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 .
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/26/2024 is considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 19 discloses “one or electrodes” in Line 7 of the claim. Appears claim should be amended to “one or more electrodes” 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.
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.
Claims 28, 29, and 33 are 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 28 recites the limitation "the circumferential sensing device" in Line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 29 and 33 also disclose similar indefinite claim limitations. All subsequent claims are also rejected due to dependency.
Claim 33 recites the limitations “the casting apparatus for applying a cover layer” in Line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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, 5, 6, 19, 23, 26, 28, 29, 33, 37, 53 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Isohatala et al. (US 10485094), hereinafter ‘Isohatala’.
Regarding Claim 1, Isohatala discloses a surface sensing device comprising: an elongated interaction layer configured for interaction with environments external to said surface sensing device (Col. 13, Lines 8-14 102B having a tactile function for user of environment; Col. 9, lines 8-20 touch sensing; Col. 16, lines 40-52); one or more elongated gauging patterns arranged along a length of said elongate interaction layer to substantially traverse a deformable surface area of said surface sensing device (Fig.1, 103, 105, 110, 112, 114, 116 118, 120, 124, 126 having electrical functions; Col. 14, Lines 37-47 electrodes having deformable structure; Col. 16, Lines 41-59; Fig. 10, 1002-1012); and at least one integration layer coating at least some portion of said surface sensing device substantially accommodating said deformable surface area and configured to facilitate direct integration of said surface sensing device to an external surface area of an object (Fig. 10, layer 102 accommodating deformable sensing features; Col. 4, Lines 27-31 pattern of transmitter and receiving electrodes; Col. 6, Lines 14-20 structure comprises flexible members, sensing electrodes and extending through molded plastic layer; Col. 15, Lines 8-40 disclosing adhesive layer connecting integration and interaction layer).
Regarding Claim 3, Isohatala discloses the surface sensing device according to claim 1. Isohatala further discloses wherein the one or more elongated gauging patterns comprise at least one elongated sensing pattern and at least one elongated reference pattern arranged along a length of said interaction layer substantially parallel to said at least one sensing pattern, and configured to provide a reference for measurement signals/data from said at least elongated one sensing strap/pattern (Fig. 10, layer 102 accommodating deformable sensing features; Col. 4, Lines 27-31 pattern of transmitter and receiving electrodes; Col. 6, Lines 14-20 structure comprises flexible members, sensing electrodes and extending through molded plastic layer).
Regarding Claim 5, Isohatala further discloses wherein the at least one elongated reference pattern is arranged on a surface area of said elongated interaction layer configured for reduced or non-observable deformations (Col. 8, Lines 30-41).
Regarding Claim 6, Isohatala further discloses at least two of the elongated sensing patterns and at least two of the elongated reference patterns (Col. 4, Lines 27-31 pattern of transmitter and receiving electrodes, plurality of reference patterns).
Regarding Claim 19, Isohatala further discloses the surface sensing device according to claim 1 comprising at least one of the following: an adhesive layer connecting the at least one integration layer to the elongated interaction layer (Col. 15, Lines 8-40 disclosing adhesive layer connecting integration and interaction layer); at least one cover layer configured to cover the elongated gauging patterns, communicate external pressure or forces applied thereover to the interaction layer and/or improve sensing sensitivity of said device; an isolation layer configured between the at least one cover layer and the interaction layer; one or electrodes configured to contact a medium and measure electrical conductivity thereof; one or optical sensing arrangement configured to measure light transmittance and/or reflectance of a medium; an antenna and circuitries for one or both energy harvesting and communicating measurement data/signals with an external device.
Regarding Claim 23, Isohatala further discloses comprising multiple layers of said surface sensing device arranged one on top of the other (Abstract multilayer structure).
Regarding Claim 26, Isohatala further discloses wherein one or more of the elongated gauging patterns are configured for measuring changes of one or more electrical and/or electrochemical properties/conditions of a medium or environment external to said device (Col. 16, Lines 40-58).
Regarding Claim 28, Isohatala further discloses the circumferential sensing device comprising at least one surface sensing device according to claim 1 attached at least partially to a curved or flat portion of the object (Fig. 8, Col. 26, Lines 21-28).
Regarding Claim 29, Isohatala further discloses configured for at least one of exercising and/or diagnosing annular muscles of a treated/exercised subject (Col. 16, Lines 44-52 finger touching) and comprising at least one of the following: an elongated core, one or more soft/flexible cover layers applied over at least some portion of said elongated core structure, and a plurality of the surface sensing devices embedded in or on said one or more soft/flexible cover layers and along said elongated rigid core (Col. 12, Lines 45-62; Col. 13, Lines 20-25; Col. 26, Lines 21-28); one or more reinforcing elements comprised in, or carried by, the one or more soft/flexible cover layers, each reinforcing element configured to surround and support at least some portion of one of the surface sensing devices; an actuatable portion having the at least one surface sensing device annularly arranged over a cylindrical portion thereof, and a ball portion movable coupled to said actuatable portion.
Regarding Claim 33, Isohatala further discloses the casting apparatus for applying a cover layer over the circumferential sensing device of claim 28, said casting apparatus comprises: connectable front and rear portions having cavities configured to hold components of said surface sensing device substantially centered there inside; and an injection port provide in at least one of said front and rear portions and configured for injection of a curable casting material to said cavities (Col. 1, Lines 47-57 disclosing encapsulate and injection molding with cavity).
Regarding Claim 37, Isohatala discloses a method of preparing a sensing device, the method comprising applying at least one integration layer over at least some portion of an elongated interaction layer for coating at least some portion thereof substantially accommodating a deformable surface area of said elongated interaction layer (Fig. 10, layer 102 accommodating deformable sensing features; Col. 4, Lines 27-31 pattern of transmitter and receiving electrodes; Col. 6, Lines 14-20 structure comprises flexible members, sensing electrodes and extending through molded plastic layer; Col. 15, Lines 8-40 disclosing adhesive layer connecting integration and interaction layer), said elongated interaction layer configured for interaction with environments external to said sensing device and said at least one integration layer configured to facilitate direct integration of said sensing device to an external surface area of an object (Col. 13, Lines 8-14 102B having a tactile function for user of environment; Col. 9, lines 8-20 touch sensing; Col. 16, lines 40-52), arranging one or more elongated gauging patterns along a length of said elongated interaction layer to substantially traverse its deformable surface area (Fig.1, 103, 105, 110, 112, 114, 116 118, 120, 124, 126 having electrical functions; Col. 14, Lines 37-47 electrodes having deformable structure; Col. 16, Lines 41-59; Fig. 10, 1002-1012), and at least one of the following: arranging of the one or more elongated gauging patterns to form at least one elongated sensing pattern and at least one elongated reference pattern along a length of the interaction layer substantially parallel to said at least one sensing pattern; forming the elongated sensing patterns over a region of the elongated interaction layer configured to cover an elongated cavity of an object defining a deformable sensing region of the device (Fig.1, 103, 105, 110, 112, 114, 116 118, 120, 124, 126 having electrical functions; Col. 14, Lines 37-47 electrodes having deformable structure; Col. 16, Lines 41-59; Fig. 10, 1002-1012); arranging the at least one elongated reference pattern on a surface area of the elongated interaction layer configured for reduced or non-observable deformations; arranging at least two of the elongated sensing patterns, and at least two of the elongated reference patterns, on the elongated interaction layer (Fig. 10, layer 102 accommodating deformable sensing features; Col. 4, Lines 27-31 pattern of transmitter and receiving electrodes; Col. 6, Lines 14-20 structure comprises flexible members, sensing electrodes and extending through molded plastic layer).
Regarding Claim 53, Isohatala further discloses the method of measuring one or more properties or conditions external to or acting on an object or medium, the method comprising attaching over a flat or rounded surface area of the object or medium one or more surface sensing devices according to claim 1, and acquiring measurement data from the elongated gauging patterns and/or electrodes and/or optical sensing arrangements of said one or more surface sensing devices responsive to pressure or force applied thereover (Fig. 8, Col. 26, Lines 21-28).
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isohatala et al. (US 10485094), hereinafter ‘Isohatala’ as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 7013031), hereinafter ‘Kim’.
Regarding Claim 4, Isohatala discloses where air cavities could be included in structures (Col. 20, Lines 14-22) but fails to explicitly disclose the device further configured to locate the elongated sensing patterns over an elongated cavity of the object defining a deformable sensing region of the device.
Kim discloses a pressure sensor having a sensing pattern over a cavity defining a deformable sensing region (Fig. 4, cavity 42 under sensing pattern of the device for the benefit of allowing the pressure applied to the pressuring portion to deform the piezoelectric membrane in a direction parallel to the pressure point (Claim 6).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine and provide a sensing pattern over a cavity defining a deformable sensing region for the benefit of allowing the pressure applied to the pressuring portion to deform the piezoelectric membrane in a direction parallel to the pressure point as taught by Kim in Claim 6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 10, 15, 17, 18, 42, 45, 55 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 7, the closest prior art fails to disclose nor would it be obvious to combine “wherein the at least one elongated sensing pattern and the at least one elongated reference pattern are configured for bridge circuitry measurements, wherein one voltage dividing branch of said bridge circuitry is arranged to present voltage over one of the elongated sensing patterns, and another voltage dividing branch of said bridge circuitry is configured to present voltage over one of the elongated reference patterns” in combination with all other limitations of the claim and base claims renders the claim allowable over the prior art. All subsequent claims are also allowable due to dependency.
Regarding Claim 10, the closest prior art fails to disclose nor would it be obvious to combine “ an electrical connection region at one end of the elongated interaction layer and configured to electrically connect to at least one of the one or more elongated gauging patterns, and one or more of the following: elongated electrically conducting lines arranged along a length of said elongated interaction layer and configured to electrically connect between electrically conducting lines of said electrical connection region and extremities of the elongated gauging patterns at another end of said elongated interaction layer; one or more vias configured to electrically connect between the elongated gauging patterns arranged on one side of the elongated interaction layer and at least one of the electrically conducting lines of the electrical connection region and the elongated electrically conducting lines arranged on another side of said electrical connection region; electrically connecting patterns configured to connect the one or more vias to the elongated gauging patterns, wherein said electrically connecting patterns are at least partially arranged on or under extremities of said elongated gauging patterns” in combination with all other limitations of the claim and base claims renders the claim allowable over the prior art.
Regarding Claim 42, the closest prior art fails to disclose nor would it be obvious to combine “the at least one elongated sensing pattern and the at least one elongated reference pattern for bridge circuitry measurements such that one voltage dividing branch of said bridge circuitry is arranged to present voltage over one of the elongated sensing patterns, and another voltage dividing branch of said bridge circuitry is configured to present voltage over one of the elongated reference patterns” in combination with all other limitations of the claim and base claims renders the claim allowable over the prior art.
Regarding Claim 45, the closest prior art fails to disclose nor would it be obvious to combine “forming an electrical connection region at one end of the elongated interaction layer, and configuring said electrical connection region to electrically connect to at least one of the one or more elongated gauging patterns, and at least one of the following: arranging elongated electrically conducting lines along a length of the elongated interaction layer and electrically connecting between electrically conducting lines of the electrical connection region and extremities of the elongated gauging patterns at another end of said elongated interaction layer; forming one or more vias in the elongated interaction layer and electrically connecting through said one or more vias between the elongated gauging patterns arranged on one side of said elongated interaction layer and at least one of the electrically conducting lines of the electrical connection region and the elongated electrically conducting lines arranged on another side of said electrical connection region; forming electrically connecting patterns on the elongated interaction layer and at least partially on, or under, extremities of the elongated gauging patterns for electrically connecting the one or more vias to said elongated gauging patterns; connecting the at least one integration layer to the elongated interaction layer by an adhesive layer; applying at least one cover layer over the elongated gauging patterns and configuring at least one cover layer to communicate external pressure or forces applied thereover to the interaction layer; applying an isolation layer between the at least one cover layer and the interaction layer” in combination with all other limitations of the claim and base claims renders the claim allowable over the prior art.
Regarding Claim 55, the closest prior art fails to disclose nor would it be obvious to combine “ one or more of the following: interfacing a control unit to at least one of the surface sensing devices and using said control unit for calibrating the at least one surface sensing device and communicating measurement data/signals therefrom; configuring the control unit with a surface area associated with the one or more elongated gauging patterns to distinguish between application of pressure/force over one or more surfaces on said device and application of pressure/force over a discrete point on said device; interfacing a respective connectivity module to at least some of the surface sensing devices and communicating the measurement data/signals to the control unit wirelessly or over data/signal communication lines by said respective connectivity module; configuring the control unit to adjust one or more tunable resistive elements electrically coupled to at least one voltage dividing branch of a bridge circuitry implemented in at least one of the surface sensing devices until said bridge circuitry is substantially balanced; placing the object in a cavity or passage in a body of a treated subject, and using the measurement data for diagnosing said cavity or passage and/or for exercising annular muscles associated with said cavity or passage; centering the object with the surface sensing devices thereby carried in one or more cavities defined inside a casting device and injecting a curable casting material to said cavities via an injection port provide of said casting device; measuring one or more properties or conditions of the medium at least partially enclosed by the one or more surface sensing devices” in combination with all other limitations of the claim and base claims renders the claim allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALESA ALLGOOD whose telephone number is (571)270-5811. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at (571) 272-4448. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALESA ALLGOOD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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