Extensions

Term, Family, and Continuity Analysis for U.S. Patent 8,249,912

Washington, D.C. - An analysis of the prosecution history and bibliographic data for U.S. Patent 8,249,912 reveals a significant patent term adjustment due to delays at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent is a standalone invention with no direct family members or continuity applications.

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA)

U.S. Patent 8,249,912 was granted a substantial Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) of 1,173 days. This adjustment was granted to compensate for administrative delays by the USPTO during the patent's prosecution.

The standard term for a U.S. patent is 20 years from its earliest non-provisional filing date. For the '912 patent, this timeline is as follows:

• Filing Date: February 20, 2008
• Standard 20-Year Term End: February 20, 2028
• Patent Term Adjustment: + 1,173 days
• Projected Expiration Date: May 8, 2031

There is no record of any Patent Term Extension (PTE) under 35 U.S.C. § 156, which is typically associated with delays in regulatory review for products like pharmaceuticals and is not applicable here.

Continuity and Family Members

A review of the patent's continuity data indicates that it is an original, standalone application.

• Continuation or Divisional Applications: There are no continuation or divisional applications that claim priority to, or descend from, the application for the '912 patent (U.S. Application No. 12/070,747). Likewise, this application does not claim priority to any earlier-filed non-provisional applications.
• Related Family Members: U.S. Patent 8,249,912 has no direct foreign counterparts or related family members. The priority claim is limited to its own U.S. filing date. This means it was not filed as part of a broader international strategy via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or through individual foreign filings claiming priority to the U.S. application.

In summary, U.S. Patent 8,249,912 stands as a single, original invention with a significantly extended term due to prosecution delays at the USPTO. Its projected expiration date is May 8, 2031.