DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on September 24, 2026, have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 16 is 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 16 recites “a plurality of electrodes” and “a plurality of ultrasound elements” but depends from claim 2 which already recites “multiple electrodes” and “a plurality of ultrasound elements.” As such, it is unclear whether claim 16 is reciting different, additional electrodes and/or ultrasound elements. Other dependent claims, such as claims 14-15, do not have this issue. It appears that claim 16 was likely meant to refer to those same limitations in claim 2 but merely inadvertently recites the limitations in improper antecedent form. Nevertheless, correction is required to ensure that the scope of the claim is definite.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN R DOWNEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7247. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm ET.
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/JOHN R DOWNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3792
