Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Application No. 18/599,936

WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICE, SYSTEMS, AND METHOD FOR MEASURING SKIN AUTOFLUORESCENCE WITH AN OPTICAL SENSOR

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Mar 08, 2024
Examiner
ZHANG, LEI
Art Unit
3798
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Google LLC
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
13%
Grant Probability
At Risk
3-4
OA Rounds
1m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 13% of cases
13%
Career Allowance Rate
2 granted / 15 resolved
-56.7% vs TC avg
Strong +100% interview lift
Without
With
+100.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
44 currently pending
Career history
67
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
12.7%
-27.3% vs TC avg
§103
46.5%
+6.5% vs TC avg
§102
14.4%
-25.6% vs TC avg
§112
26.4%
-13.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 15 resolved cases

Office Action

§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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/29/2026 has been entered. Response to Amendment The amendment filed on 06/29/2026 has been entered. Claims 1 and 12 have been amended. Claims 5 and 16 have been cancelled. Claims 1-4, 8-15 and 18-20 remain pending. Response to Arguments On Pages 6-7 of Remarks, Applicant argues that none of the references Graaff, Sato, Shin and Katra discloses the feature of measuring the returned light signal intensities continuously and passively. Examiner respectfully disagrees. First, Paragraph 49, Specification of the current application, specifies “the devices and methods of the present disclosure contemplate taking measurements continuously while the device is being worn, which includes taking intermittent measurements throughout the day that can be spaced apart by a time frame of about 0.0001 seconds to about 24 hours, or any range therebetween, as opposed to taking one discrete measurements as is done with existing AGE readers.” Second, Katra discloses a same approach of intermittent measurement: Katra, Para 0024; “a daily measurement of AGE concentration levels can detect increasing levels … before it reaches problematic levels.”; then in Fig. 12, “a flowchart that illustrate long-term (e.g. chronic) monitoring and storage of a particular species of AGE”, the step of 1208 discloses “measure … at time appropriate intervals …”, which corresponds to the disclosed “daily measurement” in Para 0024. Such disclosed monitoring procedure with daily (or about 24 hours) measurement therefore agrees with the claimed continuous and passive measurement. Further, Shin discloses using a wearable device (Fig. 9 shows an example of watch) worn on a subject, comprising “… a pulse wave sensor 21 for measuring a pulse wave signal having multiple wavelengths from the object when the object touches the sensor part 110.” (Para 0057). In other words, the disclosed device of Shin has the capability of performing measurement continuously and passively. Furthermore, Fig. 4 (cited below) of Shin discloses continuously acquired light intensities (41a, 42a, 41b, 42b) for a period of about 3300 seconds, from which a pulse wave signal change estimator 320 extracts or selects data for further analysis. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 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 1-3, 8-10, 12-14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Graaff et al (US 20130217984 A1; hereafter Graaff), in view of Sato (US 20140316224 A1; hereafter Sato) and Katra (US 20190209055 A1; hereafter Katra). With regard to Claim 1, Graaff discloses a computing device for measuring skin autofluorescence (Graaff, Page 11, Claim 20; “An apparatus for determining an autofluorescence value of skin tissue of a subject …”), the computing device comprising: a skin autofluorescence sensor configured for contact with a user’s skin (Graaff, Para 0035; “… the detectors and/or optical fiber(s) may also be arranged to be in contact with the skin when the pick-up unit is placed against the skin.”), the skin autofluorescence sensor comprising: (i) one or more emitters configured to output one or more emitted light signals (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”); and (ii) a first detector configured to receive a first returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0030; “… two detectors 120, 122 are used which can simultaneously detect radiation coming from the skin 7 …”), the first detector including an optical long pass filter (Graaff, Para 0030; “Arranged between the detector 122 and the skin 7 is a long pass filter 121 …”); and (iii) a second detector configured to receive a second returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0030; “… two detectors 120, 122 are used which can simultaneously detect radiation coming from the skin 7 …”); wherein the skin autofluorescence sensor utilizes a diffuse optical geometry where the one or more emitters and the first detector are separated from each other laterally by a distance (Graaff, Fig. 8 shows that detector 122 (corresponding to the claimed “first detector”) and the LEDs 102 125 126 (corresponding to the claimed “emitters”) are separated laterally by some distance) and also placed in contact with the user's skin (Graaff, Para 0035; “… the detectors and/or optical fiber(s) may also be arranged to be in contact with the skin when the pick-up unit is placed against the skin.”), a processor (Graaff, Para 0031; “a computer 116”) configured to calculate a skin autofluorescence level based on a measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and a measured intensity level of the second returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0036; “The value of the measured skin AF is calculated as the ratio between the total emission intensity (420-600 nm) and the total excitation intensity (300-420 nm), multiplied by 100 and is expressed in arbitrary units (AU).”. Furthermore, the measured skin AF is then corrected, as in Paras 0076 and Eq. (13), and one major correcting factor is MI1, which is the ratio of reflectance at wavelength of 390 nm and of 360 nm (Para 0051, Eq. (3)). The abovementioned “total emission intensity (420-600)” would be the signal acquired from the detector 122 (with long pass filter 121), and the reflectance at 390 nm and 360 nm would be from the signal acquired from the detector 120.). Graaff does not explicitly and clearly disclose: the device being wearable, comprising a light blocking material disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector, wherein the light blocking material is disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector to minimize specular reflection and reflection of light directly off a surface of the user's skin and into the first detector such that the one or more emitted light signals is forced into the user’s skin with a banana-shaped path trajectory and a penetration depth below the epidermis and into the dermis, and wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively. Sato in the same field of endeavor discloses: comprising a light blocking material disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector (Sato, Para 0057; “… a wall as illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided between the light source 111 and the detection unit 113 described later so that the wall can be employed as a light shielding wall for preventing light emitted from the light source 111 from entering the detection unit 113.”), and wherein the light blocking material is disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector to minimize specular reflection and reflection of light directly off a surface of the user's skin and into the first detector such that the one or more emitted light signals is forced into the user’s skin with a banana-shaped path trajectory and a penetration depth below the epidermis and into the dermis (Sato, Fig. 4 shows that the emitted light transmits from light source to light detectors with banana-shaped paths, and penetrates through the skin or deeper). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, as suggested by Sato, in order to include a light-blocking member to block light transmission directly from the emitter to the detector and to achieve a banana-shaped light path. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of avoiding saturation of light detectors and also measurement errors by preventing emitted light from directly transmitting into the detectors and collecting light that contains useful information of skin tissue (Sato, Para 0073; “measurement light detected by the sensor corresponding to the position may be measurement data including the knowledge on the cutaneous layer, the fat layer and the muscular layer illustrated in FIG. 4.”). Graaff and Sato do not explicitly and clearly disclose: the device being wearable, and wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively. Katra in the same field of endeavor discloses: the device being wearable (Katra, Para 0025; “a patient medical device 100 … patient medical device may include implantable devices, insertable devices, injectable devices, arm cuff (similar to a blood pressure cuff) and/or wearable devices …”), and wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively (Katra, Para 0024; “a daily measurement of AGE concentration levels can detect increasing levels … before it reaches problematic levels.”; in Fig. 12, “a flowchart that illustrate long-term (e.g. chronic) monitoring and storage of a particular species of AGE”, the step of 1208 discloses “measure … at time appropriate intervals …”, which corresponds to the disclosed “daily measurement” in Para 0024. Such disclosed monitoring procedure with daily or 24-hour measurement agrees with the claimed continuous and passive measurement). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff and Sato, as suggested by Katra, in order to use a wearable device and perform continuous or periodical measurements in a passive way. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of periodically monitoring potential changes in AGEs level of subcutaneous tissue and/or blood for subjects with high risk factors such as diabetes, so that early diagnosis and long-term monitoring can be performed. With regard to Claim 2, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 1. Graaff further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals have a wavelength ranging from 300 nanometers to 900 nanometers (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”). With regard to Claim 3, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 2. Graaff further discloses wherein the wavelength ranges from 350 nanometers to 500 nanometers (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”). With regard to Claim 8, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 1, but do not clearly and explicitly disclose wherein the one or more emitted light signals are configured to penetrate to the user’s subcutaneous tissue. Sato further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals are configured to penetrate to the user’s subcutaneous tissue (Sato, Fig. 4 shows that the emitted light can penetrate to subcutaneous tissue). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, Sato and Katra, as further suggested by Sato, in order to have emitted light to penetrate to subcutaneous tissue. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of enabling physiologic measurement for patients in subcutaneous tissue such as fat and muscles. With regard to Claim 9, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 1. Graaff further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals are configured to penetrate beneath the user’s skin by an average distance of 0.01 millimeters to 3 millimeters (Graaff, Para 0007; “… even with this broad excitation peak, dermal content of specific AGEs explains the major part of the variance (up to 76%) in the skin AF signal”. As evidenced by Fig. 1 of Sako, the dermic layer is about 0.05-4 mm deep below the skin. Hence, the emitted light in Graaff penetrates beneath the user’s skin by a distance of 0.05-4 mm). With regard to Claim 10, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 1. Graaff further discloses wherein the optical long pass filter prevents light having a wavelength that is equal to the wavelength of the one or more emitted light signals emitted by the one or more emitters from reaching the first detector (Graaff, Para 0030; “a long pass filter 121, which passes only radiation of a wavelength greater than, for instance, 400 nm, so that the detector 122 only receives radiation from the skin 7 in the fluorescence-induced wavelength range”). With regard to Claim 12, Graaff discloses a method for measuring skin autofluorescence (Graaff, Page 11, Claim 20; “An apparatus for determining an autofluorescence value of skin tissue of a subject …”) with a computing device, the method comprising: emitting, by one or more emitters of a skin autofluorescence sensor of the computing device, one or more emitted light signals (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”), wherein the skin autofluorescence sensor is configured to direct contact with a user’s skin (Graaff, Para 0035; “… the detectors and/or optical fiber(s) may also be arranged to be in contact with the skin when the pick-up unit is placed against the skin.”); obtaining, by a first detector of the skin autofluorescence sensor of the computing device, a first returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0030; “… two detectors 120, 122 are used which can simultaneously detect radiation coming from the skin 7 …”), the first detector including an optical long pass filter (Graaff, Para 0030; “Arranged between the detector 122 and the skin 7 is a long pass filter 121 …”); obtaining, by a second detector of the skin autofluorescence sensor of the computing device, a second returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0030; “… two detectors 120, 122 are used which can simultaneously detect radiation coming from the skin 7 …”); calculating, by a processor (Graaff, Para 0031; “a computer 116”), a skin autofluorescence level based on a measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and a measured intensity level of the second returned light signal (Graaff, Para 0036; “The value of the measured skin AF is calculated as the ratio between the total emission intensity (420-600 nm) and the total excitation intensity (300-420 nm), multiplied by 100 and is expressed in arbitrary units (AU).”. Furthermore, the measured skin AF is then corrected, as in Paras 0076 and Eq. (13), and one major correcting factor is MI1, which is the ratio of reflectance at wavelength of 390 nm and of 360 nm (Para 0051, Eq. (3)). The abovementioned “total emission intensity (420-600)” would be the signal acquired from the detector 122 (with long pass filter 121), and the reflectance at 390 nm and 360 nm would be from the signal acquired from the detector 120.), wherein the skin autofluorescence sensor utilizes a diffuse optical geometry where the one or more emitters and the first detector are separated from each other laterally by a distance (Graaff, Fig. 8 shows that detector 122 (corresponding to the claimed “first detector”) and the LEDs 102 125 126 (corresponding to the claimed “emitters”) are separated laterally by some distance) and also placed in contact with the user's skin (Graaff, Para 0035; “… the detectors and/or optical fiber(s) may also be arranged to be in contact with the skin when the pick-up unit is placed against the skin.”). Graaff does not clearly and explicitly disclose: the device being wearable, wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively, and wherein a light blocking material is disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector to minimize specular reflection and reflection of light directly off a surface of the user's skin and into the first detector such that the one or more emitted light signals is forced into the user’s skin with a banana-shaped path trajectory and a penetration depth below the epidermis and into the dermis. Sato in the same field of endeavor discloses wherein a light blocking material is disposed between the one or more emitters and the first detector (Sato, Para 0057; “… a wall as illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided between the light source 111 and the detection unit 113 described later so that the wall can be employed as a light shielding wall for preventing light emitted from the light source 111 from entering the detection unit 113.”) to minimize specular reflection and reflection of light directly off a surface of the user's skin and into the first detector such that the one or more emitted light signals is forced into the user’s skin with a banana-shaped path trajectory and a penetration depth below the epidermis and into the dermis (Sato, Fig. 4 shows that the emitted light transmits from light source to light detectors with banana-shaped paths, and penetrates through the skin or deeper). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, as suggested by Sato, in order to include a light-blocking member to block light transmission directly from the emitter to the detector and to achieve a banana-shaped light path. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of avoiding saturation of light detectors and also measurement errors by preventing emitted light from directly transmitting into the detectors and collecting light that contains useful information of skin tissue (Sato, Para 0073; “measurement light detected by the sensor corresponding to the position may be measurement data including the knowledge on the cutaneous layer, the fat layer and the muscular layer illustrated in FIG. 4.”). Graaff and Sato do not explicitly and clearly disclose: the device being wearable, and wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively. Katra in the same field of endeavor discloses: the device being wearable (Katra, Para 0025; “a patient medical device 100 … patient medical device may include implantable devices, insertable devices, injectable devices, arm cuff (similar to a blood pressure cuff) and/or wearable devices …”), and wherein the measured intensity level of the first returned light signal and the measured intensity level of the second returned light signal are measured continuously and passively (Katra, Para 0024; “a daily measurement of AGE concentration levels can detect increasing levels … before it reaches problematic levels.”; in Fig. 12, “a flowchart that illustrate long-term (e.g. chronic) monitoring and storage of a particular species of AGE”, the step of 1208 discloses “measure … at time appropriate intervals …”, which corresponds to the disclosed “daily measurement” in Para 0024. Such disclosed monitoring procedure with daily or 24-hour measurement agrees with the claimed continuous and passive measurement). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff and Sato, as suggested by Katra, in order to use a wearable device and perform continuous or periodical measurements in a passive way. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of periodically monitoring potential changes in AGEs level of subcutaneous tissue and/or blood for subjects with high risk factors such as diabetes, so that early diagnosis and long-term monitoring can be performed. With regard to Claim 13, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the method of Claim 12. Graaff further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals have a wavelength ranging from 300 nanometers to 900 nanometers (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”). With regard to Claim 14, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the method of Claim 12. Graaff further discloses wherein the wavelength ranges from 350 nanometers to 500 nanometers (Graaff, Para 0027; “as an excitation radiation source, a LED 102 is provided which … emits radiation of a wavelength of about 370 nm, or at least in a range of 300-420 nm …”). With regard to Claim 18, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the method of Claim 12, but do not explicitly and clearly disclose wherein the one or more emitted light signals penetrate to both the user’s dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Sato further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals penetrate to both the user’s dermis and subcutaneous tissue (Sato, Fig. 4 shows that the emitted light can penetrate to subcutaneous tissue). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, Sato and Katra, as suggested by Sato, in order to have emitted light to penetrate to subcutaneous tissue. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of enabling physiologic measurement for patients in subcutaneous tissue such as fat and muscles. With regard to Claim 19, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the method of Claim 12. Graaff further discloses wherein the one or more emitted light signals penetrate beneath the user’s skin by an average distance of 0.01 millimeters to 3 millimeters (Graaff, Para 0007; “… even with this broad excitation peak, dermal content of specific AGEs explains the major part of the variance (up to 76%) in the skin AF signal”. As evidenced by Fig. 1 of Sako, the dermic layer is about 0.05-4 mm deep below the skin. Hence, the emitted light in Graaff penetrates beneath the user’s skin by a distance of 0.05-4 mm.). With regard to Claim 20, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the method of Claim 12. Graaff further discloses wherein the optical long pass filter prevents light having a wavelength that is equal to the wavelength of the one or more emitted light signals emitted by the one or more emitters from reaching the first detector (Graaff, Para 0030; “a long pass filter 121, which passes only radiation of a wavelength greater than, for instance, 400 nm, so that the detector 122 only receives radiation from the skin 7 in the fluorescence-induced wavelength range”). Claims 4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Graaff, Sato and Katra, further in view of Shultz et al (US 10952656 B2; hereafter Shultz). With regard to Claim 4, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose all the limitations of Claim 1 as discussed above, but do not clearly and explicitly disclose wherein the first detector is separated from the one or more emitters by a distance ranging from 0.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters. Shultz in the same field of endeavor discloses wherein the first detector and/or the second detector are each separated from the one or more emitters by a distance ranging from 0.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters (Shultz, Column 19, Para 1; “In various other aspects, the nominal separation distance may range from about 1 mm to about 8 mm, from about 2 mm to about 6 mm, and from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.” Here the “nominal separation distance” is the distance between light source and light detector). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, Sato and Katra, as suggested by Shultz, in order to separate the detectors and the emitters by a distance of 0.5-6 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of maximizing the intensity of the detected signal by reducing light scattering along the optical path (Shultz, Column 18, Para 4; “as the nominal separation distance increases, the total detected signal from the light detectors may decrease due to light scattering along the longer optical path between light source and light detector.”). With regard to Claim 15, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose all the limitations of Claim 12 as discussed above, but do not clearly and explicitly disclose wherein the first detector is separated from the one or more emitters by a distance ranging from 0.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters. Shultz in the same field of endeavor discloses wherein the first detector is separated from the one or more emitters by a distance ranging from 0.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters (Shultz, Column 19, Para 1; “In various other aspects, the nominal separation distance may range from about 1 mm to about 8 mm, from about 2 mm to about 6 mm, and from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.” Here the “nominal separation distance” is the distance between light source and light detector). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, Sato and Katra, as suggested by Shultz, in order to separate the detectors and the emitters by a distance of 0.5-6 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of maximizing the intensity of the detected signal by reducing light scattering along the optical path (Shultz, Column 18, Para 4; “as the nominal separation distance increases, the total detected signal from the light detectors may decrease due to light scattering along the longer optical path between light source and light detector.”). Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Graaff, Sato and Katra, further in view of Shin et al (US 20200121259 A1; hereafter Shin). With regard to Claim 11, Graaff, Sato and Katra disclose the wearable computing device of Claim 1, but do not clearly and explicitly disclose further comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor. Shin in the same field of endeavor discloses further comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor (Shin, Para 0057; “the sensor part 110 may include a pulse wave sensor 21 for measuring a pulse wave signal … The pulse wave signal may include a photoplethysmogram (PPG) signal.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Graaff, Sato and Katra, as suggested by Shin, in order to include a PPG sensor. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification for the benefit of enabling monitoring of both skin AGEs level and blood pressure that could worsen in patients with cardiovascular disease (Shin, Para 0004; “Such protein denaturation in the blood vessels may be a factor in increasing cardiovascular disease risk such as arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure.” Para 0114; “various types of information may include criteria for estimating blood pressure as well as information associated with functions of the wearable device 900.”). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Shin et al (US 20200121259 A1) discloses a wearable device that measures light intensities continuously. Colosimo et al (US 11571135 B1) discloses a wearable device that is in direct contact with skin and emits light that penetrates through skin and subcutaneous tissues. Shin et al (US 20210169338 A1) discloses a wearable device that uses light emission and detection to measure fluorescence emanating and estimating aging level. LeBoeuf et al (US 20100217102 A1) discloses a wearable device that involves light emission and detection and a light blocking region. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEI ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7172. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm E.T.. 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, Pascal Bui-Pho can be reached at (571) 272-2714. 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. /L.Z./ Examiner, Art Unit 3798 /PASCAL M BUI PHO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3798
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 08, 2024
Application Filed
Nov 05, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jan 29, 2026
Response Filed
May 06, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jun 29, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jul 21, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Jul 24, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Sep 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
13%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+100.0%)
2y 8m (~1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 15 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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