DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is responsive to the amendment filed on 02/12/2026. As indicated by the amendment: claims 1, 8,13 and 19 have been amended, claims 3-5, 7, 10 and 17-18 have been cancelled, and new claims 21-26 have been added. Claims 1-2, 6, 8-9, 11-17 and 19-26 are presently pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Dependent claim 6 recites that the visual information includes two or more slide bars representing an available range of movement of the distal tip. However, amended independent claim 1, from which claim 6 depends, recites that the visual information includes a first bounding perimeter representing an available range of movement of the distal tip and a second bounding perimeter representing an available range of movement of the motorized control interface, wherein the first bounding perimeter and the second bounding perimeter are concentric circles. The specification, as originally filed, does not disclose an embodiment wherein the visual information displayed includes both: 1) the first and second bounding perimeters as concentric circles representing available ranges of movement of the distal tip and the motorized control interface, and 2) two or more slide bars representing an available range of movement of the distal tip. Regarding the display of visual information, paragraph [0083] of the published specification discloses:
The dashboard 302 may include additional features. For example, the user may have the ability to manipulate the size and location of the dashboard 302 on the screen and the ability to select which dashboard features are displayed at a control bar 350. In some embodiments, the user may choose to display one of or a combination of two or more of: (1) distal tip location 306, (2) speed mode 308, and/or (3) force feedback (e.g., torque) 310. It is further contemplated that the user may selected a display style for any of the (1) distal tip location 306, (2) speed mode 308, and/or (3) force feedback (e.g., torque) 310. For example, alternative display configurations are described below (emphasis added).
The display style of the distal tip location in dashboard 302 includes the first and second bounding perimeters as concentric circles representing available ranges of movement of the distal tip and the motorized control interface, as recited in independent claim 1 (see Figure 5). Similarly, the display style of the distal tip location in dashboard 202 includes the first and second bounding perimeters as concentric circles representing available ranges of movement of the distal tip and the motorized control interface (see Figures 2-4D)
However, the alternative display configurations (referred to par. [0083]) in dashboards include those shown in Figures 6 and 7 (see par. [0084]-[0097]) include two or more slide bars representing an available range of movement of the distal tip, as recited in dependent claim 6. As is clear from paragraph [0083] above, a user can select a display style for the distal tip location (emphasis added). Claim 6 recites a second display style of the visual information including two or more slide bars representing an available range of movement of the distal tip. However, the specification does not disclose that a user can select more than one display style for the distal tip location. Accordingly, claim 6 is rejected as failing to comply with the written description requirement.
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 6 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. Dependent claim 6 recites that the visual information includes two or more slide bars representing an available range of movement of the distal tip. However, amended independent claim 1, from which claim 6 depends, recites that the visual information includes a first bounding perimeter representing an available range of movement of the distal tip and a second bounding perimeter representing an available range of movement of the motorized control interface, wherein the first bounding perimeter and the second bounding perimeter are concentric circles. It is not clear how the dashboard (202/302/402; Figs. 2-7) displays two display styles of the visual information as the specification discloses that a user can select a display style for the distal tip location on the dashboard (emphasis added; see par. [0083]). Accordingly, claim 6 is rendered indefinite.
Allowable Subject Matter
In the Non-Final Rejection of 12/08/2025, claims 18-19 were objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but were indicated as being allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims (see page 17 of the Non-Final Rejection of 12/08/2025).
In the Amendment of 02/12/2026, Applicant independent claims 1, 13 and 20 to include the objected to subject matter of claim 18. Accordingly, claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-17 and 19-26 are allowed.
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.
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/RYNAE E BOLER/Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/ANH TUAN T NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795
03/05/26