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 .
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) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Tabrizi (US Pub. No. 2006/0230729).
Regarding claim 20, Tabrizi discloses a system for collecting particulate matter (Title, Abstract), comprising: a central module configured to be arranged in a motorized vehicle to collect particulate matter from at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, the central module including: at least one motor configured to provide suction; and at least one collection tank configured to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, wherein the suction provided by the at least one motor draws the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle into the at least one collection tank; a plurality of collection heads configured to be arranged about the motorized vehicle to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle; and a plurality of conduits configured to connect the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads with the at least one collection tank to convey the particulate matter received at the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads to the collection tank (see annotated figs below, paragraphs 14-15).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art when taken alone or in combination does not appear to teach or fairly suggest at this time the combination of limitations of independent claim 1 or 19. In particular, the prior art discloses arrangements of particle collection devices (at least Tabrizi noted above). However, the prior art does not appear to teach a system for collecting particulate matter, comprising: a central module configured to be arranged in a motorized vehicle to collect particulate matter from at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, the central module including: at least one motor configured to provide suction; at least one collection tank configured to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, wherein the suction provided by the at least one motor draws the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle into the at least one collection tank; and a control module configured to regulate the suction provided by the at least one motor; a plurality of collection heads configured to be arranged about the motorized vehicle to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle; and a plurality of conduits configured to connect the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads with the at least one collection tank to convey the particulate matter received at the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads to the collection tank [claim 1]; or a system for collecting particulate matter, comprising: a central module arranged in a motorized vehicle to collect particulate matter from at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, the central module including: at least one motor configured to provide suction; at least one collection tank configured to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle, wherein the suction provided by the at least one motor draws the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle into the at least one collection tank; and a control module configured to regulate the suction provided by the at least one motor; a plurality of collection heads arranged about the motorized vehicle to receive the particulate matter from the at least one tire of the motorized vehicle; and a plurality of conduits connecting the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads with the at least one collection tank to convey the particulate matter received at the collection heads of the plurality of collection heads to the collection tank. Choi ‘893 cited herewith discusses regulating suction force based on vehicle speed (at least col 2, lines 32-38). However, Choi ‘893 does not have an effective filing date earlier than the effective filing date of the instant application and, therefore, does not constitute prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB B MEYER whose telephone number is (571)270-3535. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-7.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, J Allen Shriver can be reached at 303.297.4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JACOB B. MEYER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3613
/JACOB B MEYER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613