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 .
This application has been transferred to a new Examiner.
Applicant’s amendments and remarks filed October 15, 2025 have been received and reviewed. Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are now pending in this application.
Double Patenting
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-5, 7-9, 11-14 and 19-20 of copending Application No. 17/788,803 (reference application) in view of Tsuji et al. US 2003/0018224 A1.
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-5 and 7-20 of copending Application No. 17/788,968 (reference application) in view of Tsuji et al. US 2003/0018224 A1.
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 14-20 of copending Application No. 17/789,067 (reference application) in view of Tsuji et al. US 2003/0018224 A1.
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-14 and 21 of copending Application No. 17/789,087 (reference application) in view of Tsuji et al. US 2003/0018224 A1.
Claims 1-11 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4 and 6-9 of copending Application No. 17/789,093 (reference application).
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of copending Application No. 17/788,991 (reference application) in view of Tsuji et al. US 2003/0018224 A1.
The basis of these rejection is the same as given in the previous officer action and is incorporated herein fully by reference. Applicants have not addressed these rejections.
These are provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejections because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 BRUCK KIFLE whose telephone number is (571)272-0668. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 6 PM, M-F.
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, Jeffrey H. Murray can be reached at 571-272-9023. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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May 28, 2026
/BRUCK KIFLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1624
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