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 .
The election is noted. Claims 19-20 are withdrawn.
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 1-18 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.
In claim 1, n and m are not defined. See also claims 3-8 and 14.
In claim 1, ‘cross-coupling’ is unclear. Is crosslinking meant?
In claim 1, ‘protected’ and ‘deprotected’ are clear. From what? What are the groups that accomplish protection? What groups need protection?
Claim 12 is unclear as to the reagents and conditions required.
Claim 13 is unclear as to the medium.
Claim 17 is unclear as to what constitutes a different type. Are methyl and ethyl substitutions the same type (ie, alkyl)?
Allowable Subject Matter
The claims (as understood) are allowable over the prior art. US 20140212668 is noted for making graphene nanoribbons, but lacks the details of the exact (phenol) groups and steps for combining the polymers (protecting, deprotecting, cross-coupling). The submitted Yin article has an ineffective date and lacks the exact details claimed herein.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STUART L HENDRICKSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1351. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 9 to 5. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Anthony Zimmer, can be reached on 571-270-3591. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
/STUART L HENDRICKSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1736
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