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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
This application is a Continuation of PCT/JP2023/040658 filed November 10, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 11, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 38 and 39. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the term “while” should be removed. The term “while” implies an ongoing concurrent action without clearly defining if the classification is a functional step or an inherent state. The applicant should amend this to a direct step (e.g., "classifying components...") to improve readability. 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 1-5 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 1: “integrating the first sub-harness, the second sub-harness, and the third sub-harness” is indefinite because the physical “integrating” step is structurally inconsistent with a “designing” method. It is unclear whether the step requires physical joining of wires, or if it means “integrating the designs of” the sub harnesses on a schematic. The examiner will interpret the claim to be “integrating the first sub-harness, the second sub-harness, and the third sub-harness via a junction box.”
Claim 2: There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
-Recites "the components of the vehicle wire harness". Claim 1, to which claim 2 depends, recites "components provided in an entire circuit of a vehicle wire harness." The introduction of "the components..." in claim 2 without linking them clearly back to the entire circuit leaves it unclear whether it refers to all components or a specific sub-selection.
- Recites "a specific function on a vehicle" and "a specific region on a vehicle body." The use of the definite article "a" mixed with the descriptor "specific" is indefinite without defining what functional category or spatial boundary qualifies as "specific."
Claim 3: There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The terms “the component” in lines 5-7 should be “a component.
Claim 4: The claim is indefinite because of the terms “connects common portions of the circuits of the first sub-harness, the second sub-harness, and the third sub-harness” is vague. The claim is clear that the first, second and third sub-harnesses are distinct without overlapping domains. It is unclear to the examiner what the “common portion” is between the mutually exclusive circuits.
The examiner will interpret the claim to read:
4. A vehicle wire harness comprising: a first sub-harness that constitutes an upstream circuit common to a plurality of vehicle types among components provided in an entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness; a second sub-harness that constitutes an independent domain circuit belonging to a specific function on a vehicle among the components provided in the entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness; a third sub-harness that constitutes a zone circuit belonging to a specific region on a vehicle body other than the specific function among the components provided in the entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness; and a common circuit connection unit that electrically connects portions of the circuits of the first sub-harness, the second sub-harness, and the third sub-harness via a junction box.
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 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsumura (WO 2019/160147).
In regards to claim 1, Matsumura teaches a wire harness (figure 11) designing method comprising: classifying components provided in an entire circuit of a vehicle wire harness into three layers, that is, an upstream circuit (The device-side wire harness 5WHb2 is a wiring member that connects the power communication relay device 512 and the device. Here, an area ECU 520 and a control target device 590 to be controlled by the area ECU 520 are employed as devices, page 15, paragraph [0006]), an independent domain circuit (first functional layer (40)), and a zone circuit (The second function is a wiring system for an automobile including a function related to at least one of a carry-in device connection function and an entertainment function, claim 2), according to differences in category, determining a configuration of a first sub-harness (5WHb2) belonging to the upstream circuit; determining a configuration of a second sub-harness (Wha) belonging to the independent domain circuit; determining a configuration of a third sub-harness (WHb5) belonging to the zone circuit; and integrating the first sub-harness (5WHb2), the second sub-harness (Wha), and the third sub-harness (WHb5) via a junction box (14d).
In regards to claim 4, Matsumura teaches a vehicle wire harness (see figure 11) comprising: a first sub-harness (5WHb2) that constitutes an upstream circuit common to a plurality of vehicle types among components provided in an entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness (The device-side wire harness 5WHb2 is a wiring member that connects the power communication relay device 512 and the device. Here, an area ECU 520 and a control target device 590 to be controlled by the area ECU 520 are employed as devices, page 15, paragraph [0006]); a second sub-harness (Wha) that constitutes an independent domain circuit belonging to a specific function (first functional layer (40)) on a vehicle among the components provided in the entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness (The first function includes a function related to driving of an automobile, claim 2); a third sub-harness (WHb5) that constitutes a zone circuit belonging to a specific region on a vehicle body other than the specific function (The second function is a wiring system for an automobile including a function related to at least one of a carry-in device connection function and an entertainment function, claim 2) among the components provided in the entire circuit of the vehicle wire harness (second functional layer 60); and a common circuit connection unit (junction box 14d) that electrically connects portions of the circuits of the first sub-harness, the second sub-harness, and the third sub-harness via a junction box (14d).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mizuno (US 11,787,353) teaches a wire harness for a vehicle; Kisu (US 2020/0130613) teaches a harness with different branches and connectors; Kisu (US 2020/009168) teaches a wire harness with a terminal connector and sub harnesses.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRYSTAL ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9258. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached on (571)-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRYSTAL ROBINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2848
Prosecution Insights