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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
The specification and drawing failed to support how the power inlet socket and the power outlet connector can properly function without the circuit board.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Liang (US 2014/0220806).
Regarding claim 1, Liang discloses a modular electrical connecting apparatus, comprising:
a housing (1);
a power inlet socket (10) associated with the housing;
a circuit board (12) for connecting the electronic components (see Fig. 1) of the apparatus, the circuit board being associated with the housing;
a power outlet connector (11) associated with the housing, where the power inlet socket and power outlet connector are in electrical communication and where the apparatus is capable of including one or more different electronic modules.
Regarding claim 2, Liang discloses the apparatus includes a surge protecting module that is associated with the circuit of the apparatus (see Paragraph 0020).
Regarding claim 3, Liang disclose a network interface (21) module that is associated with the circuit of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 4, Liang discloses the network interface module is a registered jack for connecting telecommunications equipment.
Regarding claim 5, Liang discloses the network interface module is a registered jack for connecting data equipment.
Regarding claim 6, Liang discloses a cable connection interface module (13) that is associated with the circuit of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 7, Liang discloses the cable connection interface module is a universal serial bus.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 8-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang (US 2014/0220806) in view of Gao et al. (WO 2013/022899).
Regarding claim 8, Liang substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the housing includes a semi-transparent like portion as to allow the internal components to be, at least partially, viewed by a user.
Gao et al. teach semi-transparent like portion (a clear or colored material filled the opening 2084).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a portion with the semi-transparent material into Liang’s housing, as taught by Gao et al. for seeing a component.
Regarding claim 9, Liang substantially disclosed the claimed invention except one or more light components associated with the circuit of the apparatus.
Gao et al. teach LEDs (2042).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a LEDs into Liang’s housing, as taught by Gao et al. for indication of the apparatuss status.
Regarding claim 10, in the modified apparatus, Gao et al. disclose the one or more light components are in the form of a light emitting diode.
Regarding claim 11, in the modified apparatus, Gao et al. disclose the one or more light components are in the form of a neon light unit.
Regarding claims 12-16, in the modified apparatus, Gao et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the one or more light components serve to indicate whether the power surge module is in a working condition, or indicate electrical faults from the power source, or the wiring to the apparatus is faulty, or any of the live/neutral/earth wires are faulty, or any relevant condition, status or functionality applicable to the apparatus.
It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitation. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
Conclusion
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/TRUC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834