Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/276,891

CATALYTIC UPCYCLING PROCESS

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Aug 11, 2023
Examiner
HUSON, MONICA ANNE
Art Unit
1742
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Oxford University Innovation Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 1m
To Grant
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allow Rate
1073 granted / 1352 resolved
+14.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
43 currently pending
Career history
1395
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
44.8%
+4.8% vs TC avg
§102
24.4%
-15.6% vs TC avg
§112
20.4%
-19.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1352 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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. 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, 3-5, 7, 9, 11-13, 15-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 10325226, English translation) . Regarding Claim 1, Wang et al., hereafter “Wang,” show that it is known to carry out a p rocess for producing one or more aromatic compounds comprising exposing a feed composition comprising at least one plastic to microwave radiation in the presence of a solid catalyst composition, wherein the solid catalyst composition comprises a solid acid catalyst and a carbon source (0014). Regarding Claims 3 and 5, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the solid acid catalyst is ZSM-5 zeolite (0016). Regarding Claim 4 , Wang shows the process of claim 3 above, including one wherein the zeolite is SAPO (0016). Regarding Claim 7, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the carbon source is graphite (0015). Regarding Claim 9, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the carbon source is present from 1-50 wt % (00 67-0068 ). Regarding Claim 11, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the feed composition comprises 90% or more of plastics (0067-0068). Regarding Claim 12, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the feed composition comprises polyethylene (0023). Regarding Claim 13, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the ratio of feed composition to catalyst composition is 50:1 to 1:10 (0021, 0067-0068). Regarding Claim 15, Wang shows the process of claim 1 above, including one wherein the process is carried out in an atmosphere substantially free of oxygen (0067: vacuum). Regarding Claim 16, Wang shows a solid catalyst composition comprising a solid acid catalyst in admixture with a carbon source (0014). Regarding Claim 17, Wang shows the composition of claim 16, including one wherein the solid acid catalyst is a zeolite (0016). Regarding Claim 18, Wang shows the composition of claim 16, including one wherein the carbon source is graphite (0015). Regarding Claim 20, Wang shows a use of a solid catalyst composition for upcycling plastic (0010, 0013: reusing waste plastic). 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. Claim (s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang . Wang shows the process of claim 13 above, including an exemplary ratio, however he does not show the claimed ratio. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use any appropriate ratio of feed to catalyst, such as that which is claimed, during Wang’s process because where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed by the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation (MPEP 2144.05 (II)(A)). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2, 6, 8, 10, and 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 FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT MONICA HUSON whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1198 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 8a-4p . 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 Christina Johnson can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-272-1176 . 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. FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT MONICA ANNE HUSON Primary Examiner Art Unit 1742 /MONICA A HUSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 11, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
93%
With Interview (+13.6%)
3y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1352 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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