Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/724,417

Method for regulating a heating unit in a facility for producing containers

Non-Final OA §101§102§OTHER
Filed
Jun 26, 2024
Priority
Dec 30, 2021 — FR FR2114703 +1 more
Examiner
HUSON, MONICA ANNE
Art Unit
1742
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Sidel Participations
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
1084 granted / 1364 resolved
+14.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 12m
Avg Prosecution
38 currently pending
Career history
1401
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
63.5%
+23.5% vs TC avg
§102
2.6%
-37.4% vs TC avg
§112
12.9%
-27.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1364 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §102 §OTHER
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 Objections Claim 18 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 1. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 9 and 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim’s computer program product would be considered a transitory signal which does not fall into a statutory category. See MPEP 2160.03 (I-II). 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. Claim(s) 9-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Linke et al. (U.S. Patent 7,887,742). Regarding Claims 9 and 11-17, Linke et al., hereafter “Linke,”, shows a computer program product (Column 3, lines 19-28, 46-55; Column 7, lines 7-40: instructions for the automatic control and how it takes into consideration behavior of the system are held to meet a computer program product). Regarding Claim 10, Link shows that it is known to have a data processing device (Column 7, lines 7-40: automatic control system). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-8 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of record does not clearly show or suggest the claimed method for producing containers made of thermoplastic material from preforms, especially including the step of modifying electrical power of at least two rows of radiation sources while keeping the sum of electrical power of at least two rows of radiation sources the same. Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONICA HUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1198. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a-4p. 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, Christina Johnson can be reached at 571-272-1176. 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. MONICA ANNE HUSON Primary Examiner Art Unit 1742 /MONICA A HUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 26, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §101, §102, §OTHER
Apr 28, 2026
Response Filed

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12622484
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING A MOLDED COMPONENT WITH AN INSERT
2y 5m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12627205
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ROTOR
2y 0m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12623403
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATING CURING RADIATION IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING
11m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12616564
BRANCH ENDOPROSTHETIC SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHOD
3y 9m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12617140
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING PLASTIC PREFORMS INTO PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH CLEAN ROOM
2y 7m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
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
80%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+13.6%)
2y 12m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1364 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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