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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/12/2024, 04/24/2024 and is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 6-13, 16, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kramer (US 20110190631 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 16 and 17, Kramer discloses A computer-implemented method for monitoring heart function for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions, the method comprising ([0007] The technique produces results including a degree of radial ventricular asynchrony in heart failure patients with ventricular conduction delay to predict a magnitude of contractile function improvement with pacing therapy.):
obtaining a plurality of images of a patient's heart or a portion thereof ([0033] One embodiment of the present method and apparatus uses a phase analysis technique to quantify regional wall motion asynchrony from endocardial border contours generated from 2-dimensional echocardiographic ventricular images.);
obtaining an inward displacement measurement of at least a region or segment of the heart based on the difference in the heart wall position between different images of the plurality of images ("[0039] During a cardiac cycle, each region of the ventricular endocardial wall undergoes a cycle of inward and outward displacement. Each regional displacement cycle can be represented by a regional displacement curve that includes displacement magnitude plotted over time from the start to the end of a cardiac cycle interval. Because these displacement curves are periodic, they can be analyzed in the frequency domain to quantify the phase relationship between curves independent of the displacement magnitude and heart rate. Each regional displacement curve is modeled as a wave with period equal to the cardiac cycle interval, which is used as the fundamental frequency in a Fourier analysis.
[0070] FIG. 11A is an illustration of one example of septal and lateral wall displacement curves of a patient having LBBB. (a displacement between a septal and lateral walls of the heart shows that there is a difference in heart wall position over a time period that heart is beating).
fig. 6a to 6d (6a and 6b are the inward and outward displacements of a patient who has a healthy heart; 6c and 6d are inward and outward displacements between the lateral and septal walls of a heart with complications ");
assessing the regional contractility of the heart wall motion based on the inward displacement measurement ("[0039] During a cardiac cycle, each region of the ventricular endocardial wall undergoes a cycle of inward and outward displacement.
[0070] FIGS. 11A-C are, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, illustrations of such intended responses to therapies measurable by the echocardiographic quantification of ventricular asynchrony. FIGS. 11A-C each include a septal wall displacement curve (S, dotted line) and a lateral wall displacement curve (L, solid line) for LV wall motion over one cardiac cycle. FIG. 11A is an illustration of one example of septal and lateral wall displacement curves of a patient having LBBB. In FIG. 11A, the septal wall displacement curve peaks substantially earlier than the lateral displacement curve, resulting in a substantially positive .PHI..sub.LS, and hence, a decreased LV contractility and poor hemodynamic performance. A therapy is thus sought to increase the LV contractility by resynchronizing the LV wall motion. As illustrated in FIG. 11B, the intended response of the therapy is an approximately optimal contractility, or approximately maximum resynchronization, indicated by a minimum |.PHI..sub.LS|. "); and
providing a graphical representation (fig. 3b: [0017] FIG. 3B is an illustration of an example of LV regional wall displacement segments calculated from the endocardial LV wall contours over a cardiac cycle and LV regional wall displacement curves over the cardiac cycle.
[0054] Wall motion contours (FIG. 3A) were manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the CMS software automatically generated intermediate frame contours, which were manually adjusted as necessary.) of the regional contractility of the heart wall for determining regions or segments of the heart that are suitable or eligible for therapeutic treatment ("[0007] A phase analysis technique provides for quantification of regional wall motion asynchrony from endocardial border contours generated from two-dimensional echocardiographic ventricular images. The technique produces results including a degree of radial ventricular asynchrony in heart failure patients with ventricular conduction delay to predict a magnitude of contractile function improvement with pacing therapy. Quantification of change in ventricular regional wall motion asynchrony in response to a therapy provides for a means to identify candidates to receive the therapy and quantitatively predict the benefit of the therapy. Quantification of changes in ventricular regional wall motion asynchrony in response to a sequence of therapies provides for a means to determine an approximately optimal therapy for an intended patient response.
[0042] In one embodiment, septal and lateral wall displacement curves are calculated based on regional endocardial displacement magnitudes for selected segments on the LV wall motion contours that indicate septal and lateral wall motion, respectively. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, 40 segments from the basal septum toward the apex and 40 segments from the basal lateral wall toward the apex are averaged for calculation of the septal and lateral regional displacement curves, respectively. At 240, the regional displacement curves are each offset to a common magnitude reference point. In one specific embodiment, the septal and lateral wall displacement curves are each offset to zero displacement at the start of each cardiac cycle.).
Regarding claim 6, Kramer discloses analyzing the plurality of images and determining the endocardial border outlining the dimensions of the heart in each of the plurality of images ("[0016] FIG. 3A is an illustration of an example of an echocardiographic image with an endocardial LV wall contour indicated.
[0017] FIG. 3B is an illustration of an example of LV regional wall displacement segments calculated from the endocardial LV wall contours over a cardiac cycle and LV regional wall displacement curves over the cardiac cycle.
[0052] Wall motion contours (FIG. 3A) were manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the CMS software automatically generated intermediate frame contours, which were manually adjusted as necessary. ").
Regarding claim 7, Kramer discloses determining the position of the endocardial border of the heart in diastole and systole ([0040] In one embodiment, the Medis Echo-CMS border detection software is used to delineate and track the LV endocardial wall motion in the sequential echocardiographic image frames of a digitized apical 4-chamber view echocardiogram. In one embodiment, end-diastole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to close, and end-systole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to open. Wall motion contours, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3A, are manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the Medis Echo-CMS border detection software automatically generates intermediate frame contours, which are manually adjusted as necessary.).
Regarding claim 8, Kramer discloses placing at least one marker on the endocardial border ([0040] Wall motion contours, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3A, are manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle), and
wherein obtaining an inward displacement measurement of at least a region of the heart based on the difference between the heart wall position in different images of the plurality of images comprises determining movement of the marker between respective images of the plurality of images ([0040] Wall motion contours, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3A, are manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the Medis Echo-CMS border detection software automatically generates intermediate frame contours, which are manually adjusted as necessary. In one embodiment, each endocardial motion is tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles in normal sinus rhythm.).
Regarding claim 9, Kramer discloses averaging the determined movement of a plurality of markers ([0042] In one embodiment, septal and lateral wall displacement curves are calculated based on regional endocardial displacement magnitudes for selected segments on the LV wall motion contours that indicate septal and lateral wall motion, respectively. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, 40 segments from the basal septum toward the apex and 40 segments from the basal lateral wall toward the apex are averaged for calculation of the septal and lateral regional displacement curves, respectively.).
Regarding claim 10, Kramer discloses determining movement of the marker relative to the centerline between respective images of the plurality of images ("[0041] At 220, regional endocardial displacement is calculated for each cardiac cycle. In one embodiment, the Medis Echo-CMS software automatically calculates regional endocardial displacement magnitudes using a centerline method for 100 equally spaced segments on the LV wall motion contours, as illustrated in FIG. 3B. This method has been shown to reduce interobserver variability in the delineation of endocardial boundaries.
[0054] For each CRT mode, endocardial motion was tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles verified to be in normal sinus rhythm by concurrent surface ECG recording. Regional endocardial displacement was calculated for each cardiac cycle automatically by the CMS software using the centerline method for 100 equally spaced segments on the LV wall motion contours (FIG. 3B).").
Regarding claim 11, Kramer discloses wherein at least one of the images of the plurality of images corresponds to the heart at end systole and at least another of the images of the plurality of images to the heart at end diastole ([0040] At 210, ventricular endocardial wall motion is delineated and tracked in the sequential echocardiographic image frames of the digitized echocardiogram. In one embodiment, the Medis Echo-CMS border detection software is used to delineate and track the LV endocardial wall motion in the sequential echocardiographic image frames of a digitized apical 4-chamber view echocardiogram. In one embodiment, end-diastole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to close, and end-systole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to open.), and
wherein obtaining an inward displacement measurement of at least a region of the heart based on the difference between the heart wall position in different images of the plurality of images comprises determining the displacement of the region of the heart between end systole and end diastole ([0040] in one embodiment, end-diastole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to close, and end-systole is demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first begins to open. Wall motion contours, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3A, are manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the Medis Echo-CMS border detection software automatically generates intermediate frame contours, which are manually adjusted as necessary. In one embodiment, each endocardial motion is tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles in normal sinus rhythm. In one embodiment, normal sinus rhythm is verified by a concurrent surface electrocardiographic (ECG) recording.).
Regarding claim 12, Kramer discloses wherein assessing the regional contractility of various regions of the heart wall motion based on the inward displacement measurement comprises comparing the inward displacement measurement to a pool of normal subjects ("[0039] During a cardiac cycle, each region of the ventricular endocardial wall undergoes a cycle of inward and outward displacement. Each regional displacement cycle can be represented by a regional displacement curve that includes displacement magnitude plotted over time from the start to the end of a cardiac cycle interval. Because these displacement curves are periodic, they can be analyzed in the frequency domain to quantify the phase relationship between curves independent of the displacement magnitude and heart rate.
[0051] Echocardiographic results obtained in the patient group were compared to a control group of 10 healthy individuals with normal PR interval and QRS width.").
Regarding claim 13, Kramer discloses wherein the graphical representation comprises an indication of the percentage of inward displacement compared to a normal heart ("[0059] A type 2 pattern was defined by a septal phase preceding the lateral phase by more than 25.degree. with either monophasic or biphasic septal displacements (e.g., FIG. 6C), which was observed in 17 patients (mean .PHI..sub.LS 77.+-.33.degree.). Thirteen patients showed a type 3 pattern (mean .PHI..sub.LS-115.+-.33.degree.) with a late septal phase (e.g., FIG. 6D). This pattern was usually associated with a triphasic or inverted monophasic septal displacement.
fig. 6a to 6d (6a and 6b is the displacement of a patient who has a healthy heart; 6c and 6d are displacements between the lateral and septal walls of a heart with complications)").
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 (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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2, 4, 5, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kramer (US 20110190631 A1) and further in view of Hamada (US 20150063670 A1).
Regarding claims 2 and 18, Kramer discloses obtaining a plurality of images of a patient's heart or a portion thereof comprises obtaining a series of cuts of the heart ([0054] Wall motion contours (FIG. 3A) were manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the CMS software automatically generated intermediate frame contours, which were manually adjusted as necessary. For each CRT mode, endocardial motion was tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles verified to be in normal sinus rhythm by concurrent surface ECG recording.); and
wherein obtaining an inward displacement measurement of at least one region of the heart based on the difference between the heart wall position comprises, for each of the cuts of the heart ("[0039] During a cardiac cycle, each region of the ventricular endocardial wall undergoes a cycle of inward and outward displacement. Each regional displacement cycle can be represented by a regional displacement curve that includes displacement magnitude plotted over time from the start to the end of a cardiac cycle interval. Because these displacement curves are periodic, they can be analyzed in the frequency domain to quantify the phase relationship between curves independent of the displacement magnitude and heart rate. Each regional displacement curve is modeled as a wave with period equal to the cardiac cycle interval, which is used as the fundamental frequency in a Fourier analysis.
[0070] FIG. 11A is an illustration of one example of septal and lateral wall displacement curves of a patient having LBBB. (a displacement between a septal and lateral walls of the heart shows that there is a difference in heart wall position over a time period that heart is beating)."):
determining a distance from a centerline to the end diastole and the centerline to end systole ([0054] A semiautomatic border detection software included in the Medis Echo-CMS echo analysis system ("the CMS software") was used to delineate and track the LV endocardial wall motion in sequential frames of digitized images from an apical 4-chamber view. End-diastole was demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first began to close; end-systole was demarcated by the frame in which the mitral valve first began to open. Wall motion contours (FIG. 3A) were manually drawn in the first systolic and diastolic frames of each cardiac cycle, and the CMS software automatically generated intermediate frame contours, which were manually adjusted as necessary. For each CRT mode, endocardial motion was tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles verified to be in normal sinus rhythm by concurrent surface ECG recording. Regional endocardial displacement was calculated for each cardiac cycle automatically by the CMS software using the centerline method for 100 equally spaced segments on the LV wall motion contours (FIG. 3B).). Kramer implicitly discloses assigning a displacement by subtracting the distance from the centerline to the end diastole and the distance from the centerline to end systole (For each CRT mode, endocardial motion was tracked through 3-7 cardiac cycles verified to be in normal sinus rhythm by concurrent surface ECG recording. Regional endocardial displacement was calculated for each cardiac cycle automatically by the CMS software using the centerline method for 100 equally spaced segments on the LV wall motion contours (FIG. 3B). This method has been shown to reduce interobserver variability in the delineation of endocardial boundaries.).
Kramer does not explicitly disclose but in a similar field of endeavor of heart monitoring, Hamada teaches assigning a displacement by subtracting the distance from the centerline to the end diastole and the distance from the centerline to end systole ([0225] Step 1502 indicates a start of the process. In step 1504, ED (End-Diastole) phase and ES (End-Systole) are determined. They will be a kind of reference in the inter-phase correction. In this example, ED phase and ES phase are determined based on the distances from the tracing center to the phase-specific myocardial center base points. (ED phase and ES phase are determined based on the distances which then would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to specify a displacement if the system recognizes that the distances from the centerline are above/below a certain threshold)).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Hamada of determining a difference between the distances of an end diastole and an end systole to the centerline to Kramer’s system of heart monitoring in order to yield predictable results of an improved best possible heart therapy for a patient when the distances of a systole and diastole to the centerline are above/below a threshold that determines an unhealthy heart.
Regarding claim 4, Kramer does not explicitly disclose but in a similar field of endeavor of heart monitoring, Hamada teaches obtaining at least six cuts of the heart ([0167] The thickness of the myocardium in the ventricle apex may be considered as the same thickness as the thickness of the other region of the myocardium. For example, the thickness of the ventricle apex may be determined based on the data of short axis slice having a center of the ellipsoid sought in step 312 and short axis slices neighboring that slice (e.g., 10 slices for the apical direction and 10 slice for the basal direction).).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the known method of Hamada of acquiring multiple image slices of a heart, to Kramer’s system of heart therapy monitoring in order to be able to look at multiple views (slices/cuts of Hamada) of a heart in order to yield predictable results of an improved best possible heart therapy for a patient by looking at different slices of the heart to determine what area of the heart needs the most therapy.
Regarding claim 5, Kramer implicitly teaches wherein the centerline corresponds to the intersection of the series of cuts ([0041] At 220, regional endocardial displacement is calculated for each cardiac cycle. In one embodiment, the Medis Echo-CMS software automatically calculates regional endocardial displacement magnitudes using a centerline method for 100 equally spaced segments on the LV wall motion contours, as illustrated in FIG. 3B. This method has been shown to reduce interobserver variability in the delineation of endocardial boundaries.).
Kramer does not explicitly disclose but in a similar field of endeavor of heart monitoring, Hamada teaches wherein the centerline corresponds to the intersection of the series of cuts ([0200] FIG. 10(b) shows eight tracing directions defined by rotating one of the four initial tracing directions about Z-axis. For better understanding, FIG. 10(b) shows these tracing directions by projecting them on a short axis image in the binary image created from the image data 140 at step 908. It is illustrated that tracing directions 1006 are defined radially in 45.degree. steps from the ventricle center 1004.).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the known method of Hamada of acquiring multiple image slices of a heart from the center, to Kramer’s system of heart therapy monitoring in order to be able to look at multiple views (slices/cuts of Hamada) of a heart in order to yield predictable results of an improved best possible heart therapy for a patient by looking at different slices of the heart to determine what area of the heart needs the most therapy.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kramer (US 20110190631 A1), in view of Hamada (US 20150063670 A1) and further in view of Nitta (US 20180024217 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Kramer does not disclose but Hamada teaches the series of cuts comprises at least a cut along ("[0112] In step 308, an operation for automatic determination of the center of the cardiac ventricle (usually left ventricle) imaged in the image data 140 is performed.
[0199] FIG. 10(a) shows tracing directions on a plane including Z-axis by using one of the horizontal long axis images in the binary image created from the image data 140 in step 908. It is shown that eight tracing directions 1006 are set from the tracing center 1004 (the ventricle center in the ventricle center slice) to the myocardial region 1002 at apical side.").
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Hamada of acquiring multiple image slices of a heart to Kramer’s system of heart therapy monitoring in order to be able to determine the best possible heart therapy for a patient ([0007] of Kramer). Kramer and Hamada do not disclose or teach a vertical axis through the left ventricle.
In a similar field of endeavor of magnetic resonance imaging, Nitta teaches the series of cuts comprises at least a cut along the vertical long axis and the horizontal long axis through the left ventricle ([0042] Here, the reference cross-section is a cross-section image based on anatomical characteristics and, in the case of the heart, it is a left ventricular vertical long-axis image (Left ventricular vertical long-axis), a left ventricular horizontal long-axis image (Left ventricular horizontal long-axis), a left ventricular short-axis image (Left ventricular short-axis), a left ventricular 2-chamber long-axis image (Left ventricular 2-chamber long-axis), a left ventricular 3-chamber long-axis image (Left ventricular 3-chamber long-axis), a left ventricular 4-chamber long-axis image (Left ventricular 4-chamber long-axis), or the like.).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Kramer and Hamada’s limitations of image slicing of a heart, with Nitta’s teaching of vertical and horizontal long axis imaging of a heart to create a sufficient visual representation of the heart and further improve the image quality information within its range, by correcting the imaging range, the encoded direction, shimming, or the imaging position (0100 of Nitta).
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kramer (US 20110190631 A1), and further in view of NABUTOVSKY (WO 2015164667 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Kramer does not disclose but in a similar field of endeavor of displaying mechanical activation patterns of a heart, NABUTOVSKY teaches wherein the graphical representation is in the form of a bullseye chart ([0051] FIG. 5 is bulls-eye plot 60 partitioned according to segments established by segmentation lines 50 of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 represents a view of left ventricle LV of FIG. 4 as viewed from below, looking up.).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the system of Kramer of monitoring the heart to choose the best therapy, with the method of NABUTOVSKY’S bullseye chart, in order to show the data collected in each of the locations or segments of the heart in a visual, easy to understand format (0046 of NABUTOVSKY).
Regarding claim 15, Kramer implicitly discloses suitable for therapeutic treatment by ventricular reconstruction by means of anchor deployment based on the assessed regional contractility (0079: At 1530, a therapy is recommended or determined by predicting the benefits of the therapy by observing all the computed regional phase angles or relative rational phase angles. In one specific embodiment, whether a patient will likely benefit from CRT is predicted based on the averaged septal and lateral wall displacement curves, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 6A-D.); and/or suitable for injection of hydrogels within the myocardium based on the assessed regional contractility.
Kramer does not explicitly disclose but NABUTOVSKY teaches suitable for therapeutic treatment by ventricular reconstruction by means of anchor deployment based on the assessed regional contractility ([0038] Additionally, although the disclosure is described with respect to endocardial data processing, the concepts described herein are readily applicable to epicardial mapping, and particularly to epicardial mapping for the purposes of CRT implantations.); and/or suitable for injection of hydrogels within the myocardium based on the assessed regional contractility.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the disclosure of Kramer of monitoring the heart to choose the best therapy, with the teaching of NABUTOVSKY’S crt implant determination, in order to delineate the base of the eft ventricle by dividing a 3D image into segments or regions that correspond to anatomical positions anatomical markers in the main coronary sinus (0069 of NABUTOVSKY).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 8900149 B2 with regards to claim 1: "col 11, lines 30-41: Each regional displacement curve can be modeled as a wave with a period equal to the cardiac cycle interval, which corresponds to the fundamental frequency in Fourier analysis. The time at which the peak of this wave occurs during the cardiac cycle interval is a function of the fundamental frequency phase angle. Using this representation, the magnitude of dysynchrony between two left ventricular walls may be calculated by the difference between their respective phase angles. Phase differences near 0.degree. indicate near-perfect synchrony, whereas a difference of 180 defines maximal dysynchrony, where one wall bulges outward as the other contracts inward.
col 12, lines 25-32: The inward and outward displacement of the septal and lateral free wall is then displayed by way of integrating the mean velocity (per step 152). FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate exemplary template images depicting normal displacement and dyssynchronous left ventricular contraction, respectively."
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED A NASHER whose telephone number is (571)272-1885. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 0800 - 1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrew Moyer can be reached at (571) 272-9523. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED A NASHER/Examiner, Art Unit 2675
/ANDREW M MOYER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2675