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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
1. Applicant's amendments, filed August 13, 2026 are respectfully acknowledged and have been fully considered. The following rejections and/or objections are either reiterated or newly applied. They constitute the complete set presently being applied to the instant application.
Applicants have amended their claims, filed August 13, 2026 and therefore rejections newly made in the instant office action have been necessitated by amendment.
Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 10-11, and 14 are amended. Claims 2 and 16-18 are cancelled.
Claims 1 and 3-15 are pending.
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20180020977 A1, hereinafter “Li”) in view of Lusted et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 10709339 B1, hereinafter “Lusted”).
Regarding Claim 1 (Currently Amended), Li teaches a blood pressure measuring device (par 0073 Fig 2 blood pressure measurement system 100), comprising:
a first measuring assembly that includes a plurality of sensing elements, which are at least partially in contact with human skin (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a first ring measuring assembly]; par 0024 an ECG sensor is implemented in the first ring measuring assembly and, par 0073, a pulse oximeter may [also] be integrated onto the first ring measuring assembly; paras 0045-0046 ring electrodes 250 conductive surfaces are in contact with the body [PDMS versions are more conformal to the skin]);
a second measuring assembly that includes a sensing element, which is in contact with human skin (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a second ring measuring assembly]; par 0024 an ECG sensor is implemented in the second ring measuring assembly; paras 0045-0046 ring electrodes 250 conductive surfaces are in contact with the body [PDMS versions are more conformal to the skin]);
a first wearable device, wherein the first measuring assembly is installed on the first wearable device (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a first wearable device comprising a first ring measuring assembly); and
a second wearable device, wherein the second measuring assembly is installed on the second wearable device (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a second wearable device comprising a second ring measuring assembly]);
wherein the sensing element of the second measuring assembly is an ECG sensor (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a second ring measuring assembly]; par 0024 an ECG sensor is implemented in the second ring measuring assembly), and the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly include another ECG sensor (par 0074 Fig 1 the user may wear multiple rings [comprising a first ring measuring assembly]; par 0024 an [another] ECG sensor is implemented in the first ring measuring assembly); wherein
an ECG signal is obtained from the ECG sensor of the first measuring assembly and the ECG sensor of the second measuring assembly (par 0074 Fig 1 the user can wear multiple [first and second] rings so that each ring can touch a distinct location on the body to acquire simultaneous multi-lead ECG signal measurements); wherein
the blood pressure measuring device further comprises a calculating element (par 0028 Fig 2 pattern recognition technology can be applied by the microcontroller 150 to perform diagnosis) that
uses the ECG signal and another signal obtained from another sensing elements of the first measuring assembly and estimates a blood pressure
However, Li appears not to expressly teach
calculates a time difference between the ECG signal and another signal obtained from another sensing elements of the first measuring assembly and
estimates a blood pressure from the time difference.
Lusted teaches a ring-based sensing system which
calculates a time difference between the ECG signal and another signal obtained from another sensing elements of the first measuring assembly and estimates a blood pressure from the time difference (col 8 line 57- col 9 line 3 Fig 7 biometric ring [a first measurement assembly] data from the ECG 32 and PPG 22 sensors is used to calculate blood pressure continuously by the pulse transit time (PTT) method, as the PPG sensor 22 provides functionality for measuring user cardiac pulse. The time difference between the R wave peak in the ECG (from the QRS wave complex) and the peak of the PPG wave is utilized as the PTT interval and forms the basis of the blood pressure calculation).
Li and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li with the inclusion of the PTT calculation of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a ring form factor with electronic provisions that allow for continuous monitoring of blood pressure (Lusted col 2 lines 11-12).
Regarding Claim 3 (Currently Amended), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly further include a PPG sensor (Lusted col 8 line 57- col 9 line 3 Fig 7 biometric ring [a first measurement assembly] data from the ECG 32 and [the further included] PPG 22 sensors is used to calculate blood pressure continuously by the pulse transit time (PTT) method).
Li and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li with the inclusion of the PPG sensor of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a ring form factor with electronic provisions that allow for continuous monitoring of blood pressure (Lusted col 2 lines 11-12).
Regarding Claim 4 (Original), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly are disposed on a flexible printed circuit board and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board that is embedded inside the first wearable device (Lusted col 4 lines 21-23 the sensors and associated hardware may be contained on [col 4 lines 31-32 circuit-connected to] a flexible board 20 contained within the ring housing 12).
Li and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li with the inclusion of the flexible PCB of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a configuration that may be used for other device configurations that are not ring-based (Lusted col 7 lines 41-42).
Regarding Claim 5 (Original), Li as modified as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the ECG sensor and the PPG sensor of the first measuring assembly are exposed from the first wearable device to be in contact with the human skin (Lusted col 7 lines 15-20,33-35 Fig 6A ECG electrodes (106a, 106b) and EDA electrodes (108a, 108b) straddle opposite sides of PPG module 22 on the bottom interior sensing surface 110a of the aperture of the ring 100 (with the flexible board substrate 112); sensor surfaces are provided on the bottom interior of the ring provide reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger).
Li and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li with the inclusion of the exposed sensors of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide sensor surfaces on the bottom interior of the ring with reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger (Lusted col 7 lines 33-35).
Regarding Claim 6 (Currently Amended), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
calculating element calculates a time difference between the ECG signal and the PPG signal, and estimates a blood pressure from the time difference (Lusted col 8 line 57- col 9 line 3 Fig 7 biometric ring [a first measurement assembly] data from the ECG 32 and PPG 22 sensors is used to calculate blood pressure continuously by the pulse transit time (PTT) method, as the PPG sensor 22 provides functionality for measuring user cardiac pulse. The time difference between the R wave peak in the ECG (from the QRS wave complex) and the peak of the PPG wave is utilized as the PTT interval and forms the basis of the blood pressure calculation).
Li and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li with the inclusion of the PTT calculation of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a ring form factor with electronic provisions that allow for continuous monitoring of blood pressure (Lusted col 2 lines 11-12).
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lusted and further in view of Przybyszewski et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20170258340 A1, hereinafter “Przybyszewski”).
Regarding Claim 7 (Currently Amended), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 1. However, Li as modified appears not to expressly teach wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly further include a BCG sensor (par 0020 Fig 1 the sensing element in the first assembly may further comprise a piezo-electric BCG sensor), and a BCG signal is obtained from the BCG sensor (par 0023 Fig 1 corresponding signals sensed by each bio-sensor are measured simultaneously over the same time).
Przybyszewski teaches wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly further include a BCG sensor (par 0020 Fig 1 the sensing element in the first assembly may further comprise a piezo-electric BCG sensor), and a BCG signal is obtained from the BCG sensor (par 0023 Fig 1 corresponding signals sensed by each bio-sensor are measured simultaneously over the same time).
Li Lusted and Przybyszewski are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Lusted with the inclusion of the BCG sensing of Przybyszewski. The motivation would have been in order to provide a system allowing measurement of a wide variety of cardiovascular signals.
Regarding Claim 8 (Original), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 7, wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly are disposed on a flexible printed circuit board and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board that is embedded inside the first wearable device (Lusted col 4 lines 21-23 the sensors and associated hardware may be contained on [col 4 lines 31-32 circuit-connected to] a flexible board 20 contained within the ring housing 12).
Li Przybyszewski and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Przybyszewski with the inclusion of the flexible PCB of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a configuration that may be used for other device configurations that are not ring-based (Lusted col 7 lines 41-42).
Regarding Claim 9 (Original), Li as modified as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the ECG sensor of the first measuring assembly is exposed from the first wearable device to be in contact with the human skin (Lusted col 7 lines 15-20,33-35 Fig 6A ECG electrodes (106a, 106b) and EDA electrodes (108a, 108b) straddle opposite sides of PPG module 22 on the bottom interior sensing surface 110a of the aperture of the ring 100 (with the flexible board substrate 112); sensor surfaces are provided on the bottom interior of the ring provide reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger).
Li Przybyszewski and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Przybyszewski with the inclusion of the exposed sensors of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide sensor surfaces on the bottom interior of the ring with reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger (Lusted col 7 lines 33-35).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lusted and further in view of Przybyszewski and Vallee et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20200390347 A1, hereinafter “Vallee”).
Regarding Claim 10 (Currently Amended), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 7. However, Li as modified appears not to expressly wherein the
calculating element calculates a time difference between the ECG signal and the BCG signal, and estimates a blood pressure from the time difference.
Vallee teaches further comprising
a calculating element that calculates a time difference between the ECG signal and the BCG signal, and estimates a blood pressure from the time difference (par 0028 Fig 1 monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) with two light sources; the Pulse Transit Time (PTT) extracted from the cross-correlation between PPG and BCG shows improved results in monitoring changes in mean arterial pressure; par 0109,0110 calculation means to calculate a coefficient Calib for each actual measurement of mean arterial pressure; calculation means to calculate a mean arterial pressure at each time t as a function of the value of the parameters at that time t; par 0114 processors).
Li Lusted Przybyszewski and Vallee are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Lusted/ Przybyszewski with the inclusion of the calculating element of Vallee. The motivation would have been in order to provide means to execute the arterial mean pressure method (Vallee par 0114).
Claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lusted and further in view of Vallee et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20200390347 A1, hereinafter “Vallee”).
Regarding Claim 11 (Currently Amended), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 1. However, Li as modified appears not to expressly teach wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly further include a PPG sensor and a BCG sensor, and a PPG signal is obtained from the PPG sensor, while a BCG signal is obtained from the BCG sensor.
Vallee teaches wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly further include a PPG sensor and a BCG sensor, and a PPG signal is obtained from the PPG sensor, while a BCG signal is obtained from the BCG sensor (par 0028 Fig 1 monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) with two light sources; the Pulse Transit Time (PTT) extracted from the cross-correlation between PPG and BCG shows improved results in monitoring changes in mean arterial pressure).
Li Lusted and Vallee are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Lusted with the inclusion of the PPG and BCG sensors of Vallee. The motivation would have been in order to provide improved results in monitoring changes in mean arterial pressure (Vallee par 0028).
Regarding Claim 12 (Original), Li as modified as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the sensing elements of the first measuring assembly are disposed on a flexible printed circuit board and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board that is embedded inside the first wearable device (Lusted col 4 lines 21-23 the sensors and associated hardware may be contained on [col 4 lines 31-32 circuit-connected to] a flexible board 20 contained within the ring housing 12).
Li Vallee and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Vallee with the inclusion of the flexible PCB of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide a configuration that may be used for other device configurations that are not ring-based (Lusted col 7 lines 41-42).
Regarding Claim 13 (Original), Li as modified as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 12, wherein
the ECG sensor and the PPG sensor of the first measuring assembly are exposed from the first wearable device to be in contact with the human skin (Lusted col 7 lines 15-20,33-35 Fig 6A ECG electrodes (106a, 106b) and EDA electrodes (108a, 108b) straddle opposite sides of PPG module 22 on the bottom interior sensing surface 110a of the aperture of the ring 100 (with the flexible board substrate 112); sensor surfaces are provided on the bottom interior of the ring provide reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger).
Li Vallee and Lusted are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Vallee with the inclusion of the exposed sensors of Lusted. The motivation would have been in order to provide sensor surfaces on the bottom interior of the ring with reliable contact with the skin of the user's finger (Lusted col 7 lines 33-35).
Regarding Claim 14 (Currently Amended), Li as modified as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
calculating element calculates a time difference between any two of the following signals:
the ECG signal, the PPG signal, and the BCG signal, and estimates a blood pressure from the time difference (Vallee par 0028 Fig 1 monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) with two light sources; the Pulse Transit Time (PTT) extracted from the cross-correlation between PPG and BCG shows improved results in monitoring changes in mean arterial pressure; par 0109,0110 calculation means to calculate a coefficient Calib for each actual measurement of mean arterial pressure; calculation means to calculate a mean arterial pressure at each time t as a function of the value of the parameters at that time t; par 0114 processors).
Li Lusted and Vallee are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Lusted with the inclusion of the calculating element of Vallee. The motivation would have been in order to provide means to execute the arterial mean pressure method (Vallee par 0114).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lusted and further in view of Chou (U.S. Patent Application 20180333056 A1).
Regarding Claim 15 (Original), Li as modified teaches the blood pressure measuring device as claimed in claim 1. However, Li as modified appears not to expressly teach wherein
the first wearable device and the second wearable device are respectively worn on two hands of the human body.
Chou teaches wherein
the first wearable device and the second wearable device are respectively worn on two hands of the human body (par 0142 Fig 8A the user may measure cardiovascular health by wearing two finger-worn structures on two hands).
Li Lusted and Chou are analogous art as they each pertain to blood pressure measurement systems. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the blood pressure measuring device of Li/Lusted with the inclusion of the first wearable device and the second wearable device respectively worn on two hands of Chou. The motivation would have been in order to provide a system convenient for allowing measurement of cardiovascular signals (Chou par 0142).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed August 13, 2026 with respect to claim 1 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. As such the rejections of Claim 1 and its dependent claims are maintained.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)270-7731. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9a-5p EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Eason can be reached on 571-270-7230. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
