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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1 - 7 in the reply filed on 1/26/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no serious burden of examining all the claims. This is not found persuasive because there is both a search and examination burden for each group.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 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. It is unclear what material the structure of formula (1) represents. Carbon is known to have a valence of 4 and as such forms 4 covalent bonds. The central carbon atom in the structure has only 3 covalent bonds. Additionally, the carbon atoms comprising the phenyl rings to which the central section is to be bonded to already comprise 4 covalent bonds. It is unclear where the additional bonds will be formed.
Claims 2 – 7 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected independent claim.
Cited Art of Interest
US 4647704 to Engels at al. teaches at Example 2 a method of hydrocracking lignin comprising phenol, lignin, hydrogen at a pressure of 100 atm and a temperature of 400C for 1 hour.
JP 2020050815 A to Go, Yoshiyuki teaches at synthesis of resin material A comprising phenol, oxalic acid which is heated and combined with lignin to yield a modified lignin resin.
Conclusion
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PAS 3/5/26
/PETER A SALAMON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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