Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 27, 2026

Michael F Whalen, USPTO Patent Examiner

Listed by the USPTO as WHALEN, MICHAEL F

Tech Center 3600 • Art Units: 3661 3665

This examiner grants 65% of resolved cases

Analysis

WHALEN, MICHAEL F is assigned to Tech Center 3600 and Art Unit 3661. The record contains 411 resolved cases, with a 65.0% allowance rate and a median of 1225 days to allowance. The 18.6% interview lift is positive, indicating that interviews may improve outcomes in a docket where allowance is more common than nonallowance but not assured.

The listed companies are Safran S.A., Robert Bosch GmbH, and Kia Corporation. The listed firms are CHRISTENSEN O'CONNOR JOHNSON KINDNESS PLLC, FISH & RICHARDSON P.C. (TC), and NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT US LLP. Practitioners should use interviews to isolate the decisive claim limitations, then align amendments and remarks with that discussion. The 1225-day median makes prompt response development and disciplined prosecution sequencing useful.

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

Performance Statistics

65.0%
Allow Rate
+13.0% vs TC avg
427
Total Applications
+18.6%
Interview Lift
1225
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 411 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

7.8%
§101 Eligibility
13.4%
§102 Novelty
52.9%
§103 Obviousness
23.4%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18998033 MONITORING OF AN AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEM Non-Final OA SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
18727414 IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS OF A SCENE, WITH HIGH LEVEL OF SAFETY INTEGRITY, BY COMPARING SENSOR DATA WITH AN EXPECTATION Non-Final OA Robert Bosch GmbH
18434774 APPARATUS FOR FORECASTING TRAFFIC FLOW OF ROAD AND METHOD THEREOF Final Rejection Kia Corporation

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is examiner Michael F Whalen's allowance rate?

65.0% of resolved applications examined by Michael F Whalen were allowed (411 resolved cases), compared with 77.3% across Art Unit 3661 over the last five years.

Does an interview help with examiner Michael F Whalen?

This examiner's interview lift is +18.6 percentage points: the difference in allowance rate between resolved applications that had an examiner interview and those that did not.

How long does examiner Michael F Whalen take to allow a patent?

Applications allowed by Michael F Whalen took 1,225 days on average from filing to allowance.

Which art unit does examiner Michael F Whalen work in?

Michael F Whalen examines applications in Art Unit 3661 in Tech Center 3600 (Transportation, E-Commerce & Mechanical Systems).

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