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In-Depth Analysis of U.S. Patent 12168797: Term, Continuity, and Family Data

Washington D.C. - May 13, 2026 - A detailed analysis of United States Patent number 12168797, titled "Signal encoding and decoding in multiplexed biochemical assays," reveals a significant Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) and a clear line of continuity from an earlier application. This report outlines the patent's term, its relationship with other applications, and its projected expiration date.

Key Dates and Patent Term Adjustment (PTA)

U.S. Patent 12168797 was granted on December 17, 2024, with a filing date of July 13, 2023. The patent claims priority to an earlier application filed on February 3, 2012.

A notable aspect of this patent is the substantial Patent Term Adjustment. While a standard 20-year patent term from the earliest priority date would place the expiration in 2032, the anticipated expiration date for this patent is February 1, 2033. This indicates a significant adjustment granted by the USPTO to compensate for delays in the patent's prosecution. A precise breakdown of the PTA calculation is dependent on the detailed prosecution history available through the USPTO's official records. At present, publicly available data does not specify the exact number of days granted for each type of delay (A, B, or C delays).

There is no information to suggest that this patent has received any Patent Term Extension (PTE) under 35 U.S.C. § 156, which is typically granted for delays in regulatory review for products such as pharmaceuticals.

Continuity and Divisional Applications

U.S. Patent 12168797 is a continuation of application number 18/352,112, filed on July 13, 2023. This earlier application serves as the direct parent of the issued patent.

There is no evidence of any divisional applications stemming from either the parent application or the application leading to the patent itself.

Related Family Members

The patent is part of a small family of related applications. The key members identified are:

• U.S. Patent 12168797: The issued patent.
• U.S. Application Number 18/352,112: The direct parent application from which U.S. Patent 12168797 is a continuation.
• U.S. Application Number 18/893,086: This application is also related, with a priority claim to September 23, 2024. The exact nature of its relationship to U.S. Patent 12168797 and its parent application requires further analysis of the prosecution histories but it is part of the same patent family.

Projected Expiration Date

The projected expiration date for U.S. Patent 12168797 is February 1, 2033. This date is calculated based on the 20-year term from the earliest priority date of February 3, 2012, with the addition of the aforementioned Patent Term Adjustment. This expiration is contingent upon the timely payment of all required maintenance fees.

Summary of Key Information:

Category	Details
Patent Number	12168797
Grant Date	2024-12-17
Filing Date	2023-07-13
Priority Date	2012-02-03
Patent Term Adjustment (PTA)	Indicated by the projected expiration date, though the exact number of days is not publicly detailed.
Patent Term Extension (PTE)	No evidence of any PTE.
Continuation Application	This is a continuation of U.S. Application No. 18/352,112.
Divisional Applications	None identified.
Related Family Members	U.S. Application No. 18/352,112 (Parent) and U.S. Application No. 18/893,086.
Projected Expiration Date	2033-02-01 (Subject to timely payment of maintenance fees).