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 1-13 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 1 recites: “securing a locking of a locking element” in Pre-amble of the claim 1. This appears to be a deficiency in translation from the foreign priority document, as "securing a locking" is not a complete or coherent phrase. The term "locking" is the present participle of "lock" when "lock" is used as a verb. There is no corresponding noun form for "locking." Thus, "a locking" is indefinite because it fails to clearly recite an action/configuration or a physical element of the locking element. As best understood by Examiner, Applicant is attempting to recite "[a] securing device for securing a locking engagement of a locking element...." For purposes of examination, the claim will be interpreted as if it instead recited Examiner’s best understating of the claim language. Further, clarification is required.
Claims 2-13 are depending on claim 1 and also are rejected due to dependency.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 7-11 are as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dawson et al. (US 12237610).
As per claim 1: Dawson et al. discloses a securing device for securing a locking of a locking element (see Abstract), comprising: the locking element 3200 (as shown in fig. 34B) configured to move from a first locking position (as shown in fig. 29; wherein the connector system is in a disconnected state S.sub.DC, wherein the CPA assembly is in an unlocked position P.sub.U) into a second locking position (as shown in fig. 30; wherein the CPA assembly is in a locked position P.sub.L), the locking element 3200 configured to lock in the second locking position (see fig. 30); and
an indicator element 3354 configured to indicate an item of information (wherein the indicia 3354 is accessible or unconcealed when it is aligned with a window 3223 that is formed in the front extent of the male connector assembly 3200), in the first locking position (fig. 29), the indicator element 3354 is visible and is not concealed (as shown in fig. 30), the indicator element including one or more orientation elements (not label, see fig. 31B) configured to mark an orientation of the indicator element 3354, the indicator element 3354 is detectable via the one or more orientation elements (see Col. 21, lines 18-51), in the first locking position of the locking element 3200, the one or more orientation elements are configured to be at least partially unidentifiable (as shown in fig. 29) such that the indicator element 3200 (see fig. 29, wherein in the 1st position can’t be detectable due to the invisible of the orientation element which can only show half of the indicia 3354) is not detectable and in the second locking position (as shown in fig. 30) of the locking element 3200, the one or more orientation elements are configured to be identifiable such that the indicator element is detectable (as shown in fig. 30, wherein in the 2nd position it can be seen or can be detectable once the indicia 3354 is fully visible).
As per claims 3, 7-11: Dawson et al. discloses a securing device (see Abstract), wherein the indicator element 3354 has an identifying feature with a data area configured to detect the identifying feature (see fig. 31; wherein the indicator element is having a QR code), the one or more orientation elements are placed on an edge of the data area and when the one or more orientation elements are at least partially unidentifiable, the identifying feature is no longer detectable (see Col. 21, line 18-51); and wherein the identifying feature includes a code (such as bar code from the indicial 3354); and wherein the indicator element 3354 is placed on the locking element 3365 and a movement of the locking element 3365 into the second locking position enables the indicator element to be detectable (as show in figs. 29-30); and wherein the indicator element 3354 is discernible when the one or more orientation elements are not made at least partially unidentifiable (as shown in fig. 29); and wherein the securing device is configured to perform connector position assurance (CPA) to secure a lock of a connector housing and a mating connector housing (see Abstract; wherein the connector system includes a male housing assembly, a female housing assembly coupled to the male housing assembly in a connected state, and a connector position assurance assembly with the indicia and a locking member that is movable between locked and unlocked positions); and
further comprising: a clamping element (not label, see fig. 31B, wherein the locking member 3365 is having the side hooks/clamps) configured to clamp the connector housing 3620 into the mating connector housing 3220 (as shown in fig. 33), the clamping element configured to move from an open clamping-element position (pre-inserted position), in which the connector housing is configured to be inserted into the mating connector housing (see fig. 33), into a closed clamping-element position (wherein it is inserted position), in which the connector housing 3620 is fastened to the mating connector housing 3220 with electrical contact (as shown in fig. 33); and wherein the locking element 3365 is placed on the clamping element and configured to lock or to unlock the clamping element (wherein the locking element can be unhook/unclamp to unlock between the connector and the mating connector or lock it again).
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.
Claim(s) 2 as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dawson et al. (US 12237610) in view of Scherer et al. (US 12542399).
As per claim 2: Dawson et al. discloses a securing device (see Abstract). However, Dawson et al. is silent wherein in the first locking position, the one or more orientation elements are configured to be unidentifiable without concealing the one or more orientation elements.
Scherer et al. discloses a securing device wherein in the first locking position, the one or more orientation elements 9a/9b are configured to be unidentifiable without concealing the one or more orientation elements (as shown in figs. 5, 12) in order to provide the status and/or indicate to the user the status of the securing device in a locking or unlocking position.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to further modify the securing device of Dawson et al. by having the first locking position, the one or more orientation elements are configured to be unidentifiable without concealing the one or more orientation elements as taught by Scherer et al. to further provide the user the status of the securing device in a locking or unlocking position.
Claim(s) 4 as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dawson et al. (US 12237610) in view of Caldwell et al. (US 12294184).
As per claim 4: Dawson et al. discloses a securing device (see Abstract). However, Dawson et al. is silent wherein the identifying feature includes a quiet area which runs around a periphery of the data area and the one or more orientation elements, and in the first locking position of the locking element, the quiet area is at least partially concealed and the identifying feature is no longer identifiable.
Caldwell et al. discloses a securing device, wherein the identifying feature 212 includes a quiet area 213 which runs around a periphery of the data area and the one or more orientation elements (as shown in figs. 13-16), and in the first locking position of the locking element, the quiet area 213 is at least partially concealed and the identifying feature is no longer identifiable (inherent to identifying feature or to scan the bar code if the indicium/bar code 212 is partially concealed/blocked, since all barcode readers have tolerances for minimum allowable quiet zone size. This quiet zone or space provides separation from surrounding marks, allowing the reader to “see” the barcode in its entirety).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to further modify the securing device of Dawson et al. by having the identifying feature includes a quiet area which runs around a periphery of the data area and the one or more orientation elements, and in the first locking position of the locking element, the quiet area is at least partially concealed and the identifying feature is no longer identifiable as taught by Caldwell et al. to further enhance adequate clearance of the quiet zone around the indicium thereby allowing the indicium to be legible to the optical scanning device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-0288. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T.H.N/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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