Office Action 1: Non-Final Rejection (2024-10-09)
Rejection types: 112 - Written Description/Enablement

CLAIMS:
Clairns

1\. Methodof attaching at least one riser (171, 172) to a buoy (170), which buoy (170) and at least one riser (171, 172) are to be arranged for injecting fluid froma vessel (110) ona
water surface (111) into a subterranean void (150) beneath a seabed (130), the methodcomprising:controllinga remote operated vehicle (350) to attach a winch wire (320) to a head end (300) ofa first riser (171) of the at least one riser (171, 172),
controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to lead the winch wire (320) via the buoy (170) to a winch unit (330) on a seabed (130) below the buoy (170),
controlling the winch unit (330) to pull up the head end (300) of the first riser (171) to abottom side of the buoy (170), and controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect the head end (300) of the first riser (171) to a first connector ar- rangement (210) in the bottomof the buoy (170).

2\. The methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising:controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to attach the winch wire (320) to a head end (300) of a second riser (172) of the at least one riser (171, 172),
controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to lead the winch wire (320) via the buoy (170) to the winch unit (330) on
the seabed (130) below the buoy (170),controlling the winch unit (330) to pull up the head end (300) of the second riser (172) to the bottom side of the buoy (170), and
controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect
the head end (300) of the second riser (172) to a second con-nector arrangement (210) in the bottom of the buoy (170).

3\. Methodofattachingat least one riser (171, 172) to asub- sea template (120) ona seabed (130), which at least one riser (171, 172) is connected to a buoy (170) for receiving fluid from a

vessel (110) ona water surface (111), and which at least one riser (171, 172) is to be arranged for feeding the received fluid to the subsea terplate (120) for injection into a subterranean void (150) beneath a seabed (130), the method comprising:controlling aremote operated vehicle (350) to steer an emitting end (4121) of a base section (4101) of a first riser (171) of the at least one riser (171, 172) to a first template guide member (4321) on the subsea template (120),
controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to feed the
emitting end (4121) of the base section (4101) of the first riser (171) via the first template guide member (4321) to a first sleeve member (4401) having first penetration means (4411) configured to penetrate the first riser (171) so as to cause the first penetra- tion means (4411) to penetrate the first riser (171) in the emit- ting end (4121) of the base section (4101) and create a first ope- ning in the first riser (171), andcontrolling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect the first sleeve member (4401) to a first injection valve tree (4601) comprised in the subsea template (120), which first in-
jection valve tree (4601) is in fluid connection with a first well- head (4701) for a drill hole (140) to the subterranean void (150).

4.Themethod according to claim 3, wherein the method fur- ther comprises:controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to steer an
emitting end (4122) of a base section (4102) of a second riser (172) of the at least one riser (171, 172) to a second template guide member (4322) on the subsea template (120),controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to feed the emitting end (4122) of the base section (4102) of the second
riser (172) via the second template guide member (4322) to a second sleeve member (4402) having second penetration means (4412) configured to penetrate the second riser (172) 5oas to cause the second penetration means (4412) to penetrate the second riser (172) in the emitting end (4122) of the base section(4102) and create a first opening in the second riser (172), and

controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect the second sleeve member (4402) to a second injection valve tree (4602) comprised in the subsea template (120), which second injection valve tree (4602) isin fluid connection with a
second wellhead (4702) for a drill hole (140) to the subterranean void (150).

5\. The methodaccording to claim4, wherein the method fur- ther comprises:controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to steer the
first riser (171) against a third penetration means (4413) of a third sleeve member (4403), which third penetration means (4413) is configured to penetrate the first riser (171) so as to cause the third penetration means (4413) to penetrate the base section (4101) of the first riser (171) and create a second ope-ningin the first riser (171), andcontrolling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect the third sleeve nember (4403) to a third injection valve tree (4603) comprised in the subsea template (120), which third in-jection valve tree (4603) is in fluid connection with a third well-
head (4703) for a drill hole (140) to the subterranean void (150).

6\. The method according to claim 5, wherein the methodfur-ther comprises:controlling the remote operated vehicle (350) to steer the second riser (172) against a fourth penetration means (4414) of
a fourth sleeve merber (4404), which fourth penetration means (4414) is configured to penetrate the second riser (172) so as to cause the fourth penetration means (4414) to penetrate the base section (4102) of the second riser (172) and create a second opening in the second riser (172), andcontrolling the remote operated vehicle (350) to connect the fourth sleeve member (4404) to a fourth injection valve tree (4604) comprised in the subsea template (120), which fourth in- jection valve tree (4604) is in fluid connection with a fourth well- head (4704) for a drill hole (140) to the subterranean void (150). 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

OFFICE ACTION:
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 .
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 1-6 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.
Claims 1-4 recite “at least on riser”. Claims 1 and 3 recite “a first riser of the at least one riser” and claims 2 and 4 recite “a second riser of the at least one riser”. These recitations are cumbersome and unclear making the metes and bounds of the claims not easily ascertainable. It appears that the claims encompass a plurality of risers and not just a single riser. It is suggested that claims 1 and 3 be written to either disclose a single (first riser) or a plurality of risers. Then claims 2 and 4 can introduce a second riser.
Dependent claims 5-6 do not act to cure the deficiencies of parent claims 3 and 4 and are thereby rejected for at least the same rationale.
Allowable Subject Matter
It should be noted that no art rejections have been made and that if the examiner’s understanding is correct, claims 1-6 would be allowable if amended to overcome the rejections discussed above.
It should be noted that if the amendments made to place the application into a condition for allowance are such that refute or change the examiner’s understanding, the examiner reserves the right to make art based rejections.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Installing risers between offshore drilling rigs or drilling vessels to transport fluid is very well known in the art. Representative art which appears close to the claimed invention includes Pollack et al. (US 20060140726), Mancini et al. (US 20140318791), Daniel et al. (US 20080135258), Gentry et al. (US 4367055), Anderson et al. (US 20030188873), Millheim (US 8202023), Wright et al. (US 9435185), Sanderford et al. (US 20030159581), and Smith et al. (US 20030106714). In general, this art, alone or in combination, discloses various recited features, including but not limited to, a riser, attaching risers, controlling ROV’s to manipulate the riser lines , controlling riser connections, using a winch to manipulate risers, a buoy, and various connection means for connection to the buoys. However, this art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the specifically combined structural relationship between the ROV, the winch, and the buoy as well as the positional relationship between the winch, bout and riser. It could be argued that the individual structure and certain method steps are generally known in the art and thus, could just be assembled to disclose the claimed invention. However, the instant invention clearly and specifically recites structural relationships, steps, and combinations, which require a greater effort than just cobbling together known structures and steps. Further, the claimed structures and steps are sufficiently detailed to be distinguishable when configured as claimed. The examiner can find no motivation to combine or modify the references which would define a fully functioning apparatus and method as claimed in the instant application. Thus, it would not have been within routine skill to glean the specifically combined limitations of the instant invention, from the art, without the benefit of hindsight reasoning or extensive experimentation.
Conclusion


NEXT OFFICE ACTION: 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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance.
Installing risers between offshore drilling rigs or drilling vessels to transport fluid is very well known in the art. Representative art which appears close to the claimed invention includes Pollack et al. (US 20060140726), Mancini et al. (US 20140318791), Daniel et al. (US 20080135258), Gentry et al. (US 4367055), Anderson et al. (US 20030188873), Millheim (US 8202023), Wright et al. (US 9435185), Sanderford et al. (US 20030159581), and Smith et al. (US 20030106714). In general, this art, alone or in combination, discloses various recited features, including but not limited to, a riser, attaching risers, controlling ROV’s to manipulate the riser lines , controlling riser connections, using a winch to manipulate risers, a buoy, and various connection means for connection to the buoys. However, this art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the specifically combined structural relationship between the ROV, the winch, and the buoy as well as the positional relationship between the winch, bout and riser. It could be argued that the individual structure and certain method steps are generally known in the art and thus, could just be assembled to disclose the claimed invention. However, the instant invention clearly and specifically recites structural relationships, steps, and combinations, which require a greater effort than just cobbling together known structures and steps. Further, the claimed structures and steps are sufficiently detailed to be distinguishable when configured as claimed. The examiner can find no motivation to combine or modify the references which would define a fully functioning apparatus and method as claimed in the instant application. Thus, it would not have been within routine skill to glean the specifically combined limitations of the instant invention, from the art, without the benefit of hindsight reasoning or extensive experimentation.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US4367055A: Claims:
In a marine compliant riser system for connecting a subsea hydrocarbon source to a floating surface facility through a lower multi-conduit riser section to a submerged buoy section located below a turbulent water zone and a flexible flowline comprising a plurality of flexible conduits for fluid connection between corresponding lower riser conduits and the surface facility, the improvement which comprises: a yoke assembly mounted on the buoy section including beam means for receiving a plurality of flexible conduit terminations in spaced apart recesses; a plurality of pivotally-mounted loading gates operatively connected to the yoke beam adjacent respective recesses, each of said gates having annular termination-supporting means with side access to permit lateral loading of a corresponding flexible conduit onto the gate for supporting the flexible conduits in a substantially vertical position; means for closing and locking each of said locking gates to retain the flexible conduits in position for connection to the lower riser conduits; connection assembly means for connecting upwardly directed flexible conduits with corresponding upwardly-directed lower riser conduits in fluid flow relationship; and means for lifting said flexible conduit termination from said loading gates into operative connection with a corresponding vertically-aligned connection means.
a yoke assembly mounted on the buoy section including beam means for receiving a plurality of flexible conduit terminations in spaced apart recesses;
a plurality of pivotally-mounted loading gates operatively connected to the yoke beam adjacent respective recesses, each of said gates having annular termination-supporting means with side access to permit lateral loading of a corresponding flexible conduit onto the gate for supporting the flexible conduits in a substantially vertical position;
means for closing and locking each of said locking gates to retain the flexible conduits in position for connection to the lower riser conduits;
connection assembly means for connecting upwardly directed flexible conduits with corresponding upwardly-directed lower riser conduits in fluid flow relationship; and
means for lifting said flexible conduit termination from said loading gates into operative connection with a corresponding vertically-aligned connection means.
The compliant riser system of claim 1 wherein the lifting means comprises jack means disposed between the flexible conduit termination and loading gate.
The compliant riser system of claim 1 wherein the loading gates have guideline attachment means for lowering the flexible conduit terminations onto respective loading gates.
The compliant riser system of claim 1 further comprising means for reversibly locking the loading gates to the yoke beam in a closed position, and reversible hydraulic gate operator means for pivoting the loading gate during connection and disconnection of the flexible conduits.
The compliant riser system of claim 1 wherein the yoke assembly comprises a horizontal hollow support beam having a plurality of spaced recesses for receiving flexible conduits, each flexible conduit termination having an enlarged end shoulder which is supported by mounted gate jack means; and at least one hydraulically-actuated connector means mounted on each flexible flowline for establishing fluid communication with the corresponding connection assembly means.
A method for connecting a subsea well fluid handling means to a marine surface facility through a compliant riser having a lower riser section extending from the marine bottom toward the surface facility and terminating at a substantially predetermined vertical position below a turbulent water region adjacent a buoy-supported yoke assembly, which comprises: guiding an upwardly-directed flexible flowline termination onto a pivotal yoke-mounted loading gate; securing the flowline terminaton on the loading gate; closing the loading gate to lock the flexible flowline onto the gate; aligning a rigid connector over the flowline termination for operative connection therewith, said rigid connector being connectable to the lower riser section; lifting the flowline termination upwardly into operative connection with the rigid connector by jack means mounted between the flowline termination and the yoke assembly; and establishing fluid communication from the subsea well through the fixed riser section and flexible flowline to the surface facility with the flexible flowline depending from the rigid connector at substantially vertical catenary departure angle and with the flowline termination being substantially entirely supported by the rigid connector.
guiding an upwardly-directed flexible flowline termination onto a pivotal yoke-mounted loading gate;
securing the flowline terminaton on the loading gate;
closing the loading gate to lock the flexible flowline onto the gate;
aligning a rigid connector over the flowline termination for operative connection therewith, said rigid connector being connectable to the lower riser section;
lifting the flowline termination upwardly into operative connection with the rigid connector by jack means mounted between the flowline termination and the yoke assembly; and
establishing fluid communication from the subsea well through the fixed riser section and flexible flowline to the surface facility with the flexible flowline depending from the rigid connector at substantially vertical catenary departure angle and with the flowline termination being substantially entirely supported by the rigid connector.
Ref US20230108873A1: Claims:
- 19 . (canceled)
A system installed onboard an aircraft for detecting and maintaining separation from other aircraft during flight, the system comprising: a flight information display system that displays at least information regarding the current position, heading, and speed of the aircraft, a positioning system that determines the current position of the aircraft, a communication system that supplies information regarding at least the position of other aircraft within a designated airspace, a separation system with an electronic data processor that is programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the positioning system, the current position data of the aircraft, receiving, from the communication system, position data of at least one other aircraft within the designated airspace, determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft, if the position of the at least one other aircraft is within the reference formation airspace, determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the at least one other aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace, displaying the repositioning vector on the flight information display system.
a flight information display system that displays at least information regarding the current position, heading, and speed of the aircraft,
a positioning system that determines the current position of the aircraft,
a communication system that supplies information regarding at least the position of other aircraft within a designated airspace,
a separation system with an electronic data processor that is programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the positioning system, the current position data of the aircraft, receiving, from the communication system, position data of at least one other aircraft within the designated airspace, determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft, if the position of the at least one other aircraft is within the reference formation airspace, determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the at least one other aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace, displaying the repositioning vector on the flight information display system.
receiving, from the positioning system, the current position data of the aircraft,
receiving, from the communication system, position data of at least one other aircraft within the designated airspace,
determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft,
if the position of the at least one other aircraft is within the reference formation airspace, determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the at least one other aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace,
determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the at least one other aircraft,
determining a centroid of the penetration airspace,
generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace,
displaying the repositioning vector on the flight information display system.
The system according to claim 20 wherein the flight separation parameters include minimum longitudinal, lateral and vertical parameters and the reference formation airspace is a rectangular prism with dimensions based upon the flight separation parameters and positioned with the aircraft at the centroid of the rectangular prism.
The system according to claim 21 wherein the reference formation airspace is determined based upon a plurality of virtual positions spaced about the periphery of the rectangular prism, and the penetration airspace is represented by the virtual positions with one of the virtual positions substituted with the position of the other aircraft.
The system according to claim 20 wherein the steps performed by the separation system are performed continuously in real time.
The system according to claim 20 wherein the penetration airspace is determined based upon a plurality of virtual positions spaced about the periphery of the reference formation airspace and the position of the at least one other aircraft.
The system according to claim 24 wherein the plurality of virtual positions comprises a set of 16 positions located at the vertices and center edges of a rectangular prism defined by the flight separation parameters with the aircraft located at the centroid of the rectangular prism.
The system according to claim 20 wherein the system determines that a plurality of other aircraft are within the reference formation airspace and the penetration airspace represents a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by the positions of the plurality of other aircraft.
The system according to claim 20 further comprising an autopilot system and, if the autopilot system is engaged, the separation system sends the repositioning vector to the autopilot system.
The system according to claim 20 wherein the repositioning vector is transmitted to an air traffic control system associated with the designated airspace.
A separation system installed on an aircraft, the aircraft having a flight information display system, an aircraft positioning system, and a communication system, the separation system comprising: an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the positioning system, current position data of the aircraft, determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft, receiving, from the communication system, position data of one or more other aircraft within a designated airspace, determining that an aircraft of the one or more other aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace, determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the penetrating aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace, sending the repositioning vector to the flight information display system.
an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the positioning system, current position data of the aircraft, determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft, receiving, from the communication system, position data of one or more other aircraft within a designated airspace, determining that an aircraft of the one or more other aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace, determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the penetrating aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace, sending the repositioning vector to the flight information display system.
receiving, from the positioning system, current position data of the aircraft,
receiving, from the communication system, position data of one or more other aircraft within a designated airspace,
determining that an aircraft of the one or more other aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace,
determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the penetrating aircraft,
sending the repositioning vector to the flight information display system.
The separation system according to claim 29 wherein the penetration airspace is determined based upon a plurality of virtual positions spaced about the periphery of the reference formation airspace and the position of the penetrating aircraft.
The separation system according to claim 30 wherein the plurality of virtual positions comprises a set of 16 positions located at the vertices and center edges of a rectangular prism defined by the flight separation parameters with the aircraft located at the centroid of the rectangular prism.
The separation system according to claim 29 wherein a plurality of other aircraft are determined to have penetrated the reference formation airspace and the penetration airspace is determined based on a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by the positions of the plurality of penetrating aircraft.
The separation system according to claim 29 wherein the aircraft has an autopilot system and the separation system sends the repositioning vector to the autopilot system.
An air traffic control system comprising: a communication system for communicating with aircraft within a designated airspace, a flight tracking system for determining the position of aircraft within the designated airspace, and a separation system including an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the flight tracking system, position information for at least a first aircraft and a second aircraft, determining a reference formation airspace for the first aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters, determining that the second aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the first aircraft, determining a penetration airspace for the first aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position information of the second aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the first aircraft, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the first aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the first aircraft, communicating the repositioning vector to the first aircraft.
a communication system for communicating with aircraft within a designated airspace,
a flight tracking system for determining the position of aircraft within the designated airspace, and
a separation system including an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps: receiving, from the flight tracking system, position information for at least a first aircraft and a second aircraft, determining a reference formation airspace for the first aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters, determining that the second aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the first aircraft, determining a penetration airspace for the first aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position information of the second aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the first aircraft, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the first aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the first aircraft, communicating the repositioning vector to the first aircraft.
receiving, from the flight tracking system, position information for at least a first aircraft and a second aircraft,
determining a reference formation airspace for the first aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters,
determining that the second aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the first aircraft,
determining a penetration airspace for the first aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position information of the second aircraft,
determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the first aircraft,
generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the first aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the first aircraft,
communicating the repositioning vector to the first aircraft.
The air traffic control system according to claim 34 wherein the separation system is further programmed to perform the following steps: determining a reference formation airspace for the second aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters, determining that the first aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the second aircraft, determining a penetration airspace for the second aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace of the second aircraft deformed by at least the position information of the first aircraft, determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the second aircraft, generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the second aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the second aircraft, communicating the repositioning vector to the second aircraft.
determining a reference formation airspace for the second aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters,
determining that the first aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the second aircraft,
determining a penetration airspace for the second aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace of the second aircraft deformed by at least the position information of the first aircraft,
determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the second aircraft,
generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the second aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the second aircraft,
communicating the repositioning vector to the second aircraft.
The air traffic contr
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