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 § 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 10 & 11 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.
Claim 10 & 11 recite the method for enhancing biological denitrification in the preamble, but the body of the claim(s) do not appear to indicate/is unclear how this is performed.
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.
Claims 10 & 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) based upon a public use or sale or other public availability of the invention.
Claim(s) 10 & 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shi et al, “Analysis of the β-cyclodextrin enhancing Bio-denitrification from the Perspective of Substrate Metabolism, Electron Transfer, and Iron Acquisition,” Chemical Engineering Journal 446 (2022) 137358, Available Online June 3rd, 2022, 9 pages.
Regarding Claims 10 & 11, Shi et al discloses the method for enhancing biological denitrification comprising the steps of: adding a denitrifying microorganism and an exogenous b-cyclodextrin to a water body containing nitrate to accelerate the biological denitrification of the water body and reduce an amount of nitrous oxide produced by the biological denitrification, wherein the exogenous b-cyclodextrin is added in the water body to improve electron transport system activity (ETSA) in P. denitrificans and upregulating expression levels of denitrifying functional genes (See Abstract & 2.2. Effect of β-CD on bio-denitrification performance).
Regarding Claim 11, Shi et al discloses the method for enhancing biological denitrification based on the addition of exogenous b-cyclodextrin according to claim 10, wherein the amount of the b-cyclodextrin added in the water body is at least 0.1 mM (See Abstract & 2.2. Effect of β-CD on bio-denitrification performance).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOBBY RAMDHANIE whose telephone number is (571)270-3240. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday.
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, Yvonne Eyler can be reached at 571-272-1200. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Bobby Ramdhanie/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1779