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 Objections
Claims 14 and 23 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim 14 cannot depend from any other multiple dependent claim (claim 13). See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claims 14-17 and 23 have not been further treated on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 13 is 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.
More specifically it is unclear if claim 13 is an independent claim or a dependent claim, or if the claim is a multiple dependent claim. As such, examiner is unable to clearly determine the metes and bounds of the claim.
Claim 14-17 are rejected in a similar manner as they depend from claim 13.
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-4, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Neuman et al [EP 3515161 A1].
As for claim 1, Neuman discloses a control loop application system comprises a plurality of units of electric circuit boards arranged in a stacked configuration (see Fig. 7 and claim 1),
the control loop application system further comprises a top-level unit (520, 620) and at least one additional unit (521-524), the at least one additional unit (521-524) having components needed to perform at least one specific function for which the at least one additional unit (521-524) is designed (paragraphs 0025-0029; first and second circuit boards configured to function separately),
characterized in that the top-level unit (520) having components such that the top-level unit is able to perform as a standalone unit without requiring the at least one additional unit (521-524) (paragraphs 0028-0029).
As for claim 2, Neuman discloses that at least one additional unit (521-524, 621-623) has at least one I/O interface directly installed on the at least additional unit (521-524, 621-623) to accommodate for the at least one specific function of the additional unit (521-524, 621-623) (paragraphs 0020 and 0029).
As for claim 3¸ Neuman discloses that the top-level unit (520, 620) comprises a power supply to provide power for the system (paragraph 0029).
Claim 4 is interpreted and rejected using the same reasoning as claim 1 above.
As for claim 18¸ Neuman discloses wherein the I/0 interfaces (552, 542, 532, 656, 657, 661) are directed to the same side in the stack (paragraphs 0043-0046).
Claim 19 is interpreted and rejected using the same reasoning as claim 1 above. See also paragraph 0002.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 5-12 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Neuman et al as applied to the claims above.
As for claims 5-12 are interpreted and rejected using the same reasoning as claim 1 above. Neuman discloses various types of interfaces, connections, and functionality between stacked components (see paragraphs 0020-0022). As such, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to modify Neuman to include various known components in order to yield desirable results. The selection of components is viewed as a matter of engineering preference that would be left to the artisan.
Claim 22 is interpreted and rejected using the same reasoning as claims 5-12 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20 and 21 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC M BLOUNT whose telephone number is (571)272-2973. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00a - 5:30p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Quan Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ERIC M. BLOUNT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2685
/Eric Blount/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685