I just got off the phone with someone in the examining unit. What she told me is that while the patent office is waiting for the Patent Owner to respond (60 day wait) the status is 414
Once the patent owner responds OR the 60 days passes without a response, the status is supposed to change to 424 (which is basically the same status as if a response did come in). This new status puts the re-exam on the examiner's docket to issue an office action.
This particular person that I spoke with today said that sometimes the 414 status can remain for a very long period of time before somebody changes it. Perhaps my phone conversation with the Supervisor on 2/23 prompted the change in status from 414 to 424 on that same day. Whatever prompted the change, it apparently is a good thing and now may actually move things along.
Still no guess as to when that first office action will show up....with any luck perhaps very soon.
