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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 5, 12-13, 17 and 20 are amended in view of applicant’s amendment filed 5/20/2026. Therefore, claims 1-20 are currently under examination.
Status of Previous Rejections
All previous rejections have been withdrawn in view of applicant’s claim amendment in the response filed 5/20/2026.
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.
Claims 1 and 17 recite “determining a structural bond primer thickness based on correlation of structural bond primer thickness to a CIE b* (blue/yellow) color value with a third order polynomial fit line”. However, claim 1 does not explicitly disclose what the third order polynomial fit line is. Additionally, claim 1 recites “determining corrosion resistance rating and a bond strength rating based on the colorimetric analysis and the structural bond primer thickness. However, claim 1 does not recite how the corrosion resistance rating and bond strength rating are related to the colorimetric analysis and structural bond primer thickness. In addition to b* color value, a colorimetric analysis additionally provides L* color value and a* color value. It is unclear if only one or two of the L*, a* and b* color values of the colorimetric analysis are used to determine corrosion resistance rating and bond strength rating or all of the L*, a* and b* color values of the colorimetric analysis are used to determine corrosion resistance rating and bond strength rating. Therefore, claim 1 remains vague and indefinite.
Claims 2-20 are also rejected since they depend on vague and indefinite claim 1.
Note: the instant claims are free of art rejections.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LOIS L ZHENG whose telephone number is (571)272-1248. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:15-4:45.
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, Keith Hendricks can be reached at 571-272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LOIS ZHENG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1733
/LOIS L ZHENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
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