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. Claims 1-11, filed 10/23/2023, are acknowledged. Claims 1-11 are pending and considered on the merits below. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The Information Disclosure Statement filed on 10/23/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and has been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 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. Claim(s) 1- 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Fukushi et al. ( WO 2019 / 176295 A1 , used US 2020/0278373 Al as English translation – attached and referenced ) . Regarding claim 1 , Fukushi describes a n automatic analysis device (figures 1 and 2) , comprising: a first vacuum pump (figure 2 “ VACUUM PUMP ”) ; a first vacuum tank connected to the first vacuum pump (figure 2 “ VACUUM TANK ”) ; a first pressure sensor installed in the first vacuum tank (figure 2 [0035] “ vacuum tank is provided with a vacuum switch 36 for sensing that the pressure in the vacuum tank is reduced to specified negative pressure. ”) ; a first vacuum bin connected to the first vacuum tank ( figure 2 “ 34a, 34b vacuum bottle ( bin )”) ; a plurality of first aspiration solenoid valves ( figure 2 “ 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d solenoid valve ”) ; a control part (figure 2 “ 22 control unit ”) ; and a determination part (claim 10 “ a determination unit ”) , wherein the first vacuum tank aspirates liquid in a plurality of reaction vessels or cleaning tanks, the reaction vessels or the cleaning tanks each containing liquid ( figure 2 “ 2 reaction vessel [ s ]”, “ 3 cleaning mechanism ”, and “ 37a, 37b reaction waste liquid suction nozzle ” and [0035] “ the flow path connected to the vacuum tank, reaction waste liquid suction nozzles 37a, 37b or a cleaning waste liquid suction mechanism 39 is provided, and when solenoid valves 35c, 35d between the vacuum tank and the reaction waste liquid suction nozzles 37a, 37b or the cleaning waste liquid suction mechanism 39 are opened, vacuum suction ( aspirati on ) can be performed. ” ) , the plurality of first aspiration solenoid valves are all installed between the first vacuum tank and the first vacuum bin, and are opened and closed to adjust an aspiration pressure when the first vacuum tank aspirates liquid (figure 2 “ 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d solenoid valve ” are between “ 34a, 34b vacuum bottle ( bin )” and figure 2 “ VACUUM TANK ” and [0012] “ FIG. 3A is a diagram showing waveforms of, when the suction mechanism is normal without clogging, pressure, opening and closing of a solenoid valve, ”) , the control part controls the opening and closing of each of the first aspiration solenoid valves ( [0032] “ The control unit 22 is configured by a computer or the like, controls operation of each of the mechanisms described above in the automatic analyzer ” including the opening and closing of each of the first aspiration solenoid valves ) , the automatic analysis device includes a plurality of independent aspiration systems, each of the aspiration systems individually includes the first aspiration solenoid valve such that aspiration states are individually controlled (abstract “ The vacuum pump is switched off at a timing at which each solenoid valve connecting to the vacuum pump is individually opened, ”) , and the determination part detects an abnormality of the automatic analysis device by comparing pressure measurement values in the aspiration that pertain to the respective aspiration systems, based on pressure measurement values of the first vacuum tank which are measured by the first pressure sensor ( [0043] “ The clogging determination operation and the flowchart are performed at the time of analysis preparation and maintenance. In particular, the time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF measured at the time of maintenance is recorded in the apparatus such that the measured time can be compared with a previous value every time the maintenance is performed. ”) . Regarding claim 2 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein a difference in fluctuation ranges of the pressure measurement values due to operation of the first aspiration solenoid valves in the respective aspiration systems is equal to or less than a first threshold value at a normal time (figure 6 [0044] “ FIG. 6 shows a relationship between the pressure in the vacuum tank and an altitude when the clogging determination method is used. ”) . Regarding claim 3 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the determination part detects an abnormality based on the pressure measurement value during an analysis operation by the automatic analysis device (figure 5 [0042] “ the clogging determination is performed (S38). When there is no clogging, the processing moves to the analysis operation (S30). When there is clogging, the opened solenoid valve is closed (S39), and it is confirmed that the vacuum pump is turned ON, and the vacuum switch is turned ON (S40). The vacuum pump is turned OFF, and the solenoid valve 35c and one of the branched solenoid valves (solenoid valve 35a) are simultaneously opened (S41). Time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF is measured (S42), and the clogging determination is performed (S43). By repeating the series of operation n times, the clogging determination is performed for each of the branched flow paths (S44), and the determination result is displayed with an alarm (S46), and the apparatus is stopped (S47). ” ) . Regarding claim 4 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the automatic analysis device further comprises: a second vacuum pump (figure 1 “ reagent pump 18 ” ) , a second vacuum tank connected to the second vacuum pump ([0015] “ n or more (n=2) vacuum tanks ” are indirectly connected to the second vacuum pump) , a second pressure sensor installed in the second vacuum tank ( [0015] “ FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a flowchart of determining clogging when the mechanism that suctions the cleaning waste liquid is connected to n or more (n=2) vacuum tanks. ” The flow chart of figure 4B indicates that there would be a second pressure sensor if there was a second tank. ) , a second vacuum bin connected to the second vacuum tank (figure 2 “ 34a, 34b vacuum bottle ” two (i.e. second) vacuum bin s ) , and a second aspiration solenoid valve (figure 2 “ 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d solenoid valve ” there is at least second aspiration solenoid valve) , and the determination part individually detects an abnormality in the automatic analysis device in relation to the first vacuum tank and the second vacuum tank ( [0042] “ FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of determining clogging when there are n or more (n=2) solenoid valves branched before the solenoid valve 35c connected to the vacuum tank as in the reaction waste liquid suction mechanism 21 ” ) . Regarding claim 5 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the determination part detects an abnormality in the automatic analysis device by comparing the pressure measurement values at a time when the pressure in the first vacuum tank is maximum or minimum (figure 6 and [0018] “ the vacuum pump is stopped when the negative pressure of the vacuum tank is constant, the solenoid valve in the flow path at apart desired to be confirmed and connected to the vacuum tank is opened, and time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF is measured, and presence and absence of an anomaly in the flow path system is determined by comparing the measured time with a threshold. ”) . Regarding claim 6 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the determination part detects an abnormality of the automatic analysis device by comparing the pressure measurement values at a predetermined time during operation cycles of the first aspiration solenoid valves (figure 6 and [0018] “ the vacuum pump is stopped when the negative pressure of the vacuum tank is constant, the solenoid valve in the flow path at apart desired to be confirmed and connected to the vacuum tank is opened, and time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF is measured, and presence and absence of an anomaly in the flow path system is determined by comparing the measured time with a threshold. ”) . Regarding claim 7 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the determination part detects an abnormality in the automatic analysis device, the determination part outputs information indicating that an abnormality has possibly occurred due to an opening/closing failure of the first aspiration solenoid valve, a reduction in the inner diameter of a pipe, or cracking of the pipe (figure 5 [0042] “ Time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF is measured (S37), and the clogging determination is performed (S38). When there is no clogging, the processing moves to the analysis operation (S30). When there is clogging, the opened solenoid valve is closed (S39), and it is confirmed that the vacuum pump is turned ON, and the vacuum switch is turned ON (S40). The vacuum pump is turned OFF, and the solenoid valve 35c and one of the branched solenoid valves (solenoid valve 35a) are simultaneously opened (S41). Time that elapses before the vacuum switch is turned OFF is measured (S42), and the clogging determination is performed (S43). ”) . Regarding claim 8 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the automatic analysis device further comprises a liquid supply unit and a plurality of water supply solenoid valves, the liquid supply unit includes: a water supply pump for supplying liquid, a water supply tank for supplying liquid to the water supply pump, and a gear pump for applying pressure to the liquid, each of the plurality of water supply solenoid valves is installed between the gear pump and the reaction vessels or the cleaning tanks, and adjusts a supply pressure by opening and closing when the liquid supply unit supplies liquid, and the determination part detects an abnormality of the liquid supply unit based on the pressure measurement value ([0024] “ The first sample dispensing mechanism 11 is configured to be capable of discharging cleaning water (hereinafter referred to as "internal cleaning water"), sent from a cleaning water tank (not shown) by the sample pump 19 ” ) . Regarding claim 9 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 8, wherein the automatic analysis device sequentially operates the plurality of water supply solenoid valves to supply liquid, and detects an abnormality of the liquid supply unit based on fluctuations in the pressure measurement values when the liquid is aspirated (figure 2 “ a cleaning waste liquid suction mechanism 39 is provided ”) . Regarding claim 1 0 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where an abnormality of the automatic analysis device is detected, the determination part outputs information indicating that an abnormality has possibly occurred in any of the aspiration systems ( figure 5 ) . Regarding claim 1 1 , Fukushi describes t he automatic analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the determination part determines that an abnormality of the automatic analysis device is detected in a case where a difference in fluctuation ranges of the pressure measurement values due to operation of the first aspiration solenoid valves in the respective aspiration systems exceeds a second threshold value (figures 3, 5, and 6) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT EMILY R BERKELEY whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-9831 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-Th 9-6 . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Lyle Alexander can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-1254 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /LYLE ALEXANDER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1797 FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT /EMILY R. BERKELEY/ Examiner Art Unit 1796