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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed February 3, 2026 has been entered. Claims 138-144, 146, 147, 156-159, and 170-171 are pending.
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s addition of new claims 170 and 171 and cancellation of withdrawn claims 163-169.
Applicant’s amendments and entry of new claims have necessitated new claim objections and new grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Applicant’s amendments and arguments are insufficient to overcome the current prior art of record.
Claim Objections
Claims 156, 170, and 171 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 156 now recites points b) and c) without reciting point a);
Claim 170: “a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance through the delivery channel” should read as “a sensor configured to sense the flow rate or concentration of the substance through the delivery channel.”
Claim 171: “in response to the feedback changing the flow rate, or concentration, of the first substance” should read as “in response to the feedback, changing the flow rate or concentration of the first substance”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 171 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.
Re. Claim 171: Claim 171 recites the limitation “in response to the feedback." Since the term “the” denotes a singular feedback, it is unclear to which feedback information that adjustment is made. In the dependency chain, claim 156 describes “the feedback” as from a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user indicating user perception of the olfactory output.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 138, 139, 141-143, 146, 147, and 156-158 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by:
Kihm et al. (US 20180373272 A1) (disclosed by Applicant) (hereinafter – Kihm).
Re. Claim 138: Kihm teaches a smell delivery device comprising:
a delivery channel for receiving a substance from a canister (Fig. 3: discharge portion 170 and parts thereof),
the substance configured to produce an olfactory output, such as a smell (Paragraph 0088: “fragrance material”);
an output component through which the substance is emitted (Fig. 3: discharge portion 170 and parts thereof); and
one or more airflow generating elements configured to generate airflow to transport the substance from the canister to the output component (Fig. 3: driving portion 180, as described in Paragraph 0103: “In detail, the driving portion 180 may be supplied with power from the battery 130 or force applied from the user to discharge the fragrance material to the outside of the body 11, and may directly apply, for example, heat, vibration, force, and pressure to the fragrance material or the storage 160 storing the fragrance material as the energy for discharging the fragrance material. To this end, the driving portion 180 may include a predetermined mechanism. For example, the driving portion 180 may be a device capable of directly transferring energy to the fragrance material, such as a piston, a squeezer, a heater, a spray, and a fan, or may be a cylinder device configured to discharge the fragrance material by selectively opening an inlet of the storage 110 in which the fragrance material is compressed at high pressure”);
a flow controller for controlling the flow rate, or concentration, of the substance through the delivery channel to the output component (Fig. 3: discharge control device 176 alters flow rate; Paragraph 0263: control of the device includes controlling discharge concentration of the fragrance material);
wherein the flow controller is configured to control the flow rate, or concentration of the substance from the delivery channel to the output component in response to feedback from:
an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions (Paragraph 0123: sensor portion 190 processes density, illuminance, temperature, humidity, smell, content of specific gas included in the air, air pressure, and magnetic field, and a variety of spatial information and object information; Paragraph 0131: “The discharge condition may be preset and stored in the memory 120, and may be modified based on the motion information of the user, the biometric information, the space information around the user, the time range set by the user, the space range set by the user, the state information of the fragrance discharge device 10, the discharge information of the fragrance material, and the like;” Examiner notes that detection of space information implies a sensor therefor);
and
a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user, indicating the user’s perception of the olfactory output, and thereby compensate for the effect of the environmental conditions on the user’s perception of the olfactory output (Fig. 2; Paragraph 0101: “Here, the user may modify the discharge condition using a user interface (UI) portion 150 of the fragrance discharge device 10 or an UI portion 250 of the external device 20;” Paragraph 0140; Paragraphs 0163-0167: external device 20 may collect feedback information of the user and surrounding space including a feeling of the user, reaction of neighboring users, and user heart rate and adjust discharge conditions based thereon; additionally or alternatively, Fig. 3: sensor portion 190 receiving biometric information of the user, as described in Paragraph 0122).
Re. Claim 139: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 138. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the user feedback device is configured to receive input from the user indicating one or more of:
a) whether the olfactory output is at a level the user can/cannot sense;
b) the emotional response of the user to the olfactory output (Paragraph 0122: biometric information includes emotional state; Paragraph 0013: control of discharge portion based on biometric information; Paragraph 0025: control history based on response biometric information; Paragraph 0263: AI learning-based control is recursive and accounts for prior influences over time; Paragraph 0163: “That is, the user may directly input a feeling of the user or reaction of neighboring persons through the UI portion 250 when the fragrance material is discharged”);
c) the duration, and/or the intensity of the user's perception/sensation of the olfactory output (Paragraph 0163: Examiner notes that a user inputting a feeling of a neighboring person denotes that the user perceives the intensity of the olfactory output to be high enough to affect a neighboring person – lack of a response of a neighboring person is an observation by the user of a reduced intensity of the olfactory output); and
d) a comparison between different olfactory outputs (Fig. 7: user-controlled blending of olfactory outputs).
Re. Claim 141: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 138. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the environmental sensor is configured to sense at least one of:
a) the temperature of the environment
b) the humidity of the environment,
c) the pressure of the environment, and
d) the amount of/identity of pollutants present in the environment
(Paragraph 0123: sensor portion 190 processes spatial information including temperature, humidity, air pressure, and content of specific gas included in the air(i.e., interpretable as pollutants).
Re. Claim 142: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 141. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the flow controller is configured to modulate the flow rate of the substance, in the event that one of:
a) the humidity of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold;
b) the temperature of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold; or
c) the pressure of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold
(Paragraph 9259: control of discharge portion 170 dependent on spatial information (i.e., including humidity, temperature, and pressure); Paragraphs 0260-263: AI-based learning tracks spatial information and outputs control information to controller).
Re. Claim 143: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 141. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein,
if the amount of pollutants is above a certain threshold (Paragraph 0223: “… whether the space around the user is a downtown or a forest may be determined based on… quality of air;”),
the smell delivery device is configured to stop the flow of the substance (Paragraph 0223: “When the space around the user is the forest, the controller 110 may control the fragrance material not to be discharged”).
Re. Claim 146: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 138. Kihm further teaches the invention further comprising a distance sensor to determine the distance of the output component to the location of the user, and wherein as the determined distance increases, the flow controller is configured to modulate the flow rate (Paragraph 0123: sensor portion 190 tracks spatial information, which includes “location of the user, information of the space in which the user is present, types and locations of objects present around the user or an article, distances between the user or the article and the objects present therearound;” Paragraph 0222: taking into account neighboring object locations and density of objects in a location to increase an amount of fragrance material).
Re. Claim 147: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 138. Kihm further teaches the invention further comprising:
a second delivery channel for receiving a second substance from a second canister, the second substance configure to produce a second olfactory output, or alter the olfactory output associated with the first substance (Paragraph 0087: “Also, the storage 160 may be configured to store a plurality of fragrance materials. In detail, the storage 160 may include a plurality of independent storage spaces and a structure, such as a partition, may be formed in the body 11”);
a second output component through which the second substance is emitted (Paragraph 0087: “For example, the storage 160 may include a plurality of storage spaces and a door operating as a solenoid may be formed on a side through which a corresponding fragrance material of each storage is discharged;” alternatively or additionally, see discussion of discharge passage 174 connecting to each storage space in Paragraph 0099); and
wherein the flow controller is configured to control the flow rate, or concentration, of the second substance from the second delivery channel to the second output component in response to feedback from at least one of:
a) a second sensor positioned in the second delivery channel configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration, of the second substance through the second delivery channel;
b) the environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions
(Paragraph 0260: AI-based control takes into account both fragrance type and spatial information including environmental conditions); and
c) the user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user (Fig. 7: user feedback to blend or select fragrances; Paragraph 0099: “Also, the discharge control device 176 may adjust the type of the fragrance material to be discharged. For example, a plurality of fragrance materials may be independently stored in the storage 160 and, in response to the discharge passage 174 connecting to each corresponding storage space, each discharge control device 176 may block the discharge passage 174 so that only a selected fragrance material may be discharged under control of the controller 110… Accordingly, the fragrance discharge device 10 may provide various fragrances to the user”).
Re. Claim 156: Kihm teaches a method of delivering smell to a user (Abstract: “Provided is a fragrance discharge device and control method thereof”),
the method comprising:
receiving instructions to emit a flow of a first substance, wherein the substance has an olfactory output, such as a smell, associated therewith (Figs. 4, 5, 11, 13, 15-17, 19: see all controller-implemented steps prior to “discharge fragrance material;” Paragraph 0245: “FIG. 20 illustrates an example in which the user inputs an instruction signal to discharge a fragrance material using a dial of a smart watch”);
beginning the flow of the first substance at a first flow rate, or concentration (see “discharge fragrance material” step in relevant previous citations above);
receiving feedback from
b) an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions (Paragraph 0123: sensor portion 190 processes density, illuminance, temperature, humidity, smell, content of specific gas included in the air, air pressure, and magnetic field, and a variety of spatial information and object information; Paragraph 0131: “The discharge condition may be preset and stored in the memory 120, and may be modified based on the motion information of the user, the biometric information, the space information around the user, the time range set by the user, the space range set by the user, the state information of the fragrance discharge device 10, the discharge information of the fragrance material, and the like;” Examiner notes that detection of space information implies a sensor therefor); and
c) a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user indicating a user perception of the olfactory output; and in response to the feedback, changing the flow rate, or concentration, of the first substance to compensate for an effect of the environmental conditions of the user’s perception of the olfactory output (Fig. 2; Paragraph 0101: “Here, the user may modify the discharge condition using a user interface (UI) portion 150 of the fragrance discharge device 10 or an UI portion 250 of the external device 20;” Paragraph 0140; Paragraphs 0163-0167: external device 20 may collect feedback information of the user and surrounding space including a feeling of the user, reaction of neighboring users, and user heart rate and adjust discharge conditions based thereon; additionally or alternatively, Fig. 3: sensor portion 190 receiving biometric information of the user, as described in Paragraph 0122).
Re. Claim 157: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 156. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the feedback is from the user feedback device and comprises an indication of at least one of:
a) whether the user can sense the olfactory output;
b) the duration of the user's perception of the olfactory output; and
c) the user's emotional response to the olfactory output
(Paragraph 0122: biometric information includes emotional state; Paragraph 0013: control of discharge portion based on biometric information; Paragraph 0025: control history based on response biometric information; Paragraph 0263: AI learning-based control is recursive and accounts for prior influences over time; Paragraph 0163: “That is, the user may directly input a feeling of the user or reaction of neighboring persons through the UI portion 250 when the fragrance material is discharged”).
Re. Claim 158: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 156. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the feedback is from the environmental sensor and comprises at least one of:
a) an indication of whether the humidity of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold;
b) an indication of whether the temperature of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold; and
c) an indication of whether the pressure of the environment or at a location within the smell delivery device is above a predefined threshold
(Paragraph 0123: sensor portion 190 processes spatial information including temperature, humidity, air pressure, and content of specific gas included in the air(i.e., interpretable as pollutants).
Re. Claim 170: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 138. Kihm further teaches the invention wherein the flow controller is configured to control the flow rate, or concentration of the substance from the delivery channel to the output component in response to feedback from:
a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance through the delivery channel (Paragraphs 0112-0113: discharge information altered based on information from sensor 190; Fig. 3; sensor 190; Paragraph 0112: particularly, “…the sensor portion 190 may further include a flow amount sensor provided to the discharge portion 170;” Paragraph 0263: discharge concentration is determined; Paragraphs 0162-0167: Examiner notes that adjustment of operational parameters necessarily includes changing a stored operating value for flow rate).
Re. Claim 171: Kihm teaches the invention according to claim 156. Kihm further teaches the invention including receiving feedback from a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance, through the delivery channel; and in response to the feedback changing the flow rate, or concentration, of the first substance (Paragraphs 0112-0113: discharge information altered based on information from sensor 190; Fig. 3; sensor 190; Paragraph 0112: particularly, “…the sensor portion 190 may further include a flow amount sensor provided to the discharge portion 170;” Paragraph 0263: discharge concentration is determined; Paragraphs 0162-0167: Examiner notes that adjustment of operational parameters necessarily includes changing a stored operating value for flow rate).
Claims 144 and 159 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by:
Becker et al. (US 20170173203 A1) (hereinafter – Becker).
Re. Claims 144 and 159: Becker teaches all limitations of claim 138 from which claim 144 depends. Becker teaches:
a smell delivery device (Title: “Scent Diffusion Device”)
comprising:
a delivery channel for receiving a substance from a canister (Fig. 23: tubing 2308 drawing fragrance oil from cartridge cup 2314, as described in Paragraph 0018; see also – Figs. 4, 12),
the substance configured to produce an olfactory output, such as a smell (Paragraph 0018: “fragrance oil”);
an output component through which the substance is emitted (Fig. 23: orifice assembly 2302; Figs. 4, 12: atomizer head assembly 402); and
one or more airflow generating elements configured to generate airflow to transport the substance from the canister to the output component (Figs. 4, 12: air inlet passage 412 or air fitting 414 receiving air from compressed air source; Paragraph 0016: “A gas inlet passage of the atomizer head assembly may have one end in fluid communication with a compressed air source and a second end of the gas inlet passage in fluid communication with an orifice plate comprising a flow restriction orifice. A mixing chamber of the atomizer head assembly may be separated from the gas inlet passage by the orifice plate”);
a flow controller for controlling the flow rate, or concentration, of the substance through the delivery channel to the output component (Paragraphs 0022: “The operation parameter may include at least one of a flow rate of the liquid, a duration of flow of the liquid, a variation in the flow rate of the liquid…;” Paragraphs 0078: control of diffusion via fan speed; similarly described in Paragraphs 0081-0084);
wherein the flow controller is configured to control the flow rate, or concentration of the substance from the delivery channel to the output component in response to feedback from at least one of:
a) a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance, through the delivery channel (Paragraph 0149: sensing flow rate as dynamic parameters described in Paragraph 0147);
b) an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions (Paragraph 0158-0159: temperature and humidity monitoring); and
c) a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user (Paragraph 0193: “A user may adjust an overall level of fragrance desired in the space and a scent diffusion device controller may determine the adjustment required for the one or more devices”).
Becker also teaches all limitations of claim 156 from which claim 159 depends. Becker teaches:
method of delivering smell to a user, the method comprising:
receiving instructions to emit a flow of a first substance, wherein the substance has an olfactory output, such as a smell, associated therewith (Paragraph 0022: “… receive control instructions from the computer through the master node. In this embodiment, each scent diffusion device can adjust its own control settings based on the activities of the other scent diffusion devices;” see also Paragraphs 0023, 0024 regarding control instructions; see also Paragraph 0026: user adjustment of fragrance);
beginning the flow of the first substance at a first flow rate, or concentration (Paragraph 0140: device begins dispersing scent according to downloaded program; Figs. 9, 13, 14-21);
receiving feedback from one or more of:
a) a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance, through the delivery channel (see citations of rejection of claim 138);
b) an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions (see citations of rejection of claim 138); and
c) a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user; and in response to the feedback, changing the flow rate, or concentration, of the first substance (see citations of rejection of claim 138).
Regarding limitations of claims 144 and 159, Becker also teaches wherein the sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration, of the substance is configured to communicate the flow rate, or concentration, measurement to the flow controller, and when the measured flow rate, or concentration, is different than the intended flow rate, the flow controller is configured to modulate the flow rate until the intended flow rate is reached and stabilized (Paragraph 0023: “At least one target value of a scent parameter for an environment may be received at the remote computer. The method may further include controlling, via the remote computer, diffusion of a liquid, from a source of the liquid in fluid communication with at least one of the scent diffusion devices, to achieve the target value of the scent parameter, wherein controlling includes setting or adjusting an operation parameter of one or more of the scent diffusion devices based on the sensor data;” Paragraph 0036: operation parameter includes sensing flow rate of liquid; Paragraph 0149: sensing flow rate as dynamic parameters described in Paragraph 0147).
Claim 140 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by:
Richter et al. (US 20140069420 A1) (hereinafter – Richter).
Re. Claim 140: Richter teaches all limitations of claims 138 and 139 from which claim 140 depends. Regarding claim 138, Richter teaches:
a smell delivery device comprising:
a delivery channel for receiving a substance from a canister (Fig. 2A: see path from air reservoir to “to the nose of the user 24”),
the substance configured to produce an olfactory output, such as a smell (Fig. 2A: “air reservoir with scent”);
an output component through which the substance is emitted (Fig. 2A: fluid sample outlet 22); and
one or more airflow generating elements configured to generate airflow to transport the substance from the canister to the output component (Fig. 2A: piezo-micropump 21);
a flow controller for controlling the flow rate, or concentration, of the substance through the delivery channel to the output component (Fig. 2A: system control and wireless receiver 34 and micropump driver unit 36);
wherein the flow controller is configured to control the flow rate, or concentration of the substance from the delivery channel to the output component in response to feedback from at least one of:
a) a sensor configured to sense the flow rate, or concentration of the substance, through the delivery channel;
b) an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental conditions; and
c) a user feedback device configured to receive an input from a user (Figs. 4A-4B: calibration or set-up requires user response to sample).
Regarding claim 139, Richter teaches the invention herein the user feedback device is configured to receive input from the user indicating one or more of:
a) whether the olfactory output is at a level the user can/cannot sense (Figs. 4A-4B);
b) the emotional response of the user to the olfactory output;
c) the duration, and/or the intensity of the user's perception/sensation of the olfactory output (an intensity or duration of zero corresponds to a user not being able to sense the olfactory output – see Figs. 4A-4B); and
d) a comparison between different olfactory outputs (dosing being increased until a user can detect the scent sample is a comparison between differing scent concentrations – see Figs. 4A-4B).
Regarding claim 140, Richter also teaches the invention wherein, when the user feedback device receives input from the user indicating that the user cannot sense the olfactory output, the flow controller is configured to modulate the flow rate (0006: “According to another embodiment, a method for determining the minimum scent concentration of a scent sample a person can detect may have the steps of: setting or calibrating the scent concentration of the scent sample provided by the scent reservoir, supplying the scent sample with a start dosing rate to the person's nose, increasing the dosing rate supplied to the person's nose, until the person senses the scent sample, wherein the minimum scent concentration detectable by the person corresponds to the currently supplied dosing rate, when the person senses the supplied scent sample;” Paragraph 0111: “The dosing rate supplied to the person's nare is (e.g. continuously or stepwise) increased 206, until the person senses or responds to the scent sample;” Figs. 4A-4B).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 3, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s argument:
“It is submitted that Khim fails to disclose, in a direct and unambiguous manner, a smell delivery device which obtains user feedback on an olfactory output based on their perception of the olfactory output and adjusting the dispensing of the olfactory output based on the received user feedback and feedback from the environmental sensor which senses the environmental conditions… There is no specific and unambiguous direct disclosure of compensating for the effect of environmental conditions on the user's perception of an olfactory output which could vary differently in different environmental conditions.”
Examiner has provided updated citations in Kihm. Kihm teaches a sensor portion 190 which measures a variety of information, including space information which may be considered environmental (Paragraph 0123). The invention of Kihm further takes this information and processes it to adjust discharge conditions (Paragraph 0167: “In detail, when the fragrance material is discharged, the sensor portion 190 of the fragrance discharge device 10 may collect the feedback information, may determine whether there is a need to modify the discharge condition based on the collected feedback information, may modify the discharge condition, and may discharge the fragrance material based on the modified discharge condition”). The invention of Kihm also takes into consideration input which may be considered a user’s perception of the olfactory output (Paragraph 0163: “That is, the user may directly input a feeling of the user or reaction of neighboring persons through the UI portion 250 when the fragrance material is discharged;” Paragraph 0165: “For example, when a heart rate of the user wearing the fragrance discharge device 10 is determined to be stable based on the feedback information, the controller 110 may modify the discharge condition, such as decreasing an amount of the fragrance material to be discharged and extending a discharge interval”).
Thus, in viewing each parameter which may modify the discharge condition of the device of Kihm, Kihm teaches a device which considers both user perception and environmental conditions. Applicant’s claim language of “thereby compensate for the effect of the environmental conditions on the user’s perception of the olfactory output” is an intended result which is performable by the device of Kihm.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN XU whose telephone number is (571)272-6617. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00.
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, Alexander Valvis can be reached at (571) 272-4233. 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.
/JUSTIN XU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791