Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/348,402

CORROSION INHIBITOR FOR IRON AND IRON ALLOYS

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Jul 07, 2023
Examiner
ANTHONY, JOSEPH DAVID
Art Unit
1764
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Tata Consultancy Services Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
77%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allow Rate
732 granted / 1000 resolved
+8.2% vs TC avg
Minimal +4% lift
Without
With
+3.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
1035
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
36.0%
-4.0% vs TC avg
§102
27.7%
-12.3% vs TC avg
§112
22.1%
-17.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1000 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §112
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 § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Independent claim 1 is indefinite in regards to the metes and bounds of what is meant by: “b) derivatives of the naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide” Emphasis added]. It is noted that Applicant’s specification does not seem to set forth any information to help clarify this issue. Dependent claims 4 and 5 are both indefinite in regards to their preamble claim language of: “The environment of claim 3” because dependent claim 3, from which claims 4 and 5 directly depend, is drawn to: “corrosion inhibitor composition” as is also independent claim 1. As such, the preamble claim language of both of these claims needs to be changed to: “The corrosion inhibitor composition of claim 3 . . .”. Dependent claim 6 is indefinite in regards to their preamble claim language of: “The organic solvent of claim 1” because independent claim 1, from which it directly depend, is drawn to: “corrosion inhibitor composition”. As such, the claim’s preamble language needs to be changed to: “The corrosion inhibitor composition of claim 1 . . .”. All other claims are also being rejected here because they are either directly or indirectly dependent on a rejected base claim. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 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. EXAMINATION NOTE: Applicant’s independent claim 1 is drawn to: “A corrosion inhibitor composition for inhibiting corrosion of iron and iron alloys, . . .”[Emphasis added]. Thus independent claim 1 is drawn to a composition and NOT to: a method of inhibiting corrosion of iron and iron alloys. This fact is important, because dependent claim 2-5 and 7 all contain method of use limitations for the claimed corrosion inhibitor composition. As such, said method of use limitations will be considered moot in regards to the following prior-art rejections. Claim(s) 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murphy et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2009/0163481 A1. Murphy et al. discloses compounds, compositions, and methods for modulating PPAR-DELTA receptor. In one embodiment, the compounds of the disclosure comprise a tri-substituted thiazole group. The substituent at the 2-position of the thiazole group provides steric bulk to the compounds. The compounds, compositions, and methods may be useful, for example, in the treatment of cancer, see abstract. Applicant’s claims 1-7 are deemed to be anticipated over Preparation of 7, as set forth in paragraphs [0169]-[0170], wherein naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide (Formula 7a) is synthesized from a reaction solution comprising: 1-cyanonapthalene, thioacetamide and a DMF (dimethyl formamide) solvent. Once said reaction has taken place, and prior to the removal of the DMF solvent, the composition would comprise naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide (Formula 7a) dissolved in the DMF (dimethyl formamide) solvent, thus anticipating all of applicant’s claims 1-7. Please note that the DMF (dimethyl formamide) solvent species falls directly within applicant’s solvent species of dependent claim 6. Attention is also drawn to Murphy et al.’s paragraph [0174] wherein naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide (Formula 7a) is combined with ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate and an EtOH (ethanol) solvent. Applicant’s claims 1-7 are also deemed to be anticipated over said combination prior to the start of the reaction between naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide and ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate, and also prior to the end of the reaction of all of naphthalene-1-thiocarboxamide and ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate. Please note that the EtOH (ethanol) solvent species falls directly within applicant’s solvent species of dependent claim 6. It should also be noted that reactant species ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate, also falls within applicant’s solvent species of dependent claim 6 because it is an ester. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH DAVID ANTHONY whose telephone number is (571)272-1117. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10:00AM-6:30PM. 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, Arrie (Lanee) Reuther can be reached at 571-270-7026. 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. /JOSEPH D ANTHONY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1764
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 07, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 31, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §112 (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
73%
Grant Probability
77%
With Interview (+3.8%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1000 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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