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 Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated April 14, 2026 is acknowledged. Currently claims 1 and 4-17 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's amendments filed April 14, 2026 have been considered and render the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 moot and have thus been withdrawn
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) have been considered but are moot based on the new rejections required by the amendments to the claims.
The objection of claim 16 has not been addressed and is thus included again in this action.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 16 does not contain proper punctuation. This was not corrected in the amendments dated April 14, 2026. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5, 10-12, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Toong et al. (US 2021/0268276, as previously cited) in view of Shokoueinejad Maragheh (US 2016/0015962).
Regarding claim 1 and 17, Toong discloses an apparatus comprising: a smart bandage (e.g. patch 100; [0020]) that includes: a conductive hydrogel (e.g. hydrogel 1626 as shown in Figure 13); and a flexible electronics package (e.g. printed circuity board assembly 1630) having processing circuitry (e.g. control unit 1002 as shown in Figure 2) and a wireless interface for communicating with external processors (e.g. antenna 1010) wherein the processing circuitry includes a built-in closed-loop feedback to receive information from sensors and to actively deliver precise electrical stimulation (e.g. closed-loop system that monitors biometrics related to healing as disclosed in [0018]).
Toong additionally discloses using the closed-loop detection system of to monitor the patient and use the closed-loop feedback to treat the wound with electrical stimulation (as taught in [0091] but does not expressly disclose delivering the stimulation in response to detection of infection based on the closed-loop feedback system. discloses that it was well known in the art of smart bandages to monitor the healing process for signs of infection (which necessarily occurs after no infection has been found) and eliminate bacterial infections when signs of infection are found (e.g. Abstract; [0037], wherein UV-C is only used if infection is detected). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to use the closed-loop infection detection system of Shokoueinejad Maragheh in the device of Toong since such a modification would provide the system with the predictable results of means of preventing infection.
Regarding claim 4, Toong additionally discloses wherein the smart bandage further includes reversible skin-adhesive electrodes (e.g. electrodes 1630 that include fabric tape 1612 that can be placed in multiple different orientations and is thus “reversible”).
Regarding claim 5, Toong additionally discloses wherein the electrodes are configured to applying electrical stimulus delivered by the processing circuitry (e.g. electrodes 1630 along with hydrogel 1626).
Regarding claim 10, Toong additionally discloses, wherein the flexible electronics package comprises biosensor technology for impedance and temperature (e.g. sensors including temperature sensor as disclosed in [0023]).
Regarding claim 11, Toong additionally discloses wherein the flexible electronics package comprises electrical stimulation controlled by the processing circuitry (e.g. electrical stimulation as disclosed in [0021]).
Regarding claim 12, Toong additionally an antenna for wireless energy harvesting or a rechargeable battery for energy supply (e.g. antenna 1010 as shown in Figure 2 that can be used to recharge battery 1012 as disclosed in [0093]).
Regarding claim 15, Toong additionally discloses wherein wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth unit (e.g. communication as taught in [0093]).
Claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh in further view of Isabel del Agua Lopez, "Conducting Polymer Materials for Bioelectronics Applications," Thesis, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, 2018, htto://hdl. handle. net/10810/34588. 153 pages. (hereinafter “Isabel”, as provided by Applicant).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh disclose the claimed invention except the express mention of a smart bandage comprises an electronic-ionic dual conducting polymer complex. wherein the polymer complex comprises polymerized biocompatible (meth)acrylate monomers in the presence of conducting polymers based on PEDOT:PSS. Isabel discloses that it was well known in the art of wound dressings to includes such conducting polymers (e.g. as discussed on Pages 55-57). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to include the polymer of Isabel in the devices of Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh, since such a modification would provide the system with the predictable results of a reliable means of connecting the electrodes to tissue.
Regarding claim 8, Isabel additionally discloses a conductive hydrogel comprises a polymer-based dual-conducting hydrogel (e.g. Pages 55-57).
Regarding claim 9, Isabel additionally discloses the claimed conductive hydrogel as disclosed above, which will necessarily incorporate adhesive interfacial chemistry comprising hydrogen bonding or metal-coordination, and tuned nanoscopic intermolecular interaction.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh in view of Arbabian et al. (US 2014/0336474, as previously cited).
Regarding claim 13, Toong and Shokoueinejad Maraghehdisclose the claimed invention except the express mention of a flexible electronics package comprises a ring oscillator for AC impedance measurement. Arbabian discloses that it was well known in the art of low power sensors to use ring oscillators for impedance measurements (e.g. ring oscillator as disclosed in [0019]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to include the ring oscillator of Arbabian in the device of Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh, since such a modification would provide the system with the predictable results of a reliable means of measuring impedance.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh in view of Bogie et al. (US 2020/0061379, as previously cited).
Regarding claim 14, Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh disclose the claimed invention except the express mention of a flexible electronics package comprises a temperature sensitive resistor for temperature sensing. Bogie discloses that it was well known in the art of wound dressings for a flexible electronics package to comprise a temperature sensitive resistor for temperature sensing (e.g. temperature sensors 124 that use temperature coefficient of resistance as disclosed in [0050]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to include the temperature sensitive resistor of Bougie in the device of Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh since such a modification would provide the system with the predictable results of a reliable means of sensing temperature to more easily detect infection.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh in view of O’Brien et al. (US 2021/0137410, as previously cited).
Regarding claim 16, Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh disclose the claimed invention except the express mention of a conductive hydrogel is coupled to the processing circuitry through gold wires. O’Brien discloses that it was well known in the art of medical devices to include gold wires to attach sensor electronics (e.g. gold wires as disclosed in Figures 18-20 and [0223]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to include the gold wires of O’Brien in the device of Toong and Shokoueinejad Maragheh since such a modification would provide the system with the predictable results of a reliable means transferring sensor data.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Amanda K Hulbert whose telephone number is (571)270-1912. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00-5:00.
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, Unsu Jung can be reached at 571-272-8506. 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.
/Amanda K Hulbert/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3792
Prosecution Insights