TC 3700: The Mechanic

 

Technology Center 3700 is somewhat of a catch-all technology center since it handles applications covering a wide range of technologies, including amusement devices, surgical supplies, shoes, refrigeration, and hand tools. Thus, TC 3700, along with its sister tech center TC 3600, are where the USPTO sends many applications when they don’t fit very neatly anywhere else. Perhaps as a function of its diversity, TC 3700’s average allowance rate matches the USPTO’s overall allowance rate of 72%. It is also the second-busiest tech center by the number of applications filed, after TC 2800. In the graphs below, we’ll take a close look at several prosecution trends that have occurred in TC 3700 during the five-year period between 2013 and 2017. Please note that all metrics herein are based on published applications only and do not account for all applications filed after the USPTO's 18-month publication delay period (in this case, January 2016). For more information, hover over each of the graphs, or get started with Juristat. 

 Back to the list

 
To determine the top assignee filers in TC 3700 for this period, we measured the aggregate number of applications every assignee filed over the entire five-year period. The graph above shows how many applications each of those top five assignees filed per year during the period.

 

 
To determine the classes that received the most applications in TC 3700 for this period, we measured the aggregate number of applications every class received over the entire five-year period. The graph above shows how many applications each of those top five classes received per year during the period.

 

 
To determine the top firm filers in TC 3700 for this period, we measured the aggregate number of applications every firm filed over the entire five-year period. The graph above shows how many applications each of those top five firms filed per year during the period.

 

 
An application that is "disposed" is an application that has reached the end of the standard prosecution process, either by receiving a Notice of Allowance or through abandonment.

 

 
The number of applications filed per year in TC 3700 represents the total number of patent applications that all entities (both firms and in-house counsel) filed during the years highlighted.

 

 

A technology center's allowance rate is the percentage of applications that receive Notices of Allowance out of all disposed applications. TC 3700’s overall allowance rate is 72%, which is nearly equal to the USPTO’s average allowance rate. 

 

Want even more details?

 
.

More from Juristat:

The Top Firms in TC 3700

3 Tips for Overcoming an Alice Rejection

The Art Units Where Examiners are Affirmed the Most (and Least)

The State of the RCE Backlog

611 N. 10th St., Ste. 400
St. Louis, Missouri 63101
© 2018 Datanalytics, Inc. All rights reserved.