Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Detailed Action
This communication is responsive to CON filed on 07/07/2024.
Claims 1-18 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 7 and 13 are independent claims. This Office Action is made Non-Final.
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-18 of prior U.S. Patent No.12032811. Since the independent claims 1, 7 and 13 are rejected as statutory double patenting, their corresponding claims 2-6, 8-12 and 14-18 are also rejected under similar rationale. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Conclusion
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/TUAN S NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2179
