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 Objections
Claim 38 is objected to because of the following informalities: In the last line “wherein the first detection element is less susceptible to contamination than the first detection element” should be changed to --wherein the first detection element is less susceptible to contamination than the second detection element”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 20-39 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they recite similar limitations.
With respect to claim 20, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 21, claims 1-2 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 22, claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 23, claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 24, claim 5 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 25, claim 6 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 26, claim 7 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 27, claim 8 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 28, claim 9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 29, claim 10 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 30, claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 31, claim 12 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 32, claim 13 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 33, claim 14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 34, claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 35, claim 16 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 36, claim 17 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 37, claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 38, claim 19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 39, claim 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,203,925 discloses the limitations.
Claims 28-37 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-6, 8, 10, and 12 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they recite similar limitations.
With respect to claim 28, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 29, claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 30, claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 31, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 32, claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 33, claim 5 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 34, claims 1 and 6 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 35, claim 8 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 36, claim 10 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 37, claim 12 of U.S. Patent No. 11,789,009 discloses the limitations.
Claims 20-27 and 38-39 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4, 6, 7, and 13 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they recite similar limitations.
With respect to claim 20, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 21, claims 1-2 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 22, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 23, claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 24, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 25, claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 26, claim 6 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 27, claim 7 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 38, claim 13 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
With respect to claim 39, claim 13 of U.S. Patent No. 10,877,023 discloses the limitations.
Conclusion
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DREW BROWN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/DREW J BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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