DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed January 16, 2026.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 16, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claims 1-8 are currently amended.
Claims 9 and 11 are canceled.
Claims 10 and 12-14 are as previously presented.
Therefore, claims 1-8, 10, and 12-14 are currently pending.
Response to Amendment
In response to the filed amendment, the rejections under 35 USC 112 are hereby withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a system comprising one or more wireless transceivers, a receiver, and a fall-classification device, however, lacks the conjunction “and” at the end of line 6 to properly recite the elements of the system.
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.
Claims 1-8 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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: lighting devices.
Claims 1-8 are directed to a “lighting system”, however, there are no limitations provided in the claims directed to any sort of light or lighting devices as part of the system.
Independent claim 1 appropriate recites a system comprising one or more wireless transceivers, a receiver, and a fall-classification device, but omits an essential element of a lighting system, the lights. The specification does provide support for a lighting arrangement with lighting devices controlled wirelessly (at least at Page 15, Lines 8-18 and Page 29, Lines 16-34). However, the claim does not recite how the fall-classification device is integrated within a lighting system and therefore, emits essential elements.
Claims 2-8 are rejected as being dependent from a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 12-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record does not teach, suggest, or render obvious the subject matter of independent claim 10.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN W SHERWIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7269. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7:00-8:00, 9:00-3:00 and 4:00-5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached at 571.270.1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN W SHERWIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688