Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Application No. 18/514,592

ENERGY GENERATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING SAME

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 20, 2023
Examiner
JOHNS, HILARY LYNN
Art Unit
3613
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
unknown
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
To Grant
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
556 granted / 678 resolved
+30.0% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+15.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
9 currently pending
Career history
687
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
47.0%
+7.0% vs TC avg
§102
31.8%
-8.2% vs TC avg
§112
16.8%
-23.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 678 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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)(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. Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chung (WO 2013094808 A). Regarding claim 1, Chung discloses an apparatus (Fis. 2-3) for generating electricity from movement of a vehicle (automobile 1) having a front end and a rear end and operated by a user (Pg. 4, Lns. 170-181), comprising: a channel (air duct 100); wherein said channel has a length from a channel inlet (air inlet 110) to a channel outlet (air outlet 120), and is bordered by a channel wall comprising a top and two sides (see top and sidewalls of air duct 100; Figs. 2-3); wherein side channel has an interior that extends from said channel inlet to said channel outlet (Fig. 3 shows where air duct 100 extends from air inlet 110 to air outlet 120); wherein said channel wall is incorporated with said vehicle (Figs. 2-3); a turbine located (turbine 200) in said interior (Fig. 3); a generator (generator 300) attached to said vehicle (Figs. 2-3), wherein said turbine is in operative communication with said generator (Pg. 7, Lns. 317-322); and a battery (battery 400) in operative communication with said generator (Pg. 7, Lns. 324-326). Regarding claim 2, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses wherein said channel (air duct 100) generally extends from at or near the front end to at or near the rear end (Figs. 2-3). Regarding claim 3, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses wherein said channel wall further comprises a bottom (see in Fig. 3 the bottom wall of air duct 100). Regarding claim 4, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses wherein there are a multiplicity of turbines (turbines 200) located in said interior (Fig. 3). Regarding claim 5, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses wherein said inlet (air inlet 110) is located at said front end (right end of the car: Figs. 2-3), and said outlet (air outlet 120) is located at said rear end (left end of the car; Figs. 2-3). Regarding claim 6, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 3. Chung further discloses comprising an inlet cover located at or near said inlet, wherein said inlet cover may be opened to allow airflow into said channel, or closed to keep airflow out of said channel (see discussion of plurality of plate shaped rotary bars controlled by switch 112; Pg. 5, Lns. 231-244). Regarding claim 7, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses wherein said channel wall further comprises a bottom (see in Fig. 3 the bottom wall of air duct 100). Regarding claim 8, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 7. Chung further discloses wherein there are a multiplicity of turbines (turbines 200) located in said interior (Fig. 3). Regarding claim 9, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 8. Chung further discloses comprising an inlet cover located at or near said inlet, wherein said inlet cover may be opened to allow airflow into said channel, or closed to keep airflow out of said channel (see discussion of plurality of plate shaped rotary bars controlled by switch 112; Pg. 5, Lns. 231-244). Regarding claim 10, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 2. Chung further discloses wherein said channel wall further comprises a bottom (see in Fig. 3 the bottom wall of air duct 100). Regarding claim 11, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 10. Chung further discloses wherein there are a multiplicity of turbines (turbines 200) located in said interior (Fig. 3). Regarding claim 12, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 11. Chung further discloses comprising an inlet cover located at or near said inlet, wherein said inlet cover may be opened to allow airflow into said channel, or closed to keep airflow out of said channel (see discussion of plurality of plate shaped rotary bars controlled by switch 112; Pg. 5, Lns. 231-244). Regarding claim 13, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 1. Chung further discloses comprising: a generator (generator 300); wherein said turbine (turbine 200) is in operative communication with said generator (Pg. 7, Lns. 312-315); a battery (battery 400); and wherein said generator is in operative communication with said battery (Pg. 7, Lns. 324-326). Regarding claim 14, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 13. Chung further discloses wherein said channel (air duct 100) generally extends from at or near the front end to at or near the rear end (Figs. 2-3). Regarding claim 15, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 13. Chung further discloses wherein said channel wall further comprises a bottom (see in Fig. 3 the bottom wall of air duct 100). Regarding claim 16, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 13. Chung further discloses comprising: a multiplicity of turbines (turbines 200; Fig. 3), wherein each of said turbines is located in said interior (Fig. 3); and wherein each of said multiplicity of turbines is in operative communication with said generator (generators 300; Pg. 7, Lns. 312-315; Fig. 3). Regarding claim 17, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 13. Chung further discloses comprising: a multiplicity of turbines (turbines 200; Fig. 3), wherein each of said turbines is located in said interior (Fig. 3); a multiplicity of generators (generators 300), wherein each of said multiplicity of turbines is in operative communication with one of said multiplicity of generators (Pg. 7, Lns. 312-315; Fig. 3). Regarding claim 18, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 16. Chung further discloses wherein said inlet (air inlet 110) is located at said front end (right end of the car: Figs. 2-3), and said outlet (air outlet 120) is located at said rear end (left end of the car; Figs. 2-3). Regarding claim 19, Chung discloses the apparatus of Claim 18. Chung further discloses comprising an inlet cover located at or near said inlet, wherein said inlet cover may be opened to allow airflow into said channel, or closed to keep airflow out of said channel (see discussion of plurality of plate shaped rotary bars controlled by switch 112; Pg. 5, Lns. 231-244). Citation of Pertinent Prior Art The prior art made of record and cited on PTO Form 892 is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Conclusion The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entire prior art as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Inquiry Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HILARY LYNN JOHNS whose telephone number is (313) 446-4852. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-5:30. 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, J Allen Shriver can be reached on 303 297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /HILARY L JOHNS/Examiner, Art Unit 3613 /JAMES A SHRIVER II/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 20, 2023
Application Filed
Oct 07, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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INVERTED BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
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LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SELF-PROPELLED TANDEM AXLE TRAILER
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VEHICLE BODY FRAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12583305
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2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 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
82%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+15.5%)
2y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 678 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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