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. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election of species claim 11 in the reply filed on November 17, 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). 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. Claim(s) 1-6 , 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawaji et al (WO 2019021522 A1 ; references made herein are with respect to the 14 page English translation, submitted herewith ) . Regarding claim 1 , Kawaji teaches a secondary battery 1000 including a positive electrode 100 , a negative electrode 200 , and an electrolyte layer 300 (Figs. 1 and 2). The electrolyte layer includes an electrolytic solution (5 th full par., page 3/14). Kawaji teaches that the negative electrode active material may include metallic lithium (1 st par., page 5/14). Kawaji teaches use of LiTFSI as a lithium imide salt (electrolyte salt) (Example 1, page 9/14 and Fig. 3). Kawaji teaches tetraglyme (G4) as a main solvent (Example 1, page 9/14). Example 1 of Kawaji further utilizes vinylene carbonate (VC), which satisfies Formula (I) of instant claim 1 when R 11 and R 12 are each hydrogen. Example 19 of Kawaji teaches FEC (Fig. 3), which satisfies the claimed Formula (II) when R 21-23 are each a hydrogen and R 24 is fluorine. Example 20 of Kawaji teaches PS (Fig. 3), which satisfies the claimed Formula (IV) when R 41-44 are each hydrogen. Example 18 of Kawaji teaches LiBOB (Fig. 3). While Kawaji does not expressly teach all of the claimed elements in a single embodiment, the overlapping teachings constitute prima facie obviousness. Regarding claim 2 , Kawaji teaches that the first additive is preferably present in amounts of 1-20 wt% (4 th par., page 8/14). Regarding claim 3 , the LiTFSI taught by Kawaji (Examples 1-21, Fig. 3) constitutes the claimed formula S1. Regarding claim 4 , Example 1 of Kawaji teaches LiTFSI to be present in an amount of 1.5 mol/L (1 st par., page 10/14). Regarding claim 5 , Kawaji teaches the use of tetraglyme (G4, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether) (Example 1), which constitutes the claimed formula G. Regarding claim 6 , Kawaji teaches tetraglyme (G4) as the main solvent (Example 1). Kawaji further teaches the main solvent is 30-70 wt% of the electrolyte (2 nd full par., page, 7/14). The overlapping ranges constitute prima facie obviousness. Regarding claims 12 and 13 , Kawaji teaches a lithium ion secondary battery as an exemplary secondary battery, which is an electrochemical device capable of storing or utilizing electrical energy by insertion and extraction of lithium ions to an electrode in an electrolyte (Description of Embodiments, 3 rd par., page 2/14). Allowable Subject Matter Claim 11 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Kawaji is the closest related prior art to the instantly claimed invention, as shown above. Kawaji does not teach or suggest the use of a compound represented by claimed general formula (V), let alone as the sole additive, let alone in amounts of 0.1-20 wt%. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT COLIN W SLIFKA whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-5830 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-5:30 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Ching-Yiu (Coris) Fung can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-5713 . 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. /Colin W. Slifka/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1732