Last updated: July 17, 2026

Application No. 18/449,078

OPTICAL PROXIMITY CORRECTION (OPC) METHOD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MASK BY USING THE SAME

Non-Final OA

Filed

Aug 14, 2023

Priority

Dec 14, 2022 — RE 10-2022-0174951

Examiner

NGUYEN, NHA T

Art Unit

Tech Center

Assignee

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

OA Round

1 (Non-Final)

Interview Optional

— +18.4% interview lift. Examiner has a relatively high allowance rate (87%); +18.4% interview lift. A written response may suffice.

Based on 1063 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Examiner Intelligence

NGUYEN, NHA T View full profile →

Grants 87% — above average

Career Allowance Rate

926 granted / 1063 resolved

+27.1% vs TC avg

Strong +18% interview lift

Without

With

+18.4%

Interview Lift

resolved cases with interview

Typical timeline

2y 4m

Avg Prosecution

20 currently pending

Career history

1081

Total Applications

across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101

5.7%

-34.3% vs TC avg

§103

47.4%

+7.4% vs TC avg

§102

31.3%

-8.7% vs TC avg

§112

10.8%

-29.2% vs TC avg

Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1063 resolved cases

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 14, 2023

Application Filed

May 20, 2026

Non-Final Rejection mailed

Jun 25, 2026

Interview Requested

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

17/896,258

Patent 12682268

PHYSICAL LAYOUTS OF MAJORANA-BASED QUBITS FOR IMPLEMENTATIONS OF PENTAGONAL TILINGS

3y 10m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026

17/910,086

Patent 12675085

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTING A PROCESS METRIC ASSOCIATED WITH A PROCESS

3y 10m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

18/096,184

Patent 12662835

PARKING FACILITY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

3y 5m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026

17/903,146

Patent 12657359

QUANTUM COMPUTING SYSTEM BASED ON QUANTUM DOT QUBITS AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF

3y 9m to grant Granted Jun 16, 2026

17/938,138

Patent 12631955

METHOD OF CORRECTING AN ERROR OF A LAYOUT OF A PATTERN, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A PHOTOMASK USING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF FORMING A PATTERN USING THE SAME

3y 7m to grant Granted May 19, 2026

Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.

Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2

Expected OA Rounds

87%

Grant Probability

99%

With Interview (+18.4%)

2y 4m (~0m remaining)

Median Time to Grant

Low

PTA Risk

Based on 1063 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.