Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 08/22/2025 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-12, 14-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mehregany (US 20160103085 A1)
Mehregany discloses:
1. A smart medication blister pack (figs 1-7) comprising: a plurality of cavities configured to / to store one or more tablets (116 capable of performing the above intended use); a cover to cover the plurality of cavities (Exterior surfaces of device as in figs 1, 3, 4, such as surface adjacent 104); at least one of a circuit printed on the cover and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (paragraph 13, 9 with circuits and RFID); a reminder module configured to / to provide a reminder to a user when at least one cavity of the plurality of cavities breaks (paragraph 60 such as providing dosage reminders); a receiving module configured to / to receive one or more instructions about the medication from an authorized person (paragraph 60 such as with dosage and expiration date); a self-programming module configured to / to arrange the one or more instructions based on one or more events wherein the one or more event comprising at least one of a change in time zone or a breaking of at least one of the plurality of cavity or a time at which the cavity breaks (paragraph 60 such as with signal processing and computation, capable of performing the above intended use); and a communication module configured to / to communicate with one or more computing devices based on the one or more instructions received from the self-programming module (such as in paragraph 60 such as via communications link, capable of performing the above intended use). The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to” or “to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above.
2. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing devices comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a mobile phone application, a personal digital assistant, a smart watch, a fitness tracking device, a smart television, a tablet computer, a laptop, a computer, and a server (capable of performing the above intended use).
3. The smart medication blister pack of claim 2, wherein the user receives a reminder on an associated computing device that is in communication with the smart medication blister pack, wherein the reminder being a medication reminder (The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use).
4. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1, wherein the authorized person comprising at least one of a doctor, a patient, the user, a pharmacist, a manufacturer of the one or more tablets, and a caretaker (The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use, wherein the one or more instructions comprising at least one of a timing for taking the one or more tablets, a date of manufacturing of the one or more tablets, a batch information of the one or more tablets, an expiry information of the one or more tablets, manufacturer information, and dosage information (The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to” or “to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use.
5. The smart medication blister pack of claim 4 further comprising a chip configured to / to store the one or more instructions and information about the one or more tablets, a manufacturer of the medicine, dosage, diseases, side effects, usage, expiry date, manufacturing date, and batch information, wherein the communication module communicates the information with the one or more computing devices (such as with memory module in paragraph 60).
6. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1, wherein the reminder module further comprising at least one of an audio module for providing an audio reminder and a visual module for providing a visual reminder (such as in paragraph 60 with a/v).
7. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to send the cavity breakage information and information of the smart medication blister pack to a central server (The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use).
8. The smart medication blister pack of claim 7 further comprising an authentication module configured to / to check if the smart medication blister pack is authentic based on at least one of information of the blister pack and communication with the central server (such as in paragraph 77-79, capable of performing the above intended use).
9. The smart medication blister pack of claim 8, wherein the reminder module is configured to / to inform the user if at least one of the smart medication blister pack and the one or more tablets of the blister pack is authentic or not based on at least one of the communication with the central server and the information of the smart medication blister pack (such as in paragraph 77-79, capable of performing the above intended use).
10. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1 further comprising a battery configured to /to provide power to the circuit (paragraph 60, capable of performing the above intended use).
11. The smart medication blister pack of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed using a material comprising at least one of paper, plastic, laminate, metal, and any metallic foil (paragraph 55).
12. A smart medication blister pack (figs 1-7) comprising: a plurality of cavities configured to /to keep one or more tablets (116 capable of performing the above intended use); a cover (Exterior surfaces of device as in figs 1, 3, 4, such as surface adjacent 104); a circuit printed on the cover (paragraph 13, 9 with circuits and RFID); a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to store id information of at least one of medication or one or more tablets in the plurality of cavities (paragraph 13, 9 with circuits and RFID, capable of performing the above intended use); a reminder module comprising at least one of an audio module and a visual module for providing an audio reminder and a visual reminder, respectively to a user when at least one of the plurality of cavities breaks, wherein the user receives a reminder on an associated computing device that is in communication with the smart medication blister pack (paragraph 60 such as providing dosage reminders and a/v); a receiving module configured to /to receive one or more instructions about the medication from an authorized person (paragraph 60 such as with dosage and expiration date); a self-programming module configured to / to arrange the one or more instructions of the medication based on one or more events, wherein one or more events comprising at least one change in time zone or a breaking of at least one of the plurality of cavity or time at which the cavity breaks (paragraph 60 such as with signal processing and computation, capable of performing the above intended use); a communication module configured to /to communicate with one or more computing devices (such as in paragraph 60 such as via communications link, capable of performing the above intended use); and a chip for storing the one or more instructions and information about the one or more tablets, a manufacturer of the medicine, dosage, diseases, side effects, usage, expiry date, manufacturing date, and batch information, wherein the communication module communicates the information with the one or more computing devices (such as with memory module in paragraph 60). The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to” or “to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above.
14. The smart medication blister pack of claim 12, wherein the one or more computing devices comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a mobile phone application, a personal digital assistant, a smart watch, a fitness tracking device, a smart television, a tablet computer, a laptop, a computer, and a server (capable of performing the above intended use).
15. The smart medication blister pack of claim 12, wherein the authorized person comprising at least one of a doctor, a patient, the user, a pharmacist, a manufacturer of the medication, and a caretaker (capable of performing the above intended use).
16. The smart medication blister pack of claim 12, wherein the one or more instructions comprising at least one of a timing for taking the one or more tablets, a date of manufacturing of the one or more tablets, a batch information of the one or more tablets, an expiry information of the one or more tablets, manufacturer information, and dosage information (The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use).
17. A smart medication blister pack (figs 1-7) comprising: a plurality of cavities configured to keep one or more tablets (116 capable of performing the above intended use); a cover made up of a material comprising at least one of paper, plastic, laminate, metal, and any metallic foil a cover (Exterior surfaces of device as in figs 1, 3, 4; material in paragraph 55); a circuit printed on the cover (paragraph 13, 9 with circuits and RFID); a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to store id info of at least one of medication or one or more tablets in the cavities (paragraph 13, 9 with circuits and RFID, capable of performing the above intended use); a reminder module comprising at least one of an audio module and a visual module for providing an audio reminder and a visual reminder , respectively to a user when at least one of the plurality of cavities breaks, wherein the user receives a reminder on an associated computing device that is in communication with the smart medication blister pack (paragraph 60 such as providing dosage reminders with a/v); a receiving module configured to / to receive one or more instructions about the medication from an authorized person (paragraph 60 such as with dosage and expiration date, capable of performing the above intended use); a self-programming module configured to / to arrange the one or more instructions of the medication based on one or more events wherein the one or more events comprising at least of a change of time zone or breaking of at least one of the cavity or a time at which the cavity breaks (paragraph 60 such as with signal processing and computation, capable of performing the above intended use); a communication module configured to / to communicate with one or more computing devices such as in paragraph 60 such as via communications link, capable of performing the above intended use); a chip for storing the one or more instructions and information about the one or more tablets, a manufacturer of the medicine, dosage, diseases, side effects, usage, expiry date, manufacturing date, and batch information, wherein the communication module communicates the information with the one or more computing devices; and an authentication module configured to / to check if the smart medication blister pack is authentic based on at least one of information of the blister pack and communication with a server (such as with memory module in paragraph 60). The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to” or “to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above.
18. The smart medication blister pack of claim 17, wherein the reminder module is configured to / to inform the user if the blister pack is authentic or not based on the at least one of information of the smart medication blister pack and the communication with the server (The Office notes Applicant’s use of “configured to” or “to”. The prior art discloses modules that are capable of providing many functions including the above; capable of performing the above intended use).
19. The smart medication blister pack of claim 17 further comprising a battery configured to / to provide power to the circuit (paragraph 60 capable of performing the above intended use).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/22/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant states that the prior art does not disclose the intended uses of the claims. Applicant has amended the claims from configured language to “to” language. The prior art is still capable of performing the intended uses of the claims. A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. Applicant’s claims are not to a method of steps. The prior art discloses the same structure as provided by Applicant of which is capable of performing of all the same intended use provided by Applicant. Accordingly, Applicant/Appellant has not demonstrated error in the factual findings or reasoning set forth by the Office and the Office must maintain the rejections.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW D PERREAULT whose telephone number is (571)270-5427. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:00am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Stashick can be reached at (571)272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW D PERREAULT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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