Lapsed Feb 26, 2025 on the fee record · Medium confidence
20-year base term ended Sep 30, 2023
Why Medium: A terminal disclaimer is on file (approved) with no resolved reference, so the term may end earlier.
Third maintenance fee unpaid; grace period ended.
Sep 30, 2003
Feb 26, 2025
Feb 26, 2013
Oct 11, 2025
Its term would have run to Oct 11, 2025: its 20-year base term plus 742 days of term adjustment for prosecution delay. A terminal disclaimer is on file with no resolved reference, so no cap is applied and none is guessed. 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 Sep 30, 2003, when application PCT/NZ2003/000220, the earliest non-provisional in its chain, was filed (this one was filed Apr 28, 2006) | Sep 30, 2023 | High confidence |
| Continuity chain | Every parent in the chain resolved | no change | High confidence |
| Patent term adjustment | +742 days, USPTO patent term adjustment record | Oct 11, 2025 | 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 | 2 of 3 maintenance fees paid | lapsed Feb 26, 2025 | High confidence |
| Computed term end | The steps above, in order | Feb 26, 2025 | Medium confidence |
This family
| US 6,612,451 | Lapsed on the fee record Sep 2015 | Sep 2015 |
| US 7,077,279 | Term ended Aug 2021 | Aug 2021 |
| Application 10/444,616 | Abandoned not computed | not computed |
| Application PCT/US2004/016405 | PCT application no patent term | no patent term |
| US 7,543,713 | Term ended Sep 2023 | Sep 2023 |
| Application PCT/US2004/024581 | PCT application no patent term | no patent term |
| US 8,152,010 | Lapsed on the fee record Apr 2024 | Apr 2024 |
| US 8,381,940 | this patent Feb 2025 | Feb 2025 |
Assignments
| Recorded | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2006 Reel 18112, frame 943 | Melrose, David; Kelley, Paul; Denner, John | CO2 Pac Limited | 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 Feb 26, 2025. We will not guess the cap.