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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on September 27, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on December 11, 2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the at least two bulkheads" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Antecedent basis is provided in claim 1 for “at least two longitudinal bulkheads” and “at least two transverse bulkheads”.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the bulkheads" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Antecedent basis is provided in claim 1 for “at least two longitudinal bulkheads” and “at least two transverse bulkheads”.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the bulkheads" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Antecedent basis is provided in claim 1 for “at least two longitudinal bulkheads” and “at least two transverse bulkheads”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ulbricht (US 3,507,242) in view of Felderhoff (US 10,093,395).
Ulbricht discloses a tanker, as shown in Figures 1-18, which is comprised of a hull having two opposing double sidewalls and a double bottom, as shown in Figure 2, at least two longitudinal bulkheads which are located within said hull that define four separate storage spaces, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, at least two transverse bulkheads, each defined as Part #2, that are located between said at least two longitudinal bulkheads, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a deck that is disposed at least partially over said hull and is at least partially supported by said at least two longitudinal bulkheads and said at least two transverse bulkheads, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and at least one void that is located within said double sidewalls or said double bottom wall of said hull, where said void can be filled with ballast, as shown in Figure 5, and where said four separate storage spaces are each fitted with a container or free-standing tank, each defined as Part #3, that is insulated with an insulating layer, defined as Part #7, as shown in Figures 1-3, is located within said hull and below said deck, and is configured to contain one or more liquids or pressurized gases, particularly methane, as described in lines 65-69 of column 1. Said deck is further comprised of a superstructure or building, defined as Part #1, that is configured to house crew members for said tanker, as shown in Figure 1, in a manner that is known in the art.
The use of a deck which is configured to support a specific amount of weight would be considered by one of ordinary skill in the art to be an obvious design choice based upon the required strength of a deck to carry or support a desired load.
It is well known in the art for all marine vessels to be remotely monitored at all times during operation by means of satellite global positioning systems (GPS) and tracking transponders.
Ulbricht, as set forth above, discloses all of the features claimed except for the use of a plurality of cross-members that are disposed between bulkheads within said hull, and a deck with a helipad.
Felderhoff discloses a vessel hull, as shown in Figures 1-5, which is comprised of a plurality of longitudinal and transverse bulkheads that are disposed within said hull, a plurality of cross-members, as shown in Figure 2, that are disposed between said longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, and a deck, defined as Part #6, that is disposed over said hull and is at least partially supported by said plurality of longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, where said deck has sufficient open space, as shown in Figure 1, to allow for the designation of a helipad, as is well known in the marine art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art, utilize a vessel hull with longitudinal and transverse bulkheads that are supported by a plurality of cross-members, and a deck with sufficient open space to allow for a helipad for landing a helicopter, as taught by Felderhoff, in combination with the tanker for transporting liquefied gases as disclosed by Ulbricht for the purpose of providing a floating vessel with means to support a plurality of tanks for the storage and offloading of liquefied gases, and means to allow for the operation of a helicopter to and from said floating vessel.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARS A OLSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-6685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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February 26, 2026
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615B