DETAILED ACTION
Response to Preliminary Amendment
This Office Action is in response to Amendment filed on 03/14/23.
Claims 1-15 have been amended.
Claims 1-16 are pending.
Remark of Applicants has been considered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/14/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim limitation “in particular” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim 1, line 2 includes “in particular an injection-molded circuit carrier” which is unclear under 112b as to a broad limitation followed by a narrowing limitation in the same paragraph. Therefore, the boundary of the claim is unclear (as to be specific or the broader limitation, also not clear. Also, the number “18” in line 5 should be removed.
Claim 4, line 2 and line 3 include “in particular” which are unclear for the same reason as above.
Claim 5: line 6 includes “in particular” is unclear for the same reason as above.
Claim 7: line 3 includes “in particular” is unclear for the same reason as above, also, “the step of laser induced for electrolytic removal” has no antecedent basis and needs to be clear what this is or where it is coming from. It was never introduced or described in claim 1 which claim 7 depends from.
Claims 8-10 and 14, each includes “in particular” which is unclear for the same reason as above.
Claims 2-3, 6, 11-13, 15-16 depend on 112(b)-rejected-claims, therefore, claims 2-3, 6, 11-13, 15-16 are also indefinite and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAO P LE whose telephone number is (571)272-1785. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9AM-6PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeff Natalini can be reached on 571-272-2266. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/THAO P LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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