USPTO Examiner SWAIN MELISSA STALDER - Art Unit 1732

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
18893145SEPARATION PROCESS OF VALUABLE METALS FROM COPPER ANODE SLIME BASED ON OXIDATION POTENTIAL MODULATIONSeptember 2024January 2025Allow400NoNo
18798726METHOD FOR REMOVING ARSENIC FROM COPPER SMELTING SOOT AND COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY OF VALUABLE METALSAugust 2024September 2024Allow200NoNo
18773023PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING CALCIUM OXIDE AND SULFURIC ACID FROM CALCIUM SULFATE WITH MAGNESIUM INTERMEDIATEJuly 2024November 2024Allow401NoNo
18029656METHOD FOR ENRICHING LITHIUM FROM LITHIUM CLAYFebruary 2024July 2024Allow1600NoNo
18293532LITHIUM RECOVERY THERMAL MANAGEMENTJanuary 2024November 2024Allow1001NoNo
18525902METHOD FOR RECOVERING LITHIUM BIS(FLUOROSULFONYL)IMIDEDecember 2023August 2024Allow810NoNo
18472366METHOD FOR PRODUCING AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING NICKEL, COBALT AND MANGANESESeptember 2023June 2024Allow910NoNo
18549540A PROCESS FOR TRANSITION METAL OXIDE REDUCTIONSeptember 2023July 2024Allow1001NoNo
18260235METHOD FOR EXTRACTING VALUABLE METAL FROM LOW-MATTE NICKEL CONVERTER SLAGJune 2023April 2024Allow1010NoNo
18314873METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCALABLE DIRECT RECYCLING OF BATTERY WASTEMay 2023December 2024Allow1931YesNo
18139844Method for separating and extracting rare-earth and regenerating rare-earth polishing powder from rare-earth polishing powder wasteApril 2023July 2023Allow300NoNo
18032277METHOD OF RECOVERING COBALT AND NICKELApril 2023October 2023Allow600NoNo
18191152PROCESS FOR SELECTIVE ADSORPTION AND RECOVERY OF LITHIUM FROM NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC BRINESMarch 2023December 2023Allow811NoNo
18186584GEMINI SURFACTANT FOR USE IN RECYCLING LITHIUM BATTERIESMarch 2023September 2023Allow611NoNo
18044567METHOD FOR PURIFYING NICKEL-COBALT-MANGANESE LEACHING SOLUTIONMarch 2023February 2024Allow1110NoNo
18166457EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM FROM MUDSTONE AND SEQUESTRATION OF CARBON DIOXIDEFebruary 2023June 2023Allow400NoNo
18102344SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FAST MOLTEN SALT REACTOR FUEL-SALT PREPARATIONJanuary 2023July 2024Allow1812NoNo
18061994SODA ASH AND SODIUM BICARBONATE PRODUCTION METHODDecember 2022January 2025Allow2600NoNo
17997824METHOD FOR PREPARING POTASSIUM CHLORIDE FROM CARNALLITENovember 2022September 2023Allow1010NoNo
17975606Cost-effective method for recovering precious metals in circuit board componentsOctober 2022July 2023Allow910NoNo
17937963LITHIUM METAL PHOSPHATE ELECTRODE MANUFACTURINGOctober 2022December 2023Allow1521YesNo
17937586METHOD OF EXTRACTING LITHIUM, METHOD OF PREPARING LITHIUM CARBONATE AND METHOD OF PREPARING LITHIUM HYDROXIDEOctober 2022October 2023Allow1211NoNo
17957310ION PRODUCTION SYSTEM WITH FIBROUS LATTICE FOR ION COLLECTIONSeptember 2022August 2024Allow2310NoNo
17940351SELECTIVE RECOVERY METHOD OF VANADIUM AND CESIUM FROM WASTE SULFURIC ACID VANADIUM CATALYST, AND HIGH-QUALITY VANADIUM AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND CESIUM ALUM PRODUCED THEREBYSeptember 2022June 2023Allow911NoNo
17894621PROCESS TO MAKE CALCIUM OXIDE OR ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT FROM CALCIUM BEARING ROCKS AND MINERALSAugust 2022March 2023Allow701NoNo
17789970BATTERY-LEVEL NI-CO-MN MIXED SOLUTION AND PREPARATION METHOD FOR BATTERY-LEVEL MN SOLUTIONJune 2022March 2023Allow810NoNo
17848405METHOD OF PREPARING MOF-COATED MONOCRYSTAL TERNARY POSITIVE ELECTRODE MATERIALJune 2022May 2023Allow1110NoNo
17835852PROCESSES FOR RECYCLING SPENT CATALYSTS, RECYCLING RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, AND INTEGRATED PROCESSES THEREOFJune 2022February 2023Allow801NoNo
17743507Recovery of nickel and cobalt from Li-ion batteries or their wasteMay 2022January 2023Allow810NoNo
17743385Method for whole component microwave fast digestion and precious metal extraction from ionic liquid of waste circuit boardMay 2022March 2023Allow1010NoNo
17705304METAL REFINEMENTMarch 2022October 2022Allow710NoNo
17542779PROCESS AND PLANT FOR THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF ALUMINIUM CHLORIDE HYDRATE INTO ALUMINIUM OXIDEDecember 2021November 2022Allow1110NoNo
17594995METHODS OF PRODUCING ENRICHED SCANDIUM-47, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND APPARATUSESNovember 2021July 2022Allow801NoNo
17405837METAL REFINEMENTAugust 2021March 2022Allow710NoNo
17295076PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF LITHIUMMay 2021May 2023Allow2420NoNo
17316397Method for Extracting Rare Earth MetalsMay 2021December 2021Allow710NoNo
17272437SOLID-STATE CATALYSTS FOR LOW OR MODERATE TEMPERATURE LEACH APPLICATIONS AND METHODS THEREOFMarch 2021June 2021Allow400NoNo
17268424TRIMETALLIC LAYERED DOUBLE HYDROXIDE COMPOSITIONFebruary 2021January 2023Allow2311NoNo
17170678METAL RECOVERY USING MOLTEN SALT AND RELATED SYSTEMSFebruary 2021September 2021Allow810YesNo
17115128SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR RECOVERY OF HIGH-GRADE RARE EARTH CONCENTRATE FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGEDecember 2020February 2025Abandon5010NoNo
17077435USE OF AMINE BLENDS FOR FOUNDRY SHAPED CORES AND CASTING METALSOctober 2020August 2024Abandon4501NoNo
17001844OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECOVERY AUGMENTATION PROCESS AS APPLIED TO MOLYBDENUM PRODUCTIONAugust 2020June 2024Allow4610NoNo
16975067TIRE RUBBER COMPOSITIONAugust 2020July 2024Allow4710NoNo
16964353METHOD FOR PRODUCING HIGH-PURITY SCANDIUM OXIDEJuly 2020January 2021Allow600NoNo
16916278SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING MOLYBDENUM 99June 2020October 2024Allow5111NoNo
16955927Environmentally-Friendly Compositions and Methods for Extracting Minerals and Metals from OreJune 2020February 2024Allow4411NoNo
16903871EXTRACTING RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS FROM A GANGUE HEAVY FRACTIONJune 2020October 2024Allow5211NoNo
16879236METHOD OF SEPARATING MERCURY FROM AN ORE LEACHATEMay 2020January 2022Allow2011YesNo
16760725Method and System for Preparing Battery Grade and High Purity Grade Lithium Hydroxide and Lithium Carbonate from High-Impurity Lithium SourcesApril 2020March 2021Allow1110NoNo
16756937REMOVAL OF EUROPIUM IMPURITIES FROM SAMARIUM-153 IN NITRATE MEDIA USING IONIC LIQUIDSApril 2020January 2023Abandon3310NoNo
16829306System and Method for Recovering Isotopologues from a Gas StreamMarch 2020May 2024Abandon5010NoNo
16797292PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF LITHIUM FROM A GEOTHERMAL BRINEFebruary 2020April 2024Allow5001NoNo
16795471SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR RECOVERY OF HIGH-GRADE RARE EARTH CONCENTRATE FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGEFebruary 2020November 2020Allow901NoNo
16638249RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS AND CHALCOPHILE METALSFebruary 2020December 2022Allow3421NoNo
16637254METHOD FOR ETCHING A PHOSPHATE SOURCE USING ACIDFebruary 2020April 2022Allow2611NoNo
16633257METHOD FOR SELECTIVE RECOVERY OF VALUABLE METAL FROM WASTE DENITRIFICATION CATALYST THROUGH ALKALI FUSIONJanuary 2020March 2024Allow5020NoNo
16748553Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020September 2023Allow4410NoNo
16748557Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020February 2024Allow4911NoNo
16744831Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020November 2023Allow4611NoNo
16744041PROCESS FOR LEACHING METAL SULFIDES WITH REAGENTS HAVING THIOCARBONYL FUNCTIONAL GROUPSJanuary 2020March 2020Allow200NoNo
16744012Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020August 2020Allow710NoNo
16743675Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020July 2020Allow610NoNo
16743635Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020October 2020Allow920NoNo
16743982Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020August 2020Allow710NoNo
16743949Process for Leaching Metal Sulfides with Reagents Having Thiocarbonyl Functional GroupsJanuary 2020August 2020Allow710NoNo
16623015METHOD OF EXTRACTING LITHIUM COMPOUND(S)December 2019August 2024Allow5640NoNo
16714757METHOD FOR DECOMPOSING MIXED WOLFRAMITE AND SCHEELITE ORE IN ALKALINE SYSTEMDecember 2019October 2022Allow3410NoNo
16714788METHOD FOR DECOMPOSING MEDIUM-/LOW-GRADE SCHEELITEDecember 2019May 2022Allow2910NoNo
16621282METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COBALT AND ASSOCIATED OXIDES FROM VARIOUS FEED MATERIALSDecember 2019September 2020Allow910NoNo
16614846METHOD FOR PRODUCING DEUTERIUM-DEPLETED WATER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING DEUTERIUM-CONCENTRATED WATERNovember 2019June 2023Abandon4201NoNo
16688967PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING LITHIUM COMPOUNDS USING FORWARD OSMOSISNovember 2019September 2021Allow2211NoNo
16688858Extraction and Recovery of Pd From Aqueous SolutionsNovember 2019March 2023Allow4011NoNo
16672837SYNGAS PRODUCTION AND RECOVERY OF ACTIVE PHASE METALS FROM GASIFIER SLAG CONTAINING SPENT CATALYSTNovember 2019April 2023Allow4110NoNo
16672822METHODS FOR EXTRACTING ELEMENTS FROM A SOLUTIONNovember 2019March 2023Allow4130YesNo
16658481HIGH SURFACE AREA CRYSTALLINE METAL ALUMINATES AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF AT LOWER TEMPERATUREOctober 2019January 2023Allow3911NoNo
16655754DUMBBELL-SHAPED CALCIUM HYDROXIDE NANOPARTICLES, AN ENHANCED FUEL COMPRISING THE NANOPARTICLES, AND A METHOD FOR MAKINGOctober 2019December 2022Allow3801NoNo
16476959SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING VANADIUM FROM LEACHING SOLUTION CONTAINING VANADIUM CHROMIUM SILICON AND FOR PREPARING VANADIUM PENTOXIDE AND PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOROctober 2019October 2023Abandon5141NoNo
16603157METHOD FOR REMOVING FLUORIDE FROM A ZINC-CONTAINING SOLUTION OR SUSPENSION, DEFLUORIDATED ZINC SULFATE SOLUTION AND USE THEREOF, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ZINC AND HYDROGEN FLUORIDE OR HYDROFLUORIC ACIDOctober 2019August 2022Allow3511NoNo
16590885PHOSPHORIC ACID PRODUCTION METHODS AND COMPOSITIONSOctober 2019October 2022Abandon3710NoNo
16584995METHOD FOR RECOVERING URANIUM FROM COMPONENTS CONTAMINATED WITH URANIUM OXIDESeptember 2019June 2022Allow3300NoNo
16499045ANHYDROUS DIBASIC CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAMESeptember 2019December 2021Allow2601NoNo
16496134PROCESS TO TREAT METAL OR MINERAL ORES AND COLLECTOR COMPOSITION THEREFORSeptember 2019October 2022Abandon3711NoNo
16494567A METHOD FOR PREPARING A LEACH FEED MATERIALSeptember 2019August 2022Allow3510NoNo
16493672Method and System for Phosphate Recovery from a StreamSeptember 2019September 2023Allow4831NoNo
16491407SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING OF MINERALS CONTAINING THE LANTHANIDE SERIES AND PRODUCTION OF RARE EARTH OXIDESSeptember 2019August 2022Allow3510NoNo
16560231METHOD OF INHIBITING DEGRADATION OF DSX EXTRACTANT BY AUXILIARY MEANSSeptember 2019April 2022Allow3110NoNo
16549851PLANT FOR HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCTION AND PROCESS USING ITAugust 2019August 2022Abandon3510NoNo
16537985SELECTIVE MATERIAL RECOVERY FROM SOLUTIONAugust 2019March 2023Allow4321NoNo
16484520PROCESS FOR RECOVERING PHOSPHOROUS FROM PHOSPHORITIC MATERIALSAugust 2019October 2021Allow2600NoNo
16534738CONTINUOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR GENERATION OF HIGH GRADE RARE EARTH OXIDES FROM LEACHATES GENERATED FROM COAL SOURCESAugust 2019August 2021Allow2400NoNo
16483774Combined Processing Method for Lithium Containing SolutionsAugust 2019February 2022Abandon3110NoNo
16525902OXYGEN GENERATOR AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE OXYGEN PRODUCTION RATE OF AN OXYGEN GENERATORJuly 2019August 2020Allow1311NoNo
16521813ALUMINA HAVING ACIDITY AND STRUCTURE WITH A POROSITY WHICH ARE OPTIMALJuly 2019April 2021Allow2111NoNo
16479830DISSYMMETRIC N,N-DIALKYLAMIDES USED PARTICULARLY FOR SEPARATING URANIUM(VI) FROM PLUTONIUM(IV), SYNTHESIS THEREOF AND USES OF SAMEJuly 2019October 2022Allow3911NoNo
16510229RECYCLING OF SMART WINDOWSJuly 2019July 2023Allow4821YesNo
16502922PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF MEDICAL ISOTOPESJuly 2019February 2020Allow710NoNo
16458419PROCESS FOR THE SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF COPPER COMPOUNDS AND OTHER IMPURITIES WITH RESPECT TO MOLYBDENUM AND RHENIUM, FROM MOLYBDENITE CONCENTRATESJuly 2019April 2022Allow3320NoNo
16445599HYPERBRANCHED POLYMER, METAL RECOVERY AGENT, METAL RECOVERY METHOD, AND CATALYTIC ACTIVITY INHIBITORJune 2019July 2021Allow2500NoNo
16446000METHOD FOR RECYCLING LEAD PASTE IN SPENT LEAD-ACID BATTERYJune 2019September 2021Allow2710NoNo
16469807METHOD FOR PRODUCING LITHIUM HYDROXIDE FROM LITHIUM PHOSPHATEJune 2019October 2022Allow4021YesNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
8
Examiner Affirmed
7
(87.5%)
Examiner Reversed
1
(12.5%)
Reversal Percentile
23.0%
Lower than average

What This Means

With a 12.5% 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
49
Allowed After Appeal Filing
9
(18.4%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
40
(81.6%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
19.8%
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, 18.4% 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 SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER works in Art Unit 1732 and has examined 790 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 70.9%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 31 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER's allowance rate of 70.9% places them in the 25% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER receive 2.04 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 67% 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 SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER is 31 months. This places the examiner in the 34% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly slower than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +1.9% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by SWAIN, MELISSA STALDER. This interview benefit is in the 18% percentile among all examiners. Note: Interviews show limited statistical benefit with this examiner compared to others, though they may still be valuable for clarifying issues.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 23.7% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 24% 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 38.2% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 50% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner shows above-average receptiveness to after-final amendments. If your amendments clearly overcome the rejections and do not raise new issues, consider filing after-final amendments before resorting to an RCE.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 93.3% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 67% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: Pre-appeal conferences show above-average effectiveness with this examiner. If you have strong arguments, a PAC request may result in favorable reconsideration.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 75.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 59% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 66.7% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). Strategic Insight: This examiner shows above-average willingness to reconsider rejections during appeals. The mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) provides an opportunity for reconsideration.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 48.3% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 57% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions show above-average success regarding this examiner's actions. Petitionable matters include restriction requirements (MPEP § 1002.02(c)(2)) and various procedural issues.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 2.2% of allowed cases (in the 78% percentile). Per MPEP § 1302.04, examiner's amendments are used to place applications in condition for allowance when only minor changes are needed. This examiner frequently uses this tool compared to other examiners, indicating a cooperative approach to getting applications allowed. Strategic Insight: If you are close to allowance but minor claim amendments are needed, this examiner may be willing to make an examiner's amendment rather than requiring another round of prosecution.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 5% 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:

  • Examiner cooperation: This examiner frequently makes examiner's amendments to place applications in condition for allowance. If you are close to allowance, the examiner may help finalize the claims.

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.