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 Objections
Claims 10-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 1-19 are indicated as having been cancelled, however it is believed that it should state that claims 1-9 are cancelled instead. Appropriate correction is required.
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 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chamberlain (US 2005/0047275 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Chamberlain discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, via a processor, a remote clock signal via a communication protocol [[abstract] master clock is designated and one or more high precision clocks is added to the network to correct for timing uncertainty associated with propagation of commands through the network. Seismic receivers and are thereby synchronized with greater accuracy; [0049] DSP controller 410 that also interfaces to the other principle components of the RAM 230 and controls their functions. An internal dock 400 contains a TCXO (Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator) or equivalent oscillator circuit with time-keeping precision on the order of 0.5 PPM. The RAM 230 optionally includes an internal high precision clock module 245. This module 245 contains a full capability GPS receiver 342];
determining, via the processor, an expected transmission delay for the remote clock signal based on the communication protocol [[0019] transmission delay characteristics for the germane transmission path may be measured or derived a priori and stored with the device that controls the clock to be synchronized; [0075] goal is to receive enough reception intervals to match a specific reception interval with the previously determined reception interval pattern. Once a match to the pattern is found, the second RAM (remote acquisition module), knowing the transmission time delay from the first RAM to the Second RAM, will be able to determine the drift of its internal clock 400. The second RAM can reset its internal clock to be synchronized with the first RAM's clock by accounting for the known time delay of the propagation signal.]; and
synchronizing, via the processor, a clock based on the remote clock signal and the expected transmission delay [[0003] precisely positioning and synchronizing a widely distributed network of seismic receivers and seismic sources using both a wired and a wireless medium; [0075] once a match to the pattern is found, the second RAM, knowing the transmission time delay from the first RAM to the second RAM, will be able to determine the drift of its internal clock 400. The second RAM can reset its internal clock to be synchronized with the first RAM's clock by accounting for; [0083] once all the RAMs (100, 230,730,750, and 760) are synchronized, they are programmed to start measuring the seismic sensors 270 at a specific time of day or to start measuring them after a programmed delay. The synchronized RAMs can use an internal dock 400 to continue to measure the transducers at the appropriate moments. Each RAMs internal clock may need to be; [0078] timestamp is used to set each RAM's internal clock 400 to the same moment after adjusting for expected propagation time.].
Regarding claim 11, Chamberlain teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the remote clock signal is received from a base station or a node device configured to acquire seismic data [[0009] two or more receiver lines connect with line tap units that further coordinate the data packet flow of numerous additional line tap units along a base transmission line for receipt by a central recording unit. The base line may have a higher speed transmission capability than the receiver line to facilitate the flow requirement; [0078] each RAM with a high precision clock module replaces the timestamp that it receives from the neighboring RAM with a more accurate timestamp that it generates, such that the more accurate timestamp is a better estimate of the true time that the synchronization signal originated at the master clock 260. It then sends the synchronization signal with the new timestamp to its neighbor just as it would have if it didn't have a high precision dock. In this manner, the degree of uncertainty of the synchronization can be reduced to the uncertainty of the high precision clock plus the uncertainty that each RAM without a high precision clock adds to the synchronization time].
Regarding claim 12, Chamberlain teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the node device comprises: a first sensor configured to acquire a first set of measurements within a first measurement range; and a second sensor configured to acquire a second set of measurements within a second measurement range, wherein the first measurement range and the second measurement range comprises an overlapping range used to calibrate the first set of measurements, the second set of measurements, or both [[0006] for each seismic source event and each array, amplitudes are sampled over a time range typically from zero to five seconds; [0036] sensor arrays may range from single sensors to multiple sensors in geometrical arrays, combined to form one or more signal channels per RAM; [0064] high precision clocks, whether external or internal to the RAMs are each directly connected through wires or a short distance wireless medium (such as optics) to a (single) master clock 260 and calibrated or synchronized. Once calibrated or synchronized, the clock can be used to provide very accurate timing information to any device connected to the clock either through a wired or wireless medium; [0081] RAMs are synchronized and are measuring the seismic signals picked up by the seismic sensors 270. The synchronization of the internal or external clock module which is connected to the seismic event generator is to be done in one of the three methods described, namely: 1) Synchronizing Clocks before deployment, 2) Synchronizing Clocks after deployment though Direct Transmission, and 3) Synchronizing Clocks after deployment though Repeated Transmission].
Regarding claim 13, Chamberlain teaches the method of claim 10, comprising forwarding a clock signal acquired via the clock after the clock is synchronized based on the remote clock signal and the expected transmission delay to a node device configured to acquire seismic data [[0078] synchronizing signal travels to all the devices connected to the network. The act of re-broadcasting the synchronization signal adds a small, but significant uncertainty to the propagation time of the synchronization signal as it travels throughout the network. Included in the synchronization signal is a timestamp. The timestamp contains the best estimate of the time of initiation of the original synchronization signal according to the master clock 260. The timestamp is used to set each RAM's internal clock 400 to the same moment after adjusting for expected propagation time. Because of the uncertainty added in the propagation time of the synchronization signal, the propagation time can’t be perfectly accounted for when adjusting the RAMs internal clock 400. As the synchronization signal travels throughout the network, it encounters RAMs with a high precision clock module (240,245, 640 and 770) which have been synchronized with the master clock 260. Each RAM with a high precision clock module replaces the timestamp that it receives from the neighboring RAM with a more accurate timestamp that it generates, such that the more accurate timestamp is a better estimate of the true time that the synchronization signal originated at the master clock 260. It then sends the synchronization signal with the new timestamp to its neighbor just as it would have if it didn't have a high precision dock.].
Regarding claim 14, Chamberlain teaches the method of claim 10, comprising: receiving an additional remote clock signal from an additional base station via an additional communication protocol; determining an additional expected transmission delay based on the additional remote clock signal and the additional communication protocol; and synchronizing the clock based on the remote clock signal, the expected transmission delay, the additional remote clock signal, and the additional communication protocol [[0015] utilize time signals from a global positioning system (GPS) or a radio beacon system to replace or supplement the role of the master clock and/or high precision clocks in the network of data acquisition devices and seismic source devices, thereby providing improved synchronization.].
Regarding claim 15, Chamberlain teaches the method of claim 10, comprising: determining whether a node device is within a distance threshold; and forwarding a clock signal acquired via the clock after the clock is synchronized based on the remote clock signal and the expected transmission delay to a node device configured to acquire seismic data [[0043] the networked LTUs and RAMs are designed to receive commands and data from a neighboring RAM or LTU on one physical Side, and retransmit the command or data to a neighboring RAM on its other physical Side. In this fashion commands and data can reach all RAMs in the network; [0078] synchronizing signal travels to all the devices connected to the network. The act of re-broadcasting the synchronization signal adds a small, but significant uncertainty to the propagation time of the synchronization signal as it travels throughout the network. Included in the synchronization signal is a timestamp. The timestamp contains the best estimate of the time of initiation of the original synchronization signal according to the master clock 260. The timestamp is used to set each RAM's internal clock 400 to the same moment after adjusting for expected propagation time. Because of the uncertainty added in the propagation time of the synchronization signal, the propagation time can’t be perfectly accounted for when adjusting the RAMs internal clock 400. As the synchronization signal travels throughout the network, it encounters RAMs with a high precision clock module (240,245, 640 and 770) which have been synchronized with the master clock 260. Each RAM with a high precision clock module replaces the timestamp that it receives from the neighboring RAM with a more accurate timestamp that it generates, such that the more accurate timestamp is a better estimate of the true time that the synchronization signal originated at the master clock 260. It then sends the synchronization signal with the new timestamp to its neighbor just as it would have if it didn't have a high precision dock.].
Conclusion
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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