USPTO Examiner MERINO JOHN CHIANG - Art Unit 3669

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
18936757SELF-ACTUATED CLEANING HEAD FOR AN AUTONOMOUS VACUUMNovember 2024March 2026Allow1600NoNo
18908911LINT EXHAUST DUCT CLEANING TOOL AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A CLOTHES DRYER VENTILATION SYSTEMOctober 2024May 2025Allow700YesNo
18764511GLASS POLISHING APPARATUS AND GLASS POLISHING METHOD USING THE SAMEJuly 2024September 2025Allow1510NoNo
18753800AUTO-CALIBRATION FOR PERSONALIZED SELF-DRIVING EXPERIENCEJune 2024November 2025Allow1600YesNo
18667924VEHICLE TRIP BUILDER SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOFMay 2024October 2025Allow1700NoNo
18500865COMMAND INPUT FOR REMOTE SUPERVISION OF MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS AIRCRAFTNovember 2023January 2026Allow2610NoNo
18155328CLEANING APPARATUSJanuary 2023November 2025Allow3410YesNo
18059688ORAL CARE SYSTEM, IMPLEMENT, AND/OR KITNovember 2022December 2025Allow3720NoNo
17855789MULTI-FUNCTIONAL, T-POST PULLER TOOL FOR PERFORMING TASKS RELATED TO OUTDOOR FENCING, TREE PLANTING, RANCHING, FARMING, HOUSE FIXING, AND THE LIKEJune 2022October 2025Abandon4010NoNo
17738796Flat Head PinMay 2022June 2025Allow3730YesNo
17717503BELT SANDERApril 2022April 2025Allow3620YesYes
17766844GRINDING TOOL FOR GRINDING A LEADING EDGE OF A WIND TURBINE BLADEApril 2022July 2025Allow3921NoNo
17765913ANTI-BACTERIAL CLEANING MACHINE WITH WET FILTERApril 2022July 2025Allow3921YesNo
17701843Golf Shoe Cleaning AssemblyMarch 2022July 2025Abandon4021NoNo
17640063NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT CONFIGURED TO FACE A SURFACE TO BE CLEANEDMarch 2022September 2025Allow4340YesNo
17680163INSULATED FLUID LINES IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHINGFebruary 2022April 2025Allow3721YesNo
17624869CLEANING TOOLJanuary 2022May 2025Allow4030NoNo
17618056Drainer, Wet Mopping Device, And Wet-And-Dry Cleaning HeadDecember 2021July 2025Allow4331YesNo
17612969DEVICE FOR CLEANING WALKABLE SURFACESNovember 2021July 2025Abandon4421NoNo
17451358Hand-Held Grinding MachineOctober 2021April 2025Allow4240NoNo
17441105WIPING TIPSeptember 2021January 2026Abandon5251YesNo
17435302Dust Hood Extension Device and System Comprising A Dust Hood Extension Device of This Kind and An AdapterAugust 2021April 2025Allow4440NoNo
17401180HAND VACUUM CLEANERAugust 2021June 2025Allow4650YesNo
17428400Dust Removal Device and Method for Changing a Filter Element in a Dust Removal DeviceAugust 2021July 2025Abandon4740NoNo

Appeals Overview

No appeal data available for this record. This may indicate that no appeals have been filed or decided for applications in this dataset.

Examiner MERINO, JOHN CHIANG - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner MERINO, JOHN CHIANG works in Art Unit 3669 and has examined 7 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 57.1%, this examiner allows applications at a lower rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 44 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner MERINO, JOHN CHIANG's allowance rate of 57.1% places them in the 18% 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 MERINO, JOHN CHIANG receive 3.86 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 97% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues more office actions than most examiners, which may indicate thorough examination or difficulty in reaching agreement with applicants.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by MERINO, JOHN CHIANG is 44 months. This places the examiner in the 15% 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 +16.7% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by MERINO, JOHN CHIANG. This interview benefit is in the 58% percentile among all examiners. Recommendation: Interviews provide an above-average benefit with this examiner and are worth considering.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 12.5% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 7% 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 50.0% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 76% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner is highly receptive to after-final amendments compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 714.12, after-final amendments may be entered "under justifiable circumstances." Consider filing after-final amendments with a clear showing of allowability rather than immediately filing an RCE, as this examiner frequently enters such amendments.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 39% 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 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 42% percentile). This examiner issues Quayle actions less often than average. Allowances may 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.
  • Expect multiple rounds of prosecution: This examiner issues more office actions than average. Address potential issues proactively in your initial response and consider requesting an interview early in prosecution.
  • Consider after-final amendments: This examiner frequently enters after-final amendments. If you can clearly overcome rejections with claim amendments, file an after-final amendment before resorting to an RCE.
  • 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.