Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/600,905

MAINTAINING OPTIMAL FREQUENCY FOR NMR FORMATION EVALUATION USING MULTIPLE SENSITIVE VOLUMES

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Mar 11, 2024
Examiner
GO, RICKY
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Halliburton Energy Services Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
89%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
829 granted / 1036 resolved
+20.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
1060
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
29.2%
-10.8% vs TC avg
§103
31.8%
-8.2% vs TC avg
§102
29.1%
-10.9% vs TC avg
§112
6.0%
-34.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1036 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
CTNF 18/600,905 CTNF 86639 DETAILED ACTION 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. Information Disclosure Statement The references listed in the Information Disclosure Statement filed on 03/11/2024 have been considered by the examiner (see attached PTO-1449 forms). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 1-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Regarding independent claims 1, 9, and 18, and by dependency claims 2-8, 10-17 and 19-23, the term “substantially” (lines 21 and 24) is vague and a relative term that renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” renders the claims indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed or clearly defined in the specification and it is a broad term, thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05. Claims - 35 USC § 101 To note: Claims 1-23 are patent eligible with regards to the Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance. The claims, taken as a whole amount to a practical application of the judicial exception see MPEP 2106.04(d) ( a claim that integrates a judicial exception into a practical application will apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception, such that the claim is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the judicial exception ). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-23 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claim 1 is considered to be allowable over the cited prior art because none of the cited prior art teaches or suggests, in combination with the other claimed limitations, calibrating an NMR tool at ω gf@RT to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (S gfiEU@RT ), an optimal excitation pulse amplitude modulation (AMfexc@RT), a recovery pulse amplitude modulation (AMfrec@RT) for ω gf@RT , and an optimal formation amplitude modulation (AMoptf); calibrating the NMR tool at ω gbh@RT to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (SgbhiEU@RT), an excitation pulse amplitude modulation (AMbhexc@RT), a recovery pulse amplitude modulation (AMbhrec@RT), and an optimal borehole amplitude modulation (AMoptbh); … determining, using the processor, a downhole formation operational frequency (ω gf@T ) at which the downhole formation sensitive volume is substantially unchanged from the calibration formation sensitive volume relative to the NMR tool based on ω gbh@T , ω gbh@RT , and ω gf@RT ; determining, using the processor, an optimal amplitude modulation (AMopt) for ω gf@T ... Claim 9 is considered to be allowable over the cited prior art because none of the cited prior art teaches or suggests, in combination with the other claimed limitations, … the NMR tool is calibrated at a calibration formation operational frequency (ω gf@RT ) for a calibration formation sensitive volume to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (S gfiEU@RT ), an excitation amplitude modulation (AMfexc@RT), and a recovery amplitude modulation (AMfrec@RT) for ω gf@RT ; … the NMR tool is calibrated at a calibration borehole operational frequency (ω gbh@RT ) for a calibration borehole sensitive volume to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (S gbhiEU@RT ), excitation amplitude modulation (AMbhexc@RT), a recovery amplitude modulation (AMbhrec@RT), and a calibration echo signal amplitude at time zero (A0gbh@RT) for ω gbh@RT ; … the processor is operable to determine a downhole formation operational frequency (ω gf@T ) at which the downhole formation sensitive volume is substantially unchanged from the calibration formation sensitive volume relative to the NMR tool based on ω gbh@T , ω gbh@RT , and ωgf@RT; wherein the processor is operable to determine an optimal amplitude modulation (AMopt) for ω gf@T ... Claim 18 is considered to be allowable over the cited prior art because none of the cited prior art teaches or suggests, in combination with the other claimed limitations, calibrating an NMR tool at ω gf@RT to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (S gfiEU@RT ), an excitation amplitude modulation (AMfexc@RT), and a recovery amplitude modulation (AMfrec@RT) for ω gf@RT ; calibrating the NMR tool at ω gbh@RT to determine a signal received by the NMR tool at a calibration temperature (SgbhiEU@RT), an excitation amplitude modulation (AMbhexc@RT), a recovery amplitude modulation (AMbhrec@RT), and a calibration echo signal amplitude at time zero (A0gbh@RT) for ω gbh@RT ; … determining, using the processor, a downhole formation operational frequency (ω gf@T ) at which the downhole formation sensitive volume is substantially unchanged from the calibration formation sensitive volume relative to the NMR tool based on ω gbh@T , ω gbh@RT , and ω gf@RT ; determining, using the processor, an optimal amplitude (AMopt) for ω gf@T … Relevant Prior Art / Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jachmann et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2018/0003852 A1) discloses a nuclear magnetic resonance system and apparatus; Jachmann et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2016/0077183 A1) discloses a nuclear magnetic resonance tool calibration; Yang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2015/0204186 A1) discloses an apparatus for transmitting wideband modulated pulses to generate an externally-projected oscillating magnetic field in a material body . 07-101 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICKY GO whose telephone number is (571)270-3340 . The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m . to 5:30 p.m . If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arleen M. Vazquez can be reached on (571) 272-2619 . 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 http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. 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 . /RICKY GO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/600,905 Page 2 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/600,905 Page 3 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/600,905 Page 4 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/600,905 Page 5 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/600,905 Page 6 Art Unit: 2857
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 11, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Jul 03, 2026
Interview Requested
Jul 09, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jul 09, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
80%
Grant Probability
89%
With Interview (+8.8%)
3y 0m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1036 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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