Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 26, 2026
Application No. 19/637,084

GEOSTEERING CONTROL FRAMEWORK

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Apr 02, 2026
Priority
Jun 17, 2024 — provisional 63/660,657 +1 more
Examiner
BOMAR, THOMAS S
Art Unit
3674
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Schlumberger Technology Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 7m
Est. Remaining
83%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
756 granted / 910 resolved
+31.1% vs TC avg
Minimal +0% lift
Without
With
+0.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
12 currently pending
Career history
923
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
§103
37.8%
-2.2% vs TC avg
§102
32.0%
-8.0% vs TC avg
§112
22.6%
-17.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 910 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Priority Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 120 as follows: The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994). The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Application No. 19240600, fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application. The prior-filed application fails to provide adequate support for at least the following: 1) a graphical control that is collapsible; 2) the graphical controls for reservoir boundary picking comprise an artificial intelligence (AI) selector for selecting an AI technology from a number of AI technologies to perform the reservoir boundary picking; and 3) responsive to selection of a different one of the number of AI technologies, automatically re-performing the reservoir boundary picking to re-generate at least one of the one or more of the reservoir boundaries. Accordingly, claims 2 and 4-7 are not entitled to the benefit of the prior application. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for an expandible graphical control, does not reasonably provide enablement for a collapsible graphical control. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims. Paragraphs 0149 and 0150 of the specification refer to a graphical control that is expandible and compressed/contracted. But the word “collapsible” cannot be found anywhere in the specification. Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for using a GUI to pick boundaries, which may be controlled by AI (see paragraphs 00133-00138, 00149, and 00227), does not reasonably provide enablement for an artificial intelligence (AI) selector for selecting an AI technology from a number of AI technologies to perform the reservoir boundary picking. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims. The specification is devoid of a reference to an artificial intelligence (AI) selector for selecting an AI technology from a number of AI technologies. The specification is also devoid of a reference to automatically re-performing the reservoir boundary picking to re-generate at least one of the one or more of the reservoir boundaries, as in claim 7. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1, 3, and 8-20 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: US 20190271788 teaches a method relating to the control of wellbore trajectory, while also using quality control for various forms of data and a graphic user interface (paragraphs 0045 and 0074). However, it is not reasonably taught or suggested that there is a quality control actuator for quality control of reservoir boundary picking via user interaction with respect to a rendering of one or more reservoir boundaries, a quality control actuator for quality control of reservoir boundary extrapolation of the reservoir boundaries via user interaction with respect to a rendering of at least one or more of the reservoir boundaries, or a quality control actuator for quality control of target selection via user interaction with respect to a rendering of at least one or more extrapolated reservoir boundaries. US 20230039147 teaches a method relating to the control of wellbore trajectory, while also using quality control for various forms of data and a graphic user interface (paragraphs 0386-0388). However, it is not reasonably taught or suggested that there is a quality control actuator for quality control of reservoir boundary picking via user interaction with respect to a rendering of one or more reservoir boundaries, a quality control actuator for quality control of reservoir boundary extrapolation of the reservoir boundaries via user interaction with respect to a rendering of at least one or more of the reservoir boundaries, or a quality control actuator for quality control of target selection via user interaction with respect to a rendering of at least one or more extrapolated reservoir boundaries. The other cited prior art of record, whether considered alone or in combination, fails to overcome the deficiencies above. Conclusion The prior art made of record on form 892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANE BOMAR whose telephone number is (571)272-7026. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-3:30pm EST M-Th. 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, Doug Hutton can be reached at 571-272-4137. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SHANE BOMAR/ Primary Examiner Art Unit 3674
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 02, 2026
Application Filed
Oct 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

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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
83%
Grant Probability
83%
With Interview (+0.1%)
2y 2m (~1y 7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 910 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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