Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/220,271

REFRIGERANT LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM IN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF SAME

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Jul 11, 2023
Examiner
CRENSHAW, HENRY T
Art Unit
3763
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Sanjiu Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allow Rate
753 granted / 992 resolved
+5.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +15% lift
Without
With
+14.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
17 currently pending
Career history
1009
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
45.4%
+5.4% vs TC avg
§102
12.3%
-27.7% vs TC avg
§112
37.6%
-2.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 992 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 . This action is in response to the amendment filed 8/14/2025. Claims 1-6, 8-10 are pending. Claim 7 has been cancelled by applicant. Allowable Subject Matter The claims will be allowable provided that the 112 rejections are overcome without broadening the scope of the claims. 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 1-6, 8-10 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. Claim 1 The claim recites, “a circulation duct used to circulate the refrigerant’, and later recites, “a first exhaust valve (5) and a second exhaust valve (6) correspondingly arranged at the air inlet end and air outlet end of the circulation duct.” It is not clear if the “circulation duct” is used for air or refrigerant. Claim 2 The claim recites, wherein the air conditioning system is an integration of a plurality of independent refrigeration systems comprising a compressor, a circulation duct . . . ., etc”. The meaning of “refrigeration systems is not clear”. Does each of the plurality of systems contain the recited components, or is some other meaning intended? Claim 3 Lines 15-20 recite, “closing a first electromagnetic valve (3) and second electromagnetic valve (4) of a compressor . . . . The term “of” is insufficient to covey the structural arrangement of the valves relative to the compressor. The claim can be interpreted such the valves are part of the compressor, but this does not appear to be applicant’s intent. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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. 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 HENRY T CRENSHAW whose telephone number is (571)270-1550. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. 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, JD Fletcher can be reached on 571-270-5054. 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. /HENRY T CRENSHAW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 11, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 10, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Aug 14, 2025
Response Filed
Aug 24, 2025
Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12584669
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12578137
REFRIGERATOR WITH FILTER HAVING PHOTOCATALYST
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12578133
IMPROVED COOLING SYSTEM CONTROL
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12571400
VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE (VFD) SURGE DETECTION AND RESPONSE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12560349
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
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

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+14.9%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 992 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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