CTNF 18/784,458 CTNF 88364 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 1. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted and are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. According, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner. Examiner Notes 2 . Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-21-aia AIA 4. Claim s 1-3, 7, 13-14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clarke et al. (US. Pub. 2015/0218941; hereinafter “Clarke”) . Regarding claim 1 , Clarke discloses a borehole radar system ( a borehole electromagnetic system 30 in Fig. 1 ), comprising: a well logging tool ( a tool body 39 in Fig. 1 ) formed from a nonconductive material ( the tool body was modeled and formed of a ceramic material, see [0033] ), the well logging tool (39) configured to be installed within a borehole ( a borehole casing such as #40 in Fig. 1 ); an electric dipole source ( a dipole antenna 33 ) disposed in the well logging tool ( 39 ), the electric dipole source ( 33 ) configured to be installed within the borehole ( see Figs. 1, 4 ), the electric dipole source (33) configured to generate electromagnetic energy to be transmitted through a subterranean zone in which the borehole is formed ( a dipole antenna may include at least one transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic energy into the fluid in a borehole, pipe, or conduit, see paragraphs [0048, 52, 55, 63] ); and a metamaterial lens ( a metamaterial lens 36 ) that encloses the electric dipole source ( Fig. 1, the metamaterial lens 36 housing the dipole antenna 36 ), the metamaterial lens ( 36 ) configured to be installed within the borehole ( 40 ), the metamaterial lens ( 36 ) configured to amplify the electromagnetic energy generated by the electric dipole source ([0055]: “Depth of penetration of transmitted electromagnetic energy or electromagnetic wave in a fluid in the borehole increases by positioning a lens comprising a metamaterial atop an antenna”. In other words, using a metamaterial lens atop the transmitted antenna will help to increase the strength of transmitted electromagnetic wave to penetrate in a fluid in a borehole ). Clarke does not explicitly specify that an electric dipole source (a dipole antenna 33) disposed in the center of the well logging tool (39). As shown in Fig. 1, it appears that an electric dipole source or a dipole antenna 33 mounted on an inner sidewall of the well logging tool or tool body 33. However rearranging the dipole antenna 33 and metamaterial 36 to the center of the tool body is a known practice in the art and it would simply be a matter of inventor design choice. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the logging tool of Clarke by having an electric dipole source disposed in the center of the well logging tool as taught by Clarke in order to meet the system design and specification requirement, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention is generally recognized as being within the level skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 . Regarding claim 2 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the electric dipole source has a frequency between about 1.7 GHZ and about 2.75 GHz ( see [0025] ). Regarding claim 3 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the electric dipole source has a frequency between about 1 GHz and about 5 GHz ( see [0025] ). Regarding claim 7 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the metamaterial lens has a geometry based, at least in part, on canonical Rhodonea conformal mapping contours or stretching transformations to mimic a spider web geometry (see Fig. 1) Regarding claim 13 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the electric dipole source is enhanced with a metamaterial (see at least in [0055]). Regarding claim 14 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the electric dipole source (33 in Fig. 1) is embedded within an interior of the wellbore logging tool (39), wherein, when the wellbore logging tool (39) with the embedded electric dipole source is immersed in a wellbore fluid (wellbore fluids in Fig. 1) within the borehole, the electric dipole source (33) is configured to produce a quadrupole radiation pattern propagating into the subterranean zone in which the borehole is formed ([0030, 48, 52]). Regarding claim 17 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, wherein the metamaterial is oriented in a plane perpendicular to an axis of orientation of the electric dipole source (see Figs. 1-2). Regarding claim 18 , Clarke discloses the 18. The borehole radar system of claim 17, further comprising a shield structure (76 in Fig. 5) positioned concentric with the axis of orientation of the electric dipole source (70) . 07-21-aia AIA 2. Claim s 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clarke in view of Tan et al. (CN 115621741; hereinafter “Tan”) . Regarding claim 4 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, except for specifying that wherein the metamaterial lens is formed from a copper mesh. Tan discloses an antenna module 100, in Figs. 1-5, comprising antenna array coupled to an arc-shaped metamaterial lens (120), wherein the metamaterial lens is formed from a copper mesh (the arc-shaped metamaterial structure 120 is formed from a metal mesh, wherein the material of metal is copper, see page 8). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the metamaterial lens in the logging tool of Clarke by having the metamaterial lens is formed from a copper mesh, as taught by Clarke for purpose of providing the arc-shaped meta material structure increases the gain of the phased array antenna and increases the scanning angle of the antenna, so as to reduce the scanning loss. Regarding claim 6 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, except of explicitly specifying wherein the metamaterial lens is a copper grid printed on a substrate. Tan discloses an antenna module 100, in Figs. 1-5, comprising antenna array coupled to an arc-shaped metamaterial lens (120), wherein the metamaterial lens is a copper grid printed on a substrate (the arc-shaped metamaterial structure 120 is a metal grid formed on a flexible circuit board, wherein the material of metal is copper, see page 8). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the metamaterial lens in the logging tool of Clarke by having the metamaterial lens is a copper grid printed on a substrate, as taught by Clarke for purpose of providing the arc-shaped meta material structure increases the gain of the phased array antenna and increases the scanning angle of the antenna, so as to reduce the scanning loss . 07-21-aia AIA 5. Claim s 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clarke in view of Allen (US. Pub. 2013/0241560; hereinafter “Allen”) . Regarding claim 15 , Clarke discloses the borehole radar system of claim 1, except explicitly specifying further comprising a reflector installed within the subterranean zone, the reflector configured to reflect the electromagnetic energy generated by the electric dipole source. Allen discloses a system for estimating a property of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole includes: a logging tool configured to be conveyed through the borehole; a transmitter antenna disposed at the logging tool and configured to emit electromagnetic energy into the earth formation; a controller configured to control electrical current of frequency transmitted to the transmitter antenna, wherein a reflector installed within the subterranean zone, the reflector configured to reflect the electromagnetic energy generated by the electric dipole source (“The antenna system 60 also includes a reflector antenna 62, in Fig. 6, configured to reflect electromagnetic energy transmitted by the transceiver antenna 61 or to reflect signals received from the formation 4 to the transceiver antenna 61”, see [0037]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the logging tool system of Clarke by having a reflector installed within the subterranean zone, the reflector configured to reflect the electromagnetic energy generated by the electric dipole source as taught by Allen for purpose of providing the induction logging tools with improved sensitivity can be achieved, and the property can be estimated accurately using the received signal. Regarding claim 16 , Clarke and Allen disclose the borehole radar system of claim 15, Allen further teaches wherein the reflector (62) is a semi-cylindrical shape and configured to conduct in one direction to enhance a radiation directivity in an azimuthal direction (see Figs. 6-7). Allowable Subject Matter 6. Claims 5, 8-12, 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if corrected to overcome the claim objections set forth above in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim, any intervening claims. Regarding claim 5 , the cited references, alone or in combination, do not disclose nor fairly suggest: “ … the copper mesh is isolated from a conductive wellbore fluid within the borehole using a fiberglass structural tool housing” in combination with all other elements as claimed in claims 1 and 4. Regarding claim 8 , the cited references, alone or in combination, do not disclose nor fairly suggest: “ … a receiver axially offset from the electric dipole source and the metamaterial lens, the receiver configured to be installed within the borehole, the receiver configured to receive a response to the electromagnetic energy transmitted through the subterranean zone by the electric dipole source; and a metamaterial absorber axially offset from the receiver, the electric dipole source and the metamaterial lens, the metamaterial absorber configured to isolate the receiver from electromagnetic energy traveling axially through the borehole.” in combination with all other elements as claimed in claim 1. As to claim(s) 9-12, the claims are allowable as they are further limitation of claim 8. Regarding claim 19 , the cited references, alone or in combination, do not disclose nor fairly suggest: “ … the copper mesh is isolated from a conductive wellbore fluid within the borehole using a fiberglass structural tool housing” in combination with all other elements as claimed in claims 1 and 17-18. As to claim(s) 20, the claim is allowable as it is further limitation of claim 19. Conclusion 9 . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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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. /THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858 2/21/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 2 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 3 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 4 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 5 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 6 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 7 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 8 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/784,458 Page 9 Art Unit: 2858
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