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In-Depth Analysis of U.S. Patent 12,174,106: Term, Family, and Expiration

Washington D.C. - As of April 26, 2026, a detailed analysis of United States Patent number 12,174,106, titled "Flow cytometer," reveals a standard patent term with a minor adjustment, a robust international patent family, and a projected expiration in mid-2034. The patent is assigned to Beckman Coulter, Inc.

U.S. Patent 12,174,106 was issued on December 24, 2024, from application number 17/645,727, which was filed on December 22, 2021. The patent claims priority to an earlier international application, PCT/US2013/043453, filed on May 30, 2013.

Patent Term and Projected Expiration

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) of 15 days to this patent. PTA is a mechanism to compensate for delays in the patent examination process caused by the USPTO.

The standard term for a U.S. utility patent is 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date. In this case, the controlling priority date is the filing of the PCT application on May 30, 2013. Therefore, the base expiration of the patent would be May 30, 2033. With the 15-day PTA, the projected expiration date of U.S. Patent 12,174,106 is June 14, 2034. This expiration is contingent upon the timely payment of all required maintenance fees.

Continuation and Divisional Applications

A thorough review of the prosecution history indicates that U.S. Patent 12,174,106 is part of a larger family of applications. It is a continuation of application Ser. No. 17/980,669, filed on November 4, 2022 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,703,443). This, in turn, is a continuation of other applications. There are no divisional applications directly from application number 17/645,727.

Related Patent Family

The invention protected by U.S. Patent 12,174,106 has a significant international footprint, with related patent applications and grants in numerous countries. This extensive patent family, stemming from the original PCT application, underscores the global commercial interest in the technology. Key jurisdictions where this invention is protected include Europe, Japan, and China, among others. The details of the entire patent family can be accessed through public patent databases.