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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action has been issued in response to amendment filed on 11/03/2025. Claims 1, 3, 12, 14-16 and 19-20 have been amended. Claim 21 has been added. Claims 3-4 have been canceled. Claims 1-2 and 5-21 are pending, of which claims, of which claim 1 and claim 15 are in independent form. Accordingly, this action has been made FINAL.
Response to Argument
Based on applicant’s arguments and amended independent claims 1 and 15 have been amended, the 103 rejection for claim 1-2 and 5-21 have been withdrawn.
The Office will maintain 112(b) rejection for claim 1.
Claim 14 has been amended to overcome 112(b) rejection. Therefore, 112(b) rejection for claim 14 has been withdrawn.
The Office will maintain a provisional non-statutory double patenting rejection between the instant application and the co-pending application No. 18218501.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-2 and 5-21 are pending, of which claims, of which claim 1 and claim 15 are in independent form.
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 1-2 and 5-21 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation mapping "the design elements" on line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the user" before the last line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 recites the limitation retrieve "design elements" on line 3 which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether “design elements” refers to the design element on line 10 of claim 1 or to another. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2, 5-14 and 21 are rejected for dependency upon rejected base claim 1 above.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the user" before the last line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation mapping "the design elements" on line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claims 16-20 are rejected for dependency upon rejected base claim 15 above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DUY KHUONG THANH NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7139. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 0800-1630.
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, Lewis Bullock can be reached at 5712723759. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DUY KHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2199
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