DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s response filed on 12/04/2025 has been fully considered. Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 8-10, and 20 are amended. Claims 13-19 are withdrawn.
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
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 103254452 A, cited in IDS, machine translation in English used for citation, made of record on 09/19/2025) in view of Lin et al. (CN 106966390 A, machine translation in English used for citation).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Li teaches a method for preparing lignin nanoparticles [0009, 0011] comprising pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent [0012], and adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], which reads on a method for producing a lignin in particulate form from a liquid containing a lignin-containing raw-material, wherein the lignin is at least in part dissolved in the liquid as claimed. Li teaches that the method further comprises adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours, that the crosslinking agent is a mixture of one or more of the following substances: acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and adipaldehyde [0011], and that the temperature of the cross-linking reaction is 30-50°C [0015], which reads on wherein the process comprises the following steps: (a) reacting lignin dissolved in the liquid with at least one cross-linking agent in the liquid at a temperature in a range from 30 to 50 °C in order to obtain modified lignin dissolved in the liquid. Li teaches that the method further comprises precipitating a crosslinked product and drying to obtain lignin nanoparticles [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], and that the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material [0015], which reads on wherein the process further comprises the following steps: (b) precipitating the dissolved modified lignin obtained in step (a) by mixing the liquid with a precipitating agent at a temperature in a range from 20 to 25 °C with the formation of lignin particles in the liquid, and (c) separating the liquid from the lignin particles formed in step (b), wherein in an additional step (d) after step (c), the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 60 to 80°C, wherein duration of the heat treatment in the additional step (d) is in a range of 12 hours to 18 hours.
Li does not teach a specific with sufficient specificity that the temperature of step (a) is in a range from 50 to 180 °C. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to optimize the temperature of Li’s cross-linking reaction in Li’s method to be 50°C. The proposed modification would read on the temperature of step (a) is 50 °C as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because it would have been beneficial for optimizing an extent of crosslinking of Li’s lignin in Li’s method because Li teaches that the method comprises adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours [0011], and that the temperature of the cross-linking reaction is 30-50°C [0015], which means that the temperature of Li’s cross-linking reaction in Li’s method in °C would have affected an extent of crosslinking of Li’s lignin in Li’s method.
Li does not teach wherein in step (b) the liquid mixed with the precipitating agent is heat-treated after the precipitation at a temperature in a range from 60 to 200 °C for a period of 1 minute to 6 hours, and/or in an additional step (d) after step (c), the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 600 °C, wherein duration of the heat treatment in the additional step (d) is in a range of 1 minute to 48 hours. However, Lin teaches that an alkali lignin powder is mixed with a solution, heated at 68°C to 75°C for 2 to 3 hours, and that the alkali lignin powder is separated, washed with distilled water, and then dried at 100°C to 110°C for 1 to 2 hours to obtain heat-stabilized alkali lignin powder [0019]. Li and Lin are analogous art because both references are in the same field of endeavor of a method for producing a lignin in particulate form, wherein lignin particles separated from a liquid are heat-treated at a temperature. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use Lin’s temperature and time of 100°C to 110°C for 1 to 2 hours to substitute for Li’s temperature and time of 60-80°C for 12-18 hours in Li’s step in which the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material. The proposed modification would read on wherein in an additional step (d) after step (c), the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 100 to 110 °C as claimed, wherein duration of the heat treatment in the additional step (d) is in a range of 1 hours 2 hours as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because it would have been beneficial for drying Li’s system in a shorter amount of time in Li’s method because Lin teaches that an alkali lignin powder is mixed with a solution, heated at 68°C to 75°C for 2 to 3 hours, and that the alkali lignin powder is separated, washed with distilled water, and then dried at 100°C to 110°C for 1 to 2 hours to obtain heat-stabilized alkali lignin powder [0019], and because Li teaches that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], and that the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material [0015], which means that in Li’s and Lin’s methods, liquid is separated from lignin particles, and the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature.
Regarding claim 2, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent, then heating to 30-50°C, stirring for 1-3 hours to fully dissolve the lignin, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], that the lignin raw material includes alkali lignin and ethanol lignin [0012], that the method further comprises adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid dropwise to the raw material filtrate [0014], that stirring is maintained to obtain lignin colloid [0014], and that the sources of lignin include coniferous wood, broad-leaved wood, spruce, mason pine, larch, birch, eucalyptus, and poplar [0017], which reads on the method according to claim 1, characterized in that wherein the liquid that contains lignin-containing raw material is selected from liquids from pulping of woody biomass with organic solvents, or solids produced therefrom that are mixed with a liquid as claimed.
Regarding claim 3, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent, then heating to 30-50°C, stirring for 1-3 hours to fully dissolve the lignin, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], that the lignin raw material includes alkali lignin and ethanol lignin [0012], that the method further comprises adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid dropwise to the raw material filtrate until the pH value is 2-2.5 [0014], that stirring is maintained to obtain lignin colloid [0014], that the organic solvent includes one or a mixture of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol [0013], and that the inorganic acid comprises one or more of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and phosphoric acid [0014], which reads on wherein the liquid comprises or is selected from an acidic aqueous liquid as claimed.
Regarding claim 4, Li teaches that the crosslinking agent is a mixture of one or more of the following substances: acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and adipaldehyde [0011], which reads on wherein the at least one cross-linking agent is selected from aldehydes as claimed.
Regarding claim 5, Li teaches that the method comprises precipitating a crosslinked product and drying to obtain lignin nanoparticles [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], and that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], which reads on wherein the precipitating agent is selected from water as claimed.
Regarding claim 6, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent at a weight ratio of the lignin raw material to the organic solvent that is 1:18-20, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate until the pH value is 2-2.5, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours [0011], and precipitating a crosslinked product [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], that the organic solvent includes one or a mixture of dichloromethane, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol [0013], and that the crosslinking agent is a mixture of one or more of the following substances: acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and adipaldehyde [0011], which reads on wherein the pH value of the liquid after mixing with the precipitating agent is lower than 10 as claimed.
Regarding claim 7, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent at a weight ratio of the lignin raw material to the organic solvent that is 1:18-20, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate until the pH value is 2-2.5, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours [0011], and precipitating a crosslinked product [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], and that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], which reads on wherein in step (b) a precipitation additive is admixed in addition to the precipitating agent as claimed.
Regarding claim 8, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent at a weight ratio of the lignin raw material to the organic solvent that is 1:18-20, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate until the pH value is 2-2.5, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours [0011], and precipitating a crosslinked product [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], and that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], which means that the dry matter content of the liquid in step (b) that contains the lignin-containing raw material, after mixing with the precipitating agent and optionally a precipitation additive, is less than 5.3%, less than 4.8%, less than 5.4%, or less than 4.9%. The dry matter content is based on calculations (1 + 1 * 1 / 100) / (1 + 1 * 1 / 100 + 18) * 100% = 5.3%, (1 + 1 * 1 / 100 ) / (1 + 1 * 1 / 100 + 20) * 100% = 4.8%, (1 + 1 * 2 / 100) / (1 + 1 * 2 / 100 + 18) * 100% = 5.4%, and (1 + 1 * 2 / 100) / (1 + 1 * 2 / 100 + 20) * 100% = 4.9%.
Li does not teach with sufficient specificity wherein the dry matter content of the liquid in step (b) that contains the lignin-containing raw material, after mixing with the precipitating agent and optionally a precipitation additive, is at least 2% by weight, wherein the dry matter content is < 26% by weight. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to optimize the amount of Li’s crosslinked product that is present with Li’s organic solvent, Li’s inorganic acid, and Li’s water to be greater than or equal to 2% by weight and less than 26% by weight based on a total amount of Li’s crosslinked product, Li’s organic solvent, Li’s inorganic acid, and Li’s water in Li’s method. The proposed modification would read on wherein the dry matter content of the liquid in step (b) that contains the lignin-containing raw material, after mixing with the precipitating agent and optionally a precipitation additive, is at least 2% by weight, wherein the dry matter content is < 26% by weight as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because it would have been beneficial for optimizing an extent of precipitation of Li’s crosslinked product in Li’s method because Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent at a weight ratio of the lignin raw material to the organic solvent that is 1:18-20, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate until the pH value is 2-2.5, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol at a weight ratio of lignin sol to crosslinking agent of 100:1-2, performing a crosslinking reaction for 1-2 hours [0011], and precipitating a crosslinked product [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], and that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], which means that the amount of Li’s crosslinked product that is present with Li’s organic solvent, Li’s inorganic acid, and Li’s water in % by weight based on a total amount of Li’s crosslinked product, Li’s organic solvent, Li’s inorganic acid, and Li’s water in Li’s method would have affected an extent of precipitation of Li’s crosslinked product in Li’s method.
Regarding claim 9, Li teaches that the method comprises precipitating a crosslinked product and drying to obtain lignin nanoparticles [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], and that the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material [0015], which reads on wherein the precipitation in step (b) is carried out at a temperature in a range from 20 to 25 °C, if the heat treatment is carried out in the additional step (d) as claimed.
Regarding claim 11, Li satisfies the limitation wherein duration of the heat treatment after precipitation in step (b) is at least 5 or at least 10 minutes, or the duration of the heat treatment after precipitation in step (b) is in a range from 5 minutes to 5 hours as claimed because it is optional in claim 1 that in step (b) the liquid mixed with the precipitating agent is heated-treated after the precipitation at a temperature in a range from 60 to 200 °C for a period of 1 minute to 6 hours if in an additional step (d) after step (c), the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 600 °C, and Li in view of Lin renders obvious wherein in an additional step (d) after step (c), the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 100 to 110°C as claimed.
Regarding claim 20, Li teaches that the method comprises pretreating a lignin raw material to remove insoluble matter in the raw material to obtain a raw material filtrate [0011] by dissolving the lignin raw material in an organic solvent, stirring to fully dissolve the lignin, filtering to remove insoluble matter in the raw material, and obtaining a filtrate [0012], adding an inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate to prepare a lignin sol [0011] by adding the inorganic acid to the raw material filtrate, and stirring to obtain lignin colloid [0014], and adding a crosslinking agent to the lignin sol [0011], and precipitating a crosslinked product [0011], that after the cross-linking reaction is completed, the system is cooled to room temperature [0015], that water is added dropwise to the cross-linking reaction system to allow the cross-linked product to be continuously dialyzed out [0015], that the organic solvent includes one or a mixture of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol [0013], and that the inorganic acid comprises one or more of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and phosphoric acid [0014], which reads on wherein the precipitating agent is water if the liquid comprises at least one alcohol as claimed.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 103254452 A, cited in IDS, machine translation in English used for citation, made of record on 09/19/2025) in view of Lin et al. (CN 106966390 A, machine translation in English used for citation) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Liu et al. (US 2015/0166836 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Li in view of Lin renders obvious the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Li teaches that the particle size of the lignin nanoparticles obtained by the method is 20-200 nm [0015], which reads on wherein the lignin particles formed in the method have a d50 value of a particle size distribution relative to a volume average, of less than 500 µm as claimed. Li teaches that the method comprises drying to obtain lignin nanoparticles [0011], and that the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material [0015].
Li does not teach that the d50 value of the particle size distribution is obtained by a grinding step that is carried out after step (c) or after step (d). However, Liu teaches obtaining lignin nanoparticles from a mechanical process that is grinding [0072]. Li and Liu are analogous art because both references are in the same field of endeavor of a method for producing a lignin in particulate form. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use Liu’s mechanical process that is grinding on Li’s lignin nanoparticles that are obtained by Li’s drying and vacuum drying at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours in Li’s method, such that Li’s lignin nanoparticles have Li’s particle size of 20-200 nm. The proposed modification would read on wherein the d50 value of the particle size distribution is obtained by a grinding step that is carried out after step (c) or after step (d) as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because it would have been beneficial for improving an ability of the method to prepare lignin nanoparticles because Liu teaches that a mechanical process that is grinding is beneficial for obtaining lignin nanoparticles [0072], which would have been desirable for Li’s method because Li teaches that the particle size of the lignin nanoparticles obtained by the method is 20-200 nm [0015], that the method comprises drying to obtain lignin nanoparticles [0011], and that the system is then washed and vacuum dried at 60-80°C for 12-18 hours to obtain a lignin nanoparticle material [0015].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 7, filed 12/04/2025, with respect to the objection to claims 1-12 and 20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection to claims 1-12 and 20 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 7-8, filed 12/04/2025, with respect to the rejection of claims 8, 10, and 20 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 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 8, 10, and 20 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 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 8-11, filed 12/04/2025, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-11 and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 103254452 A, cited in IDS, machine translation in English used for citation) have been considered and are responded to by the new grounds of rejection that is set forth in this Office action.
Applicant's arguments filed 12/04/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to the applicant’s argument that the present application contains experimental data that show a technical effect that is associated with the products obtained by the process according to the invention in terms of alkali solubility, which is not disclosed or suggested by Li, and that the experimental data is PS2 water separation 5 in the Table on page 47, PS2 Heating 6 in the Table on page 47, and PS Heating 5 in the Table on page 47 (p. 11), the applicant’s arguments of unexpected results are not persuasive because the applicant’s data is not commensurate in scope with the claimed invention. The applicant’s data is not commensurate in scope with the claimed invention because claim 1 does not limit the species of lignin, does not limit the particulate size, does not limit the extent of reaction between the lignin and the at least one cross-linking agent, does not limit the species of the liquid in step (a), does not limit the species of the at least one cross-linking agent, does not limit the species of the precipitating agent, does not limit the method by which the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 600 °C, and does not limit the method by which the liquid mixed with the precipitating agent is heat-treated after the precipitation at a temperature in a range from 60 to 200 °C for a period of 1 minute to 6 hours. PS2 water separation 5, PS2 Heating 6, and PS Heating 5 are for one species of lignin (specification p. 45), do not specify the particle size of the lignin particulate form, do not specify the extent of reaction between the lignin and the at least one cross-linking agent, are for one species of liquid in step (a) (specification p. 45), are for one species of cross-linking agent (specification p. 46), are for one species of precipitating agent (specification p. 46), and are for one method by which the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 600 °C (specification p. 47). Whether the unexpected results are the result of unexpectedly improved results or a property not taught by the prior art, the "objective evidence of nonobviousness must be commensurate in scope with the claims which the evidence is offered to support (MPEP 716.02(d))." In other words, the showing of unexpected results must be reviewed to see if the results occur over the entire claimed range (MPEP 716.02(d)). The applicant did not show that the results shown would occur over the entire scope of claim 1 for any species of lignin, for any particle size of the lignin, for any extent of reaction between the lignin and the at least one cross-linking agent, for any species of liquid in step (a), for any species of cross-linking agent, for any species of precipitating agent, and for any method by which the lignin particles separated from the liquid are heat-treated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 600 °C. The nonobviousness of a broader claimed range can be supported by evidence based on unexpected results from testing a narrower range if one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine a trend in the exemplified data which would allow the artisan to reasonably extend the probative value thereof (MPEP 716.02(d)(I)). The applicant did not show a sufficient number of examples that would allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine a trend in the exemplified data that would allow the artisan to reasonably extend the probative value thereof over the entire scope of claim 1. To establish unexpected results over a claimed range, applicants should compare a sufficient number of tests both inside and outside the claimed range to show the criticality of the claimed range (MPEP 716.02(d)(II)). The applicant did not compare a sufficient number of examples inside the scope of claim 1 with a sufficient number of examples outside the scope of claim 1.
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 11-12, filed 12/04/2025, with respect to the rejection of claim 12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 103254452 A, cited in IDS, machine translation in English used for citation) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Liu et al. (US 2015/0166836 A1) have been considered and are responded to by the new grounds of rejection that is set forth in this Office action.
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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID KARST whose telephone number is (571)270-7732. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
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, Mark Eashoo can be reached at 571-272-1197. 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.
/DAVID T KARST/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1767