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 .
This action is in response to the application filed 05/14/2024 and the IDS filed 05/14/2024.
Claims 1-26 are pending and being examined.
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 1-26 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.
Considering claim 1, the phrase “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are optional or not.
Claim 1 recites the limitations “said metal reactor”, “the hydrocarbon feed”, “the fresh feed”, “the unconverted recycle gas”, “the converted gas”, “the reactor vault”. There are insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 1 recites “at least one system for preheating such a feed” and “wherein said feed preheating system is suitable to obtain the feed preheating”, it is unclear which feed these limitations are referring to in light of the recitation of two feeds (i.e., the hydrocarbon feed and the fresh feed).
It is also unclear as to what encompasses “appropriate” cooling.
Considering claim 8, the phrase “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are optional or not.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “the regular maintenance”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitations “the upper part” and “the lower part”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the natural gas feed”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Considering claim 15, the claim is directed to a hydrocarbon cracking process. However, there are no active process steps and it is unclear what the process steps are for producing gaseous hydrogen and solid carbon.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the conversion”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Considering claim 19, it is unclear as to the significance of the term “even” relative to zirconia stabilized with yttrium.
Claim 20 recites the limitation “the electricity”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 21 recites the limitation “the power supply”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitations “the current intensity” and “the current density”. There are insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 24, it is unclear how a person skilled in the art is to modify the arrangement of the electrodes in order to obtain greater capacities. In addition, it is unclear what “modules” refers to.
Claim 25 recites “the raw material”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Considering claim 26, the phrase “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are optional or not.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANITA NASSIRI-MOTLAGH whose telephone number is (571)270-7588. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-3:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Johnson can be reached at 571-272-1177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANITA NASSIRI-MOTLAGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734
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