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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 08 January 2026 and 03 March 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 5, 6, 8-10, 12, and 17 are currently pending. Claims 2-4, 7, 11, and 18 have been cancelled. Claims 1, 5, 6, 8-10, 12, and 17 have been amended. Claims 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, and 17 have been amended to overcome the claim objections and claim 9 has been amended to overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection set forth in the Final Office Action mailed on 20 October 2025.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 5, 9, 12, and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
“encounter-the” in line 6 of claim 1 should read as “encounter the”
“the fundamental frequency” in lines 6-7 should read as “a fundamental frequency”
“the low power direct current is selected” in line 7 of claim 1 should read as “the low-power, direct current pulse”
“voltages of timed,” in line 8 of claim 1 should read as “voltages of the timed,”
“occur.” in line 10 of claim 1 should read as “occur,”
“low-power pulses” in line 12 of claim 1 should read as “low-power, direct current pulses”
“series are of” in line 2 of claim 5 should read as “series of”
“of total” in line 3 of claim 9 should read as “of a total”
“wherein amplitude” in line 1 of claim 12 should read as “wherein an amplitude”
“an increment” in line 4 of claim 17 should read as “the increment”
“until maximum” in line 6 of claim 17 should read as “until the maximum”
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.
Claims 1 and 10 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. Claims 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, and 17 are further rejected due to their dependency to claim 1.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the low power direct current is selected…” in line 7. It is unclear if only one of the low power direct current pulses is selected or if each of the low power direct current are selected. Clarification is requested.
Claim 10 recites “sinusoidal driven pulses” in line 1. It is unclear if this is referring to the same “sinusoidal driven pulses” as mentioned in line 5 of claim 1. Clarification is requested.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 103 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 103 rejections of claims 1, 5, 6, 8-10, 12, and 17 have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AURELIE H TU whose telephone number is (571)272-8465. The examiner can normally be reached [M-F] 7:30-3:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Valvis can be reached at (571) 272-4233. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AURELIE H TU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791
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