US PATENT SUBCLASS 166 / 250.01
.~ With indicating, testing, measuring or locating

Current as of: June, 1999
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166 /   HD   WELLS

244.1  DF  PROCESSES {39}
250.01.~ With indicating, testing, measuring or locating {21}
251.1  DF  .~.~> Including in situ combustion
252.1  DF  .~.~> Including production of earth fluid by driving fluid {5}
253.1  DF  .~.~> Indicating the location, presence, or absence of cement
254.1  DF  .~.~> Determining position of earth zone or marker {1}
255.1  DF  .~.~> Determining position of object in well {1}
250.02  DF  .~.~> Permeability determining
250.03  DF  .~.~> Determining fluid interface or fluid level
250.04  DF  .~.~> Plug indicating or releasing
250.05  DF  .~.~> Scale or corrosion determination
250.06  DF  .~.~> Steam quality
250.07  DF  .~.~> Bottom hole pressure
250.08  DF  .~.~> Leak testing or locating
250.09  DF  .~.~> Impression means
250.1  DF  .~.~> Fracturing characteristic
250.11  DF  .~.~> Holder for coupon or sensor
250.12  DF  .~.~> Tracer
250.13  DF  .~.~> Determining stuck point
250.14  DF  .~.~> Of cementing or plugging technique
250.15  DF  .~.~> Automatic control for production
250.16  DF  .~.~> Prospecting
250.17  DF  .~.~> Including testing or treating tool having at least one actuatable packer

DEFINITION

Classification: 166/250.01

With indicating, testing, measuring or locating:

(under subclass 244.1) Process including a step of: providing evidence of a condition; e.g., leak, oil-gas interface; performing an analysis; e.g., downhole pressure; counting; or determining the position of an object or formation.

(1) Note. A process including a mere step(s) of indicating, detecting, signaling, recording or measuring wherein the result is not related to any other step in the claim is not classifiable here.

(2) Note. A process involving merely taking a sample of earth fluid is not included under this definition. See subclass 264 for such a process.

(3) Note. A process in which an inherent measuring step or the like would take place, such as a process involving the

use of a fluid at a certain temperature, is not classified under this definition unless a separate step of making the measurement, or the like, is recited in a claim. Further, many well processes inherently give a signal or indication when some well function is performed, such as a pressure rise taking place when a plug closes an opening in a cementing operation. Such processes, also, are not classified under this definition unless some added indicating step is claimed.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

64, for well apparatus combined with time or distance measuring or counting means.

66, for well apparatus combined with electrical indicating means. 113, for below ground devices comprising well apparatus combined with non-electrical indicating, testing or measuring means.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

33, Geometrical Instruments,

302, for processes of sensing and indicating borehole direction or inclination, and subclasses 717+ sounding devices combined with samplers not for well fluids.

73, Measuring and Testing,

152.02+, for miscellaneous tests and measurements relating to wells. Class 73 takes a process relating to measuring or testing including steps relating to well features for perfecting the measuring or testing process while Class 166 takes a more comprehensive process relating to well conditions or structure which includes a measuring or testing step.

175, Boring or Penetrating the Earth,

4.51, for a gun or explosive charge perforating means or step which inherently results in penetration of the earth in combination with a position orienting or indicating means or step, contributing to the effect of the perforating or penetrating means or step, subclasses 40+ for processes or apparatus for earth boring including signaling, indicating, testing or measuring and especially subclass 45 for tool direction or inclination measuring or indicating within the bore hole.

181, Acoustics,

101+, for acoustic devices in wells or seismological prospecting.

250, Radiant Energy, 83+, for ray energy detection or measurement.

324, Electricity: Measuring and Testing,

323+, for subject matter relating to the determination of an electrical characteristic of the subsurface of the earth.

340, Communications: Electrical,

500+, for electrical automatic condition responsive indicating systems, and subclasses 853.1+ for well bore signaling systems.

342, Communications: Directive Radio Wave Systems and Devices (e.g., Radar, Radio Navigation),

22, for transmission through media other than air or free space, and subclass 459 for radar systems in wells.

346, Recorders,

33, for well logging.

364, Electrical Computers and Data Processing Systems,

422, for the application of well logging which requires a mathematical calculation and only nominal recitation to the structure of well logging.

367, Communications, Electrical: Acoustic Wave Systems and Devices, 25+, for seismic well logging; subclasses 81+ for acoustic wellbore telemetering; and subclass 86 for acoustic borehole testing.

395, Information Processing System Organization,

500.31, for mathematical simulation of a fluid well.

436, Chemistry: Analytical and Immunological Testing,

25+, for geochemical, geological, or geothermal exploration. A nominal step in a claim, reciting drilling a well or recovering fluid from the earth does not affect classification of a patent in Class 436.