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 .
DETAILED ACTION
In the response to this office action, the Examiner respectfully requests that support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line numbers in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the Examiner in prosecuting this application.
POTENTIAL ALLOWABLE SUBJECT MATTER
Claims 1-7 are potentially allowable, contingent upon, the USC 112(b) rejection being overcome (see rejection below) and contingent upon further review and consideration of the newly amened claim language.
CLAIM REJECTIONS - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the second paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112:
(b) 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 1-7 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 recites the limitation "a charging component" arranged on the flexible printed circuit board in lines 6-9 and also “a charging component…fixedly connected with the outer side of the flexible printed circuit board” in lines 10-11. In lines 11-13 however the claim language recites “the height of the charging component” and “…the charging component are exposed outside the ring inner shell”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Thus, it is not clear which “charging component” the Applicant is referring back to in lines 11-13 of the claim 1. Appropriate correction and clarification is required.
Claim 1 also recites the limitation “after glue filling is completed, electrodes of the charging component are exposed outside the ring inner shell” in lines 12-13. It is not clear which “glue filling” the claim is referring to. For example, it is unclear where, in the smart ring, the glue filling has occurred. Furthermore, the limitation appears to be a manufacturing process inside the apparatus claim which creates ambiguity regarding the structural boundaries of the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the charging component comprises" arranged on the flexible printed circuit board in lines 1-2. It is not clear which “charging component” the Applicant is referring back to from claim 1. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim and appropriate correction, and clarification is required.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the insulating element covers the area…” in line 2 and “the insulating element is made of insulating glue” in line 4. However, neither claim 4 nor claim 1 (from which claim 4 depends) recites “an insulating element”. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction and clarification is required.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the insulating element, “the inner wall”, “the ring outer shell” in line 3 and recites in lines 5-7 “the flexible printed circuit board”, “the inner wall”, “the ring outer shell”, “the battery”, and “the outer shell cavity” and recites lines 8-10 “the unsealed smart ring”, “the glue filling jig”, “the glue filling space”, “the inner cavity”, “the ring outer shell” and recites in lines 11-12 “the jig”, “the position of the flexible printed circuit board”, “the glue”. However, claim 7 does not recite "an insulating element, “an inner wall”, “a ring outer shell” , “a flexible printed circuit board”, “a battery”, and “an outer shell cavity”, “an unsealed smart ring”, “a glue filling jig”, “a glue filling space”, “an inner cavity”, “a jig”, “a position of the flexible printed circuit board”. Thus, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, and it is hence unclear which terms the said limitations are referring back to. Appropriate correction and clarification is required.
CONCLUSION
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 10126779 Van Badinski et al. discloses a wearable computing device that uses sealing epoxy in its construction to make it almost completely waterproof.
US 11850069 Mars et al. discloses a manufacturing process for smart rings that using silicone or epoxy to form a mold over electronics.
US 20210265054 Kosman et al. details the construction of a smart ring.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IBRAHIM A KHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7998. The examiner can normally be reached on 10am-6pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nitin Patel can be reached on 571-272-7677. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IBRAHIM A. KHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2628
/IBRAHIM A KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628
