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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant’s argument may be summarized as follows: the Applicant does not believe that the Iyers reference teaches “…a sensor on the surface of the cover”. However, the examiner must respectfully disagree. The Applicant has reproduced FIG. 1, and it is true that in FIG. 1 of Iyers it is not clear that the sensor is on the surface of the cover. The examiner however would like to draw attention to FIG. 2, in which Iyers states “…device 30 may typically include at least two electrodes….32 and 33…provide at least one sensing vector.” This is stated in paragraph 0072. Electrode 33 is definitively located on the surface of the cover, and it likewise appears that electrode 32 is as well (solid lines apply to outer components, dotted lines to inner/inside components”. As such, the examiner must respectfully disagree with the Applicant.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-11 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iyer et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2020001095, from hereinafter “Iyer”).
In regards to claims 1 and 11, Iyer teaches an apparatus (abstract) comprising a housing with a cavity (FIGS. 2A-3B at least), a cover with a first surface and a second surface, wherein the cover is coupled to the housing with the second surface facing the housing (FIGS. 2A-3B), a sensor on the first surface of the cover (paragraphs 0063 and 0066) and a battery electrically coupled to the sensor, wherein the battery is within the cavity (paragraphs 0063-0066, likewise in the arguments stated above).
In regards to claim 2, Iyer teaches that the antenna is electrically coupled to the battery (see, i.e., paragraph 0070).
In regards to claim 3, Iyer teaches that the antenna is a coil along a sidewall of the cavity (see paragraph 0070).
In regards to claim 4, Iyer teaches that the antenna is configured to obtain power wirelessly from a RF source (see, i.e., paragraph 0076).
In regards to claims 8 and 16, Iyer teaches that the sensor is an impedance sensor (paragraph 0197).
In regards to claim 9, Iyer teaches that the housing is a ceramic material (see claims 12-13).
In regards to claim 10, Iyer teaches a gasket between the second surface of the cover and the housing (see FIG. 2A).
In regards to claim 15, Iyer teaches that the interior surface of the chamber is a chamber wall (see FIGS 2A-3B).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 are allowed.
Claims 5-7, 12-14 and 17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art cited above fails to teach any mention of the utilization/generation of a plasma. Likewise, Iyer fails to teach that a second sensor is covered by a layer.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE M IPPOLITO whose telephone number is (571)270-7449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:00am-4:00pm Mountain 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, Robert H Kim can be reached at 571-272-2293. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE M IPPOLITO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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