USPTO Examiner MEBRAHTU EPHREM ZERU - Art Unit 2872

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
19234743FOLDED CAMERAS WITH CONTINUOUSLY ADAPTIVE ZOOM FACTORJune 2025November 2025Allow510NoNo
19197154MINIATURE WIDE-ANGLE IMAGING LENSMay 2025March 2026Abandon1020NoNo
19039106OPTICAL ACCESSORY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM AND DEVICEJanuary 2025November 2025Allow1020NoNo
19014006Electronic Device System With Supplemental LensesJanuary 2025December 2025Allow1120NoNo
18844513HIGH-ORDER ROTATIONAL SYMMETRY UNIT-BASED NONLINEAR GEOMETRIC PHASE METASURFACENovember 2024August 2025Allow1110NoNo
18900755FOLDED CAMERAS WITH CONTINUOUSLY ADAPTIVE ZOOM FACTORSeptember 2024March 2025Allow500NoNo
18752265PHOTOLUMINESCENCE DEVICE AND DISPLAY PANEL INCLUDING THE SAMEJune 2024March 2025Allow900YesNo
18661078OPTICAL LENS, CAMERA MODULE AND ASSEMBLY METHOD THEREFORMay 2024June 2025Allow1310NoNo
18644167FOLDED CAMERAS WITH CONTINUOUSLY ADAPTIVE ZOOM FACTORApril 2024July 2024Allow300NoNo
18608332MATERIALS FOR METALENSES, THROUGH-WAVEGUIDE REFLECTIVE METASURFACE COUPLERS, AND OTHER METASURFACESMarch 2024November 2025Abandon2020YesNo
18603292IMAGING LENS ASSEMBLY MODULE, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEMarch 2024February 2025Allow1110NoNo
18293789Support For A Transmissive Optical Element, Laser Processing Device With Such Support, And Process Of Adjusting The Position Of A Transmissive Optical Element Using Such SupportJanuary 2024July 2024Allow600NoNo
18537938IMAGING LENS MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEDecember 2023February 2025Allow1420NoNo
18384499ADJUSTABLE FOCUS LENS MODULEOctober 2023March 2026Allow2910YesNo
18482222LENS DRIVING APPARATUS AND CAMERA MODULE INCLUDING THE SAMEOctober 2023March 2026Allow2910NoNo
18377266FIELD ADJUSTABLE OPTICS LENSOctober 2023February 2026Allow2810NoNo
18477076LENS HOLDING ARRANGEMENTSeptember 2023February 2026Allow2810NoNo
18470401LENS DEVICESeptember 2023December 2025Allow2700NoNo
18467583MATERIALS FOR METALENSES, THROUGH-WAVEGUIDE REFLECTIVE METASURFACE COUPLERS, AND OTHER METASURFACESSeptember 2023January 2024Allow410NoNo
18367312LIGHT SHIELDING UNIT AND LENS BARREL EQUIPPED WITH THE SAMESeptember 2023March 2026Allow3010NoNo
18461895LENS AND LENS MODULE HAVING THE SAMESeptember 2023January 2026Allow2810NoNo
18455311LENS MODULEAugust 2023February 2025Allow1820NoNo
18454304LENS MODULEAugust 2023January 2025Allow1720NoNo
18448740OPTICAL APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND PROJECTION APPARATUSAugust 2023February 2026Allow3010YesNo
18350773FOLDED CAMERA LENS DESIGNSJuly 2023April 2024Allow920NoNo
18351078OPTICAL APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS HAVING THE SAMEJuly 2023September 2025Allow2600NoNo
18347271Electronic Devices With Adjustable Eye ReliefJuly 2023February 2026Allow3210NoNo
18217305IMAGING LENS SYSTEM, IMAGE CAPTURING UNIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEJune 2023January 2024Allow700NoNo
18317187ACTUATOR FOR CAMERAMay 2023July 2025Abandon2620NoNo
18314866FOLDED CAMERA LENS DESIGNSMay 2023February 2025Allow2150NoNo
18310882Diamond Coated Antireflective Window System and MethodMay 2023April 2024Allow1110NoNo
18306329DRIVING APPARATUS AND LENS APPARATUS HAVING THE SAMEApril 2023September 2025Allow2800NoNo
18187836CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAMEMarch 2023October 2025Allow3110YesNo
18122358OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEMMarch 2023March 2026Allow3680NoNo
18122685INTEGRATED OPTICAL ENGINE HAVING CAMERAMarch 2023January 2024Allow1010NoNo
18177179IMAGING LENS ASSEMBLY, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEMarch 2023January 2026Allow3410NoNo
18023463CAMERA LENS FOR VEHICLE AND CAMERA MODULE COMPRISING SAMEFebruary 2023December 2025Allow3410NoNo
18023563CAMERA MODULE FOR VEHICLEFebruary 2023October 2025Allow3110NoNo
18172384IMAGING LENS ASSEMBLY MODULE, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEFebruary 2023December 2023Allow1000NoNo
18112152METASURFACE WITH OVERCOAT AND EQUAL PILLAR SPACINGFebruary 2023September 2025Allow3110NoNo
18167931INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SYSTEMSFebruary 2023February 2026Allow3620YesNo
18095264IMAGING LENS MODULE, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEJanuary 2023January 2026Allow3710NoNo
18095240IMAGING OPTICAL SYSTEM, AND IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA SYSTEM PROVIDED WITH SAMEJanuary 2023October 2024Allow2120YesNo
18004411LARGE-APERTURE ACHROMATIC METALENS, METALENS SYSTEM, AND OPTICAL SYSTEMJanuary 2023October 2025Allow3410NoNo
18091316PHOTOLUMINESCENCE DEVICE AND DISPLAY PANEL INCLUDING THE SAMEDecember 2022November 2023Allow1010NoNo
18003477SPACER FOR AN OPTICAL DEVICEDecember 2022October 2025Allow3410NoNo
18084217OPTICAL ACCESSORY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM AND DEVICEDecember 2022November 2024Allow2340YesNo
18076399OPTICAL LENSDecember 2022January 2026Allow3720NoNo
17925857FOLDED CAMERAS WITH CONTINUOUSLY ADAPTIVE ZOOM FACTORNovember 2022January 2024Allow1410NoNo
17975726LENS BARREL AND CAMERA EQUIPPED WITH SAMEOctober 2022August 2025Allow3410NoNo
18049696OPTICAL LENS ASSEMBLY AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEOctober 2022April 2025Allow3000NoNo
17934614IMAGING LENS MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICESeptember 2022September 2023Allow1210NoNo
17934242STEREO LENS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUSSeptember 2022July 2025Allow3410NoNo
17933885IMAGING OPTICAL SYSTEM, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICESeptember 2022February 2026Allow4101NoNo
17933951LENS SPACERS FOR LENS STABILITYSeptember 2022September 2025Allow3510NoNo
17948143FOLDED OPTICAL SYSTEM, IMAGE CAPTURING UNIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICESeptember 2022August 2025Allow3510NoNo
17942828Carbon Dioxide Sensing Color Changeable Dyes For Indicating Exposure, Methods of Making and Using Such Dyes, and Apparatuses Incorporating Such DyeSeptember 2022June 2024Allow2120NoNo
17899774Lens DeviceAugust 2022October 2025Abandon3810NoNo
17900550OPTICAL APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUSAugust 2022June 2025Allow3410NoNo
17900484CAMERA MODULE AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING SAMEAugust 2022July 2023Allow1010NoNo
17875557IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND RECORDING MEDIUMJuly 2022May 2024Abandon2220NoNo
17871277Multichannel Close-Up Imaging DeviceJuly 2022January 2024Allow1820YesNo
17814059LENS MOVING APPARATUSJuly 2022May 2025Allow3410NoNo
17865420STRUCTURED-LIGHT PROJECTOR, CAMERA ASSEMBLY, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEJuly 2022October 2025Allow3910NoNo
17809706DEVICE FOR RELIABLY DETERMINING BIOMETRIC MEASUREMENT VARIABLES OF THE WHOLE EYEJune 2022November 2023Allow1710YesNo
17840650ZOOM LENS MODULEJune 2022May 2025Allow3510NoNo
17841585LENS MODULEJune 2022November 2025Abandon4120NoNo
17840653CASING AND LENSJune 2022June 2025Allow3610NoNo
17784261LENS UNITJune 2022June 2025Allow3610NoNo
17804787CAMERA ACTUATOR WITH MAGNET HOLDER HAVING MAGNETIC FIELDMay 2022September 2024Allow2701NoNo
17732654IMAGING LENS ASSEMBLY, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEApril 2022January 2024Allow2110NoNo
17713685LENS AUTOFOCUS ACTUATING DEVICEApril 2022October 2024Allow3120NoNo
17680435PLASTIC LENS BARREL, IMAGING LENS MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEFebruary 2022May 2023Allow1510NoNo
17651568DUAL-PURPOSE LAYERED OPTICAL STRUCTUREFebruary 2022December 2025Allow4610NoNo
17669157HEAT DISSIPATIVE AND LIGHTWEIGHT OPTICAL ELEMENTS HAVING INCREASED STRENGTH AND STIFFNESSFebruary 2022February 2026Allow4811YesNo
17668278CAMERA MODULE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND VEHICLE DEVICEFebruary 2022August 2025Allow4210NoNo
17665495FOLDED CAMERA LENS DESIGNSFebruary 2022January 2023Allow1120NoNo
17589956SEMI-TRUCK SIDE-VIEW MIRROR WITH INTEGRAL CAMERAFebruary 2022July 2025Allow4110NoNo
17588621CAMERA MODULEJanuary 2022April 2025Allow3810NoNo
17588730ACTUATOR FOR CAMERA, CAMERA MODULE, AND PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAMEJanuary 2022September 2025Allow4310YesNo
17585806OPTICAL IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING MODULE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEJanuary 2022February 2025Abandon3710NoNo
17583144Optical Imaging Lens AssemblyJanuary 2022October 2024Allow3310NoNo
17568981MICROSCOPE USED IN MULTIPLE MICROSCOPIESJanuary 2022December 2025Allow4730YesNo
17568510OPTICAL DEVICE PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAMEJanuary 2022March 2026Abandon5040YesNo
17562037Camera Optical LensDecember 2021June 2025Allow4121NoNo
17562999CAMERA OPTICAL LENSDecember 2021July 2024Allow3100NoNo
17558503IMAGING LENS SYSTEM, CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICEDecember 2021September 2024Allow3310NoNo
17554313OPTICAL ELEMENT DRIVE MECHANISMDecember 2021June 2025Allow4220NoNo
17618972OPTICAL FILM AND DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING SAMEDecember 2021June 2025Allow4210NoNo
17548935LENS DRIVING DEVICE, CAMERA DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUSDecember 2021September 2024Allow3310NoNo
17546141DOUBLE-TELECENTRIC PROJECTION LENS AND HEAD-UP DISPLAY DEVICE MOUNTED ON AUTOMOBILEDecember 2021February 2025Abandon3810NoNo
17545421LIQUID LENSES CONFIGURED FOR THERMAL EXPOSURE RESISTANCE AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAMEDecember 2021January 2026Allow4930YesNo
17544450OPTICAL IMAGING LENS ASSEMBLYDecember 2021September 2024Allow3410NoNo
17542528CAMERA OPTICAL LENSDecember 2021September 2024Allow3410NoNo
17542312OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEMDecember 2021May 2024Allow3000NoNo
17615398CAMERA MODULENovember 2021April 2025Allow4010NoNo
17537870OPTICAL PHOTOGRAPHING SYSTEM, IMAGE CAPTURING UNIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICENovember 2021July 2024Allow3110NoNo
17615092METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE HOLDER OF AN OPTICAL ELEMENT HELD IN A HOLDER, OPTICAL COMPONENT AND OPTICAL ASSEMBLYNovember 2021July 2025Allow4410YesNo
17614324SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING MICROSTRUCTURESNovember 2021August 2025Allow4510NoNo
17529145IMAGING LENS DRIVING MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICENovember 2021March 2025Allow4010NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
2
Examiner Affirmed
2
(100.0%)
Examiner Reversed
0
(0.0%)
Reversal Percentile
13.3%
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
6
Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(16.7%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
5
(83.3%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
19.9%
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, 16.7% 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 MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU works in Art Unit 2872 and has examined 441 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 73.7%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 32 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU's allowance rate of 73.7% places them in the 38% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU receive 1.87 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 44% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues fewer office actions than average, which may indicate efficient prosecution or a more lenient examination style.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU is 32 months. This places the examiner in the 52% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly faster than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +9.2% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by MEBRAHTU, EPHREM ZERU. This interview benefit is in the 41% 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, 28.5% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 52% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs show above-average effectiveness with this examiner. Consider whether your amendments or new arguments are strong enough to warrant an RCE versus filing a continuation.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 34.8% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 52% 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, 100.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 74% 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 71.4% of appeals filed. This is in the 59% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 40.0% 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, 28.1% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 15% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are rarely granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Ensure you have a strong procedural basis before filing a petition, as the Technology Center Director typically upholds this examiner's decisions.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 27% percentile). This examiner makes examiner's amendments less often than average. You may need to make most claim amendments yourself.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 1.2% of allowed cases (in the 63% percentile). This examiner issues Quayle actions more often than average when claims are allowable but formal matters remain (MPEP § 714.14).

Prosecution Strategy Recommendations

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

    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.