CTNF 18/417,528 CTNF 79015 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. DETAILED ACTION Claims status Claims 1-20 are pending as the applicant filed on 01/19/2024. Citation of Relevant Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. See MPEP 707.05. Although the prior art discloses several unclaimed, some claimed limitation. The closest Prior Art of record are considered to be defined by: MALMBERG (US 20230039040 A1) described material properties between a wellbore and a casing having a partition separating respective domains inside and outside the casing are evaluated by disposing at least one ultrasonic transmitter and a plurality of ultrasonic receivers in longitudinally spaced-apart relationship alongside the partition inside the casing. The ultrasonic transmitter is activated to form ultrasonic waveforms comprising propagated quasi leaky-Lamb waves constituting flexural waves having symmetric and antisymmetric zero-order modes within the partition. A time-shift is applied to the received flexural waves so that the respective time-shifted waveforms corresponding to each of the flexural waves arrive at the same time. The time-shifted waveforms are clustered to form separate clusters respectively relating to a flexural wave part, and at least one post-flexural wave part which exposes characteristics that would otherwise be hidden behind more dominant features in the flexural wave and allowing determination of a material and geometry behind the partition. A method for determining material properties between a wellbore and a casing, said casing having a wall forming a partition that separates a first domain inside the casing from a second domain outside the casing, the method comprising: disposing at least one ultrasonic transmitter and a plurality of ultrasonic receivers in longitudinally spaced-apart relationship along a first side of the partition in the first domain; activating the at least one ultrasonic transmitter to form ultrasonic waveforms that comprise propagated quasi leaky-Lamb waves constituting flexural waves having symmetric and antisymmetric zero-order modes within the partition; receiving and recording the ultrasonic waveforms at the spaced-apart receivers; applying a time-shift to the recorded ultrasonic waveforms so that the respective time-shifted waveforms corresponding to each of the flexural waves arrive at the same time; clustering the time-shifted waveforms to form separate clusters respectively relating to a flexural wave part, and at least one post-flexural wave part which exposes characteristics that would otherwise be hidden behind more dominant features in the flexural wave; and using said characteristics to establish a material and geometry behind the partition. Li (: US 11959378 B2) described a well inspection method, comprising: determining one or more signals from a well inspection tool in a well structure; generating, using at least one processor, variable density log (VDL) data from the one or more signals, wherein the VDL data comprises a plurality of waveforms in a time domain; determining a number of independent components comprised in the VDL data based at least in part variances identified in the VDL data; decomposing the plurality of waveforms into multiple components using independent component analysis (ICA) and using a number of independent components determined in the VDL data, the multiple components associated with one or more local structure variances of the well structure; and determining characteristics of the well structure based in part on patterns or features associated with the one or more independent components from the multiple components. Chen (US 2016/0231446 A1) described a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: accessing a measured waveform associated with an acoustic signal returned via a well casing based on operating an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver within a wellbore comprising the well casing; comparing the measured waveform to a plurality of model waveforms, wherein each of the plurality of model waveforms corresponds to a different thickness of the well casing; and determining a thickness of the well casing based on results of comparing the measured waveform and the plurality of model waveforms. Zhao ( US 2021/0246777 A1) described an apparatus for measuring and evaluating integrity of a light-weight cement bond conditions in between a casing and formation in a wellbore, the apparatus comprises: a transducer matrix, the transducer matrix comprises: one or more cylindrical transducer arrays, each of the one or more cylindrical transducer arrays having a predetermined resonance frequency, each of the one or more cylindrical transducer arrays comprises a plurality of coaxial transducer rings, each transducer ring of the plurality of coaxial transducer rings comprised of a plurality of identical acoustic bars that can resonate on its thickness mode synchronously in the same natural frequency generating radial displacements, each transducer ring of the plurality of coaxial transducer rings divided into a plurality of transducer segments, each transducer segment comprised of two or more of the adjacent identical acoustic bars that are physically bonded together laterally with a small space in between and connected electrically in parallel, and one or more transducer segments of each transducer ring coupled to one or more transducer segments of the adjacent rings to form a plurality of transducer array sectors; and a power driving circuit configured for generating power driving signals in sinusoidal waveforms or square waveforms with an equal phase delay offset sequentially, the signals applied in parallel to the plurality of transducer array sectors in one complete cycle or multiple complete cycles. Quintero (US 10969510 B2) described a system for characterizing material in a wellbore in a subterranean formation, the wellbore having a tubing and multiple casing strings, comprising: an acoustic tool disposed within the wellbore, wherein the wellbore includes at least a first casing string, and second casing string, and a material different from a material of at least one of the casing strings between the first casing string and the second casing string, wherein the material is cement, the acoustic tool configured to transmit acoustic waves into the subterranean formation and record acoustic waves returning from the subterranean formation; a material assessment system configured to receive acoustic data representing the acoustic waves recorded by the acoustic tool; and an acoustic attributes evaluation tool residing in the material assessment system, the acoustic attributes evaluation tool being operable to extract one or more acoustic attributes, including instantaneous acoustic attributes, from the acoustic data and compare a measured interface time derived from the acoustic attributes with a modeled interface time derived from wellbore completion data for a material between the tubing and a casing string, between adjacent casing strings, or between a casing string and the subterranean formation; wherein the acoustic attributes evaluation tool is further operable to set the modeled interface time as the interface time for the material if an absolute difference between the modeled interface time and the measured interface time is within a predefined threshold, wherein the acoustic attributes extracted by the acoustic attributes evaluation tool include one or more of: instantaneous acoustic frequency, acoustic amplitude, including waveform amplitude or instantaneous amplitude, or instantaneous acoustic phase, wherein the acoustic attributes evaluation tool is further operable to generate one or more of: a first derivative of the acoustic attribute, a second derivative of the acoustic attribute, an integral of the absolute value of the acoustic attribute, or an integral of the absolute value of a derivative of the acoustic attribute, and wherein the modeled interface time is derived using an assumed acoustic velocity for the material and the acoustic attributes evaluation tool is further operable to assume a new acoustic velocity for the material if the absolute difference between the modeled interface time and the measured interface time is outside the predefined threshold. Quirein (US 9519865 B2) described a method comprising: acquiring waveforms and/or other sensor responses under the control of a processor unit, the acquired waveforms and/or other sensor responses being associated with a plurality of tools operating with respect to a pipe or multiple pipes in a borehole, each acquired waveform and/or other sensor responses being collected data collected from a respective tool; transforming each acquired waveform and/or sensor response to an attribute correlated to the respective tool from which each acquired waveform and/or sensor response is generated; extracting values of each attribute in selected intervals of each respective acquired waveform and/or sensor response by the processor unit operating on the acquired waveform and/or sensor response and storing the extracted values in a memory device; performing clustering and classification analysis by the processor unit operating on the attributes as variables and the extracted values of the associated acquired waveforms and/or sensor responses; generating data, from the clustering and classification analysis, that characterizes status of the pipe or multiple pipes, characterizes annular material within the borehole surrounding the pipe or multiple pipes in the borehole, or characterizes the status of the pipe or multiple pipes and characterizes the annular material within the borehole surrounding the pipe or multiple pipes in the borehole; and outputting the data to a memory. Fox (US 10527752 B2) described a method, comprising: introducing a tool string into a wellbore at least partially lined with casing, wherein an annular material is disposed in an annulus defined between the casing and the wellbore and the tool string comprises a plurality of logging tools including at least a cement bond logging tool, a circumferential acoustic scanning tool, a spectral density logging tool, and a dual spaced neutron logging tool; obtaining acoustic refracted waveform measurements of the annular material from the cement bond logging tool; obtaining ultrasonic measurements of the annular material from the circumferential acoustic scanning tool; obtaining gamma radiation measurements scattered from the annular material from the spectral density logging tool having a first radioactive source, a near density detector, and a far density detector; obtaining thermal neutron radiation measurements scattered from the annular material from the dual spaced neutron logging tool having a second radioactive source, a near neutron detector, and a far neutron detector; collecting the measurements obtained by the plurality of logging tools with a computer; determining a far density count rate and a near density count rate from the gamma radiation measurements; determining a far neutron count rate and a near neutron count rate from the thermal neutron radiation measurements; determining a density ratio of the far density count rate to the near density count rate based on density response characteristics; determining a lithology ratio of the far density count rate to the near density count rate based on lithology response characteristics; determining a relative hydrogen index using a ratio of the far neutron count rate to the near neutron count rate; determining a compositional equivalent of the annular material using the density ratio, the lithology ratio and the relative hydrogen index, wherein the density ratio is representative of an atomic number of the compositional equivalent and the lithology ratio is representative of an atomic weight of the compositional equivalent; and generating with the computer a deliverable indicating a cutting depth prediction based on the determined compositional equivalent of the annular material for facilitating extraction of at least a portion of the casing from the wellbore . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 07-04-01 AIA 07-04 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Claim 1, Step 1 the claim is a process (or machine) ( Yes ), Step 2A Prong One , does the claim recite an abstract idea? current claim related to a method for evaluating cement between a casing string in a wellbore and material surrounding the casing string, and for detecting eccentricity of the casing string, using sector cement bond log (CBL) data, the method comprising steps of d) performing singular value decomposition on the data matrix to derive its constituent components; e) conducting component analysis to filter out noise and identify significant waveform components; f) generating a local cluster model of the waveform data at the depth specified by the depth counter as a combination of the identified significant components, using local cluster modeling; g) applying the local cluster model to the waveform data, thereby producing a modeled waveform represented as a combination of its identified significant components; h) if the depth counter is less than an end of the depth range, increment the depth counter and return to step c), otherwise proceed to step i); i) identifying cement zones based on amplitudes of first El peaks of modeled waveforms for each azimuthal sector; j) calculating an eccentricity index, for each sector, representing deviation of the casing string from its ideal position; and k) detecting cement channels based on deviations in a first component of the modeled waveform at each depth and azimuthal sector appears to be is an abstract idea of mental process (MPEP 2106.04(a)) or data gathering equivalent to mathematical concept or mathematical manipulation function (MPEP 2106.04 (a) (2) (concept need not be expressed in mathematical symbols, because "[w]ords used in a claim operating on data to solve a problem can serve the same purpose as a formula), (OR Mathematical Concepts and Mental Processes) Step 2A Prong One: Yes . Step 2A Prong Two , is the claim directed to an abstract idea? In other words, does claim recite additional elements that integrate the Judicial Exception into a practical application? the additional elements of a) using a cement bond logging tool to capture sector CBL data with an extended acquisition time window, the extended acquisition time window being sufficiently long to permit logging of multiple interface echoes, each interface echo indicating an acoustic reflection generated when an acoustic wave emitted by the cement bond logging tool encounters an interface between different materials are recited at a high level of generality and merely amount to a particular field of use (see MPEP 2106.05(h)) and/or insignificant post-solution activity (MPEP 2106.05(g)), this does not integrate the Judicial Exception into a practical application, Step 2A Prong Two: NO . Step 2B, Does the claim recite additional element that amount to significantly more than the Judicial exception? the additional elements of setting a depth range and initializing a depth counter; c) from the sector CBL data, generating a data matrix of waveform data from the sector CBL data at the depth specified by the depth counter, where each row of the data matrix represents waveform data collected by the cement bond logging tool from different azimuthal sectors appears to be field of use (See MPEP 2106.05(h) and MPEP 2106.05(f)) and/or merely amounts to insignificant extra-solution output of the results (see MPEP 2106.05(g)) and therefore fails to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or amount to significantly more. Step 2B: No. claim 1 not eligible. Claim 12, Step 1 the claim is a process (or machine) ( Yes ), Step 2A Prong One , does the claim recite an abstract idea? current claim related to a system for evaluating cement between a casing string in a wellbore and formation, and for detecting eccentricity of the casing string, the system comprising c) performing singular value decomposition on the data matrix to derive its constituent components; d) conducting component analysis to filter out noise and identify significant waveform components; e) generating a local cluster model of the waveform data at the depth specified by the depth counter as a combination of the identified significant components, using local cluster modeling; f) applying the local cluster model to the waveform data, thereby producing a modeled waveform represented as a combination of its identified significant components; g) if the depth counter is less than an end of the depth range, increment the depth counter and return to step b), otherwise proceed to step h); h) identifying cement zones based on amplitudes of first El peaks of modeled waveforms reflected by the interface between the casing string and the cement, for each azimuthal sector; i) calculating an eccentricity index, for each sector, representing deviation of the casing string from its ideal position; and j) detecting cement channels based on deviations in a first component of the modeled waveform at each depth and azimuthal sector appears is an abstract idea of mental process (MPEP 2106.04(a)) or data gathering equivalent to mathematical concept or mathematical manipulation function (MPEP 2106.04 (a) (2) (concept need not be expressed in mathematical symbols, because "[w]ords used in a claim operating on data to solve a problem can serve the same purpose as a formula), (OR Mathematical Concepts and Mental Processes) Step 2A Prong One: Yes . Step 2A Prong Two , is the claim directed to an abstract idea? In other words, does claim recite additional elements that integrate the Judicial Exception into a practical application? the additional elements of a cement bond logging tool configured to capture sector CBL data with an extended acquisition time window, the extended acquisition time window being sufficiently long to permit logging of multiple interface echoes, each interface echo indicating an acoustic reflection generated when an acoustic wave emitted by the cement bond logging tool encounters an interface between different materials; processing circuitry associated with the cement bond logging tool and configured to perform steps of are recited at a high level of generality and merely amount to a particular field of use (see MPEP 2106.05(h)) and/or insignificant post-solution activity (MPEP 2106.05(g)), this does not integrate the Judicial Exception into a practical application, Step 2A Prong Two: NO . Step 2B, Does the claim recite additional element that amount to significantly more than the Judicial exception? the additional elements of a) setting a depth range and initializing a depth counter; b) from the sector CBL data, generating a data matrix of waveform data from the sector CBL data at the depth specified by the depth counter, where each row of the matrix represents waveform data collected by the cement bond logging tool from different azimuthal sectors appears to be field of use (See MPEP 2106.05(h) and MPEP 2106.05(f)) and/or merely amounts to insignificant extra-solution output of the results (see MPEP 2106.05(g)) and therefore fails to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or amount to significantly more. Step 2B: No. claim 12 not eligible. Claim 2 related to from the cement zones, identifying free pipe zones, wherein the free pipe zones are depth zones in which cement is not present about the casing string, it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea , claim 2 not eligible. Claim 3 related to wherein the eccentricity index is calculated for each depth point, it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 3 not eligible. Claim 4 related to wherein the extended acquisition time window has a time duration of between 700 µs and 800 µs , it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 4 not eligible. Claim related to wherein the extended acquisition time window is sufficiently long to permit logging of first, second, and third interface echoes, the first interface echo being between the cement bond logging tool and the casing, the second interface echo being between the casing and the cement, the third interface echo being between casing annulus filling material and a formation into which the wellbore is drilled , it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 5 not eligible. Claim 6 related to PNG media_image1.png 134 634 media_image1.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 6 not eligible. Claim 7 related to PNG media_image2.png 312 628 media_image2.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 7 not eligible. Claim 8 related to PNG media_image3.png 72 626 media_image3.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 8 not eligible. Claim 9 related to PNG media_image4.png 44 158 media_image4.png Greyscale PNG media_image5.png 264 648 media_image5.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 9 not eligible. Claim 10 related to PNG media_image6.png 146 604 media_image6.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 10 not eligible. Claim 11 related to PNG media_image7.png 72 576 media_image7.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 11 not eligible. Claim 13 related to wherein the processing circuitry comprises a controller within the cement bond logging tool. it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 13 not eligible. Claim 14 related to wherein the processing circuitry comprises an uphole data processing system, it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 14 not eligible. Claim 15 related to wherein the extended acquisition time window is sufficiently long to permit logging of first, second, and third interface echoes, the first interface echo being between the cement bond logging tool and the casing, the second interface echo being between the casing and the cement, the third interface echo being between casing annulus filling material and a formation into which the wellbore is drilled , it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 15 not eligible. Claim 16 related to PNG media_image8.png 136 638 media_image8.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 16 not eligible. Claim 17 related to PNG media_image9.png 304 660 media_image9.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 17 not eligible. Claim 18 related to PNG media_image10.png 100 632 media_image10.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 18 not eligible. Claim 19 related to PNG media_image11.png 324 642 media_image11.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 19 not eligible. Claim 20 related to PNG media_image12.png 224 506 media_image12.png Greyscale it recite further data characterization and mathematical concepts that are part of the abstract idea, claim 20 not eligible. Contact information 4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tung Lau whose telephone number is (571)272-2274, email is Tungs.lau@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday-Friday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TURNER SHELBY, can be reached on 571-272-6334. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll- free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272- 1000. /TUNG S LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857 Technology Center 2800 May 20, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/417,528 Page 2 Art Unit: 2857
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