DETAILED ACTION
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
In response to the reply filed on April 24, 2026 the restriction requirement as set forth in the Office action mailed on February 26, 2026 for Group II pertaining to claim 19 is hereby withdrawn. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending as per preliminary amendment filed on August 22, 2023.
Specification
This application does not contain an abstract of the disclosure as required by 37 CFR 1.72(b). An abstract on a separate sheet 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 1-20 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.
In claim 1, on lines 21-23; in claim 18, on lines 24-25 and in claim 19, on lines 29-31, each occurrence of “at least one flexible conductor …arranged floating at least in sections is provided between the first pocket layer and the second pocket layer in the thickness direction” is
indefinite since it is unclear if the at least one flexible conductor is closer to either the first pocket layer or the second pocket layer? Furthermore, in claims 1 and 18-19 “arranged floating in sections” is indefinite since it is unclear to what extent the at one flexible electrical conductor passes between the first and second pocket layers of at least one pocket and/or relative to the flat textile material not having the at least one pocket? Correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. Claims 1, 18 and 20 with its respective dependents are allowable because the prior does not teach of suggest the recitation therein including a flat holding textile material having at least one pocket with an electronic component that has at least one flexible electrical conductor that is positioned with the at least one pocket in a floating manner and substantially adjacent to one of the first and second pocket layers in order to form a reliable connection for the electronic component over a larger connection area.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of the prior art references cited on PTO-892 discloses a textile material having at least one flexible electrical conductor attached thereto.
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July 15, 2026 /TAJASH D PATEL/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3732