Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 17/913,714

PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH HEADWALL COMMUNICATION

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Sep 22, 2022
Examiner
LABARGE, ALISON N
Art Unit
3679
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Stryker Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
62%
Grant Probability
Moderate
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 6m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 62% of resolved cases
62%
Career Allow Rate
188 granted / 303 resolved
+10.0% vs TC avg
Strong +34% interview lift
Without
With
+34.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
336
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
50.2%
+10.2% vs TC avg
§102
18.5%
-21.5% vs TC avg
§112
26.7%
-13.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 303 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Response to Arguments/Amendments The amendments, filed October 22, 2025, have been entered. Claims 1, 11, 14, 26, and 30 have been amended. Claims 20-21 and 42 have been cancelled. Claims 3, 5-6, 8-9, 12,16, 18, 20-25, 27-29, 31-33, 35-36, and 39-41 had previously been cancelled. Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 10-11, 13-15, 17, 19, 26, 30, 34, 37-38, and 43 are currently pending in the application. The amendments to the claims 11 and 26 have overcome the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Applicant argues on pages 10-12 of Applicant’s remarks that the previously cited prior art of Bhimavarapu (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0293849) and Sayadi (U.S. Publication No. 2020/0337470) does not sufficiently disclose, teach, or suggest the newly amended subject matter of the patient support apparatus acting as an intermediary between the off-board device and the room device. Examiner respectfully disagrees. In paragraph 0076 and Figure 5 of Bhimavarapu, an off-board device is connected to a transceiver in the patient support device, where the off-board device may be the bed server or a different device. The bed server 72 is able to send configuration settings directly to the patient support apparatus 20 (paragraph 0077) which can be modified as the patient support apparatus moves through the healthcare facility (paragraph 0079). In other words, when new configuration settings are required, an authorized user uses the off-board device (bed server via computer terminal or other device) to change the settings and these settings then are received by the transceiver in the patient support apparatus (Figure 5). From there, the patient support apparatus communicates with the headwall interface 652, which communicates with data port 80 and the room controls 86 (and therefore the room device) via conductors 84 (Figure 11 and paragraph 0049). The configuration settings which were received from the patient support apparatus are used to set the state of the pins of cable interface 92, which controls the devices connected to it, including various room devices (paragraphs 0049-0050 and 0057-0060, Figure 5). As such, the patient support apparatus, by receiving settings from the off-board device and relaying them to the headwall module which connects to various room devices via the room control, acts as an intermediary between the off-board source and the room device. Additionally, Applicant argues on pages 12-14, that the previously cited prior art does not sufficiently disclose, teach, or suggest the newly amended subject matter of the controller being further adapted to forward the room control schedule to the headwall module via the first wireless transceiver and to instruct the headwall module to send control signals to the room device according to the room control schedule. As stated above, Bhimavarapu discloses the patient support device via the wireless transceiver 104 forwarding configuration settings from the off-board device 72 to the headwall device 652, which then communicates with data port 80 and room controls 86 (paragraphs 0049-0050, 0057-0060, and 0077-0079 and Figure 5). In other words, Bhimavarapu already discloses that room controls according to specific configuration settings are forwarded to the headwall module from the patient support apparatus. As discussed in the previous rejection, Bhimavarapu does not disclose a room control schedule, and Sayadi was previously cited for teaching this limitation. As Sayadi discloses control settings in which control signals which are only sent at specific time periods determined by a user or based on data collected by the control circuitry (paragraphs 0075-0076), then Sayadi sufficiently teaches a room control schedule. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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, 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. Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, 13-15, 17, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bhimavarapu (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0293849) in view of Sayadi (U.S. Publication No. 2020/0337470), with Bhimavarapu incorporating Hayes (U.S. Publication No. 2016/0038361) by reference in its entirety and being cited below. Regarding claim 1, Bhimavarapu (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0293849) discloses a patient support apparatus 20 comprising: a frame 28; a support surface 30 adapted to support a patient thereon (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 1 and paragraph 0039); a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with a headwall module 652 attached to a headwall 60 of a healthcare facility at a fixed location (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraph 0104, also see Hayes, paragraph 0107, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58 located in the support apparatus 20), the headwall module 652 adapted to be electrically coupled to an outlet 80 on the headwall (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraphs 0053 and 0105), the outlet 80 including at least one pin in electrical communication with a room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051, where the room controls 86 may control a television which defines a room device) positioned within a room in which the patient support apparatus is located (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0057 and Figures 5 and 11); a second wireless transceiver 104 adapted to communicate with a server 72 hosted on a local area network 68 of the healthcare facility (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 5), the second wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with the server 72 via a wireless access point 70 of the local area network 68 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076 and Figure 5); a room control 86 adapted to be activated by the patient, the room control 86 adapted to control a feature of the room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051, where the room controls 86 may control room lights and/or a television which define the room device); and a controller adapted to transmit a room control signal to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver in response to a user activating the room control 86 on the patient support apparatus 20 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051-0052 and 0057, and see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58), the controller further adapted to receive a room control command from an off- board source 106 via the second wireless transceiver 104 and to transmit the room control signal to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver in response to receiving the room control command (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051-0057 and Figures 5 and 11, see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58), wherein the headwall module 652 is adapted to forward the room control signal to the room device to thereby allow the room device to be controlled both by the room control 86 and by the off-board source 106 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0077-0079 and Figures 5 and 11), source, wherein the patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to act as communication intermediary between the off-board source 106 and the room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0049-0050, 0057-0060, and 0077-0079 and Figure 5). Bhimavarapu does not explicitly disclose wherein the headwall module is adapted to forward the room control signal to the room device to thereby allow the room device to be controlled by the off-board source. Sayadi teaches wherein the module 334 is adapted to forward the room control signal to the room device (paragraph 0066, where room devices may include a television 312 and/or lighting system 314 among other devices) to thereby allow the room device to be controlled by the off-board source 414 (paragraphs 0137-0138). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Bhimavarapu (directed to a patient support and room control communications system) with Sayadi (directed to a mattress communications and control system) such that the headwall module is adapted to forward the room control signal to the room device to thereby allow the room device to be controlled by the off-board source. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because the off-board device which controls the room device allows for a user to set up routines to control the devices according to schedule to aid in falling asleep or waking up (paragraphs 0075-0081). Regarding claim 2, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051, where the room controls 86 may control a television which defines a room device) is one of a room light positioned in the room or a television positioned in the room, and the feature of the room device is one of an on/off state of the room light or at least one of a channel or volume of the television (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051). Regarding claim 4, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the controller (see Sayadi, paragraph 0071 which discusses the controller) is further adapted to receive a room control schedule (see Sayadi, paragraphs 0076-0077 and 0080-0081 where a user may set a specific time frame to control the television or light) from the off-board source 414 and to use the room control schedule to automatically control the feature of the room device 312 or 314 according to the room control schedule (see Sayadi, paragraphs 0076-0077 and 0080-0081, and paragraphs 0137-0138 which discusses the offboard source). Regarding claim 7, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 2. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the controller is adapted to receive room configuration data 116 from the off-board source 106 via the second wireless transceiver 104 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076), the room configuration data including voltage data specifying a voltage level to apply to the pin in order to control the television (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051 and 0062-0066 which discusses the means by which the controller determines voltage output to apply to the pins to control various devices including the room control 86 and see Sayadi, paragraphs 0076-0077 and 0080-0081 which discusses various operations of the room devices and paragraphs 0137-0138 which discuss the off-board source 414). Regarding claim 10, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses an exit detection system 56 adapted to detect when the patient exits from the support surface 20 and to issue an exit alert in response thereto (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0055, 0061, and 0066), wherein the outlet 80 further includes multiple pins in communication with a nurse call system 62 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0059) and the controller 100 is further adapted to receive nurse call configuration data from the off-board source 106 via the second wireless transceiver 104 and to forward the nurse call configuration data to the headwall module via the first wireless transceiver (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0003 and 0060-0067, and see Hayes, Figure 2 and paragraphs 0070-0072 which discusses the wireless transceiver), the nurse call configuration data indicating which pin of the multiple pins is to be used to communicate the exit alert to the nurse call system (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0054-0055, where transceiver 104 communicates with controller 100 and configuration settings involve what data is communicated on each pin, and paragraphs 0003 and 0060-0067 which discuss the exit detection alert being sent to the nurse call system and the method by which the alert it transmitted). Regarding claim 11, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the first wireless transceiver 60 is adapted to operate in accordance with standard IEEE 802.14.1 (see Hayes, paragraph 0062 which discusses a Bluetooth transceiver) and the second wireless transceiver 104 is a Wi-Fi transceiver (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076) and the off-board source 414 is one of a smart phone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer in communication with the server (see Sayadi, paragraph 0137, also see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0076-0079 and Figures 5 and 11, which discloses the off-board source 106 in communication with server 72). Regarding claim 13, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 2. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses a headwall interface 652 (see Bhimavarapu, defined by the portion of module 652 to which conductors 84 are connected, paragraph 0049 and Figure 11) adapted to couple to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors 84 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0049 and Figure 11), a first one of the electrical conductors 84 adapted to be in electrical communication with the pin when a cable 82 is coupled to the outlet instead of the headwall module 652 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0106, where the patient support 20 may be coupled to the data module via a cable when necessary, paragraph 0053 which discusses cable 82 that is configured to connect to data port 80); and wherein the controller 100 is further adapted to automatically retrieve from the headwall module room configuration data 116 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0067-0068), the room configuration data 116 including voltage data specifying a voltage level to apply to the pin in order to control the television (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0062), wherein the controller 100 is further adapted to use the voltage data to control the television when the cable 82 is coupled to the outlet 80 and the patient activates the room control 86 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0061-0062). Regarding claim 14, Bhimavarapu discloses a patient support apparatus 20 comprising: a frame 28; a support surface 30 adapted to support a patient thereon (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 1 and paragraph 0039); a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with a headwall module 652 attached to a headwall 60 of a healthcare facility at a fixed location (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraph 0104, and see Hayes, Figure 2 and paragraph 0059 which discusses the transceiver 60 and controller 58 located in support apparatus 20), the headwall module 652 adapted to be electrically coupled to an outlet 80 on the headwall 60 (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraph 0105), the outlet 80 including at least one pin in electrical communication with a room device positioned within a room in (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051, where the room controls 86 may control a television which defines a room device) which the patient support apparatus 20 is located (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0057 and Figures 5 and 11); a second wireless transceiver 104 adapted to communicate with a server 72 hosted on a local area network 68 of the healthcare facility (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 5), the second wireless transceiver 104 adapted to communicate with the server 72 via a wireless access point 70 of the local area network 68 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076 and Figure 5); a room control 86 adapted to be activated by the patient (paragraph 0051), the room control 86 adapted to control a feature of the room device (paragraph 0051, where, for example, a patient may change the volume of a television); and a controller is adapted to transmit a room control signal to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver (as discussed in Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0105, see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58 of the patient support apparatus 20) in response to a user activating the room control 86 on the patient support apparatus 20 (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraphs 0105-0106), the patient support apparatus 20 further adapted to receive settings from an off-board source 106 via the second wireless transceiver 104, and to forward the room control 86 to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver and to instruct the headwall module to send control signals to the room device according to configuration settings (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0049-0050, 0057-0060, and 0077-0079 and Figure 5). Bhimavarapu does not disclose the controller further adapted to receive a room control schedule from an off- board source via the second wireless transceiver and the controller is furth adapted to send control signals to the room device according to the room control schedule. Sayadi teaches a controller (discussed in paragraph 0071), the controller adapted to wirelessly receive a room control schedule from an off-board source 414 (paragraphs 0076-0077 and 0080-0081 where a user may set a specific time frame to control, for example, a television or light) and to use the room control schedule to automatically control the feature of the room device according to the room control schedule the controller is furth adapted to send control signals to the room device according to the room control schedule (paragraphs 0076-0077 and 0080-0081). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Bhimavarapu (directed to a patient support and room control communications system) with Sayadi (directed to a mattress communications and control system) such that the controller further is adapted to receive a room control schedule from an off-board source via the second wireless transceiver to automatically control the feature of the room device according to the room control schedule and second control signals to the room device according to the room control schedule. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because the off-board device which controls the room device allows for a user to set up routines to control the devices according to schedule to aid in falling asleep or waking up (paragraphs 0075-0081). Regarding claim 15, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 14. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the room device is a room light positioned in the room 64 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0057), the feature of the room device is an on/off state of the room light (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0057), and the room control schedule includes at least one of automatically turning on or off the room light 314 at a specified time (see Sayadi, paragraphs 0079-0083). Regarding claim 17, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 14. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the room device is a television positioned in the room 64 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051), the feature of the room device is at least one of a channel or a volume of the television (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051), and the room control schedule includes at least one of turning off the television at a specified time or limiting a volume of the television 312 at a specified time (see Sayadi, paragraphs 0075-0077). Regarding claim 26, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 14. Bhimavarapu, as modified, further discloses wherein the first wireless transceiver 60 is adapted to operate in accordance with standard IEEE 802.14.1 (see Hayes, paragraph 0062 which discusses a Bluetooth transceiver) and the second wireless transceiver 104 is a Wi-Fi transceiver (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076) and the off-board source 414 is one of a smart phone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer in communication with the server (see Sayadi, paragraph 0137, also see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0076-0079 and Figures 5 and 11, which discloses the off-board source 106 in communication with server 72). Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bhimavarapu in view of Sayadi and further in view of Kramer (U.S. Publication No. 2002/0014951). Regarding claim 19, Bhimavarapu, as modified, discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 14. Bhimavarapu, as modified, does not disclose wherein the controller is adapted to use the room control schedule to override the room control such that, if the user activates the room control in a manner that conflicts with the room control schedule, the controller does not transmit the room control signal to the headwall module via the first wireless transceiver in response to the user activating the room control. Kramer (U.S. Publication No. 2002/0014951) teaches the controller 175 is adapted to use the room control settings to override the room control 345 such that, if the user activates the room control 345 in a manner that conflicts with the room control settings, the controller 175 does not transmit the room control signal to the headwall module 167 via the first wireless transceiver 140 in response to the user activating the room control 345 (paragraphs 0067-0071). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Bhimavarapu, as modified (directed to a patient support and communication system), with Kramer (directed to a control for hospital beds) such that the controller is adapted to use the room control schedule to override the room control such that, if the user activates the room control in a manner that conflicts with the schedule, the controller does not transmit the room control signal to the headwall module. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because the lockout controls of Kramer prevent a user on the bed from altering the environmental controls from the settings provided by a caregiver (paragraphs 0070-0071). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 30, 34, 37, 38, and 43 are allowed. Regarding claim 30, Bhimavarapu discloses a patient support apparatus 20 comprising: a frame 38; a support surface 30 adapted to support a patient thereon (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 1 and paragraph 0039); a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with a headwall module 652 attached to a headwall 60 of a healthcare facility at a fixed location (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraph 0104, also see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58 located in the support apparatus 20), the headwall module 652 adapted to be electrically coupled to an outlet 80 on the headwall 60 (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 11 and paragraphs 0053 and 0105), the outlet 80 including at least one pin in electrical communication with a room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051, where the room controls 86 may control a television which defines a room device) positioned within a room in which the patient support apparatus 20 is located (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0057 and Figures 5 and 11); a second wireless transceiver 104 adapted to communicate with a server 72 hosted on a local area network 68 of the healthcare facility (see Bhimavarapu, Figure 5), the second wireless transceiver 104 adapted to communicate with the server 72 via a wireless access point 70 of the local area network 68 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076 and Figure 5); a room control 86 adapted to be activated by the patient, the room control 86 adapted to control a feature of the room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051, where the room controls 86 may control room lights and/or a television which define the room device); and a controller adapted to transmit a room control signal to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver in response to a user activating the room control 86 on the patient support apparatus 20 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0051-0052 and 0057, and see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58), wherein the controller is adapted to receive room configuration data 116 from the off-board source 106 via the second wireless transceiver 104 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0076), the room configuration data 116 including voltage data specifying a voltage level the headwall module is to apply to the pin in order to control the room device the room configuration data including voltage data specifying a voltage level to apply to the pin in order to control the television (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051 and 0062-0066 which discusses the means by which the controller determines voltage output to apply to the pins to control various devices including the room control 86), wherein the controller is adapted to forward the room configuration data to the headwall module 652 via the first wireless transceiver (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0052, where a user may use room controls 86 on the patient support apparatus 20, and see Hayes, paragraph 0059 which discusses transceiver 60 and controller 58) and instruct the headwall module to use the room configuration data to control the voltage level applied to the pin when controlling the feature of the room device (see Bhimavarapu, paragraphs 0050-0051 and 0062-0066); wherein the controller is adapted to request the room configuration data 116 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0075, where a user is able to change individual switch states within a particular configuration setting 116, where configuration data 116 is stored in memory 112, paragraph 0067), the controller further adapted to display the room configuration data 116 on a display 38 of the patient support apparatus 20, to allow a user to modify the room configuration data 116 (see Bhimavarapu, paragraph 0075, where a user may use custom icon to change individual switch states, add new identifiers, or delete existing locations), and to transmit to the headwall module 652 the modified room configuration data 116 (see Bhimavarapu, where controller 100 adjustments to index 142 and/or configuration settings 116 in memory 112 are made in response to user selections). However, Bhimavarapu does not disclose, teach, or otherwise suggest the controller being adapted to request a copy of the room configuration data from the headwall module when the patient support apparatus first establishes a communication link with the headwall module, the controller further adapted to display the copy on a display of the patient support apparatus to allow a user to modify the copy and to transmit back to the headwall module the modified copy of the room configuration data. While Bhimavarapu discloses a method of modifying room configuration data, the controller of Bhimavarapu does not appear to be configured to request a copy of that data from the headwall module. Rather, it appears that, when configuration settings are modified, they are located in the index 142, stored in the memory 112 of the patient support apparatus, not in the headwall module itself (paragraphs 0071-0073). Moreover, there is no disclosure, teaching, or suggestion in the prior art of record such that a rejection of claim 30 may be reasonably maintained. Claims 34, 37, 38, and 43 are additionally allowable by virtue of their dependence from claim 30. 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 ALISON N LABARGE whose telephone number is (571)272-6098. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:00. 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, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. 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. /ALISON N LABARGE/Examiner, Art Unit 3679 /Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 22, 2022
Application Filed
Jul 18, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §103
Oct 22, 2025
Response Filed
Feb 19, 2026
Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
62%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+34.4%)
2y 6m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
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