Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
76 pending office actions • 29 art units • 67 examiners • 0 of 76 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 103 patents granted in the last 365 days
Johnson & Johnson currently manages 84 pending office actions within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. These actions are distributed across 76 distinct examiners, which is a smaller number than the total 84 pending office actions. The portfolio spans 33 distinct art units, indicating a broad technical range for the company's filings. MEDWAY, SCOTT J is the busiest examiner, currently handling 3 pending office actions.
The 76 distinct examiners involved in these 84 pending office actions mean that many examiners are responsible for more than one case. This distribution requires the company to adapt to many different examination styles across the 33 distinct art units. MEDWAY, SCOTT J, with 3 pending office actions, represents a point of concentration in the portfolio. Practitioners should note that the 84 pending office actions are spread across many different technical groups, necessitating a versatile prosecution strategy.
With 33 distinct art units in play, the company must ensure consistency in its technical arguments across the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering sector. The 76 distinct examiners provide a broad base of feedback, which can be used to refine future filings. MEDWAY, SCOTT J is the busiest examiner with 3 pending office actions, making their specific preferences a key factor for those particular cases.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 24 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. 24 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 | 2 (3%) |
| §101 + other | 7 (9%) |
| §103 only | 23 (30%) |
| §102 only | 6 (8%) |
| §112 only | 4 (5%) |
| Double-patenting only | 1 (1%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 1 (1%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 32 (42%) |
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 | 73.3% | +9.8% |
| MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 3 | 66.7% | +23.2% |
| BROOKS, KREGG T | 2 | 57.1% | +1.3% |
| GRAY, PHILLIP A | 2 | 74.4% | +10.4% |
| GILLIGAN, CHRISTOPHER L | 2 | 57.5% | +40.3% |
| SWANSON, LEAH JENNINGS | 2 | 65.6% | +37.9% |
| SPAINE, ROBERT FRANKLIN | 2 | 75.0% | +0.0% |
| JACOB, OOMMEN | 1 | 79.2% | +17.4% |
| LOUIS, RICHARD G | 1 | 74.7% | +17.2% |
| MCEVOY, THOMAS M | 1 | 70.8% | +35.4% |
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 |
| 17446147 | System, Apparatus and Method for Maintaining Anterior Chamber Intraoperative Intraocular Pressure | SWANSON, LEAH JENNINGS | 49d 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 |
| 18324916 | FORKED PHACOEMULSIFICATION NEEDLE | GRAY, PHILLIP A | 26d overdue |
| 18789550 | ROBOTIC ARMS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 4d 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17446147 | System, Apparatus and Method for Maintaining Anterior Chamber Intraoperative Intraocular Pressure | SWANSON, LEAH JENNINGS | 49d overdue |
| 18324916 | FORKED PHACOEMULSIFICATION NEEDLE | GRAY, PHILLIP A | 26d overdue |
| 17124441 | IRRIGATION/ASPIRATION PUMP HEAD AND BLADDER DESIGN AND METHODS | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 22d overdue |
| 19331818 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAGNETIC SENSING AND DOCKING WITH A TROCAR | JACOB, OOMMEN | — |
| 19239821 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING TEMPERATURE OF AN ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT | LOUIS, RICHARD G | — |
| 19084348 | ROBOTIC ARM HAVING AN EXTENDABLE PRISMATIC LINK | MCEVOY, THOMAS M | — |
| 18889825 | Adaptive Vacuum Booster for Phacoemulsification Operations | GRAY, PHILLIP A | — |
| 18332709 | COMPUTER-BASED OPERATING ROOM SUPPORT SYSTEM | GILLIGAN, CHRISTOPHER L | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3783 | 17 |
| 2872 | 7 |
| 3771 | 6 |
| 3792 | 2 |
| 3683 | 2 |
| 1655 | 2 |
| 1645 | 2 |
| 3791 | 2 |
| 3797 | 1 |
| 2664 | 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 |
| 19239821 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING TEMPERATURE OF AN ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT | LOUIS, RICHARD G | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 16, 2025 |
| 19085655 | SURGICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM | ROANE, AARON F | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 20, 2025 |
| 19084348 | ROBOTIC ARM HAVING AN EXTENDABLE PRISMATIC LINK | MCEVOY, THOMAS M | — | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Mar 19, 2025 |
| 19000271 | AUGMENTED REALITY HEADSET FOR A SURGICAL ROBOT | LETT, THOMAS J | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 23, 2024 |
| 18981219 | REAL-TIME ROBOTIC-ASSISTED DIMENSION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM | ROANE, AARON F | — | §101Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18951276 | REMOTE SURGICAL MENTORING | BEUTEL, WILLIAM A | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 18, 2024 |
| 18907404 | COUPLER TO ATTACH ROBOTIC ARM TO SURGICAL TABLE | SKROUPA, JOSHUA A | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 04, 2024 |
| 18809228 | USER SWITCHING DETECTION DURING ROBOTIC SURGERIES USING DEEP LEARNING | LIU, XIAO | 2664 | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 19, 2024 |
| 18794894 | ARTICULATION JOINT HARDSTOP HANDLING FOR SURGICAL TOOL | ROANE, AARON F | 3792 | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Aug 05, 2024 |
| 18789550 | ROBOTIC ARMS | IGBOKO, CHIMA U | 3771 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 4d overdue | Pending | Jul 30, 2024 |
| 18672080 | NULL SPACE CONTROL FOR END EFFECTOR JOINTS OF A ROBOTIC INSTRUMENT | JACKSON, DANIELLE MARIE | 3657 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 23, 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 |
| 18196961 | BLOOD PRESENCE DETECTION | ORANGE, DAVID BENJAMIN | 2663 | §102 | Final Rejection | 55d | Pending | May 12, 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 | — | 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 |
| 18544878 | INK COMPOSITION FOR COSMETIC CONTACT LENSES | JONES, KOLTON ED | — | §103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 19, 2023 |
| 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 | — | §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 |
| 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 | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 16, 2025 |
| 18889825 | Adaptive Vacuum Booster for Phacoemulsification Operations | GRAY, PHILLIP A | 3783 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 19, 2024 |
| 18791214 | SURGICAL MEDIA SYSTEM | AKHAVANNIK, HADI | 2676 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jul 31, 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 | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 05, 2024 |
| 18390785 | Control of Irrigation in a Phacoemulsification System | STIGELL, THEODORE J | 3783 | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 20, 2023 |
| 18543386 | Control of Irrigation in a Phacoemulsification System | LALONDE, ALEXANDRA ELIZABETH | 3783 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 18, 2023 |
| 18526589 | OPHTHALMIC LENS MATERIALS AND DEVICES MADE THEREOF | BROOKS, KREGG T | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 01, 2023 |
| 18387494 | REAL-TIME 3D ANATOMICAL MAPPING OF THE EYE | BADER, ROBERT N. | 2611 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 07, 2023 |
| 18383665 | PHACOEMULSIFICATION HANDPIECE WITH INTEGRATED ANTI-VACUUM SURGE MODULE | NICHOLS, CHARLES W | 3783 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 4d overdue | Pending | Oct 25, 2023 |
| 18334305 | AUTOMATED PHACOEMULSIFICATION | FLICK, JASON E | 3783 | §102DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2023 |
| 18332709 | COMPUTER-BASED OPERATING ROOM SUPPORT SYSTEM | GILLIGAN, CHRISTOPHER L | 3683 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 09, 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 |
| 18324916 | FORKED PHACOEMULSIFICATION NEEDLE | GRAY, PHILLIP A | 3783 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | 26d overdue | Pending | May 26, 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 |
| 18089407 | STABILIZING INTRA-OCULAR PRESSURE AT ONSET OF ASPIRATION | MEDWAY, SCOTT J | 3783 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 27, 2022 |
IP Author helps IP teams respond to office actions faster with AI-generated responses, examiner analytics, and prosecution intelligence.
Start Free TrialJohnson & Johnson has 76 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 29 art units and 67 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.