Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/914,985

OPTICAL SENSOR MODULE

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Oct 14, 2024
Priority
Oct 25, 2023 — FR 2311593
Examiner
KO, TONY
Art Unit
2878
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
STMicroelectronics N.V.
OA Round
2 (Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
788 granted / 897 resolved
+19.8% vs TC avg
Minimal +3% lift
Without
With
+2.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
17 currently pending
Career history
907
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
§103
29.4%
-10.6% vs TC avg
§102
46.2%
+6.2% vs TC avg
§112
19.7%
-20.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 897 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 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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Song et al. Regarding claim 1, Song et al teach a substrate assembly for an optical sensor module, the substrate assembly comprising: a light-emitting device (111) mounted on a first region of a substrate (10); a metal shielding assembly (14) comprising a first metal shielding assembled to the substrate over the first region; and wherein the first metal shielding comprises a first opening (141) providing an optical path for light emitted by the light-emitting device, the first opening being dimensioned such that the light emitting device can be inserted through (Figures 10 and 11 shows the dimension of element 111 can be inserted from 141) the first opening inside the first metal shielding. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed on 6/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Song et al does not teach “assembled to the substrate”. The term assembled to is defined, according to Merriam Webster, as fit together the parts of. In this instance, Song et al is understood to teach a first metal shielding assembled to the substrate. Applicant further argues Song et al does not teach “the first opening being dimensioned such that the light-emitting device can be inserted through the first opening inside the first metal shielding”. Claim 1 does not require the light emitting device being inserted, while it only requires the dimension is so that light emitting device can be inserted. Song et al teaches at least the 2D dimension of the light emitting device is smaller than the opening therefore it has been concluded the light emitting device can be inserted through the aperture. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 15-17 are allowed. Claims 2-14 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 THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 TONY KO whose telephone number is (571)272-1926. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5pm. 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, Georgia Epps can be reached at 571-272-2328. 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. /TONY KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878 TK
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 14, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Jun 30, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 18, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12742634
DIMENSION MEASUREMENT APPARATUS
2y 0m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
Patent 12736401
CONTROL DEVICE, CONTROL SYSTEM, AND CONTROL PROGRAM
1y 10m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12736472
OPTICAL FOREIGN SUBSTANCE DETECTION DEVICE USING LIGHT SCATTERING AND IMAGE ANALYSIS
1y 7m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12729948
METHOD TO DETERMINE AN ABSOLUTE POSITION OF A MOVABLE OBJECT, INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM, PROJECTION SYSTEM AND LITHOGRAPIC APPARATUS
1y 9m to grant Granted Sep 08, 2026
Patent 12723913
PHOTODETECTORS FOR MEASURING REAL-TIME OPTICAL IRRADIANCE
1y 8m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+2.6%)
2y 4m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 897 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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