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 .
Priority
This application is not claiming priority to any earlier patent documentation. The application as examined with the following priority date: 11/30/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/30/2023 has been considered by the examiner.
The applicant has disclosed multiple references within the body of their specification that are not listed on the submitted IDS from 11/30/2023. It is not required for the applicant to place these references on an IDS, however, if the applicant would like the references within their specification to be considered by the examiner, they should be submitted on an additional IDS.
Claim Interpretation
To promote clarity and efficiency in the examination process (compact prosecution), the following term as outlined below is interpreted, but not limited to, the following:
Irregular-sized – non-uniform, altering in size, shape, pattern, etc.
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 1-20 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.
In regards to claims 1 and 19, they indicate a desalination membrane and a desalination process, however nowhere in the body of the respective claims do they indicate how the membrane or process is used for “desalination”.
In regards to claim 11, the phrase “the salt” lacks antecedent basis and thus renders the claim indefinite. The word “the” within the mentioned phrase creates the illusion that the applicant is attempting to claim salt within a salt solution, opposed to the salt rejection percentage of the membrane; which is what is believed the applicant is attempting to claim.
In regards to claim 12, the applicant states “dialyzing the poly-(DADMAC-co-DADAC) in the presence of a base and drying to form the poly-(DADMAC-co-DADA)”. While it is believed the applicant is attempting to claim dialyzing poly-(DADMAC-co-DADAC) in the presence of a base and drying to form the poly-(DADMAC-co-DADA) of Formula [I]; the compound/structure of Formula [I] cannot be inherently inferenced from the poly-(DADMAC-co-DADA) language alone.
The remainder of claims are rejected due to their dependency of claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CONNOR J ROTONDI whose telephone number is (571)272-2058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bobby Ramdhanie can be reached at (571) 270-3240. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CONNOR J ROTONDI/Examiner, Art Unit 1779
/Bobby Ramdhanie/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1779