Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 19/217,867

MEASUREMENT APPARATUS, MEASUREMENT METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
May 23, 2025
Priority
May 29, 2024 — JP 2024-087272
Examiner
KO, TONY
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
788 granted / 897 resolved
+27.8% 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 §103
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 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) 1-3, 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heaven et al (US Patent 5636126). Regarding claims 1, 10 and 11, Heaven et al teach (Figs. 1-9) a measurement apparatus, method and a non-transitory computer-readable recoding medium having stored therein a measurement program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising: a processor configured to: collect, from a detection device (30), a detection profile (high profile see abstract) including a plurality of detection values related to a thickness or a basis weight (caliper or basis weight) of a measurement object that is to be conveyed and that is in a form of a sheet (see figure 1); and perform smoothing, by using a predetermined filter (49), on the plurality of detection values included in the detection profile in a width direction that is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the measurement object, and that outputs a first smoothing profile (see figure 3, w(n)). Regarding claim 2, Heaven et al teach (see figure 3) the processor is configured to perform smoothing, in the conveyance direction by using the predetermined filter, on the plurality of detection values that are included in the first smoothing profile and that have been subjected to the smoothing in the width direction, and that outputs a second smoothing profile (h(n)). Regarding claim 3, Heaven et al teach the predetermined filter is a moving average filter. That is, a rectangular window is a boxcar moving average. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heaven et al in view of Morioka et al (US 20130342641). Regarding claims 4-8, Heaven et al teach the invention set forth above. Heaven et al do not teach the predetermined filter is median filter, Gaussian filter, moving average or median filter with threshold. Morioka et al teach ([0157]) the claimed filter types. It is well known to use different types of filters. It would be obvious at the time of invention to use Gaussian filter to preserve the edge or use median filter to reduce errors. Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heaven et al (US Patent 5636126) in view of Lee (US Patent 11826773). Regarding claim 9, Heaven et al teach the invention set forth above. Heaven et al do not teach the detection device is installed in a coating line for coating the measurement object, and calculates the thickness or the basis weight of the measurement object at each detection position by using a transmittance intensity that has been detected by irradiating the measurement object with @-rays, X-rays, or infrared light. Lee teaches (Figs. 1-7) the detection device is installed in a coating line for coating (see figure 1 and associated paragraphs in Lee regarding coating of metals) the measurement object, and calculates the thickness or the basis weight of the measurement object at each detection position by using a transmittance intensity that has been detected by irradiating the measurement object with beta-rays (see figure 1b, associated radiation source emitting beta source 74), X-rays, or infrared light. It would have been obvious at the time of invention to implement the detection device in a coating line for coating the measurement object and calculates the thickness or the basis weight of the measurement object at each detection position by using transmittance intensity that has been detected by irradiating the measurement object such that a known technique used to improve similar device in the same way (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007)). Conclusion 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

May 23, 2025
Application Filed
Sep 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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DIMENSION MEASUREMENT APPARATUS
2y 0m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
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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
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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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+2.6%)
2y 4m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 897 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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