Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 05, 2026
Application No. 18/333,274

INTEGRATED CHECK VALVE FOR HEATING ELEMENT COOLING IN OCCLUSIVE DENERVATION CATHETERS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jun 12, 2023
Priority
Jul 25, 2022 — provisional 63/391,894
Examiner
RABAGLIA, BRIDGET ELIZABETH
Art Unit
3771
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Medtronic Ireland Manufacturing Unlimited Company
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
69%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
86%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 69% — above average
69%
Career Allowance Rate
110 granted / 160 resolved
-1.2% vs TC avg
Strong +17% interview lift
Without
With
+16.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
37 currently pending
Career history
209
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
78.2%
+38.2% vs TC avg
§102
15.2%
-24.8% vs TC avg
§112
2.6%
-37.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 160 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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/23/2026 has been entered. Response to Amendment As of the reply filed 2/23/2026, claims 1-7 and 9-22 are pending. Claims 17-22 remain withdrawn. Claim 1 has been amended. Claim 8 remains cancelled. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed 2/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Satake and Levin et al. fail to disclose or teach “wherein the check valve is configured to remain closed when the fluid pressure within the expandable element is at the first pressure and to open when the fluid pressure within the expandable element is at the second pressure, and wherein the expandable element remains expanded at both the first pressure and the second pressure” (see page 8 of Reply), but the Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Applicant argues that Satake fails to suggest the amended limitations because “Satake operates on a binary positive/negative pressure paradigm” and that “balloon inflation and check valve opening occur together” (see page 9 of Reply). However, Satake discloses that the check valve opens and “the flow resumes on the opening of a clearance gap between the anterior neck and the inner tube… when a coolant is injected into the balloon, the pressure within the balloon turns to positive to thereby inflate the balloon. If the in-balloon pressure exceed[s] a given value (or cracking pressure), the valve defined by the anterior neck and the inner tube opens, thus discharging the solution therein to the outside of the balloon to thereby cool the balloon” (PP [0012]). Balloon inflation occurs independently of the opening of the check valve until a given cracking pressure is reached, at which point the positive pressure within the balloon creates a clearance gap between the anterior neck and the inner tube, thus opening the check valve. In reverse, the check valve closes when the internal pressure of the balloon falls below the cracking pressure and “When the in-balloon solution is suctioned from the balloon to turn the pressure within the balloon to negative” (PP [0012]). Therefore, Satake continues to read on the amended claim language, as there is a first pressure immediately prior to the cracking pressure where the balloon is inflated and the check valve is closed, and a second pressure immediately after the cracking pressure has been reached where the balloon is inflated and the check valve is open. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claims 1-7 and 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Satake (US PGPub 2018/0036071 A1) in view of Levin et al. (US PGPub 2014/0371736 A1). With respect to claim 1, Satake discloses a system for ablating tissue (abstract, see Fig. 1A), the system comprising: a treatment device (see Fig. 1A) including a treatment element (6), the treatment element (6) including an expandable element (6 is a balloon), a thermal element (11), an inflow lumen (9) for providing a fluid to the expandable element (PP [0051]: “a solution transport path 9 in communication with the inside of the balloon 6”), and a check valve (8) for controllably allowing the fluid to flow from the expandable element (PP [0051]: “As illustrated in FIG. 1A, when the balloon 6 is subjected to a positive pressure, between the anterior neck 6A and the inner tube shaft 3 is defined a clearance gap 7 for allowing the coolant C to be discharged from the inside of the balloon 6 to the outside of the balloon. In contrast to that, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, when the balloon 6 is subjected to a negative pressure, the anterior neck 6A is deformed and comes in contact with the inner tube shaft 3 to permit the flow of the coolant C in one direction. In this way, the anterior neck 6A and the inner tube shaft 3 respectively serve as a valving element of the check valve 8 and a valve seat of the check valve 8”); wherein the check valve (8) is configured to remain closed when the fluid pressure within the expandable element (6) is at the first pressure (PP [0012]: “If the in-balloon pressure exceed a given value (or cracking pressure), the valve defined by the anterior neck and the inner tube opens, thus discharging the solution therein to the outside of the balloon to thereby cool the balloon”, the first pressure is immediately before this cracking pressure is reached when the balloon is sufficiently inflated) and to open when the fluid pressure within the expandable element (6) is at the second pressure (see PP [0012], the second pressure is when or after the cracking pressure is reached and the check valve 8 opens), and wherein the expandable element (6) remains expanded at both the first pressure and the second pressure (the expandable element 6 is expanded both immediately before and after the cracking pressure is reached, see PP [0012]). However, since Satake discloses a manual syringe-operated pump, the disclosure fails to disclose one or more electronic controllers configured to: control a pump to provide a volume of the fluid to the expandable element via the inflow lumen at a first pressure; control the thermal element to emit energy to perform an ablation on a target tissue during a power delivery period; and during the power delivery period, control the pump to provide the volume of the fluid to the expandable element via the inflow lumen at a second pressure higher than the first pressure, such that the second pressure causes the check valve to open; and wherein the one or more electronic controllers are configured to maintain the first pressure before the power delivery period and return to the first pressure after the power delivery period. In the same field of ablation devices (abstract), Levin et al. teaches a balloon ablation device (see 322b in Fig. 19) comprising one or more electronic controllers (360, PP [0206]: “Controller 360 is typically configured to allow an operator to initiate, modify and cease treatment of tissue by the various components of system 300, such as by controlling EDU 330”) configured to: control a pump to provide a volume of the fluid to the expandable element via the inflow lumen at a first pressure (PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to adjust the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of fluid delivered to expandable treatment element 322a and/or 322b… System 300, EDU 330 and/or controller 360 may be constructed and arranged to modify the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of a fluid delivered to one or more treatment elements based a parameter selected from the group consisting of: one or more measured properties of the delivered fluid; one or more measured properties of the treatment element; one or more measured properties of the target tissue; and combinations of these”); control the thermal element to emit energy to perform an ablation on a target tissue during a power delivery period (PP [0195]: “treatment element 322b comprises an energy delivery element such as an energy delivery element configured to deliver RF energy”, PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to deliver energy (e.g. from EDU 330) or other tissue treatment in a closed-loop fashion, such as by modifying one or more tissue treatment parameters based on signals from one or more sensors of system 300”)”, PP [0209]: “controller 360 may be programmed to provide a specific amount of RF energy for a defined period of time”); and during the power delivery period, control the pump to provide the volume of the fluid to the expandable element via the inflow lumen (PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to adjust the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of fluid delivered to expandable treatment element 322a and/or 322b”) at a second pressure higher than the first pressure (PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to deliver energy (e.g. from EDU 330) or other tissue treatment in a closed-loop fashion, such as by modifying one or more tissue treatment parameters based on signals from one or more sensors of system 300. Controller 360 may be programmable such as to allow an operator to store predetermined system settings for future use”); and wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360, PP [0206]: “Controller 360 is typically configured to allow an operator to initiate, modify and cease treatment of tissue by the various components of system 300, such as by controlling EDU 330”) are configured to maintain the first pressure before the power delivery period and return to the first pressure after the power delivery period (PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to adjust the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of fluid delivered to expandable treatment element 322a and/or 322b”, 360 can control the pressure therefore it is configured to maintain/return to the first pressure). It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the Satake device to incorporate the teachings of Levin et al. and include the electronic controllers are claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to perform this modification because doing so would have constituted the use of a known technique (a processor for controlling ablation and fluid pumping, as taught by Levin et al.) to improve the similar device of Satake in the same way, yielding predictable results- another ablation catheter comprising a processor for controlling ablation and balloon inflation (see MPEP 2143 I. C.). Furthermore, such a modification would have been obvious since it has been held that “broadly providing an automatic or mechanical means to replace a manual activity which accomplished the same result is not sufficient to distinguish over the prior art” (see MPEP 2144.04 III., In re Venner, 262 F.2d 91, 95, 120 USPQ 193, 194 (CCPA 1958)). Regarding claim 2, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are further configured to: responsive to an expiration of the power delivery period, control the thermal element (11 in Fig. 1A of Satake) to stop emitting energy (Levin et al. PP [0209]: “controller 360 may be programmed to provide a specific amount of RF energy for a defined period of time”). Regarding claim 3, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the treatment device (see Fig. 1A of Satake) further includes: a temperature sensor (12, see also 316b in Fig. 19 of Levin et al., PP [0202]: “Sensor 316b may be a sensor configured to provide information related to the tissue treatment performed by treatment element 322b, such as a temperature sensor mounted to treatment element 322b and configured to monitor the temperature of treatment element 322b and/or tissue proximate treatment element 322b”); and wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are coupled to the temperature sensor (see Fig. 19) and further configured to, during the power delivery period: receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor; and control the pump based on the temperature reading (PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to adjust the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of fluid delivered to expandable treatment element 322a and/or 322b… Controller 360 may be configured to deliver energy (e.g. from EDU 330) or other tissue treatment in a closed-loop fashion, such as by modifying one or more tissue treatment parameters based on signals from one or more sensors of system 300”). Regarding claim 4, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are further configured to: compare the temperature reading to a threshold value (PP [0132]: “The surface temperature is preferably of a value that is slightly higher than the threshold for damage, e.g. at or above 43.degree. C., typically between 45.degree. C. and 50.degree. C., so that ablation is limited to the inner-most layer of the tissue while the deeper layers are undamaged, such as by maintaining the non-target tissue at a temperature below a necrotic threshold, such as by using the perfusion of blood as a heat sink”, PP [0202]: “Sensor 316b may be a sensor configured to provide information related to the tissue treatment performed by treatment element 322b, such as a temperature sensor mounted to treatment element 322b and configured to monitor the temperature of treatment element 322b and/or tissue proximate treatment element 322b”); and control the pump based on the temperature reading by controlling the pump to provide the volume of the fluid to the expandable element via the inflow lumen at the second pressure only when the temperature reading exceeds the threshold value (PP [0203]: “Energy Delivery and Fluid Transport Unit (EDU) 330 may be configured to deliver and extract one or more fluids from treatment element 322a and/or 322b, as well as deliver one or more forms of energy to target tissue”, PP [0205]: “Typical system output parameters include but are not limited to: temperature information such as tissue and/or treatment element temperature information”). Regarding claim 5, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are further configured to: in response to the temperature reading exceeding a fluid temperature threshold value during the power delivery period, control the thermal element (11 in Fig. 1A of Satake) to stop emitting energy (Levin et al. PP [0206]: “Controller 360 may be configured to deliver energy (e.g. from EDU 330) or other tissue treatment in a closed-loop fashion, such as by modifying one or more tissue treatment parameters based on signals from one or more sensors of system 300. Controller 360 may be programmable such as to allow an operator to store predetermined system settings for future use. System 300, EDU 330 and/or controller 360 may be constructed and arranged to modify the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of a fluid delivered to one or more treatment elements based a parameter selected from the group consisting of: one or more measured properties of the delivered fluid; one or more measured properties of the treatment element; one or more measured properties of the target tissue; and combinations of these”, emphasis added). Regarding claim 6, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are further configured to: receive a second temperature reading from the temperature sensor (316b continuously monitors temperature therefore 360 is configured to receive a second temperature reading, see also 12 in Fig. 1A of Satake); determine a predicted temperature based on the first and second temperature readings (PP [0196]: “In one embodiment, an algorithm processes one or more sensor signals to modify amount of energy delivered, power of energy delivered and/or temperature of energy delivery”); compare the predicted temperature to a second threshold value (PP [0180]: “Cooling STEP 225 may include monitoring of temperature, such as to identify real-time temperature levels”); and control the pump based on the temperature reading by controlling the pump to provide the volume of the fluid to the expandable element (6 in Fig. 1A of Satake) via the inflow lumen (9) at the second pressure only when the predicted temperature exceeds the second threshold value (Levin et al. PP [0206]: “System 300, EDU 330 and/or controller 360 may be constructed and arranged to modify the temperature, flow rate and/or pressure of a fluid delivered to one or more treatment elements based a parameter selected from the group consisting of: one or more measured properties of the delivered fluid; one or more measured properties of the treatment element; one or more measured properties of the target tissue; and combinations of these”, emphasis added). Regarding claim 7, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the one or more electronic controllers (360 in Fig. 19 of Levin et al.) are further configured to, during the power delivery period: receive a second temperature reading from the temperature sensor (316b continuously monitors temperature therefore 360 is configured to receive a second temperature reading, see also 12 in Fig. 1A of Satake); determine a rate of change based on the first and second temperature readings (PP [0043]: “one or more measured properties of the target tissue”, temperature is a measured property of the target tissue, the controller is configured to receive one or more temperature measurements and is therefore configured to determine the change between them); compare the rate of change to a second threshold value (PP [0115]: “Elevated temperature ablation of living tissue exhibits a temperature threshold, below which the application of heat over any time duration, short or long, is non-destructive of tissue and above which the application of heat is increasingly damaging with increasing time and/or temperature, to the point of necrosis”); and control the pump based on the temperature reading by controlling the pump to provide the volume of fluid to the expandable element (6 in Fig. 1A of Satake) via the inflow lumen (9) at the second pressure only when the rate of change is within a predetermined range of the second threshold value (PP [0043]: “The controller may modify temperature, flow rate and/or pressure based on a parameter selected from the group consisting of: one or more measured properties of a delivered fluid; one or more measured properties of the expandable treatment element; one or more measured properties of the target tissue; and combinations of these”, the device is capable of modifying fluid flow by controlling the pump based on the sensed temperature changes relative to the temperature threshold for ablating tissue). Regarding claim 9, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the check valve (8 in Fig. 1A of Satake) is positioned on the treatment element (6) such that when the check valve (8) is open (see Fig. 1A), a fluid pressure within the expandable element (6) causes the fluid to flow through the check valve (8) out of a distal tip of the treatment element (see arrows flowing through 7). Regarding claim 10, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the check valve (8 in Fig. 1A of Satake) is positioned on an exterior surface of the expandable element (6) such that when the check valve (8) is open (see Fig. 1A), a fluid pressure within the expandable element (6) causes the fluid to flow through the check valve (8) out of the treatment element (see arrows flowing through 7). Regarding claim 11, Satake as modified by Levin et al. fails to disclose wherein the treatment element includes a plurality of check valves positioned on the treatment element such that when any of the plurality of check valves is open, a fluid pressure within the expandable element causes the fluid to flow out of a distal tip of the treatment element. In the same field of ablation devices (abstract), Levin et al. further teaches an embodiment comprising a plurality of valves positioned on the treatment element such that when any of the plurality of check valves is open, a fluid pressure within the expandable element causes the fluid to flow out of the treatment element (PP [0037]: “The system may comprise one or more valves, such as a valve constructed and arranged to be opened to evacuate fluid from the treatment element. The valve may be positioned within the treatment element or within one or more lumens of the elongate tube, such as when a first lumen is used to fill the treatment element with fluid and a second lumen is used to evacuate fluid from the treatment element”). It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have further modified the Satake and Levin et al. combination to include additional teachings of Levin et al. and incorporate the plurality of check valves as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to perform this modification because doing so would have constituted the use of a known technique (a plurality of valves) on the known device of Satake, ready for improvement to yield predictable results, as Levin et al. teaches that including one or more valves can help to better “control entry of fluid into an area and/or to maintain pressure of fluid within an area” (PP [0203]), and modifying the check valve of Satake such that it comprises a plurality of check valves would have simply yielded a similar enhanced control over fluid pressure. Additionally, doing so would have been obvious since it has been held that “mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced” (see MPEP 2144.04 VI. B., In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960)). Regarding claim 12, Satake as modified by Levin et al. fails to explicitly disclose wherein each of the plurality of check valves is configured to open at a different pressure threshold, such that a fluid flow through the expandable element is proportional to a fluid pressure applied by the pump. It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the combination as proposed such that each of the check valves is configured to open at a different pressure threshold, as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to perform this modification because doing so would have been obvious to try, as there are a finite number of identified, predictable solutions (the check valves open at all different pressures, the same pressure, or a mix of some same pressures and other different pressures) that one of ordinary skill in the art could have pursued with a reasonable expectation of success. Regarding claim 13, Satake as modified by Levin et al. fails to explicitly disclose wherein each of the plurality of check valves is configured with a different opening size and to open at a different pressure threshold, such that a fluid flow through the expandable element is proportional to a fluid pressure applied by the pump. It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have further modified the combination as proposed such that each of the plurality of check valves is configured with a different opening size to open at a different pressure threshold. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to perform this modification because doing so would have been obvious to try, as there are a finite number of identified, predictable solutions (the check valves have the same diameters, different diameters, or a mixture of same and different diameters) that one of ordinary skill in the art could have pursued with a reasonable expectation of success to yield the check valves opening at different pressure thresholds such that a fluid flow through the expandable element is proportional to a fluid pressure applied by the pump. Regarding claim 14, Satake as modified by Levin et al. fails to disclose wherein: the treatment element further includes an outflow lumen for removing fluid from the expandable element, and one of the inflow lumen and the outflow lumen is positioned more closely, with respect to the other, to the thermal element. However, in the same field of ablation (abstract), Levin et al. further discloses an alternate embodiment (see Fig. 2) wherein the treatment element (100) comprises a separate inflow lumen (160, attached to fluid delivery ports 161 and 162) and an outflow lumen (113, attached to fluid extraction port 163) for removing fluid from the expandable element (100), and one of the inflow lumen (160) and the outflow lumen (113) is positioned more closely, with respect to the other, to the thermal element (135, outflow lumen 113 ends closer to the thermal element 135). It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the combination as proposed to further include the inflow and outflow lumens as taught by the alternate embodiment of the Levin et al. reference. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to perform this modification because Levin et al. teaches that “The simultaneous delivery and withdrawal of fluid maximizes the differential pressure across balloon 120 and enables high flow rate of fluids through balloon 120” (PP [0137]), providing greater control over the fluid pressure of the device. Regarding claim 15, Satake as modified by Levin et al. further discloses wherein the check valve (8 in Fig. 1A of Satake) is configured to open at a plurality of opening sizes corresponding to a plurality of pressure thresholds (PP [0026]: “Discharge rate of the coolant depends on injection rate of the coolant to be injected into the balloon, and further on the elasticity and/or shape of the anterior neck of the balloon serving as a valving element. Further, an “overlap” between the anterior neck of the balloon, in communication with the outer tube, and the inner tube define a check valve that allows adjustment of the discharge rate by sliding the inner tube against the outer tube to change the extent of the “overlap”, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D”, see MPEP 2112.01, the diameter of check valve 8 will vary depending on the injection rate), such that a fluid flow through the expandable element (6) is proportional to a fluid pressure applied by the pump (see arrows in Fig. 1A, the rate of fluid flow out of the expandable element is proportional to the rate of fluid injection into the expandable element). Regarding claim 16, Satake as modified by Levin et al. fails to disclose wherein: the treatment element further includes an outflow lumen for removing fluid from the expandable element, and the check valve is positioned at an opening of the outflow lumen. However, in the same field of ablation (abstract), Levin et al. further discloses an alternate embodiment (see Figs. 11A-B) comprising a separate inflow lumen (113 connected to delivery port 163) and an outflow lumen (160 connected to extraction port 161) for removing fluid from the expandable element (120), and a check valve (167, see PP [0157]) positioned at an opening of the outflow lumen (160). It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the Satake and Levin et al. combination to have further incorporated the teachings of Levin et al. by including an outflow lumen comprising a check valve as claimed. Doing so would have been a simple substitution of fluid delivery/extraction arrangements that would have yielded predictable results, since the Levin et al. embodiment of Figs. 11A-B is intended to function similarly to the device of Satake by utilizing negative and positive pressure environments to open/close the valve as required and inflate the expandable member. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bridget E. Rabaglia whose telephone number is (571)272-2908. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday, 7am - 5pm. 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, Jackie Ho can be reached at (571) 272-4696. 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. /BRIDGET E. RABAGLIA/Examiner, Art Unit 3771 /TAN-UYEN T HO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3771
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 12, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 12, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Dec 10, 2025
Response Filed
Dec 30, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Feb 23, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Mar 14, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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3-4
Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
86%
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2y 11m (~0m remaining)
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