Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/574,503

VARIABLE WORLD BLUR FOR OCCLUSION AND CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT VIA TUNABLE LENS ELEMENTS

Final Rejection §102§103
Filed
Dec 27, 2023
Priority
Aug 26, 2021 — provisional 63/237,385 +1 more
Examiner
EDENFIELD, KUEI-JEN L
Art Unit
2872
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Google LLC
OA Round
2 (Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
92%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
116 granted / 149 resolved
+9.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
46 currently pending
Career history
203
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
88.8%
+48.8% vs TC avg
§102
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
§112
3.5%
-36.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 149 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTFR 18/574,503 CTFR 96920 DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. This office action is in response to the amendment filed 12/23/2024. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 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 Claim s 11-12, 14-18 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Stevens et al. (US20210132387) . Regarding claim 11 , Stevens teaches a method (Stevens, paragraph [0029], FIGS. 1-26, detailed descriptions of such devices, fluid lenses, optical configurations, methods; paragraph [0030] Features from any of the embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one another in accordance with the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood upon reading the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims), comprising: receiving external light (Stevens, fig.8, paragraph [0068], rays of light from the real object 808 are shown as solid lines) that forms a real-world view of a user at a lens structure (see Stevens, fig.8, lens structure, 870, 880) of a wearable heads-up display (WHUD) device (paragraph [0068], fig.8, an augmented reality device; the device be similar to the virtual reality device of FIG. 6), the lens structure including a display optics (DO) lens layer (Stevens, fig.8, paragraph [0068] waveguide display assembly 810) comprising an augmented reality (AR) display (paragraph [0068], waveguide display assembly 810); coupling light generated at a light engine into a waveguide of the DO lens layer (paragraph [0068], the light from waveguide displays 810) to form one or more virtual objects overlaid (see Stevens, paragraph [0201], [0223], [0226] light emitted by light emitters of different arrays may be converged by an optical component such as a waveguide so that the light of different colors spatially overlap at each image pixel location) on the real-world view of the user (Stevens, paragraphs [0068], [0179], for viewing real object 808 using the user's eyes); and selectively adjusting (Stevens, fig.18, paragraph [0181] control system 1820, which may be communicatively coupled to each other. The near-eye display 1810 may include lenses 1812), by a tunable lens component of the lens structure (Stevens, paragraph [0068], the device includes front adjustable lenses 880,e.g., front adjustable fluid lenses, to compensate for lenses 870, Each front adjustable lens may include a front membrane 820, front lens fluid 830), a focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view of the user (Stevens, paragraph [0068], for viewing real object 808 using the user's eyes, see paragraph [0068] has been referred as fig.2, paragraph [0004] FIGS. 2A-2G illustrate example fluid lenses and adjustment of the optical power of the fluid lenses. The optical power of an example front lens may be equal in magnitude to the optical power of a rear lens assembly), wherein selectively adjusting the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view includes defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to at least one of the one or more virtual objects (Stevens, paragraph [0178] “Example 18. The device of any of examples 1-17, where the device is an augmented reality headset.”; paragraph [0068], the eye-side adjustable lenses 870 for defocusing the light from waveguide displays 810, the device includes front adjustable lenses 880, e.g., front adjustable fluid lenses to compensate for lenses 870, for viewing real object 808 using the user's eyes 804; paragraph [0184] “Electroactive devices 1814 may, responsive to control element 1822, apply appropriate forces to lenses 1821 to adjust the apparent accommodation distance of virtual images displayed in displays 1816 to match the apparent vergence distance of the virtual images, thereby reducing or eliminating vergence-accommodation conflict”; thus, Stevens teaches selectively adjusting the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view includes defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to at least one of the one or more virtual objects). Regarding claim 14 , Held discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and further teaches wherein defocusing the portion of the real-world view includes defocusing the portion of the real-world view based on a focal plane of a real-world object at least partially included in the portion of the real-world view (see Stevens, paragraphs [0152]-[0153], fluid lenses described herein may be used to correct for VAC, which may refer to, user discomfort while using an augmented reality or virtual reality device. VAC may be caused by the focal plane of virtual content not matching the virtual content's apparent distance based on stereoscopy, related to eye vergence). Regarding claim 15 , Held discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and further teaches wherein selectively adjusting the focal modulation includes selectively adjusting the focal modulation based on a focal plane (Stevens, paragraphs [0152]-[0153], an inner lens to adjust the focal plane of a virtual image projected by the display) at which one or more virtual objects (Stevens, paragraphs [0152]-[0153], the virtual image) are presented by the AR display (Stevens, paragraphs [0152]-[0153], the display). Regarding claim 16 , Stevens discloses the invention as described in Claim 15 and further teaches wherein the focal plane at which the one or more virtual objects are presented is a first focal plane, and wherein adjusting the focal modulation based on the first focal plane includes adjusting the first focal plane based on a second focal plane at which a real-world object appears in the real-world view (fig.17, provide real world view; see Stevens, paragraphs [0152]-[0153], teaches the focal plane at which the one or more virtual objects are presented is a first focal plane, and wherein adjusting the focal modulation based on the first focal plane includes adjusting the first focal plane based on a second focal plane at which a real-world object appears in the real-world view). Regarding claim 17 , Stevens discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and further teaches wherein the AR display comprises a plurality of individual pixels (Stevens, paragraph [0201], The light emitted by light emitters of different arrays may be converged by an optical component such as a waveguide 810 so that the light of different colors spatially overlap at each image pixel location), and wherein selectively adjusting the focal modulation of at least the portion of the real-world view includes selectively adjusting a focal modulation (fig.8, the fluid lenses 880, 870) associated with each of one or more individual pixels of the plurality of individual pixels (Stevens, described above, fig.8, waveguide 810). Regarding claim 18 , Held discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and further teaches wherein adjusting the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view includes defocusing a substantial entirety of the real-world view (Stevens, paragraph [0068], adjustable lenses 870 for defocusing the light from waveguide displays 810…; so Stevens teaches wherein adjusting the focal modulation by the fluid lenses 880, 870 of at least a portion of the real-world view includes defocusing a substantial entirety of the real-world view). Regarding claim 19 , Stevens teaches a head wearable display (HWD) device (paragraph [0068], fig.8, an augmented reality device; the device be similar to the virtual reality device of fig.6) that includes a lens structure having multiple lens layers, the lens structure (see Stevens, fig.8, lens structure, 870, 880) comprising: a display optics (DO) lens layer comprising an augmented reality (AR) display (Stevens, fig.8, paragraph [0068] waveguide display assembly 810), the DO lens layer (Stevens, fig.8, the 810) having a first side for facing an eye of a user (see Stevens. Fig.8, have a side for facing the eye 804) and a second side for facing away from the eye of the user (see Stevens. Fig.8, have side for facing away from the eye 804); one or more eye-side (ES) lens layers (Stevens, fig.8, lens 870) disposed adjacent to the first side of the DO lens layer (Stevens, fig.8, the 810); and one or more world-side (WS) lens layers (Stevens fig.8, the lens 880) disposed adjacent to the second side of the DO lens layer (Stevens, fig.8, the 810), wherein at least one of the one or more WS lens layers includes a tunable lens component (Stevens, paragraph [0068], the device includes adjustable lenses 880) that is configured to selectively adjust a focal modulation of at least a portion of a real-world view of the user via the lens structure (Stevens, paragraph [0068] for viewing real object 808 using the user's eyes, see paragraph [0068] has been referred as fig.2, paragraph [0004] FIGS. 2A-2G illustrate example fluid lenses and adjustment of the optical power of the fluid lenses. The optical power of an example front lens 880 may be equal in magnitude to the optical power of a rear lens assembly), wherein to selectively adjust the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view of the user comprises defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to a virtual object presented by the AR display (this claim recites similar limitations as those in corresponding claim 11 and is rejected based on the same teachings and rationale; also, the limitation is product by process limitations, and don’t impart any requirement on the product itself other than what is already structurally claimed, See MPEP 2173.05(p) sec.II)) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Held et al. (US20230069895) in view of Yeoh et al .(US20180275394, of record, see IDS dated 12/27/2023) . Regarding claim 1 , Held teaches a lens structure having multiple lens layers (Held, figs.1-18, abstract, variable-focus lenses), the lens structure comprising: a display optics (DO) lens layer (fig.7, waveguide 510) comprising an augmented reality (AR) display (Held, paragraph [0044], The display system includes at least one partially transparent, i.e., see-through, waveguide 510 that is configured to propagate visible light), the DO lens layer (Held, the 510) having a first side (see annotated image, Held, fig.7, the first side) for facing an eye of a user (Held, fig.7, the eye of the user 115) and a second side for facing away from the eye of the user (Held, fig.7, the eye of the user 115); one or more eye-side (ES) lens layers (Held fig.7, the lenses 735+540) disposed adjacent to the first side of the DO lens layer (the 510); and one or more world-side (SW) lens layers (fig.7, lens 605) disposed adjacent to the second side (see annotated image, Held, fig.7, second side) of the DO lens layer (the 510), wherein at least one lens layer of the one or more SW lens layers includes a tunable lens component (fig.7, the real-world-side variable-focus lens 605; paragraph [0055], variable-focus lenses may also be referred to as “tunable” lenses) that is configured to selectively adjust a focal modulation (fig.7, the optical power controller 710) of at least a portion of a real-world view of the user via the lens structure (fig.2, paragraph [0035], FOV of the cityscape viewed on HMD device 100 changes as the user moves through the real-world environment; see fig.8, paragraph [0059], real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 for different types of users and HMD device use cases), wherein to selectively adjust the focal modulation (fig.7, the optical power controller 710) of at least a portion of the real-world view of the user comprises defocusing a portion of the real-world view (Held, paragraph [0003], no net optical power is provided to the real world viewed through the see-through optical combiner) that is visually proximate to a virtual object presented by the AR display (see fig.5, paragraph [0048] virtual image source 520 by waveguide-based optical combiners;“ [0048] Typically, in such waveguide-based optical combiners, the input pupil needs to be formed over a collimated field, otherwise each waveguide exit pupil will produce an image at a slightly different distance. This results in a mixed visual experience in which images are overlapping with different focal depths in an optical phenomenon known as focus spread”). (note: defocusing means cause an image, lens, or beam to go out of focus. Held in paragraphs [0061]-[0062] “[0061] FIG. 8 provides an illustrative table 800 that shows illustrative operational configurations for the variable-focus lens pair for different user types and use cases. It may be noted that FIG. 8 refers to the elements shown in FIG. 7 Table 800 shows how the optical power controller 710 may controllably vary the optical power of eye-side variable-focus lens 540 and real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 for different types of users and HMD device use cases. Two different types of presbyopic users are shown in the first column 805 of the table. User 1 is able to see far away real-world objects clearly without glasses. User 1 may have always had clear (i.e., emmetropic) vision but developed presbyopia with age. User 1 may currently use reading glasses to see close real-world objects and read text.”; “Monovision is another solution in which different accommodative distances are provided each eye of the user via contact lenses or surgical methods”; thus, during different user would be have different accommodative distances will be defocus that why need to adjust local length from different user. And further in view of Yeoh, see paragraph [0040] “The configuration shown in FIG. 2B can be operated in other ways that allow for the tunable lenses to apply different effects. In some embodiments, the tunable lenses can be configured to purposefully throw real - world objects out of focus to allow a user to focus on virtual content 210-1. For example, it could be desirable for a software developer to, in a controlled gaming or entertainment environment, focus the user' s attention on a message or even to enter into a more immersive virtual environment. By throwing real world objects out of focus, the system would allow the system to mask out any distracting real - world stimulus without having to generate light to block the field of view across the entire display. In this way, the tunable optics can be used to shape the augmented reality experience” which also teaches wherein to selectively adjust the focal modulation (Yeoh, fig.2, The configuration shown in FIG. 2B can be operated in other ways that allow for the tunable lenses to apply different effects) of at least a portion of the real-world view of the user comprises defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to a virtual object presented by the AR display (“the tunable lenses can be configured to purposefully throw real - world objects out of focus to allow a user to focus on virtual content 210 - 1”). Thus, It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify/provide the apparatus of Held to have the specific function as taught by Yeoh for the purpose of throwing real world objects out of focus, the system would allow the system to mask out any distracting real - world stimulus without having to generate light to block the field of view across the entire display. In this way, the tunable optics can be used to shape the augmented reality experience (Yeoh, paragraph [0040]); also, the limitations of “comprises defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to a virtual object presented by the AR display” in the claim is product by process limitations, and don’t impart any requirement on the product itself other than what is already structurally claimed, See MPEP 2173.05(p) sec.II)) PNG media_image1.png 698 926 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 3 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein defocusing the portion of the real-world view comprises defocusing the portion based on a contrast ratio (see Held, paragraphs [0068], For close viewing by user, the optical power controller 710 also configures the eye-side variable-focus lens 540 to support the rendering of virtual images --- contrast ratio ---- at a predetermined mixed-reality focal plane depth; fig.2, paragraphs [0033]-[0034], [0036] as the virtual FOV provided by the display device is typically a subset of the real FOV; FOV is typically described as an angular parameter in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal dimensions, FOV is just one of many parameters. such parameters may include brightness, contrast, resolution; Virtual images and digital content can be located in various positions within the FOV along all three axes) associated with the virtual object (fig.5, paragraph [0047], virtual image source 520). Regarding claim 4 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein defocusing the portion of the real-world view (Fig.2, paragraph [0068], close viewing by user, FOV) comprises defocusing the portion of the real-world view based on a focal plane of a real-world object at least partially included in the portion of the real-world view (see Held, paragraph [0068], For close viewing by user, the optical power controller 710 also configures the eye-side variable-focus lens 540 to support the rendering of virtual images at a predetermined mixed-reality focal plane depth, the optical power controller 710 adds optical power to the real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 to push close real-world objects optically farther away and into sharp focus for user). Regarding claim 5 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein to selectively adjust the focal modulation includes selectively adjusting the focal modulation to adjust a focal plane at which one or more virtual objects are presented by the AR display ((see paragraph [0068], For close viewing by user, the optical power controller 710 also configures the eye-side variable-focus lens 540 to support the rendering of virtual images at a predetermined mixed-reality focal plane depth; In addition, the optical power controller 710 adds optical power to the real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 to push close real-world objects optically farther away and into sharp focus for user). Regarding claim 6 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 5 and Held further teaches wherein the focal plane at which the one or more virtual objects are presented is a first focal plane (see Held, fig.9, step 915, focal plane), and wherein adjusting the first focal plane includes to adjust the first focal plane based on a second focal plane (Held, fig.9, step 935, optical power added) at which a real-world object appears in the real-world view (see fig.9, which operate real-world object appears in the real-world view). Regarding claim 7 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein: a first ES lens layer of the one or more ES lens layers (Held, fig.7, the lens 540) includes a first distance shift (DS) component; the one or more WS lens layers includes multiple WS lens layers (Held, fig.7, lens 605); and one WS lens layer of the multiple WS lens layers includes a second DS component (see Held, paragraphs [0067]-[0068], since The optical power controller 710 operate distance of the real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 and the eye-side variable-focus lens 540) that has a substantially equal but opposite optical power as the first DS component (Held, paragraph [0054] the eye side variable-focus lens is controlled to provide -0.5 diopters of optical power, then the real-world side lens is controlled to provide an opposite +0.5 diopters of optical power; paragraph [0011] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an illustrative virtual display system in which variable-focus lenses are arranged as a conjugate lens pair). Regarding claim 8 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein the tunable lens component comprises one or more of a group that includes a sliding variable power lens, an electrode-wetting lens, a fluid-filled lens, a graphene-based variable lens, or a liquid crystal lens (Held, paragraph [0055], The eye-side variable-focus lens 540 and real-world-side variable-focus lens 605 may be implemented using various known technologies. Variable-focus lenses may also be referred to as “tunable” lenses. Exemplary technologies include liquid oil push/pull, liquid crystal). Regarding claim 9 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein the AR display comprises a plurality of individual pixels (Held, paragraph [0028], Any suitable technology and configuration may be used to display virtual images; the display device may be see-through so that the user of the HMD device 100 can view physical, real-world objects in the physical environment over which pixels for virtual objects are overlayed), and wherein to selectively adjust a focal modulation of at least a portion of a real-world view of the user comprises adjusting a focal modulation associated with each of one or more individual pixels of the plurality of individual pixels (see Fig.7, and paragraph [0028], Held, teaches the optical power controller 710 to adjust a focal modulation of at least a portion of a real-world view of the user includes to adjust a focal modulation associated with each of one or more individual pixels of the plurality of individual pixels). Regarding claim 10 , combination Held-Yeoh discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Held further teaches wherein to selectively adjust a focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view comprises defocusing a substantial entirety of the real-world view (Held, paragraph [0078], optical power is provided by the real-world-side lens 605 to offset only the baseline optical power provided by eye-side lens 540 without impacting the added optical power for the modified configuration of the eye-side lens; therefore, the real-world-side lens is controlled to provide +0.5 diopters of optical power as its baseline. This offset enables the eye-side lens to provide the prescribed correction for the type 2 user’s distance vision) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stevens et al. (US20210132387), and further in view of Held et al. (US20230069895) . Regarding claim 13 , Stevens discloses the invention as described in Claim 11, Stevens does not explicitly disclose wherein defocusing the portion of the real-world view includes defocusing the portion based on a contrast ratio associated with the at least one virtual object. However, Held teaches the analogous display (described in claim 1), and further teaches wherein defocusing the portion of the real-world view includes defocusing the portion based on a contrast ratio (Held, fig.2, FOV; the paragraph [0033], as the virtual FOV provided by the display device is typically a subset of the real FOV; FOV is typically described as an angular parameter in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal dimensions, paragraph [0034] It is noted that FOV is just one of many parameters. such parameters may include brightness, contrast, resolution; [0036] Virtual images and digital content can be located in various positions within the FOV along all three axes of the coordinate system 235. The immersiveness of the content in three dimensions may be enhanced as the reach of the display along the “z” axis extends from the near field focus plane) associated with the at least one virtual object (see Held, paragraph [0047], Held teaches associated with the at least one virtual object). Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the apparatus of Stevens to have the specific function as taught by Held for the purpose of user comfort (Held, paragraph [0034]). Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered, see Remarks Page. 6-9 with respect to the 35 U.S.C.& 102 rejection have been fully considered and are not persuasive. In the remarks, applicant argues that: The Applicant respectfully submits that the applied prior art, but does not teach or suggest wherein to selectively adjust the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view of the user comprises defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to a virtual object presented by the AR display. In response to applicant's argument(s) of 1 See claims 1, 11 and 19 described, further, see also MPEP § 2144.04. Furthermore, implementing a known function on a computer has been deemed obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art if the automation of the known function on a general purpose computer is nothing more than the predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions. KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007); for example, in this case, see Stevens paragraph [0178] “Example 18. The device of any of examples 1-17, where the device is an augmented reality headset.”; paragraph [0068], the eye-side adjustable lenses 870 for defocusing the light from waveguide displays 810, the device includes front adjustable lenses 880, e.g., front adjustable fluid lenses to compensate for lenses 870, for viewing real object 808 using the user's eyes 804; paragraph [0184] “Electroactive devices 1814 may, responsive to control element 1822, apply appropriate forces to lenses 1821 to adjust the apparent accommodation distance of virtual images displayed in displays 1816 to match the apparent vergence distance of the virtual images, thereby reducing or eliminating vergence-accommodation conflict”; thus, Stevens teaches selectively adjusting the focal modulation of at least a portion of the real-world view includes defocusing a portion of the real-world view that is visually proximate to at least one of the one or more virtual objects. Examiner's Note Regarding the references , the Examiner cites particular figures, paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the reference(s), as applied to the claims above. Although the particular citations are representative teachings and are applied to specific limitations within the claims, other passages, internally cited references, and figures may also apply. In preparing a response, it is respectfully requested that the Applicant fully consider the references, in their entirety, as potentially disclosing or teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as fully consider the context of the passage as taught by the reference(s) or as disclosed by the Examiner. Conclusion 07-40 AIA Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUEI-JEN LEE EDENFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-3005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. -Thurs 8:00 am - 5:30 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached on (571) 270-1284. 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 application 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 http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. 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 Services Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199(In USA or Canada) or 571-272-1000. /KUEI-JEN L EDENFIELD/ Examiner, Art Unit 2872 /WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 2 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 3 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 4 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 5 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 6 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 7 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 8 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 9 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 10 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 11 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 12 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 13 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 14 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 15 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 16 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 17 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 18 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 19 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/574,503 Page 20 Art Unit: 2872
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Prosecution Timeline

Dec 27, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 30, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Mar 30, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 04, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
92%
With Interview (+14.2%)
3y 2m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
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