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 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.
Claim 13 is 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 13, in line 3, “its envelope” is unclear. The words “its” is by definition unclear in claim language because it does not properly refer back to a limitation and/or is not a proper way to define a term. For example, what is “it”?
Appropriate action is required to identify/clarify what is meant by the claim so that way the metes and bounds of the claim can be determined.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would all be allowed assuming the 112b issue above is corrected.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With respect to claim 1, the prior art of record does not suggest or disclose the claimed combination of elements or steps as recited, most particularly the claimed, “wherein the electromagnetic waves comprise modulated waveforms that include n-bit passcodes to individually control stimulation of each of the plurality of implantable stimulators ;wherein an implantable stimulator of the plurality of implantable stimulators comprises: a receiver (RX) for receiving a modulated waveform from the TX coil, wherein the implantable stimulator is controlled based on the modulated waveform; a coil that harvests AC power; a voltage regulator; a rectifier that rectifies the harvested power and passes the rectified voltage (Vrect) to the voltage regulator to provide a constant voltage; data recovery and control circuitry coupled to the voltage regulator and configured to output a stimulation control signal based on passcodes detected from the modulated waveform; an output stage and driver circuitry coupled to receive the constant voltage from the voltage regulator and the stimulation control signal from the data recovery and control circuitry, and configured to output a stimulation signal; and one or more electrodes coupled to receive the stimulation signal from the output stage and driver circuitry.”
Claims 2-16 depend from claim 1 above and would be allowable for the same reasons.
With respect to claim 17, the prior art of record does not suggest or disclose the claimed combination of elements or steps as recited, most particularly the claimed, “each implantable stimulator comprising: a coil configured to establish a near-field resonant inductive link with the transmitter coil, and to harvest power from the transmitter waves; a voltage regulator that outputs a constant voltage; data recovery and control circuitry coupled to the voltage regulator and configured to output a stimulation control signal based on passcodes detected from the transmitter waves; an output stage and driver circuitry coupled to receive the constant voltage from the voltage regulator and the stimulation control signal from the data recovery and control circuitry, and configured to output a stimulation signal; and one or more electrodes coupled to receive the stimulation signal from the output stage and driver circuitry.”
Claims 18-27 depend from claim 17 above and would be allowable for the same reasons.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 11,541,238 to Andresen et al. discloses an antenna assembly for supplying power to an implantable neural stimulator device. Andresen, however, fails to teach the claimed coil that harvests AC power having data recovery and control circuitry based on passcodes as claimed.
US 2023/0319562 to Lee et al. discloses a wireless power transmission apparatus with in-band and out-band communication using an authentication message. Lee fails to fairly teach or suggest the claimed coil that harvests AC power having data recovery and control circuitry based on passcodes as claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL R PELTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached at 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHANIEL R PELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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