CTNF 18/610,061 CTNF 88721 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. 07-30-05 The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: (A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function; (B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and (C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. 07-30-06 This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “outer air supply blowing unit” in claim 1 and “inner air supply blowing unit” in claim 5. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipate by Kurashima (JP2004340438. See attached translation) . Regarding claim 1, Kurashima teaches a decorative panel (16, fig 5) comprising: a front surface (a lower surface of 16 as viewed in fig 5); a rear surface (an upper surface of 16 as viewed in fig 5); a grille opening (mounting opening 24, shown in fig 5); a frame portion (a wall portion of panel 16 that is inherently provided and surrounds the grille opening); and an air supply grille (23, fig 5), wherein the front surface is a surface opposite to the rear surface (the front surface is inherently opposite to the rear surface as defined above), the grille opening is surrounded by the frame portion (as defined above), the air supply grille includes an air supply slit (grill inherently has a slit), an air supply slit opening (space defined by the slit), an outer air supply blowing unit (annotated figure 1), and a contact portion (26, fig 7), the air supply grille is detachably provided in the grille opening ([0027] “ the blowout grill 23 can be removed from the louver 16 through the mounting opening 24 ”), the air supply slit forms the air supply slit opening (see explanation above), air is supplied from a rear surface side (upper side) to a front surface side (lower side) through the air supply slit opening (see fig 2), the outer air supply blowing unit forms a passage of the air supplied from the air supply slit opening (see fig 2), the contact portion is connected to the outer air supply blowing unit (see fig 7 and annotated fig 1), and when the front surface side is defined as a down direction and the rear surface side is defined as an up direction (see explanation above), the air supply grille is attached to the grille opening by bringing an upper surface (edge 25, fig 8) of the frame portion into contact with a lower surface (annotated figure 2) of the contact portion. [AltContent: ] [AltContent: textbox (Outer air supply blowing unit)] [AltContent: arrow] [AltContent: textbox (Annotated figure 1)] PNG media_image1.png 313 392 media_image1.png Greyscale [AltContent: textbox (The circled portion is the connection between a lower surface of contact portion and an upper surface of frame portion)] [AltContent: textbox (Annotated figure 2)] [AltContent: arrow] [AltContent: oval] PNG media_image2.png 322 357 media_image2.png Greyscale Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurashima (JP2004340438. See attached translation) in view of Matsueda (JP07260243. See attached translation) . Regarding claim 4, Kurashima teaches all the limitations of claim 1, but fails to teach the air supply slit includes a straight portion and an inclined portion, and the inclined portion inclined with the straight portion is connected to the straight portion. Matsueda teaches an air supply slit (formed by fins 19, fig 4) includes a straight portion (19A, fig 4) and an inclined portion (19B, fig 4), and the inclined portion inclined with the straight portion is connected to the straight portion (see fig 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kurashima as taught by Matsueda by providing an inclined surface of the outlet grill in order to direct air to desired location. Regarding claim 5, Kurashima in view of Matsueda teaches the air supply grille is “attachable to the grille opening by being rotated around a direction perpendicular to the rear surface by 90°” (This is intended function. The rotation motion is achievable by operator during installation) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim 6 is allowed. 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-3 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The limitations of claims 2-3 and 6 cannot be met without impermissible hindsight reconstruction . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KO-WEI LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7675. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-2:30 Eastern Time. 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, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571)272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KO-WEI LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 2 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 3 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 4 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 5 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 6 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/610,061 Page 7 Art Unit: 3762
Prosecution Insights