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 .
Response to Amendments
Applicant’s submission of a response was received on 04/07/2026. Presently, claims 1-20 are pending.
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 1-4, 6-10, 13-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nasco Education YouTube Video (“Nasco Life/form® CRiSis™ Manikin Video - LF03900U” (02/10/2022) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXGsjLNFYe8; hereinafter Nasco Education) in view of Paul Tessier (WO 2014172331 A2; hereinafter Tessier).
Regarding claim 1, Nasco Education discloses an electrical connector system for a simulated body portion (shown in FIG. 1 of the attached NPL), the electrical connector system comprising: a base configured to be fixedly secured to a portion of the simulated body portion (the simulated body portion has five stations (bases) that allow for different training scenarios (shown in FIGs 2A-C of the attached NPL)); a first electrical interface component configured to be removably coupled to the base (shown in FIG. 3 the defibrillator system is used to practice scenarios where a defibrillator is used); and a second electrical interface component configured to be removably coupled to the base based, wherein the second electrical interface component is structurally different than the first electrical interface component (the second electrical interface component is configured to be removable coupled and that the structure of the second electrical interface is different from the first (shown in FIGs 4A-C of the attached NPL)).
However, Nasco Education doesn’t explicitly disclose that the base includes a magnetic component, and that both the first and second electrical interface components are removably coupled based at least in part, on an interaction with the magnetic component.
Tessier teaches a magnetic component (A small electronic device, such as a stethoscope module 500 containing a coil, picks up the signals through magnetic coupling when the device is placed in the appropriate locations on the manikin 103. The magnetically coupled signal is amplified and used to drive a small speaker in the stethoscope module 500 (recited in at least: Tessier paragraph [00137])), and that both the first and second electrical interface components are removably coupled based at least in part, on an interaction with the magnetic component (the source coils 460 can be constructed of copper magnet wire, for example, that can be formed in the shape of organs, such as the heart or lungs, creating a realistic sound field. The source coils 460 can also be nested (i.e., placed inside of one another) allowing multiple sounds to be combined (recited in at least: Tessier paragraph [00139])).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added magnetic components that are used in a simulated body part to simulate scenarios for training as taught by Tessier to the system of Nasco Education for proper sounds, or magnetic attachments for students to see where to attach certain tools for different scenarios.
Regarding claim 2, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the base is configured to be in electrical communication with EKG circuitry of the simulated body portion. The instant application recites in the Specification that the EKG circuity is “[0065] configured to simulate selected rhythms from a built-in library associated with the patient simulator 100.” Nasco Education shows in FIGs 5A-C that a user can choose from a library of sounds which scenario a student needs to examine.
Regarding claim 3, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the base is configured to be in electrical communication with defibrillation circuitry of the simulated body portion. The instant application recites in the Specification that the defibrillation circuity is “[0065] The defibrillation circuitry 140 may be configured to receive live energy from real defibrillators.” Nasco Education shows that the systems/base are capable of absorbing the live energy from a real defibrillator in FIG. 6 of the attached NPL.
Regarding claim 4, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the base is configured to be fixedly secured to a skin layer of the simulated body portion. Nasco Education teaches in FIG. 7 of the attached NPL that there is a skin layer that the systems/bases are fixedly secured to for the use of the systems within the patient simulator.
Regarding claim 6, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches the first electrical interface component is configured to interface with at least one of a defibrillator connector (shown in FIG. 6 of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 7, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches the first electrical interface component and base are configured to provide an electrical pathway between the defibrillator connector and circuitry of the simulated body portion (shown in FIG. 6 of the attached NPL) Nasco Education shows that the simulated body portion is configured to provide an electrical pathway between the defibrillator connection and absorbs the shock so that it does not harm the students practicing.
Regarding claim 8, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein a non-conducting element separates the magnetic component from the electrical pathway between the defibrillator connector and the defibrillation circuitry of the simulated body portion (shown in FIG. 7 of the attached NPL) Nasco Education shows that there is a non-conduction element that separates the components inside the system to the pathway between the defibrillator (shown in FIG. 7 as the “check skin”).
Regarding claim 9, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the first electrical interface component is further configured to be removably coupled to the base by a physical connection Naso Education shows in the figures that the interface of the first electrical interface is configured to be removably coupled to the base as the system is meant to simulate five different practice scenarios for students. It is also shown in FIG. 7A-B that components are able to purchased therefore being able to be added/removed from older manikins.
Regarding claim 10, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the physical connection also provides an electrical connection (shown in FIG. 8 of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 13, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the second electrical interface component is configured to interface with at least one of an EKG patch (shown in FIG. 4A-C of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 14, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the second electrical interface component includes a planar surface (shown in FIG. 9A-B of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 15, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches wherein the second electrical interface component and the base are configured to provide an electrical pathway between the at least one of the EKG patch and EKG circuitry of the simulated body portion Nasco Education shows that the EKG system (includes all elements) have a pathway between each other so that the students can practice the medical scenario where an EKG is needed (shown in at least FIG 8 of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 16, The electrical connector system of claim 13, wherein the second electrical interface component is further configured to be removably coupled to the base by a physical connection. Naso Education shows in the figures that the interface of the first electrical interface is configured to be removably coupled to the base as the system is meant to simulate five different practice scenarios for students. It is also shown in FIG. 7A-B that components are able to purchased therefore being able to be added/removed from older manikins.
Regarding claim 17, The electrical connector system of claim 16, wherein the physical connection also provides an electrical connection to the base (shown in FIG. 8 of the attached NPL).
Regarding claim 20, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further teaches a plurality of the bases (shown in FIGs 2A-2C that there are many systems/bases); a plurality of the first electrical interface components (shown in FIG 6); and a plurality of the second electrical interface components (shown in FIGs 4A-4C).
Claims 5 and 11-12, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nasco Education in view of Tessier in further view of Douglas Farenholtz (US 20020106619 A1; hereinafter Farenholtz).
Regarding claim 5, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above; however, they do not explicitly disclose wherein magnetic component is annular. Farenholtz teaches using an annular magnetic component into a training manikin (portion 82 is annular as is magnet 80 as it has been found that the use of a circular magnet permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees. Flat steel portion 82 is shown positioned at the upper side of support 10 to reduce the distance to magnet 80 and thereby improve magnetic attraction between magnet 80 and flat steel portion 82 (recited in at least: paragraph [0046])).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used an annular magnetic component as taught by Farenholtz into the system of Nasco Education in view of Tessier for the added benefit of having a magnet that permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees as taught by Farenholtz.
Regarding claim 11, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above; however, they do not explicitly disclose wherein the magnetic component is annular. Farenholtz teaches using an annular magnetic component into a training manikin (portion 82 is annular as is magnet 80 as it has been found that the use of a circular magnet permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees. Flat steel portion 82 is shown positioned at the upper side of support 10 to reduce the distance to magnet 80 and thereby improve magnetic attraction between magnet 80 and flat steel portion 82 (recited in at least: paragraph [0046])).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used an annular magnetic component as taught by Farenholtz into the system of Nasco Education in view of Tessier for the added benefit of having a magnet that permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees as taught by Farenholtz.
Regarding claim 12, Nasco Education in view of Tessier in further view of Farenholtz teach the subject matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further suggests wherein a portion of the first electrical interface component extends through a central opening of the magnetic component when the first electrical interface is removably coupled to the base. Nasco Education shows in FIGs 2A-2C that the system being used on the manikin is chest compressions; however, the patient simulator of Naso Education further shows that in FIGs. 4A-C, 5A-C, and 7 that each system has a portion of appropriate interface extending through the patient simulator.
Regarding claim 18, Nasco Education in view of Tessier teach the claimed matter as stated above; however, they do not explicitly disclose wherein the magnetic component is annular. Farenholtz teaches using an annular magnetic component into a training manikin (portion 82 is annular as is magnet 80 as it has been found that the use of a circular magnet permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees. Flat steel portion 82 is shown positioned at the upper side of support 10 to reduce the distance to magnet 80 and thereby improve magnetic attraction between magnet 80 and flat steel portion 82 (recited in at least: paragraph [0046])).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used an annular magnetic component as taught by Farenholtz into the system of Nasco Education in view of Tessier for the added benefit of having a magnet that permits equal magnetic resistance through 360 degrees as taught by Farenholtz.
Regarding claim 19, Nasco Education in view of Tessier in further view of Farenholtz teach the subject matter as stated above, and Nasco Education further suggests wherein a portion of the second electrical interface component extends through a central opening of the magnetic component when the second electrical interface is removably coupled to the base. Nasco Education shows in FIGs 2A-2C that the system being used on the manikin is chest compressions; however, the patient simulator of Nasco Education further shows that in FIGs. 4A-C, 5A-C, and 7 that each system has a portion of appropriate interface extending through the patient simulator.
Response to Arguments
Drawings:
Applicant explained that parts 905 and 1505 are labeled and described the same; however, they are different in function/use. The objection to the drawings has been withdrawn.
35 U.S.C. § 103:
Applicant states on page 2 that the prior art, even when combined doesn’t teach the instant application. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The primary art teaches a base configured to be secured to the simulated body portion and the secondary art teaches the additional limitations that the primary art is missing but within the same field where a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would know that the features can be used that way and would try. Applicant further states on page 3 that the base is not shown in the figures; however, the examiner respectfully disagrees. There are five stations described in the video with screenshots of each of the stations at work and shown as FIG 2A-C where the description is shown through the closed caption as the video is a promotional video for the device and those elements exist within the apparatus.
Applicant further states on page 4 of the remarks that the electrical interface is not shown in the video; however, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. As stated above, the video is a promotional video describing the insides of the patient simulator and the people using the simulator are shown using the feature while the closed captions are explaining what is happening in the video. A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would know that from the closed captions and the systems that the two trainers are using in FIG 3 would know the electrical interfaces that are being described. The Examiner suggests amending the claims with details from the instant application’s Specification to further explain how these additional claim limitations differ from what is shown in the YouTube Video with the closed captions as explanations that are understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, the Applicant’s further arguments are to the pictures not showing the claimed features; however, each of the features are explained in the closed captions as well as a 1 screengrab of the video to explain it best.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 SELWA A ALSOMAIRY whose telephone number is (703)756-5323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30AM to 5PM EST.
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, Peter Vasat can be reached at (571) 270-7625. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SELWA A ALSOMAIRY/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/Jay Trent Liddle/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights