Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/562,858

CIRCULAR ACCELERATOR, PARTICLE THERAPY SYSTEM, AND ION SOURCE

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Nov 21, 2023
Priority
Sep 24, 2021 — JP 2021-155862 +1 more
Examiner
VU, JIMMY T
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Hitachi Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
575 granted / 665 resolved
+26.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+9.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
685
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
58.7%
+18.7% vs TC avg
§102
25.6%
-14.4% vs TC avg
§112
2.7%
-37.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 665 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §112
CTNF 18/562,858 CTNF 77893 DETAILED ACTION This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s Communication filed on 11/21/2023. In virtue of the communication: Claims 1-10 are pending in the instant application. Claims 3-8 are currently amended. 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. The references cited in the Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS(s)) filed on 11/21/2023 and 08/25/2025 have been considered by the examiner. 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 1, line 9, “is able to be selected” should be changed to --is selected-- before “from the at least two discharge chambers” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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 applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 1-10 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 1 recites the limitation “the discharge chamber” in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This limitation is not clear because “a discharge chamber” is not previously cited in claim 1. Claim 9 recites the limitation “the discharge chambers” in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear because the limitation “discharge chambers” is not previously cited in claim 9. Claim 10 recites the limitation “the extraction holes” in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear because the limitation “extraction holes” is not previously cited in the claim(s). Clarification is required. Claims 2-8 are rejected by virtue of their dependency. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipate by Madocks (U.S. Pub. 2006/0177599 A1) . Regarding claim 9, Madocks discloses an ion source (Figs. 1A and 12A) comprising: a discharge chamber (discharge cavity 311, Fig. 12A, par [0075]) which generates ions; a gas pipe through which a sample gas (inert gases 310 are fed into source discharge cavities 311 via manifolds 309, Fig. 12A, par [0075]) is supplied to the discharge chamber; and an extraction hole (nozzle opening 306, Fig. 12A) through which the ions are extracted from the discharge chamber (Fig. 12A), wherein discharge chambers of at least two (2 discharge cavities 311 as in Fig. 12A) are arranged side by side in a straight line (Fig. 12A). Regarding claim 10, Madocks discloses the ion source wherein the extraction holes of at least two are arranged side by side in the straight line (Fig. 12A) . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipate by HWANG (U.S. Pub. 2017/0186581 A1) . Regarding claim 9, HWANG discloses an ion source (Figs. 15s-15b) comprising: a discharge chamber (discharge cavity formed around electrode 140A, Fig. 15b) which generates ions; a gas pipe (gas injection unit 26, Fig. 15b; and “the position of the gas injection unit 126 and the gas injecting extension 133 are not limited to the central region between the two single-loop ion sources, but the gas injection unit 126 and the gas injecting extension 133 may be disposed in the inner magnetic pole of each loop”, par [0167]; and also see the geometry of the gas-supply used in Fig. 5b or Fig. 8b) through which a sample gas is supplied to the discharge chamber; and an extraction hole (the opening formed above electrode 140A, Fig. 15b) through which the ions are extracted from the discharge chamber (Fig. 15b), wherein discharge chambers of at least two (cavities formed around electrodes 140a, 140b, Fig. 15b) are arranged side by side in a straight line (Figs. 15a-15b). Regarding claim 10, HWANG discloses the ion source wherein the extraction holes of at least two are arranged side by side in the straight line (Figs. 15a-15b). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-8 would be allowable if overcome the 112 rejection as set forth above. None of the prior art teaches “a circular accelerator comprising: an opposing magnetic pole; an acceleration electrode; and an ion source which is arranged between the opposing magnetic poles and in which at least two discharge chambers for linearly generating ions in parallel with a central axis of a circulating ion beam are arranged, wherein a discharge chamber from which the ions are extracted is able to be selected from the at least two discharge chambers by moving the ion source in a direction parallel to the central axis” as recited in claim 1 (Claims 2-8 are rejected by virtue of their dependency). Inquiry Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY T VU whose telephone number is (571)272-1832. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander H. Taningco can be reached on 571-272-8048. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-2800. /JIMMY T VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845 Application/Control Number: 18/562,858 Page 2 Art Unit: 2845 Application/Control Number: 18/562,858 Page 3 Art Unit: 2845 Application/Control Number: 18/562,858 Page 4 Art Unit: 2845 Application/Control Number: 18/562,858 Page 5 Art Unit: 2845
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 21, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §112 (current)

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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
96%
With Interview (+9.4%)
2y 5m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 665 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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