Term ends no later than Nov 1, 2028 · Medium confidence
20-year base term ended Jan 31, 2025
In force on USPTO's status record and by its fee record. A terminal disclaimer on file may shorten this term, possibly to a date already past; its reference document is unresolved, so the date above is an upper bound and no earlier date is guessed.
Jan 31, 2005
Nov 1, 2028
Jan 12, 2010
This patent's term runs 1370 days past its 20-year base term on prosecution delay. A terminal disclaimer is on file with no resolved reference, so no cap is applied and none is guessed. All three maintenance fees are recorded paid; no more fees are due. Confidence: Medium. from the record
How we calculated this date
| Step | Input | Date after this step | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base term, 20 years from filing | Clock starts Jan 31, 2005, when this application, 11/048,630, was filed | Jan 31, 2025 | High confidence |
| Continuity chain | Every parent in the chain resolved | no change | High confidence |
| Patent term adjustment | +1370 days, USPTO patent term adjustment record | Nov 1, 2028 | High confidence |
| Terminal disclaimer cap | Disclaimer on file (approved), reference document not resolved | no cap applied, and none guessed | Medium confidence |
| Patent term extension | None on file | no change | High confidence |
| Fee events | 3 of 3 maintenance fees paid | In force | High confidence |
| Computed term end | The steps above, in order | no later than Nov 1, 2028 | Medium confidence |
This family
| US 7,646,906 | this patent no later than Nov 2028 | no later than Nov 2028 |
| Application 11/374,710 | Abandoned not computed | not computed |
Assignments
| Recorded | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2005 Reel 16613, frame 431 | Saidin, Zain K.; Xiong, Yalin; Glasser, Lance; Hess, Carl; Preil, Moshe E. | Kla-Tencor Technologies Corp. | Assignment of Assignor's Interest |
Sources
Google Patents · The patent document at USPTO · Assignment records at USPTO
USPTO account required: This application in Patent Center · USPTO's maintenance fee lookup
Maintenance fee events come from USPTO's own fee records. Its fee lookup asks for the patent number and the application number.
What's changing
A terminal disclaimer is on file (approved) and its reference document is not resolved. A disclaimer would cap the term earlier than Nov 1, 2028. We will not guess the cap.