Office Action Predictor
Last updated: April 16, 2026
Application No. 18/707,208

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD

Final Rejection §102
Filed
May 03, 2024
Examiner
WENDMAGEGN, GIRUMSEW
Art Unit
2484
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Sony Group Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allow Rate
742 granted / 968 resolved
+18.7% vs TC avg
Strong +20% interview lift
Without
With
+20.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
984
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
§103
42.4%
+2.4% vs TC avg
§102
35.1%
-4.9% vs TC avg
§112
3.3%
-36.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 968 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 – (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. Claims 1-2, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being disclosed by Blank et al US 2008/0055305(hereinafter Blank). Regarding claim1, Blank discloses a data processing apparatus, comprising: a rendering unit configured to render a volumetric image([0011],[0019], the system includes the hardware and software to render multi-dimensional image displays using all information in extremely large data sets, such as in the medical imaging, digital microscopy or other environments where such data is generated); an editing acceptance unit configured to: accept edit for the rendered based on a first operation of a user([0015-0016], The system includes at least one human interface device (HID) operationally connected to the stand-alone platform and adapted to provide interactive real time manipulation and modification of the rendered multi-dimensional image data); and edit the rendered volumetric image to reflect editing content in the volumetric image([0016], The manipulation and modification is accomplished when the remote thin client viewer sends an event command to the stand-alone platform in real time in response to the HID activation. The rendered multi-dimensional image data is updated by the stand-alone platform in real time in response to the event command); a data generation unit configured to: convert the edited volumetric image to a format that is compatible for output by a user terminal, wherein the user terminal is different from the data processing apparatus([0034], The image generation system 14 may therefore include data preprocessing modules for any desired preprocessing of the data, such as automatic segmentation, clipping, compression, conversion of format, deconvolution, resampling, normalizing, or the like at 16, [0039]); and generate converted data based on the converted format of the edited volumetric image([0034], The image generation system 14 may therefore include data preprocessing modules for any desired preprocessing of the data, such as automatic segmentation, clipping, compression, conversion of format, deconvolution, resampling, normalizing, or the like at 16, [0039]); and a data transmission unit configured to output the generated converted data from the data processing apparatus to the user terminal([0034-0035], Once the volumetric image data is used to generate stereoscopic image data, this information is selectively coupled to one or more local stereoscopic display systems at 24 and/or to one or more remote stereoscopic display systems at 26. The at least one remote system 26 may be coupled via any suitable network 28, such as the Internet for remote stereoscopic user interaction, analysis and data and display manipulation). Regarding claim2, Blank discloses the data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the format includes a moving image, a still image, and a uniquely defined file ([0034], The image generation system 14 may therefore include data preprocessing modules for any desired preprocessing of the data, such as automatic segmentation, clipping, compression, conversion of format, deconvolution, resampling, normalizing, or the like at 16, [0039]). Claims19-20 are rejected for similar reason as discussed in claim1 above. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 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 GIRUMSEW WENDMAGEGN whose telephone number is (571)270-1118. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-7:00 PM. 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, Thai Tran can be reached at (571) 272-7382. 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. GIRUMSEW WENDMAGEGN Primary Examiner Art Unit 2484 /GIRUMSEW WENDMAGEGN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
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Prosecution Timeline

May 03, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 12, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Oct 14, 2025
Response Filed
Jan 24, 2026
Final Rejection — §102
Mar 27, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
77%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+20.4%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 968 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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