Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/275,522

ELECTRODE MIXTURE FOR BATTERY, AND NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY

Non-Final OA §102§Other
Filed
Aug 02, 2023
Priority
Feb 26, 2021 — JP 2021-030629 +1 more
Examiner
ALEJANDRO, RAYMOND
Art Unit
1752
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Panasonic Holdings Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
926 granted / 1170 resolved
+14.1% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+22.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
49 currently pending
Career history
1221
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
68.0%
+28.0% vs TC avg
§102
12.2%
-27.8% vs TC avg
§112
8.0%
-32.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1170 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §Other
DETAILED ACTION 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 Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (i.e., claims 1-8) in the reply filed on 04/10/26 is acknowledged. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/02/23, 02/12/26 and 05/04/26 was considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings were received on 08/02/23. 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) 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by the publication CN 107834070 (herein CN’070). As to claims 1, 3-4: CN’070 discloses that it is known in the art to make an electrode material/composition for an electrochemical cell, comprising an active material capable of releasing Li including an ionic material/compound containing a moiety (chemical species) chemically bonded to the active material, an organic cation/ion, and a counter anion/ion wherein the organic cation includes ammonium, imidazolium, pyridinium, pyrrolidinium, and sulfonium; and the anion includes PF6-, BF4-, N(SO2CF3)2-, N(SO2F)2, and bis-oxalateborate (0004-0006; 0025-0028; 0030-0033; 0046-0049; see Example 1). As to claims 2: CN’070 discloses that the amount of the ionic compound ranges from 0.2-1.8 weight % (0004-0006; 0025-0028; 0030-0033; 0046-0049; see Example 1). As to claim 5: As to the limitation “the bonding moiety is derived from a hydrolysable silyl group”, it is noted that the final composition of the claimed product does not necessarily require the hydrolysable silyl group per se. In this respect, it is noted that the limitation “the bonding moiety is derived from a hydrolysable silyl group” is being construed as product-by-process limitation/claim, and that the product itself does not depend on the process of making it. Accordingly, in a product-by-process claim, the patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. In that, it is further noted that the product in the instant claims is the same as or obvious over the product of the prior art. In re Thorpe 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964,966 (Fed Cir. 1985) and MPEP 2113. As a result, the process steps of a product-by-process claim do not impart any significant property or structure to the claimed end product. And, if there is any difference, the difference would have been minor and obvious. Therefore, the present claims are unpatentable over a reference that satisfies the claimed compositional or physical or property or structural limitations, and/or a reference that discloses a product made by a process that reasonably substantially comprises every limitation of the claimed process. In re Brown, 459 F.2d 531, 535, 173 USPQ 685, 688 (CCPA 1972) and In re Fessmann, 489 F.2d 742, 744 180 USPQ 324, 326 (CCPA 1974);See also In re Best, 195 USPQ 430 (CCPA 1977) [prove that prior art products do not necessarily or inherently possess characteristics] & Ex parte Gray, 10 USPQ2d 1922 (BPAI 1989) [needs to show that the claimed process imparts unexpected property or structure](Refer to MPEP 2113: Product-by-Process Claims). As to claims 7-8: CN’070 discloses the active material includes a layered Li-oxide material having the formula LiNixM1-xO2 where x ranges from 0.1-0.5, and M may be Al, Mn and/or Co (0004-0006; 0025-0028; 0030-0033; 0046-0049; see Example 1). Thus, the present claims are anticipated. (at least) Claims 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Roev et al 2016/0079590. As to claims 1, 6: Roev et al disclose that it is known in the art to make an electrode material/composition for an electrochemical cell, comprising an active material capable of releasing Li including an ionic material/compound containing a moiety (chemical species) chemically bonded to the active material, an organic cation/ion, and a counter anion/ion wherein the content of silicon ranges from 0.01-0.25 weight % (Abstract; 0040-0047; 0105-0120; 0126-0132; see Figure 1). Thus, the present claims are anticipated. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAYMOND ALEJANDRO whose telephone number is (571)272-1282. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday (8:00 am-6:30 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, Nicholas A. Smith can be reached at (571) 272-8760. 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. /RAYMOND ALEJANDRO/ Primary Examiner Art Unit 1752
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 02, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §Other (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
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+22.1%)
3y 4m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1170 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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