Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/787,449

RECORDING APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §DP§Other
Filed
Jul 29, 2024
Examiner
VO, ANH T N
Art Unit
2853
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Seiko Epson Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
90%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
To Grant
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 90% — above average
90%
Career Allow Rate
1349 granted / 1500 resolved
+21.9% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
1516
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
39.2%
-0.8% vs TC avg
§102
41.9%
+1.9% vs TC avg
§112
4.7%
-35.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1500 resolved cases

Office Action

§DP §Other
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 . DETAILED ACTION Priority Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file. Information Disclosure Statement The references cited on a Form PTO 1449 have been considered. Specification The specification has been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. However, the applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Double Patenting The non statutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. See In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and, In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a non-statutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent is shown to be commonly owned with this application. See 37 CFR 1.130(b). Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b). * Claims 1-20 are rejected under the judicially created doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,083,803; over claims 1-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,331,929 and over claims 1-11 of U.S. Patent No. 11,787,196. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the patent claims fully encompass applicant's instantly claimed invention. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 1-19 would be allowable if provided a Terminal Disclaimer. These claims would be allowable because the prior art references of record fail to teach or suggest a recording apparatus comprising a display section that is configured to accept various setting operations, wherein a liquid-level visual-check section of a liquid storage section and the display section overlap in the width direction in the combination as claimed. Claim 10 would be allowable if provided a Terminal Disclaimer. This claim would be allowable because the prior art references of record fail to teach or suggest an recording apparatus comprising a display section that is configured to display information and to accept various setting operations, wherein a liquid-level visual-check section of a liquid storage section and the display section are disposed on an apparatus front surface side, and the display section is disposed above the liquid-level visual-check section, and wherein at least a part of the liquid-level visual-check section is disposed at a same location with the display section in the width direction in the combination as claimed. Citation of Pertinent Prior Art The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. These prior art references (US Pat. 9421781) cited in the PTO 892 form show an ink jet printer which is deemed to be relevant to the present invention. These references should be reviewed. CONCLUSION Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Anh Vo whose telephone number is (571) 272-2262. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9:30 A.M.to 6:00 P.M.. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner'ssupervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached on (571) 431-0716. The fax phonenumber 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 thePatent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information forpublished 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. Shouldyou have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the ElectronicBusiness Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from aUSPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated informationsystem, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANH T VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 29, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §DP, §Other (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12600144
LIQUID DISCHARGE HEAD AND LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12600139
WASH VALVE
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12594778
APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12594767
INK CARTRIDGE AND METHOD FOR REMANUFACTURING INK CARTRIDGE
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12594769
CARTRIDGE, INK JET PRINT HEAD AND INK JET PRINTER
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 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
90%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+4.6%)
2y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1500 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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