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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Myllenbeck et al. (11,479,717; Filed 11/21/2018; Date of earliest priority 8/1999).
Regarding claim 1, Myllenbeck discloses a material comprising a single organic glass and one or more additives, wherein the single organic glass is a polymer organic glass scintillator material (Myllenbeck, Col. 4, Lines 45-49; Col. 2 Lines 22-26), wherein the one or more additives comprises one or more of tin, lead, boron and lithium (Myllenbeck, Col. 14: tin or lead lines 13, 24, 33, 44; boron and lithium lines 45-50).
Regarding claims 2-6, Myllenbeck further discloses the additive comprises each of a metal, tin, lead, boron, and lithium. (id.)
Regarding claim 8, Myllenbeck further discloses the polymer comprises polystyrene or polycarbonate. (Myllenbeck, Col. 3 Lines 50-55)
Regarding claim 9, Myllenbeck further discloses a system for detecting radiation comprising: a detector comprising the material of claim 1, a light detector assembly coupled to the material to detect a light pulse luminescence from the scintillator material. (Myllenbeck, Col. 1 Lines 19-31)
Regarding claim 10, claim 10 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 9 above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to all claims 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.
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 EDWIN C GUNBERG whose telephone number is (571)270-3107. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uzma Alam can be reached at 571-272-3995. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN C GUNBERG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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