Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/718,056

DISPLAY CONTROL DEVICE AND MACHINE TOOL

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jun 09, 2024
Examiner
DINH, THAI T
Art Unit
2846
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Dmg Mori Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 5m
To Grant
86%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allow Rate
558 granted / 651 resolved
+17.7% vs TC avg
Minimal -0% lift
Without
With
+-0.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
678
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§103
49.4%
+9.4% vs TC avg
§102
23.4%
-16.6% vs TC avg
§112
20.8%
-19.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 651 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 . 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ando et al. (hereinafter Ando, US 2012/00093598 A1) in view of Luo et al. (hereinafter Luo, US 2019/0120726 A1). For claim 1, Ando discloses a display control device for controlling display of a state of a machine tool (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses a display control device 1 for controlling display of a state of a machine tool – see Ando, Fig. 1, paragraph [0002] and [0028], lines 1-8) which includes (i) an attachment portion to which a tool is attachable (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses an attachment portion 3 to which a tool 4 is attachable – see Ando, Fig. 1, paragraph [0028], lines 3-8), (ii) a numerical control unit for controlling a rotating speed of the tool in accordance with a machining program (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses a numerical control unit 12 for controlling a rotating speed of the tool 4 in accordance with a machining program – See Ando, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0028], lines 8-14), and (iii) a detection unit for detecting at least one of a vibration of the tool and a load applied to the tool (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses a detection unit 7a-7c for detecting at least one of a vibration of the tool 4 and a load applied to the tool – see Ando, Figs. 1-3, paragraph [0029]), the display control device (Fig. 1, display control device 10) comprising: a display control unit (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses vibration determination section 13 and stability limit and vibration distribution calculation section 16 which altogether constitute a display control unit 13, 16) for controlling display of time-series data indicating a change in a detected value detected by the detection unit in a process of execution of the machining program (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses a display control unit 13, 16 for controlling display of time-series data indicating a change in a detected value detected by the detection unit 71-7c in a process of execution of the machining program – see Ando, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0029]-[0031]); and a receiving unit for receiving a predetermined input based on the timeseries data (Fig. 1 of Ando discloses a receiving unit “number of Flutes tool number” and “threshold” for receiving a predetermined input based on the timeseries data – see Ando, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0031], lines 8-12, [0032] and [0034], lines 7-9). Ando discloses the display control unit which is silent for disclosing (a) a program name, and (b) at least one of a block number and a program line of the machining program associated with the predetermined input received by the receiving unit. However, Luo discloses a display control device comprising a display control unit which discloses (a) a program name, and (b) at least one of a block number and a program line of the machining program associated with the predetermined input received by the receiving unit (Figs. 1 and 3-5 of Luo discloses a display control device 1 comprising a display control unit 10, wherein the display control unit 10 discloses controls display of (a) a program name, and (b) at least one of a block number and a program line of the machining program associated with the predetermined input received by the receiving unit 14, 16 – see Luo, Figs. 1 and 5, paragraphs [0032], [0036]-[0037] and [0040]-[0042]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify teaching of Ando to incorporate teaching of Luo for purpose of controlling tool accurately. For claim 2, Ando in view of Luo disclose the display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a region associated with the block number as being superimposed on display of the time-series data (Figs. 1 and 6-7 of Luo disclose the display control unit 10 which displays a region associated with the block number as being superimposed on display of the time-series data – see Luo, Figs. 6-7, paragraphs [0011], [0043] and [0047]). For claim 3, Ando in view of Luo disclose the display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a region associated with the program line as being superimposed on display of the time-series data (Figs. 1 and 7 of Luo disclose the display control unit 10 which displays a region associated with the program line as being superimposed on display of the time-series data – see Luo, Figs. 1 and 7, paragraphs [001] and [0047]-[0049]). For claim 4, Ando in view of Luo disclose a display control device for controlling display of a state of a machine tool which includes (i) an attachment portion to which a tool is attachable, (ii) a numerical control unit for controlling a rotating speed of the tool in accordance with a machining program, and (iii) a detection unit for detecting at least one of a vibration of the tool and a load applied to the tool, the display control device (similar as claim 1 above, explanation is omitted) comprising: a display control unit for controlling display of time-series data indicating a change in a detected value detected by the detection unit in a process of execution of the machining program; and a receiving unit for receiving a predetermined input based on the timeseries data (similar as claim 1 above, explanation is omitted), wherein the display control unit controls display of the time-series data indicating the change in the detected value detected by the detection unit (Ando disclose the display control unit 13, 16 which controls display of the time-series data indicating the change in the detected value detected by the detection unit 7a-7c – see Ando, Figs. 1, paragraphs [0029], [0031]-[0032] and [0034]), and (a) a program name (similar as claim 1 above, explanation is omitted) and (b) at least one of a block number and a program line of the machining program associated with the predetermined input received by the receiving unit (similar as claim 1 above, explanation is omitted). Claim 5 is "an apparatus/machine tool" claim which is similar to that of the "an apparatus/a display control device" claim 1. Explanation is omitted. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAI T DINH whose telephone number is (571)270-3852. The examiner can normally be reached (571)270-3852. 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, EDUARDO COLON-SANTANA can be reached at (571)272-2060. 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. /THAI T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 09, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
86%
With Interview (-0.1%)
2y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 651 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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