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 .
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Makoto et al. JP2007024508 published 1 Feb. 2007 as translated by EPO (hereafter Makoto).
Regarding claim 1, Makoto teaches a gas sensor (Fig 6), which is configured to analyze a gas mixture, the gas sensor comprising:
a layer (5) configured for adsorption and/or absorption of components of the gas mixture (¶40-42);
a computer (6, ¶5, ¶22) configured to ascertain a resistance of the layer (¶6-7);
wherein the gas sensor, for analyzing the gas mixture, is configured to
measure at least one electrical resistance value of the layer, while the layer has a first temperature (¶58, Fig 6),
reduce a temperature of the layer from the first temperature to a second temperature (¶58, Fig 6),
measure at least one electrical resistance value of the layer while the layer has the second temperature (¶58, Fig 6),
increase the temperature of the layer from the second temperature to a third temperature (¶58, Fig 6),
measure at least one electrical resistance value of the layer immediately after reaching the third temperature (¶58, Fig 6), and
analyze the components of the gas mixture based on the measured electrical resistance values (¶58, Fig 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is allowed.
Regarding claim 2, the closest prior art is Makoto et al. JP2007024508 which teaches a gas sensor, which is configured to analyze a gas mixture, the gas sensor comprising layers configured for adsorption and/or absorption of components of the gas mixture and a computer configured to ascertain a resistance of the layer. Makoto does not teach a first layer and a second layer, which are respectively configured for adsorption and/or absorption of components of the gas mixture and are thermally decoupled from one another; and the gas sensor configured to measure, reduce, measure, simultaneously measure, reduce, measuring, and analyzing as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN HOBSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9914. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 571-270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/STEPHEN HOBSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1776
Prosecution Insights