CTNF 18/546,420 CTNF 101893 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-7, 10-11, and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre et al. (FR 2707697) in view of Lonnqvist (WO 2014167175 A1) and Kyuma et al. (Laser Doppler velocimeter with a novel optical fiber probe, 1981) . Regarding claim 1, Andre teaches: A system for gathering information about physical properties in a lateral section of a well (“The purpose of the tool according to the present invention is to measure at many points on the wall the speed vector Il of the fluid produced by the reservoir”) , the system comprising: a mobile vessel configured for submersion into a fluid mixture of the lateral section of the well (Fig. 6b "In this embodiment, the measurement is independent of the speed of the tool; the vertical resolution, as shown in an example of measurement in 6c, depends only on the distance between the two sensors 49 and 50”) ; and a flow sensor (Fig. 7a) attached to the mobile vessel , configured to detect a back scattered light received by the flow sensor (#68 of Fig. 7a, diodes) a sensor head (separating plates #62 and lenses #64a of Fig. 7a) configured to split the single coherent light beam in two separate coherent light beams (#62 of Fig. 7a, separating plates) and recombine the two separate coherent light beams (#64a of Fig. 7a, lenses) to form a diffraction pattern at a probe volume that is external to the flow sensor (#2 of fig. 2a, linear fringe, a similar fringe is shown in Fig. 7a) , wherein the back-scattered light is from features present in the fluid mixture that travel through the diffraction pattern formed at the probe volume (#3 of Fig. 2a, particle) during submersion of the mobile vessel (Fig. 6b shows the tool inside the well) . Andre does not teach: the flow sensor comprising: a fiber-coupled light emitter and detector configured to emit a single coherent light beam in an infrared spectrum, and detect a back-scattered light received by the flow sensor; and However, Lonnqvist teaches: A light emitter configured to emit a single coherent light beam in an infrared spectrum (“The laser wavelength used is typically in the near infrared (NIR) or visible range”) Additionally, Kyuma teaches: the flow sensor comprising: a fiber-coupled light emitter (He-Ne Laser of Fig. 1) and detector (APD of Fig. 1) configured to emit a single coherent light beam (He-Ne Laser of Fig. 1) , and detect a back-scattered light received by the flow sensor (arrows illustrating optical path shown in Fig. 1) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre with the fiber system of Kyuma and using a NIR laser similar to Lonnqvist with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of simplifying imaging system and improving oil detection accuracy. Andre opens the door for the use of fiber, but does not provide explicit details (Andre: “To simplify this implementation, certain applications may include the use of optical fibers”) . However, Andre specifically cites Kyuma as a reference for how to simplify the system using fiber ( Andre: “Application cases are described in particular in the following reviews and do not require further details:… Applied Optics / July 15, 81 / vol 20 N "14 Laser Doppler velocimeter with a novel optical fiber probe”) . Andre includes a laser diode (Andre: #63 of Fig. 6, laser diodes) , but is silent on its wavelength. Lonnqvist teaches that wavelength can be selected based on reflection properties (Lonnqvist: “However, depending on the scattering or reflection properties of the target, other light wavelengths, such as UV wavelengths or longer IR wavelengths, may be employed too”), and the system of Andre is designed to detect flow in oil bores (Andre: “More generally, the present invention relates to the field of drilling measurements, in particular water drilling, oil drilling, geothermal drilling”). Crude oil is known to have higher reflection in the IR spectrum (Crude oil spectral signatures and empirical models to derive API gravity: Fig. 4) . Regarding claim 2, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor head includes a mirror (#66b of Fig. 7a, reflecting mirror) that is configured to guide the two separate coherent light beams towards the probe volume in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of the flow (#66b of Fig. 7a, reflecting mirror) . While a fiber optic cable could be used in place of the mirror to guide the beam in a direction perpendicular to flow, a mirror could still be used after the beam splitter to reduce fiber coupling losses. Regarding claim 3, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 2, wherein: Andre does not teach: the mirror is further configured to guide the back-scattered light towards a light detector of the fiber-coupled light emitter and detector. However, Andre does teach: a mirror configured to guide the back-scattered light towards a light detector (#67b of Fig. 7a, mirror) Additionally, Kyuma teaches: Receiving and emitting using a shared optical path (Fig. 1, O.P. (optical probe)) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging device to use a single mirror so that the emitting and receiving paths are the same, similar to Kyuma. This would have the predictable result of reducing complexity of the system by reducing the number of mirrors required. Regarding claim 4, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 2, wherein: the mirror is at an angle of 45 degrees relative to a direction of the single coherent light beam (#66b of Fig. 7a, reflecting mirror) Regarding claim 5, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 2, wherein: the flow sensor further includes a probe volume guide that provides a sealed volume for guiding of the two separate coherent light beams towards the probe volume and for receiving of the back-scattered light from the probe volume (lens #64a and transparent body #61 of Fig. 7a create a sealed volume) . Regarding claim 6, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 5, wherein: the probe volume guide includes a longitudinal shape according to the direction that is perpendicular to the direction of the flow (#64a of Fig. 7a, lens, a longitudinal volume can be seen surrounding the lens) . Regarding claim 7, Andre, as modified above, teaches The system according to claim 5, wherein: the probe volume guide includes a window that defines an exit plane of the probe volume guide (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) , the exit plane perpendicular to the direction that is perpendicular to the direction of the flow (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) . Regarding claim 10, Andre, as modified above, teaches The system according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor head further includes a focusing lens that is configured to guide the two separate coherent light beams to intersect at the probe volume such as to form the diffraction pattern (#64a of Fig. 7a, lens) . Regarding claim 11, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 10, wherein: the focusing lens is further configured to collect the back-scattered light (#64a of Fig. 7a, lens) . Regarding claim 16, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1 Andre does not teach, but Kyuma does teach: wherein: the photodiode is an avalanche photodiode (APD of Fig. 1) . It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre to use an avalanche photodiode similar to Kyuma with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of increasing the sensitivity of the imaging system. Regarding claim 17, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: the mobile vessel comprises a first element having a substantially tubular shape about a center axis (#60 of Fig. 7a, rotating assembly) , the first element configured to rotate about the center axis (#60 of Fig. 7a, rotating assembly) , and the flow sensor includes an enclosure (#58 of Fig. 7a, body) and a window (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) that in combination provide a sealed interior space for protection of the fiber-coupled light emitter and detector and of the sensor head (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) , the enclosure and the window protruding from the first element and rigidly attached to the first element (body #58 and transparent body #61 of Fig. 7a) Regarding claim 18, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 17, wherein: the enclosure comprises a cylindrical shape that is radially attached to the first element (#58 of Fig. 7a, body) . Regarding claim 19, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 18, wherein: a direction of each of the two separate coherent light beams is perpendicular to the center axis (beam path shown in Fig. 7a) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist and Kyuma as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Bagley et al. (US 20150139273) . Regarding claim 8, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 7, wherein: Andre does not teach, but Bagley does teach: the window comprises sapphire [14] . It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre with a sapphire window similar to Bagley with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of making the window mechanically and thermally stable, while still allowing for infrared light to pass through [Bagley: 14-15] . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist and Kyuma as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Modares et al. (US 6654102) . Regarding claim 9, Andre teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: Andre does not teach, but Modares does teaches: the sensor head further includes a diffraction grating that is configured to receive the single coherent light beam and split the single coherent light beam into the two separate coherent light beams (Beam Splitter (DOE) of Fig. 1A, “This beam splitter 120 is a diffraction grating or more generally a Diffractive Optical Element (DOE)” ). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to substitute the beam splitter of Andre with a diffraction grating similar to Modares with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of simplifying the optical path by splitting the light at a smaller angle . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist and Kyuma as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wikipedia (Single-mode optical fiber, 2018), hereafter referred to as WSM . Regarding claim 12, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: Andre does not teach: the fiber-coupled light emitter and detector includes a laser diode coupled to a single-mode optical fiber for emission of the single coherent light beam. However, WSM teaches: A single-mode optical fiber (Image titled: “The structure of a typical single-mode fiber.”) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre to use single-mode optical fibers with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of reducing noise by limiting modal dispersion (WSM: “Like multi-mode optical fibers, single-mode fibers do exhibit modal dispersion resulting from multiple spatial modes but with narrower modal dispersion”). Andre and Kyuma open the door to the use of fiber, but are silent as to what kind of fiber should be used. WSM fills in the gaps for the different kinds of fibers . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist and Kyuma as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Pabon et al. ( Crude oil spectral signatures and empirical models to derive API gravity, 2019) . Regarding claim 13, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: Andre does not teach: the laser diode operates at a wavelength that is equal to 835 nm +/- 10 nm. However, Lonnqvist teaches: Selecting a laser wavelength based on the reflectance of the material being observed (“However, depending on the scattering or reflection properties of the target, other light wavelengths, such as UV wavelengths or longer IR wavelengths, may be employed too”) Additionally, Pabon teaches: Light crude oil has a much higher reflectance than dark crude oil at 835 nm. (Fig. 4) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre to select a wavelength, similar to Lonnqvist, of 835 nm , using the information presented in Pabon, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of only detecting the flow of more desirable light crude oil. (Pabon: “Crude oils with a high °API (light oils) are desirable by the industry as they are easier and less expensive to produce”) Regarding claim 14, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: Andre does not teach: the laser diode operates at a wavelength that is equal to 835 nm. However, Lonnqvist teaches: Selecting a laser wavelength based on the reflectance of the material being observed ( “However, depending on the scattering or reflection properties of the target, other light wavelengths, such as UV wavelengths or longer IR wavelengths, may be employed too”) Additionally, Pabon teaches: Light crude oil has a much higher reflectance than dark crude oil at 835 nm. (Fig. 4) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre to select a wavelength, similar to Lonnqvist, of 835 nm , using the information presented in Pabon, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of detecting the flow of more desirable light crude oil. (Pabon: “Crude oils with a high °API (light oils) are desirable by the industry as they are easier and less expensive to produce”) 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist and Kyuma et al . as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wikipedia (Multi-mode optical fiber, 2018), hereafter referred to as WMM . Regarding claim 15, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The system according to claim 1, wherein: Andre does not teach: the fiber-coupled light emitter and detector includes a photodiode coupled to a multi-mode optical fiber for detection of the back-scattered light. However, WMM teaches: A multi-mode optical fiber (Image titled: A stripped multi-mode fiber) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre to use multi-mode optical fibers with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of reducing cost by allowing for the use of VCSEL lasers (WMM: “In practical terms, the larger core size simplifies connections and also allows the use of lower-cost electronics such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) which operate at the 850 nm and 1300 nm wavelength”). Andre and Kyuma are open the door to the use of fiber, but are silent as to what kind of fiber should be used. Wikipedia fills in the gaps for the different kinds of fibers . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 20 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Kyuma , Lonnqvist, and Pabon . Regarding claim 20 , Andre teaches: A flow sensor (Fig. 7a) , comprising: A sensor head (separating plates #62 and lenses #64a of Fig. 7a) configured to split the single coherent light beam in two separate coherent light beams (#62 of Fig. 7a, separating plates) and recombine the two separate coherent light beams (#64a of Fig. 7a, lenses) to form a diffraction pattern at a probe volume that is external to the flow sensor (#2 of fig. 2a, linear fringe, a similar fringe is shown in Fig. 7a) , wherein the back-scattered light is from features present in a fluid mixture that travel through the diffraction pattern formed at the probe volume (#3 of Fig. 2a, particle) during submersion of the flow sensor into the fluid mixture (Fig. 6b shows the tool inside the well) . Andre does not teach: a fiber-coupled light emitter and detector configured to emit a single coherent light beam at a wavelength of 835 nm +/-10 nm, and detect a back-scattered light received by the flow sensor; and a However, Kyuma teaches: fiber-coupled light emitter (He-Ne Laser of Fig. 1) and detector (APD of Fig. 1) configured to emit a single coherent light beam (He-Ne Laser of Fig. 1) , and detect a back-scattered light received by the flow sensor ( arrows illustrating optical path shown in Fig. 1) Additionally, Lonnqvist teaches: Selecting a laser wavelength based on the reflectance of the material being observed ( “However, depending on the scattering or reflection properties of the target, other light wavelengths, such as UV wavelengths or longer IR wavelengths, may be employed too”) Additionally, Pabon teaches: Light crude oil has a much higher reflectance than dark crude oil at 835 nm. (Fig. 4) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the well wall imaging system of Andre with fiber similar to Kyuma, and to select a laser source, similar to Lonnqvist, of 835 nm, based on Pabon. Selecting an 835 nm laser would have the predictable result of detecting the flow of more desirable light crude oil. (Pabon: “Crude oils with a high °API (light oils) are desirable by the industry as they are easier and less expensive to produce”). Using fiber would have the predictable result of simplifying imaging system. Andre opens the door for the use of fiber, but does not provide explicit details (Andre: “To simplify this implementation, certain applications may include the use of optical fibers”) . However, Andre specifically cites Kyuma as a reference for how to simplify the system using fiber ( Andre: “Application cases are described in particular in the following reviews and do not require further details:… Applied Optics / July 15, 81 / vol 20 N "14 Laser Doppler velocimeter with a novel optical fiber probe”). Regarding claim 21, Andre, as modified above, teaches: The flow sensor according to claim 20, wherein: the flow sensor further includes a probe volume guide that provides a sealed volume for guiding of the two separate coherent light beams towards the probe volume and for receiving of the back-scattered light from the probe volume (lens #64a and transparent body #61 of Fig. 7a create a sealed volume) , the probe volume guide includes a longitudinal shape according to a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of the single coherent light beam (#64a of Fig. 7a, lens, a longitudinal volume can be seen surrounding the lens) , and the probe volume guide further includes a window that defines an exit plane of the probe volume guide (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) , the exit plane perpendicular to the direction that is perpendicular to the direction of the flow (#61 of Fig. 7a, transparent body) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andre in view of Lonnqvist . Regarding claim 22, Andre teaches: A method for measuring a flow velocity of a fluid mixture (Fig. 1, “Figure 1 shows schematically the measuring principle implemented in the present invention. This uses measurement by laser effect velocimetry”) , the method comprising: splitting a coherent light beam into two separate coherent light beams (“The example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a uses a separating blade 4a making it possible to obtain two coherent beams 1a and 1b from the same laser source 1c”) ; recombining the two separate coherent light beams (“The two coherent light beams 1a and 1b of FIG. 1 coming from the same laser source 1c intersect”) to form a diffraction pattern at a probe volume region of the fluid mixture (#2 of Fig. 1, linear fringe) ; detecting back-scattered light (“at the passage of each clear fringe, will diffuse light which after detection by photodiode 5a, will generate a modulated signal 5b”) from features present in the fluid mixture that travel through the diffraction pattern formed at the probe volume (“A particle 3 - one meets almost systematically in any fluid, including in drinking water from the tap - crossing this zone”) , the back-scattered light including intensity peaks that correspond to crossing of the particles through fringes of the diffraction pattern (#5b of Fig. 1, modulated signal) ; based on the detecting, determining the flow velocity (“The purpose of the tool according to the present invention is to measure at many points on the wall the speed vector Il of the fluid”) based on a travel time of the features across two consecutive fringes (“the frequency of which is directly proportional to the speed of the fluid and to a coefficient defined by construction and dependent”) . Andre does not teach, but Lonnqvist does teach: an infrared coherent light beam (“The laser wavelength used is typically in the near infrared (NIR) or visible range”) It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the laser doppler velocimetry method of Andre to use an infrared laser source similar to Lonnqvist with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of improving detection accuracy for oil wells. Andre includes a laser diode (Andre: #63 of Fig. 6, laser diodes) , but is silent on its wavelength. Lonnqvist teaches that wavelength can be selected based on reflection properties (Lonnqvist: “However, depending on the scattering or reflection properties of the target, other light wavelengths, such as UV wavelengths or longer IR wavelengths, may be employed too”) , and the system of Andre is designed to detect flow in oil bores (Andre: “More generally, the present invention relates to the field of drilling measurements, in particular water drilling, oil drilling, geothermal drilling”) . Crude oil is known to have higher reflection in the IR spectrum (Crude oil spectral signatures and empirical models to derive API gravity: Fig. 4) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AVIRAJ D SINGH whose telephone number is (571)272-9128. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:30pm. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /A.D.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3645 /ISAM A ALSOMIRI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 2 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 3 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 4 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 5 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 6 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 7 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 8 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 9 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 10 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 11 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 12 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 13 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 14 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 15 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 16 Art Unit: 3645 Application/Control Number: 18/546,420 Page 17 Art Unit: 3645
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