Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/539,184

BATTERY PACK

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Dec 13, 2023
Priority
Aug 24, 2023 — CN 202322293241.7
Examiner
ZORIJ, COLIN MICHAEL
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
AESC Japan Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
0%
Grant Probability
At Risk
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
Est. Remaining
0%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 0% of cases
0%
Career Allowance Rate
0 granted / 1 resolved
-60.0% vs TC avg
Minimal +0% lift
Without
With
+0.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
5y 0m
Avg Prosecution
9 currently pending
Career history
2
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§103
59.4%
+19.4% vs TC avg
§102
18.8%
-21.2% vs TC avg
§112
6.3%
-33.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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 . Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 202322293241.7, filed on August 24, 2023. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-4, 7, 9-10, 14, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Yang et al. (US20230238610A1). As to claim 1 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a battery pack comprising a case and cell assemblies disposed in the case (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery 10 may further comprise a case with the interior of the case being of a hollow structure, and the plurality of battery cells 20 are accommodated in the case in Par. 109, in Fig. 2), wherein the case comprises a heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the interior of a case of a battery is separated by a thermal management component 13 into an electrical chamber for accommodating battery cells and a collection chamber for collecting emissions in Par. 98, in Fig. 19) and a bottom protection plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the case 11 further comprises a protective member 115, in Par. 163, in Fig. 19) disposed below the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the protective member 115 is configured to protect the thermal management component 13 in Par. 163 and the protective member 115 is located below the thermal management component 13 in Fig. 19), and the cell assemblies are disposed on the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the thermal management component 13 may comprise a first thermally conductive plate 131, the first thermally conductive plate 131 is attached to the first wall 21a of the battery cell 20 in Par. 197 and the batteries are disposed on top of the thermal management component in Fig. 19), each of the cell assemblies comprises a plurality of cells (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses an isolation member 113 configured to isolate the plurality of battery cells 20 into multiple groups and each group of battery cells comprises at least one battery cell in Par. 206, in Fig. 19), an explosion-proof valve (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the pressure relief mechanism may take the form of an anti-explosion valve in Par. 93) is provided on a side of each of the cells (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses one of the walls of the batter cell 20, such as a first wall 21a, may be further provided with a pressure relief mechanism 213 in Par. 116, in Fig. 17) facing the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses when the pressure relief mechanism 213 is actuated, the emissions inside the battery cell 20 is discharged through the pressure relief region 130 provided on the thermal management component 13, in Par. 183, in Fig. 17), and the heat exchange plate is provided with pressure relief through holes (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the thermal management component 13 is provided with a pressure relief region 130 in Par. 183 and the pressure relief region 130 of the thermal management component 13 being designed as a through hole in Par. 216, in Fig. 17) corresponding to the explosion-proof valves (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the pressure relief regions 130 may be arranged opposite the pressure relief mechanism 213 of the battery cell 20 in Par. 183, in Fig, 17), PNG media_image1.png 444 804 media_image1.png Greyscale Instant Application, Figure 6 PNG media_image2.png 443 790 media_image2.png Greyscale Yang et al. (‘8610). Figure 19 reinforcing members (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a support member 31 is provided in the collection chamber 11b in Par. 127, in Fig. 19) are disposed between the heat exchange plate and the bottom protection plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the support member 31 in the collection chamber 11b may be fixedly arranged on the protective member 115 and/or the thermal management component 13 in Par. 167, the support member 31 is placed between the thermal management component 13 and the protective member 115 in Fig. 19), each of the reinforcing members comprises a base portion (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a connecting face of the support member may be in contact with the protective member 115 in Par. 221) and supporting portions connected to the base portion (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a non-connecting face of the support member 31, that is, the face of the support member 31 that is not in contact with the thermal management component 13 and/or the protective member 115 in Par. 221), the base portion is disposed on the bottom protection plate portion (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a connecting face of the support member may be in contact with the protective member 115 in Par. 221), the supporting portions are supported between the bottom protection plate and the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a non-connecting face of the support member 31, that is, the face of the support member 31 that is not in contact with the thermal management component 13 and/or the protective member 115 in Par. 221), and in a height direction of the battery pack, projection of the pressure relief through holes at least partially overlap projection of the base portions (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses in the height direction (z direction) of the case 11, each support member 31 of the strip-shaped structure is correspondingly arranged below the pressure relief mechanism 213 of each row of battery cells 20 in Par. 219, in Fig. 15,16). As to claim 2 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1), wherein the pressure relief through holes are arranged in sequence in a width direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses four rows of battery cells 20 are arranged in the width direction (y direction) of the case 11, four rows of pressure relief regions 130 are arranged in the thermal management component 13 corresponding to the four rows of battery cells 20 in Par. 228, in Fig. 19), and each of the base portions is in a long strip shape (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the support member 31 of a strip-shaped structure in Par. 199, in Fig. 18) and extends in the width direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the extending direction of the support members 31 of a strip-shaped structure may also be the width direction (y direction) of the case 11 in Par. 200). As to claim 3 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 2 (see discussion of claim 2), wherein each of the supporting portions is in a long strip shape extending in the width direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the extending direction of the support member 31 of a strip-shaped structure may also be the width direction (y direction) of the case 11 in Par. 200), the supporting portions are provided on both sides of the base portion (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the support member 31 may be of a quadrilateral tubular structure in Par 224, in Fig. 18a) in a length direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the extending direction of the support member 31 of a strip-shaped structure may also be the width direction (y direction) of the case 11 in Par. 200), and each of the pressure relief through holes is disposed between the two supporting portions (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the first orifices 311 are provided in one side wall of the quadrangular tubular structure in Par. 214, see in Fig. 17,18). As to claim 4 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 3 (see discussion of claim 3), wherein lifting portions extending in the width direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the extending direction of the support member 31 of a strip-shaped structure may also be the width direction (y direction) of the case 11 in Par. 200, see in Fig. 18a) are further provided on edges of the supporting portions close to the heat exchange plate (see Fig. 17,19), and the lifting portions are attached to the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a connecting face of the support member 31 may be in contact with the thermal management component 13 in Par. 221, in Fig. 17,19). As to claim 7 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 4 (see discussion of claim 4), wherein the two lifting portions extend toward each other (see discussion of claim 4 and Fig. 18a), and the lifting portions are provided with receiving through holes corresponding to the pressure relief through holes (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the first orifice 311 in the support member 31 is arranged corresponding to the pressure relief region 130 of the thermal management component 13 in Par. 217, in Fig. 17,19). As to claim 9 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1), wherein plural cell assemblies are provided (see discussion of claim 1, plurality of battery cells 20 into multiple groups in Par. 206), the cell assemblies are disposed side by side in sequence in a length direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses each row of battery cells 20 is arranged in the length direction (x direction) of the case 11 in Par. 219, in Fig. 19) on the heat exchange plate (see discussion of claim 1), plural reinforcing members are provided (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses a plurality of support members 31 are arranged apart from each other in the collection chamber 11b in Par. 231, in Fig. 19), and the reinforcing members are disposed side by side corresponding to the cell assemblies (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses four rows of battery cells 20 are arranged in the width direction (y direction) of the case 11, four support members 31 are arranged in the collection chamber 11b, four rows of pressure relief regions 130 are arranged in the thermal management component 13 corresponding to the four rows of battery cells 20, and the first orifices 311 in each support member 31 are arranged corresponding to one row of pressure relief regions 130 in Par. 228, in Fig. 19). As to claim 10 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 9 (see discussion of claim 9), wherein separating beams (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses an isolation member 113 in Par. 206, in Fig. 19) extending in a width direction of the battery pack (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) inexplicitly discloses the isolation member 113 extends in the width and length directions (y and x directions) in Fig. 19) are provided on a side of the heat exchange plate away from the bottom protection plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the isolation member 113 is arranged in the second portion 112 and the enclosure 110, or top half of the case 11, consists of the first portion 111 and second portion 112 in Par 204,206, in Fig. 19), and each of the separating beams is located between the two cell assemblies adjacent to each other (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the isolation member 113 is configured to isolate the plurality of battery cells 20 into multiple groups in Par. 206, in Fig. 19). As to claim 14 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1), wherein in the height direction of the battery pack, the projection of the pressure relief through holes are within the projection of the base portions (see discussion of claim 1, Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses in the height direction (z direction) of the case 11, each support member 31 of the strip-shaped structure is correspondingly arranged below the pressure relief mechanism 213 of each row of battery cells 20 in Par. 219, in Fig. 15,16). As to claim 17 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1), wherein the reinforcing members are made of stainless steel (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the support members 31 may be of a metal material in Par. 145). As to claim 18 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1), wherein heat exchange flow channels for circulating a heat medium are provided in the heat exchange plate (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the thermal management component 13 is configured to accommodate a cooling fluid to reduce the temperature of a plurality of battery cells in Par. 99). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US20230238610A1). As to claim 8 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 7 (see discussion of claim 7). Yang et al. (‘8610) also discloses the first orifice 311 in the support component 13 is arranged corresponding to the pressure relief region 130 of the thermal management component 13 in Par. 217. The first orifice 311 may be in communication with the pressure relief region 130 of the thermal management component 13 and the first orifice 311 may have a cross-sectional area not less than the area of the pressure relief region 130, to achieve a good conduction effect of the first orifice 311 on the emissions in Par. 218. Yang et al. (‘8610) does not explicitly disclose wherein a number of the receiving through holes is less than a number of the pressure relief through holes and one of the receiving through holes is disposed corresponding to plural of the pressure relief through holes, or the number of the receiving through holes corresponds to the number of the pressure relief through holes, and the receiving through holes and the pressure relief through holes are arranged in one-to-one. It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the first orifice in the supporting member from Yang et al. (‘8610) so that the number of first orifices corresponds to the number of pressure relief regions and the first orifices are arranged one-to-one with the pressure relief regions as taught in Yang et al. (‘8610) in order to further improve the good conduction effect of the first orifice on the emissions in Par. 218. Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US20230238610A1) in view of Deng et al. (US20240088513A1). PNG media_image3.png 436 704 media_image3.png Greyscale Instant Application, Figure 18 PNG media_image4.png 468 709 media_image4.png Greyscale Deng et al., Figure 17 As to claim 5 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 4 (see discussion of claim 4), wherein the two supporting portions are provided with the lifting portions (see discussion of claim 4). Yang et al. (‘8610) does not disclose the two lifting portions extend away from each other. Deng et al. discloses a battery pack box including a bottom plate and an accommodation pipeline, the accommodation pipeline includes an accommodation plate arranged in a bent manner in Par. 11. The accommodation plate and the bottom plate together enclose a channel for accommodating molten substance in Par. 11. The accommodation plate 1221 comprises a first plate 1231, a second plate 1251, a third plate 1271, a fourth plate 129, and a fifth plate 131, which are connected at an angle in sequence in Par. 95. The second plate 1251 is obliquely connected between the first plate 1231 and the third plate 1271, and the fourth plate 129 is obliquely connected between the third plate 1271 and the fifth plate 131 in Par. 95 and in Fig. 17. Wherein the third plate 1271 acts as a base portion, the second plate 1251 and the fourth plate 129 act as supporting portions, and the first plate 1231 and fifth plate 131 act as lifting portions. The first plate 1231 and the fifth plate 131 are located at two ends and are configured to be parallel to a bottom plate 305 in Par. 95. The first plate 1231 and the fifth plate 131 are extending in opposite directions as shown in Fig. 17. Both Yang et al. (‘8610) and Deng et al. are analogous in the field of battery packs supporting structures, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the support member in Yang et al. (‘8610) to include the two lifting portions extending away from each other as taught by Deng et al. in order to save costs and simplify the mounting process as taught by Deng et al. in Par. 94. In any event, changes to size and shape of the prior art venting structure are an obvious modification, absent evidence to the contrary (see MPEP 2144.04 Part IV). As to claim 6 Yang et al. (‘8610) in view of Deng et al. discloses the battery pack according to claim 5 (see discussion of claim 5), wherein an included angle between the base portion and each of the supporting portions is an obtuse angle (see e.g. Deng et al. discloses the angel between the second plate 1251 and the third plate 1271 and the angle between the fourth plate 129 and the third plate 1271 are both greater than 90 degrees in Par. 96, in Fig. 17). Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US20230238610A1) in view of Yang et al. (US20220320651A1). PNG media_image5.png 461 694 media_image5.png Greyscale Instant Application, Figure 12 PNG media_image6.png 354 650 media_image6.png Greyscale Yang et al. (‘0651), Figure 12b As to claim 11 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 10 (see discussion of claim 10), Yang et al. (‘8610) does not disclose wherein both ends of each of the separating beams are connected to an inner wall of the case, a discharge through hole is provided on an outer wall of the case corresponding to an end portion of the separating beam, a discharge channel communicating with the discharge through hole is provided in the separating beam, a communicating through hole communicating with the discharge channel is provided on the heat exchange plate corresponding to the separating beam, and the heat exchange plate and the bottom protection plate communicate with the discharge through hole through the communicating through hole and the discharge channel. Yang et al. (‘0651) discloses a hollow beam connected to the outer walls of the electrical chamber 11a in Par. 177 and in Fig. 11a. From figure 12b, the hollow beam consists of a top wall above the thermal management component extending in the width or length direction, and two side wall portions on both sides of the top wall extending up from the thermal management component. The hollow beams 113a are positioned on the thermal management component 13, above pressure relief holes 14 in Par. 180. The hollow beams 113a correspond with the thermal management component 13 such that emissions in the collection chamber 11b enter the hollow beams 113a through the pressure relief holes 14 corresponding with the hollow beams 113a in Par. 181. Further, the hollow beams 113a may not be provided with a bottom wall but directly use the thermal management component 13 as its bottom wall in Par. 182 and in Fig. 12b. A fifth pressure balance mechanism 18 may be provided on the outer wall of the box 11 arranged in communication with the hollow beam 113a in Par. 183-184. The emissions collected in the collection chamber 11b enter the hollow beam 113a after passing through the pressure relief 14, when the pressure or temperature inside the hollow beam 113a reaches a certain threshold, the emissions may be discharged to the outside of the battery box 11 through the fifth pressure balance mechanism 18 on the outer wall of the battery box 11 in Par. 183. The hollow beam corresponds to the separating beam, the fifth pressure balance mechanism corresponds to the discharge through hole, the hollow beam contains a discharge channel, the pressure relief holes correspond with the communicating through hole disposed on the heat exchanger. Both Yang et al. (‘8610) and Yang et al. (‘0651) are analogous in the field of battery pack pressure relief systems, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the isolation member in Yang et al. (‘8610) to make them hollow beams wherein both ends are connected to an inner wall of the case, a discharge through hole is provided on an outer wall corresponding to the hollow beam, a discharge channel communicating with the discharge through hole, a communicating through hole communicating with the discharge channel provided on thermal management component corresponding with the hollow beam as taught by Yang et al. (‘0651) in order to extend the exhaust path of the emissions collected by the collection chamber, reducing the influence of the emissions on the collection chamber, reducing the temperature of the emissions, reducing the influence of high-temperature emissions on the external environment, and enhancing the safety performance of the batter as taught by Yang et al. (‘0651) in Par. 186. As to claim 12 Yang et al. (‘8610) in view of Yang et al. (‘0651) discloses the battery pack according to claim 11 (see discussion of claim 11), wherein each of the separating beams comprises a top portion extending in the width direction of the battery pack (see discussion of claim 11, and see Fig. 12b in Yang et al. (‘0651)), the top portion is located above the heat exchange plate (see discussion of claim 11 and the hollow beams 113a extend up from the thermal management component 13 in Fig 12b in Yang et al. (‘0651)), two side portions are provided on both sides of the top portion toward the heat exchange plate (see discussion of claim 11 and two side portions extend up from the thermal management component 13 in Fig. 12b in Yang et al. (‘0651), and the side portions are connected onto the heat exchange plate and are enclosed with the heat exchange plate and the top portion to form the discharge channel (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘0651) discloses the hollow beams 113a directly uses the thermal management component 13 as its bottom wall in Par. 182, in Fig. 12b and the emissions collected by the collection chamber 11a enter the hollow beam 113a through the pressure relief region and are discharged to the outside of the box 11 through the fifth pressure balance mechanism in Par. 177). As to claim 13 Yang et al. (‘8610) in view of Yang et al. (‘0651) discloses the battery pack according to claim 11 (see discussion of claim 11), wherein the discharge through holes are provided with waterproof and breathable valves (see e.g. Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the pressure relief mechanism may take the form of an anti-explosion valve, an air valve, a pressure relief valve, a safety valve, etc. in Par. 93). Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US20230238610A1) in view of Kurpiel. (US20230402669A1). As to claim 15 Yang et al. (‘8610) discloses the battery pack according to claim 1 (see discussion of claim 1). Yang et al. (‘8610) teaches that the support member may be of a material with a good ductility and a high strength, which can buffer and resist external pressure and has a high compressive strength in Par. 145. Yang et al. (‘8610) further teaches the support member 31 may be of a metal material, or alternatively, the support member may be of a non-metallic material with a certain strength, such as mica and ceramic in Par. 145. Yang et al. (‘8610) does not disclose wherein a protection layer is provided on at least one of a side of the base portion facing the pressure relief through hole and a side of the supporting portion close to the base portion. Kurpiel et al. discloses a support structure 13 comprising temperature control channels 131 and a degassing channel 132 in Par. 91. The degassing channel 1312 serves to remove, in a controlled manner, gases released in the vent of a so called “thermal runaway” of the energy storage device 3 in Par. 91. The support structure 13 is provided with a protective layer 133 in the region of the first side 137, in particular for protecting against heat and/or abrasive material and or chemical influences in Par. 97. The protective layer 133 may be a layer applied to the wall, for example mica sheets, in Par. 97. Both Yang et al. (‘8610) and Kurpiel et al. are analogous in the field of battery pack support structures, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the support members in Yang et al. (‘8610) to include a protective layer provided on at least one of a side of the base portion facing the pressure relief through holes and a side of the supporting portion close to the base portion as taught in Kurpiel et al. in order to protect the support members from heat, abrasive media, and chemical influences as taught by Kurpiel et al. in Par. 97. As to claim 16 Yang et al. (‘8610) in view of Kurpiel et al. disclose the battery pack according to claim 15 (see discussion of claim 15), wherein the protection layer is made of mica plates (see e.g. Kurpiel et al. discloses the protective layer 133 may be a layer applied to the wall, for example, mica sheets in Par. 97). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Li et al. (US20230231263A1) discloses a battery including two discharge channels and a pressure relief mechanism. WO2018023050A1 discloses a battery pack including a plenum chamber configured to fluidly couple each of the cell blocks to an exterior of the battery pack in response to a thermal event in the battery cell in a separate cell block. Yang et al. (CN112490579A) discloses a battery pack comprising a cooling plate, supporting plates and beams. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COLIN M ZORIJ whose telephone number is (571)270-1658. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday from 8:00am to 3:00pm. 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, Tong Guo can be reached at (571)272-3066. 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. /COLIN MICHAEL ZORIJ/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TONG GUO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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Prosecution Timeline

Dec 13, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
0%
Grant Probability
0%
With Interview (+0.0%)
5y 0m (~2y 2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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