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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 10-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kasai et al. (US 2007/0229094 A1).
With respect to claim 10, Kasai et al. disclose an adsorption evaluation method for evaluating adsorption of a substance on a porous framework (Example 1 - paragraphs 0079-0084), the method comprising: a measurement step of irradiating the porous framework with a terahertz wave, and performing measurement of a refractive index or a real part of a complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework (Figs. 2 & 4 and paragraphs 0081-0083); and an evaluation step of performing evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured in the measurement step (Fig. 5 and paragraphs 0083-0084).
With respect to claim 11, Kasai et al. disclose wherein in the evaluation step, the evaluation is performed for any one or more of presence or absence, a type, and an amount of the substance adsorbed on the porous framework (paragraph 0002).
With respect to claim 16, Kasai et al. disclose wherein in the measurement step, the measurement is performed by attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (Figs. 19B & 19C and paragraphs 0116-0120).
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.
Claims 1-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasai et al. (US 2007/0229094 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Kasai et al. disclose an adsorption evaluation apparatus for evaluating adsorption of a substance on a porous framework (Example 1 - paragraphs 0079-0084), the apparatus comprising: a measurement unit configured to irradiate the porous framework with a terahertz wave, and perform measurement of a refractive index or a real part of a complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework (Figs. 2 & 4 and paragraphs 0081-0083); and
With respect to claim 2, Kasai et al. disclose wherein the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation for any one or more of presence or absence, a type, and an amount of the substance adsorbed on the porous framework (paragraph 0002).
With respect to claim 3, Kasai et al. do not specifically disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform the measurement at each of a plurality of measurement timings in a change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework, and the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation at each of the plurality of measurement timings based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. to have the measurement unit be configured to perform the measurement at each of a plurality of measurement timings in a change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework, and the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation at each of the plurality of measurement timings based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings, because time is a known important variable in an adsorption process.
With respect to claim 4, Kasai et al. do not specifically disclose wherein the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation of a temporal change of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. to have the evaluation unit be configured to perform the evaluation of a temporal change of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings, because temporal change is a known important variable in an adsorption process.
With respect to claim 5, Kasai et al. as modified above disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform the measurement at each of the plurality of measurement timings in the change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework in a state in which the porous framework is disposed in an environment containing the substance (paragraph 0126).
With respect to claim 6, Kasai et al. disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform the measurement in a state in which the porous framework is immersed in a liquid sample obtained by dispersing or dissolving the substance in a liquid medium (paragraph 0126).
With respect to claim 7, Kasai et al. disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform the measurement by attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (Figs. 19B & 19C and paragraphs 0116-0120).
With respect to claim 9, Kasai et al. disclose wherein the porous framework is any one of a metal organic framework, a covalent organic framework, a hydrogen-bonded organic framework, a porous aromatic framework, and a prussian blue (paragraph 0126).
Claims 12-15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasai et al. (US 2007/0229094 A1) as applied to claim 10 above.
With respect to claim 12, Kasai et al. do not specifically disclose wherein in the measurement step, the measurement is performed at each of a plurality of measurement timings in a change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework, and in the evaluation step, the evaluation is performed at each of the plurality of measurement timings based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. to have in the measurement step, the measurement is performed at each of a plurality of measurement timings in a change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework, and in the evaluation step, the evaluation is performed at each of the plurality of measurement timings based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings, because time is a known important variable in an adsorption process.
With respect to claim 13, Kasai et al. do not specifically disclose wherein in the evaluation step, the evaluation of a temporal change of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework is performed based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. to have wherein in the evaluation step, the evaluation of a temporal change of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework is performed based on the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured at each of the plurality of measurement timings, because temporal change is a known important variable in an adsorption process.
With respect to claim 14, Kasai et al. as modified above disclose wherein in the measurement step, the measurement is performed at each of the plurality of measurement timings in the change process of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework in a state in which the porous framework is disposed in an environment containing the substance (paragraph 0126).
With respect to claim 15, Kasai et al. disclose wherein in the measurement step, the measurement is performed in a state in which the porous framework is immersed in a liquid sample obtained by dispersing or dissolving the substance in a liquid medium (paragraph 0126).
With respect to claim 18, Kasai et al. disclose wherein the porous framework is any one of a metal organic framework, a covalent organic framework, a hydrogen-bonded organic framework, a porous aromatic framework, and a prussian blue (paragraph 0126).
Claims 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasai et al. (US 2007/0229094 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Kasai et al. (US 2007/0235718 A1).
With respect to claim 8, Kasai et al. (‘094) do not specifically disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured by the measurement unit. Kasai et al. (‘718) disclose wherein the measurement unit is configured to perform measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured by the measurement unit (paragraph 0060). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. (‘094) to have the measurement unit be configured to perform measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and the evaluation unit is configured to perform the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured by the measurement unit, to obtain information of the sample, such as identification, as taught by Kasai et al. (‘718).
With respect to claim 17, Kasai et al. (‘094) do not specifically disclose wherein in the measurement step, measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework is performed in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and in the evaluation step, the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework is performed based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured in the measurement step. Kasai et al. (‘718) disclose wherein in the measurement step, measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework is performed in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and in the evaluation step, the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework is performed based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured in the measurement step (paragraph 0060). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kasai et al. (‘094) to have wherein in the measurement step, measurement of an absorption coefficient or an imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework is performed in addition to the measurement of the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework based on the terahertz wave which interacted with the porous framework, and in the evaluation step, the evaluation of the adsorption of the substance on the porous framework is performed based on the absorption coefficient or the imaginary part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework in addition to the refractive index or the real part of the complex permittivity of the porous framework measured in the measurement step, to obtain information of the sample, such as identification, as taught by Kasai et al. (‘718).
Conclusion
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/JURIE YUN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
December 28, 2025