Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/672,278

INTRAOSSEOUS ACCESS ASSEMBLY

Final Rejection §103§112
Filed
May 23, 2024
Examiner
WEISS, JESSICA
Art Unit
3775
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
North American Rescue, LLC
OA Round
2 (Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allow Rate
521 granted / 645 resolved
+10.8% vs TC avg
Strong +34% interview lift
Without
With
+33.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
40 currently pending
Career history
685
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
34.9%
-5.1% vs TC avg
§102
28.9%
-11.1% vs TC avg
§112
28.7%
-11.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 645 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §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 . 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 applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11-16 & 18-20 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 at Lines 5-7 recites the newly added limitation “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by three wider portions” which renders the claim indefinite as one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that an hourglass shape is commonly known to defined by a narrower portion extending between two wider portions, not three. Furthermore, the Applicant’s drawings show the gripping portion comprising two hourglass portions 126 and three wider portions, wherein each hourglass portion 126 is axially bound by two wider portions. Thus, it is unclear if the Applicant was intending to recite only one of the hourglass portions between two wider portions, or two hour glass portions between three wider portions, since it is well-known that an hourglass shape as claimed does not typically include three wider portions. For purposes of examination, the limitation of Lines 5-7 are being interpreted as “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions”. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 8 at Lines 7-9 recites the newly added limitation “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by three wider portions” which renders the claim indefinite as one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that an hourglass shape is commonly known to defined by a narrower portion extending between two wider portions, not three. Furthermore, the Applicant’s drawings show the gripping portion comprising two hourglass portions 126 and three wider portions, wherein each hourglass portion 126 is axially bound by two wider portions. Thus, it is unclear if the Applicant was intending to recite only one of the hourglass portions between two wider portions, or two hour glass portions between three wider portions, since it is well-known that an hourglass shape as claimed does not typically include three wider portions. For purposes of examination, the limitation of Lines 7-9 are being interpreted as “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions”. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 11 at Line 1 recites “The intraosseous access assembly of claim 10”. Since Claim 10 has been cancelled, Claim 11 depends from a cancelled claim and thus is considered to be incomplete. See MPEP 608.01(n)V. As such, Claim 11 has not been further treated on the merits thereof. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 15 at Lines 4-6 recites the newly added limitation “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by three wider portions” which renders the claim indefinite as one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that an hourglass shape is commonly known to defined by a narrower portion extending between two wider portions, not three. Furthermore, the Applicant’s drawings show the gripping portion comprising two hourglass portions 126 and three wider portions, wherein each hourglass portion 126 is axially bound by two wider portions. Thus, it is unclear if the Applicant was intending to recite only one of the hourglass portions between two wider portions, or two hour glass portions between three wider portions, since it is well-known that an hourglass shape as claimed does not typically include three wider portions. For purposes of examination, the limitation of Lines 4-6 are being interpreted as “wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions”. Appropriate correction is required. 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. Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teisen et al. (US PG Pub No. 2013/0331840) in view of Miller et al. (US PG Pub No. 2007/0270775), hereinafter Miller 1. Regarding Claims 1-3 as best understood, Teisen et al. discloses an intraosseous access assembly (100, Figs. 1-6, Paragraphs [0037-0049]) defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below), the intraosseous access assembly comprising: a driver (140, Fig. 1) defined between a proximal driver end/PDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) and a distal driver end/DDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below), the driver defining an ergonomic gripping portion (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) between the PDE and the DDE, the driver defining a prong (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) extending from the DDE; a stylet (106, Fig. 1) extending from the DDE of the driver, the stylet extending between a distal stylet end/DSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) and a proximal stylet end/PSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below); a catheter hub (146, Fig. 1) removably couplable to the driver at the DDE (Fig. 2), the catheter hub defining an aperture for receiving the prong of the driver (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) thereby locking the driver and the catheter hub with respect to rotation in either direction around a central axis (Fig. 2 and see examiner annotated Fig. 1 below), a catheter (104) extending from the catheter hub, the catheter extending between a proximal catheter end/PCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) and a distal catheter end/DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below), the catheter defining a longitudinal opening at the DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below), wherein the stylet extending from the DDE of the driver is selectively received through the catheter hub and the catheter (Fig. 2), the stylet having a tip (108, Fig. 3) defined at the DSE and extending through the opening at the DCE (Fig. 3). PNG media_image1.png 368 613 media_image1.png Greyscale Teisen et al. does not disclose that the prong is one of a plurality of prongs extending from the DDE, and wherein the aperture is one of a plurality of apertures, wherein each of the plurality of prongs are received in a respective one of the plurality of apertures of the catheter hub around the central axis of the driver, thereby locking the driver and the catheter hub with respect to rotation in either direction around the central axis, and wherein the plurality of prongs are spaced circumferentially in an array around the central axis of the driver. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver of Teisen et al. to add a second prong on the opposite side of the central axis facing the first prong and modify the catheter hub to add a second aperture on the opposite side of the central axis facing the first aperture such that the prongs and corresponding apertures are arranged circumferentially about the central axis in order to provide the assembly with a more robust locking means between the driver and the catheter hub since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. Teisen further fails to disclose wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions. Miller 1 discloses an intraosseous device and methods for accessing bone marrow at various target areas (Abstract), comprising an access assembly (Figs. 2A-2B, Paragraph [0053]) including a driver (20) with an ergonomic handle (22, Figs. 2A-3A) having a hourglass shaped cross-section defined by a dome shaped upper surface (26) and opposing arcuate finger rests/cutouts (24) on opposing sides of a central axis extending through the driver (Fig. 3A, 3C), wherein the outer perimeter of the handle is hourglass shaped and defined by a narrower portion axially bound by two wider portions (Fig. 2B) such that it is compatible with an operator’s hand (Paragraph [0053]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the gripping portion of the driver of Teisen et al. such that each of the left and right outer side walls thereof include an hourglass shape as taught by Miller 1 in order to provide the outer surface of the driver with an ergonomic shape so that the driver is easily grippable by a hand of an operator during use. Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teisen et al. (US PG Pub No. 2013/0331840) in view of Miller et al. (US PG Pub No. 2007/0270775), hereinafter Miller 1, as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Miller et al. (US PG Pub No. 2008/0045965), hereinafter Miller 2. Regarding Claims 5-7, the combination of Teisen et al. and Miller 1 discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, except wherein the catheter further defines a fenestration rearward from the longitudinal opening between the PCE and the DCE, wherein the fenestration comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations, and wherein each lateral fenestration of the plurality of lateral fenestrations is circumferentially spaced apart. Miller 2 discloses an intraosseous device and methods for biopsy and aspiration of bone marrow (Abstract), comprising an access assembly (Figs. 2-5D) comprising a driver (102/250, Figs. 3B-3C, 5A-5F), a stylet (120) extending from the driver, a catheter hub (140a), and a cannula (110a) extending from the catheter hub, wherein the cannula comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations (ports 106, Fig. 3B, Paragraph [0146]) located rearward from the distal-most end (111a) of the cannula and arranged circumferentially about a longitudinal axis extending through the cannula (Figs. 3A-3B). Miller 2 teaches providing the side ports when the assembly is used “for some applications”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver, stylet and catheter of the assembly of the combination to add a cannulation extending through the driver and stylet, add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the stylet, and add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the catheter, as taught by Miller 2 in order to allow the assembly to disperse injected materials such as bone cement or local anesthetics into the surgical site during use. Claim(s) 8-9, 12-16, & 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teisen et al. (US PG Pub No. 2013/0331840) in view of Miller et al. (US PG Pub No. 2007/0270775), hereinafter Miller 1, and Miller et al. (US PG Pub No. 2008/0045965), hereinafter Miller 2. Regarding Claims 8-9 as best understood, Teisen et al. discloses an intraosseous access assembly (100, Figs. 1-6, Paragraphs [0037-0049]) defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), the intraosseous access assembly comprising: a driver (140, Fig. 1) defined between a proximal driver end/PDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a distal driver end/DDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) in the axial direction, the driver defining a gripping portion (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) between the PDE and the DDE, the driver comprising a driving portion defined in the PDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above); a stylet (106, Fig. 1) extending from the DDE of the driver, the stylet extending between a distal stylet end/DSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a proximal stylet end/PSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above); a catheter hub (146, Fig. 1) removably couplable to the driver at the DDE (Fig. 2); and a catheter (104) extending from the catheter hub, the catheter extending between a proximal catheter end/PCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a distal catheter end/DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), the catheter defining a longitudinal opening at the DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), wherein the stylet extending from the DDE of the driver is selectively received through the catheter hub and the catheter (Fig. 2), the stylet having a tip (108, Fig. 3) defined at the DSE and extending through the opening at the DCE (Fig. 3). Teisen does not disclose wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions. Miller 1 discloses an intraosseous device and methods for accessing bone marrow at various target areas (Abstract), comprising an access assembly (Figs. 2A-2B, Paragraph [0053]) including a driver (20) with an ergonomic handle (22, Figs. 2A-3A) having a hourglass shaped cross-section defined by a dome shaped upper surface (26) and opposing arcuate finger rests/cutouts (24) on opposing sides of a central axis extending through the driver (Fig. 3A, 3C), wherein the outer perimeter of the handle is hourglass shaped and defined by a narrower portion axially bound by two wider portions (Fig. 2B) such that it is compatible with an operator’s hand (Paragraph [0053]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the gripping portion of the driver of Teisen et al. such that each of the left and right outer side walls thereof include an hourglass shape as taught by Miller 1 in order to provide the outer surface of the driver with an ergonomic shape so that the driver is easily grippable by a hand of an operator during use. Teisen et al. further fails to disclose the driving portion defining a female receiving end to accept a complementary/matched male tool bit enabling mated rotation of the driver, wherein the female receiving end of the driving portion defines an opening for receipt of the male tool bit within the PDE of the driver. Miller 2 discloses the intraosseous device and methods for biopsy and aspiration of bone marrow (Abstract) as stated above, comprising the access assembly (Figs. 2-5D) comprising a driver (102/250, Figs. 3B-3C, 5A-5F), a stylet (120) extending from the driver, a catheter hub (140a), and a cannula (110a) extending from the catheter hub, wherein the driver includes a driving portion (receptacle 264, Figs. 5D, 5F, Paragraph [0136]) defined in the proximal most end (262), the driving portion defining a female receiving end/tool receptacle configured to accept a complementarily shaped male tool bit (224, Fig. 5A) enabling mated rotation of the driver via a driving tool (200, Paragraph [0136]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver of Teisen et al. to add a tool receptacle in the PDE as taught by Miller 2 in order to provide the driver with a means for engaging a tool bit of a driving tool so that the assembly can be rotated via the driving tool if need be during a procedure based on a particular patients needs. Regarding Claims 12-14, the combination of Teisen et al., Miller 1, and Miller 2 discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 8, except wherein the catheter further defines a fenestration rearward from the longitudinal opening between the PCE and the DCE, wherein the fenestration comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations, and wherein each lateral fenestration of the plurality of lateral fenestrations is circumferentially spaced apart. Miller 2 discloses the intraosseous device and methods for biopsy and aspiration of bone marrow (Abstract) as stated above, wherein the cannula (110a) comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations (ports 106, Fig. 3B, Paragraph [0146]) located rearward from the distal-most end (111a) of the cannula and arranged circumferentially about a longitudinal axis extending through the cannula (Figs. 3A-3B). Miller 2 teaches providing the side ports when the assembly is used “for some applications”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver, stylet and catheter of the assembly of the combination to add a cannulation extending through the driver and stylet, add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the stylet, and add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the catheter, as taught by Miller 2 in order to allow the assembly to disperse injected materials such as bone cement or local anesthetics into the surgical site during use. Regarding Claims 15-16 as best understood, Teisen et al. discloses an intraosseous access assembly (100, Figs. 1-6, Paragraphs [0037-0049]), comprising: a driver (140, Fig. 1) defined between a proximal driver end/PDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a distal driver end/DDE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), the driver defining a gripping portion (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) between the PDE and the DDE, the driver defining a prong (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 below) extending from the DDE; a stylet (106, Fig. 1) extending from the DDE of the driver, the stylet extending between a distal stylet end/DSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a proximal stylet end/PSE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above); a catheter hub (146, Fig. 1) removably couplable to the driver at the DDE (Fig. 2), the catheter hub defining an aperture for receiving the prong of the driver (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above); and a catheter (104) extending from the catheter hub, the catheter extending between a proximal catheter end/PCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above) and a distal catheter end/DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), the catheter defining a longitudinal opening at the DCE (See examiner annotated Fig. 1 above), wherein the stylet extending from the DDE of the driver is selectively received through the catheter hub and the catheter (Fig. 2), the stylet comprising a tapered tip (108/116, Fig. 3) defined at the DSE and extending through the opening at the DCE (Fig. 3), the tapered tip of the stylet form a cutting tip at the DSE (Fig. 3, Paragraph [0042]). Teisen et al. does not disclose that the prong is one of a plurality of prongs extending from the DDE, and wherein the aperture is one of a plurality of apertures, wherein each of the plurality of prongs are received in a respective one of the plurality of apertures of the catheter hub around the central axis of the driver, thereby locking the driver and the catheter hub with respect to rotation in either direction around the central axis, and wherein the plurality of prongs are spaced circumferentially in an array around the central axis of the driver. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver of Teisen et al. to add a second prong on the opposite side of the central axis facing the first prong and modify the catheter hub to add a second aperture on the opposite side of the central axis facing the first aperture such that the prongs and corresponding apertures are arranged circumferentially about the central axis in order to provide the assembly with a more robust locking means between the driver and the catheter hub since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. Teisen further fails to disclose wherein the gripping portion of the driver comprises an hourglass shaped portion between the PDE and the DDE, the hourglass shaped portion defined by a narrower portion axially bounded by two wider portions. Miller 1 discloses an intraosseous device and methods for accessing bone marrow at various target areas (Abstract), comprising an access assembly (Figs. 2A-2B, Paragraph [0053]) including a driver (20) with an ergonomic handle (22, Figs. 2A-3A) having a hourglass shaped cross-section defined by a dome shaped upper surface (26) and opposing arcuate finger rests/cutouts (24) on opposing sides of a central axis extending through the driver (Fig. 3A, 3C), wherein the outer perimeter of the handle is hourglass shaped and defined by a narrower portion axially bound by two wider portions (Fig. 2B) such that it is compatible with an operator’s hand (Paragraph [0053]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the gripping portion of the driver of Teisen et al. such that each of the left and right outer side walls thereof include an hourglass shape as taught by Miller 1 in order to provide the outer surface of the driver with an ergonomic shape so that the driver is easily grippable by a hand of an operator during use. Teisen et al. further fails to disclose the catheter defining a cutting edge at the DCE, the cutting edge of the catheter and the tapered tip of the stylet form a cutting tip at the DSE, wherein the cutting edge of the catheter comprises a pair of tapers defining a recessed portion at the longitudinal opening at the DCE. Miller 2 discloses the intraosseous device and methods for biopsy and aspiration of bone marrow (Abstract) as stated above, wherein the catheter (110a) comprises a cutting edge at the distal-most end thereof (111a, Fig. 3B, 3F-3G, Paragraphs [0145, 0160]), wherein the cutting edge comprises a pair of tapers (Fig. 3B, 3D, 3E, Paragraph [0160]) defining a recessed portion at the opening formed in the distal most end of the catheter (Figs. 3B, 3D-3J), and wherein a distal-most end of the stylet also includes a sharpened tapered tip (121, Fig. 3A, 3D-3E, 3I, 3J) such that the cutting edge of the catheter and the tapered tip of the stylet form a cutting tip at a distal-most end of the assembly (Fig. 3I, Paragraphs [0145, 0160]). Miller 2 teaches providing the distal most end of the catheter with a tapered cutting edge configuration for the purpose of providing improved drilling performance when the assembly penetrates bone. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the catheter of Teisen et al. to include a cutting edge including a pair of tapers defining a recessed portion at the longitudinal opening at the DCE, such that the cutting edge of the catheter and the tapered tip of the stylet form a cutting tip at the DSE, as taught by Miller 2 in order to provide the assembly with improved drilling performance during bone penetration. Regarding Claims 18-20, the combination of Teisen et al., Miller 1, and Miller 2 discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 15, except wherein the catheter further defines a fenestration rearward from the longitudinal opening between the PCE and the DCE, wherein the fenestration comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations, and wherein each lateral fenestration of the plurality of lateral fenestrations is circumferentially spaced apart. Miller 2 discloses the intraosseous device and methods for biopsy and aspiration of bone marrow (Abstract) as stated above, wherein the cannula (110a) comprises a plurality of lateral fenestrations (ports 106, Fig. 3B, Paragraph [0146]) located rearward from the distal-most end (111a) of the cannula and arranged circumferentially about a longitudinal axis extending through the cannula (Figs. 3A-3B). Miller 2 teaches providing the side ports when the assembly is used “for some applications”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver, stylet and catheter of the assembly of the combination to add a cannulation extending through the driver and stylet, add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the stylet, and add a plurality of ports arranged circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the catheter, as taught by Miller 2 in order to allow the assembly to disperse injected materials such as bone cement or local anesthetics into the surgical site during use. Response to Arguments Applicant’s amendments, filed 12/11/25, have overcome the objections to claims 1 & 15. In regards to Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/11/25, with respect to the rejections of independent claims 1, 8 & 15: The Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, using a new interpretation of the references, based on the newly amended claims being interpreted as best understood. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 JESSICA WEISS whose telephone number is (571) 270-5597. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, please contact the examiner’s supervisor, KEVIN T. TRUONG, at 571-272-4705. 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 applications 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 Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JESSICA WEISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 23, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 18, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §103, §112
Dec 11, 2025
Response Filed
Mar 11, 2026
Final Rejection — §103, §112 (current)

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Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
99%
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2y 10m
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