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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 10/22/2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of 12,347,345 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
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 1-9 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 is directed to a “doorbell guide apparatus” that solely comprises a “sign” and no other elements; all that follows are part of the “sign”. The claim then defines what makes up the sign; the sign is claimed to have a hinge, in which said “hinge” is “configured to interface with the sign”. It is unclear how the hinge, which is part of the sign, can then be configured to interface with itself, since it is already part of the sign itself. As such, it is unclear what the hinge is “configured to interface” with.
Additional claims introduce further indefiniteness, such as claim 2- it is unclear how the sign, which includes a hinge (which has the second end), can be removably interfaced with itself.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mathers et al. (5,077,452).
Regarding claim 1, Mathers et al. discloses a reconfigurable doorbell guide apparatus, comprising: a sign (“A”; see Fig. 2), having: a body (18) having a plurality of surfaces; an anchoring part configured to mount to a structure in a plurality of orientations, the anchoring part having: a backing plate (B), the backing plate having a flat fastener (D; see Fig. 4, fastener D is flat as looking into the paper in the view of Fig. 4) disposed on a first surface thereof; and a hinge (32), having: a first end (side of 28) configured to interface with the backing plate, and a second end (other side nearest 18) configured to interface with the sign.
Regarding claim 2, the second end is configured to removeably interface with the sign (as best understood in light of the above indefiniteness, the hinge portion could be removed from the sign).
Regarding claim 3, the “sign” 18, can pivot with the hinge.
Regarding claim 6, the sign further comprises: at least one mount (C) on a first end of the sign, with at least one pin (40).
Regarding claim 7, an attachment interface (C) can receive the hinge in a plurality of orientations (i.e., the orientations in Fig. 4)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mathers et al. (5,077,452) alone.
Regarding claim 4, Mathers is discussed above but does not show the fastener being tape, glue or hook and look. However, as all of these fasteners are old and well known in the art, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use a tape, glue or hook and loop fastener rather than the clamp, or in addition to the clamp of Mathers in order to more easily attach the sign.
Regarding claim 5, Mathers is discussed above but is silent on the materials of construction. However, the selection of a known material involves only routine skill in the art, and as such it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the sign and hinge from plastic and the attachment interface from polycarbonate plastic in order to provide durable yet inexpensive materials.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID R DUNN whose telephone number is (571)272-6670. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00.
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/DAVID R DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636