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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/06/2026 has been entered.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 1, 23 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 of copending Application No. 19403433.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all limitations the claims in application 18489080 are obvious by the claims in applicant SN19403433, as shown below;
Conflicting claims
SN 18489080
Conflicting claims US19403433
(currently amended) A device for detecting a magnetic field comprising:
a first tapered acoustic waveguide having a first base and a first tapered end;
a first electrically conductive wire rigidly coupled to the first tapered end; and an electroacoustic transducer rigidly coupled to the first base such that the magnetic field at the first tapered end is detected.
1. System (10) for measuring a magnetic field (Bz) comprising: - a device (20) for detecting the magnetic field (Bz), comprising a tapered acoustic waveguide (40) having a base (41) and a tapered end (42), an electrically-conductive wire (50) rigidly coupled to the tapered end (42) and an electroacoustic transducer (60) rigidly coupled to the base (41) ; and - a control and acquisition device (30) coupled to the device (20) for detecting the magnetic field (Bz) comprising a generator (33I) configured to supply a pair of current pulses (I+, I-) of opposite directions or a plurality of frequency-modulated current pulses into the electrically- conductive wire (50) and an acquisition circuit (32) configured to detect electrical signals (S) supplied by the electroacoustic transducer (60) or a generator (33V) configured to supply a pair of voltage pulses of opposite signs or a plurality of frequency-modulated voltage pulses controlling the electroacoustic transducer (60) and an acquisition circuit (32) configured to detect electrical signals (S) supplied by the electrically-conductive wire (50).
23. (previously presented) A magnetic field measurement system comprising the device for detecting a magnetic field according to claim 1, and a control and acquisition device connected to the device for detecting a magnetic field comprising a generator configured to supply at least one current pulse in the first electrically conductive wire and an acquisition chain for detecting an electrical signal supplied by the electroacoustic transducer or a generator configured to supply at least one voltage pulse controlling the electroacoustic transducer, and an acquisition chain for detecting an electrical signal supplied by the first electrically conductive wire.
1. System (10) for measuring a magnetic field (Bz) comprising: - a device (20) for detecting the magnetic field (Bz), comprising a tapered acoustic waveguide (40) having a base (41) and a tapered end (42), an electrically-conductive wire (50) rigidly coupled to the tapered end (42) and an electroacoustic transducer (60) rigidly coupled to the base (41) ; and - a control and acquisition device (30) coupled to the device (20) for detecting the magnetic field (Bz) comprising a generator (33I) configured to supply a pair of current pulses (I+, I-) of opposite directions or a plurality of frequency-modulated current pulses into the electrically- conductive wire (50) and an acquisition circuit (32) configured to detect electrical signals (S) supplied by the electroacoustic transducer (60) or a generator (33V) configured to supply a pair of voltage pulses of opposite signs or a plurality of frequency-modulated voltage pulses controlling the electroacoustic transducer (60) and an acquisition circuit (32) configured to detect electrical signals (S) supplied by the electrically-conductive wire (50).
Examiner’s Note:
Claims 1 and 23 stand rejected under Double Patenting rejection as outlined above. Applicant amended independent claim 1 by adding the limitations and overcome rejection. In combination with other limitations of the claims. The cited prior arts fail to teach “A device for detecting a magnetic field comprising: a first tapered acoustic waveguide having a first base and a first tapered end; a first electrically conductive wire rigidly coupled to the first tapered end; and an electroacoustic transducer rigidly coupled to the first base such that the magnetic field at the first tapered end is detected as required by claims 1.
Claims 2 - 27 depends on claim 1 also overcome the rejection based on the dependency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/TAQI R NASIR/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858