Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 04, 2026
Application No. 18/036,054

DETECTION PLATE HAVING IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION AND ANALYZER FOR READING IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION AND IDENTIFICATION METHOD THEREFOR

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 10, 2023
Priority
Nov 09, 2020 — CN 202011238986.8 +1 more
Examiner
WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
Art Unit
2855
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Leadway (Hk) Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
853 granted / 961 resolved
+20.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+9.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
4y 3m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
974
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
59.5%
+19.5% vs TC avg
§102
29.0%
-11.0% vs TC avg
§112
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 961 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Election/Restrictions Claims 1-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 7/1/26. 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. Claim(s) 11-14, 16, 17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 206772836) in view of Zhang et al. (CN 204882369, hereafter referred to as Zhang 369’). Regarding claims 11, 16 and 21, Zhang teaches an analyzer for reading the identification information of a detection device, comprising an upper cover 3 (see figure 3), a bottom cover 11 (see figure 5), a detection device insertion port (see figure 2), and a circuit board 6 (see figure 4) assembled between the upper cover and the bottom cover, However, Zhang does not explicitly teach wherein a detection switch used to distinguish the type of the detection device; and the position of the detection switch in said analyzer corresponds to the position of the identification element of the detection device inserted into the analyzer. Zhang 369’ teaches a similar device wherein the analyzer has a detection switch (21, 22, 25) used to distinguish the type of the detection device is mounted to the circuit board; and the position of the detection switch in said analyzer corresponds to the position of an identification element of the detection device inserted into the analyzer (see figure 5; see Example 1). Additionally, regarding the limitation of claim 16, wherein ‘through whether the detection switch of the analyzer is triggered by the identification element or not, the analyzer generates a signal corresponding to whether triggering is carried out or not to identify the type of the detection device’, Zhang 369’ teaches that the switches (21, 22) are in communication with controller (see Example 2, ‘the first sensor receives CodeChip insertion end 11 is inserted in place of the position signal after starting the test socket with the first switch 21 and the second switch 22 of the corresponding relationship, and transmitting the detection signal to the controller’). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Zhang with the teaching of Zhang 369’ in order to increase the range of operation. Regarding claim 12, Zhang 369’ further teaches wherein the detection switch in the analyzer is triggered by a non-recessed portion of the identification element of the detection device to enable the analyzer to power on and identify the type of the detection device (see figure 5; see Example 1, ‘The inserting end of the CodeChip groove 11 is provided for starting the first switch 21 and/or the second switch’). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Zhang with the teaching of Zhang 369’ in order to increase the range of operation. Regarding claims 13, 14 and 17, Zhang 369’ further teaches wherein when the detection device is inserted into the analyzer, the non-recessed portion of the identification element of the detection device will touch the button for the detection switch and press the button to trigger the detection switch; and the recessed portion of the identification element of the detection device will not touch the button for the detection switch (each CodeChip insertion end 11 has recessed and/or non-recessed portions; see Example 1; see figures 1, 2, and 4); wherein the device comprises two detection switches (21, 22), which are in one-to-one correspondence with the two identification elements of the detection device, respectively (see figures 1, 3, and 4). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Zhang with the teaching of Zhang 369’ in order to increase the range of operation. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 15, 18-20, and 22-25 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMEL E WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7027. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10am-4pm. 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, John Breene can be reached at (571)272-4107. 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. /JAMEL E WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 10, 2023
Application Filed
Aug 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (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
89%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+9.4%)
4y 3m (~1y 4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 961 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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