Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
46 pending office actions • 17 art units • 41 examiners • 0 of 46 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 62 patents granted in the last 365 days
Karl Storz SE & Co. KG manages a portfolio with 42 pending office actions in the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. These actions are distributed across 15 distinct art units, highlighting the technical scope of the company's medical innovations. The prosecution involves 38 distinct examiners, indicating that the workload is spread across the USPTO.
STEPHEN FLOYD LONDON is the busiest examiner for the company, currently handling 4 pending office actions. While he has the highest individual workload, the remaining pending actions are distributed among the other 38 distinct examiners. With 15 distinct art units involved, the company must navigate an array of internal USPTO policies and examination cultures to manage the 42 pending actions.
The number of art units relative to the workload suggests that Karl Storz SE & Co. KG is pursuing a variety of specialized medical technologies. Managing the distinct examiners requires a strategy that can account for many different individual perspectives. Success depends on meeting the diverse standards of the different art units within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 11 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. 11 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 + other | 2 (4%) |
| §103 only | 10 (22%) |
| §102 only | 5 (11%) |
| §112 only | 2 (4%) |
| Double-patenting only | 1 (2%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 26 (57%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 5 | 69.4% | +38.9% |
| LUU, TIMOTHY TUAN | 2 | 45.7% | +38.1% |
| NIRJHAR, NASIM NAZRUL | 1 | 74.4% | +18.8% |
| BEARD, CHARLES LLOYD | 1 | 67.9% | +35.0% |
| BOLER, RYNAE E | 1 | 62.4% | +8.8% |
| MILLER, RONDE LEE | 1 | 73.7% | +22.1% |
| CHRISTY, KATHERINE A | 1 | 75.1% | +34.9% |
| JONES, HEATHER RAE | 1 | 69.0% | +5.5% |
| SHAFQAT, AMY JEANETTE | 1 | 52.0% | +55.3% |
| MERENE, JAN CHRISTOP L | 1 | 68.5% | +48.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18670020 | IMAGING DEVICE AND SYSTEM | BOLER, RYNAE E | 44d overdue |
| 18067941 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING METAMERICALLY MATCHED ILLUMINATION | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 42d overdue |
| 16933555 | ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE | HADDAD, MOUSSA MAHER | 19d overdue |
| 18717501 | HANDLING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A HANDLING DEVICE, AND ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT | LEE, DAVINA EN-YIN | 17d overdue |
| 18704888 | HANDLING DEVICE FOR HANDLING MEDICAL AND/OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND MEDICAL SYSTEM HAVING A HANDLING DEVICE | HUH, VYNN V | 9d overdue |
| 18658496 | METHOD FOR CREATING SYNTHETIC DATA FOR AI MODEL TRAINING | SONNERS, SCOTT E | 28d |
| 18636788 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING SYSTEM | MILLER, RONDE LEE | 29d |
| 18543142 | MEDICAL DEVICES WITH CONSISTENT SURFACE FEATURES | CHRISTY, KATHERINE A | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18753311 | Mixed Latency Video System for Generating Images | BEARD, CHARLES LLOYD | 49d overdue |
| 18067941 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING METAMERICALLY MATCHED ILLUMINATION | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 42d overdue |
| 18293207 | MEDICAL IMAGING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR AN ENDOSCOPE OR EXOSCOPE | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 8d overdue |
| 18636788 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING SYSTEM | MILLER, RONDE LEE | 29d |
| 19289560 | ENDOSCOPIC VIDEO SYSTEM FOR WHITE LIGHT AND MULTISPECTRAL/HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING | NIRJHAR, NASIM NAZRUL | — |
| 18543142 | MEDICAL DEVICES WITH CONSISTENT SURFACE FEATURES | CHRISTY, KATHERINE A | — |
| 19141142 | MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM | SHAFQAT, AMY JEANETTE | — |
| 19217668 | OPTICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN OPTICAL DEVICE | MERENE, JAN CHRISTOP L | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3795 | 8 |
| 3771 | 3 |
| 3794 | 3 |
| 3798 | 2 |
| 3658 | 2 |
| 3796 | 2 |
| 2611 | 1 |
| 2663 | 1 |
| 1784 | 1 |
| 3773 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19289560 | ENDOSCOPIC VIDEO SYSTEM FOR WHITE LIGHT AND MULTISPECTRAL/HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING | NIRJHAR, NASIM NAZRUL | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 04, 2025 |
| 18753311 | Mixed Latency Video System for Generating Images | BEARD, CHARLES LLOYD | 2611 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 49d overdue | Pending | Jun 25, 2024 |
| 18670020 | IMAGING DEVICE AND SYSTEM | BOLER, RYNAE E | 3795 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 44d overdue | Pending | May 21, 2024 |
| 18636788 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING SYSTEM | MILLER, RONDE LEE | 2663 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 29d | Pending | Apr 16, 2024 |
| 18543142 | MEDICAL DEVICES WITH CONSISTENT SURFACE FEATURES | CHRISTY, KATHERINE A | 1784 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 18, 2023 |
| 18067941 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING METAMERICALLY MATCHED ILLUMINATION | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 3795 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 42d overdue | Pending | Dec 19, 2022 |
| 19282096 | INTUBATION SYSTEM | JONES, HEATHER RAE | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 28, 2025 |
| 19141142 | MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM | SHAFQAT, AMY JEANETTE | 3798 | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 19, 2025 |
| 19217668 | OPTICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN OPTICAL DEVICE | MERENE, JAN CHRISTOP L | 3773 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 23, 2025 |
| 19182717 | FILTER CHANGING APPARATUS FOR AN ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA, CAMERA HEAD FOR AN ENDOSCOPE, AND RETROFIT KIT FOR RETROFITTING A CAMERA HEAD AND/OR AN ENDOSCOPE | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 18, 2025 |
| 19182710 | FILTER CHANGING APPARATUS FOR AN ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA, CAMERA HEAD FOR AN ENDOSCOPE, AND RETROFIT KIT FOR RETROFITTING A CAMERA HEAD AND/OR AN ENDOSCOPE | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 18, 2025 |
| 19182704 | FILTER CHANGING APPARATUS FOR AN ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA, CAMERA HEAD FOR AN ENDOSCOPE, AND RETROFIT KIT FOR RETROFITTING A CAMERA HEAD AND/OR AN ENDOSCOPE | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 18, 2025 |
| 19082621 | INTERFACE FOR CONNECTING A DRIVE UNIT TO A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT | HOLLOWAY, JASON R | 3658 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 18, 2025 |
| 19045160 | INTERFACE FOR CONNECTING A DRIVE UNIT TO A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT | MCCARTHY, GINA | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 04, 2025 |
| 18998267 | CONNECTION DEVICE AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENT | JOHNSON, NICOLE F | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 24, 2025 |
| 19016188 | MEDICAL SYSTEM, PORTABLE DISPLAY, METHOD FOR OPERATING A MEDICAL SYSTEM AND/OR A PORTABLE DISPLAY AND METHOD | TSWEI, YU-JANG | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 10, 2025 |
| 19016539 | MEDICAL SYSTEM, PORTABLE DISPLAY, METHOD FOR OPERATING A MEDICAL SYSTEM AND/OR A PORTABLE DISPLAY AND METHOD | TRUONG, KARL DUC | — | §103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 10, 2025 |
| 19014931 | MEDICAL SYSTEM, MEDICAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT, METHOD OF OPERATING A MEDICAL SYSTEM AND/OR A MEDICAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT, AND METHOD OF CONNECTING A MEDICAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT TO A DISPLAY DEVICE | KLEIN, BROOKE L | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 09, 2025 |
| 18881604 | MEDICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MEDICAL SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF AN ACCESS DEVICE | CELESTINE, NYROBI I | 3798 | §102 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jan 06, 2025 |
| 18987455 | Articulation member for or in a deflection mechanism | FARDANESH, MARJAN | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 19, 2024 |
| 18872062 | MEDICAL IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME, AND METHOD OF MEDICAL IMAGING | SHARPLESS, CHRISTEN ALICIA | — | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 05, 2024 |
| 18710681 | LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE FOR BREAKING UP BODY STONES, LITHOTRIPSY SYSTEM, RETROFIT KIT FOR RETROFITTING AN EXISTING LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE | POLAND, CHERIE MICHELLE | 3771 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 26, 2024 |
| 18868342 | MEDICAL HOLDING ARM DEVICE | BARNETT, DEVIN K | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 22, 2024 |
| 18865798 | RESECTOSCOPE VALVE PART FOR A MANUALLY ACTUATABLE WORKING ELEMENT OF A RESECTOSCOPE | BROWN, KYLE MARTZ | 3794 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 14, 2024 |
| 18948038 | REMOTE GESTURE CONTROL, INPUT MONITOR, SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SAME, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS | BLAUFELD, JUSTIN R | — | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Nov 14, 2024 |
| 18940430 | Filter Changing Apparatus for an Endoscopic Camera, Camera Head for an Endoscope, and Retrofit Kit for Retrofitting a Camera Head or an Endoscope | LEI, JIE | 3795 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 07, 2024 |
| 18920489 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF GENERATING HOSPITAL REPORTS | FURTADO, WINSTON RAHUL | 3687 | §101§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 18, 2024 |
| 18849023 | LIMITING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LIMITING THE MOBILITY OF A ROTARY JOINT | BINDA, GREGORY JOHN | — | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 20, 2024 |
| 18826010 | Medical Imaging Device with Heat Dissipation and Method for Regulating Heat Generated within a Medical Imaging Device | HENDERSON, RYAN N | 3795 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 05, 2024 |
| 18722896 | DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLEANING AND/OR DRYING AN ENDOSCOPE | BERGNER, ERIN FLANAGAN | 1713 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 21, 2024 |
| 18717501 | HANDLING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A HANDLING DEVICE, AND ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT | LEE, DAVINA EN-YIN | 3794 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 17d overdue | Pending | Jun 07, 2024 |
| 18677278 | DEVICE, DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA | DUFFY, CAROLINE TABANCAY | 2662 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 29, 2024 |
| 18709858 | LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR INTRACORPOREAL LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE, FOR BREAKING UP CALCULI, IMPACT ELEMENT, RETROFITTING SET FOR RETROFITTING AN EXISTING LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A LITHOTRIPSY DEVICE | LONG, SARAH A | 3771 | §102§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 14, 2024 |
| 18658496 | METHOD FOR CREATING SYNTHETIC DATA FOR AI MODEL TRAINING | SONNERS, SCOTT E | 2613 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 28d | Pending | May 08, 2024 |
| 18652873 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SUPERIMPOSING ON OBJECTS IN DIGITAL IMAGES | HESS, MICHAEL J | 2481 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 02, 2024 |
| 18704888 | HANDLING DEVICE FOR HANDLING MEDICAL AND/OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND MEDICAL SYSTEM HAVING A HANDLING DEVICE | HUH, VYNN V | 3792 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 9d overdue | Pending | Apr 25, 2024 |
| 18639210 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND METHODS FOR ORGANIZING INFORMATION FOR AND FROM AN AI ENGINE IN A VIRTUAL CANVAS | BLOOMQUIST, KEITH D | 2171 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 30d overdue | Pending | Apr 18, 2024 |
| 18610752 | CONNECTION ARRANGEMENT FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT OR IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT | LEE, ERICA SHENGKAI | 3796 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Mar 20, 2024 |
| 18293207 | MEDICAL IMAGING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR AN ENDOSCOPE OR EXOSCOPE | LONDON, STEPHEN FLOYD | 3795 | §102 | Final Rejection | 8d overdue | Pending | Jan 29, 2024 |
| 18536554 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT | WOOD, BLAKE ANDREW | 3658 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 12, 2023 |
| 18381892 | ENDOSCOPIC SYSTEM AND METHOD | TON, MARTIN TRUYEN | 3771 | §103 | Final Rejection | 6d | Pending | Oct 19, 2023 |
| 18554957 | ENDOSCOPE, IN PARTICULAR A MEDICAL SINGLE-USE ENDOSCOPE | WU, PAMELA F | 3795 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 11, 2023 |
| 18554918 | HANDPIECE FOR A FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE OR FOR A FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT | LUU, TIMOTHY TUAN | 3795 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 11, 2023 |
| 18554765 | SHAFT FOR A FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE OR FOR A FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT | LUU, TIMOTHY TUAN | 3795 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 10, 2023 |
| 18071725 | CONNECTING DEVICE FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD | BLAISE, BRADFORD CHRISTOPHER | 3794 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Nov 30, 2022 |
| 16933555 | ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE | HADDAD, MOUSSA MAHER | 3796 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 19d overdue | Pending | Aug 11, 2020 |
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