Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/992,146

FLICKER SUPPRESSION DEVICE AND FLICKER SUPPRESSION CONTROL METHOD

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 07, 2025
Priority
Apr 13, 2023 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2023015063
Examiner
WARMFLASH, MICHAEL J
Art Unit
2836
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
9m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allowance Rate
329 granted / 408 resolved
+12.6% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+20.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
11 currently pending
Career history
421
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
50.0%
+10.0% vs TC avg
§102
32.3%
-7.7% vs TC avg
§112
9.7%
-30.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 408 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 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/7/2025 is being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inoue et al. (US 2021/0028625). Inoue discloses: In regard to claim 1: (Original) A flicker suppression device for a power system (Par. [0009] i.e. suppress voltage fluctuations ) with a power conditioner connected thereto for system interconnection of a distributed power source, comprising (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 1, 9 & 2 i.e. pole mounted power and solar cell system): a power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 4 & 403) to perform power conversion between a power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 3) and the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 1, 9 & 2 i.e. either pole mounted power or solar cell system); a voltage detector (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 406, or 410 and Pars. [0060-0061], and [0324] i.e. voltmeter) to detect an AC voltage on the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 408, and 410 and Par. [0324] i.e. voltmeter of DC/AC converter); and a control device (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 404 & 409) to control an output of the power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 404, 409 and 403), based on the detected AC voltage (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 410 and Pars. [0060-0061], and [0324]), wherein the control device (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 404 & 409) operates in response to an increase in an effective value of the AC voltage (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 410, 404 & 409 & Pars. [0127] and [0309-0310] ) to control the power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 4, 403, 410, 404 & 409 & Pars. [0127] and [0309-0310] ) to convert a DC power output from the power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 3, 4, 410, 404 & 409 & Pars. [0127] and [0309-0310] ) to an AC power (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 408) and output the AC power to the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 10), and the control device (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 404 & 409) operates in response to a decrease in the effective value of the AC voltage to control the power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 404, 409 and 403) to convert an AC power received from the power system to a DC power and output the DC power to the power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 3 and Pars. [0125] and [0127]). In regard to claim 7: (Original) A flicker suppression control method (Par. [0009] i.e. suppress voltage fluctuations ) for a power system with a power conditioner connected thereto for system interconnection of a distributed power source (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 1, 9 & 2 i.e. pole mounted power and solar cell system), comprising: detecting an AC voltage on the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 406, or 410 and Pars. [0060-0061], and [0324] i.e. voltmeter); and controlling (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 404 & 409) based on the detected AC voltage (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 408, and 410 and Par. [0324] i.e. voltmeter of DC/AC converter) an output of a power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 4 & 403) that performs power conversion between a power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 3)and the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 1, 9 & 2 i.e. either pole mounted power or solar cell system), wherein in the controlling (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 404 & 409), the power converter (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 4 & 403) is controlled in response to an increase in an effective value of the AC voltage (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 410, 404 & 409 & Pars. [0127] and [0309-0310] ) to convert a DC power output from the power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 3, 4, 410, 404 & 409 & Pars. [0127] and [0309-0310]) to an AC power (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 408) and output the AC power to the power system (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 10), and the power converter is controlled (Figs. 1 and 3 Items 404, 409 and 403) in response to a decrease in the effective value of the AC voltage to convert an AC power received from the power system to a DC power and output the DC power to the power storage element (Figs. 1 and 3 Item 3 and Pars. [0125] and [0127]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-6, and 8-10 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 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. *Please see attached form PTO-892*. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL J WARMFLASH whose telephone number is (571)270-1434. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-6PM EST M-Th. 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, Menatoallah Youssef can be reached at (571)2703684. 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. MW 7/10/2026/ /Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2836
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 07, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+20.9%)
2y 6m (~9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 408 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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