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Examiner Linh Black

TECH CENTER 2100 · 5 ART UNITS · 630 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION MAY 2026
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 5 ART UNITS

Examiner Linh Black has allowed 358 of 630 decided applications (57%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

57% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2163 · 57%AU 2159 · 52%AU 2167 · 58%AU 2177 · 88%AU 2169 · 53%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Examiner Linh Black maintains a public record across 5 art units within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Over 630 disposed applications, the examiner's allowance rate is 57%. This figure represents applications allowed as a percentage of all decided cases (allowed plus abandoned), excluding pending matters. The allowance rate across the examiner's art units ranges from 52% to 88%, reflecting variation in outcomes by individual art unit. The examiner has worked 671 total applications, of which 358 were allowed and 272 were abandoned.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

This pooled record aggregates outcomes across multiple art units in TC 2100, presenting an overall historical allowance rate rather than a prediction for any individual application. The 57% figure describes past dispositions and does not indicate the outcome of any pending or future case. The range (52% to 88%) demonstrates that allowance rates vary by art unit; applicants may review the separate, detailed per-art-unit breakdown to identify the specific unit handling their application and its corresponding record.

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 2163
365 APPS · 57% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

57% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 64%
DISPOSITION184 / 140 / 41allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION23.9 moart unit avg 23.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY59.7 moart unit avg 40.3 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility57% · art unit 51%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)96%
§103 — Obviousness96% · art unit 78%
§112 — Written description & definiteness36%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW56%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW58%-2 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 168 decided applications with an interview and 156 without.

ART UNIT 2159
213 APPS · 52% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

52% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION111 / 102 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION26.1 moart unit avg 22.9 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY58.1 moart unit avg 45.1 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility43% · art unit 55%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)58%
§103 — Obviousness88% · art unit 82%
§112 — Written description & definiteness26%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW66%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW47%+19 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 61 decided applications with an interview and 152 without.

ART UNIT 2167
40 APPS · 58% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

58% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 67%
DISPOSITION23 / 17 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION28.3 moart unit avg 24.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY45.2 moart unit avg 41.2 mo
ART UNIT 2177
34 APPS · 88% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA
88% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 55%
DISPOSITION30 / 4 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION23.3 moart unit avg 22.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY41.4 moart unit avg 40.7 mo
ART UNIT 2169
19 APPS · 53% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

53% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 47%
DISPOSITION10 / 9 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION25 moart unit avg 24.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY46.4 moart unit avg 40 mo
// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Linh Black

  • What is Examiner Linh Black's overall allowance rate?
    57% across 630 disposed applications pooled from all art units in TC 2100. This reflects the percentage of decided cases (allowed plus abandoned) that resulted in allowance, and is not a prediction for any specific application.
  • How many art units does this examiner work?
    5 art units (2159, 2163, 2167, 2169, 2177) within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security).
  • What is the range of allowance rates across the examiner's art units?
    52% to 88%. Allowance rates vary by individual art unit; consult the per-art-unit detail section to identify the rate specific to the art unit assigned to your application.
  • What do these pooled statistics mean for my application?
    These figures describe the examiner's historical record across multiple art units and are correlational, not predictive. Each application is distinct. The per-art-unit breakdown provides more granular information for the specific art unit examining your matter.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Linh Black 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: 671 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 →

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