Extensions

Analysis of U.S. Patent 10,129,627: A Deep Dive into its Term and Family

Washington D.C. - An in-depth analysis of United States Patent 10,129,627, titled "Wireless digital audio music system," reveals a complex prosecution history involving a long chain of continuation applications and a significant Patent Term Adjustment (PTA). This report details the patent's term adjustments, related applications, and its projected expiration date.

Issued on November 13, 2018, the patent is assigned to ONE-E-WAY Inc. The application for this patent (15/003,242) was filed on January 21, 2016. However, to determine its expiration, one must look back to its earliest priority date.

Patent Term and Adjustments

The standard 20-year term for a U.S. patent is calculated from the filing date of the earliest non-provisional application in its family. For patent 10,129,627, this date is December 21, 2001, the filing date of application number 10/027,391. This would typically place the expiration date at December 21, 2021.

However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a significant Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) of 683 days due to delays in the examination process. This adjustment extends the patent's life to compensate the patentee for time lost. The USPTO calculated 683 days of non-overlapping agency delay, with zero days of delay attributed to the applicant.

There are no recorded Patent Term Extensions (PTE), which are typically granted for patents covering products that undergo a lengthy regulatory review process, such as pharmaceuticals.

Continuation and Family Data

U.S. Patent 10,129,627 is a continuation of application 13/775,754, filed on February 25, 2013 (now patent 9,282,396). This is part of a long chain of continuing applications, with the original application being 10/027,391, filed on December 21, 2001. No divisional applications have been identified in the prosecution history.

The patent is part of an extended patent family that includes several other U.S. patents and patent applications, reflecting a long-term strategy to protect the core invention. Key members of this family include:

• US 7,412,294 B1
• US 7,684,885 B2
• US 7,865,258 B2
• US 8,131,391 B2
• US 9,107,000 B2
• US 9,282,396 B2
• US 10,468,047 B2 (a continuation of the patent in question)

Projected Expiration Date

The initial 20-year term from the earliest priority date of December 21, 2001, would end on December 21, 2021. Adding the 683-day Patent Term Adjustment to this date results in a projected expiration date of November 4, 2023.

It is crucial to note that the enforceability of a patent is contingent upon the timely payment of maintenance fees. As of today's date, the maintenance fees for patent 10,129,627 have been paid, and the patent is active. Failure to pay subsequent maintenance fees could lead to an earlier expiration. This analysis is based on the publicly available data and does not account for any potential terminal disclaimers that may not be readily apparent or any future legal challenges that could affect the patent's validity or term.