system line 602 on the drawing, point cells 706 corresponding to the turning points are generated. Instead of this input method, the designer can specify nozzle points of component 601 as the start and end point; “route piping” – see col. 1, lines 7-9- The present invention relates to a design and production supporting system for arrangements, pipe routing, etc. of plant components using a three-dimensional CAD system), the apparatus comprising:
at least one of processing circuitry configured to: (Oota – see col. 5, lines 15-32 – FIG. 1 – designer 106, computer 101; generated logical connection information 102 stored in database 107 in a memory. see col. 5, lines 32-43 - The three-dimensional component arrangement information 104 mapped in the actual space is used as an initial design plan for arrangement and pipe routing design. This information may be modified and changed by interactive processing between the designer 106 and the computer 101 via an I/O interface 105 to generate more adequate three-dimensional component arrangement information 104, which may be stored in the database 107.)
Oota does not explicitly disclose processing “circuitry.”
Garimella discloses:
at least one of processing circuitry configured to (Garimella see par 9 - processor is operatively configured to or operably configured to carry out the functions or processes via software, firmware, and/or wired circuits. It should also be noted that a processor that is “configured to” carry out one or more functions or processes, may also correspond to a processor circuit particularly fabricated or “wired” to carry out the functions or processes (e.g., an ASIC or FPGA design)).
Oota and Garimella disclose:
receive an input of designated coordinates for a piping line routed (Oota – see FIG. 5, col. 6, lines 36-50 - the system design support processing 501 generates system design information (piping and instrument diagram) 502 and the component design support processing 503 generates component design information (component drawing) 504, which is attribute information of components such as specifications, shapes, materials, etc. see col. 12, lines 12-15 - when the designer inputs the coordinates values of turning points (including a start and end point) of the system line 602 on the drawing, point cells 706 corresponding to the turning points are generated. Instead of this input method, the designer can specify nozzle points of component 601 as the start and end point; see FIG. 11) so as to connect a plurality of instruments (Oota - see col. 6, lines 36-38 - In this figure, the system design support processing 501 generates system design information (piping and instrument diagram) 502; col. 6, lines 50-63 - the pipe routing design support processing 509 generates pipe routing design information(route plan) 510 according to the component arrangement design information 508. The above processing is performed interactively between the designer and the computer by means of the display. Accordingly, arrangement of components in a three-dimensional building space in accordance with a piping and instrument diagram describing interconnections of components. col. 7, lines 37-67 - That is, "lines" which interconnect system components in the piping and instrument diagram represent system lines, three-dimensional connections such as piping, air ducts and cable trays as routes, "components" represent system components such as tanks and heat exchanger and "parts" represent piping units such as valves and flow meters which are disposed on routes. This system design information 502 describes components 601 constituting a plant and piping which interconnect the components 601 using a solid line (system line 602). This system design information 502 simplifies components 601, parts 603, and piping and describes their logical connections correctly but their scales are arbitrary. see col. 12, lines 10-37 - In this case, the name of the system line is set in the connection information field of the connection cell 708004 of the component 601. Further, the connection cell 708004 under the point cells for the start and end point of the system line 602 manages the name of the mate component 601. ) constituting a plant to each other in a virtual space for designing a plant (Oota – see col. 5, lines 15-32 - FIG. 1 illustrates a concept of mapping two-dimensional logical connection information into three-dimensional component arrangement information in the present invention. Actual space mapping processing 103 searches the database 107 for the completed logical connection information 102, maps it in a three-dimensional actual space, and generates three-dimensional component information 104. see col. 7, lines 47-67, FIG. 6 illustrates a flow of data in case a design and production supporting system is applied to plant components. This system design information 502 describes components 601 constituting a plant and piping which interconnect the components 601 using a solid line (system line 602). see col. 15, lines 39-57 – Building design support processing, FIG. 11 – support designing of a building placed in the plant); and
assign a plurality of pieces of identification information to the piping line (Applicant’s [0094] as published - In the P & ID, an appropriate service class is designated as a material constituting a piping line in correspondence with identification information (piping line number) that identifies the piping line. Oota discloses the limitations based on broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification – see col. 23, lines 21-40 - The construction design support processing 511 adds construction information to the construction range generated by the construction mapping processing 301 and generates construction design information 302 illustrated in the step (6) of FIG. 6. This processing 511 cuts out the predetermined lengths of the cut-out construction range, sets welding points, etc., divides them into parts (manufacturing units) which can be manufactured in factories, and assigns serial numbers to respective parts 603; col. 24, lines 50-52 - designer can easily make a desired part invisible and change colors or line types the on-screen; see col. 25, lines 11-13 - Further, dimensions 1503, annotations 1702, and drawing names 1505 are described to complete manufacturing design information.) using the input designated coordinates as a boundary (Oota –See col.. 27, lines 55-67 - FIG. 23(1) shows an example to set the constraint conditions for arranging a component 601. The information on the component size, systematic line and parts are found from the component names. The constraint conditions are encoded, and necessary codes are selected and input. The component K1 is given the top priority for arrangement. The constraint condition indicates that "put it on the ground level". The constraint condition for the component K3 is "put it in front of the component K1", and that for the component K4 is "put it near the component K2". see col. 29, lines 32-61 - Furthermore, arrangement candidate spaces A24 and A25 providing the arrangement of the minimum linear distance to component K1 satisfy the constraint condition of installation at the possible closest position to component K1.
see also Garimella – see par 58 - the described application software component may be configured to enable a user to create and modify a distributed routing path stored in the data store for a pipeline routing run being designed via a GUI (e.g., such as a GUI of a CAD software). Such software may enable a user to provide a name and description for the routing run and to define which end elements bound the pathway).
Ben Oota and Garimella are analogous art as they are directed to modeling piping connections and paths/routes/interconnections (Oota Abstract; Garimella Abstract, par 33). Oota discloses a computer 101 along with a database and memory for three-dimensional component arrangement information (see col. 5, lines 15-32, FIG. 1; see col. 5, lines 32-43). Garimella improves upon Oota by disclosing the processor can correspond to a processor circuit to carry out functions or processes (See par 9). One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to further include a circuit with a processor to carry out the functions or processes to efficiently improve upon the CPU and memory in Oota.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the computing for three-dimensional component mapping for plant and pipe components as disclosed in Oota, and further using a circuit as disclosed in Garimella, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable and there is a reasonable expectation of success.
Concerning independent claim 7, Oota and Garimella disclose:
An apparatus for automatically and manually route piping (Oota – see col. 8, lines 61-65 - In route designing in the step (4) of FIG. 6, the route design support processing 509 generates routing design information 510 according to the component arrangement design information 508 which is the arrangement design information of components 601 in the step of (3) of FIG. 6; “manually” – see col. 12, lines 12-15 - when the designer inputs the coordinates values of turning points (including a start and end point) of the system line 602 on the drawing, point cells 706 corresponding to the turning points are generated. Instead of this input method, the designer can specify nozzle points of component 601 as the start and end point; “route piping” – see col. 1, lines 7-9- The present invention relates to a design and production supporting system for arrangements, pipe routing, etc. of plant components using a three-dimensional CAD system), the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured to (same as cl.1 - Oota – see col. 5, lines 15-32 – FIG. 1 – designer 106, computer 101; generated logical connection information 102 stored in database 107 in a memory. see col. 5, lines 32-43; Garimella see par 9 - processor is operatively configured to or operably configured to carry out the functions or processes via software, firmware, and/or wired circuits. It should also be noted that a processor that is “configured to” carry out one or more functions or processes, may also correspond to a processor circuit particularly fabricated or “wired” to carry out the functions or processes (e.g., an ASIC or FPGA design)):
receive from a user, an operation to arrange a first object corresponding to an instrument having information on a start point and a second object corresponding to an instrument having information on an end point in a virtual space for designing a plant (Oota –see col. 7, lines 50-67 - the designer can input positions of components 601 and shapes of curving points (including start and end points) of system lines 602 with numeric values or enter optimum positions of components 601 and parts 603 by displaying them in a dragging manner through the I/O interface 105; see col. 12, lines 10-36 - When the designer inputs the name of a system line, a group cell 701 is generated. When the designer inputs the coordinates values of turning points (including a start and end point) of the system line 602 on the drawing, point cells 706 corresponding to the turning points are generated. Instead of this input method, the designer can specify nozzle points of component 601 as the start and end point. In this case, the name of the system line is set in the connection information field of the connection cell 708004 of the component 601.);
receive an input of designated coordinates in the virtual space (Oota – see col. 9, lines 1-12 - Although the designer can inputs numeric values as positions of parts 603 and routes 604, it is also possible to specify optimum route by using the rubber band display function in the three-dimensional actual space as well as in the case of the system line 602. In arrangement designing of parts 603, each part can be moved and rotated on the route 604. The designer can specify an optimum position of each part 603 by dragging it on the route 604. These results are grouped into route design information 510. see col. 12, lines 20-36 - The system line 602 can be shaped, if necessary, by picking up a point for a turning point on the system line 602 by the coordinate input means, generating a turning point, and moving it. As for input of turning points, the designer can input (drag) the coordinates of a plurality of points continuously (with respect to time) as well as in the arrangement of the components 601. The shape of the system line 602 can be displayed in a rubber-band manner by re-displaying segments constituting the system line 602 as the turning point moves. see col. 13, lines 16-31 – The designer picks a start or end point on the system line 602 to which a new system line is connected. A point cell 706 and a connection cell 708004 for the connection point are generated and connection information is automatically set. see col. 13, lines 31-54 - For setting of a connection point 603 as well as in case of arrangement of parts 603, the fixed position mode and the relative position mode are available. It is also possible to move and rotate component 601 with the system line 602 displayed in the rubber-band manner. Since the component 601 is displayed in the dragging manner and at the same time the system line 602 is displayed in the rubber-band manner while the component 601 moves or revolves, the designer can change the arrangement position of the component 601 while monitoring how the system line 602 changes its shape. Change of information can be accomplished by updating the position information 709 of a point cell corresponding to the arrangement of the component 601); and
route piping so as to connect the start point and the end point via a path point defined by the designated coordinates (Oota – see col. 8, lines 61-67 - In route designing in the step (4) of FIG. 6, the route design support processing 509 generates routing design information 510 according to the component arrangement design information 508 which is the arrangement design information of components 601 in the step of (3) of FIG. 6. As the start and end points of the route 604 are given in the arrangement information of components 601, the designer determines the optimum route 604 and the optimum positions of parts 603 considering the efficiency of using the three-dimensional actual space. Although the designer can inputs numeric values as positions of parts 603 and routes 604, it is also possible to specify optimum route by using the rubber band display function in the three-dimensional actual space as well as in the case of the system line 602. see col. 31, lines 1-20 - Information on the start point, end point, the cross section form and the bend radius is added to the route list. If the passing point is set in addition to the start and end point, the route is regarded as one group and the problem is divided into problems of finding out sub-routes between the points, i.e.; sub-routes between the start and a passing point, between passing points and between a passing and the end point, then they are registered in the route list;
see also Garimella – see par 52 - However, such new distributed routing paths will include new links for the connections for all of the new intermediate elements 802 to 810 and new end element 812, as well as new links for the connections between old intermediate elements (e.g., third flange 314, and second elbow 318) and the new intermediate structures (seventh and eight pipes 802, 806).).
The remaining limitations are similar to claim 1 above, so claim 7 is rejected for the same reasons.
Concerning independent claim 8, Oota and Garimella disclose:
A method to be executed by a computer including a processing circuitry (same as cl.1 - Oota – see col. 5, lines 15-32 – FIG. 1 – designer 106, computer 101; generated logical connection information 102 stored in database 107 in a memory. see col. 5, lines 32-43; Garimella see par 9 - processor is operatively configured to or operably configured to carry out the functions or processes via software, firmware, and/or wired circuits. It should also be noted that a processor that is “configured to” carry out one or more functions or processes, may also correspond to a processor circuit particularly fabricated or “wired” to carry out the functions or processes (e.g., an ASIC or FPGA design)), the method causing the processing circuitry to perform.
The remaining limitations are similar to claim 1 above, so claim 8 is rejected for the same reasons.
Concerning claim 2, Oota and Garimella disclose:
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry further configured to receive an input of an attribute relating to the piping line from user for each of the pieces of identification information assigned (Applicant’s [0088] as published states “The attribute information is information for identifying the attribute of each material constituting the piping. The attributes of materials include design values (design pressure, design temperature). [0090] as published - In other words, the service class is attribute information of a piping line and a material, and indicates a design value selected from at least one of groups of pressures, temperatures, fluids, etc. for designing the plant, or a design group in which the design value and at least one material of a material group consisting of pipes, fittings, flanges, and valves constituting the plant are defined as a specific group.
Oota – see Col. 6, lines 36-50 - In this figure, the system design support processing 501 generates system design information (piping and instrument diagram) 502 and the component design support processing 503 generates component design information (component drawing) 504, which is attribute information of components such as specifications, shapes, materials, etc. see col. 23, lines 40-64 - The material of parts 603 are described as parts specifications and taken from the attribute cell 70400 under the component cell 1001;
see also Garimella – see par 31 - Such pipeline routing runs may also include elements such as fittings 216 (e.g., flanges/elbows/tees) and in-line equipment (e.g., valves/pumps) that are used in the construction of these pipelines. In addition, pipeline routing runs may include sensors (e.g., temperature/pressure gauges) and insulation that can be attached or applied to the pipeline at various locations.).
It would be obvious to combine Oota and Garimella for the same reasons as claim 1 above.
Concerning claim 3, Oota discloses that its attribute represents specifications, shapes, materials (See col. 6, lines 36-50) and that components represent system components such as tanks and heat exchangers (See col. 7, lines 38-46).
Garimella discloses:
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry configured to receive an input of a design group in which a design value selected from at least one of groups of pressures, temperatures, and fluids for designing the plant (Garimella – see par 31 - FIG. 2 illustrates an image of an example mechanical routing system 200, which is being built in the hull of a ship. Such a mechanical routing system may include multiple pipeline routing runs 202, 204, 206, 208 that involve the flow of fluids (e.g., water, oil, fuel, gases, and other chemicals) through elements such as pipes 210, 212 or ducts that connect equipment 214 (such as reservoirs, engines). In addition, pipeline routing runs may include sensors (e.g., temperature/pressure gauges) and insulation that can be attached or applied to the pipeline at various locations).
Oota and Garimella disclose:
and at least one material of a material group consisting of a pipe, a fitting, a flange, and a valve constituting the plant are defined as a specific group as the attribute (Oota – see col. 7, lines 37-46 - That is, "lines" which interconnect system components in the piping and instrument diagram represent system lines, three-dimensional connections such as piping, air ducts and cable trays as routes, "components" represent system components such as tanks and heat exchanger and "parts" represent piping units such as valves and flow meters which are disposed on routes. see col. 12, lines 50-67 - As for the arrangement attitude of the part 603, there are two kinds of elements: elements that are fixed by the system line 602 and elements that can be rotated freely. For example, as to a valve which requires the indication of a rotating direction of the handle, the indication must be provided. Such an element can revolve around the system line 602 and the amount of this revolution is managed by the transformation matrix. see col. 14, lines 15-29 - Symbols to be used frequently such as valves 901a, tees 901b, crosses 901c, reducers 901d, and elbows 901e are registered as components 601 and parts 603 in advance.
see also Garimella – see par 31 - Such pipeline routing runs may also include elements such as fittings 216 (e.g., flanges/elbows/tees) and in-line equipment (e.g., valves/pumps) that are used in the construction of these pipelines. In addition, pipeline routing runs may include sensors (e.g., temperature/pressure gauges) and insulation that can be attached or applied to the pipeline at various locations).
It would be obvious to combine Oota and Garimella for the same reasons as claim 1 above. In addition, Oota discloses that its attribute represents specifications, shapes, materials (See col. 6, lines 36-50) and that components represent system components such as tanks and heat exchangers (See col. 7, lines 38-46). Garimella improves upon Oota by disclosing that piping routing runs involve flow of fluids along with sensors considering temperatures and pressure for the pipelines (See par 31). One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to further include different piping of different fluids along with consideration of temperature or pressure to efficiently improve upon the different kinds of components such as heat exchangers in Oota.
Concerning claim 4, Oota and Garimella disclose:
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the piping is composed of at least one material of a material group consisting of a pipe, a fitting, a flange, and a valve constituting the plant ([same as cl. 3] - Oota – see col. 7, lines 37-46 - That is, "lines" which interconnect system components in the piping and instrument diagram represent system lines, three-dimensional connections such as piping, air ducts and cable trays as routes, "components" represent system components such as tanks and heat exchanger and "parts" represent piping units such as valves and flow meters which are disposed on routes. see col. 12, lines 50-67 - As for the arrangement attitude of the part 603, there are two kinds of elements: elements that are fixed by the system line 602 and elements that can be rotated freely. For example, as to a valve which requires the indication of a rotating direction of the handle, the indication must be provided. Such an element can revolve around the system line 602 and the amount of this revolution is managed by the transformation matrix. see col. 14, lines 15-29 - Symbols to be used frequently such as valves 901a, tees 901b, crosses 901c, reducers 901d, and elbows 901e are registered as components 601 and parts 603 in advance.
Garimella – see par 31 - Such pipeline routing runs may also include elements such as fittings 216 (e.g., flanges/elbows/tees) and in-line equipment (e.g., valves/pumps) that are used in the construction of these pipelines. In addition, pipeline routing runs may include sensors (e.g., temperature/pressure gauges) and insulation that can be attached or applied to the pipeline at various locations), and
in receiving the input of the designated coordinates,
a connection part between the materials is set as a candidate for a position of the boundary (Oota – see col. 12, lines 50-67 - As for the arrangement attitude of the part 603, there are two kinds of elements: elements that are fixed by the system line 602 and elements that can be rotated freely. For example, as to a valve which requires the indication of a rotating direction of the handle, the indication must be provided. Such an element can revolve around the system line 602 and the amount of this revolution is managed by the transformation matrix. see col. 16, lines 35-62 - The step of retrieving arrangement space information 1204 retrieves the database 107 in the memory for building design information 506 according to the preset building name. The step of calculating the range of description of system design information 1205 calculates a two-dimensional area (min x.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.max x, min y.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.max y) which describes system line 602 according to system design information 502. The step of calculating a arrangement space size 1206 calculates a range of a space in which system lines 602 are designed as actual routes 604, that is, the space range of a building 1104 (min X.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.max X, min Y.ltoreq.Y.ltoreq.max Y, min Z.ltoreq.Z.ltoreq.max Z). The step of calculating a mapping function 1207 matches the range of the two-dimensional area calculated by the step of calculating the range of description of system design information 1205 with the range of a three-dimensional space obtained by the step of calculating a arrangement space size 1206. see col. 18, lines 27-67 - The size of the part 603 on the route 604 can be automatically determined and displayed as an actual three-dimensional shape. This processing method is the same as the two-dimensional parameter processing explained in the component design support processing 503 but the three-dimensional processing has more parameters. In case of a valve, the dimension of the valve in the direction of the handle must be set. These settings and changes are performed by the routing design support processing 509. In some cases, parts 603 interfere with each other when they are represented in actual sizes. In such a case, the display scale of the arrangement information 7010 in the point cell 706 is used for adjustment.
see also Garimella – see par 51, FIG. 8 - In order to accomplish this revision with the application software component, a user may choose to retain much of the original routing system 326 as possible that is applicable to both variants. Thus both routing runs 814, 816 may retain the pump 302 and intermediate elements from the first flange 304 to the second flange 314. Also, the original second elbow 318, first tank 322, and additional intermediate elements 320 may also be retained in the new revision. However, to accommodate the second routing run 816, the original third pipe 316 (shown in FIG. 3) may be replaced (only for the second type of ship) with a set of two new smaller seventh and eighth pipes 802, 806 and a tee 804 therebetween.).
It would be obvious to combine Oota and Garimella for the same reasons as claim 1 above.
Concerning claim 5, Oota and Garimella disclose:
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
in receiving the input of the designated coordinates,
the input of designated coordinates is received for a material constituting an object in which piping is arranged in advance in the instrument constituting the plant (Oota – see col. 14, lines 15-29 - Symbols to be used frequently such as valves 901a, tees 901b, crosses 901c, reducers 901d, and elbows 901e are registered as components 601 and parts 603 in advance. see col. 15, lines 13-37 - The shape of a valve can be generated by registering a shape whose surface-to-surface distance and a distance perpendicular to a line connecting the surfaces are respectively 1 (basic dimensions) in advance as an elementary symbol 901 and by extending it in the direction intersecting the surface-to-surface direction (in the radial direction of a pipe). The shape of the symbol is determined by the surface-to-surface distance and the diameter of a pipe; see col. 24, lines 54-67 - This processing adds working information such welding parts to the cut-out manufacturing range. Typical welding methods are butt welding and face-fed welding. These welding shapes are registered in advance as a plurality of patterns 1701, selected by welding codes and displayed on the screen; see col. 30, lines 54-60 - For example, the optimum arrangement in a group is obtained in advance, and, by regarding one group as one component 601, automatic arrangement for the groups is executed;
see also Garimella – see par 68 - . The user designing the physical pipeline routing run 324 via portions of the application software component, may use the logical design 1302 as a template and/or check list to capture all of the high level features from the logical design in a physical design that specifies the shapes of the components needed to fulfill the logical design).
It would be obvious to combine Oota and Garimella for the same reasons as claim 1 above.
Concerning claim 6, Oota and Garimella disclose:
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
in receiving the input of the designated coordinates,
a plurality of the piping lines having different identification information are displayed in different colors based on the identification information (Oota – see col. 23, lines 10-20 - The example illustrated in the step (5) of FIG. 6 employs a method of deleting the range of the mapped route but the method can be replaced by a method of changing the colors and types of routes. Which part is mapped in which construction design information 302 is managed by a point cell 706 under a group cell 701 of the route 604. The designer can easily make a desired part invisible and change colors or line types the on-screen; see col. 24, lines 35-52 - The example illustrated in the step (7) of FIG. 6 employs a method of deleting a mapped part 603 but the method can be replaced by a method of changing the colors and types of lines. Which part is mapped in which manufacturing design information 402 is managed by using a point cell 706 under a group cell 701 of the route 604. The designer can easily make a desired part invisible and change colors or line types the on-screen.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Takamura (US 2017/0132332) – directed to designing piping for Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) (See Abstract, par 5, 26).
Sierla et al., “Generating an industrial process graph from 3D pipe routing information,” 2020, 25th IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA), Vol. 1, pages 85-92 – directed to using Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) and 3D models/CAD (See page 85)
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/IVAN R GOLDBERG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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