Last updated: July 12, 2026

Application No. 18/977,797

Untitled Application

Unknown

Filed

Examiner

WELLS, KENNETH B

Art Unit

Tech Center

Applied Materials, Inc.

Assignee

Applied Materials Inc.

OA Round

1 (Non-Final)

Interview Optional

— +2.6% interview lift. Interview lift (+2.6%) is below the 15.0% threshold. A written response is recommended.

Based on 1417 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Examiner Intelligence

WELLS, KENNETH B View full profile →

Grants 86% — above average

Career Allowance Rate

1221 granted / 1417 resolved

+26.2% vs TC avg

Minimal +3% lift

Without

With

+2.6%

Interview Lift

resolved cases with interview

Fast prosecutor

1y 10m

Avg Prosecution

43 currently pending

Career history

1453

Total Applications

across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101

0.2%

-39.8% vs TC avg

§103

60.6%

+20.6% vs TC avg

§102

14.1%

-25.9% vs TC avg

§112

15.2%

-24.8% vs TC avg

Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1417 resolved cases

Prosecution Timeline

May 20, 2026

Non-Final Rejection mailed (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

18/466,601

Patent 12676607

AC Coupling Modules for Bias Ladders

2y 9m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

18/602,234

Patent 12676291

IGNITION CONTROL METHOD, FILM FORMATION METHOD, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS

2y 3m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

18/677,602

Patent 12676613

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

2y 1m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

18/774,477

Patent 12676614

BUFFER CIRCUIT HAVING ENHANCED SLEW RATE

1y 11m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

18/915,396

Patent 12677368

FLASHLIGHT WITH USER-DEFINABLE MODES

1y 8m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026

Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.

Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2

Expected OA Rounds

86%

Grant Probability

89%

With Interview (+2.6%)

1y 10m

Median Time to Grant

Low

PTA Risk

Based on 1417 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.