CTNF 18/089,173 CTNF 91725 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-27 AIA Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2022-0045008 , filed on 04/12/2022 . Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 in the reply filed on 3/20/2026 is acknowledged. 08-06 AIA Claim s 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected inventions , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/26/2026 . Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 4 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 4 includes an image printed over the word “controller”. The claim should be amended to remove the image and properly reciting “a controller”. Claim 7 includes an image printed after the word “water”. The claim should be amended to remove the image and properly reciting “water.” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-2 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanai (US20010021468A1) . Regarding Claims 1 and 6 , Kanai discloses a humidifier control apparatus (Modified First Embodiment shown in Fig. 15) [pars. 0057-60,0072,0155-158; Figs. 1,3,15] comprising: a humidifier (hollow fiber membrane water collecting apparatus 2 integrated with vapor/liquid separator 3 ) [par. 0066]; a reservoir tank (collected water storage tank 4 ) configured to store condensed water discharged from the humidifier; a heating unit (not shown) configured to apply heat to the reservoir tank; and a drain valve 8 configured to discharge the condensed water stored in the reservoir tank. Regarding Claim 2 , Kanai discloses wherein the humidifier includes: a first inlet to which dry air is supplied (i.e., for air sucked from outside) [par. 0058; Fig. 15]; a second inlet to which humid air is supplied (i.e., for air exhausted from fuel cell having a water content) [pars. 0064,0068; Fig. 15]; a first outlet from which humidified air is discharged (i.e., for air exiting the apparatus 2 and entering fuel cell 1 ); and a second outlet (i.e., for discharging collected water) through which the condensed water is supplied to the reservoir tank [par. 0069; Fig. 15] . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanai , as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Seakins (US20040074493A1) . Regarding Claim 3 , Kanai discloses a humidity sensor T1 and a dew point sensor (not shown) may be provided to detect the humidity of the air supply provided on the air supply passage for the purpose of confirming, by a controller, target generated voltage or target generated current of a fuel cell [pars. 0228-229], but fails to explicitly disclose that the humidifier control apparatus further comprises: a first sensor disposed at the first inlet to measure a first humidity of the dry air; and a second sensor disposed at the first outlet to measure a second humidity of the humidified air. However, Seakins, from a similar problem solving area of providing dry air to a humidifier control apparatus to achieve desired level of humidified air, discloses a humidifier control apparatus comprising a humidifier 60 including a first sensor (not shown but indicated by position 72 at inlet port 65 ) disposed at first inlet 65 to measure a first humidity of the dry air, and a second sensor (not shown but indicated by position 73 at outlet port 66 ) disposed at the first outlet to measure a second humidity of the humidified air in order to energize the humidifier and achieve a predetermined level of humidity [Seakins – pars. 0037,0097-101]. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have employed the teachings of Seakins to have modified the humidifier control apparatus of Kanai to have further comprised a first sensor disposed at the first inlet to measure a first humidity of the dry air, and a second sensor disposed at the first outlet to measure a second humidity of the humidified air, in order to energize the humidifier and achieve a predetermined level of humidity to generate target voltage or current of the fuel cell. Regarding Claim 4 , modified Kanai teaches the humidifier control apparatus further comprises a controller ECU 129 to control the drain valve 126e based on the first humidity and the second humidity measured by the first sensor and the second sensor and an amount of condensed water stored in the reservoir for generating power based on target power voltage and current based on amount of condensed water stored in the reservoir tank [Kanai – pars. 0228-232; Figs. 26-27]. Regarding Claim 5 , modified Kanai discloses wherein the controller receives information about the first humidity measured by the first sensor, the second humidity measured by the second sensor, and the amount of the condensed water stored in the reservoir tank to control the heating unit or the drain valve [Kanai – pars. 0228-232,0239; Figs. 26-27] . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanai , as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Okamura (US20190157695A1) . Regarding Claim 7 , Kanai fails to explicitly disclose wherein the heating unit includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater and evaporates the condensed water. However, Okamura, from the same field of endeavor, teaches a fuel cell system in which a water reservoir (water storage area 80 ) is provided with a PTC heater 90 configured to prevent freezing of the water [Okamura – pars. 0036-37,0089-90; Fig. 2]. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have employed the teachings of Okamura to have modified the heating unit of Kanai wherein the heating unit includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater as a well-known heating unit provided in a water reservoir tank to prevent freezing of water. Kanai further teaches a vaporizer 44 configured to vaporize (i.e., evaporate) the condensed water and supplying it to the air intake to control humidification of air supplied to fuel cell [pars. 0166-171; Fig. 17]. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled artisan to have to have modified the humidification control apparatus of Kanai, wherein the PTC heater is further configured to evaporate the condensed water in order to control humidification of air supplied to the fuel cell. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAROON S SHEIKH whose telephone number is (571)270-0302. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6. 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, JONATHAN LEONG can be reached at (571) 270-1292. 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. HAROON S. SHEIKH Primary Examiner Art Unit 1751 /Haroon S. Sheikh/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 2 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 3 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 4 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 5 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 6 Art Unit: 1751 Application/Control Number: 18/089,173 Page 7 Art Unit: 1751
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