USPTO Examiner CRABB STEVEN W - Art Unit 3761

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
18812394METHOD OF DELIVERING A VOLATILE COMPOSITION INTO THE AIRAugust 2024March 2025Allow710NoNo
18059586GRAIN DISPENSER AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAMENovember 2022January 2026Allow3810NoNo
17893657AUTONOMOUS ASSEMBLY ROBOTSAugust 2022August 2025Allow3640YesNo
17800070Filter vessel, apparatus and method for preparing a filtrateAugust 2022March 2026Abandon4310NoNo
17779658Inhalation DeviceMay 2022January 2026Abandon4410NoNo
17770552MODULAR POSITION AND STATE SENSING SYSTEM AND METHODApril 2022September 2025Allow4110NoNo
17769836Vacuum BlenderApril 2022October 2025Allow4210NoNo
17718193FOOD PREPARATION SYSTEMApril 2022January 2026Abandon4501NoNo
17766698COFFEE GRINDING MACHINE WITH FILTER-HOLDER DETECTION SYSTEMApril 2022January 2026Abandon4510NoNo
17641533LASER PROCESSING DEVICE, AND LASER PROCESSING METHODMarch 2022February 2026Allow4721YesNo
17680957LASER ENGRAVING MACHINE HAVING DUAL QUICK RELEASE MIRROR HOLDERSFebruary 2022January 2026Abandon4710NoNo
17678290Digital Gas Grill ControllerFebruary 2022November 2025Abandon4410NoNo
17635979AN IMPROVED COMBINATION COOKWARE SYSTEMFebruary 2022October 2025Abandon4410NoNo
17591945COOKING HARDWARE COMPATIBLE WITH A ROBOT END EFFECTORFebruary 2022December 2025Abandon4610NoNo
17448899FOOD HOLDING APPARATUSSeptember 2021July 2025Allow4630YesYes
17478110METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILAMENTATION OF WORKPIECES NOT HAVING A PLAN-PARALLEL SHAPE, AND WORKPIECE PRODUCED BY FILAMENTATIONSeptember 2021January 2026Allow5240YesNo
17428366Heating Device Having A Plurality Of Electrical Heating ElementsAugust 2021April 2025Abandon4420NoNo
16345843COOLING AND HEATING TRAY FOR GASTRONOMY CONTAINERSApril 2019September 2025Abandon6060NoYes

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner CRABB, STEVEN W.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
2
Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(50.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(50.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
83.7%
Higher 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, 50.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is in the top 25% across the USPTO, indicating that filing appeals is particularly effective here. The act of filing often prompts favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Strategic Recommendations

Filing a Notice of Appeal is strategically valuable. The act of filing often prompts favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Examiner CRABB, STEVEN W - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner CRABB, STEVEN W works in Art Unit 3761 and has examined 4 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 50.0%, this examiner allows applications at a lower rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 52 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner CRABB, STEVEN W's allowance rate of 50.0% places them in the 12% 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 CRABB, STEVEN W receive 3.75 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 96% 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 CRABB, STEVEN W is 52 months. This places the examiner in the 4% 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 +100.0% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by CRABB, STEVEN W. This interview benefit is in the 100% percentile among all examiners. Recommendation: Interviews are highly effective with this examiner and should be strongly considered as a prosecution strategy. Per MPEP § 713.10, interviews are available at any time before the Notice of Allowance is mailed or jurisdiction transfers to the PTAB.

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 25.0% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 34% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner shows below-average receptiveness to after-final amendments. You may need to file an RCE or appeal rather than relying on after-final amendment entry.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 100.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 99% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: This examiner frequently reconsiders rejections during the appeal process compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1207.01, all appeals must go through a mandatory appeal conference. Filing a Notice of Appeal may prompt favorable reconsideration even before you file an Appeal Brief.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 44% 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 47% 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.
  • Prioritize examiner interviews: Interviews are highly effective with this examiner. Request an interview after the first office action to clarify issues and potentially expedite allowance.
  • Appeal filing as negotiation tool: This examiner frequently reconsiders rejections during the appeal process. Filing a Notice of Appeal may prompt favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.
  • 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.