It took 4 years for me to get any communication from the USPTO after I filed. I had a patent lawyer prepare the application and transmit it electronically. There was a confirmation code of receipt and that was it. Nothing for 4 years and then an office action saying no. Ok, fine. One of the reasons offered was that there was a Chinese patent for something similar, owned by Bytedance. I read their patent and it is a huge word salad of a vast array of concepts, with very little application. When it comes to technology, I believe the whole America patent system is dominated by corporations and foreign players. Despite the new marketing of USPTO there is no way an independent inventor has a chance in this system.