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
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Angstmann et al. ( WO 2021045984 A1) in view of Zhao (CN 201128414 Y).
Regarding claim(s) 1, Angstmann discloses blowout preventer actuation system, comprising: at least one hydraulically actuated blowout preventer 50; a kinetic blowout preventer 30 configured with an initiator 62,42,44; at least one sensor 76 and configured to monitor an internal pressure parameter therein (received from 72); wherein the at least one hydraulically actuated blowout preventer and the kinetic blowout preventer are configured for: simultaneous actuation (Para30) if an actuation signal pressure is received (in sensor 76).
Angstmann fails to disclose the interface module 623 with sensor 76 disposed on the kinetic blowout preventer. However, it would have been an obvious matter of engineering choice before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Angstmann, to have interface module 623 along with the sensors disposed on kinetic blowout preventer, since applicant has not disclosed that having interface module along with the sensors disposed on kinetic blowout preventer solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the device would perform equally well with either design. Furthermore, absent a teaching as to criticality that the interface module along with the sensors be disposed on kinetic blowout preventer, this particular arrangement is deemed to have been known by those skilled in the art since the instant specification and evidence of record fail to attribute any significance (novel or unexpected results) to a particular arrangement.
Angstmann fails to disclose the pressure signal (from 74 through 72) as negative pressure signal. Zhao (translation page 3 para 8) teaches a pressure signal transmission as negative pressure using a vacuum pump 6 generating negative pressure.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Angstmann with a pressure signal as negative pressure signal as taught by Zhao as an art-recognized functionally equivalent substitute hydraulic singal transmission yielding predictable results of providing pressure based actuation signal transmission.
Ansgtamnn as such modified would have activation based on internal pressure parameter is at or below a predefined level (vacuum pressure signal activation level).
As to claim 2, the interface module 62 (on the kinetic BOP) is configured for signal communication with the at least one sensor 76 disposed on the kinetic blowout preventer.
As to claim 3, the interface module 62 is configured to generate an actuation signal (through 60) to actuate the kinetic blowout preventer 30.
As to claim 4, the interface module 62 is configured to generate an actuation signal to actuate the at least one hydraulically actuated blowout preventer and/or the kinetic blowout preventer upon detection of at least one of an electrical signal (from 64), an acoustic signal (at 80), and a hydraulic signal (at 76).
As to claim 5, an interface module 62 is configured to link with an electrical signal communication channel 64, an acoustic signal communication channel 78-80, and a hydraulic signal communication channel 72.
As to claim 6, the electrical signal communication channel comprises a cable 64.
As to claim 7, the hydraulic signal communication channel comprises a hydraulic line 72.
As to claim 8, the acoustic signal communication channel comprises a body of water 78-80.
As to claim 9, a pump (line 70 with accmullator 66 serves as a pump pumping hydraulic fluid to hydraulic BOP) configured to supply the at least one hydraulically actuated blowout preventer with pressurized hydraulic fluid.
As to claim 10, the at least one sensor 76 is disposed on the kinetic blowout preventer to monitor an internal pressure parameter near the initiator 44, (since 76 measures pressure at connection of 72 to 62 which is located on 30 as in claim 1).
As to claim 13, an interface module 62 configured to generate an actuation signal for the initiator 44 in response to triggering by a remotely operated vehicle 54.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 14-20 is/are allowed. Claim(s) 11-12 is/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: The prior fails to disclose monitoring an internal pressure parameter in the kinetic blowout preventer or initiator in combination with other limitations of claims 11, 12, or 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art references cited in PTO-890 and not used in rejection disclose various embodiments of kinetic BOPs .
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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