Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026

Examiner: MERKLING, SALLY ANNE

Tech Center 1700 • Art Units: 1738 1773 1797 1798

This examiner grants 62% of resolved cases

Performance Statistics

62.2%
Allow Rate
-2.8% vs TC avg
497
Total Applications
+31.5%
Interview Lift
1197
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 497 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

0.5%
§101 Eligibility
14.0%
§102 Novelty
72.6%
§103 Obviousness
3.3%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18261715 METHOD FOR RECYCLING ALUMINUM ALLOY SCRAP Non-Final OA The Boeing Company
18743467 COMPOSITE POWDER FOR MANUFACTURING POROUS BODY INCLUDED IN ANODE BODY OF ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE POWDER, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ANODE BODY FOR ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR Non-Final OA Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
18148867 ABRASIVE ARTICLES AND METHODS FOR FORMING SAME Final Rejection SAINT-GOBAIN ABRASIFS
18015090 A METHOD FOR REDUCING HYDROGEN SULFIDE EMISSIONS DURING PRODUCTION OF ASPHALT COMPOSITION Final Rejection BASF SE
18000522 SHAPED ABRASIVE PARTICLES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE THE SAME Non-Final OA 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
17250982 ABRASIVE ARTICLES HAVING IMPROVED PERFORMANCE Non-Final OA 3M Innovative Properties Company
18399213 Additive for Asphalt Mixes Containing Reclaimed Bituminous Products Final Rejection ARKEMA FRANCE
17799354 PROCESS TO DELAY AGEING OF BITUMENS Non-Final OA Arkema France
17798764 BITUMINOUS COMPOSITION CONTAINING AN EPOXIDIZED OIL Non-Final OA Arkema France
18719157 COLD-ROLLED STEEL SHEET HAVING EXCELLENT STRENGTH AND ELONGATION AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME Non-Final OA POSCO CO., LTD
18268557 MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEEL WITH IMPROVED STRENGTH AND CORROSION RESISTANCE, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR Final Rejection POSCO Co., Ltd
18783558 NANOPARTICLES AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHESIZING NANOPARTICLES THROUGH THERMAL SHOCK Final Rejection UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
18339486 BIOSOLVENTS USEFUL FOR IMPROVED ASPHALT PRODUCTS UTILIZING RECYCLED ASPHALT PAVEMENT OR OTHER BRITTLE ASPHALT BINDERS SUCH AS VACUUM TOWER BOTTOM Non-Final OA Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
18013076 ASPHALT MODIFIER Non-Final OA KAO CORPORATION
18462923 LIQUID PHASE SINTERED ALUMINUM ALLOY FOR BINDER JET PRINTING Final Rejection The University of Melbourne
18691041 USE OF ALKALI-SENSITIVE AGGREGATE FOR CONCRETE PRODUCTION, CONCRETE MIXTURE, CONCRETE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF Non-Final OA OLIMENT® GmbH
18437554 POLYCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND COMPOSITE WITH A TOUGHENING AGENT AND THE METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME Non-Final OA CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
18534501 Iron-Based Heat and Corrosion Resistant Alloy With Enhanced Air Quenchability Non-Final OA L.E. Jones Company
18577999 IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A POLAR PLATE Non-Final OA Hochschule RheinMain University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden Rüsselsheim
18403262 CRUDE STEROL AS AN ADDITIVE IN ASPHALT BINDER Non-Final OA Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc.
18282968 CONTROLLED EXPANSION ALLOY Final Rejection SHINHOKOKU MATERIAL CORPORATION
18152377 Novel Asphalt Binder Additive Compositions and Methods of Use Non-Final OA COLLABORATIVE AGGREGATES, LLC
17925554 ASPHALTIC MIXTURE CONDITIONER, CONDITIONED ASPHALTIC PAVING MIXTURE, THEIR PROCESSES OF PREPARATION, THEIR USES IN PAVING SURFACES, PAVED SURFACES AND SYSTEM TO PREPARE AN ASPHALTIC MIXTURE CONDITIONER Non-Final OA ASFALTO LIQUIDO TECNOLOGIA EXTREMA ALTEX SOCIEDAD ANONIMA
17922792 ISOCYANATE-MODIFIED ASPHALT COMPOSITIONS Final Rejection William J. KIRK

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