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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the wireless connectivity interface establishing a wireless data connection to multiple aerosol delivery devices as multiple simultaneous connection must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CONNECTIVITY INTERMEDIARY PROVIDING MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS WIRELESS DATA CONNECTIONS TO MULTIPLE AEROSOL DELIVERY DEVICES.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [00017], line 6, the first occurring abbreviation “LPWAN” should be written with a full terminology with the abbreviation enclosed within a parenthesis.
Paragraph [00018] includes the first occurring abbreviation “ADSL” in line 3 and “Wi-Fi” in line 5.
At the end of Paragraph [00027], one of two periods should be deleted.
Paragraph [00030] includes the first occurring abbreviation “VPN” in line 4.
Paragraph [00035] includes the first occurring abbreviation “API” in line 6.
Paragraph [00039] includes the first occurring abbreviation “LED” in line 5.
Paragraph [00043] includes the first occurring abbreviation “HVAC” in line 8.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 15-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 15-19, line 1, “A method” should be -- The method -- because claim 14, line 1 already recites, “A method”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1-19 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.
In the amendment filed on 11/10/2025, claim 1 is amended to recite, “multiple aerosol delivery devices as multiple simultaneous connections” in line 4. However, lines 7, 10, 11 and 13 recite, “the aerosol delivery device”. Therefore, it is not clear which aerosol delivery device among multiple aerosol delivery device is “the aerosol delivery device”.
Also, while claim 1, line 4 recites, “multiple aerosol delivery devices”, line 9 recites, “a plurality of aerosol delivery devices”. Therefore, it is not clear whether the aerosol delivery devices of lines 4 and 9 are the same or different aerosol delivery devices.
For all the dependent claims 2-13 reciting “the aerosol delivery device”, it is not clear which aerosol delivery device among multiple aerosol delivery device of claim 1 is “the aerosol delivery device”.
Claim 4, line 3 recites, “lighting controllers”. It is not clear where these lighting controllers come from. Are these lighting controllers parts of the aerosol delivery devices or parts of the connectivity dongle or parts of the processor?
Claim 6, lines 1-2 recite, “a data connectivity interface”. It is not clear how this data connectivity interface is structurally related with the processor and the memory recited in claim 1.
Claim 10, line 3 recites, “an update”. It is not clear where this update is coming from.
Claim 13, line 1 recites, “A system comprising:”. The word “system” is too broad because so many different kinds of systems exist in the world. It is not clear what system that the instant invention is claiming.
Claim 14, line 1-2 recite, “A method of communicating data from an aerosol delivery device”. It is not clear with what that the aerosol delivery device is communicating with.
Claim 14, line 3 is reciting, “collecting” and line 4 is reciting, “establishing”. It is not clear what is performing the actions of “collecting” and “establishing”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAE MOON HYEON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/hmh/
/Hae Moon Hyeon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831