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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a forced applied part” on line 24 should be “the force applied part”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 15 and associated dependent claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1:
Lines 12-13 recites “a pressure signal”, but it is not clear if this is the same “pressure signals” recited in line 10; it is suggested that instances of “pressure signals” be amended to singular “pressure signal” for consistency;
Line 30 recites “the applied part”, but there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 15, recitation of a “second display circuit” makes it seem as if a first or primary display circuit is missing.
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.
Claims 1, 6, 8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tai et al. (CN 106037648 A – previously cited), hereinafter “Tai”, in view of Wegner et al. (US 20150320127 A1 –previously cited), hereinafter “Wegner”, Kacelenga et al (US 20170281012 A1), hereinafter “Kacelenga”, Shertukde et al. (US 20070055151 A1), hereinafter “Shertukde”, and “Reinbold”, WO 03063119.
Regarding claim 1, Tai teaches diaplasis detection apparatus (Figure 1), comprising: a glove body (Figure 2, glove body 1) capable of being worn on a hand of a force applying person (Paragraph 0002), wherein a plurality of positions on the glove body is provided with pressure sensors (Figure 2, flexible
pressure sensors 2-9) respectively, and the plurality of positions comprises positions on the glove body
corresponding to a position on a palm used to fix a force applied part (Figure 2, location of flexible
pressure sensors 7 and 8) and a position on the palm used to perform traction and diaplasis (Figure 2,
location of flexible pressure sensors 2-6) on the force applied part when the diaplasis is performed by
using the glove body; a data collection circuit (Figure 1, A/D converter 14) connected to each pressure sensor (Figure 1) and configured to collect a pressure signal detected by the corresponding pressure
sensor (Paragraph 0015); and a transmission circuit (Figure 1, A/D converter 14) configured to acquire the pressure signal and transmit the pressure signals to a processing apparatus (Figure 1, data processing module 15, Paragraphs 0015-0016); wherein the plurality of positions comprises the
positions on the glove body corresponding to a hypothenar position on a medial side of the palm (Figure 2, flexible pressure sensor 8), finger pulps of five fingers of the palm (Figure 2, flexible pressure sensors 2-6), a thenar position on the palm (Figure 2, flexible pressure sensor 7); wherein the pressure sensors of the hypothenar position on a medial side of the palm and finger pulp positions of five fingers of the palm are configured to perform detection on the position of palm used to fix a force applied part (Paragraph 0033 “surfaces of the five fingers are…used to measure pressure”, paragraph 0035 “flexible pressure sensor 8…is used to measure the pressure”), and the pressure sensors of the finger pulps positions of five fingers of the palm and the thenar position of the palm are configured to perform detection on the position of palm used to perform traction and diaplasis on the applied part (Paragraph 0033 “surfaces of the five fingers are…used to measure pressure”, paragraph 0034 “flexible pressure sensor 7 is used to measure the pressure”); wherein the finger pulp positions of the five fingers are each provided with one pressure sensor (Figure 2, flexible pressure sensors 2-6); wherein the data collection circuit (Figure 1, A/D convertor 14) is configured to acquire pressure signals detected by the pressure
sensors (Figure 1, flexible pressure sensors 2-9, Paragraph 0015) and the transmission circuit (Figure 1,
A/D convertor 14) is configured to acquire and transmit the pressure signal to the processing apparatus
(Figure 1, data processing module 15, Paragraphs 0046-0047). Tai teaches wherein a plurality of
positions on the glove body is provided with pressure sensors, but fails to teach wherein the plurality of
positions comprises a lateral position at a first joint of an index finger close to a thumb, a lateral position
at a second joint of the index finger close to the thumb, a position at the first joint of the index finger on
a palmar surface and a position at the second joint of the index finger on the palmar surface; wherein
the lateral position at the first joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the lateral position at the
second joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the position at the first joint of the index finger on
the palmar surface and the position at the second joint of the index finger on the palmar surface are
configured to perform detection on the position of palm used to perform traction and diaplasis on the
applied part; wherein the thenar region and the hypothenar region are each provided with two pressure
sensors, and the palmar surface at the first joint of the index finger, the lateral surface at the first joint
of the index finger, the palm-facing surface at the second joint of the index finger and the lateral surface
at the second joint of the index finger are each provided with one pressure sensor; wherein the data
collection circuit comprises a plurality of data collection channels, each of which are configured to
acquire the pressure signal detected by one corresponding pressure sensor; wherein the data collection
circuit comprises a data processing chip having GPIO ports, and each GPIO port corresponds to one data
collection channel; and wherein the data collection circuit collects the pressure signal on the pressure
sensor via the GPIO port of a multipath analogue-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuit, the ADC circuit of
each path collects the pressure signal of one pressure sensor, directly transmits the collected pressure
signal to a serial port via a DMA circuit, and then transmits the pressure signal to the transmission circuit
via the serial port. The examiner notes that while the device is presented as a massage device, one
skilled in the art would recognize that the glove body comprises pressure sensors in the fingers and palm
area and would thus allow for a user to perform traction and diaplasis on a patient for a closed fractured
reduction. Wegner teaches a pressure sensing glove (Figure 2, glove 200), wherein a plurality of positions on the glove body is provided with pressure sensors respectively (Figure 2, sections 210-256, Paragraph 0063), wherein the plurality of positions comprises a lateral position at a first joint of an index finger close to a thumb (Figure 1, side zone 167, Figure 2, section 256), a lateral position at a second joint of the index finger close to the thumb (Figure 1, side zone 165, Figure 2, section 254), a position at the first joint of the index finger on a palmar surface (Figure 1, front zone 166, Figure 2, section 256) and a position at the second joint of the index finger on the palmar surface (Figure 1, front zone 164, Figure 2, section 254); wherein the lateral position at the first joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the
lateral position at the second joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the position at the first joint of
the index finger on the palmar surface and the position at the second joint of the index finger on the
palmar surface are configured to perform detection their respective position of palm (Paragraph 0063);
wherein the thenar region and the hypothenar region are each provided with two pressure sensors
(Modified Figure 2, sensors 1-4), and the palmar surface at the first joint of the index finger, the lateral
surface at the first joint of the index finger, the palm-facing surface at the second joint of the index
finger and the lateral surface at the second joint of the index finger are each provided with one pressure
sensor (Modified Figure 2, sensors 5-8). Wegner also teaches that doing so would allow for measuring,
recording, and/or displaying of forces at their respective hand areas (Paragraph 0063). The examiner
notes that the art teaches that the entirety of the glove may be covered by the force sensing sensors
(Paragraphs 0058-0059 and 0063), thus one skilled in the art would be able to arbitrarily divide the glove
into the different locations/areas seen in Modified Figure 2 to satisfy the claim language. The examiner
also notes that one skilled in the art would recognize that the glove body comprises pressure sensors in the fingers and palm area and would thus allow for a user to perform pressure measurements in areas
of the palm used for traction and diaplasis on a patient.
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It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai to include wherein the plurality of positions comprises a lateral position at a first joint of an index finger close to a thumb, a lateral position at a second joint of the index finger close to the thumb, a position at the first joint of the index finger on a palmar surface and a position at the second joint of the index finger on the palmar surface; wherein the lateral position at the first joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the lateral position at the second joint of the index finger close to the thumb, the position at the first joint of the index finger on the palmar surface and the position at the second joint of the index finger on the palmar surface are configured to perform detection on the position of palm used to perform traction and diaplasis on the applied part; wherein the thenar region and the hypothenar region are each provided with two pressure sensors, and the palmar surface at the first joint of the index finger, the lateral surface at the first joint of the index finger, the palm-facing surface at the second joint of the index finger and the lateral surface at the second joint of the index finger are each provided with one pressure sensor as taught by Wegner in order to allow for measuring, recording, and/or displaying of forces at their respective hand areas (Wegner, Paragraph 0063).
Tai and Wegner fail to teach the data collection circuit comprises a plurality of data collection
channels, each of which are configured to acquire the pressure signal detected by one corresponding
pressure sensor; wherein the data collection circuit comprises a data processing chip having GPIO ports,
and each GPIO port corresponds to one data collection channel; and wherein the data collection circuit
collects the pressure signal on the pressure sensor via the GPIO port of a multipath analogue-to-digital
conversion (ADC) circuit, the ADC circuit of each path collects the pressure signal of one pressure sensor,
directly transmits the collected pressure signal to a serial port via a DMA circuit, and then transmits the
pressure signal to the transmission circuit via the serial port.
Kacelenga teaches a data collection device (Figure 1, apparatus 100) comprising a data collection circuit (Figure 1, processing block 120), wherein the data collection circuit comprises a data processing chip having GPIO ports (Paragraph 0030 “system-on-a-chip”, Paragraph 0035 “general purpose input/output”, Figure 1, IO), each GPIO port corresponds to one data collection channel (Figure
1, IO is shown having only one input); wherein the data collection circuit collects pressure signals (Figure
1, touch sensors 170, Paragraph 0038) via the GPIO port of a ADC circuit (Paragraph 0039 teaches an AD convertor may be included for provision of sensor readings), and directly transmits the collected pressure signal to a serial port via a DMA circuit (Figure 1, DMA 162, Paragraph 0035 lines 19-22). Kacelenga also teaches that including such a data collection circuit would help facilitate recording and processing of sensor readings (Paragraph 0032).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified by Wegner, to include wherein the data collection circuit comprises a data processing chip having GPIO ports, each GPIO port corresponds to one data collection channel; wherein the data collection circuit collects pressure signals via the GPIO port of a ADC circuit, and directly transmits the collected pressure signal to a serial port via a DMA circuit as taught by Kacelenga in order to help facilitate recording and processing of sensor readings (Kacelenga, Paragraph 0032).
Tai, Wegner and Kacelenga fail to teach the data collection circuit and the ADC circuit comprise
a plurality of data collection channels, each channel configured for collection of the pressure signal of
one pressure sensor; and transmitting the pressure signal to the transmission circuit via the serial port.
Shertukde teaches a data collection device (Figure 15A, device 1510) comprising a data collection circuit (Figures 15A-15B), wherein the data collection circuit comprises a multipath ADC circuit (Figure 15B, analog to digital convertor 1542 is shown with four input channels, Paragraph 0233 “AD 7864” is also known for having four inputs), and a DMA circuit (Figure 15C, DMA chip 1546) configured to transmit collected data to a transmission circuit (Figure 15C, DSP core 1518). Including such a component would provide the advantage of allowing data transfer without intervention from a processing unit, as is a known advantage to DMA circuits.
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified by Wegner and Kacelenga, to include wherein the data collection circuit and the ADC circuit comprise a plurality of data collection channels, each channel configured for collection of the pressure signal of one pressure sensor; and transmitting the pressure signal to the transmission circuit via the serial port as taught by Shertukdein in order to allow data transfer without intervention from a processing unit, as is a known advantage to DMA circuits.
Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga and Shertukdein fail to teach the pressure sensor is a piezoelectric thin film sensor. Reinbold discloses the pressure sensor is a piezoelectric thin film sensor, and each pressure sensor on the glove body corresponds to one force applied point, and the pressure sensors at different positions detect pressure signals at corresponding positions respectively [0031].
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified by Wegner, Kacelenga and Shertukde, to include the explicit teaching of piezoelectric thin film sensor for the pressure sensors, with the predictable result of each pressure sensor on the glove body corresponds to one force applied point in a process of closed fracture reduction, and the pressure sensors at different positions detect pressure signals at corresponding positions respectively. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to incorporate the teaching in order to have desirable properties for implementation of closed fracture reduction such as conformable to a glove, rugged, and flexible [Reinbold: 0032].
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches wherein the transmission circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D converter 14) comprises a Wi-Fi transmission circuit (Tai, Paragraphs 0016 and 0052 “wireless connection”).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a diaplasis data processing method for performing diaplasis data detection using the diaplasis detection apparatus (Tai, Figure 1) according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above), comprising: acquiring the pressure signal transmitted by the transmission circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D converter 14, Paragraphs 0045-0048); and acquiring pressure data at the plurality of position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9) when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1) in accordance with the pressure signal (Tai, Paragraphs 0045-0048); wherein one pressure sensor (Tai, Figure 2, flexible pressure sensors 2-9) corresponds to one position point (Tai, Figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a diaplasis data processing apparatus (Tai, Figure 1, data processing module 15) for performing diaplasis data detection by using the diaplasis detection apparatus (Tai, Figure 1) according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above). The examiner notes that one skilled in the art would recognize the data processing apparatus to comprise a signal acquisition circuit since the processing apparatus is configured to receive pressure signals from the transmission circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D converter 14, Paragraph 0046), as well as an analysis circuit since the processing apparatus is configured to perform comparative analysis (Tai, Paragraph 0048) on received pressure data of the plurality of position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9).
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tai in view of Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Gulick (US 20180192938 A1 – previously cited), hereinafter “Gulick”.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a diaplasis detection apparatus (Tai, Figure 1) comprising a data collection circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D converter 14) and a transmission circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D converter 14), but fails to teach a mounting housing separate from the glove body, and the data collection circuit and the transmission circuit fixed on the mounting housing.
Gulick teaches a pressure sensing glove (Figure 3, glove 20) configured to be used during a joint mobilization procedure (Abstract) as well as a housing (Figure 8, housing 100) that encloses a data collection circuit (Figure 6, microprocessor 66, Paragraph 0043) and a transmission circuit (Figure 6, microprocessor 66, Paragraph 0052) and is separate from the glove (Paragraph 0042). Gulick also teaches that including such a separate housing allows for the circuits to be removed during maintenance/laundering of the glove and avoid potential damage (Paragraph 0044).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Gulick by including a mounting housing separate from the glove body, and the data collection circuit and the transmission circuit fixed on the mounting housing. Doing so would allow the circuits to be removed during maintenance/laundering of the glove, thus avoiding potential damage (Gulick, Paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches wherein the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1) is provided with a plurality of sensors (Tai, Figure 2, flexible pressure sensors 2-9) and the data collection circuit (Tai, Figure 1, A/D convertor 14) is connected to each pressure sensor (Tai, Figure 1), but fails to teach wherein the number of glove bodies is two.
Gulick teaches a pressure sensing glove (Figure 3, glove 20) configured to be used during a joint mobilization procedure (Abstract), wherein the number of glove bodies provided can be two (Paragraph 0059). Gulick also teaches that doing so would help accommodate a user’s right and left hand (Paragraph 0059).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Gulick by including two glove bodies. Doing so would help accommodate a user’s right and left hand (Gulick, Paragraph 0059).
Claims 9 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tai in view of Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold as applied to claims 8 and 12 above, and further in view of Zeller (US 20190239800 A1 – previously cited), hereinafter “Zeller”.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches acquiring pressure data at the plurality of position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9, Paragraphs 0045-0048), but fails to teach establishing an association relationship between the pressure data and pre-stored user information and storing the pressure data and the association relationship. Zeller teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 3, glove 305) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 3, tactile sensors 301-303), a processing circuit (Figure 3, processor 304), and a storage circuit (Figure 3, memory 309); wherein the processor is configured to establish an association relationship between pressure data and pre-stored user information (Paragraph 0031, 0011, 0141) and the storage circuit is configured to store the pressure data and association relationship (Paragraph 0080). Zeller also teaches that doing so would allow the user to be informed of any relevant medical issues that the patient has (Paragraph 0033).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Zeller by including establishing an association relationship between the pressure data and pre-stored user information and storing the pressure data and the association relationship. Doing so would allow the user to be informed of any relevant medical issues that the patient has (Zeller, Paragraph 0033).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a processing method and circuit (Tai, Figure 1, data processing module 15) and a storage circuit (Tai, Figure 1, data storage module 17), but fails to teach wherein the processing circuit is configured to establish an association relationship between the pressure data and pre-stored issuer information and wherein the storage circuit is configured to store the pressure data and the association relationship. Zeller teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 3, glove 305) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 3, tactile sensors 301-303), a processing circuit (Figure 3, processor 304), and a storage circuit (Figure 3, memory 309); wherein the processor is configured to establish an association relationship between pressure data and pre-stored user information (Paragraph 0031, 0011, 0141) and the storage circuit is configured to store the pressure data and association relationship (Paragraph 0080). Zeller also teaches that doing so would allow the user to be informed of any relevant medical issues that the patient has (Paragraph 0033).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Zeller by including a processing circuit is configured to establish an association relationship between the pressure data and pre-stored issuer information and wherein the storage circuit is configured to store the pressure data and the association relationship. Doing so would allow the user to be informed of any relevant medical issues that the patient has (Zeller, Paragraph 0033).
Claims 10-11 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tai in view of Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold as applied to claims 8 and 12 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (US 20110302694 A1 – previously cited), hereinafter “Wang”.
Regarding claim 10 the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold fails to teach displaying a time-changing waveform of the pressure data at one of the position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9) when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1).
Wang teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 1, glove 102) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 1, flexible force sensor 104) and a data processing apparatus (Figure 1, display and control module 120, Paragraph 0112); wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a first display circuit configured to display a time changing waveform (Figure 2A, graph 122). Wang also teaches that doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Paragraph 0093).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Wang by including displaying a time- changing waveform of the pressure data at one of the position points when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body. Doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Wang, Paragraph 0093).
Regarding claim 11 the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold fails to teach displaying a magnitude relationship among the pressure data at the position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9) in a comparison manner when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1).
Wang teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 1, glove 102) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 1, flexible force sensor 104) and a data processing apparatus (Figure 1, display and control module 120, Paragraph 0112); wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a second display circuit configured to display a magnitude relationship (Figure 2A, graphical representation 200, Paragraph 0089) among the pressure data at the position points in a comparison manner (Paragraph 0089). Wang also teaches that doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Paragraph 0093).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Wang by including displaying a magnitude relationship among the pressure data at the position points in a comparison manner when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body. Doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Wang, Paragraph 0093).
Regarding claim 14 the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a display circuit (Tai, Figure 1, display module 18), but fails to teach wherein the display circuit is a first display circuit configured to display a time-changing waveform of the pressure data at one of the position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9) when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1).
Wang teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 1, glove 102) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 1, flexible force sensor 104) and a data processing apparatus (Figure 1, display and control module 120, Paragraph 0112); wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a first display circuit configured to display a time changing waveform (Figure 2A, graph 122). Wang also teaches that doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Paragraph 0093).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Wang by including a first display circuit configured to display a time-changing waveform of the pressure data at one of the position points when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body. Doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Wang, Paragraph 0093).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Tai, Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold teaches a display circuit (Figure 1, display module 18), but fails to teach a second display circuit configured to display a magnitude relationship among the pressure data at the position points (Tai, Figure 2, location of flexible pressure sensors 2-9) in a comparison manner when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body (Tai, Figure 2, glove body 1).
Wang teaches a medical pressure sensing glove (Figure 1, glove 102) comprising pressure sensors (Figure 1, flexible force sensor 104) and a data processing apparatus (Figure 1, display and control module 120, Paragraph 0112); wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a second display circuit configured to display a magnitude relationship (Figure 2A, graphical representation 200, Paragraph 0089) among the pressure data at the position points in a comparison manner (Paragraph 0089). Wang also teaches that doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Paragraph 0093).
It would have been prima facia obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the apparatus of Tai, as modified with Wegner, Kacelenga, Shertukde, and Reinbold hereinabove, to include the teachings of Wang by including a second display circuit configured to display a magnitude relationship among the pressure data at the position points in a comparison manner when the diaplasis is performed by using the glove body. Doing so would provide visual feedback to a user and facilitate ease of use and implementation (Wang, Paragraph 0093).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/15/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Wegner “…only mentions that the entirety of the glove may be covered by the force sensing sensors… silent on determining force applied points in a process of closed fracture reduction, not obvious… to provide sensors at the corresponding point force applied points”. Examiner disagrees and submits that Wegner [0063] discloses the force sensing may be components [i.e., plural sensors] with the regions of interest as depicted in modified figure 2 above. Furthermore, examiner submits that the plurality of positions is claimed with “comprising” which would not exclude Wegner from teaching additional points/regions that can cover “entirety of the glove”.
Applicant argues that Tai “…fails to disclose all the positions used in a process of closed fracture reduction”. Examiner submits that Wegner was cited to teach the claimed positions as discussed above.
Applicant appears to argue that Tai’s “massage gloves” or Wegner’s “work gloves” do not “correspond to force applied points in a process of closed fracture reduction”. Examiner submits that the claims are directed to an apparatus and that a recitation of the intended use [i.e., fracture reduction] 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. In the instant case, both Tai and Wegner are directed to force sensing gloves with the claimed structural components [i.e., pressure sensors located at particular points on a glove] that are capable of sensing the applied forces in closed fracture reduction.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Tse Chen whose telephone number is (571)272-3672. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7-3 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Moffat can be reached at 571-272-4390. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TSE W CHEN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3791