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 .
Claims 1-10 are presented for examination. The Examiner acknowledges the addition of claims 2-10 for the response filed on 12/16/2025
This Office action is Final.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on December 16th, 2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. Patent No. 11,663,247 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
It is noted, a rejection based on the statutory type of double patenting can be avoided by amending the conflicting claims so that they are not coextensive in scope. Where the conflicting claims are in one or more pending applications and a patent, a rejection based on statutory type double patenting can also be avoided by canceling the conflicting claims in all the pending applications. Where the conflicting claims are in two or more pending applications, a provisional rejection based on statutory type double patenting can also be avoided by canceling the conflicting claims in all but one of the pending applications. A terminal disclaimer is not effective in overcoming a statutory double patenting rejection.
The use of a 37 CFR 1.131(a) affidavit in overcoming a statutory double patenting rejection is inappropriate. In re Dunn, 349 F.2d 433, 146 USPQ 479 (CCPA 1965). Knell v. Muller, 174 USPQ 460 (Comm’r. Pat. 1971) (citing the CCPA decisions in In re Ward, 236 F.2d 428, 111 USPQ 101 (CCPA 1956); In re Teague, 254 F.2d 145, 117 USPQ 284 (CCPA 1958); and In re Hidy, 303 F.2d 954, 133 USPQ 650 (CCPA 1962)).
The Examiner maintains the Statutory Double Patenting rejection from the previous Office action. The rejection previously set forth explicitly makes clear that claim 1 is an exact duplicate of the previously allowed ‘247 patent, the Examiner also recommended that the independent claim is further amended in order to avoid it being a statutory double patenting. In the response filed 12/16/2025, claim 1 was not amended and presented as originally filed, accordingly, the claim still remains a duplicate of the allowed ‘247 patent. The Examiner invites the Applicant to a telephonic interview if further clarification is needed in order to expedite the instant application towards a proper allowance.
Statutory Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claim 1 of prior U.S. Patent No. 11,663,247. This is a statutory double patenting rejection. The Examiner recommends that the claim is amended to be an obvious variant such that a Terminal Disclaimer to place the claims in condition for allowance.
With respect to claims 2-10, they are rejected for at least being dependents of claim 1.
Conclusions/Points of Contacts
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE A CASANOVA whose telephone number is (571)270-3563. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EST).
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, Aleksandr Kerzhner can be reached on (571) 270-1760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JORGE A CASANOVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2165