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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s amendment which was received by the office on 6/22/2026. Claims 1, 3-7, 9-19 are currently pending and under examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
In view of the amendment filed on 6/22/2026 canceling claim 8 the 112(b) rejections made against claim 8 in the office action of 3/23/2026 have been withdrawn.
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.
Claim 18-19 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. Claims 18-19 recite “wherein there are no current-conducting connections between the first connection unit and the second connection unit.”, it is unclear what connections applicant is attempting to include and/or exclude when reciting “wherein there are no current-conducting connections between the first connection unit and the second connection unit.” The specification recites verbatim what the claims states ,see para. [0038] and does not provide any further details in regard to what connections applicant is attempting to include and/or exclude. It is suggested, if applicant is attempting to limit the coupling to be inductive coupling and/or capacitive coupling, that the claim be amended to recite such couplings. It is suggested, if applicant is attempting to exclude mechanical cable connections or direct cable connections such as leads or wires, that the claim be amended to recite the exclusion of such connections.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-7, 9-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: In view of the art that is relevant to the claimed invention the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest, within the context of the other claim limitations, a connection system comprising: a first connection unit connected to a blood pump and comprising a first coil; and a second connection unit connected to a control and/or energy unit and comprising a second coil, wherein the first connection unit is wirelessly coupled to the second connection unit via inductive coupling between the first and second coils to permit wireless transmission of energy and/or data from the second connection unit to the first connection unit, further wherein the first connection unit and the second connection unit are implantable, so that both the first connection unit and the second connection unit are designed for use within a body of a patient, respectively in combination with the other claim elements. The prior art discloses wireless communication between an external device and an implanted device such as a blood pump with the closest prior art including: US 2016/0030652 to Arndt et al. (previously cited) which discloses an implantable cable connecting device and US 2011/0160516 to Dague et al. (previously cited) which discloses wireless communication with an implanted blood pump but the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest the specifics of the claim including a second connection unit connected to a control and/or energy unit and comprising a second coil, that is implantable and wirelessly coupled to a first coil within a first connection unit coupled to a blood pump which is also implantable, wherein the first connection unit is wirelessly coupled to the second connection unit via inductive coupling between the first and second coils to permit wireless transmission of energy and/or data from the second connection unit to the first connection unit.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/22/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive.
I. Claims Rejections 35 USC 112
As stated above, in view of the amendment filed on 6/22/2026 canceling claim 8 the 112(b) rejections made against claim 8 in the office action of 3/23/2026 have been withdrawn.
II. Claims Rejections – 35 USC 103
Applicant’s arguments, see pgs. 6-7, filed 6/22/2026, with respect to the 103 rejection using Arndt in view of Duhamel made against claims 1-13 and 15-17 in the office action of 3/23/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the claim amendments now reciting “a first coil”, “a second coil” and “the first connection unit is wirelessly coupled to the second connection unit via inductive coupling between the first and second coils to permit wireless transmission of energy and/or data from the second connection unit to the first connection unit”. The 103 rejection using Arndt in view of Duhamel made against claims 1-13 and 15-17 in the office action of 3/23/2026 has been withdrawn.
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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/JG/ Examiner, Art Unit 3796
/REX R HOLMES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3796
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