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 .
Response to Amendment
The Preliminary Amendment filed March 11, 2025 has been entered and considered with the Office Action below.
Drawings
The drawings were received on March 11, 2025. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a/the” in lines 2 and 7 should be changed to --a--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 4: The use of such phrases as “can be” render a claim indefinite as it is unclear if the related structure or function is required. As such the meets and bounds of the claim cannot be determined.
Regarding claim 5: Claim 5 is considered indefinite due to its dependence on claim 4.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-7, 12, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Garcia-Soule et al. (EP 0896125 A2, Garcia).
Regarding claims 1, 15, and 17: Garcia discloses a subsea tool assembly 10 comprising:
a string having a tubular body Fig 1;
a tool 12/14 – pressure actuated tool, [0008] suspended from the string; and
a package 22/24 operatively connected to the tool and the string;
wherein the package houses at least:
a tool control device 24 for controlling operation of the tool;
a controller 22/46 configured to selectively operate the tool control device;
a first acoustic communication node within controller 46 – [0080] configured to receive and transmit acoustic signals through the tubular body of the string; and
an electrical power source 48 – [0082] for powering the tool control device, the first acoustic communication node, and the controller Fig 3;
wherein the controller is in electronic communication with the first acoustic communication node, and is configured to decode acoustic control signals received thereby and selectively operate the tool control device in response thereto [0082], [0103].
Regarding claim 2: Wherein the tool control device is a hydraulic accumulator 36 (50, 52, 54, 56), in fluid communication with the tool, and the controller selectively operates the hydraulic accumulator to supply hydraulic fluid to the tool [0090]-[0094].
Regarding claim 3: Wherein the hydraulic accumulator includes a closed volume 58, 60, 62, 64 for containing hydraulic fluid enclosed within the package [0085].
Regarding claim 4: Wherein the hydraulic accumulator includes an electronically controlled valve 38 – [0075] that can be selectively opened or closed by the controller to allow hydraulic fluid to exit the closed volume or prevent hydraulic fluid from exiting the closed volume [0075], [0076], [0083].
Regarding claim 5: Wherein the electronically controlled valve is a solenoid valve [0075], [0076], [0083].
Regarding claim 6: Wherein the package further comprises a hydraulic fluid conduit 30, 32 in fluid communication with the hydraulic accumulator, and wherein the hydraulic fluid conduit extends from the package into the tool to supply hydraulic fluid to the tool [0083], Fig 3.
Regarding claim 7: Wherein the electrical power source is a battery [0082].
Regarding claims 12 and 19: The subsea tool assembly further comprising:
a sensor 40 for detecting data relating to an operational downhole or tool condition [0077] and configured to transmit the data reflecting the operational downhole or tool condition for communication to the first acoustic communication node [0082];
wherein the first acoustic communication node generates an acoustic signal indicative of the operational downhole or tool condition from the data relating to the operational downhole or tool condition and transmits this uphole through the tubular body of the string [0083].
Regarding claims 15, 18, and 20: Garcia discloses a subsea tool communication system comprising:
the above described subsea tool assembly;
a control terminal configured 44 to selectively generate tool control signals for communication downhole;
a control communication device within 44 – [0079], [0082], [0093] configured to receive tool control signals from the control terminal and convert these to acoustic signals, wherein the control communication device is further configured to transmit the acoustic signals downhole through the tubular body of the string.
Regarding claim 16: Wherein the control terminal and control communication device are located on an oil platform or vessel at a sea surface system is described as a subsea system [0062] and as such, will extend from a platform or vessel of some sort.
Regarding claim 17: Garcia discloses a method of operating the above described subsea tool.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Garcia in view of Rytlewski (US 2016/0138355).
Regarding claim 8: Garcia discloses that the components of the assembly are “interconnected” [0062] but fails to disclose that the interconnection involves the package being removably coupled to the string at a first axial end and removably coupled to the tool at an opposing, second axial end.
Rytlewski discloses a subsea landing string that includes an instrumentation module 46 that is interconnected with the other components, such as a tool 22, in the string using threads [0025] which are known to be used to removably couple elements together.
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Garcia so that the package was removably coupled to the string at a first axial end and removably coupled to the tool at an opposing, second axial end, as suggested by Rytlewski, in order to have been able to been able to disconnect the package from the tool as needed [0025].
Regarding claim 9: Wherein the package is threadably coupled to the string at the first axial end and threadably coupled to the tool at the second axial end [0025] of Rytlewski.
Regarding claim 10: Wherein the first axial end and second axial end form tool joints with the string and tool, respectively Fig 1 of Rytlewski.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Garcia in view of Deville et al. (US 2020/0116017, Deville).
Garcia discloses all of the limitations of the above claim(s) except the subsea further comprising a second acoustic communication node positioned on the tubular body and spaced from the first acoustic communication node, wherein the second acoustic communication node is configured to receive and relay acoustic signals from and to the first acoustic communication node.
Deville discloses a subsea landing string and control/telemetry system 78 – Abstract, [0049]. The system uses a series of acoustic communication nodes 34 to transmit data up the landing string to the surface by passing data from a downhole control system and sensors to a first node and then to each subsequent node up to the surface [0022]-[0031], [0047], [0048].
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Garcia so that the system included a second acoustic communication node that received signals from the first node, as taught by Deville, in order to have been able to ensure reliable communication from the downhole system to the surface [0080].
Claim(s) 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Garcia in view of Carlsen (US 2018/0156005).
Regarding claim 13: Garcia discloses all of the limitations of the above claim(s) except the subsea tool assembly being a landing tool assembly, the string is a landing string, and the tool is a tubular hanger running tool for running a tubing hanger into a wellhead. Garcia does disclose that the tool therein is a pressure actuated tool [0008] that is used for testing but could include other downhole tools.
Carlsen discloses a subsea tool assembly that is a landing tool assembly Fig 2. The landing tool assembly includes a landing string 12 to which a pressure actuation tubing hanger running tool 13 – [0020] is secured for running tubing hanger [0021] into a wellhead 16. The landing tool assembly also includes a test unit 25 – [0028].
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Garcia so that the subsea tool assembly was a landing tool assembly, the string is a landing string, and the tool is a tubular hanger running tool for running a tubing hanger into a wellhead, as taught by Carlsen, in order to have been able to lock the tubing string into the wellhead and then perform any necessary tests without the need for an umbilical [0007], [0028]-[0031].
Regarding claim 14: Wherein the tool control device is configured to actuate the tubular hanger running tool to lock the tubing hanger in position within the wellhead Abstract, [0031] of Carlsen.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER H GAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7029. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 6-3:30 and every other Friday 6-11.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER H GAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
JHG
1/20/2026