Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/275,838

INDUCTION HEATING COOKTOP

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 04, 2023
Examiner
TRAN, THIEN S
Art Unit
3761
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
LG Electronics Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 5m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allow Rate
955 granted / 1336 resolved
+1.5% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
59 currently pending
Career history
1395
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.7%
-38.3% vs TC avg
§103
51.1%
+11.1% vs TC avg
§102
20.4%
-19.6% vs TC avg
§112
22.3%
-17.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1336 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. Priority In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis ( i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness . Clai m s 11 , 12, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Senquan (CN201681717) in view of Baldo (US 2019/0124725). An English machine translation of Senquan (CN201681717) is included with the Notice of Refence Cited (PTO-892). With respect to the limitations of claim 11, Senquan teaches a n induction heating cooktop comprising: a working coil module (Figs 5, 6, IH coil winding structure, IH coil body 1, 0023) configured to generate a magnetic field to heat the cooking vessel, the working coil module including: a first working coil wound to define a first plurality of turns (first coil 2, 0023) ; and a second working coil wound between the turns of the first working coil to define a second plurality of turns (second coil 3, 0023). Senquan disclose the claimed invention except for explicitly showing the induction heating cooktop comprising a n upper plate configured to support a cooking vessel; and an inverter configured to apply current to the working coil module. However, Baldo discloses the induction heating cooktop comprising a n upper plate (Figs 1, 2, cooking surface 28, 0022) configured to support a cooking vessel (pan 24, 0021) ; and an inverter (inverters 44a, 44b, 0027) configured to apply current to the working coil module (induction coil 16a, 16b, 0027) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the induction heating cooktop having a working coil module silent an upper plate and inverter with the induction heating cooktop comprising a n upper plate configured to support a cooking vessel; and an inverter configured to apply current to the working coil module of Baldo for the purpose of providing a known a top plate configuration that functions as a cooking surface and a known inverter configuration that is configured to supply driving current to the induction coils (0022, 0025). With respect to the limitations of claim s 12, 19 and 20, Senquan teaches t he working coil module includes a total number of turns, the first working coil defines odd turns of the total number of turns (first coil 2 has 7 turns) , and the second working coil defines even turns of the total number of turns (second coil 3 has 8 turns); a difference between an outer diameter of the first working coil and an outer diameter of the second working coil is less than a preset value (see figure 5, spacing of first and second coils 2, 3 are preset and determined by IH coil body 1); each turn of the first working coil and each turn of the second working coil are disposed to be spaced a predetermined threshold value or more from each other (see figure 5, spacing of first and second coils 2, 3 are preset and determined by IH coil body 1) . Claim s 1 3 , 14, 15, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Senquan (CN201681717) in view of Baldo (US 2019/0124725) as applied to claim 11, further in view of Suga (WO 2020/166061). An English machine translation of Suga (WO 2020/166061) is included with the Notice of Refence Cited (PTO-892). With respect to the limitations of claim 13, Senquan in view of Baldo discloses the claimed invention except for the working coil module further comprises a first relay configured to connect the first working coil to the second working coil. However, Suga discloses the working coil module further comprises a first relay (Figs 1-4, open/closing means 62, 0038) configured to connect the first working coil to the second working coil is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the induction heating cooktop having a first and second working coil silent to a relay with the w orking coil module further comprises a first relay configured to connect the first working coil to the second working coil of Suga for the purpose of forming a known relay configuration that allows the first and second working coil to conduct based on a material type to be heated (0038, 0047). With respect to the limitations of claim s 14, 15, 17 and 18, Senquan in view of Baldo and Suga discloses the first relay is connected between a last turn of the first plurality of turns of the first working coil and a first turn of the second plurality of turns of the second working coil ( Suga, Fig 4, relay 62 connected between coil 111 and coil 112). further comprising a processor configured to turn the first relay on or off based on types of the cooking vessel ( Suga, control device 45, load determination unit 46, 0038, 0046, 0047); further comprising a processor configured to selectively control current to both the first working coil and the second working coil or to any one of the first working coil and the second working coil according to types of the cooking vessel (Suga, control device 45, load determination unit 46, 0038, 0046, 0047) ; the processor is further configured to supply the current to only one of the first working coil and the second working coil when the cooking vessel is made of a magnetic substance ( Suga, 0047) , and the processor is further configured to supply the current to both the first working coil and the second working coil when the cooking vessel is made of a non-magnetic substance ( Suga, 0052, 0056) . Claims 2 1 and 2 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Senquan (CN201681717) in view of Baldo (US 2019/0124725) as applied to claim 11, further in view of Inoshita (US 2020/0100332). With respect to the limitations of claims 2 1 and 2 2 , Senquan in view of Baldo discloses the claimed invention except for further comprising a ferrite member, the first working coil and the second working coil are located between an upper surface of the upper plate and the ferrite member ; the ferrite member includes: a plurality of first ferrite elements extending in radial directions from a center of the working coil module; and a plurality of second ferrite elements extending in the radial directions from the center of the working coil module. However, Inoshita discloses further comprising a ferrite member (Figs 2-4, ferrite cores 6, 0066, 0067) , the first working coil and the second working coil (first coil 4a, second coil 4b, 0064) are located between an upper surface of the upper plate (top plate 3, 0064) and the ferrite member (6) ; the ferrite member includes: a plurality of first ferrite elements extending in radial directions from a center of the working coil module (Fig 4, ferrite cores 6 at 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees) ; and a plurality of second ferrite elements (alternate ferrite cores 6) extending in the radial directions from the center of the working coil module is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the induction heating cooktop of Senquan in view of Baldo h aving a first and second working coil silent to the recited ferrite members with further comprising a ferrite member, the first working coil and the second working coil are located between an upper surface of the upper plate and the ferrite member ; the ferrite member includes: a plurality of first ferrite elements extending in radial directions from a center of the working coil module; and a plurality of second ferrite elements extending in the radial directions from the center of the working coil module of Inoshita for the purpose of providing a known ferrite member configuration that inhibit s downward leakage flux from the heating coil, making it possible to improve heating efficiency and uniformly heat the cooking container (0066). Claims 23 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Senquan (CN201681717) in view of Baldo (US 2019/0124725) and Inoshita (US 2020/0100332) as applied to claims 11 and 22, further in view of Nam (US 2019/0342953). With respect to the limitations of claims 23 and 24, Inoshita discloses the distal ends of the first ferrite elements and distal ends of the second ferrite elements are located at an outer circumference of the working coil module (Fig 4, ferrite cores 6). Senquan in view of Baldo and Inoshita discloses the claimed invention except for a length of the first ferrite element is less than a length of second ferrite element. However, Nam discloses a length of the first ferrite element is less than a length of second ferrite element (Figs 4, 8, shows the ferrite cores 162, 163, 166, having different lengths 0053, 0054) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the induction heating cooktop of Senquan in view of Baldo and Inoshita having first and second ferrite elements silent to varying length with a length of the first ferrite element is less than a length of second ferrite element of Nam for the purpose of providing a known first and second ferrite element with different lengths that inhibit s downward leakage flux from the heating coil in desired areas. Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Senquan (CN201681717) in view of Baldo (US 2019/0124725) as applied to claim 11, further in view of Shin (KR101450238). An English machine translation of Shin (KR101450238) is included with the Notice of Refence Cited (PTO-892). With respect to the limitations of claim 25, Senquan teaches first and second working coils having a plurality of turns. Senquan in view of Baldo discloses the claimed invention except for further comprising a base having a plurality of partition walls to separate the plurality of turns the working coil . However, Shin discloses further comprising a base (Fig 1, base 10, 0021) having a plurality of partition walls (guide protrusions 12, 0021) to separate the plurality of turns the working coil (heating coil 20, 0021) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the induction heating cooktop of Senquan in view of Baldo having first and second working coils silent to a base with a plurality of partition walls with the further comprising a base having a plurality of partition walls to separate the first plurality of turns of the first working coil from the second plurality of turns of the second working coil of Shin for the purpose of providing a known base and partition wall configuration that allows the coil to be easily wound spirally so that a constant spacing is maintained between the coils, and also reduces the number of parts to economically lower costs and improve productivity (0001, 0010). Allowable Subject Matter Claim 16 is 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. Claims 26-30 are allowed. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT THIEN S TRAN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-7745 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday [8:00-4:00] . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Steven Crabb can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-5095 . 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. /THIEN S TRAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 3/2 4 /2026
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 04, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 24, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12601499
FOOD PREPARATION SYSTEM
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12601501
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2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12582167
FLEXIBLE HEATER AND ELECTRONICS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
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COFFEE GRINDER APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12588108
CONTROL METHOD FOR AN OVEN
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
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
72%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+24.4%)
3y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1336 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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