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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on August 17, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on August 17, 2023 and May 30, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 1-22 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.
Independent claims 1, 6 and 13 disclose a first concrete block, a second concrete block with a plurality of second column through-holes, and concrete columns for coupling said first concrete block and said second concrete block to each other along each of said second column through-holes. However, no plurality of first column through-holes in said first concrete block are disclosed in the claims, which are defined as Part #111b in applicant’s Figures 1-2. As a result, it is unclear to the examiner how said concrete columns couple said first concrete block and said second concrete block to each other along only each of said second column through-holes in said second concrete block, which are defined as Part #121b in applicant’s Figures 3-4. Without first and second column through-holes in said first and second concrete blocks, said concrete columns cannot function as a means for coupling said first and second concrete blocks to each other.
Claims 2-5, 7-12 and 14-22 depend from claims 1, 6 and 13, and are thus also rendered indefinite.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-22 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Veazey (US 7,373,892) discloses the use of prefabricated concrete components in shoreline and floating structures.
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January 26, 2026
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615