DETAILED ACTION
for
DETECTING LEAKAGES IN UNDERGROUND PIPELINES
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 .
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 11/27/2017 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Oath/Declaration
The Oath/Declaration submitted on 06/18/2024 is noted 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: Detecting Leak in Underground Pipeline with Obtaining Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data from Optical Sensing Fiber.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Godfrey et al. [herein after Godfrey] (US 2013/0333474) “Submitted by Applicant on IDS”.
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Regarding claim 1, Godfrey discloses a method of detecting at least one leak in an underground pipeline (206, ¶0041, lines 3-5), the underground pipeline being arranged near an underground conduit which is either a sewage conduit or a surface water conduit (see abstract), comprising the steps of providing at least one optical sensing fiber (202) that extends inside and along the underground conduit (206, Fig. 2); obtaining distributed acoustic sensing data from the at least one optical sensing fiber [¶0032, ¶0032 and ¶0042}; and using the obtained distributed acoustic sensing data to detect the leak (fracture; ¶0033, lines 4-6) in the underground pipeline (206; ¶0033, lines 17-28).
Regarding claim 2, Godfrey discloses a method of detecting leak properties (fracture ¶0033, lines 1-6) associated with at least one leak (fracture) in an underground pipeline (206, ¶0041, lines 3-5), the underground pipeline (206) being arranged near an underground conduit which is either a sewage conduit or a surface water conduit [¶0058-¶0058] comprising the steps of: providing at least one optical sensing fiber (202) that extends inside and along the underground conduit (Fig. 2); obtaining distributed acoustic sensing data from the at least one optical sensing fiber (202); and using the obtained distributed acoustic sensing data to determine a leak properties associated with the at least one leak (fracture) in the underground pipeline (206).
Regarding claim 3, Godfrey further discloses the underground pipeline (206) being arranged parallel to the underground conduit (206).
Regarding claim 4, Godfrey further discloses providing an optical unit (204) which is coupled to the at least one optical sensing fiber (202) and wherein the step of obtaining the distributed acoustic sensing data (¶0076) from the at least one optical sensing fiber (202) comprises using the optical unit (204; Fig. 2), transmitting light into the at least one optical sensing fiber (202) and receiving light from the at least one optical sensing fiber (202).
Regarding claim 5, Godfrey further discloses providing a flexible elongate member which extends inside (Fig. 2) and along the underground conduit (206), the flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) having at least one optical sensing fiber (202).
Regarding claim 6, Godfrey further discloses the flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) along at least part of its length is at least partially submerged in or floating upon fluid contents of the underground conduit (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Godfrey further discloses letting the flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) obtain an operational configuration in the fluid contents in which the flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) extends along the underground conduit (206) and is spaced apart from a bottom of the underground conduit (206).
Regarding claim 8, Godfrey further discloses providing a cable (308; Fig. 3) which extends inside and along the underground conduit (206), the cable having the at least one optical sensing fiber (202), and installing the cable (308) at an inside wall of the underground conduit (206).
Regarding claim 9, Godfrey further discloses fastening the cable (308) to the inside wall (conduit 310) of the underground conduit with clamps.
Regarding claim 10, Godfrey further discloses obtaining fiber optic sensing measurement data from the at least one optical sensing fiber (202) along the underground conduit (206); and using the obtained fiber optic sensing measurement data (¶0076) to determine one or more properties associated with the underground conduit (206).
Regarding claims 11-12, Godfrey discloses an apparatus and system for detecting a leak or at least one leak property (fracture ¶0033, lines 1-6) in an underground pipeline located in an underground region (see abstract), the underground region including an underground conduit which is either a sewage conduit or a surface water conduit (206) located in proximity to the underground pipeline [¶0058-¶0058], the apparatus comprising: at least one optical sensing fiber (202) configured to be located inside and along the underground conduit (206); at least one unit for obtaining distributed acoustic sensing data (¶0052) from the at least one optical sensing fiber (Fig. 2); data processing means operable to detect the leak obtained distributed sensing data (¶0076).
Regarding claim 13, Godfrey further discloses a flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) comprising at least one optical sensing fiber (202) and being configured to be at least partially submerged or float in a fluid content inside an underground conduit (206) for obtaining distributed acoustic sensing measurements along underground pipeline that is adjacent to the underground conduit [¶0032 and ¶0032].
Regarding claim 14, Godfrey further discloses the underground pipeline is arranged parallel to the underground conduit (Fig. 2).
Regarding claims 15-16, Godfrey further discloses providing an optical unit (204) which is coupled to the at least one optical sensing fiber (202; ¶0046) and wherein the step of obtaining the distributed acoustic sensing data from the at least one optical sensing fiber (¶0046) comprises using the optical unit (204), transmitting light into the at least one optical sensing fiber (Fig. 2) and receiving light from the at least one optical sensing fiber (202; ¶0036).
Regarding claim 17-19, Godfrey further discloses providing a flexible elongate member (Fig. 2) which extends inside and along the underground conduit (206), the flexible elongate member comprising the at least one optical sensing fiber (202; ¶0047, lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 20, Godfrey further discloses providing a cable which extends inside and along the underground conduit (206), the cable having optical sensing fiber (202), and installing the cable (308) at an inside wall of the underground conduit (Fig. 3).
Conclusion
Ocalan discloses a robust pipeline leak detection system allows the operator to take timely corrective action to the problem, minimizing leakage of the fluids contained in the pipeline to the environment. The wireless sensor network system disclosed in this invention detects the presence of a leak by various sensors including acoustic sensors distributed along a pipeline system. The sensors are connected to the wireless sensor network.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDI N HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)270-7042. The examiner can normally be reached M & F 9-5 and T-TH, 6-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Deherrera can be reached at (303) 297-4237. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRANDI N HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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