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
Applicant's arguments filed 2/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the claims require “an output terminal configured to deliver an output signal comprising at least one discrete pulse to a plurality of heart lead wires when coupled thereto.” Applicant argues that Sullivan’s device is configured to deliver energy through external electrodes and paddles applied to a patient’s chest. The Applicant argues Sullivan does not disclose or teach an output terminal configured to couple to “heart lead wires” as recited in claims 1, 6 and 16. The examiner respectfully disagrees as the output terminal is claimed as configured to deliver an output signal to a plurality of heart lead wires. Sullivan teaches an output of Element 50 which is coupled to (heart lead) wires 54 to carry the pulse to the patient (e.g. Figure 1 and Column 5, lines 1-19).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10 and 16-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sullivan et al (US Patent 6,539,258).
Referring to Claim 1, Sullivan et al teaches a defibrillator interface device comprising: an input terminal configured to receive an input signal from a defibrillator when coupled thereto (e.g. Figure 1, input from 52); an output terminal configured to deliver an output signal comprising at least one discrete pulse to a plurality of heart lead wires when coupled thereto (e.g. Figure 1, output at 54 to the patient; the examiner notes the heart lead wires are not positively recited but are functionally recited); an attenuation circuit configured to convert the input signal into the output signal such that a pulse energy for each discrete pulse in the output signal is less than 6 Joules (e.g. Figure 1, Element 50 and Column 6 lines 20-30).
Referring to Claim 2, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 1, wherein the pulse energy is less than 0.2 Joules (e.g. Claim 7 discloses the output is approximately 0.2 joules or less).
Referring to Claim 3, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the discrete pulses of the output signal comprises a square waveform, a plateau waveform, a truncated exponential waveform, a rounded waveform, or a monophasic or biphasic form thereof (e.g. Column 10 lines 17-35).
Referring to Claim 4, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 1, further comprising a cardioversion cable coupled between the output terminal and the plurality of heart lead wires (e.g. Figures 1 and 2, output 54 and Column 5 lines 15-20).
Referring to Claim 5, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 1, wherein the input terminal is configured to couple to the defibrillator via a cable connector without physical contact with defibrillator paddles (e.g. Figures 1 and 2 and Column 7 lines 16-20).
Referring to Claim 6, Sullivan et al teaches a defibrillator interface device comprising: an input terminal configured to couple to a defibrillator (e.g. Figure 1, input from 52); an output terminal configured to couple to a plurality of heart lead wires (e.g. Figure 1, output at 54 to the patient; the examiner notes the heart lead wires are not positively recited but are functionally recited); an attenuation circuit configured to couple the input terminal to the output terminal, wherein the attenuation circuit comprises a plurality of resistors arranged in a voltage divider configuration, wherein each of the plurality of resistors exhibits a resistance of less than 1 kΩ (e.g. Figure 1, Element 50 and Figures 2 illustrates the divider circuit and Column 7 lines 30-35 discloses resistors in the range of 5-100 ohms).
Referring to Claim 7, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 6, wherein the input terminal is coupled directly to the attenuation circuit without any intervening voltage discharge tubes (e.g. Figure 2 illustrates the voltage divider circuit and does not require voltage discharge tubes).
Referring to Claim 8, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 6, wherein the resistors are selected such that a pulse energy of output pulses generated by the attenuation circuit is less than 6 Joules (e.g. Column 6 lines 20-30).
Referring to Claim 10, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 6, wherein the input terminal is configured to couple to the defibrillator via a cable connector without physical contact with defibrillator paddles (e.g. Figures 1 and 2 and Column 7 lines 16-20).
Referring to Claim 16, Sullivan et al teaches a method of performing atrial cardioversion, the method comprising: receiving, by an input terminal of a defibrillator interface device, an input pulse from a defibrillator via a cable connector coupling the defibrillator to the input terminal (e.g. Figure 1 input 52 from defibrillator device 8); converting, by an attenuation circuit, the input pulse into an output pulse having a pulse energy of less than 6 Joules (e.g. Figure 1, Element 50 and Column 6 lines 20-30); transmitting the output pulse to a patient's heart via a plurality of heart lead wires in contact therewith (e.g. Figures 1 and 2, output 54 and Column 5 lines 15-20).
Referring to Claim 17, Sullivan et al teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the pulse energy is less than 0.2 Joules (e.g. Claim 7 discloses the output is approximately 0.2 joules or less).
Referring to Claim 18, Sullivan et al teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the output pulse comprises a square waveform, a plateau waveform, a truncated exponential waveform, a rounded waveform, or a monophasic or biphasic form thereof (e.g. Column 10 lines 17-35).
Referring to Claim 19, Sullivan et al teaches the method of any of claim 16, further comprising: coupling the input terminal of the defibrillator interface device via the cable connector without physically contacting the input terminal with defibrillator paddles (e.g. Figures 1 and 2 and Column 7 lines 16-20).
Referring to Claim 20, Sullivan et al teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the attenuation circuit is electrically coupled to the input terminal without any intervening voltage discharge tubes (e.g. Figure 2 illustrates the voltage divider circuit and does not require voltage discharge tubes).
Referring to Claim 21, Sullivan et al teaches the method of claim 16, wherein successful atrial cardioversion is achieved at defibrillation threshold of greater than 0.1 J and less than 1 J (e.g. Column 6 lines 20-30).
Referring to Claim 22, Sullivan et al teaches the method of claim 21, wherein the successful atrial cardioversion is achieved using single-stage energy delivery (e.g. Column 9 lines 56-Column 10 line 56 disclose the energy delivery resulting from a single biphasic shock).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sullivan et al (US Patent 6,539,258) in view of Wahler et al (US Publication 2013/0131526).
Referring to Claim 9, Sullivan et al teaches the defibrillator interface device of claim 6, except further comprising at least one voltage discharge tube coupled in parallel between the attenuation circuit and the output terminal.
Wahler et al teaches that it is known to use gas discharge tube in parallel between the circuit(s) and output terminal as set forth in Figure 1, Element 125 to provide protection of the circuit(s) from overvoltages. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the system as taught by Sullivan et al, with gas discharge tube in parallel between the circuits and output terminal as taught by Wahler et al, since such a modification would provide the predictable results of protection of the circuit(s) from overvoltages.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to William J Levicky whose telephone number is (571)270-3983. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8AM-5PM EST.
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, David Hamaoui can be reached at (571)270-5625. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/William J Levicky/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3796
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