DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 23rd, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicant’s arguments, see Page 3, regarding Tazikawa not explicitly disclosing wherein the modular appliance including: a power reservoir” the examiner was not relying upon Tazikawa to disclose this as the examiner relied upon Gagnon-Turcotte to disclose the modular appliance comprising a power reservoir. Further, regarding applicant’s arguments, see Page 4, regarding that the attachment device and electronic apparatus of Tazikawa differ in design from the modular appliance and adapter as described in claim 1, the examiner respectfully disagrees. It appears the applicant has solely focused on the design of Tazikawa, rather than on what the combination of references would disclose. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Further applicant’s arguments, see Page 4, regarding Tazikawa’s battery will eventually run out of power and that the power reservoir described in claim 1 can be directly connected to a charger for recharging without requiring any additional action on the biological subject, however the use of a charger is not explicitly described in claim 1 and therefore this argument is not persuasive.
Therefore the applicant’s arguments are not found to be persuasive, claims 1-4 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Gangnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa, claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa further in view of Angotzi, claim 6 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa and Angotzi further in view of Zhou, claims 7 and 9-10 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa further in view of Badower, and claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa and Badower further in view of Lisogurski.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gagnon-Turcotte et al. (“A Wireless Headstage for Combiner Optogenetics and Multichannel Electrophysiological Recording” (see attached)) herein referred to as Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Tazikawa et al. (US 2016/0183874) herein referred to as Tazikawa.
Regarding claim 1, Gagnon-Turcotte discloses an electronic device set (optogenetic system, Page 1, Col. 2, Paragraph 2 (see attached)) , comprising:
a modular appliance including (headstage (seen as the modular appliance), Figure 1 (see attached)):
a power reservoir including a first electrode and a second electrode (lithium-ion battery, Page 3, Col. 2, Paragraph 2, see Figure 1 below, wherein the plus sign of the 3.7V battery is seen as the first electrode and the minus sign of the 3.7V battery is seen as the second electrode (see attached));
a processing device (embedded digital signal processor implemented inside a low-power Spartan-6 FPGA, Figure 1 (see attached))
including a first power supply terminal (first power supply terminal Vreg, see Figure 1 below), a second power supply terminal (second power supply terminal, Vaux, see Figure 1 below) and at least one first signal terminal (first signal terminal, Vsignal, see Figure 1 below (see attached)),
and the processing device is configured to perform data acquisition and electrical stimulation on a biological subject via the at least one first signal terminal (high-channel count wireless optogenetic device providing simultaneous optical stimulation and recording, Abstract (see attached));
and a connector including a plurality of contacts including the at least one first signal terminal (two Molex connectors connect the headstage to the implantable module, wherein the pins of the headstage are seen as a connector, Figure 1 circuit diagram (see attached)).
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However Gagnon-Turcotte does not explicitly disclose wherein the connector comprises a plurality of contacts coupled to the first electrode, the second electrode, the first power supply terminal, the second power supply terminal, the power reservoir is configured to selectively deliver necessary electrical power to the processing device according to a connectivity between the connector and the biological subject, nor wherein when the modular appliance is mounted on an adapter, the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively coupled to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal through a first connection path of the adapter and a second connection path of the adapter, and the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path, wherein the adapter is external to the modular appliance and attached to the biological subject, wherein when the modular appliance is detached from the adapter, the modular appliance is powered off.
Takizawa discloses wherein the connector comprises a plurality of contacts coupled to the first electrode, the second electrode, the first power supply terminal, the second power supply terminal and wherein when the modular appliance is mounted on an adapter (modular appliance 12 is mounted on the adapter 10, wherein modular appliance include a plurality of contacts for connecting the first electrode, the second electrode, the first power supply and the second power supply, Figures 1-3) the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively coupled to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal through a first connection path of the adapter and a second connection path of the adapter (first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b are coupled to the first power supply terminal 26a and second power supply terminal 26b through a connection path of the adapter (connections of the adapter are created through the contact of 22a and 22b to 26a and 26b respectively), Figure 3, Paragraph [0027]) and the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path (the battery includes electrode 26a and 26b that are electrically connected to the conductors 22a and 22b, respectively and supply power to the electronic apparatus 12, Paragraph [0031]), wherein the adapter is external to the modular appliance and attached to the biological subject (adapter 10 is external to the modular appliance and attached to the biological subject via attachment member 24, Paragraph [0029]-[0030]), wherein when the modular appliance is detached from the adapter, the modular appliance is powered off (power supply from battery 26 fixed to the attachment member 24 to a power supply circuit 28 included in the electronic apparatus 12, it is not necessary for the electronic apparatus to include a battery for driving the power supply circuit 28, (i.e., the device is only powered on when connected to the adapter 10), Paragraph [0036], Figures 1-4).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte to incorporate the teachings of Takizawa by including wherein the connector comprises a plurality of contacts coupled to the first electrode, the second electrode, the first power supply terminal, the second power supply terminal, the power reservoir is configured to selectively deliver necessary electrical power to the processing device according to a connectivity between the connector and the biological subject, wherein when the modular appliance is mounted on an adapter, the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively coupled to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal through a first connection path of the adapter and a second connection path of the adapter, and the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path, wherein the adapter is external to the modular appliance and attached to the biological subject. The motivation to do so being to ensure power is delivered to the electronic apparatus by connecting the electrodes of the power supply to the electrodes of the electronic apparatus (Takizawa, Paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 2, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa discloses the electronic device set of claim 1.
Gagnon-Turcotte further discloses wherein the device comprises: an adapter including (implantable module, Figure 10 (see attached)):
a connector for coupling the adapter to the modular appliance (microelectrodes connector and LED connector couples the implantable module (seen as the adapter) to the headstage (seen as the modular appliance), Figure 10 (see attached)),
the connector of the adapter including a plurality of contacts including a first terminal, a second terminal, and at least one second signal terminal (microelectrodes connector comprises a first terminal, a second terminal, and at least one second signal terminal, Figure 7a (see attached), see modified Figure 10 below)
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a biological connection for coupling the adapter to the biological subject (8 microelectrodes (seen as the biological connection) implanted into the brain of the transgenic mouse, Figure 10 (see attached), Page 12, Col. 1, Paragraph 2, wherein the microelectrodes are coupled to the implantable module (seen as the adapter)),
the biological connection including at least one third signal terminal (animal ground is seen as the at least one third signal terminal, Figure 10 (see attached)),
wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the adapter through a mechanical mechanism (mechanical mechanism is the Molex microelectrode connector, Figure 1 (see attached)), the at least one first signal terminal is coupled to the at least one second signal terminal (second terminal is coupled to first terminal through the 32-channel connector of the implantable module, Figure 1 (see attached)),
and the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the biological subject through the biological connection and the connector of the adapter (the connector of the modular appliance (Molex microelectrode connector) is connected to the biological subject through the biological connection (8 microelectrodes) and the connector of the adapter (implantable module which connects to the modular appliance, Figure 1, (see attached), the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device (lithium ion battery supplies power to the processing device through the PMU, the PMU provides regulated supply voltage (seen as delivering necessary electrical power) to all building blocks including the processing device Spartan-6 FPGA, Figure 1, Page 3, Col. 1, Paragraph 1, Figure 1 (see attached)), and the power reservoir is integrated within a housing of the modular appliance and the connector of the modular applicant is an interface of the modular appliance (lithium-ion battery is located within the power management unit which is housed within the headstage (modular appliance), Figure 1, (see attached), wherein the connector (Molex microelectrode connector) is an interface of the modular appliance, Figure 1 (see attached)).
However Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Pinnell does not explicitly disclose wherein the biological connection includes the first connection path and the second connection path, the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path.
Takizawa discloses wherein the biological connection includes the first connection path and the second connection path (first and second connection paths shown by arrows between electrodes 22a/b and electrodes 26a/b, Figures 1-7) wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the adapter through a mechanical mechanism (mechanical mechanism is the physical connection of the adapter 10 to the modular appliance 12, Figures 1-7), the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path (first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b are coupled to the first power supply terminal 26a and second power supply terminal 26b through a connection path of the adapter (connections of the adapter are created through the contact of 22a and 22b to 26a and 26b respectively), Figure 3, Paragraph [0027]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte to incorporate the teachings of Takizawa by including wherein the biological connection includes the first connection path and the second connection path, the power reservoir is configured to deliver the necessary electrical power to the processing device through the first connection path and the second connection path. The motivation to do so being to ensure power is delivered to the electronic apparatus by connecting the electrodes of the power supply to the electrodes of the electronic apparatus (Takizawa, Paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 3, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa discloses the electronic device set of claim 1.
Gagnon-Turcotte further discloses wherein the power reservoir is a battery (power unit comprises a lithium-ion battery, Page 3, Col. 2, Paragraph 2, Figure 1 (see attached)).
Regarding claim 4, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa discloses the electronic device set of claim 2.
Gagnon-Turcotte further discloses wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the adapter (connector of the implantable module (seen as the adapter) connects to the connector of the headstage (seen as the modular appliance), Figure 7c (see attached)),
the modular appliance transmits a stimulus signal to the biological subject and performs data acquisition in response to the stimulus signal through the adaptor (the headstage (seen as the modular appliance) can stimulate optically using the 32 LEDs and can record from up to 32 microelectrodes of the implantable module (seen as the adapter), Figure 1 description (see attached)).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa further in view of Angotzi et al. (“A programmable closed-loop recording and stimulating wireless system for behaving small laboratory animals” (see attached)) herein referred to as Angotzi.
Regarding claim 5, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa discloses the electronic device set of claims 1.
However, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa does not explicitly disclose a charger, including: a first power supplier including a third electrode and a fourth electrode; and a connector for coupling the charger to the modular appliance, the connector of the charger including a plurality of contacts coupled to the third electrode and the fourth electrode respectively, wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the charger through a mechanical mechanism, the first electrode and the second electrode of the modular appliance is coupled to the third electrode and the fourth electrode of the charger respectively.
Angotzi discloses a charger (power management with USB battery charger, Figure 2a (see attached)), including:
a first power supplier including a third electrode and a fourth electrode (USB battery charger comprises connections including a third electrode and fourth electrode, Figure 2a (see attached));
and a connector for coupling the charger to the modular appliance (USB couples the charger to the modular appliance (seen as the headstage) at the battery connector, Figure 2a (see attached)),
the connector of the charger including a plurality of contacts coupled to the third electrode and the fourth electrode respectively (the connector connects to the USB of the charger which comprises a third and fourth electrode (seen as connections from the charger), Figure 2a (see attached)),
wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the charger through a mechanical mechanism (USB connection is seen as the mechanical mechanism of connecting the charger to the modular appliance (seen as the headstage), Figure 2a (see attached)),
the first electrode and the second electrode of the modular appliance is coupled to the third electrode and the fourth electrode of the charger respectively (red wire seen as the first electrode and black wire seen as the second electrode connects to the connector of the modular appliance and USB of the charger which comprises the third and fourth electrode connections, Figure 2a (see attached)).
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It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa to incorporate the teachings of Angotzi by including a charger connectable to the power supply of the modular appliance. The motivation to do so being to charge the battery of the headstage for continuous use (Angotzi, Page 3, Col. 2, Paragraph 3 (see attached)).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Angotzi further in view of Zhou et al. (“A suprachoroidal electrical retinal stimulator design for long-term animal experiments and in vivo assessment of its feasibility and biocompatibility in rabbits”) herein referred to as Zhou.
Regarding claim 6, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Angotzi discloses the device of claim 5.
However, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Angotzi does not explicitly disclose wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the charger, the first power supply terminal of the modular appliance is decoupled from the power reservoir and the first power supplier.
Zhou discloses wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the charger, the first power supply terminal of the modular appliance is decoupled from the power reservoir and the first power supplier (to separate the stimulation mode and battery charging mode, a switch circuit was positioned between the voltage regulator in the data/power receiver chip and the battery charge chip to control the recharging of the battery (seen as a switch for switching from data stimulation mode to battery charging mode), Figure 3, Page 4, Col. 1, Paragraph 2 (see attached)).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Angotzi to incorporate the teachings of Zhou by including a switch circuit to decouple the power supply from the modular appliance during charging. The motivation to do so being to separate the stimulation mode and battery charging mode to reduce the effect on the load value of the data/power receiving circuit and failure in data reception (Zhou, Page 4, Col. 1, Paragraph 2 (see attached)).
Claims 7 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa further in view of Badower et al. (US 20150282760) herein referred to as Badower.
Regarding claim 7, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa discloses the device of claim 1.
Gagnon-Turcotte does disclose wherein the device further comprising: a service station (wireless base station connected to a computer host, Figure 1 description (see attached).
However Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa does not explicitly disclose wherein the service station includes: a second power supplier including a fifth electrode and a sixth electrode; a processor including at least one fourth signal terminal, and a connector for coupling the service station to the modular appliance, the connector of the service station including a plurality of contacts coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal, wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station through a mechanical mechanism, the first power supply terminal, the second electrode, the at least one first signal terminal is coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal respectively.
Badower discloses the service station including: a second power supplier including a fifth electrode and a sixth electrode (USB type connector used for charging the battery, seen as the service station (computer) comprising a plus and minus terminal (seen as the fifth and sixth electrodes) for charging the battery through the USB type connector, Paragraph [0145] (see attached));
a processor including at least one fourth signal terminal (fourth signal terminal of USB connection connected to processing station or computer (seen as the computer being a processor), Paragraph [0145]), and a connector for coupling the service station to the modular appliance (third connector 816 of sensor module 102 (seen as modular appliance), Figure 8A, Paragraph [0145]),
the connector of the service station including a plurality of contacts coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal (third connector is of USB style, seen as having connections for each of the fifth electrode, sixth electrode, and fourth signal terminal),
wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station through a mechanical mechanism (connector 816 is a mechanical mechanism, Paragraph [0145]),
the first power supply terminal, the second electrode, the at least one first signal terminal is coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal respectively (sensor module comprises connector 816 which connects to circuit board 818 of the sensor module (wherein all components are electrically coupled to circuit board 818), Figure 8B, wherein when the USB type connector of the computer or processing station (seen as the service station) is connected to third connector 816, the first power supply terminal (the processor 822), the second electrode (the battery 824), and the first signal terminal (electrode 117) (see modified Figure 11A below) are coupled to the fifth electrode, sixth electrode and fourth signal terminal of the computer or processing station (seen as the service station) (see attached)).
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It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa to incorporate the teachings of Badower by including a service station comprising a second power supplier including a fifth electrode and a sixth electrode, a processor including at least one fourth signal terminal, the connector of the service station including a plurality of contacts coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal, wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station through a mechanical mechanism, the first power supply terminal, the second electrode, the at least one first signal terminal is coupled to the fifth electrode, the sixth electrode and the at least one fourth signal terminal respectively. The motivation to do so being to electrically connect a computer or processing station to the electronic circuitry of the processing unit for updating firmware and/or software and charging the battery of the device (Badower, Paragraph [0144-0145]) where this can be done wirelessly or wired.
Regarding claim 9, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower discloses the device of claim 7.
Gagnon-Turcotte discloses wherein the service station updates software or firmware of the processing device by using the processor (the FPGA (seen as the processor) is programmed automatically when the system powers up from an external non-volatile 16Mbyter FLASH memory (seen as wirelessly updating the software of the modular appliance (seen as the headstage comprising the FPGA processor), Page 3, Paragraph 1)
However, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa does not explicitly disclose when the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station, the service station updates software or firmware of the processing device by using the processor.
Badower discloses when the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station, the service station updates software or firmware of the processing device by using the processor (the third connector 816 of the processing unit 800 of the device may be connected to an outside computer or processing station (seen as a service station) and new software may be uploaded to the processing unit 800, Paragraph [0145]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa to incorporate the teachings of Badower by including a connector of the service station, that when the service station is connected to the modular appliance the service station updates software or firmware of the processing device by using the processor. The motivation to do so being to electrically connect a computer or processing station to the electronic circuitry of the processing unit for updating firmware and/or software and charging the battery of the device (Badower, Paragraph [0144-0145]).
Regarding claim 10, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower discloses the device of claim 7.
Gagnon-Turcotte discloses wherein the service station downloads data stored in the processing device to the service station by using the processor.
However, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Pinnell does not explicitly disclose wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station, the service station downloads data stored in the processing device to the service station by using the processor.
Badower discloses wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station, the service station downloads data stored in the processing device to the service station by using the processor (the processing unit may be easily plugged into a computer through the third connector 816 to download and/or analyze the data stored in the processing unit 800, Paragraph [0142]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa to incorporate the teachings of Badower by including a connector of the service station, that when the service station is connected to the modular appliance the service station downloads data stored in the processing device to the service station by using the processor. The motivation to do so being to download and/or analyze the data stored in the processing unit of the sensor module (Badower, Paragraph [0142]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower further in view of Lisogurski et al. (US Patent 9614337) herein referred to as Lisogurski.
Regarding claim 8, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower discloses the device of claim 7.
However, Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower does not explicitly disclose wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station, the service station calibrates the modular appliance by using the processor.
Lisogurski discloses wherein when the connector of the modular appliance is connected to the connector of the service station (connector 24 of sensor (seen as modular appliance) is connected to receptacle 26 (seen as the connector of the service station) of the monitor, Figure 2), the service station calibrates the modular appliance by using the processor (monitor 12 related to the sensor 14 to enable the microprocessor 76 to determine the appropriate calibration characteristics, wherein the monitor 12 (seen as the service station) may interact with the encoder 74 (seen as the processor of the modular appliance) to determine the orientation of the connector 16 relative to the receptacle 26 of the monitor 12, Col. 10, lines 54-61).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gagnon-Turcotte in view of Takizawa and Badower to incorporate the teachings of Lisogurski by including a connector for connecting the modular appliance to the connector of the service station that when connected allows for calibration of the modular appliance using the processor. The motivation to do so being to select appropriate calibration coefficients for determining the orientation of the connector relative to the receptacle of the monitor to further remap or adjust a function of electrical contacts of the connector based on the determined orientation of the connector (Lisogurski, Col. 1, lines 57-60, and Col. 10, lines 43-45).
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 Dana Stumpfoll whose telephone number is (703)756-4669. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 pm (CT), M-F.
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/D.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3794
/JOANNE M RODDEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3794