DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant has made no amendments to the claim set filed 11/07/2025.
Applicant argues that the rejections of claims 1, 4-5, and 16-20 under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis et al (US 20200274386 A1), hereafter referred to as Kirleis 386, modified by Mikhaylik et al (US 20200044460 A1) are improper “and should be withdrawn because these rejections are based on legal and factual errors”.
Applicant argues that neither Kirleis 386 nor Mikhaylik teach or suggest the claimed feature “the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order”.
Regarding Kirleis 386 FIG 5, applicant argues “subsystems 502a and 502c operate independently of each other and each of the battery arrays 200 has its own dedicated, independent controller 216”. The embodiment depicted in Kirleis 386 FIG 5 does depict the subsystems 502a, 502b, and 502c which may operate independently from one another, each subsystem further comprising a battery bank 200 and ACSU 302 (ACSU 302 corresponds to controller 216 as depicted in FIG 2 which presents a detailed diagram of the battery bank 200). Kirleis 386 discloses in ¶0073 “ACSUs 302a, 302c of the first and third sub-systems 502a, 502c may couple to the ACSU 302b of the second sub-system 502b via a set of cross-tie switches 304a, 304b”, which is further supported by FIG 5. Coupling ACSUs 302a, 302b, and 302c together allows them to have the structure necessary to function together and perform tasks in unison. ¶0109 discloses “All battery pack assemblies 202 in a single battery bank 224 can be programmed simultaneously”, allowing each battery bank 224 to select one battery pack 202 thereby allowing each subsystem 502 to select a battery to discharge at a time. This results in an aircraft which is physically capable of discharging battery banks 224 within the left and right battery arrays 200; however, Kirleis 386 does not explicitly disclose simultaneously discharging a battery in each battery bank 200.
Mikhaylik ¶0133 describes a method, to be executed by a controller or processor, which allows the battery management system 100 to simultaneously discharge sets of battery cells (121, 122, 123…) which comprise each battery (120, 130, 140…). Applicant argues “the selection of which batteries and how many to discharge is based on the desired discharge current which does not imply that the battery packs be discharged symmetrically in terms of the geometry of their arrangement”, pointing to Mikhaylik using at least one criterion for selecting which cells or sets are discharged/charged.
Specification ¶0031 describes discharging batteries from the right-hand side battery packs 200 and left-hand side battery packs 200 bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order, ¶0031 “Accordingly, the discharging can be balanced”. In the art of charging and discharging batteries, balancing batteries during discharge is a process of equalizing the state of charge (SOC) across individual cells in a battery or individual batteries in a battery bank.
Mikhaylik ¶0049 discloses “battery cell block arrangement and balance switch configuration may include switch multiplexing, which may connect the cell blocks (e.g., 321-325) in the series, parallel, serial/parallel, or any other suitable topology required to meet the voltage and current requirements of a given application or load”, which would minimize internal damage and improve battery lifespan. Mikhaylik ¶0133 simply states “any number of sets of cells, including all the sets of cells in the battery, battery pack, or system, may be discharged simultaneously”, which indicates the ability to discharge a number of battery cells in a number of batteries. This is further supported in ¶0118 which details the method of FIG 4B as “multiplexing switch apparatus may be connected to two or more sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) of at least one battery (e.g., 120-150)”, which indicates this method can be applied to two or batteries (such as battery 120 and battery 130) selecting at least two sets of battery cells (such as 121a and 121b respectively) which would result in Mikhaylik having the functionality of simultaneously discharging a battery cell 121a in a battery 120 and a battery cell 121b in a battery 130. Mikhaylik thereby performs the same functionality of the claimed invention, namely simultaneous discharging of a battery cell in one battery bank and a battery cell in a second battery bank.
In cases like the present, where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen design choices or upon another variable recited within the claims, applicant must show that the chosen design choice is critical. As such, the claimed design choice appears to be an obvious matter of engineering design choice and thus, while being a difference, does not serve in any way to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the applied prior art. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990); In re Kuhle, 526 F2d. 553, 555, 188 USPQ 7, 9 (CCPA 1975).
Incorporating the method presented in Mikhaylik FIG 4B onto the Kirleis 386’s ACSUs 302 results in the bilaterally symmetric battery packs which are able to simultaneously discharge a battery in each battery pack. A skilled artisan would have been motivated to discharge a battery cell from each battery bank to maintain a charge balance to minimize battery degradation thereby prolonging the lifetime of the battery.
Applicant further argues against the rationale for combining Kirleis 386 and Mikhaylik, “for the purpose of prolonging the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states”. However, as detailed above, neither the applicant nor the specification provide any meaningful rationale for why “battery packs be discharged symmetrically in terms of the geometry of their arrangement” would be beneficial or inventive, thereby making it a design choice. Applicant claim 20 also claims “management unit is configured to manage at least one of a charging order or a charge amount of the plurality of battery packs by electrical power generated by the electrical power generation unit, based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs”, indicating the claimed invention may use at least one criterion for selecting which cells or sets are discharged/charged.
Applicant's arguments filed 05/19/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The claim set filed on 11/07/2025 is the most recent claim set filed by the applicant.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5, and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis et al (US 20200274386 A1) modified by Mikhaylik et al (US 20200044460 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Kirleis 386 teaches system, comprising: a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs connected in parallel, (FIG. 7a illustrates a block diagram of a battery management system, ¶0060 "As illustrated, the battery pack assemblies 202 within a battery bank 224 may be arranged electrically in parallel ")
the plurality of battery packs include a plurality of left-hand side battery packs and a plurality of right-hand side battery packs which are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, (FIG 3 depicts the battery array 200 to be symmetrically arranged with the solar panel 106, FIG 5 depicts a battery bank 200 associated with the symmetrically placed solar panel 106)
wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged alternately (¶0084 the battery cells 772 may be selectively bypassed to achieve a desired voltage or to charge/discharge only a select number of battery cells 772", prior to the decision to discharge a select number of cells, certain cells are being discharged, and after the selection of a desired number of cells, a different selection is made for discharging, which is equivalent to discharging alternately)
so that a discharge rate of each of the plurality of battery packs (¶0113 "One technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell 772 using the in-and-out-flowing current is known as the coulomb counting method (also known as ampere hour counting and current integration)", see below for further detail)
becomes higher than the discharge rate in a case of discharging all of the plurality of battery packs, (¶0108 "each switchable battery module 770 within the battery pack 212 may employ a cell selection algorithm function 764 and a battery switch 762 to electrically connect or electrically disconnect (bypass) a battery cell 772 from the active battery string 766, thereby adjusting the voltage of the battery string 766 one battery cell 772 at a time", since Kirleis 386 performs the claimed limitation of causing the packs to be discharged alternately, this operation is capable of providing a higher discharge rate depending on the energy required by the load and the number of batteries selected)
[and wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order.]
The system, as taught by Kirleis 386 ¶0084, charges/discharges a select number of cells which causes the cells to be discharged alternately. Applicant specification ¶0032 states in part "register the number of battery packs 200 to be discharged for each type of the cells 202 in the registration information so that a discharge rate becomes 0.5 C to 1.0 C", wherein the unit C (Coulomb) is the amount of charge transmitted by 1 amp in 1 second. A comparable unit of discharge rate would be amp/hrs, as taught by the ampere hour counting technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell in 113 of Kirleis 386. Kirleis 386 10108 describes selecting batteries to adjust the voltage of the battery string of one battery cell at a time, the output voltage would necessarily be dependent on the discharge rate, resulting in discharging a battery pack based on discharge rate.
Kirleis 386 does not teach and wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order.]
Mikhaylik teaches and wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order. (¶0136 "representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system", ¶0120 “FIG. 4B depicts a representative high-level process 400B for discharging sets of cells of a battery”)
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order as taught by Mikhaylik. Kirleis 386 and Mikhaylik share the structure of a controller connected to a switch apparatus which connects the controller to a plurality of battery banks each battery bank comprising individual battery cells. Incorporating the high level process 400b detailed in Mikhaylik FIG 4b onto Kirleis 386’s ACSUs 302 would result in bilaterally symmetrically discharging at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to prolong the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Similarly for claim 17 as applied to a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program for causing a computer to function as a system. (Kirleis 386 ¶0046 "The processor may be coupled to, or integrated with a memory device. The memory device can be any suitable type of computer memory or any other type of electronic storage medium")
Similarly for claim 18 as applied to a management method executed by a computer, for managing a plurality of battery packs connected in parallel. (Kirleis 386 046 "The processor may be coupled to, or integrated with a memory device.", Mikhaylik FIG 4b)
Similarly for claim 19 as applied to an aircraft, (¶0069 “FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an example electrical power system 500 for the solar-powered aircraft 100a, 100b”)
comprising: a wing portion; (¶0049 “solar-powered aircraft 100a, 100b generally comprises a wing 102”)
a plurality of battery packs arranged in the wing portion (¶0052 “wing 102 and/or the horizontal stabilizer 126 may comprise one or more arrays of solar panels 106 to generate power”, ¶0074 “CSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102”)
while being connected in parallel, the plurality of battery packs including a plurality of left-hand side battery packs and a plurality of right-hand side battery packs which are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric. (¶0060 “battery pack assemblies 202 within a battery bank 224 may be arranged electrically in parallel”, each battery bank 224 is located in a wing resulting in bilateral symmetry)
Regarding claim 4, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically in order by a number (Mikhaylik ¶0136 "representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system")
corresponding to a type of cells included in the plurality of battery packs at a time, in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs. (Kirleis 386 ¶0052 ""energy storage device" refers to a battery or similar instrumentality known to those of skill in the art capable of storing and transmitting energy collected from the solar panels 106, including but not limited to a rechargeable battery (e.g., lithium-polymer batteries), a regenerative fuel cell, or combinations thereof")
Kirleis 386 teaches in FIGs 1a and 1b that the solar array and battery units are symmetrically distributed on the aircraft, further Kirleis 386 ¶0052 teaches that the energy storage device can be any combination of rechargeable battery or regenerative fuel cell. These amount to the system, as taught by Kirleis 386, to be configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically in order by a number corresponding to a type of cells included in the plurality of battery packs at a time, in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs.
Regarding claim 5, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches wherein the plurality of left-hand side battery packs are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, the plurality of right-hand side battery packs are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, (Kirleis 386 FIG 3 and FIG 5)
and the management unit is configured to, when causing two or more of the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs, (Mikhaylik ¶0136 "representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system")
manage the plurality of battery packs to cause discharging to be performed bilaterally symmetrically in order also in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs. (Mikhaylik ¶0133 that "any number of sets of cells, including all the sets of cells in the battery, battery pack, or system, may be discharged simultaneously", which includes the scenario wherein a cell set from battery 120 is discharged simultaneously with a cell set from battery 130. Kirleis 386 FIG 3 and FIG 5 demonstrate that the battery packs 200 are symmetrically arranged, which would correspond to Mikhaylik's batteries 120, 130, 140, and 150.)
Regarding claim 16, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches further comprising the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis battery packs212 in battery assembly 200 depicted in FIG 2)
Regarding claim 20, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 19. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches comprising: an electrical power generation unit configured to execute solar power generation, (Kirleis 386 FIG 1a solar panels 106)
wherein the management unit is configured to manage at least one of a charging order or a charge amount of the plurality of battery packs by electrical power generated by the electrical power generation unit, based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis 386 ¶0113 "One technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell 772 using the in-and-out-flowing current is known as the coulomb counting method (also known as ampere hour counting and current integration)", Mikhaylik FIG 4b)
Claim(s) 6 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis modified by Mikhaylike and further in view of Kirleis et al (US 20200274203 A1) hereafter referred to as Kirleis 203.
Regarding claim 6, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs.
Kirleis 203 teaches wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (¶0131 " step 906, the battery supervisory circuit 732 determines a ratio parameter for each of
the viable battery cells 772. The ratio parameter for each battery cell 772 may be calculated as the SoC divided by the CCV", 132 " step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766")
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 203. Kirleis 203 expands on the Kirleis 386’s aircrafts 100a and 100b. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to prolong the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Regarding claim 9, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 4. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs.
Kirleis 203 teaches wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (¶0131 " step 906, the battery supervisory circuit 732 determines a ratio parameter for each of the viable battery cells 772. The ratio parameter for each battery cell 772 may be calculated as the SoC divided by the CCV", ¶0132 " step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766")
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 203. Kirleis 203 expands on the Kirleis 386’s aircrafts 100a and 100b. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to prolong the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Regarding claim 10, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik and Kirleis 203 teaches the system of claim 6. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik and Kirleis 203 further teaches wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs so that charging is performed in order from a battery pack having a lowest remaining capacity out of the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis 203 ¶0132 "step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766")
Claim(s) 11 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik and further in view of Cai et al (US 20210091848 A1)
Regarding claim 11, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft (Kirleis 386 ¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102”)
[which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.]
Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground as taught by Cai. Similar to Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik, Cai discloses an electric aircraft allowing for features across either aircraft to be easily adapted. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to provide wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground
Regarding claim 14, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 4. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft (¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102")
[which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.]
Kirleis modified by Mikhaylike does not teach which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground as taught by Cai. Similar to Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik, Cai discloses an electric aircraft allowing for features across either aircraft to be easily adapted. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to provide wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground
Regarding claim 15, Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 5. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft (¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102")
[which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.]
Kirleis modified by Mikhaylike does not teach which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground as taught by Cai. Similar to Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik, Cai discloses an electric aircraft allowing for features across either aircraft to be easily adapted. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to provide wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground
Prior Art Not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the attached PTO-892 Notice of References Cited by Examiner attached to this correspondence.
Nakashima et al (US 20130113417 A1) discloses a charge control device which selectively charges/discharges individual batteries in different battery banks.
Safai et al (US 20220194247 A1) discloses a renewable energy charging station for an electric aircraft.
Conclusion
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 LISA M KOTOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3771. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p.
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, Julian Huffman can be reached at (571) 2722147. 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.
/LISA KOTOWSKI/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
Prosecution Insights