Thus, a lot of red and gold means an experienced, "difficult" art unit. A lot of green and gold is an experienced, "easy" art unit. A lot of blue means an low-volume art unit (and thus higher expected variance in its metrics).
Applications allowed / (applications allowed + applications abandoned)
To get a better sense of applications that were abandoned on the merits, abandonments during preexam are ignored and abandonments for failure
to pay issue fee are treated as allowances. Based on applications disposed in the last three years.
(Non-final rejections + final rejections + examiner answers + restrictions + Ex-Parte Quayle actions) / Applications allowed
Based on applications disposed in the last three years.
Number of months from filing or 371 date until the first non-final rejection, final rejection, or allowance. Based on applications disposed in the last three years. Based on applications disposed in the last three years.
Months to First AllowanceNumber of months from filing or 371 date until the first allowance. Time to first allowance better reflects the portion of the timeline that is in the examiner's control. (e.g., it ignores delays in paying the issue fee and delays resulting from the filing of RCEs with IDSs after allowance). Based on applications disposed in the last three years.
Percentage of PTAB decisions in which the examiner was completely affirmed. Affirmed-in-part is not counted as an affirmance.
PTAB DecisionsNumber PTAB decisions in the past three years.
Percentage of after-final responses which were followed by an RCE
Appeal BriefPercentage of after-final responses which were followed by an Appeal Brief
Appeal BriefPercentage of after-final responses which received an allowance without an intervening RCE or an Appeal Brief
ReopenPercentage of after-final responses which received a new office action without an intervening RCE or an Appeal Brief.
Same as for After-Final Response Outcomes, except limited to the after-final responses which were accompanied by a request for consideration under the after-final consideration pilot program.
The percentage of pre-appeal requests that were met with a decision of "proceed to board." Other requests resulted either in re-opening of prosecution or an allowance.
The percentage of appeal briefs which resulted in the examiner reopening prosecution, without an intervening RCE.
Examiner Answer or Board DecisionThe percentage of appeal briefs which the examiner answered or (in the come cases) went straight to a board decision without an examiner answer.
AllowanceThe percentage of appeal briefs which resulted in an allowance without an intervening office action, appeal brief, or RCE.
DefectiveThe percentage of appeal briefs which were determined to be defective.
Allowed Applications with at least one examiner-initiated interview / (All Disposed Applications with at least one examiner-initiated interview)
Number of InterviewsNumber of examiner-initiated interviews in the past three years
Actions per InterviewNumber of actions in applications with at least one examiner-initiated interview / Number of one examiner-initiated interviews
Allowed Applications with at least one applicant-initiated interview / (All Disposed Applications with at least one applicant-initiated interview)
Number of InterviewsNumber of applicant-initiated interviews in the past three years
Actions per InterviewNumber of actions in applications with at least one applicant-initiated interview / Number of one applicant-initiated interviews
Total number of nonfinal rejections the examiner has mailed.
Final RejectionsTotal number of final rejections the examiner has mailed.
RestrictionsTotal number of restrictions the examiner has mailed.
Examiner AnswersTotal number of examiner answers the examiner has mailed.
Ex Parte QuayleTotal number of nonfinal rejections the examiner has mailed.