DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to an application that was filed on 05/09/2025. Claims 1-16 are presented for examination consideration.
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 .
Specification Objections
The disclosure is objected to because of the following structural informalities:
The limitation phrase “device” in the limitation “an initiation unit having a second housing within which is disposed an initiation module that is configured to discharge initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the device” is not consistent with the structural limitation of the preamble in independent claim 1. In addition, the cited limitation phrase is NOT structural defined in the abstract and ¶[0040_0054_0089_0209] as to support the claim.
The limitation phrase “device” in the method limitation “and providing an initiation unit having a second housing within which is disposed an initiation module that is configured to discharge initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the device” is not consistent with the structural limitation of the preamble in method independent claim 10. In addition, the cited limitation phrase is NOT structural defined in the abstract and ¶[0040_0054_0089_0209] as to support the method of the claim.
Appropriate correction is required as well as no new matter should be entered.
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 1-16 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In independent claim 1, the limitation phrase “device” in the limitation “and providing an initiation unit having a second housing within which is disposed an initiation module that is configured to discharge initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the device”, is confusing. The premise of the confusion is compounded by the limitation phrase “device” NOT having the proper antecedent basis. Therefore, the claim DOES NOT make it clear if the cited limitation structure “device” is the “a wireless initiation device” in the preamble of the claim, OR an entirely different limitation structure. Specially, independent claim 1 of US12313391B2 indicates “and a circuit configured to discharge initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the wireless initiation device”, defining the preamble structure.
Claims 2-9 and 16 are rejected since the base independent claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph.
In method independent claim 10, the limitation phrase “device” in the limitation “an initiation unit having a second housing within which is disposed an initiation module that is configured to discharge initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the device”, is confusing. The premise of the confusion is compounded by the limitation phrase “device” NOT having the proper antecedent basis. Therefore, the claim DOES NOT make it clear if the cited limitation structure “device” is the “method of preparing a wireless initiation device” in the preamble of the claim, OR an entirely different limitation structure. Specially, independent claim 17 of US12313391B2 indicates “and responsive to the initiation signal, discharging initiation energy sufficient to initiate an explosive charge associated with the wireless initiation device”, defining the preamble method of the structure.
Claim 11-15 is rejected since the base independent claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1325. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at (571) 272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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