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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 09/29/2011 and 04/16/2012 are being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 1-8 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-8 of U.S. Application No. 12/211,523. The instant application claims similar subject matter as the patent with differences that are obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art. For instance:
Pertaining claim 1, claim 1 of U.S. Application No. 17/360,896 teaches A terminal connection portion (claim 1, line 1) for an electronic device (claim 1, line 1) including a first terminal of a wiring portion (claim 1, line 2), the wiring portion (claim 1, line 2) including: a base insulating layer (claim 1, line 3); conductors formed on the base insulation layer (claim 1, line 3); a cover layer which covers the conductors (claim 1, lines 3-4); and the first terminal which is formed at an end of each of the conductors (claim 1, line 5) and is integral with each of the conductors (claim 1, line 5), and the first terminal comprising (claim 1, line 6): a base portion (claim 1, line 8) including a first surface fixed to the base insulation layer along the base insulation layer (claim 1, line 7) and a second surface opposite the first surface (claim 1, line 8); a bent portion (claim 1, line 17) reversed in a thickness direction of the base portion (claim 1, lines 17-18) from an end of the base portion towards the second surface (claim 1, line 19); and an overlapping portion (claim 1, line 20) extending from the bent portion in a direction along the second surface (claim 1, line 21).
Pertaining claims 7-8, claims 7-8 of U.S. Application No. 17/360,896 further teaches dependent claims 7-8 of the instant application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDARGIE M AYCHILLHUM whose telephone number is (571)270-1607. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at (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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/ANDARGIE M AYCHILLHUM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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