2DETAILED 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 28 May 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mou et al. (US 2019/0056125).
Regarding claim 1, Regarding claim 1, the reference Mou et al. discloses a gas evacuation device (100) for filtering a gas, comprising:
a housing (101) connected with a space boundary (i.e., a space boundary defined outside of the housing element 101, see Fig. 1);
a gas channel located in the housing and comprising a gas-channel inlet (1011) and a gas-channel outlet (1012), wherein the gas-channel inlet (1011) and the gas-channel outlet (1012) are formed on the housing and are respectively located in a first space and a second space, and the first space and the second space are located outside the housing (101) and separated by the space boundary (see paras. [0017]-[0019]; [0024]; Figs. 1-2);
a gas detection main body (12) disposed in the gas channel adjacent to the gas-channel inlet for detecting the gas introduced through the gas-channel inlet (1011) and generating detection data;
a gas guider (13) disposed adjacent to the gas-channel outlet for guiding and transporting the gas from the gas-channel inlet to the gas-channel outlet and from the first space to the second space (see paras. [0017]-[0019]; [0024]; Figs. 1-2); and
a driving controller (11) disposed in the gas channel adjacent to the gas guider for controlling enablement and disablement of the gas detection main body and the gas guider (see paras. [0017]-[0019]; [0024]; Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 2, the reference Mou et al. discloses that the gas evacuation device (100) further comprises a purification unit (2) disposed in the gas channel for filtering the gas passing through the gas channel (see para. [0017]; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, the reference Mou et al. discloses the gas evacuation device, wherein the purification unit (2) is a high efficiency particulate air filter screen (see para. [0023]; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, as no structural distinction is seen between the purification unit (2) of Mou et al. and the purification unit of the instantly claimed device, the purification unit (2) of Mou et al. is considered capable of performing the function recited in claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, the reference Mou et al. discloses the gas evacuation device, wherein the driving controller further comprises: at least one wireless multiplexing communication module (14) including a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, a radio frequency identification module, or a near field communication module (see paras. [0022]; [0024]-[0025]; Fig. 2); a processing and computing system (11) for processing and computing the detection data received by the wireless multiplexing communication module, so as to automatically adjust the setting values of an exported airflow rate of the gas guider (see paras. [0024]-[0025]; Fig. 2); a wired control module for providing control signals to the purification unit, the gas guider and the gas detection main body (see paras. [0024]-[0025]; Fig. 2); and an external transmission module (14) for executing a communication transmission with an external device via the wireless multiplexing communication module(see para. [0026]; Fig. 2). Thus, the driving controller of Mou et al. is considered capable of performing all the functions recited in claim 16.
Regarding claim 17, the reference Mou et al. discloses the gas evacuation device, wherein the detection data is one selected from the group consisting of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, total volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, bacteria, virus, temperature, humidity and a combination thereof (see paras. [0020]-[0021]).
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.
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, 2, 4, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Mou et al. (US 2021/0188050), hereinafter, US ‘050.
The applied reference has a common applicant with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
Regarding claim 1, the reference US ‘050 discloses a gas evacuation device (1) for filtering a gas, comprising:
a housing (1) connected with a pace boundary (i.e., a space boundary defined outside of the housing element 1, see Figs. 2A-E);
a gas channel (13) located in the housing (1) and comprising a gas-channel inlet (11) and a gas-channel outlet (12), wherein the gas-channel inlet (11) and the gas-channel outlet are formed on the housing (1) and are respectively located in a first space and a second space, and the first space and the second space are located outside the housing and separated by the space boundary (see para. [0038]; Figs. 2A-E);
a gas detection main body (4) disposed in the gas channel (13) for detecting the gas introduced through the gas-channel inlet (11) and generating detection data (see para. [0037; Figs. 2A-E);
a gas guider (3) disposed adjacent to the gas-channel outlet (12) for guiding and transporting the gas from the gas-channel inlet (11) to the gas-channel outlet (12) and from the first space to the second space; and
a driving controller (4c) disposed in the gas channel (13) adjacent the gas guider (3) for controlling enablement and disablement of the gas detection main body and the gas guider (see Abstract; paras. [0007]; [0038]; [0050]; Figs. 2A-E; Fig. 13).
The reference US ‘050, however, does not specifically specify wherein the gas detection main body (4) is disposed in the gas channel (13) adjacent to the gas-channel inlet (11). However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the gas detection main body (4) of the reference US ‘050 in the gas channel (13) adjacent to the gas-channel inlet (11) in application where it is desired to detect the quality of ambient air drawn into the gas channel (13) prior to filtering the air, since the reference US ‘050 teaches that the gas detection main body (4) can be disposed in the gas channel (13) to detect gas drawn into the device (1) to obtain gas detection data (see Abstract; paras. [0005]-[0007]).
Regarding claim 2, the reference US ‘050 discloses that the gas evacuation device (1) further comprises a purification unit (2) disposed in the gas channel (13) for filtering the gas passing through the gas channel (see Abstract; paras. [0007]; [0039]; Fig. 2A).
Regarding claim 4, the reference US ‘050 discloses the gas evacuation device (1), wherein the purification unit (2) is a high efficiency particulate air filter screen (see para. [0039]1).
Regarding claim 15, as no structural distinction is seen between the purification unit (2) of US ‘050 and the purification unit of the instantly claimed device, the purification unit (2) of US ‘050. is considered capable of performing the function recited in claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, the reference US ‘050 discloses the gas evacuation device (1), wherein the driving controller further comprises: at least one wireless multiplexing communication module (14) including a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, a radio frequency identification module, or a near field communication module (see paras. [0050]; Fig. 13); a processing and computing system (4c) for processing and computing the detection data received by the wireless multiplexing communication module, so as to automatically adjust the setting values of an exported airflow rate of the gas guider (see para. [0050]; Fig. 13); a wired control module for providing control signals to the purification unit, the gas guider and the gas detection main body (see paras. [0040]-[0044]; Fig. 13); and an external transmission module (4d) for executing a communication transmission with an external device via the wireless multiplexing communication module (see para. [0050]; Fig. 13). Thus, the driving controller of US ‘050 is considered capable of performing all the functions recited in claim 16.
Regarding claim 17, the reference US ‘050 discloses the gas evacuation device, wherein the detection data is one selected from the group consisting of PM2.5, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, total volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, bacteria, virus and a combination thereof (see paras. [0053]; [0064]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 28 May 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues the device as defined in claim 1 and shown in Fig. 1A, has a configuration which defines three distinct spaces, i.e., the first space A and the second space B which are located outside the housing and a third space which is inside the housing. Whereas the device disclosed in each of the cited references Mou et al. and US ‘’050 lacks these three district spaces required by the instantly claimed invention (see Remarks, pages 2-6).
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The broadest reasonable interpretation of the term “a space boundary,” in view the original written description of the invention and the drawings, is merely a spatial boundary which separates two spatially distinct regions or spaces from each other as illustrated in Figs. 1A and 1B.
Thus, with respect to the reference Mou et al., the instantly claimed gas evacuation device as defined in amended claim 1 clearly reads on the device 100 described and illustrated in Fig. 1 of the reference Mou et al. For ease of comparison, Figure 1 of the reference Mou et al. is reproduced below with added annotations showing how the device 100 taught by Mou et al. reads on the device recited in amended claim 1. That is, the device illustrated in Fig. 1 of the reference Mou et al. defines three distinct spaces, i.e., the first space A and the second space B which are located outside the housing 101 and a third space which is inside the housing 101.
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With respect to the reference US ‘050, the device illustrated in Figure 2A of the reference ‘US 050, which is reproduced below with added annotations, similarly provides three distinct spaces as required by the instantly claimed device, i.e., the first space A and the second space B which are located outside the housing 1 and a third space which is inside the housing 1.
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lessanework T Seifu whose telephone number is (571)270-3153. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9:00 am - 6:30 pm; F 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Claire Wang can be reached at 571-270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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