Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 26, 2026

Lei Yao, USPTO Patent Examiner

Listed by the USPTO as YAO, LEI

Tech Center 1600 • Art Units: 1642

This examiner grants 60% of resolved cases

Analysis

Lei Yao manages 854 resolved cases in Tech Center 1600. The examiner's allowance rate is 59.7%, which is complemented by a very high interview lift of 65.3%. This lift suggests that interviews are the most effective strategy for securing an allowance in Art Unit 1642. The 65.3% lift indicates that verbal advocacy can dramatically improve the chances of a favorable outcome.

The median time to allowance is 1243 days. Major applicants such as Washington University, Grifols Worldwide Operations Limited, and Igm Biosciences Inc. are frequent participants in this docket. These entities navigate the 59.7% allowance rate over a median pendency of 1243 days. Firms like GOODWIN PROCTER LLP, Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP, and STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C. lead the prosecution efforts.

The 65.3% interview lift is a critical statistic for practitioners. It suggests that the examiner is highly responsive to direct engagement. Given the 1243-day median timeline, scheduling an interview early in the process may be a vital tactic for streamlining prosecution. With 854 resolved cases, the examiner has a well-established record of responding to interview-based advocacy.

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

Performance Statistics

59.7%
Allow Rate
At TC average
871
Total Applications
+65.3%
Interview Lift
1243
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 854 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

9.5%
§101 Eligibility
16.5%
§102 Novelty
27.9%
§103 Obviousness
29.6%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
17918792 SARS COV-2 VACCINES AND HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING ASSAYS BASED ON VESICULAR STOMATITIS VIRUS VECTORS Final Rejection Washington University

Facing This Examiner?

IP Author analyzes examiner patterns and generates tailored response strategies with the highest chance of allowance.

Build Your Strategy

Who Appears Before This Examiner

Top companies before this examiner

Law firms appearing most often

Frequently Asked Questions

What is examiner Lei Yao's allowance rate?

59.7% of resolved applications examined by Lei Yao were allowed (854 resolved cases), compared with 38.5% across Art Unit 1642 over the last five years.

Does an interview help with examiner Lei Yao?

This examiner's interview lift is +65.3 percentage points: the difference in allowance rate between resolved applications that had an examiner interview and those that did not.

How long does examiner Lei Yao take to allow a patent?

Applications allowed by Lei Yao took 1,243 days on average from filing to allowance.

Which art unit does examiner Lei Yao work in?

Lei Yao examines applications in Art Unit 1642 in Tech Center 1600 (Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals).

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month