Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/843,808

Methods and Systems for Making Polymeric Microstructures

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 04, 2024
Priority
Mar 17, 2022 — provisional 63/321,052 +1 more
Examiner
HUSON, MONICA ANNE
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 1m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
1090 granted / 1371 resolved
+19.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 12m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
1407
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
63.4%
+23.4% vs TC avg
§102
2.7%
-37.3% vs TC avg
§112
12.9%
-27.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1371 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/843,808 CTNF 79573 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 6-10, 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by DeSimone et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015/0102532). Regarding Claim 1, DeSimone et al., hereafter “DeSimone,” show that it is known to carry out a method for making a polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (Abstract; 0218), the method comprising: a) conveying a polymerizable composition through a conduit into a space between a build elevator and a build surface of a liquid interface production module (0017); b) irradiating the polymerizable composition positioned between the build elevator and the build surface to generate a polymerizable composition comprising a first polymerized region of the polymerizable composition comprising a microchannel in contact with the build elevator and a first non-polymerized region of the polymerizable composition in contact with the build surface (0018); c) displacing the build elevator away from the build surface (0019); d) irradiating the first non-polymerized region of the polymerizable composition to generate a second polymerized region of the polymerizable composition in contact with the first polymerized region and a second non-polymerized region in contact with the build surface and e) repeating steps a)-c) in a manner sufficient to generate a polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (0020) . Regarding Claim 2, DeSimone shows the method of claim 1 above, including one wherein the method comprises injecting the polymerizable composition through the conduit with a syringe pump (0111). Regarding Claim 3, DeSimone shows the method of claim 1 above, including one wherein the method comprises conveying two or more different polymerizable materials into the space between the build elevator and the build surface (0159). Regarding Claim 6, DeSimone shows the method of claim 1 above, including one wherein the method comprises modeling a predetermined fluidic network geometry for the microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (0218). Regarding Claim 7, DeSimone shows the method of claim 6 above, including one wherein the predetermined fluidic network geometry of the microchannels is based on the three-dimensional shape of the generated polymeric structure (0218). Regarding Claim 8, DeSimone shows the method of claim 1 above, including one wherein method further comprises filling at least a portion of the void volume of one or more microchannels of the generated polymeric structure (0218-0220). Regarding Claim 9, DeSimone shows a system for making a polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (Abstract; 0218), the system comprising: a light source (element 11); a liquid interface polymerization module comprising a build elevator and a build surface configured for generating the polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels from a polymerizable composition positioned therebetween (element 15, 18); and a conduit for conveying polymerizable composition to the liquid interface polymerization module (0111). Regarding Claim 10, DeSimone shows the system of claim 9 above, including one wherein the system further comprises a syringe pump configured to inject the polymerizable composition into the liquid interface polymerization module through the conduit (0111). Regarding Claims 12-13 and 15, DeSimone shows the system of claim 9 above, including one wherein the system further comprises a processor comprising memory operably coupled to the processor wherein the memory comprises instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: a) irradiate a polymerizable composition positioned between the build elevator and the build surface to generate a polymerizable composition comprising a first polymerized region of the polymerizable composition in contact with the build elevator and a first non-polymerized region of the polymerizable composition in contact with the build surface; b) displace the build elevator away from the build surface; c) irradiate the first non-polymerized region of the polymerizable composition to generate a second polymerized region of the polymerizable composition in contact with the first polymerized region and a second non-polymerized region in contact with the build surface; and d) repeat steps a)-c) in a manner sufficient to generate a polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (0145-0153) Regarding Claim 14, DeSimone shows a polymeric structure comprising one or more microchannels positioned within the polymeric structure (0218) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 4-5, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeSimone. DeSimone shows the method of claim 3 and the apparatus of claim 9 above, including using more than one polymerizable material, but he does not specifically show more than one conduit. It would have been obvious to use more than one conduit, such as claimed, in DeSimone’s process/apparatus because he describes using more than one material, and duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced (MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(B)) . 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 Application/Control Number: 18/843,808 Page 2 Art Unit: 1742 Application/Control Number: 18/843,808 Page 3 Art Unit: 1742 Application/Control Number: 18/843,808 Page 4 Art Unit: 1742
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 04, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §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
80%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+13.6%)
2y 12m (~1y 1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1371 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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