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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 04/16/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-2 and 4-18 are pending in this application. Claim 3 is cancelled and Claim 18 is newly added. Claims 1-2, and 4-18 have been examined on the merits.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-6, 8-13, and 15-18 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nevo (US20230134815A1) in view of Tal (US20230045709A1).
Regarding Claim 1,
Nevo teaches a method for providing a curvature parameter (corresponding disclosure in at least [0056], where various parameters of the curved needle are provided “the system 10 of the invention is configured to provide the following parameters to the user or to the automated system in order for the user to know how to manipulate device 12 so that curved needle 14 reaches target tissue location 64 in an accurate manner”), the method comprising: capturing medical imaging data by a medical imaging device (corresponding disclosure in at least [0008], where there is an imaging portion capturing the needle “The system further includes a tracking system configured for tracking a position of the curved needle and the straight needle guide in the body, wherein the tracking system further includes an imaging component”),
having an image of a medical object that is arranged at least partly in an examination object (corresponding disclosure in at least [0014], where an image of the needle in the tissue (examination object) is captured “providing an imaging component for providing images of the target tissue and of the curved needle with respect to the target tissue”),
wherein at least one distal section of the medical object is curvable parallel to a curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0008], where the needle is curved and will have a parallel plane that is associated with the curve “The system includes a curved needle having a curved section, the curved section configured to curve in a flexion plane”);
identifying, by a processor, a positioning of the curvature plane with the aid of the medical imaging data (corresponding disclosure in at least [0048], where there is a tracking system for positioning “Position tracking system 100 includes an imaging component 102 for imaging of the body tissue, and a sensing component 104 for sensing a position of curved needle 14 within the body tissue”);
and providing the curvature parameter having an indication for positioning of the curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0048] and further in [0052], where the curved plane is known “Since the needle 14 is oriented with respect to probe 103 at a known angle 109, the flexion plane with respect to imaging component 102 is known”).
Nevo does not teach wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature plane comprises identifying a positioning of a curvature marker structure on the medical object that is depicted in the medical imaging data and wherein a characteristic of a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section of the medical object at a particular moment is identified with the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure.
Tal, in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a similar concept (imaging of surgical instrument) of wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature plane comprises identifying a positioning of a curvature marker structure on the medical object that is depicted in the medical imaging data (corresponding disclosure in at least [0051], where the curvature plane, or the point of the curve is identified by identifying the position of the markers, which are observed in the image “positioning a surgical device according to claim 35 in a subject's body such that the distal end of the elongated body engages with a surface of the organ; recording a digital image capturing the surface of the organ and the visible markers from the visual line of sight; processing the image to determine the spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane, relative to the visual line of sight” and further in [0076], where the markers are markers on the medical object “Surgical device 20 may also include visible markers 28 on one or more portions of the elongated body 21, which can be indicative of a spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane CPP”) and
wherein a characteristic of a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section of the medical object at a particular moment is identified with the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure (corresponding disclosure in at least [0079], where the characteristic (the estimated or predicted curve penetration path) of a curvature of a distal section of the medical object is identified with the positioning of the curvature marker structure (the visible markers) “system 10 can also be applied to analyze relative positioning of visible markers 28, and/or portions or interactions thereof, for calculating an estimated or predicted curved penetration path of tissue penetrating apparatus”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated identifying the position of a curvature marker structure on the medical image structure in the medical image, and identifying a characteristic of a distal section of the medical object through the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure as taught by Tal. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this because these steps help estimate or predict the curvature path of the medical object during surgical procedures.
Regarding Claim 2, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Nevo further teaches wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature plane comprises checking whether an imaging direction of the imaging device is essentially aligned at right angles to the curvature plane, wherein when, based on the checking, the imaging direction of the imaging device is not essentially aligned at right angles to the curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0032] and Figure 13b ,where the imaging device images in one direction, and the curvature plane of the needle is essentially at a right angle to the imaging direction “an imaging component having a probe with a scanning element depicting a needle attached to the probe in an angled orientation and in an aligned orientation, respectively, in accordance with embodiments of the invention”),
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Figure 13B of Nevo
the method further comprises: adjusting a relative positioning between the medical object and the imaging device (corresponding disclosure in at least [0053], where the needle is adjusted automatically, meaning the position between the needle and the imaging probe would be changed “an automated system may include a configuration wherein processor 30 is configured to provide output directly to an automated controller for curved needle 14 so that a position of curved needle 14 can automatically be adjusted based on data from processor 30”);
and carrying out the capturing and the identifying of the positioning of the curvature plane repeatedly (corresponding disclosure in at least [0080], where this step can be completed multiple times until a target is reached “If the target location has not been reached, then a new entry point may be determined, and new calculations may be made. In some embodiments, this process may be repeated until the target tissue is reached. Tracking system and/or imaging system continues to track the deployment of the curved needle and to calculate adjustments so that the curved needle reaches the target.”).
Regarding Claim 4, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Tal further teaches wherein the curvature parameter is provided, having information about the curvature at that moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0077] and Figure 2B, where the curvature in that moment, or during surgical procedures is shown on the screen “a first view (I) which is a schematic isometric illustration of the images shown in system screen 11 and/or in laparoscopy screen 41 during the surgical procedure with the visuals created and superimposed by system 10 over the original image captured by endoscope 30; and a second view (II) which is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the surgical procedure inside the subject's body. For demonstrative purposes, the cross section in second view (II) coincides with penetration plane CPP in accordance with surgical device 20 orientation shown in the figures”).
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Figure 2B of Tal
Regarding Claim 5, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 4, and further teaches wherein the curvature marker structure has a display element that is depicted in the medical imaging data, and quantifies the curvature of the distal section at that moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0076], where the curvature in that moment, or during surgical procedures is shown in the medical image (endoscopic image) with the display element “Surgical device 20 may also include visible markers 28 on one or more portions of the elongated body 21, which can be indicative of a spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane CPP, relative to visual line of sight of endoscope 30 directed generally towards the visible markers 28”), and
wherein providing the curvature parameter comprises displaying a graphical representation of the medical imaging data and of the curvature parameter by a visual display unit (corresponding disclosure in at least [0083] of Nevo, where a display shows the designated imaged area (tissue) and the curved needle “is display 114, designed to present real-time position and orientation of curved needle 14 and needle guide 20 (as provided by position tracking system 100) overlaid on an image of target tissue 64”).
Regarding Claim 6, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 5, and Tal further teaches wherein the graphical representation of the curvature parameter comprises a virtual continuation of the distal section in accordance with the curvature at that moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0051], where there is a graphical representation of the virtual continuation (the penetration path) of the distal section based on the curvature “ processing the image to determine the spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane, relative to the visual line of sight; producing a penetration path graph of a predicted penetration path location and orientation in the organ based on the extrapolated spatial orientation and predetermined shape and size values of the tissue penetration apparatus when fully extended from the distal end of the elongated body; and illustrating on a screen a graphic representation of the penetration path graph over the digital image”).
Regarding Claim 8, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Nevo further teaches receiving pre-operative planning data of the examination object; and registering the pre-operative planning data with the medical imaging data, wherein providing the curvature parameter comprises displaying a graphical representation of the registered pre-operative planning data and of the curvature parameter (corresponding disclosure in at least [0083], where there the real-time positioning of the curvature parameter, or the curved needle (medical imaging data) can be overlaid with the target tissue image (pre-operative planning) “is display 114, designed to present real-time position and orientation of curved needle 14 and needle guide 20 (as provided by position tracking system 100) overlaid on an image of target tissue 64”).
Regarding Claim 9, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 8, and Nevo further teaches wherein the pre-operative planning data comprises a pre-operative planning image of the examination object (corresponding disclosure in at least Figure 9 and [0084], where there is a planning image of the examined region, and the registration (view of the needle within the region) is viewed 110, “an image from the imaging component 102 of tracking system 100, having target tissue 64 therein, and annotation of the intersection line 93 between the flexion plane 92 of the needle and the image plane”).
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Figure 9 of Nevo
Regarding Claim 10, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 8, and Nevo further teaches wherein providing the curvature parameter comprises providing a workflow note that has an instruction for repositioning the curvature plane by repositioning of the medical object, an instruction for adjusting the curvature of the distal section, or a combination thereof (corresponding disclosure in at least [0015], where the needle (medical object) can be repositioned “retracting the curved needle back into the needle guide, repositioning the needle guide at the second needle guide insertion length, and advancing the curved needle distally past a distal end of the straight needle guide by the second needle deployment length”, and further in [0080], where the curvature can be adjusted “Tracking system and/or imaging system continues to track the deployment of the curved needle and to calculate adjustments so that the curved needle reaches the target”). Further, it has been held that when the claimed printed matter (workflow note) is not functionally related to the curved medical object it will not distinguish the invention from the prior art in terms of patentability. In re Gulack, 217 USPQ 401, (CAFC 1983). The fact that the content of the printed matter placed on the curved medical object may render the device more convenient by providing an individual with a specific type of instruction does not alter the functional relationship. Mere support by the curved medical object for the printed matter is not the kind of functional relationship necessary for patentability. Thus, there is no novel and unobvious functional relationship between the printed matter and the curved medical object, which is required for patentability.
Regarding Claim 11, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 10, and Nevo further teaches wherein the workflow note is provided as a function of the identified positioning of the curvature plane and the planning data (corresponding disclosure in at least [0053], where the needle is adjusted automatically, based on where the needle is positioned alongside the planning data, the needle positioning changing the curvature plane “an automated system may include a configuration wherein processor 30 is configured to provide output directly to an automated controller for curved needle 14 so that a position of curved needle 14 can automatically be adjusted based on data from processor 30”). Further, it has been held that when the claimed printed matter (workflow note) is not functionally related to the curved medical object it will not distinguish the invention from the prior art in terms of patentability. In re Gulack, 217 USPQ 401, (CAFC 1983). The fact that the content of the printed matter placed on the curved medical object may render the device more convenient by providing an individual with a specific type of instruction does not alter the functional relationship. Mere support by the curved medical object for the printed matter is not the kind of functional relationship necessary for patentability. Thus, there is no novel and unobvious functional relationship between the printed matter and the curved medical object, which is required for patentability.
Regarding Claim 12, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Nevo further teaches wherein the capturing, the identifying, and the providing are carried out repeatedly until the occurrence of an abort condition (corresponding disclosure in at least [0080], where the image is captured with the tracking of the needle repeatedly until the target is reached (abort) “If the target location has not been reached, then a new entry point may be determined, and new calculations may be made. In some embodiments, this process may be repeated until the target tissue is reached. Tracking system and/or imaging system continues to track the deployment of the curved needle and to calculate adjustments so that the curved needle reaches the target”).
Regarding Claim 13,
Nevo teaches a medical object comprising: at least one distal section that is curvable parallel to a curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0008], where the needle is curved and will have a parallel plane that is associated with the curve “The system includes a curved needle having a curved section, the curved section configured to curve in a flexion plane”).
Nevo does not teach a curvature marker structure with a display element that is configured to quantify a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section at that moment.
Tal, in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a similar concept (imaging surgical instruments) of a curvature marker structure with a display element that is configured to quantify a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section at that moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0090] and Figure 7, where there is a display element, or the distal marker, for quantifying the curvature “Surgical device 100 includes visible markers on elongated body 101 indicative of a spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane… illustrate a cylindrical portion 121 of elongated body 101 comprising the visible markers. The visible markers include a distal circular marker 122 and a proximal circular marker 123, each one surrounds (encircles) cylindrical portion perpendicularly to longitudinal axis LA”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated the display elements for quantifying the curvature of the distal section as taught by Tal. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this because display elements are used as a visual display in medical images to distinctly show the curvature of the medical instrument and estimate the curvature path.
Regarding Claim 15,
Nevo teaches a system comprising: a medical imaging device; and a provision unit comprising a processor, wherein the medical imaging device is configured to capture medical imaging data (This element is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) as described in Para [0072]: medical imaging device for recording the image data may include a medical X-ray device (e.g., a medical C-arm X-ray device and/or a cone-beam computed tomography system (cone-beam CT, CBCT)), and/or a computed tomography (CT) system and/or a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) system and/or a positron emission tomography (PET) system and/or an ultrasound device.), having an image of a medical object that is at least partly arranged in an examination object (corresponding disclosure in at least least [0014], where an image of the needle in the tissue (examination object) is captured “providing an imaging component for providing images of the target tissue and of the curved needle with respect to the target tissue”),
wherein at least one distal section of the medical object is curveable parallel to a curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0008], where the needle is curved and will have a parallel plane that is associated with the curve “The system includes a curved needle having a curved section, the curved section configured to curve in a flexion plane”),
wherein the processor of the provision unit is configured to: identify a positioning of the curvature plane with the aid of the image data (corresponding disclosure in at least [0048], where there is a tracking system for positioning “Position tracking system 100 includes an imaging component 102 for imaging of the body tissue, and a sensing component 104 for sensing a position of curved needle 14 within the body tissue”);
and providing a curvature parameter, having an indication for positioning of the curvature plane (corresponding disclosure in at least [0048] and further in [0052], where the curved plane is known “Since the needle 14 is oriented with respect to probe 103 at a known angle 109, the flexion plane with respect to imaging component 102 is known”).
Nevo does not teach wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature plane comprises identifying a positioning of a curvature marker structure on the medical object that is depicted in the medical imaging data and wherein a characteristic of a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section of the medical object at a particular moment is identified with the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure.
Tal, in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a similar concept (imaging of surgical instrument) of wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature plane comprises identifying a positioning of a curvature marker structure on the medical object that is depicted in the medical imaging data (corresponding disclosure in at least [0051], where the curvature plane, or the point of the curve is identified by identifying the position of the markers, which are observed in the image “positioning a surgical device according to claim 35 in a subject's body such that the distal end of the elongated body engages with a surface of the organ; recording a digital image capturing the surface of the organ and the visible markers from the visual line of sight; processing the image to determine the spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane, relative to the visual line of sight” and further in [0076], where the markers are markers on the medical object “Surgical device 20 may also include visible markers 28 on one or more portions of the elongated body 21, which can be indicative of a spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane CPP”) and
wherein a characteristic of a curvature of a distal section of the at least one distal section of the medical object at a particular moment is identified with the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure (corresponding disclosure in at least [0079], where the characteristic (the estimated or predicted curve penetration path) of a curvature of a distal section of the medical object is identified with the positioning of the curvature marker structure (the visible markers) “system 10 can also be applied to analyze relative positioning of visible markers 28, and/or portions or interactions thereof, for calculating an estimated or predicted curved penetration path of tissue penetrating apparatus”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated identifying the position of a curvature marker structure on the medical image structure in the medical image, and identifying a characteristic of a distal section of the medical object through the aid of the positioning of the curvature marker structure as taught by Tal. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this because these steps help estimate or predict the curvature path of the medical object during surgical procedures.
Regarding Claim 16, the combined references of Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Tal further teaches wherein the medical object comprises the curvature marker structure with a display element that is configured to quantify the curvature of the at least one distal section at a moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0090] and Figure 7, where there is a display element, or the distal marker, for quantifying the curvature “Surgical device 100 includes visible markers on elongated body 101 indicative of a spatial orientation of the curved penetration path over the penetration plane… illustrate a cylindrical portion 121 of elongated body 101 comprising the visible markers. The visible markers include a distal circular marker 122 and a proximal circular marker 123, each one surrounds (encircles) cylindrical portion perpendicularly to longitudinal axis LA”).
Regarding Claim 17, the combined references of Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Tal further teaches wherein providing the curvature parameter comprises displaying, by a display, a graphical representation of the curvature parameter (corresponding disclosure in at least [0073], where there is a graphical representation, or a display of the curvature and further information of the parameters “ to add visual representation of a predicted curved penetration path, points thereon, margin of error, and/or other information, over the original image captured by endoscope 30, system 10 can be connected also to laparoscopic tower 40 and allowed to process or edit captured and/or processed images, and/or superimpose visuals over images shown in laparoscopy screen 41”).
Regarding Claim 18, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 1, and Tal further teaches wherein identifying the positioning of the curvature marker structure comprises identifying image points of the medical imaging data that depict the curvature marker structure with the aid of a comparison of image values of the image points with a predetermined threshold value or with the aid of a shape of the curvature marker structure (corresponding disclosure in at least [0090], where the marker points, which are image points in the medical image, depict the structure with the aid of a shape of the curvature marker structure (the shape being the distinct shapes of the markers) “The visible markers also include two diametrically opposing discrete markers—a first discrete marker 124 and a second discrete marker 125—which are visibly distinct from each other by at least shape and/or size and are both provided between distal circular marker 122 and proximal circular marker 123 at opposing sides of the cylindrical portion”).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nevo (US20230134815A1) and Tal (US20230045709A1) as applied to claim 6 and in further view of Benseghir (US20230045275A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Nevo and Tal teach the limitations of Claim 6, and Tal further teaches the virtual continuation ([0051] of Tal) but do not teach capturing a material parameter for the medical object, wherein the virtual continuation is provided based on the material parameter and the curvature at that moment.
Benseghir, in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a similar concept (imaging of surgical instrument) of capturing a material parameter for the medical object, wherein the virtual continuation is provided based on the material parameter and the curvature at that moment (corresponding disclosure in at least [0045], where the material parameter of the medical object is taken into account to determine the trajectory, or the curvature of the device “ The medical device may be a needle, a fiber optic cable, a rod, a screw, or another type of implantable device or medical scope. The properties may further include a stiffness or flexibility (e.g., deformability) of the medical device, which may be determined based on a material (or materials) forming the medical device… the operator may select, adjust, or otherwise input the physical properties of the medical device. The physical properties of the medical device may be used in determining a trajectory of the medical device within the subject during insertion, as will be elaborated below (e.g., at 316)” and further in [0060], where there is a graphical representation of the pathway “ the determined pathway may be displayed as a first color annotation or graphic, such as a line or curve, and the extrapolated trajectory may be displayed as a second color annotation or graphic that is different than the first color”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated the use of the material parameter to determine the curvature as taught by Benseghir. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this because the material parameter is another property of the device that is used to estimate the curvature.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nevo (US20230134815A1) in view of Tal (US20230045709A1) as applied to claim 13 and in further view of Dix (US20170035484A1).
Regarding Claim 14, the combined references of Nevo and Tal teach the claimed invention and the curved structure with a marker ([0028] of Tal), but does not teach the adjustment element and further operations.
Dix, in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a similar concept (curved medical object), where there is an adjustment element that is configured for adjusting the curvature of the distal section (corresponding disclosure in at least [0019], where there is an adjustment control for the curvature “operably connected proximally to an adjustment control, such as a wheel, dial, or other element that can be adjusted by the physician to adjust the tension on the pullwire(s) and thus adjust the degree of curvature of the distal end of the needle”),
wherein the adjustment element comprises an indicator structure, wherein a relative positioning between the indicator structure and the curvature marker structure changes during an adjustment of the curvature of the distal section, and wherein the relative positioning between the indicator structure and the curvature marker structure quantifies the curvature of the distal section at that moment (Corresponding disclosure in at least [0016], where there is an indicia (indicator structure) on the curvable needle).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have an adjustment element and an indicator structure between the curvature marker for quantifying the curvature incorporated into the teachings of the combined reference. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this because the indicator structure is viewable during imaging, and when adjustments are being made in the curvature, the adjustment is viewed and measured in real-time.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/16/2026 regarding the 35 U.S.C. 112f have been fully considered and are withdrawn in light of the amendments.
Applicant's arguments filed 04/16/2026 regarding the 35 U.S.C. 101 have been fully considered and are withdrawn in light of the amendments.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections with respect to claims 1-2, 4-12, and 15-18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments, see 04/16/2026, filed 04/16/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 13-14 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Tal and in further view of Dix.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Such prior arts include Braido (US20230157762A1) regarding the trajectory of medical devices and imaging curved medical structures, Crawford (US20130345718A1) regarding trajectory of curved structures and imaging, and Duindam (US20190320878A1) regarding imaging and trajectories of flexible endoscopes.
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/K.E.K./Examiner, Art Unit 3797
/ANNE M KOZAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3797
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