DETAILED ACTION
1. This is the first action on the merits relating to U.S. Application Serial No. 19/380,847 filed on November 5, 2025.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Preliminary Amendment
3. Receipt is acknowledged of the preliminary amendment filed on March 24, 2026. Currently claims 2-21 remain in the examination.
4. Applicant’s disclosure of related application information as described in paragraph [0001] of the specification is acknowledged.
Drawings
5. Drawings originally filed on November 5, 2025 are approved.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
6. Claims 2-21 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 2 recites:
A system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a first unique identifier, wherein the first unique identifier corresponds to a first computer-readable code associated with a first medicinal container configured to store a first medication;
request, from a remotely located database, first drug data using the first unique identifier, wherein the first drug data corresponds to the first medication, and wherein the first drug data includes a quantity associated with the first medication;
determine a quantity of a second medication using the first drug data, wherein the second medication includes at least a portion of the first medication; and
update the remotely located database to associate the quantity of the second medication with a second unique identifier, wherein the second unique identifier corresponds to a second computer-readable code that is associated with the second medication.
In the claim, the first medication is linked to the second medication, however, the underlined portion of claim 2 “determine a quantity of a second medication using the first drug data, wherein the second medication includes at least a portion of the first medication” is vague and indefinite for linking the first medication and the second medication.
Combining claim 2 and 5 would overcome this rejection.
Claims 9 and 16 are rejected on the same ground as claim 2.
Combining claims 9 and 12 would overcome this rejection.
Combining claims 16 and 19 would overcome this rejection.
7. Claims 3-8, 10-17, and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being dependent on rejected base claims, claims 2, 9, and 16 respectively.
Additional Remarks
8. It is noted that a prior-art related opinion is not provided in this Office Action. Once 35 USC 112 is overcome, the case would be allowed, or non-final Office Action would be provided.
Conclusion
The pertinent prior arts made of record but not relied are listed in the attached form PTO-892. These are considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. Applicant is respectfully suggested to carefully review these references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ahshik Kim whose telephone number is (571)272-2393. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Examiner’s fax phone number is (571)273-2393.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571)272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571)273-8300.
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/AHSHIK KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
August 8, 2026
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