Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/558,227

TERPINEOL WITH CONTROLLED OPTICAL ROTATION FROM GUM TERPENTINE OIL AND PROCESS THEREOF

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Oct 31, 2023
Examiner
WITHERSPOON, SIKARL A
Art Unit
1692
Tech Center
1600 — Biotechnology & Organic Chemistry
Assignee
Himachal Terepene Products Pvt Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 11m
To Grant
65%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allow Rate
1403 granted / 1630 resolved
+26.1% vs TC avg
Minimal -21% lift
Without
With
+-21.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 11m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
1666
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
44.6%
+4.6% vs TC avg
§102
19.1%
-20.9% vs TC avg
§112
17.5%
-22.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1630 resolved cases

Office Action

§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. Specification The disclosure is objected to because it contains an embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code. Applicant is required to delete the embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code; references to websites should be limited to the top-level domain name without any prefix such as http:// or other browser-executable code. See MPEP § 608.01. The embedded hyperlink s and/or other form of browser-executable code are found on pages 1, 2, 3, 10, and 11 of the specification. The listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered. 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 appl icant regards as his invention. Claims 3-5 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. Claim s 3 and 4 recite the method of preparing terpineol from gum turpentine oil as claim in claim 1 of the present invention. However, claim 1 is drawn to a compound, i.e., terpineol, having a specific optical rotation value. The claim does not recite a method, nor are any method steps mentioned. As such, it is unclear whether or not applicants intended to include method steps in claim 1, but omitted them. This makes the instant claims indefinite. Claim 5 recites the limitations, “wherein the optical rotation value/ Laevo-symmetry isomeric activity in the range of -12° to -14° remains constant for a longer period of time”. However, it is not clear what the metes and bounds of such a statement are, and to what the time period is being compared to. Allowable Subject Matter The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: claims 1 and 2 are drawn to terpineol having a controlled optical rotation value/ Laevo-symmetry isomeric activity in the range of -12° to -14°. The closest prior art of record, DE4111900, teaches optically active alpha-terpineol, from alpha- and/or beta-pinene, but fails to teach or suggest a compound having an optical rotation value as recited by the instant claims. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT SIKARL A WITHERSPOON whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-0649 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 9am-9pm IFP . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Scarlett Goon can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-5241 . 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. /SIKARL A WITHERSPOON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1692
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 31, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12599897
DIRECT CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF ALCOHOLS TO OLEFINS OF HIGHER CARBON NUMBER WITH REDUCED ETHYLENE PRODUCTION
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12600690
METHOD OF ETHANOL CONVERSION TO HIGHER CARBON COMPOUNDS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12595219
CONTINUOS FLOW SYNTHESIS OF CANNABIDIOL
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12595222
CURCUMINOIDS, ANALOGS THEREOF, AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12595221
HYDROFORMYLATION PROCESSES
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 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
86%
Grant Probability
65%
With Interview (-21.0%)
1y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1630 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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