Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Chemistry & Materials
42 pending office actions • 16 art units • 38 examiners • 0 of 42 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 42 patents granted in the last 365 days
MARS Incorporated currently manages 41 pending office actions within the Chemistry & Materials technology area. This portfolio is distributed across 16 distinct art units, indicating a range of chemical and material science applications. The prosecution involves 37 distinct examiners, suggesting that the majority of applications are handled by different individuals at the patent office. This ratio of 37 distinct examiners to 41 pending office actions means that the company faces a variety of examination styles, which can lead to varying outcomes across the portfolio.
The busiest examiner for this portfolio is SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL, who is responsible for 3 of the pending office actions. This concentration represents a portion of the total 41 pending office actions, which implies a low level of examiner-specific risk for the company. Practitioners should note the distribution across 16 distinct art units when coordinating responses to ensure consistency across different examination groups. Managing 41 pending office actions with 37 distinct examiners requires a tracking system to ensure that arguments made in one art unit do not conflict with those made in another of the 16 units involved.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 13 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. 13 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 (7%) |
| §101 + other | 6 (14%) |
| §103 only | 17 (40%) |
| §102 only | 1 (2%) |
| §112 only | 3 (7%) |
| Double-patenting only | 2 (5%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 3 (7%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 7 (17%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 3 | 10.0% | +18.8% |
| KERSHAW, KELLY P | 2 | 17.7% | +16.0% |
| DIVIESTI, KARLA ISOBEL | 2 | 3.4% | +20.0% |
| BELL, KENT L | 1 | 94.1% | +4.9% |
| BURGESS, JOSEPH D | 1 | 39.7% | +35.8% |
| MCCORMICK EWOLDT, SUSAN BETH | 1 | 92.1% | -6.4% |
| GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | 1 | 36.0% | +34.8% |
| SHAH, UTPAL D | 1 | 87.9% | +11.3% |
| FERNANDES, PATRICK M | 1 | 59.8% | +31.7% |
| SAINI, AMANDEEP SINGH | 1 | 89.7% | +8.4% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 3 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19212496 | CACAO PLANT NAMED 'ISC-1' | MCCORMICK EWOLDT, SUSAN BETH | 14d |
| 19358199 | CACAO VARIETIES | BELL, KENT L | — |
| 18880925 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING ABNORMALITIES IN PET RADIOLOGY IMAGES | SHAH, UTPAL D | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17931293 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR END-TO-END PET CARE TRANSACTIONS WEB PLATFORM | COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 16d overdue |
| 18046963 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 8d |
| 17908758 | THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A MEAT ANALOGUE, AND MEAT ANALOGUE PREPARED THEREBY | DIVIESTI, KARLA ISOBEL | 9d |
| 18046980 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 21d |
| 18554897 | FOOD PRODUCT | BEKKER, KELLY JO | 26d |
| 18654503 | DRY PET FOOD COMPRISING A PALATABILITY ENHANCING COATING | KERSHAW, KELLY P | 36d |
| 19164425 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A CUTANEOUS LESION SCORE OF A COMPANION ANIMAL | BURGESS, JOSEPH D | — |
| 18875950 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PATHOLOGY DETECTION ON X-RAY IMAGES IN VETERINARY ECOSYSTEMS | FERNANDES, PATRICK M | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18046963 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 8d |
| 17908758 | THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A MEAT ANALOGUE, AND MEAT ANALOGUE PREPARED THEREBY | DIVIESTI, KARLA ISOBEL | 9d |
| 18046980 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 21d |
| 18654503 | DRY PET FOOD COMPRISING A PALATABILITY ENHANCING COATING | KERSHAW, KELLY P | 36d |
| 19199300 | FLAVOR COMPOSITIONS AND SCREENING METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING THE SAME | GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | 70d |
| 19164425 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A CUTANEOUS LESION SCORE OF A COMPANION ANIMAL | BURGESS, JOSEPH D | — |
| 18880925 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING ABNORMALITIES IN PET RADIOLOGY IMAGES | SHAH, UTPAL D | — |
| 18875950 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PATHOLOGY DETECTION ON X-RAY IMAGES IN VETERINARY ECOSYSTEMS | FERNANDES, PATRICK M | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1793 | 9 |
| 1791 | 5 |
| 1792 | 5 |
| 1661 | 2 |
| 3685 | 2 |
| 1759 | 1 |
| 2662 | 1 |
| 3625 | 1 |
| 3763 | 1 |
| 3683 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19358199 | CACAO VARIETIES | BELL, KENT L | 1661 | §112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 14, 2025 |
| 19164425 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A CUTANEOUS LESION SCORE OF A COMPANION ANIMAL | BURGESS, JOSEPH D | 3685 | §101§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 11, 2025 |
| 19212496 | CACAO PLANT NAMED 'ISC-1' | MCCORMICK EWOLDT, SUSAN BETH | 1661 | §112 | Final Rejection | 14d | Pending | May 19, 2025 |
| 19199300 | FLAVOR COMPOSITIONS AND SCREENING METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING THE SAME | GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A | 1759 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 70d | Pending | May 05, 2025 |
| 18880925 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING ABNORMALITIES IN PET RADIOLOGY IMAGES | SHAH, UTPAL D | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 03, 2025 |
| 18875950 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PATHOLOGY DETECTION ON X-RAY IMAGES IN VETERINARY ECOSYSTEMS | FERNANDES, PATRICK M | — | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 17, 2024 |
| 18980468 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING A DIGITIAL MEDICAL IMAGE TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC MEASUREMENT | SAINI, AMANDEEP SINGH | 2662 | §101 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18868033 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AGRICULTURAL RISK MANAGEMENT | ULLAH, ARIF | 3625 | §103 | Final Rejection | 4d overdue | Pending | Nov 21, 2024 |
| 18940753 | PET FOOD PRODUCT | LOVE, TREVOR M | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 07, 2024 |
| 18931947 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CYTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS | DUFFY, CAROLINE TABANCAY | — | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 30, 2024 |
| 18859858 | ANIMAL FOOD COMPOSITION COMPRISING A SOURCE OF GLYCYRRHIZIN | MEYERS, ELIZABETH ANNE | — | §102§103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 24, 2024 |
| 18894870 | CHOCOLATE CONFECTION | WATTS, JENNA A | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 24, 2024 |
| 18787302 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC INTERPRETATION OF DOG EMOTION USING MACHINE LEARNING | HUNTSINGER, PETER K | — | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jul 29, 2024 |
| 18783921 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS | MENGESHA, WEBESHET | 3763 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jul 25, 2024 |
| 18742501 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADVANCED PREDICTION USING MACHINE-LEARNING AND STATISTICAL MODELS | WORJLOH, JALATEE | — | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2024 |
| 18709169 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING HEALTH REPORTS BASED ON VETERINARY ORAL CARE HEALTH TEST | TIEDEMAN, JASON S | 3683 | §101 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 10, 2024 |
| 18654503 | DRY PET FOOD COMPRISING A PALATABILITY ENHANCING COATING | KERSHAW, KELLY P | 1791 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 36d | Pending | May 03, 2024 |
| 18557673 | FOOD PRODUCT | LACHICA, ERICSON M | 1792 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 27, 2023 |
| 18554897 | FOOD PRODUCT | BEKKER, KELLY JO | 1792 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 26d | Pending | Oct 11, 2023 |
| 18467939 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING PERSISTENT DECIDUOUS TEETH RISK | HOLCOMB, MARK | 3685 | §101§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 15, 2023 |
| 18246488 | FOOD COMPOSITIONS AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 1793 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 23, 2023 |
| 18010738 | A NON-BAKED FOOD PRODUCT COMPRISING A CHOCOLATE NOUGAT COMPOSITION | CHAWLA, JYOTI | 1791 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 15, 2022 |
| 17997778 | PALATABLE SUPPORT COMPOSITIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS | DIVIESTI, KARLA ISOBEL | 1792 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 02, 2022 |
| 18049799 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A PET RELATIVE FINDER | BEVERIDGE, CONNOR HAMMOND | 1687 | §101§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 26, 2022 |
| 18046963 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 1793 | §103DP | Final Rejection | 8d | Pending | Oct 17, 2022 |
| 18046980 | FLAVOUR ADDITIVES | SHELLHAMMER, JAMES PAUL | 1793 | §103DP | Final Rejection | 21d | Pending | Oct 17, 2022 |
| 17917463 | METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF AN ANIMAL AND FOR SELECTING FOOD PRODUCTS | O'HERN, BRENT T | 1686 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 06, 2022 |
| 17931293 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR END-TO-END PET CARE TRANSACTIONS WEB PLATFORM | COBANOGLU, DILEK B | 3687 | §101 | Non-Final OA | 16d overdue | Pending | Sep 12, 2022 |
| 17908758 | THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A MEAT ANALOGUE, AND MEAT ANALOGUE PREPARED THEREBY | DIVIESTI, KARLA ISOBEL | 1792 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 9d | Pending | Sep 01, 2022 |
| 17797887 | EDIBLE ANIMAL CHEWS | JACOBSON, MICHELE LYNN | 1793 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 05, 2022 |
| 17864895 | FOOD PRODUCT FOR REGULATING LIPID METABOLITES AND METHODS | GERLA, STEPHANIE RAE | 1791 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 9d | Pending | Jul 14, 2022 |
| 17860641 | PROCESS OF PREPARING A WET PET FOOD, WET PET FOOD PRODUCED BY THE PROCESS AND USES THEREOF | GLIMM, CARRIE LYNN STOFFEL | 1793 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 08, 2022 |
| 17789356 | PREMIUM SHIPS IN OWN CONTAINER PACKAGE FOR CONSUMER-PACKAGED GOODS | ISLAM, SANJIDUL | 3736 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 27, 2022 |
| 17621670 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WELLNESS ASSESSMENT OF A PET | PHAM, QUANG | 2685 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 21, 2021 |
| 17542279 | ACIDIFIED PROTEINACEOUS BEVERAGES AND COMPOSITIONS | MORNHINWEG, JEFFREY P | 1793 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Dec 03, 2021 |
| 17423774 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING INTESTINAL DYSBIOSIS | KERSHAW, KELLY P | 1791 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 16, 2021 |
| 17177059 | SAMPLE CARTRIDGES | NGUYEN, HENRY H | 1758 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 14d | Pending | Feb 16, 2021 |
| 16927508 | EDIBLE COMPOSITION | TRAN, LIEN THUY | 1793 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 13, 2020 |
| 16772694 | PET FOOD PRODUCT COMPRISING DENATURED ZEIN PROTEIN | MCCLAIN, TYNESHA L. | 1793 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 12, 2020 |
| 16613186 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING FEATHER-BASED FOOD PRODUCTS | TURNER, FELICIA C | 1793 | §103 | Final Rejection | 28d | Pending | Nov 13, 2019 |
| 16473713 | PET FOOD PRODUCT | KIM, BRYAN | 1792 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 26, 2019 |
| 16338850 | LEGUME-COATED FOOD PRODUCTS | DUBOIS, PHILIP A | 1791 | §103 | Final Rejection | 70d | Pending | Apr 02, 2019 |
IP Author helps IP teams respond to office actions faster with AI-generated responses, examiner analytics, and prosecution intelligence.
Start Free Trial