Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology areas: Communications • Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
28 pending office actions • 6 art units • 26 examiners • 0 of 28 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 70 patents granted in the last 365 days
Starkey Laboratories Inc. manages 28 pending office actions within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. These actions are distributed among 26 distinct examiners, which suggests that the company's applications are reviewed by a wide variety of individuals. The portfolio is concentrated within 6 distinct art units, showing a relatively focused technical scope despite the number of examiners involved. This distribution across 6 distinct art units indicates that the 28 pending office actions fall into a limited number of specialized categories.
Suhan Ni is the busiest examiner for the portfolio, with 2 pending office actions. The other 26 pending office actions are handled by other distinct examiners, indicating very little overlap in examiner assignments. The 6 distinct art units involved suggest that the pending office actions fall into a limited number of specialized technical categories. This high number of 26 distinct examiners relative to 28 actions requires the company to adapt to many different individual prosecution styles. Practitioners should develop case-specific strategies to address the diverse feedback from these examiners within the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering sector.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 6 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. 6 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 | 1 (4%) |
| §101 + other | 4 (14%) |
| §103 only | 8 (29%) |
| §112 only | 3 (11%) |
| Double-patenting only | 2 (7%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 10 (36%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NI, SUHAN | 2 | 86.6% | +13.9% |
| GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 2 | 37.9% | +51.2% |
| SINGH, GURBIR | 1 | 71.8% | +14.0% |
| ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN | 1 | 89.4% | +6.3% |
| NGUYEN, SEAN H | 1 | 86.4% | +4.9% |
| OGUNBIYI, OLUWADAMILOL M | 1 | 77.1% | +19.4% |
| DANG, JULIE X | 1 | 84.0% | +16.8% |
| HAMID, AMMAR T | 1 | 85.2% | +9.8% |
| YU, NORMAN | 1 | 87.6% | +13.9% |
| GANMAVO, KUASSI A | 1 | 70.6% | +20.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19173381 | HEARING DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE NEURAL NETWORKS FOR SOUND ENHANCEMENT | ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN | — |
| 19041842 | CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR HEARING INSTRUMENTS | NGUYEN, SEAN H | — |
| 19008040 | MULTI-MODE RADIO FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES | HAMID, AMMAR T | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17931782 | POSTURE DETECTION USING HEARING INSTRUMENTS | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 10d overdue |
| 17563762 | DETECTION OF CONDITIONS USING EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 9d |
| 17791451 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING EAR-WORN DEVICES FOR VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION EXERCISES | PARK, EVELYN GRACE | 15d |
| 18595024 | SYNCHRONOUS BINAURAL USER CONTROLS FOR HEARING INSTRUMENTS | BRINEY III, WALTER F | 26d |
| 17894314 | EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING IN-EAR RESPIRATION SENSOR | HEALY, NOAH MICHAEL | 26d |
| 19025013 | MICROPHONE SUSPENSION FOR MECHANICAL FEEDBACK REDUCTION IN HEARING DEVICES | NI, SUHAN | — |
| 19013047 | FLANGED EARBUD AND EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING SAME | DANG, JULIE X | — |
| 18979862 | EAR-WEARABLE DEVICE INCLUDING FILTER | YU, NORMAN | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17931782 | POSTURE DETECTION USING HEARING INSTRUMENTS | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 10d overdue |
| 17563762 | DETECTION OF CONDITIONS USING EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 9d |
| 19185123 | ANTENNA DESIGNS WITH SWITCH UNITS FOR WEARABLE DEVICES | SINGH, GURBIR | — |
| 19025798 | INTERACTIVE SYSTEM FOR HEARING DEVICES | OGUNBIYI, OLUWADAMILOL M | — |
| 19025013 | MICROPHONE SUSPENSION FOR MECHANICAL FEEDBACK REDUCTION IN HEARING DEVICES | NI, SUHAN | — |
| 19013047 | FLANGED EARBUD AND EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING SAME | DANG, JULIE X | — |
| 18979862 | EAR-WEARABLE DEVICE INCLUDING FILTER | YU, NORMAN | — |
| 18974909 | CONTRALATERAL-HEARING INTERFERENCE REDUCTION | GANMAVO, KUASSI A | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3791 | 6 |
| 3796 | 3 |
| 2691 | 2 |
| 2692 | 2 |
| 2619 | 1 |
| 2694 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19185123 | ANTENNA DESIGNS WITH SWITCH UNITS FOR WEARABLE DEVICES | SINGH, GURBIR | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 21, 2025 |
| 19173381 | HEARING DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE NEURAL NETWORKS FOR SOUND ENHANCEMENT | ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 08, 2025 |
| 19041842 | CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR HEARING INSTRUMENTS | NGUYEN, SEAN H | — | §103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 30, 2025 |
| 19025798 | INTERACTIVE SYSTEM FOR HEARING DEVICES | OGUNBIYI, OLUWADAMILOL M | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 16, 2025 |
| 19025013 | MICROPHONE SUSPENSION FOR MECHANICAL FEEDBACK REDUCTION IN HEARING DEVICES | NI, SUHAN | — | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 16, 2025 |
| 19013047 | FLANGED EARBUD AND EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING SAME | DANG, JULIE X | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 08, 2025 |
| 19008040 | MULTI-MODE RADIO FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES | HAMID, AMMAR T | — | DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 02, 2025 |
| 18979862 | EAR-WEARABLE DEVICE INCLUDING FILTER | YU, NORMAN | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 13, 2024 |
| 18974909 | CONTRALATERAL-HEARING INTERFERENCE REDUCTION | GANMAVO, KUASSI A | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 10, 2024 |
| 18973900 | EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING RECEIVER CABLE WITH AN OPTICAL SENSOR | OJO, OYESOLA C | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 09, 2024 |
| 18953788 | IN-USE FEEDBACK PATH CHARACTERIZATION FOR HEARING DEVICE | SNIEZEK, ANDREW L | — | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Nov 20, 2024 |
| 18953704 | ACOUSTIC PATH ANOMALY DETECTION FOR HEARING DEVICE ASSESSMENT | TON, DAVID L | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 20, 2024 |
| 18921167 | EAR IMPRESSION TRIAGE AND IDENTIFICATION OF ANATOMICAL LANDMARKS IN HUMAN EARS | HARRISON, CHANTE E | 2619 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 21, 2024 |
| 18906751 | EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING ELASTOMERIC LIGHT PIPE WITH INGRESS RESISTANCE FEATURES | NI, SUHAN | 2691 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 04, 2024 |
| 18754722 | USING A CAMERA FOR HEARING DEVICE ALGORITHM TRAINING | FISCHER, MARK L | 2692 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 26, 2024 |
| 18736921 | ANTENNAS FOR STANDARD FIT HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES | LE, HUYEN D | 2694 | §112Other | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jun 07, 2024 |
| 18647690 | EFFICIENT WELLNESS MEASUREMENT IN EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES | HOLMES, REX R | 3796 | §103 | Final Rejection | 13d | Pending | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 18595024 | SYNCHRONOUS BINAURAL USER CONTROLS FOR HEARING INSTRUMENTS | BRINEY III, WALTER F | 2692 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | 26d | Pending | Mar 04, 2024 |
| 18436646 | EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES FOR FALL PREVENTION USING VIBRATION SENSORY INPUT | NGUYEN, TAI T | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 08, 2024 |
| 18037248 | PASSIVE SAFETY MONITORING WITH EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES | SAHAND, SANA | 3796 | §101§102§103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 16, 2023 |
| 18033937 | EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES FOR DETECTING, MONITORING, OR PREVENTING HEAD INJURIES | HOUGH, JESSANDRA F | 3796 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 26, 2023 |
| 17931782 | POSTURE DETECTION USING HEARING INSTRUMENTS | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 3791 | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | 10d overdue | Pending | Sep 13, 2022 |
| 17939417 | SENSOR MOUNTING FEATURES IN A CUSTOM-FITTED HEARING DEVICE SHELL | MCCORMACK, ERIN KATHLEEN | 3791 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 07, 2022 |
| 17894314 | EAR-WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING IN-EAR RESPIRATION SENSOR | HEALY, NOAH MICHAEL | 3791 | §101 | Final Rejection | 26d | Pending | Aug 24, 2022 |
| 17791451 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING EAR-WORN DEVICES FOR VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION EXERCISES | PARK, EVELYN GRACE | 3791 | §101§103§112 | Final Rejection | 15d | Pending | Jul 07, 2022 |
| 17770680 | EAR-WORN ELECTRONIC DEVICE EMPLOYING ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT ADAPTATION | HUBER, PAUL W | 2691 | §103Other | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 21, 2022 |
| 17563762 | DETECTION OF CONDITIONS USING EAR-WEARABLE DEVICES | GLOVER, NELSON ALEXANDER | 3791 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 9d | Pending | Dec 28, 2021 |
| 16677231 | PHYSICAL THERAPY AND VESTIBULAR TRAINING SYSTEMS WITH VISUAL FEEDBACK | LOPEZ, SEVERO ANTON P | 3791 | §101§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 07, 2019 |
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