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 .
This office action is a response to an amendment filed 07/01/2026.
Claims 3-7 and 11-18 are pending.
Claims 3 and 6 are amended.
Claims 11-18 are added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 07/01/2026, have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Rejections based on a newly cited reference(s) follow.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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.
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.
Claims 3-7, 11, 14, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Publication No. 2020/0161858 to Wang et al., (hereinafter Wang), in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2022/0122163 to Obata et al., (hereinafter Obata), in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2011/0238519 to Basak et al., (hereinafter Basak), in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2019/0190269 to de Hoog et al., (hereinafter Hoog), and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2016/0358153 to de Pascacio Maldonado et al., (hereinafter Maldonado).
Regarding claim 3, Wang teaches an information processing apparatus for a smart grid (System for a grid, see Figs. 1 to 5, Abs., P39, Wang), comprising:
a first memory storage unit recording respective virtually-stored electric energy amounts of a plurality of users of the smart grid, the virtually-stored electric energy amounts being respectively associated with the plurality of users (The system records, in at least a ledger and/or user repositories, energy transaction amounts between user respective users and the grid, and among users. Any variable or quantity representative of an energy amount that can or is transferred or transferrable is being interpreted as virtually-stored electric energy amount, see P71, p70, P25, p39, 33, Wang), wherein:
the first memory storage unit is configured to record the virtually-stored electric energy amount of one of the users as a positive amount according to an amount of electric energy that is greater than 0 when the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users is greater than 0 (Energy transaction where energy/power is withdrawn or injected through the grid, as the case may be, where an injected amount of energy can be modeled as a positive amount (i.e. greater than zero), where transaction details are recorded in ledgers that include energy amounts, see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang ), and to record the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users as a negative amount according to an amount of electric energy that is less than 0 when the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users is less than 0 (Energy transaction where energy/power is withdrawn or injected through the grid, as the case may be, where a withdrawn amount of energy can be modeled as a negative amount (i.e. less than zero), where transaction details are recorded in ledgers that include energy amounts, see P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang );
and the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users stored in the first memory storage unit is configured to be arithmetically increased according to an amount of electric energy that is output from an electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users to the smart grid (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as needed, meaning in the case of a user selling energy, they arithmetically receive an amount of unit credit (an increase) representing energy amount the user outputs in the transaction, where variables are collected (recorded), see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang) and to be arithmetically reduced according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the smart grid to the electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as the case may be, meaning in the case of a user buying energy, they arithmetically have to have deducted an amount of unit credit (a decrease) representing energy amount the grid outputs to them in the transaction, where variables are collected (recorded), see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang);
and the smart grid is configured to transfer electrical power from a first user of the users having the positive amount to a second user of the users having the negative amount (Energy in excess is discharged for transfer to those in need as established by contracts, meaning from those users having a positive amount (i.e. of energy, in other words an excess) to those having a negative amount (i.e. of excess energy, in other words a deficit), see p81, P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang),
wherein: a negative permissible amount is predetermined for a virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users (A contract for energy transaction amount (or negotiated transference ), where a withdrawn amount of energy can be modeled as a negative amount, meaning the contract predetermines a negative permissible amount that will be transferred, see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang); and the information processing apparatus is configured to execute an electricity purchasing process according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the smart grid to the electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users (Buying of energy, see p57, P56, Wang).
While Wang implies a permitted amount electric energy to receive in the sense that a contract for energy has an implication that an party of the contract has agreed to permit receipt (e.g. positive or negative receipt) of an agreed to energy transaction amount that will be transferred to from a user to another through the grid (see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang),
Obata, from the same or similar field of energy transfers and transaction, more explicitly teaches electric energy amounts indicating an amount of electric energy that each of a plurality of users is permitted to receive from a grid for each of the plurality of users (Amounts of available electrical energy that (e.g. stored energy) that is for receipt through a grid by each of users in a market place, is permitted by contract execution. Additionally, in a secondary sense, the energy amounts permitted to be withdrawn by way of an offer or the amount of energy to be supplied by way of a bid, has a maximum permitted amounts in the sense of determined limits, see p10, p48, Fig. 4C, p61, p18, p51, p11, Obata).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by Wang and incorporating an amount of electric energy permitted to be received, as taught by Obata.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine an agreed upon amount of energy that a party will be allowed to receive, including withdrawal (i.e., negative receipt), and available capacity that can be transferred from a peer with capacity to supply energy to another peer needing energy ( see p10, p48, p18, p61, Fig. 4C, p48, p51, p11, Obata).
Wang does not explicitly teach purchase when an electric energy amount of a one of a users falls beyond a negative permissible amount.
However, Basak from the same or similar field of energy markets, teaches purchase when an electric energy amount of a one of a users falls beyond a negative permissible amount. (Energy is bought when an energy amount is below a threshold (i.e. a negative amount permissible from a top amount), see P46, Basak).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating a purchase when an amount falls below an amount, as taught by Basak.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better ensure energy will be purchased and available when an amount of local energy has fallen below a minimum desired needed amount ( see P46, Basak).
While Wang and Basak imply positive and negative amounts of energy,
Hoog, from the same or similar field of energy storage, energy market, and energy transference, more explicitly teaches positive and negative amounts of energy (An amount of energy power can be real numbers that can include negative and positive values, see P32, p16, p42, Hoog)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating positive and negative values of energy amounts, as taught by Hoog.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better mathematically represent specified property or action related to an energy capacity or amount, such as signifying the amount of power for withdrawal versus supply, or of an amount indicative of a surplus or deficit ( see P32, Hoog; see P45, Wang; see P40, 46, 35, 47, Basak).
Wang does not explicitly teach wherein an amount indicates a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party.
However, Maldonado, from the same or similar field of energy supply transactions, teaches wherein an amount indicates a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party (A maximum amount of available debt balance provides a maximum threshold balance that one (receiving) party is allowed to owe (allowed to be in debt) to another (supplying) party for a supplied amount of an energy good, see p26, Maldonado).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating consideration of an amount indicative of a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party, as taught by Maldonado.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better limit the amount of energy commodity supplied or received by one party so that it will not exceed an amount of debt for which at least one of the parties may reasonably set as an amount of risk for which the indebted party may be able to assume without defaulting, as suggested by Maldonado (see p26, Maldonado).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Wang further teaches wherein a negative permissible amount is determined according to an amount of electric energy that is output from an electrical equipment unit associated with one of users to a smart grid for a predetermined period (A contract for energy transaction amount where a withdrawn amount of energy can be taken as a negative amount, meaning the contract permits a negative permissible amount that will be transferred to from a user to another through the grid, see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Wang further teaches wherein a negative permissible amount is determined according to a predicted value of amount of electric energy that is output from an electrical equipment unit associated with one of users to a smart grid for a predetermined period (P2P (peer to peer) energy transfer requests include consideration of day-ahead forecasts (i.e. a predicted value amount) in determining transfers, see P55-56, P81, Wang).
Regarding claim 6, Wang teaches an information processing apparatus for a smart grid (System for a grid, see Figs. 1 to 5, Abs., P39, Wang), comprising:
a first memory storage unit recording respective virtually-stored electric energy amounts of a plurality of users of the smart grid, the virtually-stored electric energy amounts being respectively associated with the plurality of users (The system records, in at least a ledger and/or user repositories, energy transaction amounts between user respective users and the grid, and among users. Any variable or quantity representative of an energy amount that can or is transferred or transferrable is being interpreted as virtually-stored electric energy amount, see P71, p70, P25, p39, 33, Wang), wherein:
the first memory storage unit is configured to record the virtually-stored electric energy amount of one of the users as a positive amount according to an amount of electric energy that is greater than 0 when the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users is greater than 0 (Energy transaction where energy/power is withdrawn or injected through the grid, as the case may be, where an injected amount of energy can be modeled as a positive amount (i.e. greater than zero), where transaction details are recorded in ledgers that include energy amounts, see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang ), and to record the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users as a negative amount according to an amount of electric energy that is less than 0 when the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users is less than 0 (Energy transaction where energy/power is withdrawn or injected through the grid, as the case may be, where a withdrawn amount of energy can be modeled as a negative amount (i.e. less than zero), where transaction details are recorded in ledgers that include energy amounts, see P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang );
and the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users stored in the first memory storage unit is configured to be arithmetically increased according to an amount of electric energy that is output from an electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users to the smart grid (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as needed, meaning in the case of a user selling energy, they arithmetically receive an amount of unit credit (an increase) representing energy amount the user outputs in the transaction, where variables are collected (recorded), see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang) and to be arithmetically reduced according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the smart grid to the electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as the case may be, meaning in the case of a user buying energy, they arithmetically have to have deducted an amount of unit credit (a decrease) representing energy amount the grid outputs to them in the transaction, where variables are collected (recorded), see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang);
and the smart grid is configured to transfer electrical power from a first user of the users having the positive amount to a second user of the users having the negative amount (Energy in excess is discharged for transfer to those in need as established by contracts, meaning from those users having a positive amount (i.e. of energy, in other words an excess) to those having a negative amount (i.e. of excess energy, in other words a deficit), see p81, P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang),
wherein: a negative permissible amount is predetermined for a virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users (A contract for energy transaction amount (or negotiated transference ), where a withdrawn amount of energy can be modeled as a negative amount, meaning the contract predetermines a negative permissible amount that will be transferred, see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang); and the information processing apparatus is configured to execute an electricity purchasing process according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the smart grid to the electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users (Buying of energy, see p57, P56, Wang).
While Wang implies a permitted amount electric energy to receive in the sense that a contract for energy has an implication that an party of the contract has agreed to permit receipt (e.g. positive or negative receipt) of an agreed to energy transaction amount that will be transferred to from a user to another through the grid (see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, Fig. 12, Wang),
Obata, from the same or similar field of energy transfers and transaction, more explicitly teaches electric energy amounts indicating an amount of electric energy that each of a plurality of users is permitted to receive from a grid for each of the plurality of users (Amounts of available electrical energy that (e.g. stored energy) that is for receipt through a grid by each of users in a market place, is permitted by contract execution. Additionally, in a secondary sense, the energy amounts permitted to be withdrawn by way of an offer or the amount of energy to be supplied by way of a bid, has a maximum permitted amounts in the sense of determined limits, see p10, p48, Fig. 4C, p61, p18, p51, p11, Obata).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by Wang and incorporating an amount of electric energy permitted to be received, as taught by Obata.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine an agreed upon amount of energy that a party will be allowed to receive, including withdrawal (i.e., negative receipt), and available capacity that can be transferred from a peer with capacity to supply energy to another peer needing energy ( see p10, p48, p18, p61, Fig. 4C, p48, p51, p11, Obata).
Wang further teaches wherein: a positive permissible amount is predetermined for the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users (A contract for energy transaction amount (or negotiated transference), where an injected amount of energy can be modeled as a positive amount, meaning the contract predetermines a positive permissible amount that will be transferred, see p56, P45, 57, 56-56, 69-71, 24, Fig. 12, Wang); and the information processing apparatus is configured to execute an electricity selling process according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the electrical equipment unit associated with the one of the users to the smart grid (Selling energy of energy on contracts and requests that establish a permissible positive amount injected for the selling peer, see p57, P56, 39, 44, Wang).
Wang does not explicitly teach sell when an electric energy amount of one of a users exceeds a positive permissible amount.
However, Basak from the same or similar field of energy markets, teaches sell when an electric energy amount of one of a users exceeds a positive permissible amount (Energy is sold when an energy amount is above more than a threshold (i.e. a positive amount to permit selling), see P40, Basak).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating a selling when an amount is above an amount, as taught by Basak.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better ensure energy that is sold is supplementary and at least a needed amount of reserve can be left if desired ( see P40, Basak).
While Wang and Basak imply positive and negative amounts of energy,
Hoog, from the same or similar field of energy storage, energy market, and energy transference, more explicitly teaches positive and negative amounts of energy (An amount of energy power can be real numbers that can include negative and positive values, see P32, Hoog)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating positive and negative values of energy amounts, as taught by Hoog.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better mathematically represent specified property or action related to an energy capacity or amount, such as signifying the amount of power for withdrawal versus supply, or of an amount indicative of a surplus or deficit ( see P32, Hoog; see P45, Wang; see P40, 46, Basak).
Wang does not explicitly teach wherein an amount indicates a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party.
However, Maldonado, from the same or similar field of energy supply transactions, teaches wherein an amount indicates a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party (A maximum amount of available debt balance provides a maximum threshold balance that one (receiving) party is allowed to owe (allowed to be in debt) to another (supplying) party for a supplied amount of an energy good, see p26, Maldonado).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination that includes Wang and incorporating consideration of an amount indicative of a maximum threshold value of electrical energy that a one party is permitted to owe another party, as taught by Maldonado.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better limit the amount of energy commodity supplied or received by one party so that it will not exceed an amount of debt for which at least one of the parties may reasonably set as an amount of risk for which the indebted party may be able to assume without defaulting, as suggested by Maldonado (see p26, Maldonado).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Basak further teaches wherein a positive permissible amount is determined according to a storable capacity of one of a plurality of electricity storage devices connected to a smart grid, the one of the plurality of electricity storage devices being usable by one of users (A positive amount of energy to sell (inject) is based on an amount of energy of a storage device being above an amount, meaning a capacity of energy is present to be sold, see P40, Basak).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination including Wang and incorporating consideration of a capacity, as taught by Basak.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better ensure energy that is sold from a distributed energy source has enough supplementary capacity and at least a needed amount of reserve can be left if desired (see P40, Basak).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Wang further discloses further comprising: a second memory storage unit storing data representing at least one of electricity storage devices connected to the smart grid (Copies of ledger and transfer data that include data of transactions representative of battery transfers, see p71, p81, p45-47, Wang ), the at least one of electricity storage devices being usable by the one of the plurality of users and associated with the one of the plurality of users (At least some users can use batteries, see p81, p45-47, Wang); and wherein the virtually-stored electric energy amount of the one of the users stored in the first memory storage unit is configured to be arithmetically increased according to an amount of electric energy stored in the one of the electricity storage devices associated with the one of the users (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as needed and include power stored in batteries, meaning in the case of a user selling energy, they arithmetically receive an amount of unit credit (an increase) representing energy amount the user outputs in the transaction, see P81, P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, Wang), and to be arithmetically reduced according to an amount of electric energy that is output from the one of the electricity storage devices associated with the one of the users (Energy transaction through the grid, where users can request and buy/sell energy as the case may be include batteries, meaning in the case of a user buying energy, they arithmetically have to have deducted an amount of unit credit (a decrease) representing energy amount the grid outputs to them in the transaction, see P45, 57, 56-57, 69-71, Table II, 60, 65, Fig. 12, p81, Wang).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Wang further discloses being configured to record data of the virtually-stored electric energy amounts of the plurality of users in a blockchain (Blockchain used, see P25, Wang).
Claim 15 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 11.
Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 14.
Claims 12, 13, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, ), in view of Obata, in further view of Basak, in further view of Hoog, in further view of Maldonado, and in further view of Chinese Patent Publication No. CN111885076A to Chen at al., (hereinafter Chen. English translation of CN111885076A is included and cited in this office action (previously cited in office action dated 05/29/2025)).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, and Maldonado teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Wang further teaches a virtually-stored electric energy amount between a plurality of users of a smart grid (energy transaction amounts between user respective users and the grid, and among users, see P71, P25, p39, 33, Wang)
Wang does not explicitly teach being configured to record lending and borrowing of an energy amount between users of a smart grid.
However, Chen from the same or similar field of energy transactions, teaches being configured to record lending and borrowing of an energy amount between users of a smart grid (Buyer and seller information recorded in wallet and transaction info, see p36, p33-50, p25, p31, Fig. 3, p16, P2, Chen).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by Wang and incorporating recording of borrower and lender, as taught by Chen.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better maintain information records of financial transaction and parties in order to outline a financial obligation of a transaction trade ( see P33-50,Chen).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Wang, Obata, Basak, Hoog, Maldonado, and Chen teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Chen further teaches being configured to set an interest for a lending and borrowing of an virtually-stored electric energy amount (An interest rate applies, meaning interests is set in a buyer lender transaction, see p35, 49,p33-50, p25, p31, Fig. 3, p16, P2, Chen).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grid and energy transaction market as described by the combination including Wang and incorporating interest, as taught by Chen.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better provide a lending party with a financial benefit in lending a commodity, as is known ( see P33-50,Chen).
Claim 16 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 12.
Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 13.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Papalia et al., US. Patent No. 6,255,805 teaches a device for electrical source sharing of onsite energy, and which considers aggregator data regarding economic costs in receiving power from the grid.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILIO J SAAVEDRA whose telephone number is (571)270-5617. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30am-5:30pm (EST).
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, Robert E Fennema can be reached at (571) 272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMILIO J SAAVEDRA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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