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 .
Response to Arguments
The amendments to the Spec. do not contain any new matter and thus are proper.
Applicant’s arguments, see Pgs. 1-11, filed 11/14/2025, with respect to rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections have been withdrawn.
Examiner’s Note
Claims 19-20 currently withdrawn do not contain the allowable subject matter of claims 1 or 17, as such they will not be rejoined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 2, 9, and 14 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 1 limits the presence of the catalyst and the magnetic susceptor material to specific channels and thus can not be on all the ceramic walls as set forth in claims 2 and 9. Similarly, claim 14 recites that both the catalyst and the susceptor material are present in the same channels which is against the limitations of claim 1.
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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-8, 10-13 and 15-18 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art taken either in singularity or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest all the limitations of the independent claims 1 and 17. The closest prior art is Kilmartin et al. (GB 2582614A) , herein Kilmartin. However, Kilmartin fails to teach or suggest wherein the magnetic susceptor material and the catalytic material are not both disposed in the first channels, and wherein the magnetic susceptor material and the catalytic material are not both disposed in the second channels as required by claim 1. Similarly, Kilmartin fails to teach or suggest wherein deposits comprising a magnetic susceptor material disposed within the plugged honeycomb filter body disposed on one or more portions of the porous ceramic walls of the inlet channels and/or all of the outlet channels but not on the porous ceramic walls of the outlet channels; a catalytic material within the plugged honeycomb filter body and disposed separate from the deposits of the magnetic susceptor material, the catalytic material disposed on or within one or more portions of the porous ceramic walls of the outlet channels but not on the porous ceramic walls of the inlet channels as required by claim 17. Further, no teaching or suggestion was found in the art to modify the honeycomb of Kilmartin to meet the limitations as such the claims and their dependent claims are allowable.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/ELIZABETH COLLISTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784