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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 5-20 (dependent claim 5 recites “obtaining at least one mouse pad that includes a pre-existing logo” and is therefore directed to the non-elected embodiment of Species X; independent claim 8 recites “obtaining at least one mouse pad that includes a pre-existing logo” and is therefore directed to non-elected Species X; and independent claim 15 recites “creating an insertion on a side of the at least one mouse pad” and is therefore directed to non-elected Species III) are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/06/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Imprint Promotional PRODUCTS BLOG, an entry titled “Mouse Pads - 12 Things to Repurpose Your Old Mouse Pads” by Anh Le (published on January 11, 2021).
In regard to claim 1, Le discloses a method that facilitates repurposing mouse pads, comprising obtaining at least one mouse pad (Le states at the beginning of the Blog entry that “Among the clutters often seen in stockrooms and garbages are used computers and its corresponding accessories…reusing such items can provide a great deal of freeing up extra space when necessary…salvaging will allow individuals a considerable sum of savings…something can actually be done in terms of converting those old mouse pads into useful resources”); and creating a repurposed form of the at least one mouse pad (see Item 10. Insect swatter), wherein the creating comprises attaching the at least one mouse pad to a handle (see under Item 10. Insect swatter which states “…instituting a hard frame will do the trick. Anchoring small wooden pieces will be helpful enough to straighten the rubber sheet…smaller pads glued in between two sticks may make the concept functional.”; the structure of the handle of the desired invention is not being particularly claimed).
In regard to claim 2, Le discloses wherein the obtaining comprises sourcing the at least one mousepad from a repository of discarded mouse pads (Le states at the beginning of the article that “Among the clutters often seen in stockrooms and garbages are used computers and its corresponding accessories…reusing such items can provide a great deal of freeing up extra space when necessary…salvaging will allow individuals a considerable sum of savings…something can actually be done in terms of converting those old mouse pads into useful resources”; the term “garbages” refers to a repository of discarded mouse pads).
In regard to claim 3, Le discloses wherein the obtaining comprises sourcing the at least one mouse pad from a repository of overstocked mouse pads (Le states at the beginning of the article that “Among the clutters often seen in stockrooms and garbages are used computers and its corresponding accessories…reusing such items can provide a great deal of freeing up extra space when necessary…salvaging will allow individuals a considerable sum of savings…something can actually be done in terms of converting those old mouse pads into useful resources”; the term “stockrooms” refers to a repository with a supply of mouse pads that are not currently being used and stored for future use and are therefore considered to be “overstock” where supply is greater than demand).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “TURNING OLD MOUSE PADS INTO THESE 12 THINGS” by Anh Le (published on January 11, 2021) in view of “2021 will see archaic supply chains switch to holistic, sustainable supplier ecosystems” by Mark Perera (published on February 25, 2021) or “The Circular Supply Chain: A Push For Sustainability” by Steve Banker (published on June 29, 2021).
In regard to claim 4, Le does not disclose selling the repurposed form of the at least one mouse pad to a source of the at least one mouse pad. Perera discloses “The circular supply chain is a model that encourages manufacturers and sellers of products to take discarded materials and remake them for resale.”, “But what do we mean by a circular supply chain? This is based on the principles of the circular economy, which is about designing waste out, circulating materials and resources and regenerating natural systems…’Ultimately the circular economy is about inventory and extending its life, reusing it, repurposing it…’”. Banker discloses “A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular systems employ re-use, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling to create a closed-loop system to minimize resource inputs and reduce waste, pollution, and carbon emissions.” and “According to Mr. Skrovan, a circular economy is the transformation of ‘make, use, dispose’ to ‘make, use, recover, reuse, reclaim.’” It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Le such that it comprises the step of selling the repurposed form of the at least one mouse pad to a source of the at least one mouse pad in view of Perera or Banker in order to employ a circular supply chain/circular economy/closed-loop system so as to minimize resource inputs by re-utilizing existing materials so as to eliminate waste and pollution.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARREN W ARK whose telephone number is (571)272-6885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5.
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/DARREN W ARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647
DWA