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 § 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 1-7 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stark (US 2021/0096020 A1; search report) and Hartog (US 2008/0030739 A1; ids).
Regarding claim 1, Stark teaches a system for use in a subsea well related operation, comprising:
a distributed measurement system having a surface system coupled with a subsea system via an umbilical [[title] distributed fiber optic sensing of subsea wells; [0001] distributed fiber optic sensing may eliminate downhole electronic complexity by shifting all electro-optical complexity to the surface within the interrogator unit; [0027] disclosure relates generally to a system and method for using fiber optics in a DAS system in a subsea operation; [0029] DAS system may he inclusive of an interrogator 124, umbilical line 126, and downhole fiber 128];
the umbilical comprising an outgoing optical fiber and a returning optical fiber [[abstract] umbilical line comprising a first fiber optic cable and a second fiber optic cable attached at one end to the interrogator; [0039]; [0040] interferometer];
the surface system comprising a distributed interrogator and a surface circulator and pump module [[0078] SPD 1700 may be connected to information handling system 130 (e.g., referring to FIG. 1) through interrogator 124 (e.g., referring to FIG. 1) to obtain measurement data. In some examples, some portions of the interrogator 124 may be positioned at a surface of the Earth; [0037][fig. 2] interrogator #124 contains circulator #210; [0050] interrogator 124 may include one or more DAS interrogator units 400, each emitting coherent light pulses at a distinct optical wavelength, and a Raman Pump 402];
the subsea system having a remote circulator module [[0048] DAS system 200 system, which may be utilized to overcome challenges presented by a subsea environment. DAS system 200 may include interrogator 124 umbilical line 126, and downhole fiber 128.; [fig. 5][fig. 8]; [prior art claim 6] DAS of claim 1, further comprising a proximal circulator and a distal circulator and wherein one or more remote circulators form the proximal circulator or the distal circulator.; [0048] first fiber optic cable 304 may traverse the length of umbilical line 126 to a remote circulator 306.], a distributed sensor being coupled with the subsea system [[0001] in examples, discrete sensors, e.g., for sensing pressure and temperature, may be deployed in conjunction with the fiber optic cable.; [0056] at least a portion of fiber optic cable 600 is a sensor].
Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Hartog teaches wherein the surface circulator [[fig. 2][fig. 3a] coupler #8; [0043] circulator is a particularly efficient means of accomplishing this function, although a combination of directional couplers (to split the light) and isolators (to ensure unidirectional propagation) in the split paths is also possible. Depending on the specification of the splitting devices, it may be necessary to use pump by-pass couplers, which are similar to directional coupler 8] and pump module [[0043] pump and other signals to be separated] is configured to output an outgoing pulse and a first power pump light to the subsea system at different wavelengths through the outgoing optical fiber [[0037] illustrated in FIG. 2 in which a source 1 launches probe pulses 4 into a first section of fiber 50 through a directional coupler 3; [0009] peak power is limited by non-linear effects which convert the probe pulse to different wavelengths from that launched, when the power is increased above certain limits], wherein the surface circulator and pump module is configured to receive an incoming backscatter from the subsea system and output a second power pump light to the subsea system at different wavelengths through the returning optical fiber [[fig. 2][fig. 3a] shows detector #2; [0036] exhibiting gain at the probe and/or signal wavelengths when illuminated by light at an appropriate pump wavelength. In one preferred embodiment, the signal wavelengths are in the region from 1525 nm to 1580 nm and the amplifier consists of a length of single mode fiber doped with erbium ions]; and
the subsea system having a subsea remote circulator module [[fig. 3a] circulator #13a], a first remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the outgoing optical fiber and comprising a first passive system [[fig. 3a] passive amplifier #11a; [0035] remotely pumped amplifier is a variant of optical amplifiers in which the pump power is transmitted along an optical fiber to the amplifier, which is thus electrically passive], a second remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the returning optical fiber and comprising a second passive system [[fig. 3a] passive amplifier #11b], and a distributed sensor [[0002] optical fiber sensors; [0009] distributed fiber optic sensors], wherein each of the first and second passive systems is powered by the first power pump light, the second power pump light, or any combination thereof [[0034] below the amplifier is sited remotely and is preferably pumped remotely, a remote amplifier powered in the remote location from an electrical source (possibly driving a local pump source) is also possible.; [0035] a remotely pumped amplifier is a variant of optical amplifiers in which the pump power is transmitted along an optical fiber to the amplifier, which is thus electrically passive].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the pumped laser and remote amplifiers as taught by Hartog so that the remote optical amplifiers may be powered optically rather than by an additional electrical source (Hartog) [[0034; 0035]].
Regarding claim 2, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the distributed sensor comprises a distributed acoustic sensor [[0001] distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) along with a fiber optic system may be utilized together to determine borehole and/or formation properties].
Regarding claim 3, Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Hartog teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subsea comprises a remote circulator module having the subsea circulator, the first ROA, and the second ROA [[fig. 2][fig. 3a] coupler #8; [0043] circulator is a particularly efficient means of accomplishing this function, although a combination of directional couplers (to split the light) and isolators (to ensure unidirectional propagation) in the split paths is also possible. Depending on the specification of the splitting devices, it may be necessary to use pump by-pass couplers, which are similar to directional coupler 8] and pump module [[0043] pump and other signals to be separated].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the pumped laser and remote amplifiers as taught by Hartog so that the remote optical amplifiers may be powered optically rather than by an additional electrical source (Hartog) [[0034; 0035]].
Regarding claim 4, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface system further comprises an optical switch [[0076] single photon detector 1700 may further include a switching or splitting mechanism 1810 to direct optical signals to optical detector 1802, or a non-SPD optical detector 1812].
Regarding claim 5, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subsea system comprises a fiber optic flying lead having the subsea circulator, the first ROA, and the second ROA [[0039] pulse generator 214 may be coupled to optical gain elements (not shown) to amplify pulses generated therefrom. Example optical gain elements include, but are not limited to, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) or Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs); [0064] distal optical amplifier assembly 1502 may also be attached at distal circulator 312 on first fiber optical cable 304 or second fiber optical cable 308 as an inline or “mid-span” amplifier. In examples, optical amplifier assembly 1502 located in-line with fiber optical cable 304 and above distal circulator 312 may be used to boost the light pulse before it is launched into the downhole fiber 128].
Regarding claim 6, Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Hartog teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first passive system of the first ROA is powered by the first power pump light, and the second passive system of the second ROA is powered by the second power pump light [[0035] remotely pumped amplifier is a variant of optical amplifiers in which the pump power is transmitted along an optical fiber to the amplifier, which is thus electrically passive.; [0044] filter 12 can include a selectively reflective device which returns the residual pump power back through the amplifiers 11 a, 11 b in order to improve the efficiency of the pump usage; [0036] amplifier consists preferably of a section of fiber doped with a rare-earth ion which has the property of exhibiting gain at the probe and/or signal wavelengths when illuminated by light at an appropriate pump wavelength. In one preferred embodiment, the signal wavelengths are in the region from 1525 nm to 1580 nm and the amplifier consists of a length of single mode fiber doped with erbium ions].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the pumped laser and remote amplifiers as taught by Hartog so that the remote optical amplifiers may be powered optically rather than by an additional electrical source (Hartog) [[0034; 0035]].
Regarding claim 7, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first ROA comprises a first active system having a first pump laser, and the second ROA comprises a second active system having a second pump laser [[0039] interrogator may include a pulse generator … pulse generator 214 may be coupled to optical gain elements (not shown) to amplify pulses generated therefrom. Example optical gain elements include, but are not limited to, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) or Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs); [0064] proximal circulator 310 is active (optical amplifier assembly 1500 in-line with a second fiber optic cable 308 prior to proximal circulator 310 and/or distal optical amplifier assembly 1502 located in line with second fiber optical cable 308 above distal circulator 312 is used); [0066] interrogator 124 may include one or more lasers 1600. Lasers 1600 may be multiplexing laser, which may operate by multiplexing a plurality coherent laser sources via a WDM 404. One or more lasers 1600 may emit a light pulse 1602].
Regarding claim 18, Stark teaches a method, comprising:
providing a distributed measurement system with a surface system coupled to a subsea system via an umbilical [[title][0001][0029][0050]] comprising an outgoing optical fiber and a returning optical fiber, wherein the surface system is configured to output an outgoing optical pulse and a first power pump light to the subsea system at different wavelengths through the outgoing optical fiber, wherein the surface system is configured to receive an incoming optical backscatter from the subsea system and output a second power pump light to the subsea system at different wavelengths through the returning optical fiber [[abstract] umbilical line comprising a first fiber optic cable and a second fiber optic cable attached at one end to the interrogator; [0039]; [0040] interferometer [0002] velocity of light in fiber, and by measuring the time it takes the backscattered light to return to the detector inside the interrogator, it is possible to assign a distance along the fiber];
coupling a distributed sensor to the subsea system [[0056] at least a portion of fiber optic cable 600 is a sensor];
monitoring a parameter with the distributed sensor [[0001] in examples, discrete sensors, e.g., for sensing pressure and temperature, may be deployed in conjunction with the fiber optic cable]; and
Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Hartog teaches utilizing a plurality of remote optical amplifiers (ROAs) in the subsea system to amplify the outgoing optical pulse and the incoming optical backscatter to thus help overcome cumulative losses along the umbilical, wherein the plurality of ROAs comprises a first remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the outgoing optical fiber and comprising a first passive system and a second remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the returning optical fiber and comprising a second passive system, wherein each of the first and second passive systems is powered by a first power pump light transmitted from the surface system through the outgoing optical fiber to the subsea system, a second power pump light transmitted from the surface system through the returning optical fiber to the subsea system, or any combination thereof [[fig. 3a] passive amplifier #11a; passive amplifier #11b].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the pumped laser and remote amplifiers as taught by Hartog so that the remote optical amplifiers may be powered optically rather than by an additional electrical source (Hartog) [[0034; 0035]].
Regarding claim 19, Stark teaches the method as recited in claim 18, wherein coupling the distributed sensor comprises coupling a distributed acoustic sensor to the subsea system [[0001] in examples, discrete sensors, e.g., for sensing pressure and temperature, may be deployed in conjunction with the fiber optic cable.; [0056] at least a portion of fiber optic cable 600 is a sensor].
Claims 11-14 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stark (US 2021/0096020 A1; search report) and Teledyne Marine (Electrical Optical Flying Lead, 2020).
Regarding claim 11, Stark teaches a system, comprising:
a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) system configured to couple a surface system with a subsea system via an umbilical during a measurement of a desired parameter [[title] distributed fiber optic sensing of subsea wells; [0001] distributed fiber optic sensing may eliminate downhole electronic complexity by shifting all electro-optical complexity to the surface within the interrogator unit; [0027] disclosure relates generally to a system and method for using fiber optics in a DAS system in a subsea operation; [0029] DAS system may he inclusive of an interrogator 124, umbilical line 126, and downhole fiber 128], wherein the umbilical comprises an outgoing optical fiber and a returning optical fiber [[abstract] umbilical line comprising a first fiber optic cable and a second fiber optic cable attached at one end to the interrogator; [0039]; [0040] interferometer];
the surface system comprising a distributed acoustic sensor interrogator, a surface pump module, and an optical switch configured to couple to the umbilical [[0078] SPD 1700 may be connected to information handling system 130 (e.g., referring to FIG. 1) through interrogator 124 (e.g., referring to FIG. 1) to obtain measurement data. In some examples, some portions of the interrogator 124 may be positioned at a surface of the Earth; [0037][fig. 2] interrogator #124 contains circulator #210; [0050] interrogator 124 may include one or more DAS interrogator units 400, each emitting coherent light pulses at a distinct optical wavelength, and a Raman Pump 402; [0076] single photon detector 1700 may further include a switching or splitting mechanism 1810 to direct optical signals to optical detector 1802, or a non-SPD optical detector 1812], wherein the surface pump module is configured to output an outgoing DAS pulse to the subsea system through the outgoing optical fiber [[0050] Raman Pump 402 is located in interrogator 124 for co-propagation. in another example, Raman Pump 402 may be located topside after one or more remote circulators 306 either in line with first fiber optic cable 304 (co-propagation mode) and/or in line with second fiber optic cable 308 (counter-propagation)], wherein the surface pump module is configured to receive an incoming DAS backscatter from the subsea system through the returning optical fiber [[0038] DAS system 200 may be used for phase-based sensing of events in a wellbore using measurements of coherent Rayleigh backscatter or may interrogate a fiber optic line containing an array of partial reflectors, for example, fiber Bragg gratings], wherein the surface pump module is configured to output at least one power pump light to the subsea system through the outgoing optical fiber, the returning optical fiber, or any combination thereof [[0041] scattered light according to Rayleigh scattering is returned from every point along fiber optical cable 204 along the length of fiber optical cable 204 and is shown as backscattered light 228 in FIG. 2]; and
the subsea system comprising a fiber optic flying lead incorporating at least one remote optical amplifier (ROA) [[0030] umbilical line 126 may include an optical flying lead, optical distribution system(s), umbilical termination unit(s), and transmission fibers encapsulated in flying leads, flow lines, rigid risers, flexible risers, and/or one or more umbilical lines. This may allow for umbilical line 126 to connect and disconnect from downhole fiber 128 while preserving optical continuity between the umbilical line 126 and the downhole fiber 128.; [0064] distal optical amplifier assembly 1502 may also be attached at distal circulator 312 on first fiber optical cable 304 or second fiber optical cable 308 as an inline or “mid-span” amplifier. In examples, optical amplifier assembly 1502 located in-line with fiber optical cable 304 and above distal circulator 312 may be used to boost the light pulse before it is launched into the downhole fiber 128].
Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Teledyne Marine teaches wherein the at least one ROA comprises at least one passive system powered by the at least one power pump light [[pg. 1] traditionally, flying leads have been considered a passive element in subsea infrastructure, meaning that power and data move through the system without interference or modification], and the at least one ROA is arranged on at least one remote optical amplifier cassette within an interior space of a canister of the fiber optic flying lead [[pg. 2] shows media converter housing with integrated component board which appears similar to instant fig. 3].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the passive optic flying lead as taught by Teledyne Marine because the electrical optical flying lead product family will allow for the use of electronics integrated into a connector or inline with the jumper (Teledyne Marine) [[pg. 1]].
Regarding claim 12, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 11, wherein the surface pump module is configured to output the at least one power pump light to the subsea system, comprising: a first power pump light through the outgoing optical fiber to the subsea system at a different wavelength than the outgoing DAS pulse; and a second power pump light through returning optical fiber to the subsea system at a different wavelength than the incoming DAS backscatter [[0055] may be any number of pumps and any number of Fiber Bragg Gratings 500 which may be used to control what wavelength of light travels through downhole fiber 12].
Regarding claim 13, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one ROA comprises an active system having at least one pump laser [[0039][0064][0066]].
Regarding claim 14, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one ROA comprises a first remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the outgoing optical fiber and comprising a first passive system of the at least one passive system, and a second remote optical amplifier (ROA) coupled to the returning optical fiber and comprising a second passive system of the at least one passive system [[fig. 3a] passive amplifier #11a; [0035] remotely pumped amplifier is a variant of optical amplifiers in which the pump power is transmitted along an optical fiber to the amplifier, which is thus electrically passive; [fig. 3a] passive amplifier #11b; [0002] optical fiber sensors; [0009] distributed fiber optic sensors].
Regarding claim 16, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 11, wherein the fiber optic flying lead is coupled with a distributed acoustic sensor [[0001] distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) along with a fiber optic system; [0030] umbilical line 126 may include an optical flying lead, optical distribution system(s), umbilical termination unit(s), and transmission fibers encapsulated in flying leads].
Regarding claim 17, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 16, wherein the fiber optic flying lead comprises a circulator and a plurality of remote optical amplifiers (ROAs) including the at least one ROA [[0030] umbilical line 126 may include an optical flying lead, optical distribution system(s), umbilical termination unit(s), and transmission fibers encapsulated in flying leads; [0039] amplifiers; [0064] distal optical amplifier assembly 1502 may also be attached at distal circulator 312 on first fiber optical cable 304 or second fiber optical cable 308 as an inline or “mid-span” amplifier. In examples, optical amplifier assembly 1502 located in-line with fiber optical cable 304 and above distal circulator 312 may be used to boost the light pulse].
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 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stark (US 2021/0096020 A1) and Hartog (US 2008/0030739 A1) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Teledyne Marine (Electrical Optical Flying Lead, 2020).
Regarding claim 8, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 5, wherein the subsea system comprises a fiber optic flying lead comprises an integrated canister having an interior space containing the subsea circulator, the first ROA, and the second ROA [[0030][0039][0064]]. Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Teledyne Marine teaches arranged on one or more cassettes. [[pg. 1] traditionally, flying leads have been considered a passive element in subsea infrastructure, meaning that power and data move through the system without interference or modification; [pg. 2] shows media converter housing with integrated component board which appears similar to instant fig. 3].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the passive optic flying lead as taught by Teledyne Marine because the electrical optical flying lead product family will allow for the use of electronics integrated into a connector or inline with the jumper (Teledyne Marine) [[pg. 1]].
Regarding claim 9, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 8, wherein the fiber optic flying lead comprises a plurality of signal filters [[0040] may involve multiple optical flying leads; [0071] Fiber Bragg Grating 1000 may be referred to as a filter mirror that may be a wavelength specific high reflectivity filter mirror or filter reflector that may operate and function to recirculate unused light back through the optical circuit for “double-pass” co- and/or counter-propagating Raman amplification of the DAS signal. In examples, Fiber Bragg Grating 1000 may be referred to as an optically reflective element. In examples, this wavelength specific “Raman light” mirror may be a dichroic thin film interference filter, Fiber Bragg Grating 1000, or any other suitable optical filter that passes only the 1550 nm forward propagating DAS interrogation pulse light while simultaneously reflecting most of the residual Raman Pump light].
Regarding claim 10, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subsea system comprises a multi-channel remote optical amplifier stack of a plurality of remote optical amplifiers including the first ROA and the second ROA [[0018] sampling frequencies of the DAS system; [0030][0036][0064] inline or “mid-span” amplifier]. Stark does not explicitly teach and yet Teledyne Marine teaches arranged on one or more remote optical amplifier cassettes within an interior space of a canister [[pg. 1] traditionally, flying leads have been considered a passive element in subsea infrastructure, meaning that power and data move through the system without interference or modification; [pg. 2] shows media converter housing with integrated component board which appears similar to instant fig. 3].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to combine the surface and remote distributed acoustic sensing as taught by Stark, with the passive optic flying lead as taught by Teledyne Marine because the electrical optical flying lead product family will allow for the use of electronics integrated into a connector or inline with the jumper (Teledyne Marine) [[pg. 1]].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15 and 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: (see below).
Regarding claim 15, Stark teaches the system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one ROA comprises a plurality of ROAs[[0030] umbilical line 126 may include an optical flying lead, optical distribution system(s), umbilical termination unit(s), and transmission fibers encapsulated in flying leads, flow lines, rigid risers, flexible risers, and/or one or more umbilical lines; [0039] pulse generator 214 may be coupled to optical gain elements … example optical gain elements include, but are not limited to, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) or Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs).].
However, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the at least one remote optical amplifier cassette comprises a plurality of remote optical amplifier cassettes arranged in a stack in the interior space of the canister of the fiber optic flying lead, and each of the plurality of ROAs has one of the plurality of remote optical amplifier cassettes. Instead, Teledyne Marine appears to show a single cassette [[pg. 1-2, in particular figure shown on pg. 2]].
Regarding claim 20, Stark teaches the method as recited in claim 18, wherein utilizing the plurality of ROAs comprises housing the plurality of ROAs, including the first and second ROAs [[0039] amplifiers].
However, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach on a respective plurality of remote optical amplifier cassettes within an interior space of a canister of a fiber optic flying lead of the subsea system. Instead, Teledyne Marine appears to show a single cassette [[pg. 1-2, in particular figure shown on pg. 2]].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN D ARMSTRONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7339. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 9am-5pm.
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/JONATHAN D ARMSTRONG/ Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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