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Examiner Van Hong Oberly

TECH CENTER 2100 · 3 ART UNITS · 676 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION JUN 2026
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 3 ART UNITS

Examiner Van Hong Oberly has allowed 516 of 676 decided applications (76%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

76% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2166 · 76%AU 2169 · 50%AU 2161 · 100%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Van Hong Oberly maintains a public record spanning three art units within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Across 676 disposed applications, the examiner allowed 516 and abandoned 160, yielding an allowance rate of 76%. The examiner's record covers art units 2161, 2166, and 2169. This pooled figure reflects outcomes across multiple distinct art units and does not represent performance within any single art unit. The record is a snapshot of past dispositions and is not a prediction for any specific pending application.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

A pooled record aggregates data across multiple art units, each addressing different subject matter within the technology center. The allowance rate presented here is the share of allowed and abandoned applications among all decided cases, calculated across all three art units combined. This aggregate figure describes historical outcomes and does not forecast the outcome of any particular application. Per-art-unit detail, where available separately, may vary from the pooled 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 2166
697 APPS · 76% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

76% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION514 / 159 / 24allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION19.8 moart unit avg 23.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY37.9 moart unit avg 45 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility25% · art unit 44%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)79%
§103 — Obviousness87% · art unit 81%
§112 — Written description & definiteness13%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

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

WITH INTERVIEW85%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW69%+16 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 293 decided applications with an interview and 380 without.

ART UNIT 2169
2 APPS · 50% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

50% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 47%
DISPOSITION1 / 1 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION27.8 moart unit avg 24.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY30.3 moart unit avg 40 mo
ART UNIT 2161
1 APPS · 100% ALLOWANCE · LIMITED DATA

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

100% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 62%
DISPOSITION1 / 0 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION2.1 moart unit avg 23.1 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY9.4 moart unit avg 39 mo
// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Van Hong Oberly

  • What is Van Hong Oberly's overall allowance rate?
    The examiner's allowance rate is 76%, based on 516 allowed and 160 abandoned applications among 676 total disposed applications across all assigned art units.
  • How many art units does this examiner cover?
    The examiner's record spans three art units: 2161, 2166, and 2169. This pooled record aggregates outcomes across all three.
  • Does the allowance rate apply to my specific art unit?
    This figure is pooled across three art units. Actual allowance rates may differ by individual art unit. Consult the per-art-unit section if available for more granular data.
  • Is this allowance rate a prediction for my application?
    No. This is a historical record of past dispositions and is not a prediction of any specific pending application's outcome.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Van Hong Oberly 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: 700 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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