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 .
This office action is responsive to the Request for Continued Examination filed 6 February 2026, whereby the Amendment and Remarks filed 7 January 2026, wherein claim 8 was canceled, was entered. Subsequently, claims 1-7 and 9-17 remain pending and presently under consideration in this application.
Response to Amendment
The objection of claim 1, as set forth in paragraph 10 of the previous FINAL office action on the merits, is hereby withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments to the same.
The rejection of claims 1, 3, 5/10, and 7 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112(pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as respectively set forth in paragraphs 13-16 of the previous FINAL office action on the merits, are hereby withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments to the same.
Applicants have amended each of the independent claims 1 and 15 as follows and argue that said amendment sufficiently distinguishes the liquid crystal composition of the present claims from that of the prior art of record:
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The aforementioned amendment introduces new consideration under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112(pre-AIA ), second paragraph, in claim 10.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7 January 2026 with respect to the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. 103, over Wang et al. (‘243), as set forth in paragraph 19 of the previous office action on the merits, said arguments essentially to the effect that, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The aforementioned rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 7 January 2026 with respect to the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. 103, over Deing et al. (‘074), as set forth in paragraph 20 of the previous office action on the merits, said arguments essentially to the effect that, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The aforementioned rejection is hereby withdrawn.
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 10 is 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 10 is rejected as being vague and indefinite when it recites “comprising the steps of mixing one or more one or more compounds of formula L1 and/or L2 and two or more polymerizable compounds of formula M with one or more compounds of formula II” (emphasis added); the scope of the protection sought is not clear in light of the amendments to claim 1 whereby the compounds of formula M and the compounds of formula L2 have been deleted. Claim 10 fails to particularly point out and distinctly claim the process of preparing a liquid crystal medium.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7, 9, and 11-17 are allowed.
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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GERALDINA VISCONTI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1737
/GERALDINA VISCONTI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737