Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 19/393,131

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING A TARGET LOCATION USING INTRAOPERATIVE IMAGE DATA

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 18, 2025
Priority
Dec 31, 2020 — provisional 63/133,112 +2 more
Examiner
REMALY, MARK DONALD
Art Unit
3797
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
70%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
Est. Remaining
86%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 70% — above average
70%
Career Allowance Rate
514 granted / 731 resolved
At TC average
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 8m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
744
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.5%
-32.5% vs TC avg
§103
39.7%
-0.3% vs TC avg
§102
21.1%
-18.9% vs TC avg
§112
28.6%
-11.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 731 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 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) 55-74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duindam et al. (US 2020/0078103 A1). Regarding claim 55, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach a medical system (100, see figs. 1, 2, and 5) comprising: a display system (110, see figs. 1, 2, and 5); an elongate device configured to be inserted in an anatomical passageway of a patient anatomy (200, see fig. 2); and a control system communicatively coupled to the display system, the control system configured to: display a graphical user interface via the display system, the graphical user interface including a virtual navigation view (see [0064]); display an articulation marker in the virtual navigation view (see [0064]); determine an articulation direction of the elongate device (see [0063]); and display a graphical marker on the articulation marker, the graphical marker indicating the articulation direction of the elongate device (see [0073], [0078]). Regarding claim 56, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the control system is further configured to: determine a radial deployment location for a medical tool using the articulation marker, the medical tool configured to extend within the elongate device (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 57, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, further comprising: an imaging probe configured to extend within the elongate device (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 58, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 57, wherein the control system is further configured to: receive imaging data from the imaging probe; and determine whether an anatomical target is identified in the imaging data (see [0073], [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 59, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 58, wherein the control system is further configured to: if the anatomical target is identified in the imaging data, determine an orientation of the anatomical target (see [0073], [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 60, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 58, wherein the imaging data comprises a plurality of images, and wherein the control system is further configured to: determine that the anatomical target is identified in at least some images of the plurality of images; and determine a clarity of the anatomical target in each image in which the anatomical target is identified (see [0073], [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 61, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 60, wherein the control system is further configured to: determine an orientation of the anatomical target based on an image in which the clarity of the anatomical target is a highest clarity (see [0073], [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 62, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 58, wherein the control system is further configured to: if the anatomical target is identified in the imaging data, determine an extension distance of the imaging probe from a distal end of the elongate device (see [0073], [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 63, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 62, wherein the articulation marker is displayed in the virtual navigation view if the extension distance of the imaging probe is less than a threshold extension distance (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 64, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 57, wherein the imaging probe is configured to be retracted into the elongate device before the elongate device is articulated from the articulation direction to a second articulation direction (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 65, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 57, wherein the elongate device is articulatable from the articulation direction to a second articulation direction while the imaging probe is extended from a distal end of the elongate device (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 66, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 63, wherein the control system is further configured to: determine whether the articulation direction exceeds a threshold articulation of the elongate device (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 67, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the articulation marker is displayed in the virtual navigation view in response to a user input selecting an icon of the graphical user interface (see [0103]; and fig. 5). Regarding claim 68, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the articulation marker is spaced from a distal end of a representation of the elongate device displayed in the virtual navigation view (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 69, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein an entirety of the articulation marker is displayed in the virtual navigation view (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 70, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the articulation marker is a ring (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 71, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the control system is further configured to: display a representation of the elongate device in the virtual navigation view, wherein when the elongate device is in a non-articulated configuration, a distal end of the representation of the elongate device is displayed as pointed towards a center of the articulation marker (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 72, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the graphical marker is a highlighted portion of the articulation marker (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 73, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the graphical marker is a different color than a color of the articulation marker (see [0078]-[0079]). Regarding claim 74, Duindam et al. (‘103) teach the medical system of claim 55, wherein the control system is further configured to: continue to display the graphical marker on the articulation marker as the elongate device is articulated from the articulation direction to a second articulation direction (see [0078]-[0079]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK REMALY whose telephone number is (571)270-1491. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 6:00. 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, Christopher Koharski can be reached at (571) 272-7230. 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. /MARK D REMALY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3797
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 18, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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
70%
Grant Probability
86%
With Interview (+16.0%)
3y 8m (~2y 11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 731 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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