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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 7/15/2026 has been received and claims 1-19 and 21 are pending.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 8/25/2026 has been entered.
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 13-19 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.
In Claim 13, it is not clear whether the limitation “wherein an artificial UV source, separate from the interior object is directed to impinge ultraviolet ("UV") radiation onto the interior object when the artificial UV source is powered on, the artificial UV source being designed to emit radiation at a UVC wavelength suitable for disinfection” is attempting to further limit the interior object since it is not clear how the interior object’s use in and position/arrangement relative to a location with respect to another device/apparatus not a part of the claimed invention (such as where an external/artificial light source such as an artificial UV source can/will irradiate the interior object for disinfection purposes) further limits the claimed device/apparatus.
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.
Claim(s) 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoshikawa (20050260786).
As to Claim 13, Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses an object (i.e. wall material – see entire document, particularly p. 2 [0021], p. 3 [0029], p. 4 [0062], p. 5 [0064]-[0066], p. 23 [0369] and [0372]-[0374], p. 26 [0425]) capable of being an interior object in the form of an interior/indoor wall comprised of:
a polymer substrate (21; 39A; 41a; 41b; 40A; 40B); and
a continuous inorganic film (22; 39C; 39E) on the polymer substrate (21; 39A; 41a; 41b; 40A; 40B), the continuous inorganic film (22; 39C; 39E) having a property of absorbing UV radiation at a UVC wavelength (intrinsically present in sunlight) suitable for disinfection;
wherein an artificial UV source is capable of being located separate from the interior object and is capable of being directed to impinge ultraviolet ("UV") radiation onto the interior object when the artificial UV source is powered on (see entire document, particularly p. 5 [0071]-[0072], p. 26 [0435], p. 28 [0462], p. 30 [0504] and [0506]), the artificial UV source capable of being designed to emit radiation at a UVC wavelength suitable for disinfection; and
wherein the continuous inorganic film (22; 39C; 39E) comprises a semiconductor comprising tin oxide, fluorinated tin oxide and mixtures thereof (see entire document, particularly p. 20 [0319] and [0321], p. 25 [0404] and [0420]).
The limitation “wherein an artificial UV source, separate from the interior object is directed to impinge ultraviolet ("UV") radiation onto the interior object when the artificial UV source is powered on, the artificial UV source being designed to emit radiation at a UVC wavelength suitable for disinfection” is deemed to be directed to an intended use of the claimed interior object where “an artificial UV source” is deemed not to be a component of an interior object and thus, does not have patentable weight.
As to Claim 14, Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses that the object is capable of being indoors; wherein the object is a wall (i.e. wall material and/or window pane– see entire document, particularly p. 1 [0004], p. 2 [0021], p. 3 [0029], p. 4 [0062], p. 5 [0064]-[0066], p. 23 [0369] and [0372]-[0374], p. 26 [0425]), wherein the continuous inorganic film is a sheet of material that is capable of covering at least 90% of a surface area of the object that is exposed to the UV radiation (e.x. when the continuous inorganic film on the polymer substrate is adhered to almost all/90% or entire/100% surface area of the interior object such as a windowpane/wall material - see entire document, particularly p. 2 [0021], p. 5 [0064], p. 26 [0425]).
As to Claim 15, Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses that the polymer substrate (21; 39A; 41a; 41b; 40A; 40B) comprises a polymer chosen from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethanes, polyethylene, or any combination thereof (see entire document, particularly p. 16 [0247], p. 18 [0296], p. 25 [0404] and [0420]).
As to Claim 16, the semiconductor of Yoshikawa (‘786) intrinsically (due to possessing the same/as claimed semiconductor material) comprises a bandgap that is greater than 3.1 eV and less than or equal to 6.9 eV.
As to Claim 17, Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses that the semiconductor further comprises a material chosen from titanium dioxide, anatase, indium tin oxide and mixtures thereof (see entire document, particularly p. 20 [0319] and [0321]).
As to Claims 18-19, Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses that the continuous inorganic film (22; 39C; 39E) is an insulator in the form of indium oxide (see entire document, particularly p. 20 [0321]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 and 21 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the primary reason for allowance of the claims is due to amendment of the claims which overcomes the prior art of record (i.e. Honda (20130236710) in view of Noda (Cn101148099). In addition, while prior art of Yoshikawa (20050260786) discloses an object capable of being an interior object such as a wall comprised of a continuous inorganic semiconductor film (22; 39C; 39E) comprising a material such as fluorine-doped tin oxide (see rejection of claim 13 in paragraph 5 above) on a polymer substrate (21; 39A; 41a; 41b; 40A; 40B), Yoshikawa (‘786) discloses that s source of UV radiation is from a natural UV source (i.e. sun) rather than from an artificial UV source; thus, it would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the object of Yoshikawa along with an artificial ultraviolet source as is in the claimed invention for a UV radiation disinfection system as set forth in claims 1 and 21.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/15/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, as to applicant’s argument in pp. 7-8 of Remarks with respect to claim 13/Yoshikawa, examiner disagrees. In response to applicant's argument that Yoshikawa does not disclose “an interior object arranged to receive UVC radiation from a separate artificial UV source for disinfection” in last 6 lines on p. 7 to first 2 lines on p. 8, examiner points out that a recitation of the intended use 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 addition, in response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention in lines 3-11 on p. 8 of Remarks, it is noted that the feature upon which applicant relies (i.e., “an artificial UV source, separate from the interior object”) is not recited as a positively recited structural component/feature of the claimed invention in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REGINA M YOO whose telephone number is (571)272-6690. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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/REGINA M YOO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1758
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