Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Application No. 18/955,939

MULTIMODAL INSPECTION SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §DOUBLEPATENT
Filed
Nov 21, 2024
Priority
Mar 27, 2020 — provisional 63/001,009 +2 more
Examiner
DOAN, PHUOC HUU
Art Unit
2646
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Battelle Memorial Institute
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allowance Rate
1052 granted / 1148 resolved
+29.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
14 currently pending
Career history
1165
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.1%
-31.9% vs TC avg
§103
30.4%
-9.6% vs TC avg
§102
32.5%
-7.5% vs TC avg
§112
9.6%
-30.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1148 resolved cases

Office Action

§DOUBLEPATENT
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 . Double Patenting The nonstatutory 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. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); 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) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. 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 2-21 are rejected on the ground of non-statutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,756,157; and claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,154,249. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because independent claims 2, 12 of the present of application are broader in scope and thus encompass the subject matter already claimed in allowed US patent application 17/216,304 (Subject to be published as US Patent No: 11,756,157 on Sep. 12, 2023); and US patent application 18/240,021 (Subject to be published as US Patent No: 12,154,249 on Nov. 26, 2024). Specially, claims 1, 9, 17 of the parent application recites a method, apparatus, corresponding to claim 2, 12 of the present of application with more details claimed in the parent application that would render the broader claims of the present of application obvious. For instance: claim limitations recited “ of capturing data via a plurality of multimodal sensors, the method comprising: capturing a modal signature from the plurality of multimodal sensors including data for each modality of a plurality of modalities associated with the plurality of multimodal sensors; aligning the data for each modality of the plurality of modalities within the captured modal signature, wherein the aligning is configured to address issues as compared to a reference data set from each modality of the plurality of modalities; analyzing the aligned data for each modality of the plurality of modalities within the captured modal signature to detect an anomaly; and generating a report regarding the detected anomaly based on the analyzed data” that was conflict to claim 1, 9, 17 of the parent application. However, the claim limitations “capturing a modal signature from the plurality of multimodal sensors including data for each modality of a plurality of modalities associated with the plurality of multimodal sensors” was not made a scope of the claim to change from the parent of application, because of performing spatial correlation on each set of captured data using in part the location information; analyzing the spatially correlated data for an anomaly, which performed includes a plurality of sensors configured to capture data over a period of time to generate a set of captured data for each sensor of the plurality of sensors, a stage positioned with location information that is captured information for each sensor of the plurality of sensors; and generating a report regarding the anomaly based on the analyzed data which disclosed the claim invention in different steps by languages claimed, but the concept of invention is applied use one or more modalities to inspect a sample, some of the modalities include, but are not limited to, Raman, visible (VIS), terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, longwave infrared (LWIR), shortwave infrared (SWIR), laser profilometry (LP), electromagnetic interference (EMI) near field probing, and/or, Millimeter Wave (MMW) radar… in order to invent multimodal inspection system to automated calibration of multimodal sensors by capturing a data sample from sensors. Parent of application 17/216,304 Present of application 18/955,939 Claims 1, 9, 17. A system comprising: a plurality of sensors configured to capture data over a period of time to generate a set of captured data for each sensor of the plurality of sensors; a stage positioned with location information that is captured information for each sensor of the plurality of sensors; a processor for performing spatial correlation on each set of captured data using in part the location information and analyzing the spatially correlated data for an anomaly; and an output device for generating and outputting a report regarding the anomaly based on the analyzed data. Claims 2, 12. Of capturing data via a plurality of multimodal sensors, the method comprising: capturing a modal signature from the plurality of multimodal sensors including data for each modality of a plurality of modalities associated with the plurality of multimodal sensors; aligning the data for each modality of the plurality of modalities within the captured modal signature, wherein the aligning is configured to address issues as compared to a reference data set from each modality of the plurality of modalities; analyzing the aligned data for each modality of the plurality of modalities within the captured modal signature to detect an anomaly; and generating a report regarding the detected anomaly based on the analyzed data. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WELLER et al. (US Pub No. 2018/0239991) discloses portable apparatus and method for decision support for real time automated multi-sensor data fusion and analysis. Chuang et al. (US Pub No. 2017/0048467) discloses dark-field inspection using a low-noise sensor. Venshtain (US Pub No. 2019/0215486) discloses viewpoint-adaptive three-dimensional (3D) personal. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUOC HUU DOAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7920. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM - 4:00PM. 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, JEANETTE PARKER can be reached at 571-270-3647. 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. /PHUOC H DOAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 21, 2024
Application Filed
Dec 27, 2024
Response after Non-Final Action
Oct 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §DOUBLEPATENT (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
92%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+8.7%)
2y 3m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1148 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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