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`STREETS & STEELE
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`Patent
`Attorney Do ket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFI E
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`IN RE APPLICATION OF:
`
`Oyvind I-Iillesund
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`SERIAL NO. 09/787,723
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`FILED:
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`July 2, 2001
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`FOR: Control System for Positioning
`Marine Seismic Streamers
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`commemwneoaamcmomcoocoo
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`EXAMINER: Sotelo, Jesus D.
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`GROUP ART UNIT: 3617
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`H
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`Via Facsimile: 703.305.3597
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`CERTIFICATE OF TRANSMISSION
`37 C.F.R. I.8
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`Ibereby certify that this correspondenceis being facsimile
`transmitted to the Commissioner for Patents to the fax number
`indicated on the Office Action. to the attention of the named
`
`Examiner. on the date below:
`
`Mail Stop Response '
`Commissioner for Patents
`PO Box 1450
`
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`_ Sir:
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`5'1
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`RESPONSE TO OFFICE ACTION DATED FEBRUARY 26, 2003
`
`. Applicantfiles this Response to the Office Action dated February 26, 200?) an . Ii-.
`three month shortened statutoryperiod for response set to expire on May26, 2003. Plea e e torthe
`amendments and consider the remarks on the pages that follow
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`Recelved nom < 713 939 9508 > at 10116I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllghl Time]
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`floN 1033
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`ION 1033
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`IN THE CLAIR/IS:
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`Please amend the claims according tothefollowing replacement claim set.
`N“ _
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`‘/
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`25. (Currently Amended) A method of controlling the positions ofmarine seismic streamers in an
`array of such streamers being towed by a seismic survey vessel, the streamers having respective
`streamer positioning devices disposed therealong and each streamer positioning device having a
`wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing so as to steer the streamer
`positioning device laterally, said method comprising the steps of:
`obtaining a predicted position of the streamer positioning devices;
`obtaining an estimated velocity of the streamer positioning devices;
`for at least some of the streamer positioning devices, calculating desired changes in the
`orientation oftheir wings using said predicted p_osition and said estimated velocity; and
`actuating the wing motors to produce said desired changes in wing orientation.
`
`26. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said estimated velocityis calculated using a
`vessel speed received from said seismic survey vessel's navigation system.
`
`27. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 26, in which said estimated velocity is a water
`referenced towing velocity that compensates for the speed and heading ofmarine currents acting on
`said streamer positioning devices.
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`28.(Original)Amethodasclaimedinclaim27, inwhichsaidestimatedvelocityiscompeniatealfor
`relative movement between said seismic survey vessel and said streamer positioning devi as
`i
`I
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`29. (Original) A method as claimedin claim 28, in which said step ofcalculating a desinedch
`anj:in
`Wing orientation further uses an estimate of the crosscurrent velocity at the respective sire I er
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`positioning device.
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`l l>
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`Recelvcd I'rom < 713 939 9508 > at 10/16/03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Daylight Time]
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.. 14.0123
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`30. (Original) A method as claimedin claim 29, in which said step ofcalculatmg a desired changein
`wing orientation is regulated to prevent the wing fr0m stalling.
`
`31. (Currently Amended) A method as claimed in claim 30, in which said step of calculating a
`desired change in wing orientation is regulated by a global control system located on or near said
`
`seismic survey vessel that may-be is configured into a feather angle mode, wherein said global
`control system attempts to direct the streamer positioning devices to maintain each ofsaid streamers
`
`in a straight line offset from the towing direction of said marine seismic vessel by a certain feather
`angle, and into a turn control mode, wherein said global control system directs said streamer
`positioning devices to generate a force in the opposite direction ofthe a turn at the beginning ofthe
`tum.
`32. (CurrentlyAmended) A method as claimed in claim 31, in which said global control system is
`mayfurther be configured into a streamer separation mode, wherein said global control system
`
`attempts to direct said streamer positioning device to maintain a minimum separation distance
`between adjacent streamers.
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`.
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`33. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 32, further including the step ofdisplaying the position
`of said streamer positioning devices on said seismic survey vessel.
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`34. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 33, in which each streamer positioning device is
`attached to and unable rotate with reSpect to its streamer and further comprising the step of
`monitoring twist in. said marine seismic streamers and calculating a desired change in theorieriiiMon
`01 the wings ofthe streamer positioning devices to reduce said twist.
`
`i
`35. (Original) A method as claimedin claim 34, further including the step ofobtaining estima es of
`the respective current positions of at least some ofsaid streamer positioning devices and the step of
`obtaining the desired positions of each of said at least some streamer positioning devices.
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`Recelved from < 713 939 9508 > at 1011QI03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllghl Tlme]
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`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
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`36. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the estimate of the current position of a
`streamer positioning device and the desired position of that same streamer positioning device-are
`used to produce a desired force to be applied to its streamer by that streamer positioning device.
`
`37. (Original) A method as claimed in claim 36, in which said desired force is projected onto the
`current force axis and the wing orientation is calculated that will produce said projected force at said
`estimated velocity.
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`38. (Original) A method as claimed1n claim 37, in which the streamer positioning deviceis rotated .
`to align the current force axis with said desired force and its wing orientation is changed as the
`current force axis becomes more closely aligned with said desired force.
`
`3 9. (Currently Amended) Apparatus for controlling the positions ofmarine seismic streamers in an
`array of such streamers being towed by a seismic survey vessel, the streamers having respective
`streamer positioning devices disposed therealong and each streamer positioning device having a
`wing and a Wing motor for changing the horizontal orientation ofthe wing so as to steer the streamer
`positioning device laterally, said apparatus comprising:
`means for obtaining a predicted position ofthe streamer positioning devices;
`4
`means for obtaining an estimated velocity of the streamer positioning devices,
`means for calculating desired changes1n the orientations of the respective wings of at least
`some ofthe streamerpositioning devices usingssaid predicted position and said estimated velocity,
`
`and
`
`means not actuating the wing motors to produce said desired changes in wing 'diienn: or.-
`
`40. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 39, in which each streamerpositioning device has a first
`Wing and a second wing, said fu‘stwing and said secondwingbeing independentlymoveable to steer
`the streamer positioning device laterally and vertically.
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`Recelved from < 713 939 9508 > at 10116I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllght Tlme]
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`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
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`41. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein each streamerpositioning device is rigidly
`attached to and unable to rotate with respect to its streamer.
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`42. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 41, further including means for determining the angular
`velocity of each streamer posiu'oning device.
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`43. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein a global control system is located on or
`near said seismic vessel and a respective local control system is located within or near each streamer
`positioning device and said global control system and said local control systems communicate using
`\ t
`a respective communication line passing through each streamer.
`
`44. (CurrentlyAmended)Apparatus as claimedinclaim43, in whichprogram-unitsinoutvaluesfor
`saidlocal control systems maybe fl downloaded over said communication lines.
`45.
`(Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 44,
`further including a respective backup
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`communications channel in each streamer between the global control system and the local control
`systems of the streamer positioning devices of the streamer.
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`46. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 45, in which each local control system has a cycle rate
`that is at least 10 times greater than the data transfer rate of said communication line.‘
`
`47. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 46, in which each local control system comprises a
`microprocessor programmed to monitor the current orientation of the wing of its streamer
`positioning deviceantl to calculate desired changes to the orientation ofsaid Wing based on. intuit—s
`from salt. global control system.
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`48. (Original) Apparatus as claimed in claim 47, further including means for producing a weight
`function filtered depth value.
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`Recelvea from < 713 939 9508 > at 10116I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllght Tlme]
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`49. (New) The method ofclaim 25, wherein the step ofcalculating desired changes in the orientation
`of at least some of the streamer positioning device’s wings using said predicted position and said
`estimated velocity comprises:
`
`calculating desired horizontal and vertical forces to be imparted by the Streamerpositioning
`devices on marine seismic streamers using said predicted position; and
`calculating desired roll angles and common wing angles for the streamerpositioning devices
`to impart the desired horizontal and vertical forces using said estimated velocity.
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`50. (New) The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the means for calculating desired changes in the
`orientations ofthe respective Wings ofat least some ofthe streamer positioning devices comprises:
`means for calculating desired horizontal and vertical forces to be imparted by the streamer
`positioning devices on marine seismic streamers using said predicted position; and
`means for calculating desired roll angles and common wing angles for the streamer
`positioning devices to impart the desired horizontal and vertical forces using said estimated velocity.
`
`
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`Received from < 713 939 9508 > at 10116I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllgl‘lt Tlme]
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`STREETS & STEELE
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`I013 .-._
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`REMARKS
`
`Section 112 Objections
`
`Claims 31-48 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite for
`failing to particularlypoint out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the
`invention. Claims 3 1-32 and 44 have been amended accordingly to replace the terms “may (.. .) be”
`with the terms “is” or “are.” Claim 44 has been further amended to replace the phrase “program
`units” with the phrase “input values” accordingly.
`
`Section 103 Rejection
`
`Claims 25-48 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over European
`Patent No. EP 6 13025 Bl (“Elholm”). This rejection is respectfiilly traversed because the Examiner
`has failed to present aprimafacie case of obviousness.
`
`To establish aprimafacie case ofobviousness, three basic criteria must bemet: 1) there must
`be some objective suggestion or motivation, either in the prior art reference(s) or in knowledge
`generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify to, combine reference teachings; 2)
`there must be a reasonable expectation ofsuccess by the resulting combination or modification; and
`- 3) the combined or modified prior art reference(s) must teach or suggest all the claim limitations.
`The teaching or suggestion to make the claimed combination/modification and the reasonable
`expectation ofsuccess must both be found in the prior art and not based on applicant’s disclosure. In
`re Week, 947 F.2d 488, 20 USPQ 2d 1438 (Fed. Cir. 1991).
`
`Claims 25 and 39 have been amended such that both claims presentlyrecite the step/fiincn'on
`of “obtaining a predicted position of the streamer positioning devices.” Such predicted position
`determination is preferably based upon the behavior ofthe streamers, and can be accomplished more
`rapidly than actual position determination according to prior art methods that are plagued by low
`sample rates and time delays. Applicant’s Specification at page 3, second full paragraph, and the
`
`7
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`Recelved from < 713 939 9508 > at 10116I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Dayllghl Tlme]
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`10/16/03
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`paragraph that bridges pages 7-8.
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`Elholm teaches in a very general sense, at column 6, lines 50-56 thereof, the use of sensors
`including “speed transmitters” and “positioning instruments” installed in a streamer positioning
`device so that “the device is able to adjust its course by means ofits own control loops.” Elholm fails
`to disclose or even suggest predicting the position of streamer positioning devices to avoid delays
`inherent in actual position measurements. Nor does Elholm disclose or suggest “calculating desired
`changes in the orientations of the respective wings of at least some of the streamer positioning
`devices using said predicted position and said estimated velocigf’ (emphasis added), as also required
`by claims 25 and 39. There is no disclosure whatsoeverin Elholm ofperforming calculations that use
`either a predicted position or an estimated velocity of a streamer positioning device to produce
`desired changes in wing orientation.
`
`Elholm clearly fails to teach all the limitations of claims 25 and 39, as well as the other
`claims based thereon. Furthermore, there has been no identification of a teaching in the art that
`bridges the above-identified gaps between Elholm and the claimed invention. Accordingly, the
`rejection of claims 25-48 on obviousness grounds is not supportable. Reconsideration and
`Withdrawal of this rejection is respectfiilly requested.
`
`In conclusion, Applicant submits that all remaining claims in the present application are
`entitled to allowance and such action is earnestly solicited.
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`Received from < 713 939 9508 > at 10/18I03 9:49:59 AM [Eastern Daylight Time]
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`10/16/03
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`In the event there are additional charges in connection with the filing of this Response, the
`Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge the Deposit Account No. 50—0714/WEST/0027 ofthe
`firm of the below-signed attorney in the amount of any necessary fee.
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`Patent
`Attorney Docket No.: 14.0123
`(WEST/0027)
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`£2 : 14$; :>
`
`Steven L. Christian
`Attorney for Applicant
`Registration No. 38,106
`STREETS & STEELE
`13831 Northwest Freeway, Suite 355
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`H
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`Houston, Texas 77040
`(713) 939-9444
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