Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/856,783

MEDICAL DEVICE FOR GUIDEWIRE PLACEMENT AND RELATED METHOD

Final Rejection §102§103
Filed
Oct 14, 2024
Priority
Apr 14, 2022 — provisional 63/331,195 +1 more
Examiner
BOR, HELENE CATHERINE
Art Unit
3797
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
The Regents of the University of Michigan
OA Round
2 (Final)
51%
Grant Probability
Moderate
3-4
OA Rounds
3y 2m
Est. Remaining
81%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 51% of resolved cases
51%
Career Allowance Rate
286 granted / 558 resolved
-18.7% vs TC avg
Strong +30% interview lift
Without
With
+29.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
4y 11m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
593
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
§103
75.9%
+35.9% vs TC avg
§102
9.1%
-30.9% vs TC avg
§112
9.7%
-30.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 558 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTFR 18/856,783 CTFR 83332 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. Restriction Requirement The Applicant amended the withdrawn claims to depend from Claim 1 to be eligible for rejoinder. The Examiner agrees that upon allowance of Claim 1, the withdrawn claims will be subject to rejoinder, where appropriate. The Examiner notes that the amendments to the withdrawn Claims were described by the Applicant as changing the dependency to Claim 1. MPEP§1850(II) states: If, however, an independent claim does not avoid the prior art, then the question whether there is still an inventive link between all the claims dependent on that claim needs to be carefully considered. If there is no link remaining, an objection of lack of unity a posteriori (that is, arising only after assessment of the prior art) may be raised. The independent claim does not avoid the prior art and consideration of the dependent claims results in no inventive link (special technical feature) between all the claims. Thus, the lack of unity is maintained because there is no shared special technical feature. The lack of unity is deemed proper. 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 & 21-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Stone et al. (U.S. Patent Application 2019/0282788 A1) . Claim 1: Stone teaches – A medical device [ insertion device ] (Figure 1, Element 10) comprising a needle [ a hollow needle co-linear with said guidewire passage through said plunger ] (Para 0004) coupled with a syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) having a barrel [ barrel ] (Figure 1, Element 62) and a plunger [ plunger ] (Figure 1, Element 52), the device being configured to permit a user to feed a guidewire through the needle and out of a tip of the needle with only one hand and without decoupling the needle from the syringe [ guidewire is advanced by contact with the clinician's thumb enabling the clinician to gauge the amount of resistance being encountered while using the remainder of the hand to control advancement of the needle and manipulate the plunger of the syringe as required and leaving the other hand free ] (Para 0003), the device comprising: a housing [ body ] (Figure 1, Element 22; as shown in Figure 1) distinct from the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62), the housing having a cavity [ groove ] (Figure 1, Element 56) in which the barrel of the syringe is supported at a fixed location in the housing [ plunger 52 of syringe 54 which is carried in groove 56 defined atop body 22 of insertion device 10 ] (Para 0051) and a grip [ Rearwardly extending handle 34 attached to body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 34) extending away from a body of the housing along a bottom side of the housing (as shown in Figure 1); and an actuator [ actuator ] (Figure 1, Element 28) distinct from the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) and comprising a trigger [ trigger ] (Figure 1, Element 26) along the bottom side of the housing and forward of the grip [ Actuator 28 sliding within longitudinally extending guideway 24 has trigger 26 mounted thereupon which trigger 26 slides within longitudinally extending slot 30 defined in lower forward portion 32 of body 22 ] (Para 0050 and as shown in Figure 1), the trigger being operable by said one hand of the user [ device for one-handed insertion ] (Abstract) to apply force to the plunger of the syringe to translate the plunger relative to the barrel [ Plunger flange clip 74 mounted on actuator 28…so that plunger 52 may be advanced or withdrawn within barrel 62 by manipulation of trigger 26 ] (Para 0051), wherein the grip and the trigger are positioned to permit the user to operate the trigger with a first finger of the hand while one or more other fingers of the same hand are wrapped at least partly around the grip [ The thumb engages wire at the wire feed surface to advance and retract the wire through the guidewire passage and a finger moves the trigger to move the syringe plunger rearwardly and/or forwardly, while the remaining fingers of the one hand grasp the handle ] (Abstract) and while the thumb of the same hand is positioned along a top side of the device to feed the guidewire through the needle [ the guidewire is advanced by contact with the clinician’s thumb enabling the clinician to gauge the amount of resistance being encountered while using the remainder of the hand to control advancement of the needle and manipulate the plunger of the syringe as required and leaving the other hand free ] (Para 0003). Claim 3/1: Stone teaches further comprising: a handle [ lower forward portion 32 of body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 32) comprising the grip and supporting the syringe [ Rearwardly extending handle 34 attached to body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 34); and Examiner’s Note: The handle of the prior art best (Figure 1, Element 32) structurally matches Figure 1, Element 22 of the Specification of the Applicant of which the Applicant discloses as the handle. a guidewire feeder [ wire guide feed module ] (Figure 1, Element 36) supported by the handle [ being mounted on actuator 28 ] (Para 0055), the guidewire feeder comprising a body [ retainer ] (Figure 14, Element 88) and a guide channel [ rear wire guide ] (Figure 1, Element 39) extending through the body of the guidewire feeder (as shown in Figure 1 & 14), wherein the guide channel opens on an exterior surface [ feed surface ] (Figure 1 & 14, Element 44) of the body (disclosed as being mounted on the actuator which is indirectly part of the body) of the guidewire feeder such that the thumb of the hand of the user can contact and move the guidewire in the channel to feed the guidewire along the guide channel and through the needle while the same hand is holding the device by the handle [ guidewire 12 located within guidewire cassette 14 may be drawn through guidewire exit opening 16 as the tip of the digit on the hand grasping handle 34 urges guidewire 12 forwardly or rearwardly by forward or rearward movement across medial ridge and guidewire 12 may be thereby advanced into the vessel/cavity with the operator being able to accurately sense the degree or amount of resistance guidewire 12 encounters as it is being advanced ] (Para 0052). Claim 21/1: Stone teaches – wherein the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) includes a radially extending tab [ plunger flange ] (Figure 1, Element 70) at an end of the plunger [ plunger ] (Figure 1, Element 52) outside the barrel [ barrel ] (Figure 1, Element 62) of the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62), the actuator [ actuator ] (Figure 1, Element 28) further comprising a slot [ arms 76 and 78 of plunger flange clip 74 ] (Para 0057 and Figure 2, Element 76 & 78) sized to receive the tab so that (as shown in Figure 1-2 & 14), when the user pulls the trigger toward the grip [ Plunger flange clip 74 mounted on actuator 28 grasps plunger flange 70 between arms 76 and 78 defining groove 77 so that plunger 52 may be advanced or withdrawn within barrel 62 by manipulation of trigger 26 ] (Para 0051), the plunger moves within the barrel to decrease a pressure in the syringe (the disclosed movement of the plunger would result in a pressure change depending on the direction of the trigger being moved as shown in Figure 1). Claim 22/1: Stone teaches – wherein the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) includes a radially extending flange [ finger flange ] (Figure 1, Element 66) at a plunger end [ plunger ] (Figure 1, Element 52) of the barrel [ barrel ] (Figure 1, Element 62), the housing [ body ] (Figure 1, Element 22; as shown in Figure 1) further comprising a slot sized to receive the flange to axially constrain [ Finger flange 66 rests within finger flange slot 68 ] (Para 0051) the barrel of the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) when the flange is in the slot (as shown in Figure 1) and the plunger [ plunger ] (Figure 1, Element 52) is moved relative to the barrel [ barrel clip 60 and plunger flange clip 74 have been provided with exterior guides 64G, 60G and 74G to facilitate rapid insertion of the mating portions of syringe 54 thereinto ] (Para 0059; the description is appliable to Elements 60, 64 & 68 of Figure 1 and Figure 1, Element 60, 64 & 68). Claim 23/22/1: Stone teaches – wherein the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62) includes a radially extending tab [ plunger flange ] (Figure 1, Element 70) at an end of the plunger [ plunger ] (Figure 1, Element 52) outside the barrel [ barrel ] (Figure 1, Element 62) of the syringe [ syringe ] (Figure 1, Element 62), the actuator [ actuator ] (Figure 1, Element 28) further comprising a slot [ arms 76 and 78 of plunger flange clip 74 ] (Para 0057 and Figure 2, Element 76 & 78) sized to receive the tab so that (as shown in Figure 1-2 & 14), when the user pulls the trigger toward the grip, [ Plunger flange clip 74 mounted on actuator 28 grasps plunger flange 70 between arms 76 and 78 defining groove 77 so that plunger 52 may be advanced or withdrawn within barrel 62 by manipulation of trigger 26 ] (Para 0051), the plunger moves within the barrel to decrease a pressure in the syringe (the disclosed movement of the plunger would result in a pressure change depending on the direction of the trigger being moved as shown in Figure 1). Claim 24/22/1: Stone teaches wherein an axial position of a proximal end of the grip is at the barrel of the syringe and a distal end of the grip is downward and rearward of the proximal end (as shown in Figure 1, Element 34). Claim 25/22/1: Stone teaches wherein an axial position of a proximal end of the grip is beneath the thumb of the hand of the user when the user is feeding the guidewire through the needle and a distal end of the grip is downward and rearward of the proximal end (as shown in Figure 1 & 14). Examiner’s Note: The device of Stone is operated by the user’s thumb being on top and the grip is beneath that . 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 2, 5-6, 7 & 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stone et al. (U.S. Patent Application 2019/0282788 A1) as applied to Claim (s) 2 above, and further in view of Ornelas Vargas et al. (U.S. Patent Application 2018/0126126 A1) . Claim 2/1: Stone teaches – the housing [ body ] (Figure 1, Element 22) further comprising: a handle [ lower forward portion 32 of body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 32) comprising the grip and supporting the syringe [ Rearwardly extending handle 34 attached to body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 34); and Examiner’s Note: The handle of the prior art best (Figure 1, Element 32) structurally matches Figure 1, Element 22 of the Specification of the Applicant of which the Applicant discloses as the handle. a guidewire feeder [ wire guide feed module ] (Figure 1, Element 36) supported by the handle [ being mounted on actuator 28 ] (Para 0055), the guidewire feeder comprising a body [ retainer ] (Figure 14, Element 88) and a guide channel [ rear wire guide ] (Figure 1, Element 39) extending through the body of the guidewire feeder (as shown in Figure 1 & 14), wherein the guidewire feeder is operable by a thumb of the hand of the user can contact and move the guidewire in the channel to feed the guidewire along the guide channel and through the needle while the same hand is holding the device by the handle [ guidewire 12 located within guidewire cassette 14 may be drawn through guidewire exit opening 16 as the tip of the digit on the hand grasping handle 34 urges guidewires 12 forwardly or rearwardly by forward or rearward movement across medial ridge and guidewire 12 may be thereby advanced into the vessel/cavity with the operator being able to accurately sense the degree or amount of resistance guidewire 12 encounters as it is being advanced ] (Para 0052). Stone fails to teach a wheel. However, Ornelas Vargas teaches – a wheel [ wheel ] (Figure 5, Element 165), wherein the wheel is operable by a hand of a user to feed the guidewire along the guide channel [ Wheel 165 can serve to provide tactile feedback to the clinician while advancing (or retracting) guidewire 150, as well as to provide a raised surface against while to press guidewire 150 to assist in gripping of guidewire 160 to more efficient movement of guidewire 150 ] (Para 0065) and through the needle while the same hand is holding the device by the handle [ Guidewire feed region 164 is generally configured to be accessible by the thumb of the user while gripping main housing 120 with one hand ] (Para 0065 and Figure 8) in order to provide tactile feedback to the clinician while advancing (or retracting) guidewire as well as to provide a raised surface against while to press guidewire to assist in gripping of guidewire to more efficient movement of guidewire (Para 0065) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the medical device of Stone to include the wheel as taught by Ornelas Vargas in order to provide tactile feedback to the clinician while advancing (or retracting) guidewire as well as to provide a raised surface against while to press guidewire to assist in gripping of guidewire to more efficient movement of guidewire (Para 0065). Claim 5/1: Stone fails to teach the connector and check valve. However, Ornelas Vargas teaches further comprising a connector [ sheath movement element ] (Figure 7, Element 170), the connector [ sheath movement element ] (Figure 7, Element 170) having first [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 135) and second branches [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 136) coupled with the needle, wherein the first branch [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 135) is coupled with the syringe (as shown in Figure 7) and the guidewire is fed to the needle via the second branch [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 136) [ advance guidewire 160 in a distal direction, through conduit 136 and valve 127 into the lumen of needle 140 ] (Para 0071) in order to allow for visualization of blood flows through in the conduit to indicate to the clinician that the targeted vein has been reached and punctured (Para 0069) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Stone to include the connector and conduit as taught by Ornelas Vargas in order to allow for visualization of blood flows through in the conduit to indicate to the clinician that the targeted vein has been reached and punctured (Para 0069) Embodiment 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas fails to teach a check valve. However, Embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas teaches – a check valve [ check valve ] (Figure 23, Element 506) wherein the check valve is located along the second branch to prevent external fluid flow into the connector via the second branch when pressure is decreased in the connector [ when the plunger 352 is used to aspirate the body part (such as for blood draw back), the check valve 506 may be configured to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit 336 from the second end of the pressure monitoring channel 369 ] (Para 0121) in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas with the check valve of embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination. Claim 6/1: Stone teaches – further comprising: a handle [ lower forward portion 32 of body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 32) comprising the grip and supporting the syringe [ Rearwardly extending handle 34 attached to body 22 ] (Para 0050 and Figure 1, Element 34); Examiner’s Note: The handle of the prior art best (Figure 1, Element 32) structurally matches Figure 1, Element 22 of the Specification of the Applicant of which the Applicant discloses as the handle. a guidewire feeder [ wire guide feed module ] (Figure 1, Element 36) operable to feed the guidewire through the needle (as shown in Figure 1 & 14); an actuator [ actuator ] (Figure 1, Element 28) operable to decrease pressure in the syringe when the tip of the needle [ a hollow needle co-linear with said guidewire passage through said plunger ] (Para 0004) is blocked [ syringe rearwardly to create a slight pressure differential allowing fluid, whether liquid or gas, to flow through said needle into said syringe when said needle is properly positioned, a phenomenon often referred to as “flashback”, or to withdraw fluid through said needle ] (Para 0004); Examiner’s Note: While Stone does not specifically address a decrease in pressure in the syringe when the tip of the needle is blocked, the prior art has the same claimed structure capable of performing the decrease in pressure in the syringe when the tip of the needle is blocked. The Specification of the Applicant as originally filed on Page 12, Line 18-19 states, “ the user applies a force F to the actuator 20 to reduce the pressure within the syringe of the device in preparation for aspiration ”. In the same manner the prior art applies a force to the actuator 154. Stone fails to teach a check valve and connectors. However, Ornelas Vargas teaches – a connector [ sheath movement element ] (Figure 7, Element 170) having first [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 135), second [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 136), and third ends interconnected by an internal volume of the connector (See Exhibit 1, where the highlighted black area is the internal volume of the connector); and wherein the first end of the connector [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 135) is coupled with the syringe (as shown in Figure 7), the second end of the connector receives the guidewire [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 136) [ advance guidewire 160 in a distal direction, through conduit 136 and valve 127 into the lumen of needle 140 ] (Para 0071), PNG media_image1.png 408 386 media_image1.png Greyscale [AltContent: textbox (Exhibit 1 – Annotated Figure 7 of Ornelas Vargas)] Embodiment 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas fails to teach a check valve. However, Embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas teaches – a check valve [ check valve ] (Figure 23, Element 506), the check valve prevents external fluid flow into the internal volume through the second end of the connector when pressure is decreased in the internal volume of the connector wherein the check valve is located along the second branch to prevent external fluid flow into the connector via the second branch when pressure is decreased in the connector [ when the plunger 352 is used to aspirate the body part (such as for blood draw back), the check valve 506 may be configured to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit 336 from the second end of the pressure monitoring channel 369 ] (Para 0121) in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas with the check valve of embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination. Claim 7/6/1: Stone fails to teach the wheel and the check valve. However, Ornelas Vargas teaches wherein the feeder comprises a wheel [ wheel ] (Figure 5, Element 165) operable by a hand of a user to feed the guidewire [ guidewire ] (Figure 7, Element 160) along a guide channel [ guidewire housing connector ] (Figure 5, Element 168) of the device [ Wheel 165 can serve to provide tactile feedback to the clinician while advancing (or retracting) guidewire 150, as well as to provide a raised surface against while to press guidewire 150 to assist in gripping of guidewire 160 to more efficient movement of guidewire 150 ] (Para 0065), into the second end of the connector [ conduit ] (Figure 7, Element 136), out of the third end of the connector (See Exhibit 1), and through the needle while the same hand is holding the device by the handle [ advance guidewire 160 in a distal direction, through conduit 136 and valve 127 into the lumen of needle 140 ] (Para 0071) in order to allow for visualization of blood flows through in the conduit to indicate to the clinician that the targeted vein has been reached and punctured (Para 0069) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Stone to include the connector and conduit as taught by Ornelas Vargas in order to allow for visualization of blood flows through in the conduit to indicate to the clinician that the targeted vein has been reached and punctured (Para 0069) Embodiment 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas fails to teach a check valve. However, Embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas teaches – a check valve [ check valve ] (Figure 23, Element 506), in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas with the check valve of embodiment 22-26 of Ornelas Vargas in order to prevent air or other fluids from being drawn into the conduit (Para 0121) which would prevent the medical device from contamination. Claim 9/1: Stone fails teach a pressure transducer. However, Ornelas Vargas teaches further comprising a pressure transducer [ pressure transducer ] (Figure 24, Element 371 and Para 0123) operable to detect pressure changes in the syringe during use of the device [ the operator will have instantaneous, or near instantaneous, measurement, and readout of the conduit 336 pressure, if desired ] (Para 0123) in order to obtain measurement of pressures in the venous system and pulmonary vessel for diagnostic purposes (Para 0124). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of 5-8 of Ornelas Vargas with the pressure transducer of embodiment 19-21 of Ornelas Vargas in order to obtain measurement of pressures in the venous system and pulmonary vessel for diagnostic purposes (Para 0124). Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 9 & 21-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the manner in which the references were applied in the prior rejection of record, specifically the rejection now relies on Stone et al. (U.S. Patent Application 2019/0282788 A1) as the primary prior art reference. Conclusion 07-40 AIA 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 HELENE C BOR whose telephone number is (571)272-2947. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 10:30 - 6:30. 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, Christopher Koharski can be reached at (571) 272-7230. 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. /Helene Bor/Examiner, Art Unit 3797 /CHRISTOPHER KOHARSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 2 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 3 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 4 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 5 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 6 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 7 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 8 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 9 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 10 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 11 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 12 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 13 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 14 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 15 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 16 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 17 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/856,783 Page 18 Art Unit: 3797
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 14, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 15, 2025
Examiner Interview (Telephonic)
Oct 01, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Feb 02, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 05, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
51%
Grant Probability
81%
With Interview (+29.9%)
4y 11m (~3y 2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
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