Extensions

Continuity and Term Analysis for U.S. Patent 12,409,014

Analysis Date: May 8, 2026

This report details the prosecution history, continuity data, and projected expiration for U.S. Patent 12,409,014.

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1. Continuity Data

U.S. Patent 12,409,014, which issued from application U.S. 18/604,331, is a continuation of a chain of prior applications. This establishes a "patent family" where this patent can claim the benefit of earlier filing dates for commonly disclosed subject matter. The lineage is as follows:

• Application U.S. 18/604,331: (The application that became US 12,409,014) filed on March 13, 2024.
• Is a Continuation of U.S. 17/840,549: Filed on June 14, 2022. This application is now abandoned.
• Which is a Continuation of U.S. 15/962,261: Filed on April 25, 2018. This application is now abandoned.

The earliest non-provisional filing date in this chain is April 25, 2018, from application U.S. 15/962,261. This date is critical for determining the patent's 20-year term.

Divisional Applications:
A search of the USPTO database reveals no divisional applications have been filed claiming the benefit of this patent's application chain.

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2. Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) and Extensions (PTE)

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): There is no record of any Patent Term Adjustment granted for US 12,409,014. PTA is awarded to compensate for delays caused by the USPTO during the patent examination process. The absence of PTA indicates that the USPTO processed the application within the standard statutory timeframes.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): There is no record of any Patent Term Extension for this patent. PTE is typically granted to compensate for regulatory review delays (e.g., by the FDA) and is not applicable in this case.

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3. Related Patent Family Members

A search for international patent applications claiming priority to the initial U.S. filing (15/962,261) reveals the following related family members:

• WO 2019/209930 A1: A Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application published on October 31, 2019. This indicates the assignee, Lightforce Orthodontics Inc., sought international patent protection for this invention.
• EP 3784188 A1: A European patent application.
• CN 112184131 A: A Chinese patent application.
• JP 2021524357 A: A Japanese patent application.

The existence of these foreign counterparts demonstrates a broad international filing strategy for the technology.

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4. Projected Expiration Date

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

• Earliest Priority Date: April 25, 2018 (from U.S. application 15/962,261).
• Base Term: 20 years from the priority date.
• Calculation: April 25, 2018 + 20 years = April 25, 2038.
• Adjustments: As there are no PTA or PTE grants, no additional time is added to the term.

Therefore, the projected expiration date for U.S. Patent 12,409,014 is April 25, 2038.