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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
-Paragraph [007], Line 1: “4 illustrates” should be corrected to “4a-4b illustrate”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Delete the following:
-Line 3: “(102)”;
-Line 4: “(103)”, “(104)”;
-Line 5: “(102)”;
-Line 8: “(109)”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Applicant is advised that should claim 10 be found allowable, claim 12 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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 7 and 9-10 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 7, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Recitations of “the peripheral electronics unit” in line 2 of claim 9 and “the plurality” in line 2 of claim 10 lack positive antecedent basis.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over European Patent Application No. 0630857 A1 (Hayakawa) in view of English translation copy of Korean Patent Application No. KR 10-2016-0139185 A (Gil)..
Hayakawa discloses a water floatation device for remediation of water of a water body, comprising:
an anchor (24,26) including a buoy holder, a proximal cell holder, and a distal cell holder;
a buoy (1) connected to the anchor (24, 26), through the buoy holder (1), including a water remediation facilitator (3);
at least two electrodes (21, 22) with intervening spaces between them and with the anchor (24, 26) are connected to electrically insulated proximal and distal end caps (23) are defined by perforations (23a) and mounted on the anchor (24), to form a cell (2);
the cell (2) is adapted to establish an electrical connection with the water remediation facilitator (3); and
the buoy (1) is adapted to be controlled to float on water and the cell (2) is adapted to suspend from the buoy (1) and submerge in the water (see abstract; page 2, lines 44-55; page 3, line 36 – page 4, line 7; figures 1-4).
Claim 1 differs from Hayakawa in reciting a solar panel connected to a rechargeable battery, an antenna for sending and receiving signals, a propeller with a steering oar, and a plurality of water quality sensing sensors.
Gil a water floatation device (20C) for remediation of water of a water body comprising of a solar panel (29) connected to a rechargeable battery (28)(see figures 1-3; paragraph 122), an antenna for sending and receiving signals (31)(see paragraphs 66-67), a propeller (25) (see paragraph 60) with a steering oar, and a plurality of water quality sensing sensors (1)(see figures 2-3; paragraphs 52, 62-63, 79, 89, 92, 94).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the water floatation device of Hayakawa with common general knowledge of water floatation device of Gil including a solar panel connected to a rechargeable battery, an antenna for sending and receiving signals, a propeller with a steering oar, and a plurality of water quality sensing sensors to arrive the claimed water floatation device with reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of water remediation with water quality monitoring device capable of managing measurement conditions in real time as suggested by Gil (see paragraph 1).
Regarding claim 2, Gil discloses the water floatation device including
(a) a power regulating module with a rechargeable battery pack (28) is adapted to be connected to the solar panel (29)(see figures 2-3; paragraphs 59, 122),
(b) a communication module (31) is adapted to be connected to the antenna (paragraph 66-67);
(c) a sensor module (20B) is adapted to be connected to the plurality of water quality sensing sensors (1,S)(see figure 2; paragraphs 52, 63);
(d) a drive module (80) is adapted to be connected to the propeller (25) and the steering oar, for driving and directing the water floatation device (see figures 3-4; paragraph 60), and
(e) a controller module (10) is adapted to be connected to the power regulating module, the communication module, the sensor module and the drive module (see figures 1-3; paragraph 62).
Regarding claim 3, Gil discloses a peripheral electronics unit (S) is connected to the buoy (23) via sensor body (21) (see figure 3; paragraphs 133,139).
Regarding claim 4, Gil discloses that the cell includes at least three electrodes (1) (see figures 2-3 for multiple electrodes 1; paragraphs 92-95).
Regarding claims 5 and 11, Gil discloses that the electrodes (1, S) are cylindrical (see figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 6, Hayakawa discloses that the cell includes parallel plate electrodes (21, 22)(see figure 2).
Claims 10 and 12 differ from Hayakawa in reciting that a plurality of floatation devices are adapted to be connected for navigation and water remediation.
Gil teaches water floatation device comprising propeller (25) for navigation and water remediation (see figures 3-4; paragraph 60).
Although the reference did not disclose a plurality of floatation device, the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced). See In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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.
Claims 7 and 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1142. The examiner can normally be reached Maxi Flex.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, INSUK BULLOCK can be reached at 571-272-5954. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/John Kim/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1772
JK
8/7/26
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