Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/288,561

THREE-ELECTRODE CELL AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS USING SAME

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Oct 26, 2023
Priority
Dec 20, 2021 — RE 10-2021-0182857 +2 more
Examiner
RHEE, JANE J
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
LG Energy Solution Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
969 granted / 1127 resolved
+26.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
1150
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
79.0%
+39.0% vs TC avg
§102
15.2%
-24.8% vs TC avg
§112
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1127 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 1. Claim(s) 1-5,7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US20190044097). As to claim 1, Yu et al. discloses a three-electrode battery (figure 1) comprising: a main separator (18); a film-shaped reference electrode (34) on a first side of the main separator; an auxiliary separator (18) on the first side of the main separator with the reference electrode interposed therebetween; a first electrode (32) and a second electrode (32) disposed with the main separator (18), the reference electrode (34), and the auxiliary separator (18) interposed therebetween; and a battery case (figure 3 number 80) accommodating the main separator (18), the reference electrode (34), the auxiliary separator (18), the first electrode (32), and the second electrode (38) in an inner space therein. As to claim 2, Yu et al. discloses wherein the reference electrode is formed with comprises a plurality of perforated holes (figure 1 number 46). As to claim 3, Yu et al. wherein the reference electrode (figure 1 number 36) further comprises: a first region (46) facing the first electrode (32) or the second electrode; and a second region (other side of 46) protruding from one side of the first electrode or the second electrode, and wherein the plurality of perforated holes (46) are formed in the first region. As to claim 4, Yu et al. discloses further comprising: a reference electrode lead having one end fused coupled to the second region of the reference electrode and the other end protruding out of the battery case (figure 1 number 46’). As to claim 5, Yu et al. discloses wherein a total area of the plurality of perforated holes is formed to be 30% to 70% of the area of the first region (figure 1 number 46). As to claim 7, Yu et al. discloses wherein the reference electrode comprises: a foil member forming a body, and a reference electrode active material coated on the foil member (paragraph 0061). As to claim 8, Yu et al. discloses wherein a material of the foil member comprises at least one of Cu-foil and Al-foil (paragraph 0061). As to claim 9, Yu et al. discloses wherein the reference electrode active material is selected from the group consisting of LTO (Li4Ti5Oi2),LFP (LiFePO4), Li metal, and a combination thereof (paragraph 0061). As to claim 10, Yu et al. discloses a performance analysis system using the three-electrode battery of claim 1, comprising: a working electrode connecting part connected to the first electrode to measure an electrode potential of the first electrode; a counter electrode connecting part connected to the second electrode; a reference electrode connecting part connected to the reference electrode; and a measuring part connected to the working electrode connecting part, the counter electrode connecting part, and the reference electrode connecting part to measure the electrode potential of the first electrode (paragraph 0052-0053,0033). 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. 2. Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. in view of Skwarek et al. (US20150214582). Yu et al. discloses the three electrode battery described above. Yu et al. fail to disclose, wherein the first electrode or the second electrode has a rectangular shape having a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other as corners, and when a length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction is formed to be longer than a length in the second directions a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the first direction is formed to be 1% to 3% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction, and a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the second direction is formed to be 5% to 95% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the second direction. Skwarek et al. teaches wherein the first electrode or the second electrode has a rectangular shape having a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other as corners, and when a length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction is formed to be longer than a length in the second directions a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the first direction is formed to be 1% to 3% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction, and a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the second direction is formed to be 5% to 95% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the second direction for the purpose of determining the aging state and the charge state of the battery (paragraph 0032 and figure 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Yu et al. with wherein the first electrode or the second electrode has a rectangular shape having a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other as corners, and when a length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction is formed to be longer than a length in the second directions a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the first direction is formed to be 1% to 3% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the first direction, and a length of the first region of the reference electrode in the second direction is formed to be 5% to 95% of the length of the first electrode or the second electrode in the second direction for the purpose of determining the aging state and the charge state of the battery (paragraph 0032 and figure 2). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30). 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, Miriam Stagg can be reached at 571-270-5256. 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. /JANE J RHEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 26, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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ION-CONDUCTIVE SOLID AND ALL-SOLID-STATE BATTERY
2y 9m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12665221
ION-CONDUCTIVE SOLID AND ALL-SOLID-STATE BATTERY
2y 9m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12658511
ALL SOLID SECONDARY BATTERY, ALL SOLID SECONDARY BATTERY STRUCTURE AND PREPARATION METHOD FOR ALL SOLID SECONDARY BATTERY
3y 4m to grant Granted Jun 16, 2026
Patent 12658542
RIVETING STRUCTURE OF ELECTRODE TERMINAL, AND SECONDARY BATTERY, BATTERY PACK, AND AUTOMOBILE COMPRISING SAME
3y 3m to grant Granted Jun 16, 2026
Patent 12651789
Battery Cell and Manufacturing Method Thereof
3y 6m to grant Granted Jun 09, 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
86%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+12.4%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1127 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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