USPTO Examiner ALEMAN SARAH WEBB - Art Unit 3771

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
17059418END TOOL OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCLUDING THE SAMENovember 2020November 2021Allow1210NoNo
17100381ACTIVE HOLDER FOR ANNULOPLASTY RING DELIVERYNovember 2020October 2022Allow2310NoNo
17067204PROSTHETIC VALVE SUPPORT STRUCTUREOctober 2020June 2023Allow3220NoNo
17030944ROTATIONAL TISSUE CUTTING DEVICESeptember 2020May 2023Allow3220NoNo
17021440METHODS FOR RESTORING BLOOD FLOW WITHIN BLOCKED VASCULATURESeptember 2020December 2022Allow2710NoNo
17014933CUTTING ELEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS FOR USE IN ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMSSeptember 2020January 2023Allow2810YesNo
16999458REMOVABLE CAP ACTUATION FOR AN INTRAOCULAR LENS CARTRIDGEAugust 2020December 2022Allow2810NoNo
16997558TRACTION APPLYING DEVICES FOR LEAD REMOVAL SYSTEMSAugust 2020February 2023Allow3010NoNo
16988556Aspiration Thrombectomy System and Methods for Thrombus Removal with Aspiration CatheterAugust 2020June 2021Allow1020YesNo
16962905ADAPTATIVELY MORPHING SURGICAL GRASPERJuly 2020September 2022Allow2600NoNo
16911351Z-SHAPED MENISCUS REPAIR DEVICE AND METHODJune 2020March 2021Allow920YesNo
16908974TRANSCATHETER VALVE WITH TORSION SPRING FIXATION AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODSJune 2020September 2022Allow2710NoNo
16896434FORCE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM AND INSTRUMENTJune 2020January 2023Allow3200NoNo
16884202CORNEAL IMPLANT INJECTOR SYSTEMMay 2020February 2023Allow3320NoNo
16869412CANNULA TOOL AND METHODMay 2020November 2022Allow3010NoNo
16866238VASCULAR FILTER SYSTEMMay 2020January 2023Allow3320NoNo
16758411MASTER-SLAVE SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAMEApril 2020May 2023Abandon3710NoNo
16846127STEERABLE SUTURE RETRIEVERApril 2020February 2023Allow3410NoNo
16820499DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PROSTHETIC HEART VALVEMarch 2020August 2022Allow2900YesNo
16785910DRIVE MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTSFebruary 2020January 2023Allow3510NoNo
16783520CONTROLLED ENDOPROSTHESIS BALLOON EXPANSIONFebruary 2020May 2023Allow4020YesNo
16774558BRANCHED STENT GRAFT DEVICE AND DEPLOYMENTJanuary 2020December 2022Allow3510YesNo
16739443SINUS VENOSUS ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT TREATMENT DEVICEJanuary 2020February 2023Allow3710NoNo
16722121Staged Deployment Devices And Methods For Transcatheter Heart Valve DeliveryDecember 2019August 2022Allow3210NoNo
16723616Cricothyrotomy DeviceDecember 2019June 2023Allow4220NoNo
16722525DEVICES FOR MANIPULATING TISSUE AND RELATED METHODSDecember 2019September 2022Allow3310NoNo
16699816CLAMPING FORCEPS DEVICEDecember 2019August 2022Allow3310NoNo
16691502VALVED STENT FOR ORTHOTOPIC REPLACEMENT OF DYSFUNCTIONAL CARDIAC VALVE AND DELIVERY SYSTEMNovember 2019December 2020Allow1310NoNo
16684373CATHETER ATHERECTORNovember 2019April 2020Allow500NoNo
16672436TURBINATE COMPRESSORS AND METHODS OF USENovember 2019May 2022Allow3000NoNo
16585233METHODS FOR OCCLUDING OR PROMOTING FLUID FLOWSeptember 2019January 2023Allow4020NoNo
16570030CERVICAL DILATOR AND METHOD OF DILATIONSeptember 2019April 2020Allow710YesNo
16550144INTRAOCULAR LENS INSERTION DEVICEAugust 2019October 2022Allow3810YesNo
16546737IMPLANTABLE DEVICE AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RESHAPING A HEART VALVE ANNULUSAugust 2019October 2022Allow3820NoNo
16533413STEERABLE SUTURE RETRIEVERAugust 2019April 2020Allow820YesNo
16522628CLEANING OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FORCE SENSORJuly 2019July 2022Allow3610NoNo
16413481SOFT TISSUE CUTTING DEVICE AND METHODS OF USEMay 2019October 2021Allow2910NoNo
16376549SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LAPAROSCOPIC MORCELLATORApril 2019April 2021Allow2510NoNo
16363824Tourniquet Windlass DeviceMarch 2019April 2022Allow3600NoNo
16295465SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESHAPING A HEART VALVEMarch 2019October 2022Allow4320NoNo
16291434SURGICAL PORT FEATUREMarch 2019June 2022Allow4010NoNo
16291580ENDOSCOPIC DILATORMarch 2019September 2022Allow4311NoNo
16287208SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESHAPING A HEART VALVEFebruary 2019October 2022Allow4320NoNo
16258506DEVICES AND METHODS TO TREAT GALLSTONE DISEASEJanuary 2019July 2022Abandon4110NoNo
16317643Compositions and Methods for Collagen-Based Sutures and Antibacterial CoatingsJanuary 2019June 2022Abandon4121NoNo
16233471PROSTHESIS FOR REPAIRING A HERNIA DEFECTDecember 2018July 2021Allow3010NoNo
16226832LOW RADIAL FORCE VASCULAR DEVICE AND METHOD OF OCCLUSIONDecember 2018November 2021Allow3400NoNo
16214709Pacemaker Retrieval Systems and MethodsDecember 2018March 2021Allow2720YesNo
16210603Skin Treatment DeviceDecember 2018July 2020Abandon1930NoNo
16209362DEVICE FOR PACEMAKER LEAD PLACEMENT AND METHODS THEREOFDecember 2018June 2022Allow4311NoNo
16191612SINUS VENOSUS ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT TREATMENT DEVICENovember 2018March 2022Allow4010NoNo
16188961EXPANDABLE ENDOSCOPIC DEVICENovember 2018June 2020Allow1900NoNo
16183438SHOCKWAVE VALVULOPLASTY CATHETER SYSTEMNovember 2018January 2021Allow2620NoNo
16174429BERNOULLI GRIPPER FOR INTRAOCULAR AND CONTACT LENSESOctober 2018November 2021Allow3710NoNo
16172128CLIP APPLIER COMPRISING A RECIPROCATING CLIP ADVANCING MEMBEROctober 2018March 2022Allow4111NoNo
16172130CLIP APPLIER COMPRISING INTERCHANGEABLE CLIP RELOADSOctober 2018March 2022Allow4111NoNo
16151132Iris ShieldOctober 2018March 2022Allow4121YesNo
16148864ACTIVE HOLDER FOR ANNULOPLASTY RING DELIVERYOctober 2018July 2020Allow2210NoNo
16090318A CONCERTINAED EXPANDABLE TISSUE EXPANDEROctober 2018June 2021Abandon3210NoNo
16144295SURGICAL MESH HAVING INGROWTH-PREVENTING COATING ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAMESeptember 2018March 2021Abandon3001NoNo
16139641MEDICAL LEADS HAVING A DISTAL BODY AND AN OPENLY COILED FILARSeptember 2018January 2021Allow2820NoYes
16112154SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS COMPRISING A BIASED SHIFTING MECHANISMAugust 2018August 2021Allow3620NoNo
16107145PRE-LOADED MULTIPORT DELIVERY DEVICEAugust 2018May 2019Allow810NoNo
15779316TISSUE REPAIR FIBER MEMBRANE, PREPARATION METHOD AND APPLICATION THEREOF, AND TISSUE REPAIR PRODUCTMay 2018October 2021Allow4121NoNo
15777485SUTURING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR SUTURING LACERATIONS OF THE MENISCUSMay 2018July 2021Allow3810YesNo
15980776ROTATION ADAPTER AND RECEIVER FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL DEVICESMay 2018June 2021Allow3730NoNo
15942547METHODS FOR RESTORING BLOOD FLOW WITHIN BLOCKED VASCULATUREApril 2018June 2020Allow2710YesNo
15937911TISSUE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODSMarch 2018February 2021Allow3430NoNo
15933363ROTATIONAL TISSUE CUTTING CONTROL DEVICEMarch 2018May 2020Allow2610NoNo
15933359ROTATIONAL TISSUE CUTTING DEVICEMarch 2018June 2020Allow2710NoNo
15761882DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A SAFE POSITIONING OF A CORONARY STENT IN CORONARY ARTERIESMarch 2018August 2020Allow2910NoNo
15758558AN EXTENDABLE, RETRIEVABLE ENDOVASCULAR ELEMENTMarch 2018September 2020Allow3120NoNo
15903642TRANSCATHETER VALVE WITH TORSION SPRING FIXATION AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODSFebruary 2018March 2020Allow2510NoNo
15754980SURGICAL BANDAGE WITH STABILIZING ELEMENTSFebruary 2018July 2023Abandon6070YesNo
15894243PROSTHETIC VALVE SUPPORT STRUCTUREFebruary 2018July 2020Allow2920NoNo
15891653SINUS VENOSUS ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT TREATMENT DEVICEFebruary 2018August 2019Allow1920YesNo
15877423Stitching Device with Long Needle DeliveryJanuary 2018December 2019Allow2310NoNo
15746788DEVICE FOR SECURING HEART VALVE LEAFLETSJanuary 2018October 2021Allow4431NoNo
15865516Spinal Cord Devices and Methods for Promoting Axonal RegenerationJanuary 2018March 2020Abandon2620NoYes
15859923CLEANING OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FORCE SENSORJanuary 2018April 2019Allow1520NoNo
15739309A SUTURE ANCHOR FOR SOFT TISSUE REPAIR AND A METHOD AND A DRIVER FOR THE INSERTION THEREOFDecember 2017September 2020Abandon3310NoNo
15737197CIRCUMCISION APPARATUSDecember 2017May 2020Allow2910YesNo
15843221VASCULAR INTERVENTION ROBOT AND VASCULAR INTERVENTION SYSTEMDecember 2017November 2020Allow3511NoNo
15831121DEVICE FOR PACEMAKER LEAD PLACEMENT AND METHODS THEREOFDecember 2017March 2020Abandon2810NoNo
15704505TAPERED SLEEVESeptember 2017April 2020Allow3120YesNo
15704420TREATMENT DEVICE AND TREATMENT SYSTEMSeptember 2017July 2019Abandon2340NoNo
15702943EXPANDABLE SCAFFOLD WITH CUTTING ELEMENTS MOUNTED THERETOSeptember 2017March 2021Abandon4220NoYes
15677791REENTRY CATHETER AND METHOD THEREOFAugust 2017November 2019Allow2710NoNo
15677975EXPANDABLE SHEATH AND METHODS OF USEAugust 2017February 2019Abandon1821NoNo
15626756TYMPANOSTOMY TUBE DELIVERY DEVICE WITH CUTTING DILATORJune 2017February 2020Allow3210YesNo
15615550Embolic Protection DeviceJune 2017July 2021Allow4941YesNo
15480745STAGED DEVELOPMENT DEVICES AND METHODS FOR TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE DELIVERYApril 2017August 2019Allow2910NoNo
15476717INTRAOCULAR LENS INSERTION DEVICEMarch 2017May 2019Allow2850NoNo
15461258Method of inserting a vein filterMarch 2017March 2019Allow2420NoNo
15418919FRACTURING CALCIFICATIONS IN HEART VALVESJanuary 2017December 2021Abandon5860NoNo
15419971SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HELICALLY ADVANCING SUTURE IN TISSUEJanuary 2017May 2020Abandon3901NoNo
15417557SUTURE CONSTRUCTS FOR LIGAMENT REPAIR AND METHODS OF USE THEREOFJanuary 2017December 2019Allow3410YesNo
15416858DEVICES FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND RELATED METHODS OF USEJanuary 2017May 2020Allow3920YesNo
15398384PROSTHESIS FOR REPAIRING A BLOOD VESSEL AND METHODJanuary 2017November 2020Allow4640YesNo
15389957PROSTHESIS FOR REPAIRING A HERNIA DEFECTDecember 2016September 2018Allow2100NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
7
Examiner Affirmed
5
(71.4%)
Examiner Reversed
2
(28.6%)
Reversal Percentile
46.4%
Lower than average

What This Means

With a 28.6% reversal rate, the PTAB affirms the examiner's rejections in the vast majority of cases. This reversal rate is below the USPTO average, indicating that appeals face more challenges here than typical.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
13
Allowed After Appeal Filing
3
(23.1%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
10
(76.9%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
32.6%
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, 23.1% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is below the USPTO average, suggesting that filing an appeal has limited effectiveness in prompting favorable reconsideration.

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 ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB works in Art Unit 3771 and has examined 168 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 76.8%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 36 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB's allowance rate of 76.8% places them in the 45% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB receive 2.43 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 ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB is 36 months. This places the examiner in the 38% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly slower than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +13.1% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB. This interview benefit is in the 49% 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, 20.1% 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 38.6% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 60% 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, 40.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 39% percentile among all examiners. Note: Pre-appeal conferences show below-average success with this examiner. Consider whether your arguments are strong enough to warrant a PAC request.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 46.2% of appeals filed. This is in the 13% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 33.3% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). 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, 41.4% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 31% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions show below-average success regarding this examiner's actions. Ensure you have a strong procedural basis before filing.

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 50% 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:

    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.