LYNCH·LLP
◈ FIND AN EXAMINER OR ART UNIT
◈ USPTO PATENT EXAMINER STATISTICS

Examiner Li B Zhen

TECH CENTER 2100 · 4 ART UNITS · 294 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION OCT 2025
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 4 ART UNITS

Examiner Li B Zhen has allowed 152 of 294 decided applications (52%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

52% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2194 · 61%AU 2121 · 9%AU 2197 · 33%AU 2126 · 63%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Examiner Li B Zhen maintains a public record spanning 4 art units within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Across 294 disposed applications, the examiner allowed 152, for an overall allowance rate of 52%. This rate reflects decided applications only—allowed and abandoned combined—and excludes pending matters. The allowance rate varies across the examiner's art units, ranging from 9% to 61%. The pooled figure aggregates work across multiple art units and describes the examiner's historical record without predicting outcomes in any individual application.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

A pooled record aggregates an examiner's statistics across multiple art units, creating an overall snapshot rather than unit-specific data. The allowance rate presented here—52% over 294 decided applications—is a historical summary and is not a prediction of any specific application's outcome. Variation across art units (9% to 61%) reflects differences in subject matter or application complexity within TC 2100. Pooled figures describe what has occurred; they do not indicate what will occur in any pending matter.

These are aggregate statistics from this examiner's past public record — not predictions about any specific application. The per-art-unit figures below show how the record varies across art units. Our approach to patent prosecution →

// BY ART UNIT

The record, art unit by art unit.

Each section benchmarks this examiner against that art unit's average. Figures are this examiner's own public record within the art unit; the overall rate above pools them.

◈ PRIMARY · ART UNIT 2194
231 APPS · 61% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines program control and execution.

61% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 69%
DISPOSITION140 / 91 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION36.7 moart unit avg 28 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY59.7 moart unit avg 43.9 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility0% · art unit 52%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)0%
§103 — Obviousness33% · art unit 79%
§112 — Written description & definiteness67%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW90%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW28%+62 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 121 decided applications with an interview and 110 without.

ART UNIT 2121
53 APPS · 9% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

9% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 57%
DISPOSITION4 / 42 / 7allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION34.2 moart unit avg 27 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY47.8 moart unit avg 39.9 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility73% · art unit 46%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)90%
§103 — Obviousness94% · art unit 86%
§112 — Written description & definiteness58%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW6%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW10%-4 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 17 decided applications with an interview and 29 without.

ART UNIT 2197
9 APPS · 33% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines program control and execution, and software engineering.

33% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 69%
DISPOSITION3 / 6 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION39.4 moart unit avg 26 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY100.2 moart unit avg 44.4 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility50% · art unit 54%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)50%
§103 — Obviousness100% · art unit 90%
§112 — Written description & definiteness0%

Based on 9 applications — too small a sample to characterize the rejection mix reliably; shown for completeness.

ART UNIT 2126
8 APPS · 63% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

63% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION5 / 3 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION31.1 moart unit avg 29.4 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY34.7 moart unit avg 44.4 mo
// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Li B Zhen

  • What is Examiner Li B Zhen's overall allowance rate?
    52%, based on 152 allowed applications out of 294 disposed (decided) applications. This is a historical figure and is not a prediction of any specific application.
  • How many art units does this examiner work in?
    4 art units: 2121, 2126, 2194, and 2197—all within TC 2100.
  • Does the allowance rate vary by art unit?
    Yes. The allowance rate ranges from 9% to 61% across the examiner's art units. The pooled rate of 52% is an aggregate across all four units.
  • What does 'disposed applications' mean?
    Disposed applications are those that have received a final decision—either allowed or abandoned. Pending applications are excluded from this count and from the allowance-rate calculation.
◈ RESPONDING TO AN OFFICE ACTION

Strategy, not paperwork. Talk to the attorney doing the work.

Lynch LLP represents applicants in patent prosecution before the USPTO. Book a consultation to discuss your matter with the attorney who would handle it.

Book a 30-minute consultation →
METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Li B Zhen has a public record within Technology Center 2100. Statistics are computed from publicly available USPTO records, refreshed on a recurring schedule. This page's data was last updated June 25, 2026. The overall allowance rate is total allowed divided by total decided applications (allowed plus abandoned) across all art units — not an average of the per-art-unit rates; pending applications are excluded. Figures are rounded for display. Pooled sample: 301 applications.

Lynch LLP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Examiner statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data.

These statistics describe past examiner behavior and do not predict the outcome of any particular application. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Where this page compares an examiner's allowance rate to an art-unit average, that comparison is a factual description of the public record, not a characterization of any individual examiner's conduct or competence.

This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by viewing it. Full disclaimers →

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING — Sean Lynch, Partner, Lynch LLP