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
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 3 of claim 7, “cables passes” should be changed to “cables pass”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle et al. (US 2022/0242529) in view of Westby et al. (US 9,394,877).
Regarding claim 1, Doyle discloses a flexible retractable mooring system, comprising: first power generation devices (load reduction devices 10; 110 include an energy take off system, not shown; paragraph 0165), and anchors (C); wherein the first power generation devices are all connected to an offshore platform (P) through mooring cables (mooring lines L1), and the first power generation devices (10; 110) are further connected to the anchors (C) through anchor chains (mooring lines L2); and the anchors (C) are located obliquely below the offshore platform (P) to fix the flexible retractable mooring system; and when the flexible retractable mooring system is operating, the mooring cables and the anchor chains are all in a tension state (paragraph 0137; Examiner notes that the claim(s) do not require the anchor chains to be taut.), and the first power generation devices generate power by making use of tension of the mooring cables and the anchor chains (Examiner takes the position that the first power generation devices generate power by making use of the tension of the mooring cables and the anchor chains to maintain the first power generation devices in the desired positions to optimize the capture of power from environmental forces.) (Figs. 1, 13, and 22a - 22h; paragraphs 0035, 0120, 0136, 0137, 0154, 0164, and 0165). Doyle fails to disclose a second power generation device, wherein the second power generation device, the second power generation device is located directly below the offshore platform, and the second power generation device generates power by making use of tension of the mooring cables and the anchor chains. Westby teaches a second power generation device (energy converter unit 12) is located directly below the offshore platform (buoyant body 11), and the second power generation device generates power by making use of tension of the mooring cables and the anchor chains (wire 13; col. 6, lines 17 - 21) (Fig. 1; col. 6, lines 5 - 49). It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the invention, to have modified the system as disclosed above with the second power generation device as taught by Westby to increase the amount of power that can be generated using the mooring system connected to the offshore platform.
Regarding claim 6, Doyle further discloses the mooring cables (L1) are made from flexible material (rope) (paragraph 0164).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 - 5 and 7 - 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 6 have been considered but are moot in view of new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN D ANDRISH whose telephone number is (571)270-3098. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 6:30 AM - 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN D ANDRISH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
SA
6/10/2026
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