Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 23, 2026
Application No. 18/172,874

JOINT BENDING ESTIMATION

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Feb 22, 2023
Examiner
WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
Art Unit
2855
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Snap Inc.
OA Round
2 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
2-3
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
858 granted / 966 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
17 currently pending
Career history
991
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
59.2%
+19.2% vs TC avg
§102
29.3%
-10.7% vs TC avg
§112
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 966 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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/25/25 has been entered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (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. Claim(s) 1, 6-8, 13-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zurbrick et al. (U.S. 2020/0294474, hereafter referred to as Zurbrick). Regarding claim 1, Zurbrick teaches a computer-implemented method, comprising: capturing, by one or more processors, using one or more imaging devices of an Augmented Reality (AR) system, tracking video frame data of a real-world scene (see para. 0034, ‘environment -tracking API’); measuring, by one or more processors, using one or more strain gauges 202 of the AR system, strain data of strains of a frame of the AR system as the tracking video frame data is captured (see para. 0036, ‘the processor may receive strain data from the strain gauges 202 and use this strain data to account for the real-time positional relationship between the sensor components 204 in performance of the environment-tracking functionality’); generating, by the one or more processors, a corrected frame model of the frame based on the strain data, the tracking video frame data, and a frame model of the frame (see para. 0036, ‘Ultimately, the controller accommodates in real-time for the current angular offset and/or linear distance between the first sensor component 204(1) and the second sensor component 204(2)’); and generating, by the one or more processors, corrected tracking data based on the corrected frame model and the tracking video frame data (see para. 0009, ‘the controller may receive the tracking data from the sensor assembly and also the strain data from the strain gauge(s). Upon receiving the strain data, the controller may analyze the strain data to determine the current positional-relationship between the sensor components (e.g., in terms of distance, position in space, and/or angle between sensor components). Based on the analysis of the strain data, the controller may then update the environmental-tracking function to dynamically generate a real-time environment-tracking function that accounts for the real-time positional relationship between the first sensor component and the second sensor component’). Regarding claims 6 and 13, Zurbrick further teaches wherein at least one of the one or more strain gauges 202(2) are mounted on a bridge portion of the frame (see figure 3). Regarding claims 7 and 14, Zurbrick further teaches wherein the AR system comprises a head- worn AR apparatus (see figure 4). Regarding claim 8, Zurbrick teaches an AR system comprising: a frame 102; one or more strain gauges 202 operable to measure strains of the frame; one or more imaging devices 204 mounted to the frame; one or more processors 110; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the AR system to perform operations comprising: capturing, using the one or more imaging devices, tracking video frame data of a real-world scene (see para. 0027, ‘The controller 108 includes one or more logic devices and one or more computer memory devices storing instructions executable by the logic device(s) to accommodate in real-time for changes in the positional-relationship between the positionally sensitive components 104 while performing functionality uses algorithms that mathematically account for the positional-relationship between the positionally sensitive components 104 (e.g., environmental tracking using structured light, stereo vision, etc.)’); measuring, by one or more processors, using the one or more strain gauges of the AR system, strain data of the strains of the frame of the AR system as the tracking video frame data is captured (see para. 0036, ‘the processor may receive strain data from the strain gauges 202 and use this strain data to account for the real-time positional relationship between the sensor components 204 in performance of the environment-tracking functionality’); generating, by the one or more processors, a corrected frame model of the frame based on the strain data, the tracking video frame data, and a frame model of the frame (see para. 0036, ‘Ultimately, the controller accommodates in real-time for the current angular offset and/or linear distance between the first sensor component 204(1) and the second sensor component 204(2)’); and generating, by the one or more processors, corrected tracking data based on the corrected frame model and the tracking video frame data (see para. 0009, ‘the controller may receive the tracking data from the sensor assembly and also the strain data from the strain gauge(s). Upon receiving the strain data, the controller may analyze the strain data to determine the current positional-relationship between the sensor components (e.g., in terms of distance, position in space, and/or angle between sensor components). Based on the analysis of the strain data, the controller may then update the environmental-tracking function to dynamically generate a real-time environment-tracking function that accounts for the real-time positional relationship between the first sensor component and the second sensor component’). Regarding claim 15, Zurbrick teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (see para. 0053), the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: capturing, using one or more imaging devices of an AR system, tracking video frame data of a real-world scene; measuring, by one or more processors, using one or more strain gauges of the AR system, strain data of strains of a frame of the AR system as the tracking video frame data is captured (see para. 0027, ‘The controller 108 includes one or more logic devices and one or more computer memory devices storing instructions executable by the logic device(s) to accommodate in real-time for changes in the positional-relationship between the positionally sensitive components 104 while performing functionality uses algorithms that mathematically account for the positional-relationship between the positionally sensitive components 104 (e.g., environmental tracking using structured light, stereo vision, etc.)’); generating, by the one or more processors, a corrected frame model of the frame based on the strain data, the tracking video frame data, and a frame model of the frame (see para. 0036, ‘Ultimately, the controller accommodates in real-time for the current angular offset and/or linear distance between the first sensor component 204(1) and the second sensor component 204(2)’); and generating, by the one or more processors, corrected tracking data based on the corrected frame model and the tracking video frame data (see para. 0009, ‘the controller may receive the tracking data from the sensor assembly and also the strain data from the strain gauge(s). Upon receiving the strain data, the controller may analyze the strain data to determine the current positional-relationship between the sensor components (e.g., in terms of distance, position in space, and/or angle between sensor components). Based on the analysis of the strain data, the controller may then update the environmental-tracking function to dynamically generate a real-time environment-tracking function that accounts for the real-time positional relationship between the first sensor component and the second sensor component’). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-5, 9-12, and 16-19 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
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 22, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 25, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jun 26, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Jul 01, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Oct 01, 2025
Response Filed
Apr 29, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
May 07, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Oct 19, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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

2-3
Expected OA Rounds
89%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+9.4%)
4y 3m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 966 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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