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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. BR1020210110678, filed on 06/08/2021.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Claim(s) 1 and 2 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/06/2025.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Claim(s) 3-5 in the reply filed on 08/06/2025 is acknowledged.
Applicant’s election of Claim(s) 3-5 in the reply filed on 08/06/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Interpretation
The Examiner is interpreting the apparatus of claim(s) 3-5 as a biochemical detection apparatus comprising: a cartridge to hold multiple liquid samples, an analyzer to detect the nucleic acid sequences in samples using optics, a cooling and heating device, electrical sensors, and mechanical/electrical connection structures. Each claim will thus be examined individually for prominent components, devices, and structures in the broadest reasonable interpretation .
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 3-5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3 line 1 reads “an apparatus for carrying out the method of claim 1”, but should read as “an apparatus for detecting nucleic acid sequences in biological samples from medical, agricultural, and biotechnological sources”
The function and/or benefits for detecting nucleic acid sequences for each structural element in the claimed apparatus is unclear. Amendments to claim language is necessary (See examples below).
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 3-5 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.
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors.
The term “small thickness” in claim(s) 2-3 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “small thickness” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. This terms renders the dimensions of the consumable cartridge indefinite.
Claim(s) 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are:
Proper “configured to” language would properly detail the relationship between the structural elements in the apparatus and their desired functions for an ordinary person skilled in the arts. Examples include but are not limited to:
(Claim 3) - “a cartridge configured to detect nucleic acid sequences”; “a test tube configured to hold a biological sample”; “a data card configured to electronically link to a main control board by radio frequency, wherein the data card is configured to be attached to the center of a lower part of the consumable cartridge, and wherein the data card is a RFID tag”; “ a sample analyzer configured to measure luminescence”; “ a first hole configured to hold an extraction tube”, etc.
(Claim 4) – “ a first LED configured to illuminate negative control tube, wherein the negative control is configured to sit in the second circular through hole,” etc.
(Claim 5) – “ an input and output power board configured to unidirectionally connect to the power input port and configured to bidirectionally connect with an input and output serial port, wherein the input and output port is a USB-port,” etc.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim(s) 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim(s) 3-5 depend on the previously restricted claim 1 on 08/06/2025. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Handique et al. (US20200325524A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Handique et al. teaches an apparatus for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides (See the Abstract, Claim(s) 21-50, and the apparatus 100 in [0009], [0061]-[0091] in Fig. 1-47C), comprising:
a structure with a consumable cartridge comprising a predominantly cylindrical trunk shape of small thickness and trapezoidal cross section, with four tubes of tapered cylindrical shape fixed transversally to the cross section (See how the cartridge 200 contains multiple sample lanes in Fig. 1 in [0061], and see how the cartridge 992 is held by the receiving bay 992 in Fig. 3 in [0070]; Also, see the radially-configured highly-multiplexed cartridge in Fig. 17A-C in [0141]; See how the sample inlets 202 in Fig. 10B of cartridge 200 are a tapered cylindrical shape fixed transversally to the cross section.
Further, See MPEP § 2144 IV. concerning changes in the size or portions of a claimed invention. The geometry of the cartridge trunk would not change the outcome or function of the cartridge or apparatus in comparison to the prior art and is a general design choice.), including
a test tube, a negative control tube, an internal control tube, and a positive control tube (See how an exemplary kit for preparing a PCR-ready samples can be used with the system, where the kit comprises buffers, lysis pellets, and affinity pellets in tube. See in Fig. 1-4 how an automated dispensing head can be integrated into the system to remove liquids from assay tubes into cartridge 200 in [0062]),
with a data card attached to the center of a lower part of the consumable cartridge (See the computer readable medium input 2022 that can accept a smart data-card, or secure-data card in [0100] in Fig. 6D), the data card of the RFID tag type (See how the sample reader 990 can be barcode reader, an optical character reader, or an RFID scanner in [0063], [0087], [0129], [0206] in Fig. 3.
Further, See in MPEP § 2144 VI. concerning the rearrangement of parts of a claimed invention in comparison to the prior art. The placement of the data card would not change the function of the cartridge and is a general design choice.) ,
the consumable cartridge fitted to a sample analyzer by its bottom section (See how the read head 300, i.e. a sample analyzer, contains the detection apparatus for reading signals from cartridge 200 in [0061] in Fig. 1-3; Also, see the detector module 2009, i.e. a sample analyzer, in [0103] in Fig. 7); and
the sample analyzer formed of two parts: an upper hull and a lower hull (See how the detector module 2009, i.e. a sample analyzer, has a lid 2010, i.e. an upper hull, and a frame, i.e. a lower hull, in [0103] in Fig. 7);
the upper hull of the sample analyzer with a predominantly cylindrical trunk shape, with an approximately triangular shaped cross-section with rounded corners, with ventilation holes of a rectangular shape with rounded corners around an upper face (See the air vent 2024 in the rear of system 2000 in which the detector module 2009, i.e. a sample analyzer, is housed within in [0101] in Fig. 6A-E and 7; Also, see the various embodiments that incorporate air vent, bubble removing vents, and vent channels in [0111], [0120], [0126]-[0130], [0139], [0148], [0163]-[0169] in Fig. 10A, 11A-C, 14, 18, and 20; See the one or more air vents 2025 in [0213] in Fig. 26;
Further, See MPEP § 2144 IV. concerning changes in the size or portions of a claimed invention. The geometry of the upper hull and the ventilation holes of the upper face would not change the outcome or function of the sample analyzer or apparatus in comparison to the prior art and is a general design choice.),
with a fitting edge around the structure to fit in a channel of the lower hull, internally with two cylindrical structures and with a central hole for fixing screws which fix the cylindrical structures to the lower hull (See how additional components of apparatus 2000 may include one or more mechanical fixtures such as frame 2019 to hold the various modules (e.g., the heater/sensor module 2020, and/or the slider module 2007, i.e. a fitting edge) in alignment, and for providing structural rigidity in [0103] in Fig. 7),
with the upper face with five circular-shaped holes (See the multiple circular-shaped holes in Fig. 7) for the insertion of the tubes according to the diagnostic method (See in Fig. 1-4 how an automated dispensing head can be integrated into the system to remove liquids from assay tubes into cartridge 200 in [0062]),
with a first hole for the insertion of the extraction tube and four smaller holes for the insertion of the tubes of the consumable cartridge, with a first smaller hole for the insertion of the negative control tube, a second smaller hole for the insertion of the internal control tube, a third smaller hole for insertion of the test tube and a fourth smaller hole for insertion of the positive control tube (See how the cartridge 200 contains multiple sample lanes in Fig. 1 in [0061], and see how the radially-configured highly-multiplexed cartridge has the sample inlets 1002 in [0141] in Fig. 17A-C; Also, see how the sample inlets 202 in Fig. 10B of cartridge 200 are a tapered cylindrical shape fixed transversally to the cross section.
Further, See MPEP § 2144 IV. concerning changes in the size or portions of a claimed invention. The holes in the cartridge still hold samples rather in a tube or not and would not change the outcome or function of the cartridge or apparatus in comparison to the prior art and is a general design choice.); and
the lower hull of the sample analyzer with a predominantly cylindrical trunk shape, with an approximately triangular shaped section with rounded corners, with a fitting channel around the structure to fit with the fitting edge of the upper hull of the sample analyzer, with ventilation holes on a lower face in a rectangular shape with rounded corners (One of ordinary skill in the arts would view this as general design choices, and the benefit of this shape or lower hull configuration is unclear. See in MPEP § 2144 VI.),
the rear face with a cavity in a predominantly rectangular prismatic shape with rounded corners, a cavity with three holes (See the power socket 2026, i.e. a cavity, comprising three holes, and see the rectangular section outlined for the connection system in [0101] in 6E) ,
with a first cavity hole in rectangular shape curved in the lower corners for an input and output serial port (See the input 984 and the output 986 in Fig. 3 in [0083] and [0101] in Fig. 6E),
a second cavity hole in rectangular shape for a power input port and a third cavity hole in a circular format for the passage of a service button (See the electrical and computer network connection ports in [0101]-[102] in Fig. 6E; Also, see the one or more peripheral communication interfaces shown collectively as 2031 for peripherals (e.g., communication ports such as USB/Serial/Ethernet to connect to storage such as compact disc or hard disk, to connect input devices such as a bar code reader and/or a keyboard, to connect to other computers or storage via a network, and the like) in Fig. 7), and
with nine cylindrical columns with a central hole for fixing screws (See how additional components of apparatus 2000 may include one or more mechanical fixtures such as frame 2019 to hold the various modules (e.g., the heater/sensor module 2020, and/or the slider module 2007, i.e. a fitting edge) in alignment, and for providing structural rigidity in [0103] in Fig. 7; Also, see the rails and screws illustrate in Fig. 7; Molded columns and screws for fixing, supporting, or connecting elements in an apparatus would be an obvious design choice for one with ordinary skills in the arts.),
with a first column and a second column for the screws fixing the lower hull to the upper hull, a third column and a fourth column for the screws fixing the lower hull to the main control board and chassis block (See how the control electronics 2005 and 840 include one or more functions such as, main control 900, multiplexing 902, display control 904, detector control 906, and the like in [0103], [0105] in Fig. 7-8; Also, see the combination of the module 2022, the medium input 2022, and the frame 2019, i.e. a chassis block, in [0098] in Fig. 6D and 7; See how the cartridge 992 is held by the receiving bay 992, i.e. a chassis block, in Fig. 3 in [0070]),
with the third column aligned with a first main control board hole and with a first chassis block hole, with the fourth column aligned with a second main control board hole and with a second chassis block hole, with a fifth column for the screws fixing the lower hull to the chassis block, the fifth column aligned with a third chassis block hole, and with a sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth column to fit a power board, the sixth column of the lower hull aligned with a power board hole (See how one or more mechanical fixtures are used to align the detector 2009, the sensing module 2020, and the control electronics 2005 in [0103] in Fig. 7.
Furthermore, it is noted that an ordinary person skilled in the arts could fabricate connection columns, pins, or holes as discussed in [0144] via injection molding for structural support and alignment of apparatus elements).
Regarding Claim 4, Handique et al. teaches an apparatus for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides (See the Abstract, Claim(s) 21-50, and the apparatus 100 in [0009], [0061]-[0091] in Fig. 1-47C), comprising internal electrical and mechanical parts of the sample analyzer (See the detector module 2009, i.e. a sample analyzer, in [0103] in Fig. 7) comprising:
a lighting board, with a circular shape of small thickness, with an upper face and a lower face, with six circular through holes, with a first circular through hole located in the center of the lighting board (See how the detector module 2009, i.e. a sample analyzer, can be a light detector module using LED in [0079], [0103], [0216], [0231]-[0235] in Fig. 4-7, 46, 29-31B; Also, see how the optical detector elements 1220 comprises light sources 1232 LEDs and light detectors 1236 in [0231]-[0235] in Fig. 29-31B; The function of the light lighting board is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
a second circular through hole radially located around the first circular through hole and aligned with a thermoblock hole for inserting (See how the heater unit 998 is controlled by processor 980, that is configured to receive signals from and control a detector 999, that is configured to detect a polynucleotide in a sample in one or more of the individual sample in [0071]-[0078],Fig. 1-3; See the heater substrate 400 in [0090] in Fig 4; See the heater/sensor module 2020 in [0098]-[0105] in Fig. 6D-8; Also, see the thermal interface material layer 420 in [0130] in Fig. 11A-C; See the heater arrays 502, 508 in [0137] in Fig. 12; The function of the thermoblock is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
lighting and heating the extraction cartridge, with a first LED between the first and second circular through holes, and four other circular through holes radially located around the first circular through hole for insertion and illumination of tubes of the consumable cartridge, with a third circular through hole with a second LED for insertion, illumination and heating of a negative control tube, a fourth circular through hole with a third LED for the insertion, lighting and heating of an internal control tube, a fifth circular through hole with a fourth LED for insertion, lighting and heating of a test tube, and a sixth circular through hole with a fifth LED for insertion, lighting and heating of a positive control tube (See the use of the heater unit 2020, a discrete multiplexing circuit board, a detector, sensors, and the LED's to analyze samples in [0208]-[0217] in Fig. 26; See how optics boards are used to collect and amplify the fluorescent signature of a sample, and control the intensity of LED's using pulse-width modulation (PWM) in [0289]-[0296] in Fig. 45C-D),
the LEDs on the lower face of the lighting board connected with the main control board by a first connector, plug-in or similar, from the lower face of the lighting board, and with four through holes for fixing screws (See how the processor 980 is a microprocessor configured to receive data about a sample to be analyzed, e.g., from a sample reader 990, which may be a barcode reader, an optical character reader, or an RFID scanner (radio frequency tag reader) in [0063]-[0070] in Fig. 3; Also, see the control board electronic module 2214 and the optical detection unit electronics module 2108 within the apparatus comprising in the analyzer 2100 and a heater unit 2102. [0247]-[00252] in Fig. 36);
thermoblock in aluminum, cylindrical in shape, with a top face and a bottom face, with side fins, with a first non-through hole centered in the bottom face for inserting the heating element, a second non-through hole centered on the radial axis of the bottom face for inserting a temperature sensor of the thermoblock and five oblong-shaped holes radially distributed throughout the structure for the insertion of the test tubes (See how the component(s) of the apparatus can be made from rubber, or plastic, or metal in [0089] in Fig.1; Also, see how the temperature sensors 1001 and 1013 are made with metal in [0225], [0277] in Fig.25 and 42B)
with a first oblong-shaped hole for the insertion of the extraction tube, and the other four oblong-shaped holes located off-center on the top of the thermoblock and in the opposite half to the first oblong-shaped hole for the insertion of the consumable cartridge tubes, with a second oblong-shaped hole for insertion of the negative control tube, a third oblong-shaped hole for insertion of the internal control tube, a fourth oblong-shaped hole for insertion of the test tube and a fifth oblong-shaped hole for insertion of the positive control tube, with a circular-shaped recess and a rectangular shaped recess with four non-through holes for fixing screws on the top face and with eight thermoblock non-through holes for fixing screws on the bottom face.
Furthermore, the function of the oblong-shaped holes are unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
with the heating element of the electrical resistance type or similar, connected to a first connection terminal of the main control board and with the thermoblock temperature sensor of the NTC thermistor type or similar connected to a second connection terminal of the main control board (See how the heater unit 2020 is an electrical connection 2050that permits electrical signals to be directed to heaters [0212], [0225] in Fig. 26-27B);
a small-thickness circular sensor plate, with an upper side and a lower side, with a sensor plate circular hole in the center of the small-thickness circular sensor plate, with four sensor plate through holes for fixing the small-thickness circular sensor plate on the bottom side of the thermoblock, the first sensor plate through hole in line with a first thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom side of the thermoblock, the second sensor plate through hole in line with a second thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom side of the thermoblock, the third sensor plate through hole aligned with a third thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom side of the thermoblock and the fourth sensor plate through hole aligned with a fourth thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom side of the thermoblock (See the mechanical configuration of the sensors and substrate layers in [0208]-[0217] in Fig. 26; The function or benefit of the sensor plate and holes configuration is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
with five colorimetry and fluorescence sensors for the consumable cartridge tubes and for the extraction tube, with a first sensor for the negative control tube, a second sensor for the internal control tube, a third sensor for the test tube, a fourth sensor for the positive control tube, and a fifth sensor for the extraction tube, the sensors connected to the main control board by a second connector, snap-in or similar, from the lower face of the small thickness circular sensor plate a chassis block for fixing the electrical and mechanical parts to each other, with a plastic structure with a mostly cylindrical trunk shape and with two prismatic trunk protrusions that form a flat face facing the front of the apparatus, and the internal structure of the chassis block has cutouts and internal protrusions for fitting and fixing components and passing electrical cables, with a first recessed part with a trapezoid shape on the sides and with a second recessed part in the shape of a rectangle on the flat face (See the light detectors 1236 and how the fluorescence detection sensor can detect 2, 3 or 4 color detections using optics in [0231]-[0246] in Fig. 29-31B),
with four chassis block through holes for fixing screws with the thermoblock, a first chassis block through hole) aligned with a first thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom face of the thermoblock and a second chassis block through hole aligned with a second thermoblock non-through hole on the bottom face of the thermoblock, with four cylindrical structures with non-through holes for fixing screws of the fan to the chassis block, and with two chassis block non-through holes and a chassis block through hole for fixing screws with holes in a lower hull of the sample analyzer, the chassis block through hole aligned with a first lower hull hole in the lower hull, a first chassis block non-through hole aligned with a second lower hull hole in the lower hull and a second chassis block non-through hole aligned with a third lower hull hole of the lower hull, with two cylindrical structures with through holes and for fixing screws of the main control board, a first cylindrical structure with through hole aligned with a first main control board hole of the main control board and a second cylindrical structure with through hole aligned with a second main control board hole of the main control board, and with two fixing support through holes for a fixing support of the operation indication control board, a first chassis block hole aligned with a first fixing support hole of the fixing support and a second chassis block hole aligned with a second fixing support hole of the fixing support; a separation skirt made of thermoplastic, trapeze-shaped with rounded corners with chamfered portions, with a chamfered portion at the top of the trapeze-shaped area, two other chamfered portions on the sides of the trapeze-shaped area and two beveled portions at the bottom of the trapeze-shaped area, with a first separation skirt circular hole centered at the top for air passage, four additional separation skirt circular holes for fixing the fan, and an off-center rectangular hole for passing a connection cable from the operation indication control board to a terminal of the main control board, the separation skirt fitted internally to the chassis; the fan is a vane-type cooling fan or similar; the main control board is predominantly rectangular in shape, with diagonal cuts at the two upper ends, with two circular areas for the passage of fixing screws and two recessed areas in a half circle form at the two lower ends (See how the arrays 502, 504, with 506, and 508 can function as both heating and cooling units in [0137], [0170]-[0174] in Fig. 12 and 23; The function or benefit of the thermoblocks, chassis blocks, control board, connection cables, and fans configuration is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
the main control board with the microprocessor, contact terminal bars for connection to the input and output power board, with the data reader of the RFID reader type, with the data reader fixed in a perpendicular position on the top of the main control board with a third connector, plug-in or similar, for connection with the first connector from the lighting board and with a fourth connector, plug-in or similar, for connection with the second connector from the sensor board, the first connection terminal on the bottom of the main control board, of plug-in type or similar, for connection to the heating element of the thermoblock, with the second connection terminal, of plug-in type or similar, for connection of the thermoblock temperature sensor, with a fourth connector for cable connection with the operation indication control board, and with a fifth connector, of plug-in type or similar, for connection to the fan, and with four through holes for fixing screws, a first main control board hole aligned with the third lower hull hole of the chassis block, a second main control board hole in line with the second lower hull hole of the chassis block, a third main control board hole in line with the second cylindrical structure with through hole in the lower hull and a fourth main control board hole in line with the first cylindrical structure with through hole in the lower hull; rectangular-shaped input and output power supply board with four circular-shaped protrusions with through holes for the power board fixing screws to the lower hull, an first inlet and outlet power board hole aligned with a sixth cylindrical frame of the lower hull, a second inlet and outlet power board hole of the inlet and output power board aligned with a seventh cylindrical column of the lower hull, a third inlet and outlet power board hole of the inlet and outlet power board lined up with an eight cylindrical column of the lower hull and a fourth inlet and outlet power board hole of the inlet and outlet power board aligned with a ninth cylindrical column of the lower hull, the power board fitted to the main control board through two contact terminal bars, the input and output power board with an universal-type power input) port for connecting an external power supply, of the voltage-converting and voltage-reducing type, with a USB-type input and output serial port for connecting an external equipment for service access and with a service button; the functioning operation indication control board (See how the processor 980 is connected via input 984 to a communication interface can be one or more interfaces selected from the group consisting of: a serial connection, a parallel connection, a wireless network connection and a wired network connection such as an ethernet, firewire, cable connection, or one using USB connectivity in [0066]-[0100] in Fig 3; The function or benefit of the thermoblocks, chassis blocks, control board, connection cables, and fans configuration is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts),
with an RGB-type LED, with rectangular shape with two rounded sides, with two holes and for fixing screws, with a fixing support, the fixing support with a predominantly rectangular shape, with a fold forming a structure in the shape of an inclined letter "L", with a centralized rectangular- shaped hollow area in the upper half of the total area, with two holes and for the plate fixing screws and with two holes for fixing the fixing support in the holes of the chassis block, a first fixing support hole of the fixing support aligned with a first chassis block hole of the chassis block and with a second fixing support hole of fixing support aligned with a second chassis block hole of chassis block (See the light sources 1232 that are red and blue in [0233]-[0245] in Fig. 29-31B; The function or benefit of the chassis blocks, LED, and holes configuration is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts).
Regarding Claim 5, Handique et al. teaches an apparatus for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides (See the Abstract, Claim(s) 21-50, and the apparatus 100 in [0009], [0061]-[0091] in Fig. 1-47C), comprising following external and internal components with the following interconnections (See how the various main boards and electronic softwares in [0128]-[0136], [0247]-[0268] in Fig. 17 and 36):
a power supply of the voltage converter and reducer type, unidirectionally connected with a universal type power input port (See the power board input and output configuration in [0290]-[0296] in Fig. 46, Also, see the control Board electronics module 2114 includes a programmable high voltage power supply in [0247]-[0268] in Fig. 36; See the power socket 2026 in [0083]-[0101] in Fig. 6E);
an input and output power board unidirectionally connected to the power input port and bidirectionally connected with a USB-type input and output serial port; the power input port 34unidirectionally connected to a main control board and to the power supply; the input and output serial port bidirectionally connected to the main control board (See how the processor 980 is connected via input 984 to a communication interface can be one or more interfaces selected from the group consisting of: a serial connection, a parallel connection, a wireless network connection and a wired network connection such as an ethernet, firewire, cable connection, or one using USB connectivity in [0066]-[0100] in Fig 3; Also, see the control electronics in [0256]); The function or benefit of the power board and the main board configuration is unclear and would thus be a general design choice to one with ordinary skill in the arts);
the thermoblock with the heating element of the electrical resistance type or similar, and with the temperature sensor of the NTC thermistor type or similar, both unidirectionally connected to the main control board the operation indication control board unidirectionally connected to the main control board (See how the Heater Mux Power Monitor software monitors voltage and current levels. The Heater Mux Power Monitor software can participate in self-test, synchronous, monitoring of the current levels while turning on different heaters in [0268] in Fig. 36;
a lighting board unidirectionally connected to the main control board; the data card of the RFID tag type, unidirectionally connected to the data reader of the RFID reader type, by radio frequency; the data reader bidirectionally connected by electronic link to the main control board and by radio frequency to the data card (See how the sample reader 990 can be barcode reader, an optical character reader, or an RFID scanner in [0063], [0087], [0129], [0206] in Fig. 3; Also, see Control Board electronics module 2114, the optical detection unit electronics module 2108, and the LCD Board in [0247]-[0258] in Fig. 36 See how optics boards are used to collect and amplify the fluorescent signature of a sample, and control the intensity of LED's using pulse-width modulation (PWM) in [0289]-[0296] in Fig. 45C-D);
the main control board containing the microprocessor of the ESP32 series or similar with internal memory for data and for the dedicated logic program for the operation of the sample analyzer, with special instructions received by reading the data card and that controls the communication of the sample analyzer with other external equipment, with the main control board unidirectionally connected to the power input port, the operation indication control board, the lighting board, the heating element, the temperature sensor and the fan and bidirectionally connected to a sensor board and to the input and output serial port, and with the microprocessor bidirectionally connected to a short-range wireless communication interface and to a Wi-Fi type communication interface (See how the various main boards and electronic softwares, and how the apparatus comprises the Analyzer 2100 and a Heater unit 2102. The Analyzer apparatus containing an Optical Detection Unit 2108, a Control Board 2114, a Backplane 2112, and a LCD Touchscreen 2110. The Control Board including a Card Engine 2116 and a Compact Flash memory 2118, as well as other components. The Heater Assembly includes a Heater Board 2104 and a Heater Mux Board 2106, in [0247]-[0268] in Fig. 36);
wherein the short-range wireless communication interface is bidirectionally connected by radio frequency to a smartphone or similar device, and bidirectionally connected to the microprocessor; and wherein the Wi-Fi communication interface is bidirectionally connected by radio frequency to one or more computers on the internet cloud or not, and bidirectionally connected to the microprocessor (See the use of wireless connection in [0156], radio frequency in [0154], and computer network connection in [0157]-[0159]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following prior art discloses similar methods and devices for detecting biochemicals in samples Handique et al. (US20210060565A1) and Walsh et al. (US20120046203A1)
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/BRITNEY N. WASHINGTON/Examiner, Art Unit 1797
/JENNIFER WECKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1797