Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/904,882

PASSING DETERMINATION DEVICE, PASSING DETERMINATION SYSTEM, AND PASSING DETERMINATION METHOD

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 02, 2024
Examiner
CASILLASHERNANDEZ, OMAR
Art Unit
2689
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
To Grant
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allow Rate
484 granted / 631 resolved
+14.7% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+18.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
654
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.2%
-37.8% vs TC avg
§103
51.7%
+11.7% vs TC avg
§102
19.9%
-20.1% vs TC avg
§112
14.4%
-25.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 631 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 status This action is in response to applicant filed on 10/02/2024. Claims 1-11 are pending for examination. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1, 5, 8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1) as being anticipated by Sonnet (KR102019036). Regarding claim 1: Sonnet disclose a passing determination device comprising: a processor that acquires a first captured image obtained by repeatedly capturing an image of a region including a passing determination position of a trailer from a front of the trailer in a traveling direction of the trailer (Figs. 1, 4(a)-4(d), ¶0008-0009, ¶0049: “A first camera 301 for photographing the front side of the container”), detects the trailer from the first captured image (implicitly within figures 4(a)-4(d)), and determines that the trailer detected from the first captured image captured at a first time passes through the passing determination position when the trailer is detected from the first captured image captured at the first time and the trailer is not detected from the first captured image captured within a first time period from the first time (Figures, 4(a)-4(d), ¶0027, ¶0049: the image recognition device receives a detection signal to activate the cameras. It is interpret that by not receiving a detection signal, that’s indication (i.e. detection) that the trailer is not being detected within a first period of time). Regarding claim 5: Sonnet disclose the passing determination device according to claim 1, further comprising: a database, wherein the processor detects identification information of the trailer, and stores the identification information of the trailer determined to pass through the passing determination position in the database.(¶0096) Regarding claim 8: Sonnet disclose a passing determination device comprising: a front camera that repeatedly captures an image of a region including a passing determination position of the trailer from the front in a traveling direction of the trailer (Fig. 1, item 301, ¶0049); acquires a first captured image from the front camera, wherein the processor detects the trailer from the first captured image, (Figs. 1, 4(a)-4(d), ¶0008-0009, ¶0049: “A first camera 301 for photographing the front side of the container”), and determines that the trailer detected from the first captured image captured at a first time passes through the passing determination position when the trailer is detected from the first captured image captured at the first time and the trailer is not detected from the first captured image captured within a first time period from the first time (Figures, 4(a)-4(d), ¶0027, ¶0049: the image recognition device receives a detection signal to activate the cameras. It is interpret that by not receiving a detection signal, that’s indication (i.e. detection) that the trailer is not being detected within a first period of time). Regarding claim 10: Claim 10 recite a method with the functional limitation of claim 1 and therefore is rejected for the same reasons of claim 1. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-4, 6-7, 9 & 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record cited in the PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5432. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM. 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, Davetta Goins can be reached at (571) 272-2957. 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. /OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 02, 2024
Application Filed
Dec 11, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Mar 12, 2026
Response Filed
Mar 12, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action

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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
77%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (+18.2%)
2y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 631 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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