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 § 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 1-15 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. Claim 1, line 7 recites “[hereinafter saccharide (S)]”, this renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this limitation is part of the claim. Claims 2-15 are subsumed under the rejection.
Claim 2 is 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. Claim 2 recites “selected from the group consisting of monosaccharide and disaccharide, preferably is selected from the group consisting of glucose, mannose, fructose and sucrose, more preferably the saccharide (S) is sucrose.”; “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim 3 is 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. Claim 3 recites “, preferably equal to or more than 70.0wt%, preferably equal to or more than 80.0wt%, more preferably equal to or more than 90.0wt%, and more preferably the matrix material consists essentially of the saccharide (S).”; “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim 5 is 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. Claim 5 recites “, more preferably greater than or equal to 2.0, even more preferably greater than or equal to 4.0”; “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim 10 is 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. Claim 10 recites “, preferably by a solution of nitric acid at a concentration of between 1 M and 8 M.”; “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim 12 is 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. Claim 12, line 2 recites “[herein-after sample (SA)]”, this renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this limitation is part of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: There is found no support or guidance to provide the instant inventions. The closest prior art of record, Toth et al (Research on long-term stability of mixed U and Pu large-sized dried (LSD) spikes for fissile material control) only teaches uranium and plutonium embedded into cellulose matrix, and fails to teach at least 60wt% of a matrix material comprising more than 55wt% of a saccharide and a lanthanide, actinide or compound thereof with a molar ratio of saccharide to lanthanide, actinide or compound thereof is greater than 1.5.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TANISHA DIGGS whose telephone number is (571)270-7730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 9:00AM-5:30PM.
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/TANISHA DIGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1761 July 24, 2026
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