Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/410,808

MEMORY DEVICE WITH 4N AND 8N DIE STACKS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jan 11, 2024
Priority
Feb 22, 2023 — provisional 63/447,563
Examiner
LEE, CHUN KUAN
Art Unit
2181
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Micron Technology Inc.
OA Round
4 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
4-5
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
72%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
469 granted / 686 resolved
+13.4% vs TC avg
Minimal +4% lift
Without
With
+3.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
712
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.6%
-37.4% vs TC avg
§103
73.7%
+33.7% vs TC avg
§102
5.2%
-34.8% vs TC avg
§112
8.0%
-32.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 686 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 7/23/2026 has been entered. RESPONSE TO ARGUMENTS Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 5-10 and 16-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. I. ALLOWABLE SUBJECT MATTER Claims 1-4 and 11-15 are allowed . II. REJECTIONS BASED ON PRIOR ART 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. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of Yoshihara et al. (US Pub. 2023/0187413), Pawlowski (US Pub.: 2021/0200445), and KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386). As per claim 5, NIU teaches/suggests a high-bandwidth memory (HBM) device comprising: a plurality of first memory dies in which a first set of the plurality of first memory dies and a second set of the plurality of first memory dies are operating accordingly (e.g. associated with first die stack being a corresponding type of memory/storage die, wherein first die stack include a first set and a second set: Fig. 2E; and [0042]); and a plurality of second memory dies in which each memory die of the plurality of second memory dies is operating accordingly (e.g. associated with second die stack being a corresponding type of memory/storage die: Fig. 2E; and [0042]) (Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; and [0041]-[0047]). NIU does not teach the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) device comprising: comprising a first group of the plurality of first memory dies and a second group of four memory dies associated with different ones of a plurality of pseudo channels for a first channel; and comprising a third group of four memory dies being associated with a plurality of pseudo channels for a second channel, and first group of four memory dies, the second group of four memory dies, and the third group of four memory dies collectively comprise an odd number of groups of four memory dies greater than or equal to three. Yoshihara teaches/suggests a device comprising: architecture in which dies associated with different ones of a plurality of channels for a first channel; and architecture in which die is associated with a plurality of channels for a second channel (Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; and [0041]-[0044]). Pawlowski teaches/suggests a device comprising: operating with pseudo channels; and operating with pseudo channels ([0045]; and [0049]). KIM teaches/suggests a device comprising: comprising a first group of the plurality of first memory dies and a second group of four memory dies (e.g. associated with first one of package substrates (100) and second one of package substrates (100) in Fig. 1B: [0012]; [0018]-[0019]; [0026]); and comprising a third group of four memory dies (e.g. associated with third one of package substrates (100) in Fig. 1B: [0012]; [0018]-[0019]; [0026]), and first group of four memory dies, the second group of four memory dies, and the third group of four memory dies collectively comprise an odd number of groups of four memory dies greater than or equal to three (e.g. it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to implement the stacked package substrates to have odd number of package substrates (100)) (Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; and [0012]-[0029]). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Yoshihara’s architecture, Pawlowski’s channels, and KIM’s stacking of dies into NIU’s stacked architectures for the benefit of enabling the accessing of a large number of storage transistor concurrently and in parallel (Yoshihara, [0044]), increasing bandwidth while insuring command information did not get corrupted (Pawlowski, [0017]; and [0045]), and reducing overall footprint, enhancing electrical performance and decreasing signal loss (KIM, [0013]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5. Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of Yoshihara et al. (US Pub. 2023/0187413), Pawlowski (US Pub.: 2021/0200445), and KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Leon (US Pub.: 2014/0215141). As per claim 7, NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 5 above, where NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM further teach/suggest the HBM device comprising: wherein at least one of the plurality of first memory dies or at least one of the plurality of the second memory dies comprises control logic configured to operate the at least one of the plurality of first memory dies or the at least one of the plurality of second memory dies respectively (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; Yoshihara, Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; [0041]-[0044]; Pawlowski, [0045]; [0049]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]), but NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM do not teach the device comprising: configure in accordance with an 8N architecture in a first configuration and in accordance with a 4N architecture in a second configuration. Leon teaches/suggests a device comprising: configure in accordance with an 8N architecture in a first configuration and in accordance with a 4N architecture in a second configuration (e.g. associated with access via 8 word width and 4 word width) (Leon, [0045]-[0060]). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Leon’s accessing into NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, and KIM stacked architectures for the benefit of implementing a robust architecture with low parasitic and low power consumption (Leon, [0046]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7. As per claim 8, NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 7 above, where NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon further teach/suggest the HBM device comprising wherein: the control logic comprises one or more multiplexers; and the control logic is configurable between the first configuration and the second configuration based on inputs to the one or more multiplexers (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; Yoshihara, Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; [0041]-[0044]; Pawlowski, [0045]; [0049]; KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]; and Leon, [0045]-[0060]), wherein it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to further implement the above multiplexer for multiplexing data to the corresponding memory die/chip. As per claim 9, NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 8 above, where NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon further teach/suggest the HBM device comprising wherein at least one of the inputs to the one or more multiplexers comprises a most significant bit of a bank address of an addressed bank of the plurality of first memory dies or the plurality of second memory dies (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; Leon, [0045]-[0058]; [0056]-[0060]; Yoshihara, Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; [0041]-[0044]; Pawlowski, [0045]; [0049]; KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]; and Leon, [0045]-[0060]), wherein it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to further implement the above claimed features for accessing the memory dies/chips. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of Yoshihara et al. (US Pub. 2023/0187413), Pawlowski (US Pub.: 2021/0200445), and KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of O (US Pub.: 2021/0225430). As per claim 6, NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 5 above, where NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM further teach/suggest the HBM device comprising: wherein (1) the plurality of first memory dies includes memory cells organized into a quantity of memory banks and (2) the plurality of second memory dies includes further memory cells organized into the matching quantity of memory banks (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; Yoshihara, Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; [0041]-[0046]; Pawlowski, [0045]; [0049]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]), but NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM do not teach the device comprising: being associated with a first stack identifier and being associated with a second stack identifier. O teaches/suggests a device comprising: being associated with a first stack identifier and being associated with a second stack identifier ([0015]; and [0020]) (Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include O’s architecture into NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski and KIM’s device for the benefit of efficiently use limited bus bandwidth for high speed data processing (O, [0009]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 6. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of Yoshihara et al. (US Pub. 2023/0187413), Pawlowski (US Pub.: 2021/0200445), KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386) and Leon (US Pub.: 2014/0215141) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of O (US Pub.: 2021/0225430). As per claim 10, NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 8 above, where NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon further teach/suggest the HBM device comprising wherein at least one of the inputs to the one or more multiplexers associated with the at least one of the plurality of first memory dies or the at least one of the plurality of second memory dies (e.g. it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to multiplex data to each corresponding dies properly) (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; Yoshihara, Fig. 2(a)-2(b); [0006]-[0007]; [0041]-[0044]; Pawlowski, [0045]; [0049]; [0061]; [0074]; KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]; and Leon, [0045]-[0058]; [0056]-[0060]), but NIU, Yoshihara, Pawlowski, KIM, and Leon do not teach the device comprising a bit of a stack identifier. O teaches/suggests a device comprising: a bit of a stack identifier ([0015]; and [0020]) (Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include O’s architecture into NIU, Leon, Yoshihara and Pawlowski’s device for the benefit of efficiently use limited bus bandwidth for high speed data processing (O, [0009]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10. Claims 16-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of O (US Pub.: 2021/0225430), and KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386). As per claim 16, NIU teaches/suggests a method comprising: transmitting, via an interface of a high-bandwidth memory (HBM) device, to a memory die of the HBM device (e.g. associated with transmission for read/write operation to the memory die via corresponding interface: [0020]-[0026]; [0043]); transmitting, via an interface of the HBM device, to the memory die of the HBM device (e.g. associated with transmission for read/write operation to the memory die via corresponding interface: [0020]-[0026]; [0043]), wherein the memory die is one of a plurality of memory dies of the HBM device (Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; and [0041]-[0047]). NIU does not teach the method comprising: operating, from an interface die, with a first memory bank on die, and using a first command address bus, signaling that causes the first memory bank to return first data on a first DQ bus; in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the first memory bank to return the first data on the first DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the first DQ bus, the first data; operating, with the interface die, with a second memory bank on die, and using the first command address bus, signaling that causes the second memory bank to return second data on a second DQ bus, wherein the second memory bank is different from the first memory bank and the second DQ bus is different from the first DQ bus; and in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the second memory bank to return the second data on the second DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the second DQ bus, the second data, the plurality of memory dies comprising a plurality of groups of four memory dies that collectively comprise an odd number of groups of four memory dies greater than or equal to three. O teaches/suggests a method comprising: operating, from an interface die (e.g. associated with interface between buffer die (1900) and memory die (1100)), with a first memory bank (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG0 in Fig. 5) on die, and using a first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7), signaling that causes the first memory bank to return first data on a first DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056]); in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the first memory bank to return the first data on the first DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the first DQ bus, the first data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056]); operating, with the interface die (e.g. associated with interface between buffer die (1900) and memory die (1100)), with a second memory bank on die (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG2 in Fig. 5), and using the first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7), signaling that causes the second memory bank to return second data on a second DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056]), wherein the second memory bank is different from the first memory bank (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG0 being different from BK0 on BG2 in Fig. 5) and the second DQ bus is different from the first DQ bus (e.g. associated with DB1 being different from DB0 in Fig. 5); and in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the second memory bank to return the second data on the second DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the second DQ bus, the second data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056]), architecture in which (i) the first memory bank of die is associated with a channel and (ii) the second memory bank of die is associated with the channel ([0007]-[0008]) (Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0007]-[0008]; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]). KIM teaches/suggests a method comprising: the plurality of memory dies comprising a plurality of groups of four memory dies that collectively comprise an odd number of groups of four memory dies greater than or equal to three (e.g. it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to implement the stacked package substrates to have odd number of package substrates (100)) (Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; and [0012]-[0029]). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include O’s communicating architecture and KIM’s stacking of dies into NIU’s method for the benefit of efficiently use limited bus bandwidth for high speed data processing (O, [0009]), and reducing overall footprint, enhancing electrical performance and decreasing signal loss (KIM, [0013]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 16. As per clam 17, NIU, O, and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 16 above, where NIU, O, and KIM further teach/suggest the method comprising: transmitting, from the interface die of the HBM device, to a third memory bank on a second memory die (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG0 in memory die (1200) of O) of the HBM device, and using the first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7 of O), signaling that causes the third memory bank to return third data on the first DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O); in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the third memory bank to return the third data on the first DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the first DQ bus, the third data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O); transmitting, from the interface die of the HBM device, to a fourth memory bank on the second memory die (e.g. associated with BK1 on BG0 in memory die (1200) of O) of the HBM device, and using the first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7 of O), signaling that causes the fourth memory bank to return fourth data on the first DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O), wherein the fourth memory bank is different from the third memory bank (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG0 being different from BK1 on BG0 in memory die (1200) of O); and in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the fourth memory bank to return the fourth data on the first DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the first DQ bus, the fourth data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB0 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O) (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; O, Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0007]-[0008]; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]). As per clam 18, NIU, O, and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 17 above, where NIU, O, and KIM further teach/suggest the method comprising: transmitting, from the interface die of the HBM device, to a fifth memory bank on a third memory die (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG2 in memory die (1300) of O) of the HBM device, and using the first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7 of O), signaling that causes the fifth memory bank to return fifth data on the second DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O); in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the fifth memory bank to return the fifth data on the second DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the second DQ bus, the fifth data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O); transmitting, from the interface die of the HBM device, to a sixth memory bank on the third memory die (e.g. associated with BK1 on BG2 in memory die (1300) of O) of the HBM device, and using the first command address bus (e.g. associated with command and address signal CA being communicated via corresponding bus in Fig. 7 of O), signaling that causes the sixth memory bank to return sixth data on the second DQ bus (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O), wherein the fifth memory bank is different from the sixth memory bank (e.g. associated with BK0 on BG2 being different from BK1 on BG2 in memory die (1300) of O); and in response to transmitting the signaling that causes the sixth memory bank to return the sixth data on the second DQ bus, receiving, at the interface die and using the second DQ bus, the sixth data (e.g. associated with reading data that is returned on DB1 in Fig. 5: [0026]; [0033]-[0034]; [0037]; [0040]; [0043]; [0053]; [0056] of O) (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; O, Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0007]-[0008]; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]). As per clam 20, NIU, O, and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 18 above, where NIU, O, and KIM further teach/suggest the method comprising: wherein: transmitting the signaling that causes the first memory bank to return the first data on the first DQ bus comprises identifying the first memory die by at least a first stack identifier (e.g. associated with stack identifier SID0/SID1: [0015]; [0020] of O); transmitting the signaling that causes the third memory bank to return the third data on the first DQ bus comprises identifying the second memory die at least by a second stack identifier different from the first stack identifier (e.g. associated with stack identifier SID0/SID1: [0015]; [0020] of O); and transmitting the signaling that causes the fourth memory bank to return the fourth data on the second DQ bus comprises identifying the third memory die by at least the second stack identifier (e.g. associated with stack identifier SID0/SID1: [0015]; [0020] of O) (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; O, Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0007]-[0008]; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]). Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NIU et al. (US Pub.: 2024/0063200) in view of O (US Pub.: 2021/0225430), and KIM (US Pub.: 2020/0227386) as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Leon (US Pub.: 2014/0215141). As per clam 19, NIU, O, and KIM teach/suggest all the claimed features of claim 18 above, where NIU, O, and KIM further teach/suggest the method comprising: wherein the second memory die and the third memory die are configured accordingly (NIU, Fig. 1; Fig. 2E; [0020]-[0028]; [0041]-[0047]; O, Fig. 1-3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Fig. 9; [0007]-[0008]; [0012]-[0030]; [0032]-[0037]; [0040]-[0043]; [0053]; [0056]; and KIM, Fig. 1A-1C; [0002]; [0012]-[0029]). Leon teaches/suggests a method comprising: operating in accordance with an 8N architecture (e.g. associated with using 8 word width for data accessing: [0058]) ([0045]-[0060]) It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in this art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Leon’s accessing architecture into NIU, O, and KIM’s method for the benefit of implementing a robust architecture with low parasitic and low power consumption (Leon, [0046]) to obtain the invention as specified in claim 19. III. CLOSING COMMENTS CONCLUSION STATUS OF CLAIMS IN THE APPLICATION The following is a summary of the treatment and status of all claims in the application as recommended by M.P.E.P. 707.07(i): CLAIMS REJECTED IN THE APPLICATION Per the instant office action, claims 1-20 have received a first action on the merits and are subject of a first action non-final. DIRECTION OF FUTURE CORRESPONDENCES Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUN KUAN LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-0671. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday. IMPORTANT NOTE If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Idriss Alrobaye can be reached on (571) 270-1023. 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. /CHUN KUAN LEE/Primary Examiner Art Unit 2181 September 21, 2026
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
May 07, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Sep 08, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 08, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 06, 2026
Response Filed
Apr 23, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 23, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Jul 26, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Sep 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

4-5
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
72%
With Interview (+3.7%)
3y 4m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 686 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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