CTNF 18/748,142 CTNF 82190 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 information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/10/2025 have been entered and considered. An initialed copy of the PTO-1449 by the Examiner is attached. Specification 06-14 AIA Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure. A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art. If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives. Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps. Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts. 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. The USPTO “Interim Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications for Patent Subject Matter Eligibility” ( Official Gazette notice of 23 February 2010 ), Annex IV, reads as follows: The USPTO recognizes that applicants may have claims directed to computer readable media that cover signals per se, which the USPTO must reject under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as covering both non-statutory subject matter and statutory subject matter. In an effort to assist the patent community in overcoming a rejection or potential rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 101 in this situation, the USPTO suggests the following approach. A claim drawn to such a computer readable medium that covers both transitory and non-transitory embodiments may be amended to narrow the claim to cover only statutory embodiments to avoid a rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 101 by adding the limitation "non-transitory" to the claim. Cf. Animals - Patentability, 1077 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 24 (April 21, 1987) (suggesting that applicants add the limitation "non-human" to a claim covering a multi-cellular organism to avoid a rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 101). Such an amendment would typically not raise the issue of new matter, even when the specification is silent because the broadest reasonable interpretation relies on the ordinary and customary meaning that includes signals per se. The limited situations in which such an amendment could raise issues of new matter occur, for example, when the specification does not support a non-transitory embodiment because a signal per se is the only viable embodiment such that the amended claim is impermissibly broadened beyond the supporting disclosure. See, e.g., Gentry Gallery, Inc. v. Berkline Corp., 134 F.3d 1473(Fed. Cir. 1998). Claims 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter as follows. Claim 10 defines “article of manufacture comprised to store a set of instructions to run on a computer, the article of manufacture configured to store the set of instructions in a non-volatile manner” embodying functional descriptive material. However, the claim does not define a non-transitory computer-readable medium or memory and is thus non-statutory for that reason (i.e., “examination the pending claims must be interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably allow). The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim drawn to a computer readable medium (also called machine readable medium and other such variations) typically covers forms of non-transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signals per se in view of the ordinary and customary meaning of computer readable media, particularly when the specification is silent. See MPEP 2111.01. When the broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim covers a signal per se, the claim must be rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as covering non-statutory subject matter. See In see Official Gazette Notice 1351 OG212, February 23, 2010). That is, the scope of the presently claimed “non-volatile manner” typically covers forms of non-transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signals per se . The Examiner suggests cancelling the claims because there is no memory connected with a processor disclose in the specification. Claims 11-13 are being rejected as incorporating the deficiencies of the claim upon which each respective claim depends. Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 1-9 are allowed. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the closes prior art of record is Zhang (Pub No.: 20170160421 ) in view of Tathed (NPL titled: INTERPRETATION OF GALVANIC RESISTIVITY, ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION, AND DIELECTRIC DISPERSION LOGS TO ESTIMATE WATER SATURATION IN ORGANIC RICH SHALE) in view of Schoen (Pub No.: US20040140801 ) in view of Al-Mutwali et al ( NPL titled: A New Laboratory SCAL Device and Processing Method for OBM Vug Density Quantificatio n) Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches a method for identification of features in a carbonate reservoir ( method for identifying a similar trend line in a formation may enable identifying clay-free carbonate – see [p][0047] ), comprising:; obtaining inverted resistivity image data ( an inverted resistivity image – see [p][00220] ); obtaining inverted standoff image data ( an inverted standoff image – see [p][0020] ); obtaining Hayman factor image data ( a Hayman factor image that includes a combination of resistivity and permittivity – see [p][0020] ); . Zhang does not explicitly teach obtaining an induction resistivity log from a wellbore within the carbonate reservoir. Tathed explicitly teaches obtaining an induction resistivity log from a wellbore within the carbonate reservoir ( single-frequency induction resistivity (AT90) log xv acquired at 20 kHz. – see 2 nd para Abstrac t). Zhang in view of Tathed does not explicitly teach calculating an image average resistivity computation from the inverted resistivity image data. Schoen explicitly teaches calculating an image average resistivity computation from the inverted resistivity image data ( the resistivity measurements are averaged circumferentially and vertically within each identified layer to give an average resistivity measurement for each layer identified above – see [p][0038] ). Zhang in view of Tathed and Schoen does not explicitly teach inverted Hayman . Al-Mutwali explicitly teaches inverted Hayman ( Fig. 9 shows the outcrop rock background derived from gray-scale reconstruction transform on Hayman factor image – see page 9, section - Gray-scale reconstruction transform plus watershed transform, [p][001] ). Zhang in view of Tathed, Al-Mutwali and Schoen does not teach performing a resistivity zonation for the wellbore from the induction resistivity log and the average resistivity computation; performing an extraction of patches based upon the inverted resistivity image data; performing an image local histogram equalization from inverted standoff and Hayman factor images; performing high and lower patches from localized dynamic standoff and Hayman factor images; classifying the patches for vug features based upon the extraction and the resistivity zonation; and performing a surface density calculation Regarding claim 5, Zhang teaches a method for identification of features in a carbonate reservoir ( method for identifying a similar trend line in a formation may enable identifying clay-free carbonate – see [p][0047] ), comprising:; obtaining inverted resistivity image data ( an inverted resistivity image – see [p][00220] ); obtaining inverted standoff image data ( an inverted standoff image – see [p][0020] ); obtaining Hayman factor image data ( a Hayman factor image that includes a combination of resistivity and permittivity – see [p][0020] ); performing a resistivity zonation for the wellbore from the induction resistivity log and the average resistivity computation (t rack 1 includes a reference in feet, track 2 includes a crossover of permittivity and resistivity by averaging the measurements of the imaging buttons – see [p][0059] ), wherein the resistivity zonation includes four different zones ( see Fig 13 ); . Zhang does not explicitly teach obtaining an induction resistivity log from a wellbore within the carbonate reservoir. Tathed explicitly teaches obtaining an induction resistivity log from a wellbore within the carbonate reservoir ( single-frequency induction resistivity (AT90) log xv acquired at 20 kHz. – see 2 nd para Abstrac t). Zhang in view of Tathed does not explicitly teach calculating an image average resistivity computation from the inverted resistivity image data. Schoen explicitly teaches calculating an image average resistivity computation from the inverted resistivity image data ( the resistivity measurements are averaged circumferentially and vertically within each identified layer to give an average resistivity measurement for each layer identified above – see [p][0038] ). Zhang in view of Tathed and Schoen does not explicitly teach inverted Hayman . Al-Mutwali explicitly teaches inverted Hayman ( Fig. 9 shows the outcrop rock background derived from gray-scale reconstruction transform on Hayman factor image – see page 9, section - Gray-scale reconstruction transform plus watershed transform, [p][001] ). Zhang in view of Tathed, Al-Mutwali and Schoen does not teach performing an extraction of patches based upon the inverted resistivity image data; performing an image local histogram equalization from inverted standoff and Hayman factor images; performing high and lower patches from localized dynamic standoff and Hayman factor images; classifying the patches for vug features based upon the extraction and the resistivity zonation; filtering the vug features; and performing a surface density calculation . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Legendre et al (Pub No.: 20170227666 ) discloses a method and system for estimating a mud angle. A method may include disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, energizing a button array, transmitting a current from the electrode into a formation, recording the current from the formation with a return electrode to obtain a plurality of measurements, identifying at least one low resistivity zone from the plurality of measurements to produce a measurement set, inverting the measurement set to find a mud angle vector, removing the mud angle vector from the measurement set to obtain a corrected measurement, and obtaining an electrical image using the corrected measurement. A system may include a downhole tool, a conveyance, and an information handling system. The downhole tool may further include at least one electrode and at least one return electrode. Chen et al (Pub No.: 20150260874 ) discloses a systems and methods for imaging properties of subterranean formations in a wellbore include a formation sensor for collecting currents injected into the subterranean formations and a formation imaging unit. The formation imaging unit includes a current management unit for collecting data from the currents injected into the subterranean formations and a formation data unit for determining at least one formation parameter from the collected data. The formation imaging unit also includes an inversion unit for determining at least one formation property by inverting the at least one formation parameter. The inversion unit is suitable for generating an inverted standoff image and an inverted permittivity image for comparison with a composite image of the formation imaging unit. Hayman et al (Pub No.: 20150185354 ) discloses a tool and method for imaging a formation through a substantially non-conductive medium. The tool includes one or more injection electrodes for injecting current through the substantially non-conductive medium and into the formation. The tool further includes one or more return electrodes for receiving current from the substantially non-conductive medium, the formation, or both. The tool also includes circuitry for determining a complex impedance based on the received current, determining a phase angle of the complex impedance, and determining a component of the complex impedance that is orthogonal to the phase angle. Legendre et al (US Patent No.: 12410698 ) discloses a method can include acquiring data from a borehole imaging tool disposed in a borehole in a formation where the borehole includes electrically insulating oil-based fluid introduced into the borehole as a drilling lubricant; determining, based on the data, electrically insulating oil-based fluid impeditivity and a reference formation impeditivity via a circuit model that includes series and parallel terms; and detecting a location of a fracture in the formation based on a change in current flow from the tool through the electrically insulating oil-based fluid and into the formation by determining an effective formation impeditivity based on at least a portion of the data for the location and by comparing the effective formation impeditivity to the reference formation impeditivity. Guner et al (US Patent No.: 11635542 ) discloses a method and system for estimating a mud angle. A method may include disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, energizing a button array, transmitting a current from the electrode into a formation, recording the current from the formation with a return electrode to obtain a plurality of measurements, identifying at least one low resistivity zone from the plurality of measurements to produce a measurement set, inverting the measurement set to find a mud angle vector, removing the mud angle vector from the measurement set to obtain a corrected measurement, and obtaining an electrical image using the corrected measurement. A system may include a downhole tool, a conveyance, and an information handling system. The downhole tool may further include at least one electrode and at least one return electrode. Zhao et al (Pub No.: 20120059616) discloses a method that obtained resistivity images by an imaging device in a borehole having oil-based mud may be of poor quality due to standoff variations, leakage currents and random noise. By processing the data using steps including median filtering, entropy equalization and bandpass filtering, the image quality can be considerably improved. Donderici et al et al (Pub No.: US20160369626A1) discloses an apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to correct measured resistivity data for borehole effects to provide borehole-corrected apparent resistivity data for a non-invaded formation. Additional activity may include inverting the measured resistivity data or the borehole-corrected apparent resistivity data to provide non-invaded true resistivity values for the non-invaded formation, inverting the measured resistivity data to provide invaded true resistivity values for an invaded formation, determining true resistivity values for a geological formation associated with the measured resistivity data as a weighted combination of the non-invaded true resistivity values and the invaded true resistivity values, and operating a controlled device according to the true resistivity values for the geological formation. . Inquiries Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRAE S ALLISON whose telephone number is (571)270-1052. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 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, Chineyere Wills-Burns, can be reached on (571) 272-9752. 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. /ANDRAE S ALLISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2673 June 10, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 2 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 3 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 4 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 5 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 6 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 7 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 8 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 9 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 10 Art Unit: 2673 Application/Control Number: 18/748,142 Page 11 Art Unit: 2673
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