DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending in Instant Application.
Priority
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s claim to priority benefits of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/659,437, filed June 13, 2024, and titled “HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SYSTEMS WITH SATELLITE NAVIGATION CORRECTION FOR DATA LOGGING.” The present application is also a continuation-in-part under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/896,279, filed September 25, 2024, and titled “PORTABLE LOCATOR DEVICE PROVIDING A VIRTUAL DROP-LINE,” which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/585,125, filed September 25, 2023, and titled “PORTABLE LOCATOR DEVICE PROVIDING A VIRTUAL DROP-LINE.” The present application is also a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US24/48380, filed September 25, 2024, and titled, “PORTABLE LOCATOR DEVICE PROVIDING A VIRTUAL DROP-LINE.” U.S. Provisional Application Serial Nos. 63/659,437 and 63/585,125, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/896,279, and International Application No. PCT/US24/48380.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 09/22/2025, 01/02/2026, and 06/19/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rempe et al. (USPGPub 2019/0234199). As per claim 1, Rempe discloses a horizontal directional drilling system (see at least paragraph 0040; wherein a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) system) comprising: a horizontal directional drilling machine including a base station (see at least paragraph 0043; wherein horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine 14) having a first satellite navigation receiver configured to receive a satellite navigation signal transmitted on a carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0079; wherein the HDD machine 702 also includes a receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) 212 that is configured to receive the transmission signals from the satellites 650), the base station configured to determine a first observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0078; wherein the HDD machine 702 may obtain measurements pertaining to the carrier signal received from the satellites 650 and may transmit the obtained carrier measurements to the locators 704), a first radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0089; wherein a two-way radio, such as radio 210′), and first mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0080; wherein a cellular interface 214); and an above ground horizontal directional drilling walkover locator communicatively couplable with the base station (see at least paragraph 0071; wherein one or more locators 704, which are equipped to locate the sonde 708 of the drill string 703, may be deployed in an area around the HDD machine 702), the walkover locator including a second satellite navigation receiver configured to receive the satellite navigation signal broadcast on the carrier waveform, the walkover locator configured to determine a second observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0090; wherein the GPS receiver 222 of the locator 704 may receive signals from four satellites 650), the base station configured to transmit the first observed phase of the carrier waveform to the walkover locator (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704), and the walkover locator is configured to compare the second observed phase of the carrier waveform to the first observed phase to determine a relative position of the walkover locator with respect to the base station (see at least paragraph 0073; wherein position correction information corresponding to the area around each reference site is generated based on a comparison between the known position and the position obtained from the signal measured by receiver 605…see at least paragraph 0076; wherein network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704), a second radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228), and second mobile network connectivity circuitry, wherein the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator are operable to communicate with one another via a radio frequency link using the first radio transmitter/receiver and the second radio transmitter/receiver, and are also operable to communicate with one another via a mobile network using the first mobile network connectivity circuitry and the second mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0091 and Figure 8; wherein the locator 704 also receives position correction information (step 823) from the HDD machine 702 associated with the location. For example, the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228′. In other implementations, the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702). As per claims 2 and 9, Rempe discloses wherein at least one of the first mobile network connectivity circuitry or the second mobile network connectivity circuitry comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) card and the mobile network comprises a cellular network (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702). As per claims 3 and 10, Rempe discloses wherein the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator are configured to communicate with one another using an internet connection established via the cellular network (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702).
As per claims 4 and 11, Rempe discloses further comprising a drilling rig including an underground transmitter, wherein the underground transmitter is configured to transmit measurements about a drilling operation to the walkover locator, and the walkover locator is configured to transmit the measurements to the base station via the radio frequency link while transmitting the relative position of the walkover locator with respect to the base station via the mobile network (see at least paragraphs 0047, 0051, 0053; wherein the drill head 106 has an associated sonde 108 configured for one-way or two-way communication with surface electronics, including a control system for the HDD machine 102 (disclosed in FIG. 2, below) and the locator device 104…The control circuit receives information from the GPS locator circuit 222 to determine a current location of the locator device 104, and uses the EP locator circuit 224 to receive communications from the sonde 108…The locator device 104 therefore can transmit bore plan information, current operational status information, or other types of information to the HDD machine, such that each machine can track and control operational features of the drill head 106). As per claims 5 and 12, Rempe discloses wherein the horizontal directional drilling system is configured to connect to a positioning system correction service to establish a positional correction for at least one of the base station or the walkover locator and then disconnect from the positioning system correction service for continuing operations (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704. For example, the computer system 610 may send the position correction information to the HDD machine 702 for dispersal to the locators 704. The HDD machine 702 and the locators 704 may each apply the position correction information to their calculations to determine their respective corrected positions). As per claims 6 and 13, Rempe discloses further comprising a drilling rig including an underground transmitter, wherein the underground transmitter is configured to transmit a locating dipole signal to be received by the walkover locator and used for positioning the walkover locator above the underground transmitter (see at least paragraph 0051; wherein the control circuit receives information from the GPS locator circuit 222 to determine a current location of the locator device 104, and uses the EP locator circuit 224 to receive communications from the sonde 108 (e.g., to associate the current location of the locator device with the location of the sonde)). As per claim 8, Rempe discloses a method for determining a relative position of a walkover locator used in a horizontal directional drilling system (see at least paragraph 0078; wherein the HDD machine 702 may obtain measurements pertaining to the carrier signal received from the satellites 650 and may transmit the obtained carrier measurements to the locators 704), the horizontal directional drilling system including a horizontal directional drilling machine (see at least paragraph 0043; wherein horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine 14) with a base station having a first satellite navigation receiver configured to receive a satellite navigation signal transmitted on a carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0079; wherein the HDD machine 702 also includes a receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) 212 that is configured to receive the transmission signals from the satellites 650), a first radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0089; wherein a two-way radio, such as radio 210′), and first mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0080; wherein a cellular interface 214); and an above ground horizontal directional drilling walkover locator communicatively couplable with the base station (see at least paragraph 0071; wherein one or more locators 704, which are equipped to locate the sonde 708 of the drill string 703, may be deployed in an area around the HDD machine 702), the walkover locator including a second satellite navigation receiver configured to receive the satellite navigation signal broadcast on the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0090; wherein the GPS receiver 222 of the locator 704 may receive signals from four satellites 650), a second radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228), and second mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0091 and Figure 8; wherein the locator 704 also receives position correction information (step 823) from the HDD machine 702 associated with the location. For example, the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228′. In other implementations, the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702); the method comprising: receiving, via the first satellite navigation receiver, the satellite navigation signal (see at least paragraph 0079; wherein the HDD machine 702 also includes a receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) 212 that is configured to receive the transmission signals from the satellites 650); determining, via the base station, a first observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0078; wherein the HDD machine 702 may obtain measurements pertaining to the carrier signal received from the satellites 650 and may transmit the obtained carrier measurements to the locators 704); receiving, via the second satellite navigation receiver, the satellite navigation signal (see at least paragraph 0090; wherein the GPS receiver 222 of the locator 704 may receive signals from four satellites 650); determining, via the walkover locator, a second observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704); transmitting, via the base station, the first observed phase of the carrier waveform to the walkover locator (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704); comparing, via the walkover locator, the second observed phase of the carrier waveform to the first observed phase to determine a relative position of the walkover locator with respect to the base station (see at least paragraph 0073; wherein position correction information corresponding to the area around each reference site is generated based on a comparison between the known position and the position obtained from the signal measured by receiver 605…see at least paragraph 0076; wherein network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704); communicating, via a radio frequency link, between the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator using the first radio transmitter/receiver and the second radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0091 and Figure 8; wherein the locator 704 also receives position correction information (step 823) from the HDD machine 702 associated with the location. For example, the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228′. In other implementations, the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702); and communicating, via a mobile network, between the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator using the first mobile network connectivity circuitry and the second mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0091 and Figure 8; wherein the locator 704 also receives position correction information (step 823) from the HDD machine 702 associated with the location. For example, the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228′. In other implementations, the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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 7 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rempe et al. (USPGPub 2019/0234199) in view of Krasner (US 6,542,821). As per claims 7 and 14, Rempe does not explicitly mention wherein the satellite navigation signal is modulated with an information sequence for temporal alignment with a matching information sequence to be generated by the first satellite navigation receiver to determine a time taken by the satellite navigation signal to travel to the first satellite navigation receiver and thereby a distance of the first satellite navigation receiver from a satellite transmitting the satellite navigation signal. However Krasner does disclose: wherein the satellite navigation signal is modulated with an information sequence for temporal alignment with a matching information sequence to be generated by the first satellite navigation receiver to determine a time taken by the satellite navigation signal to travel to the first satellite navigation receiver and thereby a distance of the first satellite navigation receiver from a satellite transmitting the satellite navigation signal (see at least column 2 lines 8-9, 50-64, column 4 lines 9-11, and column 6 lines 41-45; wherein a GPS receiver 10 has first circuitry for receiving and processing pseudorandom sequences transmitted by a number of GPS satellites…The first circuitry is configured to perform conventional correlation operations on the received pseudorandom sequences to determine pseudoranges from the GPS receiver to the GPS satellites…the receiver can determine the time delay between the received signal and a local clock). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Krasner with the teachings as in Rempe. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide improved performance relative to continuous tracking (i.e., conventional) GPS receivers in situations (such as urban blockage conditions) in which the signal amplitude is rapidly changing, see Krasner column 9 lines 10-20. As per claim 15, Rempe discloses a horizontal directional drilling system (see at least paragraph 0040; wherein a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) system) comprising: a horizontal directional drilling machine including a base station (see at least paragraph 0043; wherein horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine 14) having a first satellite navigation receiver configured to receive a satellite navigation signal transmitted on a carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0079; wherein the HDD machine 702 also includes a receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) 212 that is configured to receive the transmission signals from the satellites 650); and an above ground horizontal directional drilling walkover locator communicatively couplable with the base station (see at least paragraph 0071; wherein one or more locators 704, which are equipped to locate the sonde 708 of the drill string 703, may be deployed in an area around the HDD machine 702), the walkover locator including a second satellite navigation receiver configured to receive the satellite navigation signal broadcast on the carrier waveform, the walkover locator configured to determine a second observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least paragraph 0090; wherein the GPS receiver 222 of the locator 704 may receive signals from four satellites 650), wherein the base station is configured to transmit the first observed phase of the carrier waveform to the walkover locator (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704), and the walkover locator is configured to compare the second observed phase of the carrier waveform to the first observed phase to determine a relative position of the walkover locator with respect to the base station (see at least paragraph 0073; wherein position correction information corresponding to the area around each reference site is generated based on a comparison between the known position and the position obtained from the signal measured by receiver 605…see at least paragraph 0076; wherein network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704). Rempe does not explicitly mention the satellite navigation signal modulated with an information sequence for temporal alignment with a matching information sequence to be generated by the first satellite navigation receiver to determine a time taken by the satellite navigation signal to travel to the first satellite navigation receiver and thereby a distance of the first satellite navigation receiver from a satellite transmitting the satellite navigation signal, the satellite navigation signal having a higher frequency than a frequency of the information sequence, the base station configured to determine a first observed phase of the carrier waveform. However Krasner does disclose: the satellite navigation signal modulated with an information sequence for temporal alignment with a matching information sequence to be generated by the first satellite navigation receiver to determine a time taken by the satellite navigation signal to travel to the first satellite navigation receiver and thereby a distance of the first satellite navigation receiver from a satellite transmitting the satellite navigation signal (see at least column 2 lines 8-9, 50-64, column 4 lines 9-11, and column 6 lines 41-45; wherein a GPS receiver 10 has first circuitry for receiving and processing pseudorandom sequences transmitted by a number of GPS satellites…The first circuitry is configured to perform conventional correlation operations on the received pseudorandom sequences to determine pseudoranges from the GPS receiver to the GPS satellites…the receiver can determine the time delay between the received signal and a local clock), the satellite navigation signal having a higher frequency than a frequency of the information sequence, the base station configured to determine a first observed phase of the carrier waveform (see at least abstract; wherein the GPS receiver may have a common circuitry for receiving GPS signals from in view satellites and downconverting the RF frequency of the received GPS signals to an intermediate frequency (IF)). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Krasner with the teachings as in Rempe. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide improved performance relative to continuous tracking (i.e., conventional) GPS receivers in situations (such as urban blockage conditions) in which the signal amplitude is rapidly changing, see Krasner column 9 lines 10-20. As per claim 16, Rempe discloses further comprising a drilling rig including an underground transmitter, wherein the underground transmitter is configured to transmit a locating dipole signal to be received by the walkover locator and used for positioning the walkover locator above the underground transmitter (see at least paragraph 0051; wherein the control circuit receives information from the GPS locator circuit 222 to determine a current location of the locator device 104, and uses the EP locator circuit 224 to receive communications from the sonde 108 (e.g., to associate the current location of the locator device with the location of the sonde)). As per claim 17, Rempe discloses wherein the base station includes a first radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0089; wherein a two-way radio, such as radio 210′), and first mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0080; wherein a cellular interface 214); and the walkover locator includes a second radio transmitter/receiver (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228), and second mobile network connectivity circuitry, wherein the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator are operable to communicate with one another via a radio frequency link using the first radio transmitter/receiver and the second radio transmitter/receiver, and are also operable to communicate with one another via a mobile network using the first mobile network connectivity circuitry and the second mobile network connectivity circuitry (see at least paragraph 0091 and Figure 8; wherein the locator 704 also receives position correction information (step 823) from the HDD machine 702 associated with the location. For example, the locator 704 may receive the position correction information over a two-way radio 228′. In other implementations, the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702). As per claim 18, Rempe discloses wherein at least one of the first mobile network connectivity circuitry or the second mobile network connectivity circuitry comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) card and the mobile network comprises a cellular network (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702). As per claim 19, Rempe discloses wherein the horizontal directional drilling machine and the walkover locator are configured to communicate with one another using an internet connection established via the cellular network (see at least paragraph 0091; wherein the locator 704 may otherwise be in communication (e.g., a wired connection, a WiFi connection, or a cellular connection) with the HDD machine 702). As per claim 20, Rempe discloses wherein the horizontal directional drilling system is configured to connect to a positioning system correction service to establish a positional correction for at least one of the base station or the walkover locator and then disconnect from the positioning system correction service for continuing operations (see at least paragraph 0076; wherein the network 611 is configured to disperse the position correction information to one or more satellite receivers (e.g., at the HDD machine 702 and/or at the locators 104) within the network 611. In some implementations, the HDD machine 702 is configured to receive position correction data from the network 611 and to distribute the position correction data to each of the locators 704. For example, the computer system 610 may send the position correction information to the HDD machine 702 for dispersal to the locators 704. The HDD machine 702 and the locators 704 may each apply the position correction information to their calculations to determine their respective corrected positions).
Relevant Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: USPGPub 2014/0138156 – Provides steering tools for horizontal directional drilling and, more particularly, to a system and method using supplemental magnetic information in a steering tool type arrangement. USPGPub 2011/0088890 – Provides a system and methods for drilling a well in an orientation with respect to an existing well are provided. Specifically, one method in accordance with present embodiments includes producing a magnetic field with a magnetic field source positioned in the first well, producing a first output from a first magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components, and producing a second output from a second magnetic field sensor subsystem for sensing directional magnetic field components. The first and second magnetic field sensor subsystems are positioned a distance apart from one another within the second well. Further, the first and second outputs are responsive to the magnetic field produced by the magnetic field source.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHMOUD S ISMAIL whose telephone number is (571)272-1326. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 8:00AM- 4:00PM.
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/MAHMOUD S ISMAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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