USPTO Examiner KETCHAM KAREN A - Art Unit 1614

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
18581735COSMETIC SKINCARE COMPOSITION COMPRISING PROBIOTIC MICROORGANISMS AND PREBIOTIC COMPOUNDSFebruary 2024November 2025Abandon2110NoNo
17957186STABLE AGROCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONSeptember 2022January 2026Allow4041YesNo
17892257COMPOSITION FOR TREATING AND/OR PREVENTING A HANGOVERAugust 2022June 2025Abandon3431NoNo
17775287PERIPHERALLY ACTING CANNABIDIOL (CBD)-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS AND USES THEREOF FOR ENHANCING FEMALE SEXUAL FUNCTION OR TREATING FEMALE SEXUAL DISORDERSJuly 2022August 2025Abandon4001NoNo
17688126METHOD OF TREATING A SKIN CONDITIONMarch 2022February 2026Abandon4750NoNo
17683813SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF ACTIVES & HEALING TISSUEMarch 2022September 2025Allow4341YesNo
17623147SUSTAINED-RELEASE LIPID COMPOSITION AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREFORDecember 2021November 2025Abandon4611NoNo
17548592AQUEOUS LIQUID COSMETIC AND PEN TYPE COSMETIC PRODUCTDecember 2021March 2025Abandon3930YesNo
17617738LIPOSOME FORMULATIONDecember 2021February 2025Abandon3801NoNo
17616610POLYMERIC MICELLE COMPLEXES, FORMULATIONS, AND USES THEREOFDecember 2021March 2026Abandon5111NoNo
17523532Bone Morphogenetic Protein Pathway Activation, Compositions for Ossification, and Methods Related TheretoNovember 2021October 2024Abandon3520NoNo
17510843PEST CONTROL INCLUDING COMBINED MATING DISRUPTION AND TRAPPINGOctober 2021May 2025Abandon4241YesNo
17601358TRANSDERMAL MEDICAMENTOctober 2021February 2025Abandon4001NoNo
17437994NEW COSMETIC USE OF POROUS SPHERES OF METAL OXIDESeptember 2021November 2024Abandon3921YesNo
17437864NASAL DRESSINGS AND STENTSSeptember 2021March 2025Abandon4211NoNo
17435552NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LYOPHILIZED PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONSeptember 2021March 2025Abandon4211NoNo
17294566SUNSCREEN COMPOSITION COMPRISING SURFACE-DEFECTED CERIUM OXIDE PARTICLES, AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREFORMay 2021March 2026Abandon5831YesNo
17290666HAIR COSMETIC AND HAIR TREATMENT METHOD USING SAMEApril 2021September 2025Abandon5341YesNo
17290618GRAFT COPOLYMERS, METHODS OF FORMING GRAFT COPOLYMERS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOFApril 2021August 2025Allow5211NoNo
17244607HAIR TREATMENT PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE AND USEApril 2021February 2025Abandon4531NoNo
17239809ENCAPSULATED LIQUID COMPOSITIONApril 2021April 2025Abandon4820YesNo
17282996COMPOSITIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION TO ANIMALS TO INCREASE GUT NON-PROTEIN NITROGEN LEVELSApril 2021October 2024Abandon4301NoNo
17282157IONIZABLE AMINE LIPIDSApril 2021December 2025Abandon5721YesNo
17282276STOMA POWDER INCLUDING SKIN HEALTH INGREDIENTSApril 2021September 2025Abandon5320NoYes
17278492SOLID WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION COSMETICMarch 2021October 2024Abandon4340YesNo
17278039MICROEMULSION FORMULATION CONTAINING CLACYFOS HERBICIDE, PREPARATION METHOD THEREFOR AND USE THEREOFMarch 2021March 2025Abandon4821NoNo
17275819WATER-IN-OIL COMPOSITION FOR EXTERNAL APPLICATION TO SKINMarch 2021February 2025Abandon4850NoNo
17271727SULFORAPHANE-MELATONIN-LIKE COMPOUNDFebruary 2021October 2024Allow4311YesNo
17272062A CURCUMIN LOADED STABILIZED POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES WITH INCREASED SOLUBILITY AND PHOTO-STABILITY AND A GREEN PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS THEREOFFebruary 2021July 2025Abandon5321NoNo
17272205USE OF AMINO ACID BASED NUTRIENTS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION CONTAINING THE SAMEFebruary 2021May 2025Abandon5121NoNo
17261663NOVEL CARRIER FLUIDS FOR LIQUID FUNGAL SPORE FORMULATIONSJanuary 2021January 2026Abandon6031YesNo
15733291CO-SYNTHESIS OF PHYLLOMINERALS WITH METALLIC PARTICLES AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED THERE-FROMJune 2020July 2024Abandon4941NoYes

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner KETCHAM, KAREN A.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
1
Examiner Affirmed
1
(100.0%)
Examiner Reversed
0
(0.0%)
Reversal Percentile
0.1%
Lower than average

What This Means

With a 0.0% reversal rate, the PTAB affirms the examiner's rejections in the vast majority of cases. This reversal rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that appeals face significant challenges here.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
2
Allowed After Appeal Filing
0
(0.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
2
(100.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
0.1%
Lower than average

Understanding Appeal Filing Strategy

Filing a Notice of Appeal can sometimes lead to allowance even before the appeal is fully briefed or decided by the PTAB. This occurs when the examiner or their supervisor reconsiders the rejection during the mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) after the appeal is filed.

In this dataset, 0.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that filing appeals is less effective here than in most other areas.

Strategic Recommendations

Appeals to PTAB face challenges. Ensure your case has strong merit before committing to full Board review.

Filing a Notice of Appeal shows limited benefit. Consider other strategies like interviews or amendments before appealing.

Examiner KETCHAM, KAREN A - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner KETCHAM, KAREN A works in Art Unit 1614 and has examined 26 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 7.7%, this examiner allows applications at a lower rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 48 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner KETCHAM, KAREN A's allowance rate of 7.7% places them in the 1% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner is less likely to allow applications than most examiners at the USPTO.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by KETCHAM, KAREN A receive 2.12 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 57% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues a slightly above-average number of office actions.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by KETCHAM, KAREN A is 48 months. This places the examiner in the 7% percentile for prosecution speed. Applications take longer to reach final disposition with this examiner compared to most others.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +3.8% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by KETCHAM, KAREN A. This interview benefit is in the 26% percentile among all examiners. Recommendation: Interviews provide a below-average benefit with this examiner.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 0.0% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 0% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs show lower effectiveness with this examiner compared to others. Consider whether a continuation application might be more strategic, especially if you need to add new matter or significantly broaden claims.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 0.0% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 0% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner rarely enters after-final amendments compared to other examiners. You should generally plan to file an RCE or appeal rather than relying on after-final amendment entry. Per MPEP § 714.12, primary examiners have discretion in entering after-final amendments, and this examiner exercises that discretion conservatively.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 0.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 0% percentile among all examiners. Note: Pre-appeal conferences show limited success with this examiner compared to others. While still worth considering, be prepared to proceed with a full appeal brief if the PAC does not result in favorable action.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 0.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 0% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: This examiner rarely withdraws rejections during the appeal process compared to other examiners. If you file an appeal, be prepared to fully prosecute it to a PTAB decision. Per MPEP § 1207, the examiner will prepare an Examiner's Answer maintaining the rejections.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 200.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 98% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are frequently granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1002.02(c), various examiner actions are petitionable to the Technology Center Director, including prematureness of final rejection, refusal to enter amendments, and requirement for information. If you believe an examiner action is improper, consider filing a petition.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 0% percentile). This examiner rarely makes examiner's amendments compared to other examiners. You should expect to make all necessary claim amendments yourself through formal amendment practice.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 0% percentile). This examiner rarely issues Quayle actions compared to other examiners. Allowances typically come directly without a separate action for formal matters.

Prosecution Strategy Recommendations

Based on the statistical analysis of this examiner's prosecution patterns, here are tailored strategic recommendations:

  • Prepare for rigorous examination: With a below-average allowance rate, ensure your application has strong written description and enablement support. Consider filing a continuation if you need to add new matter.
  • Plan for RCE after final rejection: This examiner rarely enters after-final amendments. Budget for an RCE in your prosecution strategy if you receive a final rejection.
  • Plan for extended prosecution: Applications take longer than average with this examiner. Factor this into your continuation strategy and client communications.

Relevant MPEP Sections for Prosecution Strategy

  • MPEP § 713.10: Examiner interviews - available before Notice of Allowance or transfer to PTAB
  • MPEP § 714.12: After-final amendments - may be entered "under justifiable circumstances"
  • MPEP § 1002.02(c): Petitionable matters to Technology Center Director
  • MPEP § 1004: Actions requiring primary examiner signature (allowances, final rejections, examiner's answers)
  • MPEP § 1207.01: Appeal conferences - mandatory for all appeals
  • MPEP § 1214.07: Reopening prosecution after appeal

Important Disclaimer

Not Legal Advice: The information provided in this report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified patent attorney or agent for advice specific to your situation.

No Guarantees: We do not provide any guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the statistics presented above. Patent prosecution statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data and are subject to data quality limitations, processing errors, and changes in USPTO practices over time.

Limitation of Liability: Under no circumstances will IronCrow AI be liable for any outcome, decision, or action resulting from your reliance on the statistics, analysis, or recommendations presented in this report. Past prosecution patterns do not guarantee future results.

Use at Your Own Risk: While we strive to provide accurate and useful prosecution statistics, you should independently verify any information that is material to your prosecution strategy and use your professional judgment in all patent prosecution matters.