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 .
Examiners Note
Examiner notes that an original claim set was filed January 30, 2025, an amended claim set was filed January 30, 2025, and an updated claim set was filed March 30, 2025 without the amendments field January 30, 2025. The updated claim set appears to be part of a corrected filing for the original claim set and is thus added for verification purposes. Examiner will be reviewing the amended claim set was filed January 30, 2025 below.
Claim Objections
The Claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 1, the term “a demodulator (12), comprising two multipliers (16, 17), a formator (18), a low- pass filter (19), a band-pass filter (20);
the voltage outputs leading to the inputs of the measuring device (3), wherein one of the outputs is connected to the excitation current electrode (6) of the operational amplifiers (9) output in the active electrode system (1) for measuring the voltage V3 and the other voltage input is connected to the voltage pickup electrode (7) for measuring the voltage V1, the two subsequent inputs of the measuring device (3) are connected with two other outputs of the analog interface (2) for measuring the voltages DZ and DAZ detected in the demodulator (12).” should be replaced with -- a demodulator (12), comprising two multipliers (16, 17), a formator (18), a low- pass filter (19), a band-pass filter (20); and
the voltage outputs leading to the inputs of the measuring device (3), wherein one of the voltage outputs is connected to the excitation current electrode (6) of the operational amplifiers (9) output in the active electrode system (1) for measuring the voltage V3 and the other voltage input is connected to the voltage pickup electrode (7) for measuring the voltage V1, the two subsequent inputs of the measuring device (3) are connected with two other outputs of the analog interface (2) for measuring the voltages DZ and DAZ detected in the demodulator (12).-- for claim clarity.
In Claim 19, the term “wherein one excitation current electrode and one voltage pickup electrode are joined together into a single common electrode resulting a three-electrode electrode system.” should be replaced with -- wherein one excitation current electrode and one voltage pickup electrode are joined together into a single common electrode resulting in a three-electrode system.-- for grammatical clarity.
In Claim 21, the term “taking the electrical voltage V1 from the voltage pickup electrode and directing it to the measuring device for measurement and evaluation;
designing and installing the excitation current electrodes and the voltage pickup electrodes.” Should be replaced with -- taking the electrical voltage V1 from the voltage pickup electrode and directing it to the measuring device for measurement and evaluation; and
designing and installing the excitation current electrodes and the voltage pickup electrodes.-- for claim clarity.
In Claim 22, the term “forming the electrodes as a series of point electrodes connected with each other;
designing the single strip-shaped voltage pickup electrode as common electrode comprising one excitation current electrode and one voltage pickup electrode as a pair, wherein the excitation current electrode involved in the pair is for the purpose for the collectable voltage to grip the whole voltage drop generated by the excitation current.” Should be replaced with -- forming the electrodes as a series of point electrodes connected with each other; and
designing the single strip-shaped voltage pickup electrode as common electrode comprising one excitation current electrode and one voltage pickup electrode as a pair, wherein the excitation current electrode involved in the pair is for the purpose for the collectable voltage to grip the whole voltage drop generated by the excitation current.-- for claim clarity.
In Claim 23, the term “the voltage V3 of the excitation current electrode (6) connected to the output of the operational amplifier measured to ensure that its value does not exceed a set limit;
the voltage V3 of the excitation current electrode (6) connected to the output of the operational amplifier measured to determine the resistance r2 = (V3 -V2)/i between this excitation current electrode and the object to ensure that it exceeds the set value.” Should be replaced with -- the voltage V3 of the excitation current electrode (6) connected to the output of the operational amplifier measured to ensure that its value does not exceed a set limit; and
the voltage V3 of the excitation current electrode (6) connected to the output of the operational amplifier measured to determine the resistance r2 = (V3 -V2)/i between this excitation current electrode and the object to ensure that it exceeds the set value.-- for claim clarity.
Appropriate correction is required and applicant should carefully review the Claims for any other informalities.
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.
Claim 1 and claims dependent thereon 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 1, line 13 the term “the excitation current electrode" renders the claim indefinite because the first instance of this limitation in line 2 referred to multiple excitation current electrodes, yet this line indicates a single instance of the excitation current electrode. Examiner considers the former the correct interpretation and suggest amending the claim to read -- a first excitation current electrode-- for clarification purposes.
Regarding Claim 1, line 14, the term “the operational amplifiers (9) output” renders the claim indefinite because the first instance of this limitation in line 6 referred to a single operational amplifier, yet this line indicates multiple instance of the operational amplifier. Examiner considers the former the correct interpretation and suggest amending the claim to read -- operational amplifier-- for clarification purposes.
Claim 1, line 13 recites the limitation "the voltage outputs." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 14 recites the limitation "the voltage V3." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 15 recites the limitation "the voltage V3." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, lines 16-17 recites the limitation "the voltage V1." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 17 recites the limitation "the two subsequent inputs." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 18 recites the limitation "the voltages DZ and DΔZ." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 13 recites the limitation "the inputs of the measuring device." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This rejection also applies to claim 2.
Regarding Claim 1, lines 13-15 the term “wherein one of the outputs is connected to the excitation current electrode (6) of the operational amplifiers (9) output in the active electrode system (1) for measuring the voltage V3” renders the claim indefinite because the excitation current electrode is implied to be part of the operational amplifier rather than a distinct structure. Examiner considers the former the correct interpretation.
Furthermore, term “the operational amplifiers (9) output” renders the claim indefinite because the first instance of this limitation in line 6 referred to a single operational amplifier, yet this line indicates multiple instance of the operational amplifier. Examiner considers the former the correct interpretation. Thus Examiner suggests amending the claim to read -- wherein one of the voltage outputs is connected to [[the]] a first excitation current electrode (6) [[of]] connected to the output of the operational amplifier[[s]] (9) in the active electrode system (1) for measuring [[the]] a voltage V3-- for clarification purposes.
Regarding Claim 1, lines 16-19 the term “the other voltage input is connected to the voltage pickup electrode (7) for measuring the voltage V1, the two subsequent inputs of the measuring device (3) are connected with two other outputs of the analog interface (2) for measuring the voltages DZ and DAZ detected in the demodulator (12).” renders the claim indefinite because no voltage inputs have been described prior to these lines and thus the term “the other voltage input” does not clearly narrow the structural relationship of the device.
Furthermore, the term “the voltage pickup electrode” renders the claim indefinite because the first instance of this limitation in lines 2-3 referred to a multiple voltage pickup electrode, yet this line indicates a single instance of the voltage pick up electrode. Examiner considers the former the correct interpretation.
Examiner suggests amending the claim to read -- a voltage input is connected to [[the]] a first voltage pickup electrode (7) for measuring [[the]] a voltage V1, [[the]] two subsequent inputs of the measuring device (3) are connected with two other outputs of the analog interface (2) for measuring [[the]] voltages DZ and DAZ detected in the demodulator (12).-- for clarification purposes.
Regarding Claim 1, lines 16-19 the term “electrical contact resistances (r1, r2) between the excitation current electrodes (5, 6) and the biological object (100),” renders the claim indefinite because the term is included in a list of components of a device claim yet is not a hardware addition to the device claim. One could consider this a typographical error and the terms resistance as referring to resistors. Examiner considers this limitation to be merely labeling a characteristic occurrence of a resistance that occurs between excitation current electrodes and a biological object and suggests amending the claim to read – wherein a respective electrical contact resistance[[s]] (r1, r2) will occur between the respective excitation current electrodes (5, 6) and the biological object (100),--.
Claim 2, lines 2-3 recites the limitation "the input of the active electrode system." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2, line 3 recites the limitation "the input of the analog interface." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2, lines 3-4 recites the limitation "the informative voltage outputs with voltages V1 and V2." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2, line 5 recites the limitation "the inputs of the analog interface." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2, lines 5-6 recites the limitation "the output voltages V3 and V1 of the active electrode system." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3, lines 2-3 recites the limitation "the one excitation current electrode." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3, line 6 recites the limitation "the second excitation current electrode." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4, the term “the current-impeding circuit (10) comprises a frequency- dependent resistance consisting of a fixed resistor (r3) and one or several parallel resistors (rp1, rp2) connected in parallel to it through one (C1) or several (C1, C2) capacitances.” ),” renders the claim indefinite because the term “it” could refer to either the “fixed resistor” and “the current-impeding circuit.”
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the non-inverting input." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the inverting input." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the subtracting input." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Various corresponding 35 USC 112(b) antecedent basis issues can be found in claims 6-9, 11-16, 19-23.
Claims 14-15, the term “biological object” renders the claim indefinite because the term could refer to either the biological object of claim 1 or be a new instance of a biological object. Examiner considered the former to be the correct interpretation and suggests amending the claim to read “the biological object.”
Claim 16, the term “wherein the innermost excitation current electrode is designed to a surface electrode or a point electrode or a line electrode.” renders the claim indefinite because the term “innermost” relies on a relational position that has not been established previously. Examiner suggests amending the claim to read -- wherein the excitation current electrode is designed to be a surface electrode or a point electrode or a line electrode.
Claim 19, the term “wherein one excitation current electrode and one voltage pickup electrode are joined together into a single common electrode resulting a three-electrode electrode system.
Allowable Subject Matter
No prior art rejection is applied to claims 1-26 because the prior art fails to motivation for combining the various circuits components in the given order, number, or type, specifically based on the given voltage output relationship for the operational amplifier and very specifically fails to teach the use of multiple summing units.
The closest prior art of record is
Min et al (US 2010/0225303) that teaches a biological impedance measurer comprising an electrode system, a current-impeding circuit, an analog interface comprising a multiplier, an amplifier, a summing unit, and a low pass filter and teaches that demodulation should be applied to the signals.
Rossi (US 2015/0051505) that teaches a biological impedance measurer comprising a voltage-to-current converter with similar structure to the active electrode system that interfaces with the biological object, that includes an operational amplifier.
Kovacs (US 9.546,898) that teaches a fitness testing scale that further teaches the presence of contact resistance, an inverting amplifier, a demodulator with a multiplication function, a low pass filter, and a band pass filter.
However, the claims are not allowed at this time due to the rejections under 35 USC 112, as set forth above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAIRO H PORTILLO whose telephone number is (571)272-1073. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am - 5:15 pm.
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, Jacqueline Cheng can be reached at (571)272-5596. 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.
/JAIRO H. PORTILLO/
Examiner
Art Unit 3791
/PUYA AGAHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791
