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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/25/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/25/2026 pertaining to amended claim 1 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Claim 1 has been amended to recite “b) providing a test device that is not connected to the first bundle, and connecting a test device to the first bundle”. Applicant argues at page 9 the Remarks:
In contrast [to amended claim 1], Horn discloses a fully assembled and operational optical system in which the relevant electrical lines form part of a completed electrical connection extending from a panel 124, through a cable 125, a feedthrough 102, a cable 104, and a feedthrough 103 to coils 132a-b. See Horn, Figure 1 and related text. The wiring is shown as permanently integrated into the system architecture. Horn does not disclose or suggest the not connected/connected feature required by amended claim 1.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. In applying Horn to claim 1, the previous Office action states at pages 12-13:
note in Fig. 1 that electrical lines for driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b between panel 124 and the supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b collectively constitute an interface for wired transmission of electrical signals as claimed, and of these electrical lines, those on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103 constitute a first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines and those on the left side of vacuum feedthrough 103 constitute a second bundle of electrical lines coupled with the first bundle of electrical lines to provide an extended bundle
One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that Horn’s vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103 are specialized electrical connectors, and that diagnostic testing (e.g., continuity, resistance) of the first bundle (e.g., electrical lines on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103) or the second bundle (electrical lines on left side of vacuum feedthrough 103) can be performed at vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103 by suitable connection of a previously-unconnected diagnostic tool such as an ohmmeter or LCR meter to electrical connectors of the vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103. Accordingly, the recitation “b) providing a test device that is not connected to the first bundle, and connecting a test device to the first bundle” of amended claim 1 does not patentably distinguish over Horn in light of the Officially-noticed fact (use test devices for measuring the continuity and/or resistance of a pair of electrical lines (e.g., an ohmmeter) or impedance (e.g., LCR meters) and evaluating the measurement against a predetermined expected/nominal response signal in order to determine/infer whether a defect (e.g., open, short) is present in one of the electrical lines was well-known and conventional) presented in the prior Office action.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-10, filed 8/25/2026, with respect to the amendment of claim 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 14 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 10, filed 8/25/2026, with respect to the amendment of claim 20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 20 has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Horn and newly-cited US 4,176,901 to Ishimaru, US 5,006,808 to Watts and US 5,629,628 to Hinds et al.
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 20-21 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.
In claim 20, in the recitation “a generation unit configured to generate an electrical test signal to check the pair of electrical lines”, “the pair” lacks antecedent basis, rendering the scope of the claim unclear. For purposes of the present examination, “a pair” is presumed. Claims 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) by virtue of its dependence from claim 20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-5 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horn.
Regarding claim 1, Horn discloses a method of checking an interface for wired transmission of electrical signals to an electronics unit in a vacuum-tight housing of an optics module, the optics module comprising a plurality of displaceable optical elements to guide radiation, an actuator/sensor device being configured to displace one of the optical elements and/or to acquire position information for the one of the optical elements, the electronics unit configured to actuate the actuator/sensor device based on electrical signals received via the interface, the interface comprising a first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines (Horn, e.g., Fig. 1 (duplicated below), electronics unit in the form of data transmission coils 131a-b and supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b that contained in separate housing ("electronics box") 130, which is sealed with respect to the surrounding housing 101 in a vacuum-tight manner and in which, in turn, "normal" ambient atmosphere is present, see, e.g., paragraphs 39-40; electronics box 130 is a component of an optics module that also includes, for example, mirror arrangement 110 which has a plurality of mirror elements (e.g., mirror elements 110a, 110b, … ) which can be adjusted independently of one another using suitable actuators, see, e.g., paragraph 37; note in Fig. 1 that electrical lines for driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b between panel 124 and the supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b collectively constitute an interface for wired transmission of electrical signals as claimed, and of these electrical lines, those on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103 constitute a first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines and those on the left side of vacuum feedthrough 103 constitute a second bundle of electrical lines coupled with the first bundle of electrical lines to provide an extended bundle), the method comprising:
a) coupling the first bundle to the electronics unit (see Horn as applied above, electrical lines on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103 connected to voltage transmitting coils 132a-b constitute a first bundle connected to the electronics unit);
wherein:
the interface comprises a second bundle of electrical lines electrically coupled with the first bundle of electrical lines to provide an extended bundle (see Horn as applied above, electrical lines for driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b on the left side of vacuum feedthrough 103);
PNG
media_image1.png
634
851
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Horn, Fig. 1
Horn is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing:
b) providing a test device that is not connected to the first bundle, and connecting a test device to the first bundle;
c) applying an electrical test signal generated by the test device to a pair of electrical lines of the first bundle;
d) acquiring an electrical response signal from the pair of electrical lines;
e) comparing the acquired response signal with a predetermined response signal for the pair of electrical lines; and
f) determining whether a defect is present in one of the electrical lines of the pair based on the comparison,
wherein:
b)-f) are performed for the extended bundle.
The examiner takes Official notice of the fact that the use test devices for measuring the continuity and/or resistance of a pair of electrical lines (e.g., an ohmmeter) or impedance (e.g., LCR meters) and evaluating the measurement against a predetermined expected/nominal response signal in order to determine/infer whether a defect (e.g., open, short) is present in one of the electrical lines was well-known and conventional before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. In either the case of continuity/resistance testing or impedance testing, the examiner notes that the test device will necessarily apply an electrical signal, e.g., a relatively small DC current/voltage in the case of an ohmmeter or an AC voltage in the case of an LCR meter, or order to perform the testing. It 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 to modify Horn to include the steps of: b) providing a test device (e.g., ohmmeter or LCR meter) that is not connected to the first bundle, and connecting a test device to the first bundle (e.g., by connecting the test device to the first bundle on left side of feedthrough connection 103 in Fig. 1 of Horn), c) applying an electrical test signal generated by the test device to a pair of electrical lines of the first bundle, d) acquiring an electrical response signal from the pair of electrical lines, e) comparing the acquired response signal with a predetermined response signal for the pair of electrical lines, f) determining whether a defect is present in one of the electrical lines of the pair based on the comparison, and then repeating steps b)-f) for the second (extended) bundle (e.g., by connecting the test device to the second (extended) bundle on bottom side of feedthrough connection 102 in Fig. 1 of Horn). In this way, each of the first bundle and second bundle can be tested for continuity/resistance or impedance, for example, with the results being evaluated against a predetermined expected/nominal response signal in order to determine whether a defect is present in one of the electrical lines, as is well-known and conventional in the art.
Regarding claim 2, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 discloses performing c)-f) for each pair of electrical lines of the first bundle (see Horn as applied to claim 1, noting that first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines, e.g., electrical lines for driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103, constitutes the pair of electrical lines of the first bundle).
Regarding claim 3, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 discloses wherein the electrical test signal comprises: a DC voltage signal for determining an electrical resistance; an AC voltage signal with a frequency for determining a specific impedance; and/or an AC voltage signal with a changeable frequency for determining an impedance characteristic (see Horn as applied to claim 1).
Regarding claim 4, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing prior to a), determining the predetermined response signal for each pair of contacts of the electronics unit by applying the test signal to the respective pair of contacts of the electronics unit and acquiring the response signal. The examiner takes Official notice of the fact that the use of a priori measurements to establish baseline/nominal characteristics/values for use in subsequent comparisons was well-known and conventional before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. It 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 to modify Horn to include a step of prior to a), determining the predetermined response signal for each pair of contacts of the electronics unit by applying the test signal to the respective pair of contacts of the electronics unit and acquiring the response signal. In this way, the expected/nominal resistance or impedance of each of the driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b can be obtained beforehand as points of comparison when resistance or impedance testing of the associated pair of electrical lines is implemented.
Regarding claim 5, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 discloses wherein:
an optics system comprises a vacuum housing and the optics module (Horn, e.g., Fig. 1, electronics box 130 is a component of an optics module that also includes, for example, mirror arrangement 110; vacuum housing 101 in combination with optics module defines an optics system as claimed);
the optics module and the vacuum-tight housing are in the vacuum housing (see Horn as applied above and to claim 1, noting that electronics box 130 and mirror arrangement 110 are contained in vacuum housing 101);
the interface comprises a bundle of electrical lines extending through the vacuum housing and a vacuum interface (see Horn as applied to claim 1 pertaining to interface, first bundle and second bundle); and
the vacuum interface is on: i) the vacuum-tight housing; and/or ii) the vacuum housing (see Horn as applied above, vacuum feedthrough 103 on electronics box 130 and/or vacuum feedthrough 102 on vacuum housing 101).
Regarding claim 8, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 Horn discloses wherein:
the electronics unit comprises a first electronics region containing a plurality of electrical and/or electronic component parts (Horn, e.g., Fig. 1, first electronics region including data transmission coil 131a and supply voltage transmitting coil 132a corresponding to mirror element 110a);
during operation, the first electronic region generates a thermal power loss that is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value (see Horn as applied above, during operation the data transmission coil 131a and supply voltage transmitting coil 132a will collectively be characterized by a thermal power loss that is less than or equal to a threshold value);
the electronics unit comprises a second electronics region containing a plurality of electrical and/or electronic component parts (Horn, e.g., Fig. 1, second electronics region including data transmission coils and supply voltage transmitting coils associated with plurality of mirror elements other than mirror element 110a);
during operation, the second electronics region generates a thermal power loss above the predetermined threshold value (see Horn as applied above, during operation the data transmission coils and supply voltage transmitting coils associated with plurality of mirror elements other than mirror element 110a will collectively be characterized by a thermal power loss that is above the predetermined threshold at least in the case where the predetermined threshold is equal to the collective thermal power loss of the data transmission coil 131a and supply voltage transmitting coil 132a; also see Response to Arguments above in connection with claim 14);
the first electronics region is operable independently of the second electronics region (Horn, e.g., paragraph 35, mirror arrangement 110 which has a plurality of mirror elements which can be adjusted independently of one another; also see paragraph 37); and
the method further comprises:
operating the first electronics region (see Horn as applied above, it is implicit that first electronics region including data transmission coil 131a and supply voltage transmitting coil 132a corresponding to mirror element 110a will be operated to suitably adjust mirror element 110a); and
Horn is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing checking an intended function of the first electronics region subsequent to the step of operating the first electronics region. Checking an intended function of the first electronics region (e.g., verifying/checking that mirror element 110a is actually adjusted in response to control data transmitted using data transmission coil 131a) nonetheless falls well withing the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ in light of Horn’s specific teachings and the knowledge of the person of ordinary skill generally as it relates to well-known and conventional control and feedback principles. For at least this reason, the recitation of checking an intended function of the first electronics region does not patentably distinguish over modified Horn as applied to the remainder of claim 8.
Regarding claim 9, modified Horn as applied to claim 8 discloses performing c)-f) for each pair of electrical lines of the first bundle (see Horn as applied to claim 1, noting that first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines, e.g., electrical lines for driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103, constitutes the pair of electrical lines of the first bundle).
Regarding claim 10, modified Horn as applied to claim 8 discloses wherein the electrical test signal comprises: a DC voltage signal for determining an electrical resistance; an AC voltage signal with a frequency for determining a specific impedance; and/or an AC voltage signal with a changeable frequency for determining an impedance characteristic (see Horn as applied to claim 1).
Regarding claim 11, modified Horn as applied to claim 8 is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing prior to a), determining the predetermined response signal for each pair of contacts of the electronics unit by applying the test signal to the respective pair of contacts of the electronics unit and acquiring the response signal. The examiner takes Official notice of the fact that the use of a priori measurements to establish baseline/nominal characteristics/values for use in subsequent comparisons was well-known and conventional before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. It 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 to modify Horn to include a step of prior to a), determining the predetermined response signal for each pair of contacts of the electronics unit by applying the test signal to the respective pair of contacts of the electronics unit and acquiring the response signal. In this way, the expected/nominal resistance or impedance of each of the driving supply voltage transmitting coils 132a-b can be obtained beforehand as points of comparison when resistance or impedance testing of the associated pair of electrical lines is implemented.
Regarding claim 12, modified Horn as applied to claim 8 discloses wherein:
an optics system comprises a vacuum housing and the optics module (Horn, e.g., Fig. 1, electronics box 130 is a component of an optics module that also includes, for example, mirror arrangement 110; vacuum housing 101 in combination with optics module defines an optics system as claimed);
the optics module and the vacuum-tight housing are in the vacuum housing (see Horn as applied above and to claim 1, noting that electronics box 130 and mirror arrangement 110 are contained in vacuum housing 101);
the interface comprises a bundle of electrical lines extending through the vacuum housing and a vacuum interface (see Horn as applied to claim 1 pertaining to interface, first bundle and second bundle); and
the vacuum interface is on: i) the vacuum-tight housing; and/or ii) the vacuum housing (see Horn as applied above, vacuum feedthrough 103 on electronics box 130 and/or vacuum feedthrough 102 on vacuum housing 101).
Regarding claim 13, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 discloses before a), producing an optical system that comprises the optics module, the actuator sensor, the vacuum-tight housing, and the interface (see Horn as applied to claim 1; it is implicit that an optical system including the optics module, the actuator sensor, the vacuum-tight housing, and the interface will be produced/constructed prior to implementing the process of modified Horn).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horn in view of US 2019/0324372 to Wolfsteiner et al. (Wolfsteiner).
Regarding claim 7, modified Horn as applied to claim 1 is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing using a fluid cooling system to actively cooling the electronics unit during operation of the optics module. Wolfsteiner discloses using a fluid cooling system to actively cool an electronics unit during operation of an optics module (Wolfsteiner, e.g., Figs. 2-3, electronics unit contained in housing 60; also see, e.g., paragraph 127). It 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 to modify Horn to include using a fluid cooling system to actively cooling the electronics unit during operation of the optics module. In this way, in the manner disclosed by Wolfsteiner, fluid flow can be used for dissipating heat from Horn’s electronics box 130.
Claims 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horn in view of US 4,176,901 to Ishimaru (Ishimaru), US 5,006,808 to Watts (Watts) and US 5,629,628 to Hinds et al. (Hinds).
Regarding claim 20, Horn discloses a test device configured to check an interface for wired transmission of electrical signals to an electronics unit in a vacuum-tight housing of an optics module, the interface comprising a first bundle comprising a plurality of electrical lines, the first bundle being coupled to the electronics unit, the test device comprising:
a connector configured connect the test device to the first bundle of electrical lines
a test mode unit,
wherein:
the test mode unit is configured to selectively operate a first electronics region of the electronics unit to check an intended function of the first electronics region;
the first electronics region is part of the electronics unit;
the first electronics region comprises a plurality of electrical and/or electronic component parts;
the first electronics region is configured so that, during operation, the first electronics region generates a thermal power loss that is less than or equal to a threshold value;
the test mode unit is configured to selectively operate a second electronics region of the electronics unit to check an intended function of the second electronics region;
the second electronics region is part of the electronics unit; and
the second electronics part comprises a plurality of electrical and/or electronic component parts and that generates, during operation, a thermal power loss above the threshold value (see Horn as applied to claims 1 and 8 above, noting in particular that each of vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103 constitute a connector, and data and voltage generation unit 120 (Fig. 1) is configured to selectively operate first/second electronics regions of the electronics unit to check an intended function of the first/second electronics regions; also see Horn, e.g., paragraphs 59-60, 62; further, as explained in connection with the rejection of claim 8 above, checking an intended function of the first electronics region (e.g., verifying/checking that mirror element 110a is actually adjusted in response to control data transmitted using data transmission coil 131a) falls well withing the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ in light of Horn’s specific teachings and the knowledge of the person of ordinary skill generally as it relates to well-known and conventional control and feedback principles; for at least this reason, the recitation of checking an intended function of the first/second electronics regions does not patentably distinguish over Horn).
Horn is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing that the connectors corresponding to vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103 are each in the form of a plug connector so that the test device has a first state in which the test device is not connected to the first bundle of electrical lines, and the test device has a second state in which the plug connector connects the test device to the first bundle of electrical lines, and that the test device further includes:
a generation unit configured to generate an electrical test signal to check the pair of electrical lines;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire a response signal when the test signal is applied to the pair of electrical lines;
a multiplexing unit configured to connect the pair of electrical lines to the generation unit and to the acquisition unit;
a comparison unit configured to compare the acquired response signal for the pair of electrical lines with a predetermined response signal for the pair of electrical lines;
a determination unit configured to determine, based on the comparison, when a defect is present in one of the electrical lines of the pair of electrical lines.
Plug-type vacuum feedthrough connectors are known (Ishimaru, e.g., Figs. 1-3 and col. 3, lines 9-12 electrical connection can be achieved at a time by use of a plug (not shown) having female ends corresponding to the male ends 3a', which is available on the market).
Additionally, testing a pair of electrical lines using a generated test signal, an acquired response signal, and a comparison of the acquired response signal with a predetermined response signal to determine the presence of a defect as claimed is known (see, e.g., Watts, Fig. 1 and col. 6, lines 35-40, resistance measuring means 11 could supply a current from a constant current source between the points under test and compare the voltage dropped across the points with a threshold (for example the voltage dropped across a forward-biased diode) to test for continuity between the points). Further, the use of a multiplexing unit for selectively testing different pairs of electrical lines is known (see, e.g., Hinds, e.g., Fig. 5 and col. 6, lines 42-46, switch matrices 130 and 140 provide the measurement unit 150 with switching capability for the purpose of coupling the respective inputs of the measurement unit collectively labeled input to any two of the input lines 120 for measuring electrical parameters at said input).
It 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 to modify Horn such that connectors corresponding to vacuum feedthroughs 102, 103 are each in the form of a plug connector so that the test device has a first state in which the test device is not connected to the first bundle of electrical lines, and the test device has a second state in which the plug connector connects the test device to the first bundle of electrical lines, and such that the test device further includes:
a generation unit configured to generate an electrical test signal to check the pair of electrical lines;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire a response signal when the test signal is applied to the pair of electrical lines;
a multiplexing unit configured to connect the pair of electrical lines to the generation unit and to the acquisition unit;
a comparison unit configured to compare the acquired response signal for the pair of electrical lines with a predetermined response signal for the pair of electrical lines;
a determination unit configured to determine, based on the comparison, when a defect is present in one of the electrical lines of the pair of electrical lines.
In this way, in the manner disclosed by Watts and Hinds, each pair or electrical lines of Horn’s first bundle of electrical lines (e.g., electrical lines on the right side of vacuum feedthrough 103 in Fig. 1 of Horn) can be evaluated for the existence of electrical faults, with a plug-type vacuum feedthrough connector of the type disclosed by Ishimaru providing the ability to connect/disconnect the test device of modified Horn as needed.
Regarding claim 22, Horn in view of Ishimaru, Watts and Hinds discloses:
the multiplexing unit is configured to selectively connect, in each of a plurality of switching states, a respective different pair of electrical lines to the generation unit and to the acquisition unit; and
each respective different pair of electrical lines is selected from among more than two electrical lines of the first bundle (see Horn in view of Ishimaru, Watts and Hinds as applied to claim 21).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-19 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL R MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-1964. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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, Lee Rodak, can be reached at 571-270-1964. 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.
/DANIEL R MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights