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Examiner Peter D Coughlan

TECH CENTER 2100 · 3 ART UNITS · 610 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION NOV 2023
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 3 ART UNITS

Examiner Peter D Coughlan has allowed 383 of 610 decided applications (63%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

63% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2129 · 56%AU 2122 · 77%AU 2121 · 53%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Peter D Coughlan maintains a public record across 3 art units in Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Over 610 disposed applications, the allowance rate stands at 63%, reflecting 383 allowed and 227 abandoned applications. The allowance rate ranges from 53% to 77% across these art units, indicating variation in outcomes depending on the specific art unit within TC 2100 handling an application. This pooled figure aggregates the examiner's work across multiple art units and describes historical outcomes only.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

A pooled record combines outcomes from multiple art units into a single aggregate allowance rate. This figure describes past dispositions and does not constitute a prediction of outcomes for any specific application. Variation across art units—shown by the range of 53% to 77%—reflects differences in subject matter and application complexity within TC 2100. Understanding which art unit handles a given application is necessary to contextualize the aggregate rate.

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 2129
284 APPS · 56% ALLOWANCE

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

56% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 65%
DISPOSITION160 / 124 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION28.6 moart unit avg 28.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY51.3 moart unit avg 42.3 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility65% · art unit 63%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)75%
§103 — Obviousness90% · art unit 75%
§112 — Written description & definiteness50%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW63%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW52%+11 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 116 decided applications with an interview and 168 without.

ART UNIT 2122
210 APPS · 77% ALLOWANCE

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

77% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 55%
DISPOSITION161 / 49 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION26.8 moart unit avg 27.2 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY43.8 moart unit avg 39.3 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility61% · art unit 55%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)59%
§103 — Obviousness90% · art unit 83%
§112 — Written description & definiteness31%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW81%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW75%+6 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 48 decided applications with an interview and 162 without.

ART UNIT 2121
116 APPS · 53% ALLOWANCE

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

53% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 57%
DISPOSITION62 / 54 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION29.2 moart unit avg 27 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY51.6 moart unit avg 39.9 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility77% · art unit 46%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)81%
§103 — Obviousness95% · art unit 86%
§112 — Written description & definiteness57%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW66%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW37%+29 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 65 decided applications with an interview and 51 without.

// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Peter D Coughlan

  • What is Peter D Coughlan's overall allowance rate?
    63%, calculated across 610 disposed applications (383 allowed, 227 abandoned) pooled from all art units.
  • How many art units does this examiner work in?
    3 art units (2121, 2122, 2129) within Technology Center 2100.
  • Does the allowance rate vary by art unit?
    Yes. The allowance rate ranges from 53% to 77% across the art units in which the examiner has a substantial record.
  • What does a 63% allowance rate mean for my application?
    It describes the examiner's historical record only and is not a prediction of the outcome of any specific application. Outcomes depend on the merits of the application and the specific art unit assigned.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Peter D Coughlan 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: 610 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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