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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 3 June 2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending and subject to examination in this Office action.
Drawings
Replacement drawings were received on 3 June 2026. In this regard, Figures 1-6, 30 and 33-35 appear to be acceptable.
The remaining drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). In this regard, Figures 7-29, 31, 32 and 36 are objected to because they do not contain at least one element number referenced in the written description identifying what is depicted therein.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 (beginning of the first limitation) is objected to because of the following informalities: “A first smart panel…” should be --a first smart panel…--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 1 (very end of the claim) is objected to because of the following informalities: “said second smart pane…” should be --said second smart panel…--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 (beginning of the first limitation) is objected to because of the following informalities: “A first smart panel…” should be --a first smart panel…--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 (very end of the claim) is objected to because of the following informalities: “said second smart pane…” should be --said second smart panel…--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 5, 10 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 5, the phrase “…when two panels are mated together” is recited. Are the recited two panels the same as or different from the previously recited first and second smart panels? Clarification is requested.
Regarding claim 10, the phrase “…to the same” is recited. To what previously recited structure is this phrase referring? Clarification is requested.
Regarding claim 18, the terms “said user”, “said prediction” and “said result” lack proper antecedent basis. Moreover, as the subject matter recited in this claim does not appear germane to the present disclosure, was it inadvertently included in this claim set? Clarification is requested.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 6-9, 11-17, 19 and 20 appear to be allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure: Refer to the attached Form PTO-892.
Authorization for Email Communication – In the event Applicant wishes to communicate with the Examiner via electronic mail, written authorization should be provided in Applicant’s next response. See MPEP § 502.03. The following is a sample authorization form which may be used by Applicant:
Recognizing that Internet communications are not secure, we hereby authorize the USPTO to communicate with any authorized representative concerning any subject matter of this application by electronic mail. We understand that a copy of these communications will be made of record in the application file.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY MINTZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7327. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 0730 - 1630 EDT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached on 571-270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RODNEY MINTZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635
