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Examiner Robert E Fennema

TECH CENTER 2100 · 5 ART UNITS · 367 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 Robert E Fennema has allowed 189 of 367 decided applications (52%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

52% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2183 · 58%AU 2126 · 25%AU 2117 · 70%AU 2118 · 10%AU 2124 · 0%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Robert E Fennema maintains a public record of 369 total applications across five art units within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Of 367 decided applications, 189 were allowed, yielding an overall allowance rate of 51%. The examiner's record spans multiple art units (2117, 2118, 2124, 2126, 2183), with allowance rates ranging from 10% to 70% across these units. This range reflects variation in the examiner's decisions within TC 2100, though the pooled figure of 51% represents the aggregate outcome across all assigned work in this technology center.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

This pooled record aggregates the examiner's work across five distinct art units within TC 2100. The overall allowance rate of 51% describes past decisions on 367 disposed applications and is not a prediction of the outcome for any specific pending application. Variation across individual art units exists, as shown by the 10% to 70% range. Pooled figures measure historical performance; individual application outcomes depend on claim scope, prior art, and examiner reasoning in each case.

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 2183
257 APPS · 58% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines program control and execution.

58% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 72%
DISPOSITION150 / 107 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION27.1 moart unit avg 25 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY55.3 moart unit avg 40.1 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility36% · art unit 34%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)72%
§103 — Obviousness79% · art unit 79%
§112 — Written description & definiteness57%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW71%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW53%+18 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 73 decided applications with an interview and 184 without.

ART UNIT 2126
55 APPS · 25% ALLOWANCE

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

25% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION14 / 41 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION31.2 moart unit avg 29.4 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY43.4 moart unit avg 44.4 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility30% · art unit 53%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)77%
§103 — Obviousness93% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness49%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW59%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW11%+48 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 17 decided applications with an interview and 38 without.

ART UNIT 2117
35 APPS · 70% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines control or regulating systems.

70% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 74%
DISPOSITION23 / 10 / 2allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION24 moart unit avg 20.2 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY34.2 moart unit avg 33.2 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility50% · art unit 32%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)91%
§103 — Obviousness64% · art unit 77%
§112 — Written description & definiteness64%

Based on 35 applications — too small a sample to characterize the rejection mix reliably; shown for completeness.

ART UNIT 2118
21 APPS · 10% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA
10% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 73%
DISPOSITION2 / 19 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION24.7 moart unit avg 22.1 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY31.6 moart unit avg 36.4 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility46% · art unit 30%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)69%
§103 — Obviousness100% · art unit 82%
§112 — Written description & definiteness77%

Based on 21 applications — too small a sample to characterize the rejection mix reliably; shown for completeness.

ART UNIT 2124
1 APPS · 0% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

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

0% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 64%
DISPOSITION0 / 1 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION30.7 moart unit avg 28.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY77.6 moart unit avg 41.8 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility100% · art unit 61%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)100%
§103 — Obviousness100% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness100%

Based on 1 applications — too small a sample to characterize the rejection mix reliably; shown for completeness.

// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Robert E Fennema

  • What is Robert E Fennema's overall allowance rate?
    51% across 367 decided applications, pooled across all five art units in TC 2100.
  • How many art units does this examiner cover?
    Five art units (2117, 2118, 2124, 2126, 2183) within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security).
  • What is the range of allowance rates across his art units?
    Allowance rates range from 10% to 70% among the examiner's art units with substantial records.
  • What does the pooled record mean for my application?
    The 51% pooled allowance rate describes past decisions and is not a prediction of any specific application outcome. Individual results vary by art unit, claim language, and prior art.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Robert E Fennema 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: 369 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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