FINAL REJECTION
Examiner’s Remarks
Regarding the amendment filed 68/25/2026:
The amendments to claims 1 and 3-21 are acknowledged and accepted.
The amendments to the abstract and specification are acknowledged and accepted.
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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in IB on 1/27/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the PCT/IB2023/000026 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 365(c) as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Application No. EP22036520.2 and PCTIB2023000026, fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application.
The prior-filed applications do not describe rectifying circuitry of the electronic module. More specifically, the prior-filed applications do not describe the energy harvested by the first wire antenna is supplied through the first pair of IO terminals to rectifying circuitry of the electronic module and from the rectifying circuitry to the lighting element through the third pair of IO terminals.
Accordingly, claims 1 and 3-21 are not entitled to the benefit of the prior application. The effective filing date of the claims is 4/9/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 7/24/2026 and 8/19/2026 were filed after the mailing date of the Non-final Rejection on 3/25/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 rectifying circuitry (at least four diodes and capacitor) of the electronic module, and the three pairs of IO terminals must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. It is noted that Fig. 15 only shows the third pair of IO pad terminals 422. However, the Figures do not illustrate the claimed the electronic module (420) having a first pair of IO terminals connected to the first wire antenna and a second pair of IO terminals connected to the second wire antenna.
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 Objections
Claims 1, 7, 13, 17 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 19 and 20 contain acronyms (e.g. IO, ISO), however does not provide the full names. If the applicant is to claim the acronyms, the full names should be referenced at least once within the claims in parentheses (e.g. input/output (IO); International Organization for Standardization (ISO)).
Claim 1 recites “an electronic module” in line 7. It appears that claim language should be “the electronic module” for proper antecedent basis with the recitation in line 2.
Claim 7 recites “first antenna wire”. It appears the language should be “first wire antenna” for proper antecedent basis.
Claim 13 recites “the lighting device”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Suggested language is “a lighting device”.
Claim 17 recites “energyto”. Suggested language is “energy to”.
Claim 20 recites “the pre-laminate structures of claim 13”. The claim language should be “the pre-laminate structure of claim 13” (i.e. singular) for proper antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The specification does not appear to describe a working embodiment of rectifying circuitry of the electronic module with respect to how it is connected to the IO terminals and lighting element. The only recitation regarding rectifiers is the following: “[0003] OLEDs and other lighting devices in pre-laminated structure and smartcards usually require external rectifier components to be able to receive harvesting energy from a HF antenna, for example an antenna with a resonance frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz. [0004] These solutions are generally based on the use of PCBs comprising the one or more antennas and the rectifier components, wherein the electronic components are typically produced by means of etching techniques. [0011] The double antenna configuration requires less electronic complexity with respect to the single antenna configuration, but it requires at least four diodes and one capacitor to realize a full rectifier, in order to connect the energy harvesting antenna and the LED or OLED. Therefore, production costs remain high.”. Based on para. [0011], it appears that the rectifying circuitry is at least four diodes and a capacitor. The specification does not clearly describe nor illustrate how the at least four diodes and a capacitor are connected to IO terminals and the lighting element.
Claim 19 recites “said single diode is formed on said electronic module for contactless data transfer of said smartcard”. The specification describes “the electronic components for harvesting energy to the lighting element 201 may include a single diode 203 in combination with an energy harvesting antenna” ([0063]). The specification does not describe how the single diode is used for contactless data transfer.
Claims not specifically addressed fail to comply with the written description requirement due to their dependency.
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 1 and 3-21 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 1 recites “said contactless data-transfer circuitry”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear what contactless data-transfer circuitry the applicant is referring to. Please clarify.
Claim 17 recites “electronic module further comprises a capacitor configured to provide energy to said lighting element by means of a wire in combination with said single diode, and wherein said lighting device comprises a connection wire”. It is not clear if “a wire in combination with said single diode” is a connection wire. Furthermore, it is not clear what the connection wire connects to/from in “said lighting device comprises a connection wire”, i.e. a connection wire with respect to what? Please clarify. The claim language already recites a wire antenna with respect to the lighting element (of the lighting device), thus it is not clear if “connection wire” is different than, or the same as, the wire antenna. Please clarify.
Claims not specifically addressed are indefinite due to their dependency.
Examiner’s Remarks
With respect to claim(s) 1 and 3-21, the examiner makes no prior art rejection. However, these claims are not allowable pursuant to the pending 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, rejection (where applicable) and the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, rejection (where applicable).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 3-21 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection in view of the amendment to claim 1 (e.g. with said antenna substrate being arranged between said first wire antenna and said second wire antenna, wherein said electronic module comprises a first pair of IO terminals connected to said first wire antenna and a second pair of IO terminals connected to said second wire antenna, said first pair of IO terminals and said second pair of IO terminals being different pairs of IO terminals of said electronic module and being electrically separate from each other, wherein said electronic module further comprises a third pair of IO terminals configured for connection to said lighting element, wherein energy harvested by said first wire antenna is supplied through said first pair of IO terminals to rectifying circuitry of said electronic module and from said rectifying circuitry to said lighting element through said third pair of IO terminals, and is not supplied to said contactless data-transfer circuitry, and [[W]]wherein said first second wire antenna does not provides energy to said contactless data- transfer circuitry of said electronic module and said second wire antenna does not provide energy to said lighting element.)
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Telephone/Fax Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUEZU ELLIS whose telephone number is (571)272-2868. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:30 am - 6:30 pm EST.
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/SUEZU ELLIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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