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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the features of “the first and second segments are coupled to each other by a living hinge” as claimed in claim 23; and “the data communication line is a coaxial cable” as claimed in claim 35 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 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 9-12, 14, 15, and 17 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 9, line 2, “the second end of the second segment” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 11, lines 1-2, “the first end” and “the second end” are unclear since there are “first and second ends of the communication line” cited in claim 8; and “first end of the first segment” and “second end of the second segment cited in claim 9.
Claim 17, line 2, “the second end of the second segment” lacks antecedent basis.
Claims 10, 12, 14, and 15 are included in this rejection because of dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-8, 24, 31, 34, 37, 39, and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Selby (6974912).
Selby discloses a data communication line comprising: a first segment (12); a second segment (12); and an electrically conductive element (14) coupled to each of the first and second segments such that the first and second segments are movable relative to each other (re-claim 1). Selby also discloses that the first segment is electrically insulative (re-claim 2); the second segment is electrically insulative (re-claim 3); the first segment and the second segment are composed of a dielectric material (re-claim 4); the first segment and the second segment are physically separable from one another (re-claim 5); the electrically conductive element is elongate along a central axis (re-claim 7); the data communication line includes a second end and a first end spaced from the second end along the central axis (re-claim 8); the electrically conductive element is a first conductive element and the data line further comprises a second conductive element coupled each of the first and second segments (Fig. 5) (re-claim 31); the data line is a twinaxial cable since it comprises structure and material as claimed (re-claim 34); the data line is movable from a first configuration, wherein the data line is straight, to a second configuration, wherein the data line is curved (Figs 4A-4B) (re-claim 37); the first segment is movable along the central axis relative to the second segment (re-claim 39); the first segment is spaced from the second segment by a distance, and the first segment is movable relative to the second segment such that the distance is adjustable (re-claim 40).
Claims 1, 7-12, 14, 15, 17, 24, and 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Whearley et al. (3105287).
Whearley et al. (Fig. 2) discloses a data communication line comprising: a first segment; a second segment; and an electrically conductive element (20) coupled to each of the first and second segments such that the first and second segments are movable relative to each other (re-claim 1). Whearley et al. also discloses that the electrically conductive element is elongate along a central axis (re-claim 7); the data communication line includes a second end and a first end spaced from the second end along the central axis (re-claim 8); a shape of a first end of the first segment corresponds to a shape of the second end of the second segment (re-claim 9); the first end of the first segment includes a recess (re-claim 10); the recess extends from the first end toward the second end along a recess axis (re-claim 11); the recess axis is parallel to the central axis (re-claim 12); the second end of the second segment includes a protrusion (re-claim 14); the protrusion is configured to be positioned in the recess (re-claim 15); the first end of the segment includes a concave shape and the second end of the second segment includes a convex shape such that a portion of the second segment is within the recess of the first segment (re-claim 17); the conductive element is a signal conductor since it comprises structure and material as claimed (re-claim 24); the first segment is movable along the central axis relative to the second segment (re-claim 39).
Claims 1, 7, 23, 24, and 37-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kulas (9722368).
Kulas discloses a data communication line comprising: a first segment; a second segment; and an electrically conductive element (32, 34) coupled to each of the first and second segments such that the first and second segments are movable relative to each other (re-claim 1). Kulas also discloses that the electrically conductive element is elongate along a central axis (re-claim 7); the first and second segments are coupled to each other by a living hinge (230) (re-claim 23); the conductive element is a signal conductor (re-claim 24); the data line is movable from a first configuration, wherein the data line is straight (not shown), to a second configuration, wherein the data line is curved (Fig. 1) (re-claim 37); the first segment is spaced from the second segment along the central axis when the data line is in the first configuration, and the first segment is in contact with the second segment when the data line is in the second configuration (Fig. 1) (re-claim 38); the first segment is movable along the central axis relative to the second segment (re-claim 39).
Claims 1 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Delany (US 320229).
Delany discloses a data communication line comprising: a first segment; a second segment; and an electrically conductive element (Fig. 3) coupled to each of the first and second segments such that the first and second segments are movable relative to each other (re-claim 1). Delany also discloses the data line being a coaxial cable (page 2, right col., lines 88-89, outer sheath being a metallic sheath) (re-claim 35).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Whearley et al. in view of Chopard et al. (2021/0323215).
Claims 25 and 26 additionally recite the first and second segments each comprising a porous three-dimensional structure or including a plurality of struts defining unit cells. Chopard et al. discloses an insulator (5) which can be used for cables ([0070]) and comprises a porous three-dimensional structure or includes a plurality of struts defining unit cells (Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to use the material as taught by Chopard et al. for the segments of Whearley et al. to reduce the dielectric constant (porous) and improve thermal insulation for the segments.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAU N NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1980. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, 7am to 5:30pm.
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, Imani N Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. 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.
/CHAU N NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
