Extensions

Analysis of Patent Term and Related Applications for U.S. Patent 11,991,234 B2

Date of Analysis: May 8, 2026

Based on a review of the provided patent text and publicly available information from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the following details the term, adjustments, and related application history for U.S. Patent 11,991,234 B2.

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) and Extensions (PTE):

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): The available documentation for US Patent 11,991,234 B2 does not indicate that any Patent Term Adjustment was granted. PTA is typically awarded to compensate for delays caused by the USPTO during the patent prosecution process. The absence of a noted adjustment suggests the patent was processed within the standard statutory timeframes.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): There is no indication of a Patent Term Extension for this patent. PTE is generally granted for patents related to products that undergo a lengthy regulatory review process, such as pharmaceuticals or medical devices, which is not the subject matter of this patent.

Continuity and Family Data:

U.S. Patent 11,991,234 B2 is part of a large patent family and claims the benefit of a long chain of continuation applications. This extensive history is crucial for determining its effective filing date and ultimate expiration.

• Direct Continuation: This patent is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/962,231 (now U.S. Patent No. 11,470,138).

• Chain of Priority: The '234 patent is the latest in a series of continuation applications that trace back to a priority date of April 30, 2004, through U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/566,831. The chain of non-provisional applications originating from this priority date includes:

  • Application Ser. No. 11/116,783, filed April 28, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,868,772)
  • Application Ser. No. 11/673,483, filed Feb. 9, 2007 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,818,444)
  • Application Ser. No. 12/906,940, filed Oct. 18, 2010 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,156)
  • Application Ser. No. 13/617,114, filed Sep. 14, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,612,624)
  • Application Ser. No. 14/106,051, filed Dec. 13, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,071,668)
  • Application Ser. No. 14/719,122, filed May 21, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,571,551)
  • Application Ser. No. 15/414,025, filed Jan. 24, 2017 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,998,516)
  • Application Ser. No. 16/004,056, filed Jun. 8, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,659,513)
  • Application Ser. No. 16/876,579, filed May 18, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,470,138)
  • Application Ser. No. 17/962,231, filed Oct. 7, 2022

• Divisional Applications: The provided information does not indicate any divisional applications stemming from this patent's direct parent or within this specific line of continuation.

Projected Expiration Date:

The term of a U.S. patent is typically 20 years from the filing date of the earliest non-provisional application to which it claims priority.

1. Earliest Non-Provisional Filing Date: The authoritative patent text establishes that the chain of priority for US 11,991,234 B2 extends back to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,783, which was filed on April 28, 2005.

2. Calculation: Adding 20 years to this earliest non-provisional filing date:

   • April 28, 2005 + 20 years = April 28, 2025

3. Conclusion: As there are no apparent Patent Term Adjustments or Extensions, the projected expiration date for U.S. Patent 11,991,234 B2 is April 28, 2025. The "Anticipated expiration" date of April 28, 2025, listed in the authoritative patent text is consistent with this calculation. The patent is therefore projected to expire in the near future, assuming all required maintenance fees are paid.