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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 5, 10, 17 and 19-20 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.
The terms “substantially” in claims 5, 10, 17 and 19-20 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It can mean identical with varying amounts of engineering tolerances which a person of ordinary skill would not be able to ascertain the metes and bounds of in order to avoid infringement.
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)(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.
(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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Larsen (US 20070181198 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Larsen discloses A pressure regulator for controlling a pressure supplied by an umbilical to a seismic source, the pressure regulator comprising[Fig 1, 2, Claim 10 has suitable pressure regulator]:
a frame configured to be located downstream from the umbilical and upstream from the seismic source[Fig 1, 2 show a frame];
a dome piston valve supported by the frame and configured to receive compressed air with an input pressure Pin and to output compressed air with an output pressure Pout, smaller than the input pressure Pin[Abstract,0003, Claim 10 has claimed dome piston valve];
and a pilot valve supported by the frame and configured to control the output pressure Pout,[Abstract,0003, Claim 10 has claimed pilot valve]
wherein the pilot valve and the dome piston valve are configured to prevent a release of the compressed air into the ambient.[Fig 1,2, Abstract, claim 10. See also 0015-0017].
Regarding claim 2, Larsen discloses wherein the pilot valve comprises a mechanism for adjusting the output pressure. [0003 has pilot stage to control pressure].
Regarding claim 3, Larsen discloses wherein the pressure regulator is configured to be attached directly to a gun plate when underwater. [Fig 1 or 2 has regulator configurable to be attached underwater to gun plate; Also intended use].
Regarding claim 4, Larsen discloses wherein the dome piston valve comprises a piston that divides an interior chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber is fluidly connected to the pilot valve and the second chamber is fluidly connected to an output port of the dome piston valve.[Fig 1, 2 has dome piston valve and chambers connecting to pilot and output].
Regarding claim 5, Larsen discloses wherein the pilot valve is configured to output a target pressure Pt, less than the input pressure Pi, and the target pressure Pt is substantially equal to the output pressure Pout. [0003 has pilot valve to control pressure to reduce pressure from input to output pressure].
Claims 6-12 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lansley (US 20110299360 A).
Regarding claim 6, Lansley discloses A seismic survey system for generating seismic data underwater, the system comprising[Abstract, Fig 1 underwater seismic survey]:
a first umbilical configured to be connected with a first end to a manifold on a vessel and with a second end to a pressure regulator[Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
the pressure regulator configured to be connected downstream from the first umbilical and upstream from a first seismic source, the pressure regulator being configured to receive compressed air having an input pressure Pin and to output compressed air having an output pressure Pout, smaller than the input pressure Pin[Fig 1 shows umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
and the first seismic source configured to generate seismic waves underwater. [Abstract, Fig 1 has seismic source working underwater].
Regarding claim 18, Larsen discloses A method for generating seismic data with a first marine seismic source, the method comprising[Abstract, Fig 1 underwater seismic survey]:
connecting a pressure regulator between a first umbilical and the first seismic source[Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
deploying the first umbilical, pressure regulator, and the first seismic source in water[Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
supplying compressed air having an input pressure, through the first umbilical, to the pressure regulator[Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
supplying compressed air having an output pressure, smaller than the input pressure, from the pressure regulator to the first seismic source[Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0036-0037 for pressure regulator];
and firing the first seismic source to discharge the compressed air having the output pressure into the water[Abstract, Fig 1 has seismic source working underwater].
Regarding claim 7, Larsen discloses wherein the pressure regulator and the first seismic source are configured to operate fully underwater when towed by a vessel. [Fig 1 and claim 6 has system working underwater while being towed].
Regarding claim 8, Larsen discloses a second umbilical and a second seismic source. [Fig 1 and claim 7 has 2nd umbilical ].
Regarding claim 9, Larsen discloses wherein the first seismic source has a volume for receiving the compressed air larger than a volume of the second seismic source. [0002 and 0052 has different volumes] .
Regarding claim 10, Larsen discloses wherein the first umbilical is substantially identical to the second umbilical. [0037, Fig 1, 2, 3 has identical umbilical].
Regarding claim 11, Larsen discloses wherein the second umbilical is directly attached to the second seismic source. [0037, Fig 1, 2, 3 has umbilical attached to seismic source].
Regarding claim 12, Larsen discloses wherein the pressure regulator is configured to receive the compressed air from the first umbilical, at a pressure higher than a safety pressure limit of the first source. [0036-0037 has different pressures for regulator].
Regarding claim 19, Larsen discloses towing a second seismic source, wherein the second seismic source is directly coupled to a second umbilical, which has substantially a same length and internal diameter as the first umbilical. [Abstract, Fig 1 has multiple umbilicals].
Regarding claim 20, Larsen discloses adjusting the output pressure of the pressure regulator from a towing vessel while the pressure regular is deployed underwater. [Fig 1 shows 1st umbilical with pressure regulator; See also 0034-0037 for pressure regulator for controlling pressure; See also 0052].
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 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lansley (US 20110299360 A) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Larsen (US 20070181198 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Lansley does not explicitly teach wherein the pressure regulator comprises: a frame; a dome piston valve supported by the frame and configured to receive the input pressure Pin and to output the output pressure Pout, smaller than the input pressure Pin; and a pilot valve supported by the frame and configured to control the output pressure Pout and to prevent a release of the compressed air into the ambient.
Larsen teaches that wherein the pressure regulator comprises: a frame[Fig 1, 2 show a frame];
a dome piston valve supported by the frame and configured to receive the input pressure Pin and to output the output pressure Pout, smaller than the input pressure Pin[Abstract,0003, Claim 10 has claimed dome piston valve];
and a pilot valve supported by the frame and configured to control the output pressure Pout and to prevent a release of the compressed air into the ambient. [Abstract, Fig 1,2,0003, Claim 10 has claimed pilot valve; See also 0015-0017].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the pressure regulator of Lansley with the dome piston and pilot valve of Larsen in order to use such a device to control pressure.
Regarding claim 14, Lansley, does not explicitly teach wherein the pilot valve comprises a mechanism for adjusting the output pressure.
Larsen teaches wherein the pilot valve comprises a mechanism for adjusting the output pressure.[0003 has pilot stage to control pressure]
Regarding claim 15, Lansley, as modified, teaches a controller configured to control the pressure regulator to adjust the output pressure Pout. [0036-0037 has tunable pressures for regulator meaning controller]
Regarding claim 16, Lansley, does not explicitly teach wherein the dome piston valve comprises a piston that divides an interior chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber is fluidly connected to the pilot valve and the second chamber is fluidly connected to an output port of the dome piston valve.
Larsen teaches wherein the dome piston valve comprises a piston that divides an interior chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber is fluidly connected to the pilot valve and the second chamber is fluidly connected to an output port of the dome piston valve. [Fig 1, 2 has dome piston valve and chambers connecting to pilot and output]
Regarding claim 17, Lansley, as modified, does not explicitly teach wherein the pilot valve is configured to output a target pressure Pt, less than the input pressure Pi, and the target pressure Pt is substantially equal to the output pressure Pout.
Larsen teaches wherein the pilot valve is configured to output a target pressure Pt, less than the input pressure Pi, and the target pressure Pt is substantially equal to the output pressure Pout. [0003 has pilot valve to control pressure to reduce pressure from input to output pressure]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIKAS NMN ATMAKURI whose telephone number is (571)272-5080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at (571)272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VIKAS ATMAKURI/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/JAMES R HULKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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