Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026

Japan Tobacco Inc.

79 pending office actions • 17 art units • 48 examiners • 0 of 79 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 40 patents granted in the last 365 days

Portfolio Summary

79
Total Pending OAs
56
Non-Final OAs
21
Final Rejections
2
Advisory / Quayle

Response Deadline Pressure

Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 15 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.

5
Overdue
1
Due this week
5
Due this month
3
Due in next 60 days
1
Due later

Deadline Fire Line

Every pending office action with a known statutory deadline, placed on a days-until-due axis. Dots left of Today are overdue; the further right, the more runway. Cases that share a deadline window stack vertically. 15 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.

-30dToday30d60d90d120d
Overdue (5)Due ≤ 7 days (1)Due ≤ 30 days (5)Due ≤ 60 days (3)Due later (1)

Case Difficulty Mix

Difficulty is derived from the rejection statutes on the most recent pending office action. §101-driven and multi-statute cases are graded Hard; §112-only and obviousness-type double-patenting cases are graded Easy; everything else is Medium. "Unknown" means we have not yet parsed a statute for that office action.

28
Hard (35%)
45
Medium (57%)
6
Easy (8%)
0
Unknown (0%)

Rejection Statute Mix

BucketCases
§101 only1 (1%)
§101 + other3 (4%)
§103 only35 (44%)
§102 only3 (4%)
§112 only5 (6%)
Double-patenting only1 (1%)
Double-patenting + other7 (9%)
Multi-statute (no §101)24 (30%)

Industry Mix

How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.

42
Life Sciences
53% of docket
1
Information Tech
1% of docket
0
Communications
0% of docket
0
Semiconductors
0% of docket
3
Mechanical / Eng
4% of docket
33
Business / Other
42% of docket

Time-on-OA Estimate

Manual office-action response work runs about 10 hours per case. The time-saved bands below show what IP Author's prosecution pipeline typically delivers — a conservative 20% on the low end, 35% in the middle, 50% on the high end.

790 h
Manual time on pending OAs
158 h
Time saved (low, 20%)
276 h
Time saved (mid, 35%)
6.9 wks
FTE-weeks freed (mid)

Top Examiners on this docket

ExaminerApps on this docketAllow rateInterview lift
EFTA, ALEX B 4 59.5% +25.4%
SCHNEIDER, THOMAS FRANK 4 48.6% +38.1%
KESSIE, JENNIFER A 4 64.5% +22.2%
NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 4 65.7% +19.4%
WILL, KATHERINE A 3 66.6% +20.8%
SPARKS, RUSSELL E 3 63.1% +15.4%
MOORE, STEPHANIE LYNN 3 60.8% +37.4%
FELTON, MICHAEL J 3 59.0% +14.8%
YAARY, ERIC 3 73.7% +3.2%
DIYAN, OLUWATOSIN OLUWATUMININ 3 30.0% +52.4%

Hard Cases (28)

Multi-statute / §101-driven matters, or cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate under 30%. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.

App #TitleExaminerDue in
18478550 HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE AND HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION PRODUCT EFTA, ALEX B 7d
18480288 FLAVOR SUCTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME SZEWCZYK, CYNTHIA 8d
17371850 IN VITRO EVALUATION METHOD FOR RISK OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH SMOKING OR INHALATION CLOW, LORI A 30d
18481662 INHALATION DEVICE NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 76d
19136289 INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD DAGNEW, SABA
18645466 FLAVOR INHALER OR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR AND PROGRAM THEREFOR GONG, KRIS HANYU
18638720 FLAVOR INHALER AND SMOKING SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B
18638986 MATERIAL FOR FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, AND HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B

Interview Candidates (31)

Cases in front of an examiner whose interview lift is 10 percentage points or more — i.e. interviewed cases historically resolve more favorably than non-interviewed ones. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.

App #TitleExaminerDue in
17880679 INHALATION COMPONENT GENERATION DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING INHALATION COMPONENT GENERATION DEVICE, AND PROGRAM NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 58d overdue
18493147 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 31d overdue
18478550 HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE AND HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION PRODUCT EFTA, ALEX B 7d
18481662 INHALATION DEVICE NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 76d
18638720 FLAVOR INHALER AND SMOKING SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B
18638986 MATERIAL FOR FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, AND HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B
18638728 ORAL COMPOSITION CONTAINING TREHALOSE EFTA, ALEX B
18628823 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM WILL, KATHERINE A

Top Art Units

Art UnitApps
1755 17
1747 14
1745 2
3621 1
3736 1
1662 1
2433 1
3991 1
1700 1
1741 1

Pending Office Actions

App #TitleExaminerArt UnitStatutesStatusDue inAIFiled
19136289 INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD DAGNEW, SABA 3621 §101§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Jun 06, 2025
19010273 PACKAGING AND PACKAGING PRODUCTION METHOD ORTIZ, RAFAEL ALFREDO 3736 §103 Final Rejection 57d Pending Jan 06, 2025
18810533 LOW-REVERSION TYPE TOBACCO PLANT HAVING LOW NORNICOTINE CONTENT, METHOD FOR SELECTING SAME, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING TOBACCO PLANT LINE ZHONG, WAYNESHAOBIN 1662 §112 Non-Final OA Pending Aug 21, 2024
18780655 INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM YOON, ERIC §103 Non-Final OA Pending Jul 23, 2024
18745626 METHOD OF TREATING PAIN OR INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS USING INDOLE COMPOUND HOWELL, THEODORE R DP Non-Final OA Pending Jun 17, 2024
18666861 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM WILLIAMS, CEDRICK S §103 Non-Final OA Pending May 17, 2024
18645466 FLAVOR INHALER OR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR AND PROGRAM THEREFOR GONG, KRIS HANYU §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 25, 2024
18638720 FLAVOR INHALER AND SMOKING SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 18, 2024
18638986 MATERIAL FOR FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE, AND HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM EFTA, ALEX B §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 18, 2024
18638728 ORAL COMPOSITION CONTAINING TREHALOSE EFTA, ALEX B §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 18, 2024
18631081 INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM AZAD, MD ABUL K §103Other Non-Final OA Pending Apr 10, 2024
18628823 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM WILL, KATHERINE A §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 08, 2024
18627654 FRAGRANCE INHALER OR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND PROGRAM THEREOF SPARKS, RUSSELL E §101§102§103DP Non-Final OA Pending Apr 05, 2024
18627472 FLAVOR INHALER AND FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM NGUYEN, SONNY V §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 05, 2024
18623063 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALING SYSTEM MOORE, STEPHANIE LYNN §103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 01, 2024
18623322 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY §103 Non-Final OA Pending Apr 01, 2024
18623051 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM MOORE, STEPHANIE LYNN §102§103DP Non-Final OA Pending Apr 01, 2024
18621151 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM WILL, KATHERINE A §103 Non-Final OA Pending Mar 29, 2024
18621155 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM MOORE, STEPHANIE LYNN §103DP Non-Final OA Pending Mar 29, 2024
18591766 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM DEZENDORF, MORGAN FAITH §103DP Non-Final OA Pending Feb 29, 2024
18585674 NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER FELTON, MICHAEL J §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Feb 23, 2024
18441618 MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER YAARY, ERIC §103 Non-Final OA Pending Feb 14, 2024
18425543 FLAVOR INHALER WILL, KATHERINE A §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Jan 29, 2024
18424118 CARTRIDGE AND NONCOMBUSTION-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER SCHNEIDER, THOMAS FRANK §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Jan 26, 2024
18424061 CARTRIDGE AND NONCOMBUSTION-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER SCHNEIDER, THOMAS FRANK §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Jan 26, 2024
18419641 SMOKING SYSTEM, POWER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD, PROGRAM, PRIMARY DEVICE, AND SECONDARY DEVICE SCHNEIDER, THOMAS FRANK §102§103§112DP Non-Final OA Pending Jan 23, 2024
18408868 METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ATOMIZATION UNIT OF SUCTION TOOL SCHNEIDER, THOMAS FRANK §103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Jan 10, 2024
18408241 INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM CORUM JR, WILLIAM A 2433 §103 Final Rejection 28d Pending Jan 09, 2024
18405644 POWER SUPPLY UNIT OF AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE PACHECO, ALEXIS BOATENG §103 Non-Final OA Pending Jan 05, 2024
18396355 PAPER-CONTAINING TOBACCO SEGMENT SPARKS, RUSSELL E 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Dec 26, 2023
18540342 FLAVORING-LOADED COMPONENT FOR TOBACCO PRODUCT AND PRODUCTION METHOD FOR SAME MCKANE, ELIZABETH L 3991 §103 Final Rejection Pending Dec 14, 2023
18540184 AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM SPARKS, RUSSELL E 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Dec 14, 2023
18530324 POWER SUPPLY UNIT OF AEROSOL GENERATION APPARATUS DIYAN, OLUWATOSIN OLUWATUMININ 1755 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Dec 06, 2023
18530384 CONTROLLER FOR INHALATION APPARATUS MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL §103 Non-Final OA Pending Dec 06, 2023
18522895 FLAVOR MOLDED BODY FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR INHALERS, METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR INHALER KESSIE, JENNIFER A 1747 §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 29, 2023
18518839 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM DAVISON, CHARLOTTE INKERI 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Nov 24, 2023
18518224 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM CAMPBELL, THOR S §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 22, 2023
18502032 POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE CHABREYRIE, RODOLPHE ANDRE §103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 05, 2023
18502026 POWER SOURCE UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE JUENGST, BRENDON THOMAS 1747 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 05, 2023
18502029 POWER SOURCE UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE JEPPSON, PAMELA J §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 05, 2023
18502035 POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE HUNTER, JOHN S §102 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 05, 2023
18496310 NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE TOBACCO AND ELECTRICALLY-HEATED TOBACCO PRODUCT YAARY, ERIC 1755 §103 Final Rejection 34d Pending Oct 27, 2023
18493825 AEROSOL GENERATING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF AEROSOL GENERATING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM KESSIE, JENNIFER A 1747 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 25, 2023
18493182 TOBACCO COMPOSITION CONTAINING SATURATED FATTY ACID ADDITIVE DELACRUZ, MADELEINE PAULINA 1755 §103 Final Rejection 9d overdue Pending Oct 24, 2023
18493285 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR INHALERS, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM BUCKMAN, JEFFREY ALAN 1755 §102§112DP Non-Final OA Pending Oct 24, 2023
18493162 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FRAGRANCE INHALER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME, NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FRAGRANCE INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING-TYPE FRAGRANCE INHALING SYSTEM GRAY, LINDA LAMEY 1745 §103§112DP Non-Final OA Pending Oct 24, 2023
18493147 TOBACCO SHEET FOR NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALER, AND NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE FLAVOR INHALATION SYSTEM NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 1747 §103 Final Rejection 31d overdue Pending Oct 24, 2023
18492437 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM MAYES, DIONNE WALLS 1747 §112 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 23, 2023
18490384 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM MAYES, DIONNE WALLS 1747 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 19, 2023
18490415 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM KHLOK, BONITA §103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 19, 2023
18490633 AEROSOL GENERATION SYSTEM DEZENDORF, MORGAN FAITH 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Oct 19, 2023
18488806 FLAVOR INHALER NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 1747 §102§103§112 Final Rejection Pending Oct 17, 2023
18484004 AEROSOL GENERATOR AND FLAVOR ASPIRATOR SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY 1755 §103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 10, 2023
18481780 COOLANT FOR HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO, HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO, AND ELECTRICALLY HEATED TOBACCO PRODUCT DELACRUZ, MADELEINE PAULINA 1700 §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 05, 2023
18481662 INHALATION DEVICE NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 1747 §101§103§112 Non-Final OA 76d Pending Oct 05, 2023
18480288 FLAVOR SUCTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME SZEWCZYK, CYNTHIA 1741 §102§112 Non-Final OA 8d Pending Oct 03, 2023
18480413 FLAVOUR INHALER, AND HEATER MANUFACTURING METHOD BUCKMAN, JEFFREY ALAN 1755 §102§103 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 03, 2023
18478501 NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR SUCTION ARTICLE AND NON-COMBUSTION HEATING TYPE FLAVOR SUCTION PRODUCT KRINKER, YANA B 1755 §103 Non-Final OA 54d Pending Sep 29, 2023
18478550 HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION ARTICLE AND HEAT-NOT-BURN FLAVOR INHALATION PRODUCT EFTA, ALEX B 1745 §103§112Other Final Rejection 7d Pending Sep 29, 2023
18473558 POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE ZHOU, ZIXUAN §103 Non-Final OA Pending Sep 25, 2023
18470919 FLAVOR INHALER AND SMOKING SYSTEM FELTON, MICHAEL J 1747 §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Sep 20, 2023
18233105 HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO PRODUCT AND HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO STICK KESSIE, JENNIFER A 1747 §103 Final Rejection Pending Aug 11, 2023
18233168 HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO PRODUCT AND HEAT-NOT-BURN TOBACCO STICK DIYAN, OLUWATOSIN OLUWATUMININ 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Aug 11, 2023
18335687 DIHYDROOXADIAZINONE COMPOUND AND PHARMACEUTICAL USE THEREOF CHAO, ALLEN 1622 §112 Final Rejection 9d Pending Jun 15, 2023
18325630 FLAVOR INHALER YAARY, ERIC 1755 §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending May 30, 2023
17796606 TREATMENT OR PREVENTION METHOD FOR CHRONIC HEART FAILURE BASQUILL, SEAN M 1614 §103Other Final Rejection 2d overdue Pending Feb 21, 2023
18062513 INHALER DEVICE, DISPLAY DEVICE, DISPLAY METHOD, AND PROGRAM KESSIE, JENNIFER A 1747 §102 Non-Final OA Pending Dec 06, 2022
18062437 INHALER DEVICE, DISPLAY DEVICE, DISPLAY METHOD, AND PROGRAM ZHANG, TINA 3785 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Dec 06, 2022
18070480 POWER SUPPLY UNIT OF AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE DIYAN, OLUWATOSIN OLUWATUMININ 1755 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 29, 2022
17988410 INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM PHAM, VU PHI 1755 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Nov 16, 2022
17639552 THERAPEUTIC OR PROPHYLACTIC METHOD FOR DIABETES USING COMBINATION MEDICINE BAKSHI, PANCHAM 1623 §112Other Non-Final OA 14d Pending Oct 12, 2022
17602103 FUSED TRICYCLIC COMPOUND AND MEDICINAL USE THEREOF KOSAR, ANDREW D 1625 §112 Final Rejection Pending Aug 08, 2022
17880853 LIQUID COMPOSITION FOR LIQUID HEATING-TYPE THERMAL FLAVOR INHALER VAKILI, DANIEL EDWARD 1747 §103 Non-Final OA Pending Aug 04, 2022
17880679 INHALATION COMPONENT GENERATION DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING INHALATION COMPONENT GENERATION DEVICE, AND PROGRAM NGUYEN, PHU HOANG 1747 §103DP Final Rejection 58d overdue Pending Aug 04, 2022
17488319 POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE NGUYEN, SONNY V 1755 §103 Final Rejection Pending Sep 29, 2021
17378164 ELECTRONIC DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FELTON, MICHAEL J 1747 §102 Non-Final OA Pending Jul 16, 2021
17371850 IN VITRO EVALUATION METHOD FOR RISK OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH SMOKING OR INHALATION CLOW, LORI A 1687 §101 Final Rejection 30d Pending Jul 09, 2021
17268129 CORE BODY TEMPERATURE REDUCING AGENT, FOOD PRODUCT, AND SLEEP IMPROVING AGENT GHALI, ISIS A D 1611 §103 Final Rejection 66d overdue Pending Feb 12, 2021
17085617 ROLLING PAPER FOR NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE SMOKING PRODUCT, NON-COMBUSTION-HEATING-TYPE SMOKING PRODUCT, AND ELECTRIC-HEATING-TYPE SMOKING SYSTEM KRINKER, YANA B 1755 §102§103§112 Non-Final OA Pending Oct 30, 2020

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