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 § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefore, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract ideas without significantly more. Claim 9 recites a water quality prediction method for predicting quality of treated water.
Regarding Claim 9, Claim 9 recites the following limitations:
“Predicting quality of treated water in a water treatment system”, “calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters”.
The limitations of “predicting quality of treated water in a water treatment system” and “calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters “are processes that, under broadest reasonable interpretation, cover performance of the limitation in the mind. See MPEP § 2106.04(a)(2)(III). A user may “predict” quality of treated water in a water treatment system by manually reviewing appropriate data. Furthermore, a user may “calculate” a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system by manually reviewing data.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The limitation of “calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters” are recited at a high level and is directed to generally linking the “predicting” and “calculating” judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. See MPEP § 2106.05(h). No specific operating or quality parameters are recited in Claim 9. Furthermore, nothing is done with the water quality prediction method; the method is not used to effect a transformation or reduction of either system to a different state or thing. See MPEP § 2106.04(d).
In addition, “a water treatment system equipped with a first water treatment device that performs a unit operation on water to be treated water when the water to be treated is supplied to the water treatment system and the water treatment system is operated based on first operating parameters, comprising: supplying the water to be treated, which is to be supplied to the water treatment system, to a system for evaluation to operate the system for evaluation based on second operating parameters, the system for evaluation being equipped with a second water treatment device that performs same unit operation as the first water treatment device” are routine and conventional limitations as set forth by the examples in the instant specification in [0004]-[0005]. See JP 2019-0155275A and JP 2016-107249A. See MPEP § 2106.05(d).
Claim 9 does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements recited at a high level of
“predicting” and “calculating” amount to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment and insignificant extra-solution activity, respectively, which do not amount to an inventive concept. Claim 9 is not patent eligible.
Regarding Claims 1 -8 and 10, Claim 1 recites the following limitations: “Calculation unit that calculate a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters”. “calculation unit” in claim 1 is nothing more than a generic computer, such that the claimed invention is described as a concept that is performed in the human mind and Applicant is merely using a computer as a tool to perform the concept. See MPEP § 2106.04(a)(2)(III)(C).
A user may “predict” quality of treated water in a water treatment system by reviewing appropriate data using a generic computer. Furthermore, a user may “calculate” a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system by reviewing data using a generic computer. Claims 2-8 and 10 involve further function directed to the calculation unit, which a person of ordinary skill in the art may perform in the mind using the calculation unit as a generic computer.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The limitation of “a calculation unit that calculate a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters” is recited at a high level and is directed to generally linking the “calculation unit that calculate a predicted value” judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. See MPEP § 2106.05(h). No specific structure or functions of structure are recited in Claim 1. Furthermore, nothing is done with the water quality prediction calculation; the calculation is not used to effect a transformation or reduction of either system to a different state or thing. See MPEP § 2106.04(d).
In addition, “ in a water treatment system equipped with a first water treatment device that performs a unit operation on water to be treated when the water to be treated is supplied to the water treatment system and the water treatment system is operated based on first operating parameters, the water quality prediction system comprising: a system for evaluation that is equipped with a second water treatment that performs same unit operation as the first water treatment device, that is supplied with the water to be treated which is to be supplied to the water treatment system, and that is operated according to second operating parameters” are routine and conventional limitations as set forth by the examples in the instant specification in [0004]-[0005]. See JP 2019-0155275A and JP 2016-107249A. The reverse osmosis membranes, ultraviolet irradiation devices, and ion exchanges devices of Claims 2-8 and 10 are all well-known, routine, and conventional in the art. See MPEP § 2106.05(d).
The system claims of Claims 1-8 and 10 are no different in substance from the method of Claim 9. The method claim recites the abstract idea with no further limitations directed to how the abstract idea is used to control the water treatment system. The system claims recite a handful of generic components configured to implement the same idea. Since Applicant’s system claims add nothing of substance to the underlying abstract ideas, they too are patent ineligible under 35 USC § 101. See Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. V. CLS bank Int’l, 573 U.S. _, 16-17 (2014).
Claims 1 -8 and 10, does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements recited at a high level of
“Calculation unit that calculate a predicted value” amount to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment and insignificant extra-solution activity, respectively, which do not amount to an inventive concept. Claims 1-8 and 10 are not patent eligible.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 5 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kishizawa et al. (JP 2017121607 A, Machine Translation) herein known as Kishizawa, in view of Takatori et al. (US 20210078873 A1), herein known as Takatori, and Further in view of Taniguchi et al. (JP-2001062255-A, Machine Translation) herein known as Taniguchi.
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(Fig.3, Takatori)
Regarding claim 1, Kishizawa is directed to an evaluation device for pretreatment equipment
constituting a seawater desalination plant, and more particularly to a portable pretreatment
evaluation device for a seawater desalination plant [0001].
Kishizawa discloses a water quality prediction system for predicting quality of treated water in a water treatment system equipped with a first water treatment device that performs a unit operation on water to be treated when the water to be treated is supplied to the water treatment system and the water treatment system is operated based on first operating parameters, the water quality prediction system comprising: a system for evaluation that is equipped with a second water treatment that performs same unit operation as the first water treatment device, that is supplied with the water to be treated which is to be supplied to the water treatment system, and that is operated according to second operating parameters ([0002], In seawater desalination plants using RO (reverse osmosis) membrane modules, the seawater(water to be treated) is pre-treated to improve its quality before being supplied to the RO membrane module, However, predicting the water quality of seawater after pretreatment and the pressure required for pretreatment necessitates largescale studies, such as transporting large quantities of seawater into a test laboratory for testing, or constructing a pilot plant and conducting tests using actual modules. Therefore, selecting the optimal pretreatment system from among multiple types of pretreatment equipment is not easy. Therefore, there is a need for a tool that can easily evaluate various preprocessing steps.; [0007], (the present invention provides a portable pretreatment evaluation device for seawater desalination plants that can accommodate at least a plurality of small pretreatment modules that simulate a sand filter and a membrane separator, and is characterized by comprising a plurality of inlet ports, outlet ports and drain ports arranged to correspond to an inlet for introducing water to be treated, an outlet for the treated water after pretreatment and a drain port for discharging drain); [0008], (it is possible to provide a portable pretreatment evaluation device for seawater desalination plants that can be brought to a site in which the introduction of a seawater desalination plant is being considered, and that can easily obtain the permeability of seawater by at least various pretreatment devices on-site); [0010], (The seawater desalination plant 100 consists of, in order from the intake of raw seawater (water to be treated) downstream, a raw water storage tank 41 for storing the intake raw water, a sand filtration tank 42, an ultrafiltration membrane (UF membrane) 43, an intermediate tank 49, an RO membrane module 50 consisting of a pressure vessel housing a reverse osmosis membrane element (RO membrane element) inside, an energy recovery device 48, a freshwater storage tank 51, and a concentrated water storage tank 52.); [0049], (Furthermore, as described above, the water quality of the treated water discharged from the portable seawater desalination plant pretreatment evaluation device 1 may be measured using a separately prepared water quality meter), ([0052], portable seawater desalination plant pretreatment evaluation device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a water quality meter Q1 in addition to a flow meter F1 installed in the inflow channel 12 through which seawater from the site area contained in a sampling bottle is pumped up as inflow water by a pump 11 located on the bottom surface 3);
However, Kishizawa is silent to a calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters.
Takatori is directed to a water treatment management apparatus and a water quality monitoring method used in performing water treatment such as ultrapure water production [0001].
Takatori discloses a water quality prediction system for predicting quality of treated water in a water treatment system equipped with a first water treatment device that performs a unit operation on water to be treated when the water to be treated is supplied to the water treatment system and the water treatment system is operated based on first operating parameters .The water quality prediction system comprising: a system for evaluation that is equipped with a second water treatment that performs same unit operation as the first water treatment device, that is supplied with the water to be treated which is to be supplied to the water treatment system, and that is operated according to second operating parameters; a calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation (Fig.3; Abstract, ( A water treatment management apparatus used for monitoring and evaluating water supplied to a water treatment system such as an ultrapure water production system and performing appropriate management of operation of the water treatment system includes, the pure water production unit for evaluation including a TOC removal apparatus for performing a unit operation of removing total organic carbon (TOC) components; and measuring means for measuring TOC concentration); [0031], (secondary pure water system 60 in which the primary pure water generated by primary pure water system 50 is supplied to generate ultrapure water); [0034], (the ultrapure water production system consisting of primary pure water system 50 and secondary pure water system 60. Since pure water production unit for evaluation 2 monitors water quality of the raw water, it is possible to quickly know the change in water quality of the raw water, and it is possible to prevent the raw water deteriorated in water quality from being supplied to the ultrapure water production system.
Taniguchi is directed to a reverse osmosis membrane plant, a method for manufacturing and operating the same [0001].
Taniguchi discloses a calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters ([0022], (a permeate-side solute concentration calculation unit that calculates a predicted value Cpo' of the permeate quality according to a permeate quality formula); ([0032], (this concentration polarization equation is derived from a concentration polarization model that represents the mass balance of solute permeation, and as shown in the equation below, it represents the relationship between the raw water side membrane concentration Cm, the permeate water concentration Cp, the raw water concentration Cp, the solvent permeation flux Jv, and the mass transfer coefficient k (see Figure 1). When predicting membrane transport parameters, the permeate outlet concentration Cpo, raw water inlet concentration Cf, and permeate flow rate Qpo in a reverse osmosis membrane plant, such as the seawater desalination system described above, are measured, and these measured values are input into the simulation unit along with the calculated mass transfer coefficient k calculated as described above); [0034], (The parameter prediction method of this embodiment involves performing a membrane performance analysis to obtain predicted values of the solvent permeability coefficient (pure water permeability coefficient) Lp and the solute permeability coefficient (salt permeability coefficient) P from measured values of operating parameters in a seawater desalination system as a reverse osmosis membrane plant)).
Takatori also discloses to achieve stable operation of such a RO membrane plant, it is desirable to determine the RO membrane performance and the membrane transport parameters that
accurately represent it [0003].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kishizawa‘s water quality prediction system as taught by Takatori and Taniguchi, wherein a calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of solute concentration in the treated water of the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters, in order to achieve stable operation (See Taniguchi, [0003]), yielding nothing more than predictable results.
Regarding claim 2, Kishizawa discloses the water quality prediction system wherein the first water treatment device comprises a first reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a first reverse osmosis membrane [0010].
However, Kishizawa is silent to a first reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a first solute permeation coefficient, the second water treatment device comprises a second reverse osmosis membrane device equipped with a second reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a second solute permeation coefficient, and the calculation unit is configured obtain the second solute permeation coefficient on the quality of the water to be treated, quality of permeated water of the second reverse osmosis membrane, and the second operating parameters, estimate the first solute permeation coefficient based on the solute permeation coefficient of the second reverse osmosis membrane, and
Taniguchi discloses a first reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a first solute permeation coefficient, the second water treatment device comprises a second reverse osmosis membrane device equipped with a second reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a second solute permeation coefficient, and the calculation unit is configured obtain the second solute permeation coefficient on the quality of the water to be treated, quality of permeated water of the second reverse osmosis membrane, and the second operating parameters, estimate the first solute permeation coefficient based on the solute permeation coefficient of the second reverse osmosis membrane, andthe quality of the water to be treated, and the first operating parameters ([0022], (a permeate-side solute concentration calculation unit that calculates a predicted value Cpo' of the permeate quality according to a permeate quality formula); ([0032], (this concentration polarization equation is derived from a concentration polarization model that represents the mass balance of solute permeation, and as shown in the equation below, it represents the relationship between the raw water side membrane concentration Cm, the permeate water concentration Cp, the raw water concentration Cp, the solvent permeation flux Jv, and the mass transfer coefficient k (see Figure 1). When predicting membrane transport parameters, the permeate outlet concentration Cpo, raw water inlet concentration Cf, and permeate flow rate Qpo in a reverse osmosis membrane plant, such as the seawater desalination system described above, are measured, and these measured values are input into the simulation unit along with the calculated mass transfer coefficient k calculated as described above); [0034], (The parameter prediction method of this embodiment involves performing a membrane performance analysis to obtain predicted values of the solvent permeability coefficient (pure water permeability coefficient) Lp and the solute permeability coefficient (salt permeability coefficient) P from measured values of operating parameters in a seawater desalination system as a reverse osmosis membrane plant); [0027], (membrane transport parameter prediction method of this embodiment is applied can be
configured, for example, to supply concentrated water from the first stage reverse osmosis membrane element to the second stage reverse osmosis membrane element under increased pressure. Experiments were conducted to determine the unknown coefficient for the first and second stage reverse osmosis membrane elements of this type of seawater desalination system).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify modified Kishizawa‘s water quality prediction system as taught by Taniguchi, wherein a first reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a first solute permeation coefficient, the second water treatment device comprises a second reverse osmosis membrane device equipped with a second reverse osmosis membrane whose solute permeation coefficient is a second solute permeation coefficient, and the calculation unit is configured obtain the second solute permeation coefficient on the quality of the water to be treated, quality of permeated water of the second reverse osmosis membrane, and the second operating parameters, estimate the first solute permeation coefficient based on the solute permeation coefficient of the second reverse osmosis membrane, and
Regarding claim 5, Kishizawa is silent to the water quality prediction system wherein the water treatment system further comprises: a first ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the first reverse osmosis membrane; and a first ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the first ultraviolet irradiation device, the system for evaluation further comprises: a second ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the second reverse osmosis membrane; and a second ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the second ultraviolet irradiation device, and the calculation unit is configured to obtain a solute removal rate attained by both the second ultraviolet irradiation device and the second ion exchange device, correct the solute removal rate based on the first operating parameters and the second operating parameters, and use the corrected solute removal rate to calculate a predicted value of solute concentration of treated water of the first ion exchange device.
Takatori discloses the water quality prediction system wherein the water treatment system further comprises: a first ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the first reverse osmosis membrane; and a first ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the first ultraviolet irradiation device, the system for evaluation further comprises: a second ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the second reverse osmosis membrane; and a second ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the second ultraviolet irradiation device, and the calculation unit is configured to obtain a solute removal rate attained by both the second ultraviolet irradiation device and the second ion exchange device, and use the corrected solute removal rate to calculate a predicted value of solute concentration of treated water of the first ion exchange device (Fig. 3, Abstract ,[0020], [0021], [0024], [0032], [0045], [0032]).
Taniguchi discloses correct the solute removal rate based on the first operating parameters and the second operating parameters ([0022], [0032], [0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kishizawa‘s water quality prediction system as taught by Takatori and Taniguchi, wherein the water treatment system further comprises: a first ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the first reverse osmosis membrane; and a first ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the first ultraviolet irradiation device, the system for evaluation further comprises: a second ultraviolet irradiation device provided at a subsequent stage of the second reverse osmosis membrane; and a second ion exchange device provided at a subsequent stage of the second ultraviolet irradiation device, and the calculation unit is configured to obtain a solute removal rate attained by both the second ultraviolet irradiation device and the second ion exchange device, correct the solute removal rate based on the first operating parameters and the second operating parameters, and use the corrected solute removal rate to calculate a predicted value of solute concentration of treated water of the first ion exchange device, in order to achieve stable operation (See Taniguchi, [0003]), yielding nothing more than predictable results.
Regarding claim 9, Kishizawa discloses a water quality prediction method for predicting quality of treated water in a water treatment system equipped with a first water treatment device that performs a unit operation on water to be treated water when the water to be treated is supplied to the water treatment system and the water treatment system is operated based on first operating parameters, comprising: supplying the water to be treated, which is to be supplied to the water treatment system, to a system for evaluation to operate the system for evaluation based on second operating parameters, the system for evaluation being equipped with a second water treatment device that performs same unit operation as the first water treatment device ([0002], In seawater desalination plants using RO (reverse osmosis) membrane modules, the seawater(water to be treated) is pre-treated to improve its quality before being supplied to the RO membrane module, However, predicting the water quality of seawater after pretreatment and the pressure required for pretreatment necessitates largescale studies, such as transporting large quantities of seawater into a test laboratory for testing, or constructing a pilot plant and conducting tests using actual modules. Therefore, selecting the optimal pretreatment system from among multiple types of pretreatment equipment is not easy. Therefore, there is a need for a tool that can easily evaluate various preprocessing steps.; [0007], (the present invention provides a portable pretreatment evaluation device for seawater desalination plants that can accommodate at least a plurality of small pretreatment modules that simulate a sand filter and a membrane separator, and is characterized by comprising a plurality of inlet ports, outlet ports and drain ports arranged to correspond to an inlet for introducing water to be treated, an outlet for the treated water after pretreatment and a drain port for discharging drain); [0008], (it is possible to provide a portable pretreatment evaluation device for seawater desalination plants that can be brought to a site in which the introduction of a seawater desalination plant is being considered, and that can easily obtain the permeability of seawater by at least various pretreatment devices on-site); [0010], (The seawater desalination plant 100 consists of, in order from the intake of raw seawater (water to be treated) downstream, a raw water storage tank 41 for storing the intake raw water, a sand filtration tank 42, an ultrafiltration membrane (UF membrane) 43, an intermediate tank 49, an RO membrane module 50 consisting of a pressure vessel housing a reverse osmosis membrane element (RO membrane element) inside, an energy recovery device 48, a freshwater storage tank 51, and a concentrated water storage tank 52.); [0049], (Furthermore, as described above, the water quality of the treated water discharged from the portable seawater desalination plant pretreatment evaluation device 1 may be measured using a separately prepared water quality meter), ([0052], portable seawater desalination plant pretreatment evaluation device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a water quality meter Q1 in addition to a flow meter F1 installed in the inflow channel 12 through which seawater from the site area contained in a sampling bottle is pumped up as inflow water by a pump 11 located on the bottom surface 3);
However, Kishizawa is silent to calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters.
Taniguchi discloses calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters ([0022], (a permeate-side solute concentration calculation unit that calculates a predicted value Cpo' of the permeate quality according to a permeate quality formula); ([0032], (this concentration polarization equation is derived from a concentration polarization model that represents the mass balance of solute permeation, and as shown in the equation below, it represents the relationship between the raw water side membrane concentration Cm, the permeate water concentration Cp, the raw water concentration Cp, the solvent permeation flux Jv, and the mass transfer coefficient k (see Figure 1). When predicting membrane transport parameters, the permeate outlet concentration Cpo, raw water inlet concentration Cf, and permeate flow rate Qpo in a reverse osmosis membrane plant, such as the seawater desalination system described above, are measured, and these measured values are input into the simulation unit along with the calculated mass transfer coefficient k calculated as described above); [0034], (The parameter prediction method of this embodiment involves performing a membrane performance analysis to obtain predicted values of the solvent permeability coefficient (pure water permeability coefficient) Lp and the solute permeability coefficient (salt permeability coefficient) P from measured values of operating parameters in a seawater desalination system as a reverse osmosis membrane plant)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kishizawa‘s water quality prediction system as taught by Taniguchi, wherein calculating a predicted value of solute concentration of the treated water in the water treatment system based on quality of the water to be treated, quality of treated water in the system for evaluation, the first operating parameters, and the second operating parameters in order to achieve stable operation (See Taniguchi, [0003]), yielding nothing more than predictable results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHMOUD MOTAZ ABDEL LATIF whose telephone number is (571)272-6535. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin L Lebron can be reached at 571-272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAHMOUD MOTAZ ABDEL LATIF/Examiner, Art Unit 1773
/BENJAMIN L LEBRON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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