Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/015,244

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OSTOMY INFORMATION COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 09, 2023
Examiner
TOWNSEND, GUY K
Art Unit
3781
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Hollister Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 1m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allow Rate
521 granted / 705 resolved
+3.9% vs TC avg
Strong +26% interview lift
Without
With
+25.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
13 currently pending
Career history
718
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
47.6%
+7.6% vs TC avg
§102
22.3%
-17.7% vs TC avg
§112
14.8%
-25.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 705 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Status of the Claims Claims 1-13 are pending in the application, with claims 1-9 under consideration and claims 10-13 withdrawn. Election/Restriction Applicant's election of Group I, claims 1-9, in the 1/26/26 Response to Restriction Requirement is acknowledged. Because Applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse MPEP 818.01(a), 37 CFR 1.111. The requirement is deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Group II claims 10-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. A complete reply to a final rejection must include cancellation of nonelected claims or other appropriate action (37 CFR 1.144) See MPEP § 821.01. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hansen (WO 2019/120458 A1) (Assigned to Coloplast). PNG media_image1.png 431 353 media_image1.png Greyscale As to claim 1, Hansen teaches an ostomy leak detection system (ostomy base plate 2 monitor device Abstract for leak detection Fig.1; p.1,ll.3-7), comprising: PNG media_image2.png 371 339 media_image2.png Greyscale a sensor device 204 configured to detect one or more parameters or parameter values indicative of a condition of an ostomy product (electrodes/sensors for ostomy system/parameter data p.44,ll.10-11; electrodes in support layer of electrode assembly 204; Fig.3; p.46,ll.28-31); and one or more auxiliary devices 6 (monitor device 6; Fig.1) operably connected (via monitor interface comprising coupling part 210 Fig.3) to the sensor device 204 (Fig.3; p.47,ll.1-16) and receive sensor information indicative of the condition of the ostomy product (Fig.3; p.46,ll.18-22) from the sensor device 204 (Fig.3; p.46,ll.1-22), wherein the one or more auxiliary devices 6 includes a wearable device 104 (as accessory interface/second interface 104 for ostomy data sent to auxiliary processor from sensors through monitor device Fig.2; p.44,ll.3 to p.45,ll.1; p.23,ll.3-12); a consumer electronic device 8 (mobile telephone 8; Fig.1; p.44,ll.4,7-8); and a server device 10 (server device 10 Fig.1; p.44,ll.7-9). As to claims 2-3, Hansen teaches wherein [the] one or more of the auxiliary devices 6 is configured to determine and/or receive ostomy system information and characteristic information of an ostomy product based at least in part on the ostomy system information (electrodes/sensors for ostomy system/parameter data p.44,ll.10-11; to receive sensor information indicative of the condition of the ostomy product Fig.3; p.46,ll.18-22 from the sensor device 204 Fig.3; p.46,ll.1-22) . As to claim 4, Hansen teaches wherein one or more of the auxiliary devices 6 is configured to aggregate and store the ostomy system information and/or the characteristic information from a plurality of users and/or ostomy products (where multiple (at least one) aux. devices, as monitor devices 6 of different ostomy devices and patients, collect/store ostomy sys and/or characteristic/parameter data p.15,ll.29 to p.16,ll.17; the term “user” includes patients, healthcare professionals, or others p.3,ll.30-33; including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, or more, parameter or ostomy data collected by processors applying processing schemes for multiple sets of ostomy/parameter data to determine operating states p.15,ll.29 to p.16,ll.4-17; where at least one aux./monitor devices 6 receive sensor information indicative of the condition of one or more ostomy products Fig.3; p.46,ll.18-22 from the sensor device 204 Fig.3; p.46,ll.1-22). As to claim 5, Hansen teaches wherein the sensor device is a leakage sensor device (p.1,ll.5-7) configured to detect electrical resistance (p.17,ll.12-18). As to claims 6-7, Hansen teaches wherein the one or more auxiliary devices 6 including a monitoring device include the wearable device 104 (as accessory interface/second interface 104 for ostomy data sent to auxiliary processor from sensors through monitor device Fig.2; p.44,ll.3 to p.45,ll.1; p.23,ll.3-12) operably connected/coupled to: the sensor device (as electrodes/sensors for ostomy system/parameter data p.44,ll.10-11; electrodes in support layer of electrode assembly 204; Fig.3; p.46,ll.28-31); and a consumer electronic device 8 (mobile telephone 8; Fig.1; p.44,ll.4,7-8) communicably connected to the wearable device 104 via a wireless connection (via wireless transceiver p.23,ll.3-12 including a server device 10 Fig.1; p.44,ll.7-9). As to claim 8, Hansen teaches wherein the at least one auxiliary device includes a server device 10 (server device 10 Fig.1; p.44,ll.7-9) communicably coupled to the consumer electronic device 8 (mobile telephone 8; Fig.1; p.44,ll.4,7-8). As to claim 9, Hansen teaches wherein the system further comprises an ostomy product (ostomy appliance 2 including base plate 4 Fig.1,ll.2), wherein the sensor device 204 is operably connected to the ostomy product 2/4 (sensor 204 arranged between 1st 200 and 2nd 202 adhesive layers of base plate Fig.3; p.46,ll.28-31). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. The references provided on the attached PTO Form 892 are considered relevant to Applicants’ disclosure and are cited to show further the general state of the art, e.g., US 2020/0000624 A1 (whole document); US 2019/0133811 A1 (whole document); and US 2019/0240059 A1 (whole document). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to: GUY K. TOWNSEND whose telephone number is (571) 270-3689. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri., 11 am to 6 pm Eastern Time. The direct fax number is (571) 270-4689. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, REBECCA EISENBERG, can be reached on 571-270-5879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). 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. /GUY K TOWNSEND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3781
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 09, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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APPARATUS AND SEPARATION CELL FOR SEPARATING DROPS OF BIOLOGICAL LIQUID FROM TRANSPORT AIR
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
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COMPOSITE WEB
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
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Ostomy Pouch
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 24, 2026
Patent 12558528
Drainage device comprising a filter cleaning device
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 24, 2026
Patent 12558252
OSTOMY APPLIANCE WITH LEAKAGE DETECTION
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 24, 2026
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
74%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+25.7%)
3y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 705 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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