DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
Claims 28-51 are pending.
Claims 1-27 and 52-54 are cancelled.
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 28-51 in the reply filed on 26 February 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 52-54 have been cancelled by amendment.
Claim Objections
Claim 30 is objected to because of the following informalities: “TiN titanium nitride” may be more appropriately written as “titanium nitride (TiN)”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 41 and 44-45 are objected to because of the following informalities: the “Ethyl” in line 5 does not need to be capitalized (claim 41) and the chemical structures do not need to be capitalized in claims 44-45. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 44 is objected to because of the following informalities: the “immide” of multiple compounds appears to include an extra “m”. Appropriate correction is required. The difference appears to be an Italian version of the chemical compound which includes “immide”.
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 28-51 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.
Regarding claim 28, the phrase “an ionic liquid at room temperature” is indefinite because it is unclear if the statement of ‘room temperature’ is referring to an ionic liquid which is a liquid at room temperature, the electrolyte temperature being at room temperature or some other scenario. The specification refers to room temperature ionic liquid [0038] and also carrying out the method at room temperature [0026] and therefore it is unclear what temperature and/or compound is required by the claim.
Regarding claim 29, the phrase “preferably less than…even more preferably” in reference to the temperature is indefinite because it is unclear what temperature range is required. Moreover, the instant claim is indefinite because claim 29 depends on claim 28. It is unclear what temperature is present of the electrolyte.
Regarding claim 34, the phrase “preferably in a pulsed pattern” is indefinite because it is unclear what electric potential is required.
Regarding claim 36, the phrase “preferably between…even more preferably” is indefinite because it is unclear what range is required.
Regarding claims 37-38, the term “preferably” renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear what range is required.
Regarding claim 39, the phrase “regardless of the threshold current density value” is indefinite. Claim 39 depends on claim 32. Claim 32 states “until a predefined threshold electric potential is reached”. It is unclear if the statement of claim 32 in regards to the threshold is satisfied with the addition of the phrasing of claim 39 including regardless of the predefined threshold. The combination of phrases renders claim 39 unclear.
Regarding claim 41, the term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what chemical structure is required.
Regarding claim 46, the term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what counter electrode is required.
Claim 47 recites the limitation "the container" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 49, the term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what pre-treatment process is required.
Regarding claim 51, the term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what post-treatment process is required.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Griffiths, L.E., et al. “Low temperature electrochemical synthesis of titanium nitride” Chem. Commun. 2001, 579-580 – liquid ammonia/KNH2 electrolyte at -78℃ - 25℃
Nishikiori et al. “Hydrogen Impermeability of TiN Films and Its Dependence on Nitrogen Concentration at High Temperatures” JES, 148, 1, E52-E59, 2001 – LiCl and KCl along with LiH as hydride ion source electrolyte
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/Stefanie S Wittenberg/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
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