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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 9-11 in the reply filed on 1/15/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim 11 is 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.
The limitations “preferably” and “more preferably” on lines 18 and 23, respectively, of claim 11 render the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 9–11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over CN 207973691 in view of CN 104030875 B.
CN 207973691 discloses a light hydrocarbon separation system for treating cracked hydrocarbon gas, comprising, connected in sequence, gas washing and alkaline washing units followed by a multi-stage separation train including a demethanizer, deethanizer, depropanizer, and debutanizer (claim 1; claims 2–6). These units separate the treated gas into:
a dry gas stream mainly containing H₂ and C₁,
a C₂ product,
a C₃ product (including propylene via propylene rectification), and
a C₄ product,corresponding to the separation unit recited in claims 9 and 11.
CN 207973691 further teaches washing towers upstream of fractionation for removal of acidic components, which correspond to a gas-phase impurity removing unit, and associated treatment of condensed liquid streams prior to downstream separation, corresponding to a liquid-phase impurity removing unit as recited in claims 9 and 10.
CN 207973691 does not include a mercaptan removal unit as claimed.
CN 104030875 B teaches that alkaline washing/sweetening units are used in cracked-gas treatment systems to remove acidic sulfur compounds including mercaptans prior to downstream separation.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the impurity-removal section of CN 207973691 to include mercaptan removal as taught by CN 104030875 B, since mercaptans are well-known contaminants in cracked and refinery gas streams and their removal prior to fractionation is a routine and predictable design choice to prevent corrosion and product contamination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAM M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1452. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Frid.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Prem C Singh can be reached at 571-273-6381. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAM M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771