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 of Species A and Species C in the reply filed on February 4, 2026 was acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 1-6, 10 and 12-19 read on the elected species and claims 7-9, and 11 have been withdrawn.
Examiner’s Comment
Given the indefiniteness of the claims as amended, the Examiner still cannot yet apply prior art. The Examiner urges Applicants to clarify their claim scope.
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 1-6, 10, 12-19 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.
Claim 1 is rejected because the limitations recited in “Structure A” as amended renders the scope unclear.
Specifically, Structure A as amended requires a transmitting portion provided at a peripheral portion of the fourth main surface with the transmitting portion not including the second shielding layer in the normal direction and at least a part of the second shielding layer being located inside the transmitting portion in the plane direction.
Note that it is unclear how both limitations underlined above can be present simultaneously. For instance, the following schematic is provided for clarity illustrating what would be required for the first claim requirement of a transmitting portion being at a peripheral portion of the fourth main surface wherein the transmitting portion does not include the second shielding layer in the normal direction (perpendicular).
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The above schematic shows that for the above first requirement to be met, there is no way any part of the second shielding layer can also be located inside the transmitting portion in the plane direction as is required by the second requirement claimed. Note that if any portion of the second shielding layer were inside the transmitting portion, then the first requirement would no longer be met as the second shielding layer would have to be present in the transmitting portion in the normal direction.
Claims 2-6, 10, 12-19 are rejected for being dependent on claim 1 above.
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 LAUREN ROBINSON COLGAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3474. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM.
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, Humera Sheikh can be reached at 571-272-0604. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LAUREN ROBINSON COLGAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1784
/LAUREN R COLGAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784
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