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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/10/2026 has been entered.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 12 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
Claims 1, 3-4, 7-11, 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Begriche et al. (PG Pub. 2018/0249767).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Begriche et al. a garment comprising teach a textile device (2310; see figure 28) comprising a first fabric (1320/2020/2320) comprising at least one electrically conductive wire (1302; see paragraph [0118] and figure 14); an electronic component (measurement and/or communications device), wherein the electronic component (measurement and/or communications device) is bonded [bonding is taught in 0105] to the first fabric (1320/2020/2320; see paragraph [0134] and figure 28E) and wherein the at least one electrically conductive wire (1302) is electrically connected to the electronic component (measurement and/or communications device; implicit); wherein the textile device (2310) has a transition region (desired areas) at an area of the first fabric (1320/2020/2320; see paragraph [0127]) arranged laterally from the electronic component (measurement and/or communications device; note that, in fact, basically the entire first fabric 1320/2020/2320 is lateral with respect to the measurement and/or communications device - see in particular figures 28A and 28E; note also that it is not specified what is to transition in the transition region, wherefore there is hardly any limitation associated with the fact that it is a transition region); wherein the textile device (2310) further comprises a strengthening element (Insulation+ fabric tubing) at the transition region, wherein the strengthening element (Insulation+ fabric tubing) comprises: a second fabric (fabric tubing 2005) arranged around the first fabric (1320/2020/2320); and ("and/or") a thermoplastic material (thermoplastic adhesive film) arranged in relation to at least a first portion of the second fabric (2005), wherein the thermoplastic material ( thermoplastic adhesive film) is arranged around (encapsulate) the first fabric (1320/2020/2320; see paragraph [0127] and figure 22) and (at least partially) fills a spacing between the first fabric (1320/2020/2320) and the second fabric (2005) at least in the first portion of the second fabric (2005; implicit when the thermoplastic adhesive film encapsulates the first fabric 2020, while the latter is actually disposed within fabric tubing 2005; see paragraph [0127] and figure 22). The electronic component is covered by an enclosure (controller box).
Regarding claim 3, Begriche et al. teach the thermoplastic material is further arranged on a side of the second fabric facing away from the first fabric [0127].
Regarding claim 4, Begriche et al. teach the second fabric is a textile and textiles include knits and wovens. Therefore Begriche et al. teach the second fabric is a knit or woven fabric.
Regarding claim 7, the electrically conductive wire extends along a straight line [0154].
Regarding claim 8, the electrically conductive wire is exposed at a fixation point of the electronic component [0120].
Regarding claims 9 and 16, the electronic component is a sensor, actuator or microcontroller and the electronic component can be a movement sensor respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) [0080].
Regarding claim 11, Begriche et al. teach a method for producing a textile device, the method comprising bonding [bonding is taught in 0105] an electronic component to a first fabric comprising at least one electrically conductive wire, such that the at least one electrically conductive wire is connected to the electronic component, wherein a transition region is defined at an area of the first fabric arranged laterally from the electronic component and arranging a strengthening element at the transition region [0018, 0134]. The arranging comprises arranging a layer of thermoplastic material at least in relation to a first portion of a second fabric and arranging the second fabric around the first fabric, such that the thermoplastic material is arranged around the first fabric, and wherein at least a portion of a first edge of the second fabric is attached to a second edge of the second fabric to create a loop and hardening of or laminating the thermoplastic material, such that the thermoplastic material fills a spacing between the first fabric and the second fabric and arranged an enclosure (controller box) such that it covers the electronic component [0127].
Regarding claim 14, two layers of the thermoplastic material are arranged at opposite sides of the second fabric [0127].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Begriche et al. (PG Pub. 2018/0249767).
Regarding claim 6, Begriche et al. are silent regarding the enclosure covering a part of the transition region such that the strengthening element is partly arranged under the enclosure. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to arrive at the claimed enclosure (controller box) covering part of the transition region such that the strengthening element is partly arranged under the enclosure given Begriche et al. teach the enclosure is arranged adjacent the fabric and in order to have the enclosure and electronic component in close proximity to the garment and also adjust the enclosure to the desired size to provide adequate protection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Begriche does not teach the newly claimed “bonding” of the electronic component. After further examination, paragraph 0105 of Begriche teaches the electronic component is bonded. Applicant is invited to incorporate allowable subject matter in to the independent claims.
Conclusion
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/Shawn Mckinnon/Examiner, Art Unit 1789