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 10/02/2025, with respect to claims 1-6, 9-39, 41, 43, and 47-49 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding claim 47, the objection is withdrawn due to the amendments.
Regarding claim 39, the 112(b) rejection is withdrawn due to the amendments.
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, 2, 9, 11-12, 18-20, 23-25, 33-34, 37-39, 41, 44, and 49 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0208836 by Demers et al. (“Demers”) in view of US 2021/0195732 by Longinotti-Buitoni et al. (“Buitoni”).
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Regarding claim 1, Demers teaches a heated apparel system (Abstract, Fig. 4, electrified garment 100’) comprising: a first wearable article (Fig. 4, jacket 100’), the first wearable article comprising a heater (Para. [0003]: heating element 230) which provides heat when connected to an electrical power supply (Paras. [0003]-[0004]);
a second wearable article (Fig. 4, pants 310) electrically connected to the first wearable article (Para. [0071]: “a jacket 100′ adapted for connecting to a plurality of secondary electrified garments … is electrically connected to a pair of pants 310, a pair of gloves 350, and a pair of boots 320”), the second wearable article comprising an integrated electronic textile power bus (Para. [0062]-[0063]: “electrical system 200.” The electronic textile is interpreted according to specification p.16 line 26 – p.17 line 1 as an electrical component coupled to a fabric.) for delivering electrical power to the heater (Fig. 4 shows dotted lines representing the integrated electronic textile power bus electrically connecting each heated garment); and
a heater controller electrically connected to the heater (Para. [0063]: “electrical system 200 of the jacket 100 includes a power management unit (PMU) 225 for managing the distribution of power across the electrical system 200”) for controlling the electrical power delivered to the heater from the integrated electronic textile power bus so as to control the heat provided by the heater (Paras. [0063]-[0067]: “[a]ll components of the electrical system 200 connect to the PMU 225, such that the PMU 225 can control and manage power flow between the different components”).
Demers discloses electrical power bus connections integrated to the wearable articles but does not specifically provide enough details to disclose them “coupled to the fabric”.
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However, Buitoni teaches an analogous conductive garment system (Fig. 3, Abstract: “methods of forming garments having one or more stretchable conductive ink patterns and methods of making garments having one or more highly stretchable conductive ink pattern formed of a composite of an insulative adhesive, a conductive ink, and an intermediate gradient zone between the adhesive and conductive ink”) wherein the wearable articles comprise an integrated electronic textile power bus (Para. [0351]: “intelligent garment may include electronics and connections, sensors, touch points, optical fibers, actuators, and/or peripherals. Any such items may be located on an internal surface of the garment, an external surface of the garment, or may be contained (e.g. embedded or woven) within the garment”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the heated apparel system of Demers with the embedded electronics as taught by Buitoni. The teachings of Buitoni are specifically directed towards providing electronic wearable garments with “enhanced conductivity and stretchability … and used to form wearable electronics” (Para. [0005]).
Regarding claim 2, Demers further teaches wherein the first wearable article comprises at least one from the group consisting of a shirt, sweater, coat, pants, underwear, socks, hat, balaclava, scarf, neck warmer, gloves, mittens, compression sleeves, insoles, shoes and boots (Fig. 4 shows pants, boots, and gloves in addition to a jacket).
Regarding claim 9, Demers further teaches wherein the second wearable article comprises its own heater which is also connected to the heater controller (Fig. 4, heating element 312).
Regarding claim 11, Demers further teaches wherein the first wearable article is mechanically and electrically connected to the second wearable article by means of a connector (Fig. 4, para. [0073]: “jacket 100′ also includes a pants connector 292 for electrically connecting a heating element 312 of the pants 310 to the PMU 225”).
Regarding claim 12, Demers further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on the health of the electrical power supply (Fig. 6 flow chart illustrates method 500 of PMU 225 for power control based on the status or health of the power supply with various paths for how to distribute power, paras. [0078]-[0087] provide additional details “method 500 by which the power management unit 225 manages the distribution of power ).
Regarding claim 18, Demers further teaches wherein the heater controller (PMU 225) is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on the electrical power requirements for other devices connected to the electrical power supply (Para. [0068]: “jacket 100 also includes a USB outlet 240 for charging a cellphone … could be provided with multiple USB outlets 240, or with different types of electrical outlets or connection for providing power to electronic devices external to the jacket 100”).
Regarding claim 19, Demers further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on a user setting supplied to the heater controller (Para. [0069]).
Regarding claim 20, Demers further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater so as to maintain a level corresponding to the user setting regardless of power consumption (Figs. 6 and 7, para. [0085] : “the PMU 225 determines 536 if power is required, according to the setting indicated by the signal received 502, by the heating element 230 (and/or other electrical elements) surpasses power available from the electrical connection 210 alone … [i]n response to the PMU 225 detecting this power deficit, at least three option are available to the PMU 225”).
Regarding claim 23, Demers further teaches wherein the first wearable article does not carry the heater controller (Para. [0063]: “the PMU 225, or a portion thereof, could be located in the snowmobile 10 and the different components of the electrical system 200 could connect to the PMU 225 through an electrical connection to the snowmobile 10 from the jacket 100”).
Regarding claim 24, Demers further teaches the heated apparel system further comprising a third wearable article (Fig. 5, electrified helmet 370), wherein the heater controller is carried by the third wearable article (Para. [0077]: “the electrified helmet 370 could include a battery 220 and a PMU 225 that is connected directly to the vehicle at connection 210”).
Regarding claim 25, Demers further teaches wherein the third wearable article comprises at least one from the group consisting of a belt, a garment having a pocket (Para. [0066]: jacket pocket), harness, vest, clip, backpack, waist pack, field bag, pouch and satchel.
Regarding claim 33, Demers further teaches wherein the first wearable article and the second wearable article are connected to the heater controller using a hub and spoke power delivery scheme (Fig. 4 illustrates a “hub and spoke power delivery scheme” with PMU 225 acting as the “hub” and the various articles of clothing branching out from the PMU 225).
Regarding claim 34, Demers further teaches wherein the first wearable article and the second wearable article are connected to the heater controller using a daisy-chain/cascaded power delivery scheme (Para. [0074]: “the boots 320 could connect instead to the pants 310, where the heating elements 322 of the boots 320 would receive power via electrical connections in the pants 310” demonstrating that the heated apparel system can also be wired up in a “daisy-chain/cascaded power delivery scheme”).
Regarding claim 37, Demers teaches a method for warming a portion of the body of a user (Abstract), the method comprising: providing a heated apparel system comprising (Fig. 4, electrified garment 100’):
a first wearable article (Fig. 4, jacket 100), the first wearable article comprising a heater (heating element 230) which provides heat when connected to an electrical power supply (Para. [0065]);
a second wearable article (Fig. 4, pants 310) electrically connected to the first wearable article (Para. [0071]: “a jacket 100′ adapted for connecting to a plurality of secondary electrified garments … is electrically connected to a pair of pants 310, a pair of gloves 350, and a pair of boots 320”), the second wearable article comprising an integrated electronic textile power bus (Para. [0062]-[0063]: “electrical system 200”) for delivering electrical power to the heater (Fig. 4 shows dotted lines representing the integrated electronic textile power bus electrically connecting each heated garment); and
a heater controller electrically connected to the heater (Para. [0063]: “electrical system 200 of the jacket 100 includes a power management unit (PMU) 225 for managing the distribution of power across the electrical system 200”) and to the integrated electronic textile power bus for controlling the electrical power delivered to the heater from the integrated electronic textile power bus so as to control the heat provided by the heater (Paras. [0063]-[0067]: “[a]ll components of the electrical system 200 connect to the PMU 225, such that the PMU 225 can control and manage power flow between the different components”); and
using the heater controller to control the electrical power delivered to the heater so as to warm a portion of the body of the user (Paras. [0080]-[0081]).
Regarding claim 38, Demers teaches wherein the heater controller is wearable by the user (Para. [0063]: power management unit PMU 225 attached to a wearable article);
and further wherein the heater controller is configured to provide a desired constant power level (Paras. [0080]-[0095).
Regarding claim 39, Demers teaches a heated apparel system (Abstract) comprising:
a first wearable article (Fig. 4, jacket 100), the first wearable article comprising a heater (heating element 230) which provides heat when connected to an electrical power supply (battery 220);
a second wearable article electrically connected to the first wearable article, the second wearable article comprising a conformal battery for delivering electrical power to the heater(Para. [0066]: “battery 220 is sewn into a battery pocket 222 of the garment body 125”); and
a heater controller (Para. [0063]: “PMU 225 is affixed to the garment body 125”) electrically connected to the heater and to the conformal battery (Para. [0067]: “jacket 100 further includes a heating element 230 for providing heat to the jacket 100, connected to the PMU 225”) for controlling the electrical power delivered to the heater from the conformal battery so as to control the heat provided by the heater (Para. [0066]: “the battery 220 stores or provides power according to a distribution determined by the PMU 225”).
Regarding claim 41, Demers further teaches wherein the second wearable article comprises at least one from the group consisting of a belt, a garment having a pocket (battery pocket 222), harness, vest, clip, backpack, waist pack, field bag, pouch and satchel.
Regarding claim 47, Demers further teaches wherein the second wearable article comprises at least one from the group consisting of a shirt, sweater, coat, pants, underwear, socks, hat, balaclava, scarf, neck warmer, gloves, mittens, compression sleeves, insoles, chap pants and torso-less shirt (Fig. 4 shows pants, boots, and gloves in addition to a jacket).
Regarding claim 49, Demers teaches a heated apparel system (Abstract, Fig. 4, electrified garment 100’) comprising: at least two wearable articles (Fig. 4 shows multiple wearable articles), wherein at least one wearable article (Fig. 4, jacket 100) comprises at least one textile power bus (Fig. 4, electrical system 200 consisting of dotted lines showing power connections to the power management unit (PMU) 225) for delivering electrical power to a second wearable article (Fig. 4, pants 310), wherein the second wearable article comprises at least one textile heater element (Fig. 4, heating element 312), and further wherein the at least two wearable articles are connected via an electrical connector (Fig. 4, connector 292); and
a heater controller (PMU 225) electrically connected to the textile power bus for controlling the electrical power delivered to the at least one textile heater element so as to control the heat provided by the at least one textile heater element (Paras. [0063]-[0067]: “[a]ll components of the electrical system 200 connect to the PMU 225, such that the PMU 225 can control and manage power flow between the different components”). Demers discloses power connections and heater elements to be integrated to the wearable articles but does not provide enough detail to be considered “embedded”.
However, Buitoni teaches an analogous conductive garment system (Fig. 3) wherein the power connections are embedded in the textile (Para. [0351]: “intelligent garment may include electronics and connections, sensors, touch points, optical fibers, actuators, and/or peripherals. Any such items may be located on an internal surface of the garment, an external surface of the garment, or may be contained (e.g. embedded or woven) within the garment”) and wherein the heater elements are textile embedded heater elements (Fig. 1B, para. [0249]: “When a temperatures sensor senses a temperature drop below or above a particular (e.g. preset or chosen) level, a system sensor can (e.g. automatically) trigger a printed heat panel(s)”, para. [0371]: “ power traces can be designed in such a way so as to create a heat panel within the apparel. For example, when working in combination with a phase change material, a power traces can be used to regulate and hold a hot or cold environment within the apparel”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the heated apparel system of Demers with the embedded electronics as taught by Buitoni. The teachings of Buitoni are specifically directed towards providing electronic wearable garments with “enhanced conductivity and stretchability in which the conductive ink forms a partially-mixed gradient with an insulative and adhesive base that can be applied directly or transferred onto a compression fabric, and used to form wearable electronics” (Para. [0005]).
Claims 1, 3-6, 13-17, 19, 21-22, 26-27, 35-36, and 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2016/0135251 by Hopwood et al. (“Hopwood”) in view of US 2021/0195732 by Longinotti-Buitoni et al. (“Buitoni”).
Regarding claim 1, Hopwood teaches a heated apparel system (Abstract) comprising: a first wearable article (Fig. 1, electrically heated article 100), the first wearable article comprising a heater (Para. [0069]: heating element 110) which provides heat when connected to an electrical power supply (Para. [0069]: power supply 130);
a heater controller electrically connected to the heater (Para. [0071]: “control module 120 can be electrically coupled to the heating element 100 and the power supply 130”) for controlling the electrical power delivered to the heater from the integrated electronic textile power bus so as to control the heat provided by the heater (Para. [0071]: “control module 120 regulates the flow of current between the power supply 130 and the heating element 110”), Hopwood does not expressly disclose a second wearable article electrically connected to the first wearable article, the second wearable article comprising an integrated electronic textile power bus for delivering electrical power to the heater.
However, Buitoni teaches an analogous conductive garment system (Fig. 3) wherein a second wearable article electrically connected to the first wearable article, the second wearable article comprising an integrated electronic textile power bus (Para. [0369]: “a power and data distribution system (“PDDS”) … supply and/or route any power and/or data paths to operate the multitude of electronics and sensors used in conjunction with an intelligent apparel”) for delivering electrical power to the heater (Para. [0329]: “a flexible wearable garment system further comprises a second flexible wearable item (e.g. an accessory or garment) in electrical communication with the first flexible wearable item”, paras. [0369]-[0371]: “Within a power and data distribution system, an intelligent wear system may utilize a “power trace” … being a conduits for the flow of power and data transmissions … working in combination with a phase change material, a power traces can be used to regulate and hold a hot or cold environment within the apparel”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine into the heated apparel system of Hopwood with the power and data distribution system as taught by Buitoni. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include such a system in order to provide power to and incorporate additional garments into an electrically conductive system.
Regarding claim 3, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater comprises electrically-resistive material (Para. [0070]: “the process of resistive heating”).
Regarding claim 4, Hopwood further teaches wherein the electrically-resistive material comprises at least one from the group consisting of electrically-resistive wire, conductive textile, conductive ink, conductive polymer, a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) ink-based heater panel, liquid metal alloy and polymerized liquid metal network (Para [0070]: “the heating elements 110 can include resistive elements either partially or completely composed of metal … foil or wires” additionally “or positive temperature coefficient ceramic elements”).
Regarding claim 5, Hopwood further teaches wherein the electrically-resistive material is mounted to or incorporated into the first wearable article (Fig. 6B shows heat pad 110 incorporated into the textile article 100, para. [0119]).
Regarding claim 6, Hopwood further teaches wherein the first wearable article comprises fabric, and further wherein the electrically-resistive material is knit, embroidered, woven, laminated or printed into/onto the fabric (Para. [0123]: “each of the components of the textile article 100 … either embedded within the coat 810 or attached to the coat 810 … the heating element 110, the control module 120, and the power supply 130 can be sewn into the coat 810”).
Regarding claim 13, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to monitor the first wearable article and to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on such monitoring (Para. [0072]: “control module 120 can also regulate the current in accordance with one or more other factors … if one or more components of the textile article 100 are malfunctioning, and discontinue or otherwise adjust the flow of current accordingly”).
Regarding claim 14, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on a temperature measurement of a portion of the user's body (Para. [0112]: “in order to measure the temperature of the user”, para. [0113]: “the temperature measurements are transmitted to the microcontroller 210 for analysis … the microcontroller 210 can adjust the operation of the switch 220”).
Regarding claim 15, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on a temperature measurement on an outside surface of the first wearable article (Para. [0112]: “environment-facing region of the textile article 100 in order to measure the temperature of the surrounding environment”, para. [0113]: “the temperature measurements are transmitted to the microcontroller 210 for analysis … the microcontroller 210 can adjust the operation of the switch 220”).
Regarding claim 16, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on a required heating duration (Para. [0077]: “if the user selected a relatively high level of heating, the microcontroller 210 can operate the switch 220 such that a relatively large amount of current flows between the power supply 130 and the heating element 110 and/or current flows between the power supply 130 and the heating element 110 for a relatively long period of time” implying the controller is configured to ).
Regarding claim 17, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on the electrical power available from the electrical power supply (Para. [0090]: “voltage sensor 410 measures the voltage of the power supply 130 … [b]ased on the voltage measurement, the microcontroller 210 can adjust the operation of the switch 220”).
Regarding claim 19, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to control the electrical power delivered to the heater based on a user setting supplied to the heater controller (Para. [0074]).
Regarding claim 21, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured to provide constant power to the heater. (Paras. [0080]-[0088] provide descriptions and examples of how microcontroller 210 is able to maintain constant power to the heating element)
Regarding claim 22, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller is configured so as to maintain a constant temperature at the heater (Fig. 6C shows constant temperature readouts from various temperature sensors in the heated apparel system, see paras. [0119] and [0120])
Regarding claim 26, Hopwood further teaches wherein the electrical power supply comprises a battery (Para. [0073]: “the power supply 130 can include one or more devices that store electric energy (e.g., electrochemical cells or batteries) and release stored electric energy as needed”).
Regarding claim 27, Hopwood further teaches wherein the battery is configured to be carried by the user (Para. [0073]: “the power supply 130 is shown in Fig. 1 as being a part of the textile article 100”).
Regarding claim 35, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heated apparel system further comprises a power and data management hub (Fig. 2, “control module 120”), and further wherein the first wearable article and the heater controller are electrically connected through the power and data management hub (Para. [0015]: control module 120 consists of microcontroller 210 and switch 220 directing power based on data measurements from the sensors and controlling the switch).
Regarding claim 36, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater controller comprises at least one from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet and a computer (Paras. [0126]-[0132]).
Regarding claim 48, Hopwood further teaches wherein the heater comprises an electronic textile heating element (Para. [0004]: “a heated textile article”).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2016/0135251 by Hopwood et al. (“Hopwood”) in view of Buitoni (US 2021/0195732) in further view of US 2016/0095369 by Roberts et al. (“Roberts”).
Regarding claim 10, Hopwood does not expressly disclose wherein the second wearable article does not comprise its own heater.
However, Roberts teaches a heated apparel system wherein the intervening article of apparel does not comprise its own heater (Fig. 1, paras. [0045] and [0046]: “the power source 90 can be remote from the heated glove 10 and also can be linked to a controller device 96 for the regulation and control of the power supplied to each glove body 15 through the electrical conduit 66 to the heating element”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the heated apparel system of Hopwood and Kerr the heated gloves being connected to a power source through an intervening article that does not comprise its own heater as taught by Roberts. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include such a feature in order to provide users who need to only keep their hands warm a different option from having to wear additional heaters (Paras. [0003]-[0005]).
Claims 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2016/0135251 by Hopwood et al. (“Hopwood”) in view of Buitoni (US 2021/0195732) in further view of US 2016/0113064 by Gluckman et al. (“Gluckman”).
Regarding claims 28-30, Hopwood does not expressly disclose wherein the electrical power supply comprises a power generation system, and wherein the power generation system comprises at least one from the group consisting of a system configured to generate electrical power from movement of the body, a system configured to generate electrical power from solar energy and a system configured to generate electrical power from a fuel cell, and wherein the power generation system is configured to be carried by the user. However, Gluckman teaches a heated apparel system wherein the electrical power supply comprises a power generation system (Fig. 2, micro-generator), and wherein the power generation system comprises at least one from the group consisting of a system configured to generate electrical power from movement of the body (Para. [0049] describes various mechanical and hand operated micro-generators), a system configured to generate electrical power from solar energy and a system configured to generate electrical power from a fuel cell, and wherein the power generation system is configured to be carried by the user (Para. [0062]: “for a user to be comfortable wearing such a micro-generator, the micro-generator … should be of a suitable size such that it does not impede the user’s motion or activity”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the heated apparel system of Hopwood and Buitoni with the power generation system utilizing a portable and wearable micro-generator to produce electrical power and specifically designed for a heated apparel system as taught by Gluckman. One of ordinary skill would be motivated to include such a feature in order to provide an alternate source of power, “if the user cannot recharge the batteries, the user cannot heat their glove or article of clothing” (Para. [0006]).
Claims 31 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2016/0135251 by Hopwood et al. (“Hopwood”) in view of Buitoni (US 2021/0195732) in further view of US 2023/0085805 by Hoppel et al. (“Hoppel”).
Regarding claim 31, Hopwood does not expressly disclose wherein the electrical power supply comprises the electrical system of a vehicle or an aircraft.
However, Hoppel teaches a vehicle derived power supply system designed for heated garments (Abstract), wherein the electrical power supply (Para. [0032]) comprises the electrical system of a vehicle or an aircraft (Para. [0021]: “outdoor power unit may be a powered drivable machine … drivable machine 10 is configured to engage an operator wearing an electrically powered garment, such as a heated jacket”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the heated apparel system of Hopwood and Buitoni with the vehicle power system as taught by Hoppel. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include this type of power source in order to provide a heated apparel system with an alternate source of power which does not need recharging like a battery.
Regarding claim 32, Hopwood does not expressly disclose wherein the heater controller is connected to the heater using a USB Power Delivery (PD) scheme.
However, Hoppel teaches a heated apparel system wherein the heater controller is connected to the heater using a USB Power Delivery (PD) scheme (Para. [0031]: “exemplary slot 44 is sized to accommodate a USB-plug, or is otherwise known as a USB slot … port 30 may be a female USB slot”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the heated apparel system of Hopwood and Buitoni to accommodate a USB plug and slot as taught by Hoppel. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include such a feature in order to improve convenience for the user by providing a plug that is typically found in a vehicle (Para. [0031]).
Claim 43 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2019/0208836 by Demers et al. (“Demers”) in view of US 2021/0195732 (“Buitoni”) in further view of US Patent 10201195 B1 by Khaliuta et al. (“Khaliuta”).
Regarding claim 43, Demers does not expressly disclose a second power bus for powering a heater on a different article of heated apparel.
However, Khaliuta teaches a heating system for heated clothing (Abstract) comprising a second power bus (Col. 6, lines 28-49, “heating component 350-I may also include buses for providing power and signals to the heating element 210-I”) for powering a heater on a different article of heated apparel (Col. 5, lines 61-66, “heating system 100 may be installed in various type of heated clothing, including but not limited to jackets, pants, footwear, gloves, and the like”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the heated apparel system of Demers and Buitoni with the multiple electrical buses as taught by Khaliuta. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include the feature of multiple electrical buses in order to improve redundancy and provide for access to additional features in the clothing such as sensors and accelerometers (Col. 6, lines 28-49).
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 DANIEL W HATTEN whose telephone number is (703)756-1362. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 (EST).
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/DANIEL WARD HATTEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/TOPAZ L. ELLIOTT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761