Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 28, 2026
Application No. 18/245,062

HIGHLY DENSE RED MUD SHIELDS FOR X-RAY AND GAMMA-RAY ATTENUATION

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Mar 13, 2023
Priority
Sep 14, 2020 — IN 202011039832 +1 more
Examiner
TOOMER, CEPHIA D
Art Unit
1771
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
OA Round
2 (Non-Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
2-3
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
76%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allowance Rate
1004 granted / 1355 resolved
+9.1% vs TC avg
Minimal +2% lift
Without
With
+2.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
40 currently pending
Career history
1396
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
75.8%
+35.8% vs TC avg
§102
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§112
13.9%
-26.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1355 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 Office action is in response to the amendment filed December 29, 2025 in which claim 10 was amended and claims 19-20 were added. The rejection of the claims under 35 USC 102 is withdrawn in view of the amendment to claim 10. The allowability of claims 17-18 is withdrawn for the reasons set forth below. 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 17-20 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. In claims 17 and 19, it is not clear how the step in claim 17possessing) or the step in claim 19(b) may be performed if the amount of the Bi compound and/or the Ba compound is 0%. Clarification is required. Claims 10-17 are allowed. The prior art does not teach or suggest the claimed red mud based material possesses the recited properties. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CEPHIA D TOOMER whose telephone number is (571)272-1126. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday. 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, Prem Singh can be reached at 571-272-6368. 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. /CEPHIA D TOOMER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771 18245062/20260312
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 13, 2023
Application Filed
Oct 28, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Dec 29, 2025
Response Filed
Mar 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Apr 16, 2026
Response Filed

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12637631
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING LIGNOCELLULOSE BIOMASS MATERIAL
1y 6m to grant Granted May 26, 2026
Patent 12630774
NOVEL PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BIODIESEL WITH REDUCED MONOACYLGLYCEROL CONTENT
1y 6m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12624269
Heat Transfer Fluids Comprising Isomeric Branched Paraffin Dimers Derived From Linear Alpha Olefins And Use Thereof
3y 1m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12612571
DIESEL FUEL AND FUEL ADDITIVE WITH A COMBUSTION CATALYST
2y 11m to grant Granted Apr 28, 2026
Patent 12606767
1,4-Benzoxazine Compounds And Lubricant Compositions Containing The Same
2y 2m to grant Granted Apr 21, 2026
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
74%
Grant Probability
76%
With Interview (+2.4%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 1355 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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