Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology area: Chemistry & Materials
204 pending office actions • 24 art units • 71 examiners • 0 of 204 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 209 patents granted in the last 365 days
Philip Morris International Inc. has 206 pending office actions within the Chemistry & Materials technology area. These matters are handled by 71 distinct examiners across 24 distinct art units. The concentration of 206 actions among 71 examiners suggests that several examiners are handling multiple files for the company, creating opportunities for consistent messaging across related applications.
The busiest examiner is FELTON, MICHAEL J, who is responsible for 12 pending office actions. This concentration of 12 actions with a single examiner, compared to the total of 71 distinct examiners, provides a focal point for prosecution strategy. With 24 distinct art units involved, the portfolio spans a significant breadth of technical sub-specialties within the broader chemistry field. Practitioners must coordinate their approach to FELTON, MICHAEL J while remaining mindful of the different standards applied by the other distinct examiners across the 24 distinct art units. Managing 206 pending office actions requires balancing these individual examiner preferences.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 51 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. 51 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 | 5 (2%) |
| §103 only | 104 (51%) |
| §102 only | 4 (2%) |
| §112 only | 12 (6%) |
| Double-patenting only | 1 (0%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 12 (6%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 66 (32%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FELTON, MICHAEL J | 12 | 59.9% | +14.1% |
| MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL | 11 | 23.3% | +10.0% |
| DEZENDORF, MORGAN FAITH | 10 | 26.7% | +50.0% |
| CULBERT, COURTNEY GUENTHER | 10 | 28.3% | +6.1% |
| SPARKS, RUSSELL E | 9 | 63.9% | +14.4% |
| NGUYEN, SONNY V | 7 | 36.6% | +26.0% |
| DAVISON, CHARLOTTE INKERI | 7 | 45.7% | +26.8% |
| SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY | 6 | 55.3% | +25.6% |
| NGUYEN, PHU HOANG | 6 | 65.9% | +19.7% |
| MOORE, STEPHANIE LYNN | 6 | 61.0% | +38.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18256164 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE COMPRISING DUAL AEROSOL GENERATING-SUBSTRATES | VAKILI, DANIEL EDWARD | 66d overdue |
| 18010750 | SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR UNLOCKING AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICES | NAJI, YOUNES | 44d overdue |
| 17615680 | METHOD OF PRODUCING A BLENDED LIQUID TOBACCO EXTRACT FROM TWO OR MORE TOBACCOS | MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL | 37d overdue |
| 17639876 | SHISHA DEVICE WITH DIELECTRIC HEATER | MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL | 1d overdue |
| 17635255 | AN AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM AND AN INTERFACE ELEMENT FOR AN AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM | MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL | 1d overdue |
| 18247512 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH DOWNSTREAM SECTION HAVING LOW RTD | JORDAN, RONNIE KIRBY | 12d |
| 17612761 | STABLE WRAPPER FOR AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE | DELACRUZ, MADELEINE PAULINA | 15d |
| 18008793 | ANATABINE POWDER COMPOSITIONS | TRAN, SUSAN T | 23d |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17672882 | CIGARETTES AND CIGARETTE FILTERS INCLUDING ACTIVATED CARBON FOR REMOVING NITRIC OXIDE | FELTON, MICHAEL J | 162d overdue |
| 18853210 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE AND AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM COMPRISING AN INTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT | SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY | 52d overdue |
| 18409059 | SMOKING ARTICLE USING A CONTINUOUS STRUCTURE OF AN ENCAPSULATED MATERIAL | NGUYEN, SONNY V | 45d overdue |
| 17622528 | AN AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM AND A CARTRIDGE FOR AN AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM HAVING IMPROVED HEATING ASSEMBLY | SPARKS, RUSSELL E | 42d overdue |
| 17904807 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE INCLUDING SUBSTRATE WITH GEL COMPOSITION | NGUYEN, SONNY V | 37d overdue |
| 17615680 | METHOD OF PRODUCING A BLENDED LIQUID TOBACCO EXTRACT FROM TWO OR MORE TOBACCOS | MARTIN, JOHN MITCHELL | 37d overdue |
| 18547534 | DIELECTRICALLY HEATED AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM WITH SEGMENTED HEATER | DAVISON, CHARLOTTE INKERI | 17d overdue |
| 18251109 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE COMPRISING AN OPENING | DAVISON, CHARLOTTE INKERI | 16d overdue |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1755 | 60 |
| 1747 | 48 |
| 1700 | 8 |
| 1745 | 5 |
| 1749 | 5 |
| 3761 | 3 |
| 3785 | 3 |
| 3731 | 2 |
| 3752 | 2 |
| 3991 | 2 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19281598 | STABLE WRAPPER FOR AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE | FELTON, MICHAEL J | 1700 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 26, 2025 |
| 19270144 | FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A CONTINUOUS TUBULAR ROD | SHUTTY, DAVID G | 3731 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 15, 2025 |
| 19129336 | VIBRATING MESH MODULE WITH INTEGRATED FLOW CHAMBER | DANDRIDGE, CHRISTOPHER R. | 3752 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 13, 2025 |
| 19204185 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERACTIVE AND PRIVACY-PRESERVING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A SERVER AND A USER DEVICE | KAPLAN, BENJAMIN A | — | §102§103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 09, 2025 |
| 19200604 | VAPORIZERS WITH CARTRIDGES WITH OPEN SIDED CHAMBER | MCKANE, ELIZABETH L | 3991 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 06, 2025 |
| 19198890 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE AND AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM COMPRISING AN INTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT | SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY | 1755 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | May 05, 2025 |
| 19120818 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STATIC SPLICING OF STRIPS OF MATERIAL | HARM, NICKOLAS R | 1745 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 14, 2025 |
| 19175331 | ARTICLE WITH TUBULAR AEROSOL-FORMING SUBSTRATE | DEZENDORF, MORGAN FAITH | 1755 | §102§103DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 10, 2025 |
| 19107998 | SPLICING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SPLICING SHEETS OF MATERIAL | SMITH JR., JIMMY R | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 28, 2025 |
| 19099992 | AN AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE COMPRISING A PIEZOELECTRIC COMPONENT | PHAM, TUONGMINH NGUYEN | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 30, 2025 |
| 18869033 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLE FOR DRY POWDER INHALER WITH UPSTREAM RESILIENT ELEMENT | BESLER, CHRISTOPHER JAMES | 3726 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 25, 2024 |
| 18861037 | TOBACCO ALKALOID INSECT REPELLENT IN PLANTS | SOROUSH, LAYLA | 1625 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 28, 2024 |
| 18855067 | HINGE-LID PACK AND BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL FOR FORMING A HINGLE-LID PACK | SPICER, JENINE MARIE | 3736 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 08, 2024 |
| 18853780 | REFILLABLE CONTAINER | REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN | 3735 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 30d | Pending | Oct 03, 2024 |
| 18853616 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH LOW DENSITY SUBSTRATE AND RELATIVELY LONG DOWNSTREAM SECTION | GHEBRESELASSIE, HELEN G | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 02, 2024 |
| 18853210 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE AND AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM COMPRISING AN INTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT | SZUMIGALSKI, NICOLE ASHLEY | 1755 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 52d overdue | Pending | Oct 01, 2024 |
| 18890483 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE HAVING HOLDING MECHANISM | PATEL, HARSHAD C | — | §102§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 19, 2024 |
| 18835263 | ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCT WITH CHEWABLE CARRIER ELEMENT | WILL, KATHERINE A | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 01, 2024 |
| 18722452 | MODULATION OF NICOTINE PRODUCTION BY ALTERATION OF NICOTINAMIDASE EXPRESSION OR FUNCTION IN PLANTS | SPEED, DEQUANTARIUS JAVON | 1663 | §101§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 20, 2024 |
| 18722473 | INCREASING ANATABINE IN TOBACCO LEAF BY REGULATING METHYL PUTRESCINE OXIDASE | SPEED, DEQUANTARIUS JAVON | 1663 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 20, 2024 |
| 18742649 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH HIGH AEROSOL FORMER CONTENT | GHEBRESELASSIE, HELEN G | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 13, 2024 |
| 18717517 | REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE WITH CAPILLARY | DYE, ROBERT C | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 07, 2024 |
| 18715867 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A VENTILATION ZONE IN AN AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE | NGUYEN, PHU HOANG | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 03, 2024 |
| 18715334 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE HAVING AN AIR CHANNELLING ELEMENT WITH INNER AND OUTER AIR PASSAGEWAYS | DYE, ROBERT C | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 31, 2024 |
| 18713911 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE COMPRISING HOLLOW TUBULAR SUBSTRATE ELEMENT WITH SEALING ELEMENT | BIEGER, VIRGINIA RUTH | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 28, 2024 |
| 18671155 | AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE COMPRISING A COVER ELEMENT | KRATT, JUSTIN M | 2831 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 22, 2024 |
| 18712066 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE HAVING A GROOVED AIR CHANNELLING ELEMENT | NNABUGWU, HANNAH CHINWE | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 21, 2024 |
| 18711712 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE HAVING WRAPPER COMPRISING AN ADHESIVE | GRAY, LINDA LAMEY | — | §102§103§112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 20, 2024 |
| 18710223 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE COMPRISING WRAPPING PAPER WITH SECTIONS PROTRUDING IN UPSTREAM DIRECTION | CEFARATTI, JOSEPH ARTHUR | — | §102§103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 15, 2024 |
| 18709092 | MEASUREMENT OF TEMPERATURE OF A HEATER ELEMENT FOR AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE | LIN, ERICA S Y | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 10, 2024 |
| 18707285 | MOUTHPIECE FOR INHALING AN AEROSOL WITH A FLAVOR ELEMENT | YAARY, ERIC | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 03, 2024 |
| 18707315 | APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING INTUBATED NON-HUMAN ANIMAL TO GAS DELIVERY SYSTEM | ZIEGLER, MATTHEW D | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 03, 2024 |
| 18706418 | GAS DELIVERY SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD | BALLER, KELSEY E | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 01, 2024 |
| 18706123 | TESTING ARTICLE FOR USE IN AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE | MERCADO, ALEXANDER A | 2855 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 30, 2024 |
| 18705216 | A METHOD FOR TREATING TOBACCO MATERIAL AND TREATED TOBACCO MATERIAL | CULBERT, COURTNEY GUENTHER | — | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 18705149 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH AMBIENT AIR ADAPTION | NGUYEN, PHU HOANG | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 18704154 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH A BUTTON ARRANGEMENT | SAEED, AHMED M | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 24, 2024 |
| 18703424 | EJECTOR OF CONSUMABLES INCORPORATING AIR MANAGEMENT | NGUYEN, SONNY V | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 22, 2024 |
| 18703427 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH HOUSING | DEZENDORF, MORGAN FAITH | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 22, 2024 |
| 18640896 | ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SMOKING DEVICE INCLUDING A SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING SMOKING ARTICLES IN THE DEVICE | WILL, KATHERINE A | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 19, 2024 |
| 18702513 | METHOD OF OPERATING AN AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM | CULBERT, COURTNEY GUENTHER | — | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 18, 2024 |
| 18701954 | HEATING ASSEMBLY FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE | DYE, ROBERT C | — | §103§112Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 17, 2024 |
| 18702016 | HEATING ASSEMBLY FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE | NGUYEN, PHU HOANG | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 17, 2024 |
| 18701950 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH PHOTOLUMINESCENT TAGGANT | BIEGER, VIRGINIA RUTH | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 17, 2024 |
| 18701632 | AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE HAVING A RESTRICTED AIRFLOW PATHWAY | SPARKS, RUSSELL E | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 16, 2024 |
| 18701634 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH TAGGANT | DYE, ROBERT C | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 16, 2024 |
| 18701266 | METHOD OF TESTING AIR LEAKAGE | MERCADO, ALEXANDER A | 2855 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 15, 2024 |
| 18700830 | AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE FOR INDUCTIVELY HEATED DEVICE | GRAY, LINDA LAMEY | — | §102§103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Apr 12, 2024 |
| 18700968 | CLEANING TOOL FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE | GRAY, LINDA LAMEY | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 12, 2024 |
| 18700389 | CARTRIDGE FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH AXIAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT | DAVISON, CHARLOTTE INKERI | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 11, 2024 |
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Start Free TrialPhilip Morris International Inc. has 204 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 24 art units and 71 examiners.
Michael J Felton has the most, with 12 of Philip Morris International Inc.'s pending office actions.
Mostly Chemistry & Materials (USPTO Tech Center 1700), based on where its pending office actions are examined.