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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki et al. (JP 2015200525, hereafter Sasaki)
.With respect to claim 1, Sasaki teaches an integrated environmental monitoring system for oil and gas wells comprising: a measurement unit (gas concentration detection means 3) configured to measure a gas in an area where operating or abandoned oil and gas wells are installed; a power supply unit (power supply 120) configured to supply a power to the measurement unit; and a monitoring unit (control device 100) configured to receive a signal from the measurement unit to monitor gas leakage. (translation, page 4, Figs. 1-3)
With respect to claim 2, Sasaki teaches the measurement unit comprises: a real-time measurement unit configured to measure air pollution sources flowing toward the ground adjacent to each operating or abandoned oil and gas well in real time; a cumulative measurement unit configured to measure air pollution sources accumulated over a predetermined period of time in the area where the oil and gas wells are installed; and a temporary measurement unit which is temporarily disposed at a predetermined location in the area before checking problems with the oil and gas wells or before closing them to measure the air pollution sources. (translation, page 1) Note that although Sasaki does not particularly discuss a temporary measurement unit, this is a recitation of a function of the apparatus which it is capable of performing and therefore the teachings of Sasaki are considered to be sufficient.
With respect to claim 3, Sasaki teaches wherein the real-time measurement unit comprises: a real-time measurement sensor (gas concentration detection means 3) installed at a predetermined height to measure air pollution sources generated in the oil and gas wells; a real-time measurement induction part (ventilation control means 4) configured to induce air around the oil and gas wells to the real-time measurement sensor; and a real-time measurement discharge part (exhaust port 2b) configured to discharge the induced air that has passed through the real-time measurement sensor. (translation, page 4, Figs.1-5)
With respect to claim 4, Sasaki teaches wherein the real-time measurement unit further comprises: a real-time underground sensor having a probe inserted into the underground at a predetermined depth around the oil and gas wells, and configured to measure underground pollution sources in real time. (translation, page 5, Figs. 1-5)
With respect to claim 6, Sasaki teaches wherein the cumulative measurement unit comprises: a cumulative sensing unit configured to sense a gas in the corresponding area; and cumulative mounting units configured to mount the cumulative sensing unit close to the ground. (translation, page 4, Figs. 1-5)
With respect to claim 7, Sasaki teaches wherein the cumulative sensing unit comprises: a cumulative measurement case having a sensing space formed therein; a cumulative sensor (gas concentration detection means 3) provided in the sensing space; a cumulative inflow part (ventilation control means 4) configured to introduce an outdoor air into the sensing space; and a cumulative discharge part (exhaust port 2b) through which the gas in the sensing space is discharged when the outdoor air is introduced therein by the cumulative inflow part. (translation, page 4, Figs. 1-5)
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 5 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki.
With respect to claim 5, although Sasaki does not explicitly teach the real-time measurement unit further comprises: a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature around the oil and gas wells; and a humidity sensor configured to measure a humidity around the oil and gas wells, these are known to be important environmental factors and therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include temperature and humidity sensors to provide additional monitoring data.
With respect to claim 8, although Sasaki does not explicitly teach wherein the temporary measurement unit comprises: a gas emission unit configured to intentionally emit methane around the oil and gas wells or in a predetermined section of the ground; and a temporary sensor unit configured to detect a gas in the section where the methane has been emitted by the gas emission unit, this is a known method of leak detection and therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include this capability in order to detect additional parameters of leaks and potential leaks.
With respect to claim 9, Sasaki teaches a data transmission unit configured to transmit signals from the real-time measurement unit, the cumulative measurement unit and the temporary measurement unit to the monitoring unit. (translation, page 6) Although Sasaki does not explicitly teach GPS sensors configured to measure monitoring positions of the real-time measurement unit, the cumulative measurement unit and the temporary measurement unit, this would have been an obvious modification to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to be able to distinguish the location of the measured unit from other units being monitored at a remote location.
With respect to claim 10, although Sasaki does not explicitly discuss the nature of the power supply unit, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include a regular power supply to which a power is applied from an outside; an eco-friendly power supply configured to generate a power using natural energy; and a rechargeable battery, as these are standard devices for supplying power to a sensing unit and would allow the unit to be powered in a predictable and reliable manner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 9,441,430; KR 101713315; US 10,260,316 and US 2023/0007082 each teach an invention having similarities to the claimed subject matter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jill E Culler whose telephone number is (571)272-2159. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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/JILL E CULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853