Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026

Examiner: COLLINS, MICHAEL

Tech Center 4100 • Art Units: 3651 3655 4100

This examiner grants 71% of resolved cases

Analysis

Michael Collins has handled 1187 resolved cases in Tech Center 4100. His examination history in Art Unit 3651 includes an allowance rate of 70.8 percent. This figure offers a clear indication of the examiner's tendency to grant patents, which is vital for applicants when evaluating the strength of their claims and the potential for success.

The median days to allowance for this examiner is 1099. This timeframe is a crucial element for practitioners to consider when advising clients on the expected duration of the patenting process. A timeline of 1099 days helps in setting benchmarks for the various stages of prosecution and for budgeting legal expenses.

The interview lift for this examiner is 23.0 percent. This is a substantial increase over the 70.8 percent allowance rate, suggesting that interviews are a highly effective method for overcoming rejections. The 23.0 percent lift provides a compelling reason for practitioners to prioritize personal communication with the examiner to clarify technical points and reach an agreement.

Written from this page's own data; every figure is computed from USPTO records and verified before publication.

Performance Statistics

70.8%
Allow Rate
+10.8% vs TC avg
1,205
Total Applications
+23.0%
Interview Lift
1099
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 1187 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

0.9%
§101 Eligibility
36.3%
§102 Novelty
38.0%
§103 Obviousness
16.7%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18781159 TRANSPORT METHOD SWITCHING DEVICE, TRANSPORT SWITCHING METHOD, AND MOVING OBJECT Non-Final OA TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
18430622 POST-PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM Final Rejection FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
18880718 RESERVOIR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE RESERVOIR Non-Final OA G.D S.P.A.
18839902 AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPARE-PARTS MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING IN A CONTAINER PACKAGING LINE Non-Final OA Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
18570061 IN-LINE MACHINE VISION SYSTEM FOR PART TRACKING OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM Final Rejection Lam Research Corporation
18689735 STORAGE CONTAINER FOR PRODUCE Non-Final OA Autostore Technology AS
18892079 SUBSTRATE TRANSFER APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM Non-Final OA SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
18747583 VERTICAL CAROUSEL PADDING SYSTEM FOR RETAIL SIGNAGE Final Rejection Xerox Corporation
18266764 ORAL TREATMENT DEVICE Non-Final OA Dyson Technology Limited
18024645 ADVANCED SERVICE STATION SYSTEM AND CONTROL PROCESS Final Rejection ENI S.P.A.

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