Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology areas: Chemistry & Materials • Semiconductors, Circuits & Optics
20 pending office actions • 11 art units • 19 examiners • 0 of 20 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 49 patents granted in the last 365 days
The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. currently has 20 pending office actions within the Chemistry & Materials technology area. These actions are distributed across 11 distinct art units, demonstrating a broad technical footprint within the patent office's classification system. This diversity suggests that the company's research and development efforts cover a wide range of chemical and material science applications.
The portfolio involves 19 distinct examiners, which means that the company is interacting with a large and varied group of patent office personnel. HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL is the busiest examiner with 2 pending actions. Given that there are 20 total pending office actions, the fact that the busiest examiner only handles 2 cases indicates a very low level of examiner concentration. This requires the company to manage these different prosecution styles simultaneously.
The spread of pending office actions across 11 distinct art units and 19 distinct examiners highlights the administrative complexity of this portfolio. Practitioners must navigate the specific nuances of the various examiners involved. The low concentration of cases per examiner means that the company cannot rely on a single relationship to influence the majority of its pending matters in the Chemistry & Materials area.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 2 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.
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 | 1 (5%) |
| §103 only | 5 (25%) |
| §102 only | 1 (5%) |
| §112 only | 4 (20%) |
| Double-patenting + other | 1 (5%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 8 (40%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL | 2 | 84.2% | +7.0% |
| WELLS, KENNETH B | 1 | 86.2% | +2.4% |
| TANG, ANTHONY THINH | 1 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| TALBOT, BRIAN K | 1 | 59.1% | +30.9% |
| FERRE, ALEXANDRE F | 1 | 59.0% | +20.1% |
| WALKER, MICHAEL JAMES | 1 | 88.2% | -5.1% |
| KIM, YUNJU | 1 | 55.2% | +35.3% |
| OYER, ANDREW J | 1 | 79.2% | +16.5% |
| BUTLER, KEVIN C | 1 | 89.5% | +8.8% |
| COZART, JERMIE E | 1 | 84.0% | +3.2% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 4 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18934446 | HOROLOGICAL ASSEMBLY FOR A REGULATING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH RATE ADJUSTMENT MEANS | WALKER, MICHAEL JAMES | — |
| 18801907 | STRUCTURE WITH AN INSERT AND ASSEMBLY METHOD | COZART, JERMIE E | — |
| 17940470 | WATCH CASE COMPRISING AN EXTERNAL PART COMPONENT WHEREON A STACK OF THIN LAYERS IS DEPOSITED | HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL | — |
| 17940216 | WATCH CASE COMPRISING AN EXTERNAL PART COMPONENT WHEREON A STACK OF THIN LAYERS IS DEPOSITED | HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18163919 | POLYMERISABLE COMPOSITION FOR A SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE | KYLE, MADISON LEIGH | 22d |
| 19207559 | ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSITION TIME OF BUFFERS OF A BUFFER CHAIN | WELLS, KENNETH B | — |
| 18982009 | ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT ADAPTED FOR CHARGING OR READING A FLOATING-GATE MEMORY STRUCTURE | TANG, ANTHONY THINH | — |
| 18938891 | ITEM, SUCH AS A TIMEPIECE COMPONENT, COMPRISING A SUBSTRATE AND A VISIBLE LIGHT-ABSORBING COATING | FERRE, ALEXANDRE F | — |
| 18924387 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN EXTERNAL PART | KIM, YUNJU | — |
| 18812106 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE END OF LIFE OF A TYRE | BUTLER, KEVIN C | — |
| 18420329 | COLOURED ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME | ABU ALI, SHUANGYI | — |
| 18356561 | WATCH WITH LIGHT SENSOR AND ANTENNA | KAYES, SEAN PHILLIP | — |
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 4 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18945903 | METHOD FOR DEPOSITING A VISIBLE LIGHT-ABSORBING COATING OVER A SUBSTRATE | TALBOT, BRIAN K | — |
| 18938891 | ITEM, SUCH AS A TIMEPIECE COMPONENT, COMPRISING A SUBSTRATE AND A VISIBLE LIGHT-ABSORBING COATING | FERRE, ALEXANDRE F | — |
| 18924387 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN EXTERNAL PART | KIM, YUNJU | — |
| 18915797 | DARK-COLOURED PHOTOLUMINESCENT MATERIAL | OYER, ANDREW J | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 2831 | 3 |
| 2836 | 1 |
| 1742 | 1 |
| 3725 | 1 |
| 1784 | 1 |
| 1728 | 1 |
| 1767 | 1 |
| 1786 | 1 |
| 1722 | 1 |
| 3626 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19207559 | ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A TRANSITION TIME OF BUFFERS OF A BUFFER CHAIN | WELLS, KENNETH B | 2836 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 14, 2025 |
| 18982009 | ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT ADAPTED FOR CHARGING OR READING A FLOATING-GATE MEMORY STRUCTURE | TANG, ANTHONY THINH | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 16, 2024 |
| 18945903 | METHOD FOR DEPOSITING A VISIBLE LIGHT-ABSORBING COATING OVER A SUBSTRATE | TALBOT, BRIAN K | — | §112DP | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 13, 2024 |
| 18938891 | ITEM, SUCH AS A TIMEPIECE COMPONENT, COMPRISING A SUBSTRATE AND A VISIBLE LIGHT-ABSORBING COATING | FERRE, ALEXANDRE F | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 06, 2024 |
| 18934446 | HOROLOGICAL ASSEMBLY FOR A REGULATING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH RATE ADJUSTMENT MEANS | WALKER, MICHAEL JAMES | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 01, 2024 |
| 18924387 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN EXTERNAL PART | KIM, YUNJU | 1742 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 23, 2024 |
| 18915797 | DARK-COLOURED PHOTOLUMINESCENT MATERIAL | OYER, ANDREW J | — | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 15, 2024 |
| 18812106 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE END OF LIFE OF A TYRE | BUTLER, KEVIN C | — | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 22, 2024 |
| 18801907 | STRUCTURE WITH AN INSERT AND ASSEMBLY METHOD | COZART, JERMIE E | 3725 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 13, 2024 |
| 18611800 | EXTERNAL PART MADE OF CERAMIC MATERIAL COMPRISING A PROTECTIVE LAYER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH AN EXTERNAL PART | SAMPLE, DAVID R | 1784 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 21, 2024 |
| 18292160 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING A SOLAR CELL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAID SOLAR CELL | SUN, MICHAEL Y | 1728 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 25, 2024 |
| 18420329 | COLOURED ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME | ABU ALI, SHUANGYI | — | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 23, 2024 |
| 18356561 | WATCH WITH LIGHT SENSOR AND ANTENNA | KAYES, SEAN PHILLIP | 2831 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 21, 2023 |
| 18306597 | BRIGHTLY COLOURED CERAMIC ARTICLE AND ITS METHOD OF MANUFACTURE | GODENSCHWAGER, PETER F | 1767 | §102 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 25, 2023 |
| 18169549 | TEXTILE PART ADAPTED TO SUPPLY ELECTRIC CURRENT TO AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE OF A FASHION ITEM | CHOI, PETER Y | 1786 | §112 | Non-Final OA | 83d | Pending | Feb 15, 2023 |
| 18163919 | POLYMERISABLE COMPOSITION FOR A SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE | KYLE, MADISON LEIGH | 1722 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 22d | Pending | Feb 03, 2023 |
| 18051608 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A TIMEPIECE | CHEN, BILL | 3626 | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 01, 2022 |
| 17940470 | WATCH CASE COMPRISING AN EXTERNAL PART COMPONENT WHEREON A STACK OF THIN LAYERS IS DEPOSITED | HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL | 2831 | §103Other | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 08, 2022 |
| 17940216 | WATCH CASE COMPRISING AN EXTERNAL PART COMPONENT WHEREON A STACK OF THIN LAYERS IS DEPOSITED | HWANG, MATTHEW DANIEL | 2831 | §103Other | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Sep 08, 2022 |
| 17817055 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A LUMINESCENT TIMEPIECE COMPONENT | YE, XINWEN | 1754 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 03, 2022 |
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