Technology area: Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
66 pending office actions • 32 art units • 60 examiners • 0 of 66 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 104 patents granted in the last 365 days
Johnson & Johnson has 68 pending office actions in Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering. Those matters involve 62 distinct examiners and 32 distinct art units, reflecting a docket distributed across multiple examination groups. Counsel should expect examiner-specific variation in claim interpretation, prior-art treatment, and interview practice.
MEDWAY, SCOTT J is the busiest examiner, with 3 pending matters. That concentration is small relative to the full docket, so it supports targeted preparation for the affected matters rather than a single strategy for the portfolio. Art-unit tracking can help identify recurring technical or procedural themes.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 22 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.
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. 22 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.
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.
| Bucket | Cases |
|---|---|
| §101 only | 3 (5%) |
| §101 + other | 7 (11%) |
| §103 only | 22 (33%) |
| §102 only | 4 (6%) |
| §112 only | 3 (5%) |
| Double-patenting only | 1 (2%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 1 (2%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 25 (38%) |
How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.
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.
| Examiner | Apps on this docket | Allow rate | Interview lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROANE, AARON F | 3 | 73.4% | +9.8% |
| MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 3 | 66.6% | +23.0% |
| BROOKS, KREGG T | 2 | 57.1% | +1.5% |
| SPAINE, ROBERT FRANKLIN | 2 | 75.0% | +0.0% |
| JACOB, OOMMEN | 1 | 79.2% | +17.3% |
| ISLAM, PROMOTTO TAJRIAN | 1 | 76.4% | +15.1% |
| LOUIS, RICHARD G | 1 | 74.7% | +17.2% |
| LETT, THOMAS J | 1 | 84.0% | -34.9% |
| SKROUPA, JOSHUA A | 1 | 80.3% | +15.2% |
| IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 1 | 78.7% | +39.3% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 1 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19000271 | AUGMENTED REALITY HEADSET FOR A SURGICAL ROBOT | LETT, THOMAS J | — |
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 # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17729343 | ELECTRONICALLY DETECTING PHACOEMULSIFICATION TIP ENGAGEMENT WITH A LENS | JAFFRI, ZEHRA | 111d overdue |
| 17130846 | PROCESSOR-CONTROLLED PUMP IN IRRIGATION LINE OF PHACOEMULSIFICATION PROBE | VOKES, KATHLEEN PAIGE | 111d overdue |
| 18144799 | PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR OCULAR SURGERY | PATEL, SHEFALI DILIP | 96d overdue |
| 17381980 | PROXIMAL BYPASS CHANNEL | WRUBLESKI, MATTHEW JAMES | 73d overdue |
| 18622570 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LIMITING GRIP FORCE OF CLOSING JAWS IN POSITION CONTROL MODE | ANJARIA, SHREYA PARAG | 45d overdue |
| 18038519 | METHODS OF PREVENTING, DELAYING OR AMELIORATING ATOPIC DISEASES | HINES, JANA A | 37d overdue |
| 18789550 | ROBOTIC ARMS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 4d overdue |
| 17520968 | MEDICAL SETTINGS PRESET SELECTION | CHOI, PETER H | 2d overdue |
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 # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17124441 | IRRIGATION/ASPIRATION PUMP HEAD AND BLADDER DESIGN AND METHODS | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 22d overdue |
| 18789550 | ROBOTIC ARMS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 4d overdue |
| 19331818 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAGNETIC SENSING AND DOCKING WITH A TROCAR | JACOB, OOMMEN | — |
| 19245138 | ENERGY TOOL ACTIVATION DETECTION IN SURGICAL VIDEOS USING DEEP LEARNING | ISLAM, PROMOTTO TAJRIAN | — |
| 19239821 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING TEMPERATURE OF AN ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT | LOUIS, RICHARD G | — |
| 18907404 | COUPLER TO ATTACH ROBOTIC ARM TO SURGICAL TABLE | SKROUPA, JOSHUA A | — |
| 18089407 | STABILIZING INTRA-OCULAR PRESSURE AT ONSET OF ASPIRATION | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | — |
| 17318710 | LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DISPOSABLE PUMP CARTRIDGE | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3783 | 13 |
| 3771 | 7 |
| 2872 | 7 |
| 3792 | 4 |
| 1645 | 3 |
| 1764 | 2 |
| 3781 | 2 |
| 1655 | 2 |
| 3791 | 2 |
| 3797 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19331818 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAGNETIC SENSING AND DOCKING WITH A TROCAR | JACOB, OOMMEN | 3797 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 17, 2025 |
| 19245138 | ENERGY TOOL ACTIVATION DETECTION IN SURGICAL VIDEOS USING DEEP LEARNING | ISLAM, PROMOTTO TAJRIAN | 2669 | §101Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 20, 2025 |
| 19239821 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING TEMPERATURE OF AN ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT | LOUIS, RICHARD G | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 16, 2025 |
| 19085655 | SURGICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM | ROANE, AARON F | 3792 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 20, 2025 |
| 19000271 | AUGMENTED REALITY HEADSET FOR A SURGICAL ROBOT | LETT, THOMAS J | 2611 | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 23, 2024 |
| 18981219 | REAL-TIME ROBOTIC-ASSISTED DIMENSION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM | ROANE, AARON F | 3792 | §101Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18907404 | COUPLER TO ATTACH ROBOTIC ARM TO SURGICAL TABLE | SKROUPA, JOSHUA A | 3678 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 04, 2024 |
| 18794894 | ARTICULATION JOINT HARDSTOP HANDLING FOR SURGICAL TOOL | ROANE, AARON F | 3792 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 05, 2024 |
| 18789550 | ROBOTIC ARMS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 3771 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 4d overdue | Pending | Jul 30, 2024 |
| 18785384 | PROJECTION OPERATOR FOR INVERSE KINEMATICS OF A SURGICAL ROBOT FOR LOW DEGREE OF FREEDOM TOOLS | MANCHO, RONNIE M | 3657 | §101§103§112 | Final Rejection | 34d | Pending | Jul 26, 2024 |
| 18622570 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LIMITING GRIP FORCE OF CLOSING JAWS IN POSITION CONTROL MODE | ANJARIA, SHREYA PARAG | 3796 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 45d overdue | Pending | Mar 29, 2024 |
| 18345845 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT RECOGNITION FROM SURGICAL VIDEOS | SCHWARTZ, RAPHAEL M | 2671 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 30, 2023 |
| 18046903 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AND DISPLAYING VIDEO STREAMS | CASTRO, ALFONSO | 2421 | §103 | Final Rejection | 14d | Pending | Oct 14, 2022 |
| 17862328 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING LIQUID IMMERSION OF AN END EFFECTOR OF AN ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT | MENDEZ, KATHERINE H | 3774 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 26d | Pending | Jul 11, 2022 |
| 17741869 | BI-STABLE LEVER ASSEMBLY FOR A SURGICAL TOOL | CLARK, RYAN T | 3794 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 11, 2022 |
| 19265126 | Multi-Material Lens Package | ACKUN, JACOB K | 3736 | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 10, 2025 |
| 18883428 | Perforation Tensile Separation of Packages | ALIE, GHASSEM | 3724 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 12, 2024 |
| 18808171 | DEXTERITY TOOL FOR OPENING CONTACT LENS PACKAGE | HIBBERT, MARY C | 3731 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 19, 2024 |
| 18785852 | COMFORT-OPTIMIZED CONTACT LENS SYSTEM FOR NON-ROTATIONALLY SYMMETRIC EYE ABERRATION | OESTREICH, MITCHELL T | 2872 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 26, 2024 |
| 18753251 | PRESBYOPIA-CORRECTING LENS SYSTEM HAVING HYPEROPIC / MYOPIC CORRECTION-DEPENDENT DESIGNS | BROOME, SHARRIEF I | 2872 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 25, 2024 |
| 18537862 | OPTHALMIC LENS FOR MYOPIA CONTROL | WILKES, ZACHARY W | 2872 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2023 |
| 18538133 | Compositions for Ophthalmologic Devices | LING, DORIS | 1764 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2023 |
| 18387254 | ENHANCED-SUMMATION CONTACT LENS PAIR FOR CORRECTION OF PRESBYOPIA, AND RELATED LENSES PAIR SYSTEMS AND FITTING METHODS | SAHLE, MAHIDERE S | 2872 | §103 | Final Rejection | 51d overdue | Pending | Nov 06, 2023 |
| 18498374 | TRANSITION METAL COMPLEXES AS VISIBLE LIGHT ABSORBERS | BROOKS, KREGG T | 2872 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 31, 2023 |
| 18496051 | OPHTHALMIC DEVICES CONTAINING TRANSITION METAL COMPLEXES AS HIGH ENERGY VISIBLE LIGHT FILTERS | MOORE, MARGARET G | 1765 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 27, 2023 |
| 18468226 | OPHTHALMIC DEVICES DERIVED FROM GRAFTED POLYMERIC NETWORKS AND PROCESSES FOR THEIR PREPARATION AND USE | FROST, ANTHONY J | 1782 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 15, 2023 |
| 17891736 | DIGITAL CONTACT LENS INSERTION AND REMOVAL AID | WRIGHT, ANDREW RUSSELL | 2872 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 19, 2022 |
| 17069232 | CONTACT LENS POSITION AND ROTATION CONTROL USING THE PRESSURE OF THE EYELID MARGIN | STANFORD, CHRISTOPHER J | 2872 | §102 | Final Rejection | 12d | Pending | Oct 13, 2020 |
| 19026004 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING CASSETTE TYPE IN A SURGICAL SYSTEM | YANG, CHENG FONG | 3781 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 16, 2025 |
| 18911214 | DISPOSABLE PUMP CARTRIDGE | TREMARCHE, CONNOR J. | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 09, 2024 |
| 18889825 | Adaptive Vacuum Booster for Phacoemulsification Operations | GRAY, PHILLIP A | 3783 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 19, 2024 |
| 18785559 | ANTI-VACUUM SURGE MODULE WITH RECTANGULAR VALVE CHAMBER | KASHYAP, ESHA PRAKASH | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 26, 2024 |
| 18679349 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVAL OF CORNEAL SPECULAR REFLECTIONS IN EYE IMAGING | KISH, JAMES M | 3792 | §103 | Final Rejection | 23d | Pending | May 30, 2024 |
| 18628418 | Learning Auto Phaco Phacoemulsification Mode for Ophthalmic Surgery | DOUBRAVA, JOHN A | 3783 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 05, 2024 |
| 18526589 | OPHTHALMIC LENS MATERIALS AND DEVICES MADE THEREOF | BROOKS, KREGG T | 1764 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 01, 2023 |
| 18334305 | AUTOMATED PHACOEMULSIFICATION | FLICK, JASON E | 3783 | §102DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2023 |
| 18325913 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING USAGE OF BALANCED SALT SOLUTION IN AN OPHTHALMIC SURGICAL SYSTEM | GOLOVAN, MARK | 3783 | §101§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 30, 2023 |
| 18144799 | PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR OCULAR SURGERY | PATEL, SHEFALI DILIP | 3783 | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | 96d overdue | Pending | May 08, 2023 |
| 18140234 | ANTI-VACUUM SURGE (AVS) WITH IMPROVED FOLLOWABILITY | SWANSON, LEAH JENNINGS | 3783 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 27, 2023 |
| 18135208 | INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE FLUCTUATION CANCELLATION | STIMPERT, PHILIP EARL | 3783 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 17, 2023 |
| 18089412 | IRRIGATION DAMPING IN PHACOEMULSIFICATION | RESTAINO, ANDREW PETER | 3771 | §103 | Final Rejection | 107d overdue | Pending | Dec 27, 2022 |
| 18089407 | STABILIZING INTRA-OCULAR PRESSURE AT ONSET OF ASPIRATION | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 3783 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 27, 2022 |
| 17965555 | SMART INVENTORY MANAGEMENT CABINET | ORTIZ ROMAN, DENISSE Y | 3627 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 20d | Pending | Oct 13, 2022 |
| 17954613 | PHACOEMULSIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD | YABUT, DIANE D | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 28, 2022 |
| 17729343 | ELECTRONICALLY DETECTING PHACOEMULSIFICATION TIP ENGAGEMENT WITH A LENS | JAFFRI, ZEHRA | 3771 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 111d overdue | Pending | Apr 26, 2022 |
| 17670783 | CONTROLLING CONSTANT INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE USING ADAPTIVE FLOW RATES OF IRRIGATION AND ASPIRATION FLUIDS | GOLLAMUDI, NEERAJA | 3783 | §103 | Final Rejection | 114d overdue | Pending | Feb 14, 2022 |
| 17670734 | TIP UNCLOGGING USING CONTROLLED ASPIRATION REFLUX | HOAG, MITCHELL BRAIN | 3771 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 3d overdue | Pending | Feb 14, 2022 |
| 17574517 | COMPUTER-BASED OPERATING ROOM SUPPORT SYSTEM | GILLIGAN, CHRISTOPHER L | 3683 | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 12, 2022 |
| 17551243 | MITIGATING PRESSURE PULSE IN VACUUM LINE USING A PRESSURE WAVE DAMPER | ALLEN, ROBERT F | 3783 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 15, 2021 |
| 17520968 | MEDICAL SETTINGS PRESET SELECTION | CHOI, PETER H | 3681 | §101 | Final Rejection | 2d overdue | Pending | Nov 08, 2021 |
IP Author helps IP teams respond to office actions faster with AI-generated responses, examiner analytics, and prosecution intelligence.
Start Free TrialJohnson & Johnson has 66 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 32 art units and 60 examiners.
Aaron F Roane has the most, with 3 of Johnson & Johnson's pending office actions.
Mostly Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering (USPTO Tech Center 3700), based on where its pending office actions are examined.
