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 .
Claim Status
The Amendment filed on 20 January 2026 has been entered; claims 1-5, 8-15, and 18-20 remain pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 20 January 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 9, 11, and 14 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.
With respect to claim 9, the limitation “the calcium hydrate” lacks antecedent basis in the claim language. The Examiner suggests amending this limitation to “the solid calcium carbonate hydrate”. The late citation of this rejection is regretted.
With respect to claim 11, the limitation “the vented carbon dioxide” lacks antecedent basis in the claim language. The Examiner believes claim 11 should depend from claim 10 instead of claim 8. The late citation of this rejection is regretted.
Regarding claim 14, it is rejected for being dependent on claim 11.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Trampe et al. (U.S. Patent Publication # 2021/0114892), hereinafter “Trampe”.
With respect to claims 18-20, Trampe teaches formation of ikaite (“calcium carbonate hydrate”) crystals upon contact of alkaline aqueous solution with seawater (see Abstract; Paragraphs [0010, 0014, 0040, 0041, 0072]; including off-shore seawater or artificial seawater), thereby increasing the density of the seawater (see Paragraphs [0093-0101] for chemical reactions), as after formation at a temperature below 15°C (“less than about 20°C”) (Paragraphs [0072]), the ikaite crystals are in contact with the seawater (Paragraph [0072]).
Trampe does not teach that the ikaite is formed via application of a vacuum as recited in claim 1; however, the Examiner submits that the ikaite of Trampe is patentably indistinguishable from the recited “solid calcium carbonate hydrate” of claim 1, especially since claim 9 depends from claim 1 and recites ikaite.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLARE M PERRIN whose telephone number is (571)270-5952. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST M-F.
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/CLARE M. PERRIN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779
/CLARE M PERRIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779 11 February 2026