Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 17/800,265

ALKOXYLATED POLYALKYLENE IMINES OR ALKOXYLATED POLYAMINES WITH IMPROVED BIODEGRADABILITY

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Aug 17, 2022
Priority
Feb 21, 2020 — EU 20158733.4 +1 more
Examiner
DU, SURBHI M
Art Unit
1765
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
BASF SE
OA Round
4 (Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
79 granted / 117 resolved
+2.5% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+27.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
157
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
79.3%
+39.3% vs TC avg
§102
5.3%
-34.7% vs TC avg
§112
6.4%
-33.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 117 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 . Claim Objections Claims 6 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: Independent claim 1 defines the R group to be either ethylene or propylene. Claim 6 and 10 have the same limitation for the R group as in claim 1. Therefore, the requirement of “R is ethylene or propylene” should be deleted in both claims 6 and 10. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 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. Claims 1 and dependent claims 2-4, 6-12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claim 1, the proviso bridging page 2 & 3 - "in case R are ..." , renders the claim language ambiguous since R can no longer be C5-C10-cycloalkylene species as group “R” is amended to represent ethylene or propylene. Applicant is reminded that although "(III)" is crossed out, the structural formula associated with it is still present in the claim. Applicant is advised to revise the claim language to remove the discrepancy for the group “R” and delete the structural formula corresponding to (III). Regarding claim 2, the claim language is unclear, since the independent claim 1 defines the R to be either ethylene or propylene. The R group cannot be simultaneously ethylene or propylene and (i) C4-C12 linear or branched alkylene radicals or (ii) C5-C10-cycloalkylene radicals…Appropriate correction is required. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed on 05/11/2026 have been fully considered. The amended claims overcome the 35 U.S.C. 103 prior art rejections under Hostettler (US 2962524) and Hostettler in view of Ebert (US 2016/0222160). Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Surbhi M Du whose telephone number is (571)272-9960. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am to 5:00pm. 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, Heidi (Riviere) Kelley can be reached at 571-270-1831. 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. /S.M.D./ Examiner Art Unit 1765 /JOHN M COONEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1765
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Oct 08, 2025
Response Filed
Dec 12, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §112
Jan 23, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 13, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Feb 21, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
May 11, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 16, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12679961
FILLED AUTOMOTIVE POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITION CONTAINING RECYCLATES
3y 5m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12674033
POLYCARBONATE-POLYORGANOSILOXANE COPOLYMER
4y 0m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026
Patent 12674055
PHLOROGLUCINOLIC RESINS, METHODS OF MAKING, AND USES IN RUBBER COMPOSITIONS
4y 0m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026
Patent 12648579
MEDIUM-CHAIN-LENGTH POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES AND THEIR USE IN CHEWING GUM BASES
4y 1m to grant Granted Jun 09, 2026
Patent 12624162
POLYCARBONATE COPOLYMER
2y 11m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (+27.8%)
3y 2m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 117 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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