USPTO Examiner LAU MICHAEL J - Art Unit 3796

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
17121815TAILORED LASER PULSES FOR SURGICAL APPLICATIONSDecember 2020September 2023Allow3320NoNo
15734596SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A DEFIBRILLATORDecember 2020November 2023Allow3610YesNo
17108862TRANSDURAL ELECTRODE DEVICE FOR STIMULATION OF THE SPINAL CORDDecember 2020December 2023Allow3701YesNo
17104701ELECTRONIC DEVICE, METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUMNovember 2020September 2023Allow3420YesNo
17100455CONTROL PULSES AND POSTURE FOR ECAPSNovember 2020January 2024Allow3810NoNo
17048293DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING DETECTION OF RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION DURING CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATIONOctober 2020October 2024Abandon4830YesNo
17016020DETECTING THE END OF CARDIO MACHINE ACTIVITIES ON A WEARABLE DEVICESeptember 2020October 2023Allow3820NoNo
16977491METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A HUMAN OR ANIMAL SUBJECTSeptember 2020February 2024Abandon4110NoNo
16975010Wearable Health Device System with Normalized Seismocardiography SignalsAugust 2020March 2025Abandon5520NoYes
16969114SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLIENT-SIDE PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION ESTIMATIONS BASED ON A VIDEO OF AN INDIVIDUALAugust 2020October 2023Allow3810NoNo
16916505SLEEP INTERVENTION EQUIPMENT, SYSTEM AND METHODJune 2020July 2024Abandon4830NoNo
16758679APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING BIO-INFORMATIONApril 2020December 2024Abandon5660YesNo
16726334Device-Based Maneuver and Activity State-Based Physiologic Status MonitoringDecember 2019October 2023Allow4640YesNo
16128487Flashing Light Therapy with Image Presentation and Interaction for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and DementiaSeptember 2018December 2021Abandon4031NoYes
15587131MEDICAL APPLICATIONS USING TUNABLE METAMATERIAL SYSTEMS AND METHODSMay 2017June 2019Allow2510YesNo
15048520Carbon-Based Surface Plasmon Source And Applications ThereofFebruary 2016June 2019Allow4010NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner LAU, MICHAEL J.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
2
Allowed After Appeal Filing
0
(0.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
2
(100.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
11.2%
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, 0.0% 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

Filing a Notice of Appeal shows limited benefit. Consider other strategies like interviews or amendments before appealing.

Examiner LAU, MICHAEL J - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner LAU, MICHAEL J works in Art Unit 3796 and has examined 16 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 62.5%, this examiner allows applications at a lower rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 40 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner LAU, MICHAEL J's allowance rate of 62.5% places them in the 24% 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 LAU, MICHAEL J receive 2.06 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 50% 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 LAU, MICHAEL J is 40 months. This places the examiner in the 25% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly slower than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +15.9% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by LAU, MICHAEL J. This interview benefit is in the 55% 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, 13.3% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 10% 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 28.6% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 42% 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.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 0.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 24% percentile among all examiners. Note: Pre-appeal conferences show limited success with this examiner compared to others. While still worth considering, be prepared to proceed with a full appeal brief if the PAC does not result in favorable action.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 200.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 100% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are frequently granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1002.02(c), various examiner actions are petitionable to the Technology Center Director, including prematureness of final rejection, refusal to enter amendments, and requirement for information. If you believe an examiner action is improper, consider filing a petition.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 48% 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 53% 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:

  • 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.

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.