`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`wwwusptogov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
`
` F ING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`
`CONF {MATION NO.
`
`11/956,231
`
`12/13/2007
`
`Takeshi Kojima
`
`091478—0084
`
`7115
`
`.
`EXAMINER
`McDmnwmandEmeryLLp —
`09’0”“ —
`7590
`53080
`The McDermott Building
`TOTH, KAREN E
`PAPER NUMBER
`500 North Capitol Street, NW.
`WASHINGTON, DC 20001
`
`ART UNIT
`3735
`
`
`
`
`NOT *ICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`09/09/2014
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`mweipdocket @ mwe.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 11/956,231 KOJIMA ET AL.
`
`
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Art Unit
`Examiner
`Office Action Summary
`
`
`KAREN TOTH its“ 3735
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`Status
`
`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 23 July 2012.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2b)|ZI This action is non-final.
`2a)|:l This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)IZI Claim(s) 2 and3 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`is/are allowed.
`6)I:I Claim(s)
`7)|Z| Claim(s)_2 and 3 is/are rejected.
`
`8)|:| Claim(s)_ is/are objected to.
`* If any)claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`
`
`()
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`
`
`:/'I’vaIW.usnI‘.0. ovI’ atentS/init events/
`iindex.‘s orsend an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
`
`hit
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)I:l The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`12)I:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a)I:l All
`
`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
`
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) I] InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20140903
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1 .
`
`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
`
`provisions.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1. 1 14
`
`2.
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this
`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
`
`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 23 July
`
`2012 has been entered.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`
`IN GEN ERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the
`(a)
`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 orjoint 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.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint
`
`inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had
`
`possession of the claimed invention. The claims call for use of a “dedicated one-to-one
`
`transmission”. There is no description of such a transmission in the disclosure. The only
`
`description of limitations upon wireless communication between the components is
`
`discussion of whether there is one-way or two-way communication.
`
`5.
`
`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.
`
`6.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 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.
`
`The claims, in various clauses, call for operating the power switch, activating the
`
`power switch, and pressing the power switch. It is not clear how these actions are
`
`related, whether these are all unrelated activities or if all are the same, single task.
`
`Further, the disclosure does not include "pressing", but instead refers to "pushing" the
`
`power switch. It is not clear what activity is being performed, nor how many activities are
`
`performed.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`7.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 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.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 recite the limitation "the dedicated one-to-one transmission".
`
`There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims.
`
`Earlier in each claim is a reference to a wireless communication. It is not clear
`
`whether this wireless communication is a dedicated transmission, as referred to later, or
`
`if these are two unrelated transmissions.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`8.
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
`
`for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to
`be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
`obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
`
`9.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Sasagawa (Japan Patent Application Publication 2006-2045432), in
`
`view of Kanayama (U.S. 2004/0018817), Asakura (US 2008/0268814), and Graham
`
`(us 4005428).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`Regarding claim 2, Sasagawa et al. discloses a blood pressure measuring device
`
`(abstract and fig. 1) comprising: a main device (fig. 1, item 10): said main device having
`
`a pressurizing means (fig. 2, item 27 "pressure air pump") for inflating a cuff (fig 2, item
`
`2), a control means (see paragraph [0013] where the control unit (fig. 2, item 20)
`
`comprises an air pressure pump for pressurization as well as an exhaust valve for the
`
`release of pressure) for controlling said pressurizing means to measure a blood
`
`pressure of a user, a wireless communication means (fig. 2, item 24 where the
`
`communication portion makes the wireless communication between the body portion
`
`and the remote control unit (fig. 2, item 40) possible); a separate device capable of
`
`being used separately from said main device (fig. 2, item 40 "remote control unit"); said
`
`separate device having a wireless communication means (fig. 2, item 45
`
`"communication port") for performing a wireless communication with said wireless
`
`communication means of said main device (fig. 2, item 24), at least one of a display
`
`means (fig. 1, item 43 "display screen") for displaying data received from said main
`
`device via the wireless communication and an operation means (see [0009] where the
`
`remote control unit contains an operating portion (fig. 18, item 42) which operates the
`
`body portion) for operating said main device via the wireless communication, where at
`
`least one device of said main device (see paragraph [0010] where the main body has
`
`an operating portion (fig. 18, item 6) comprising an on/off switch) and said separate
`
`device (fig. 18, item 42) has a power switch. Sasagawa et al. does not disclose the
`
`limitations where one device having said power switch being activated when said power
`
`switch is operated when it is in a power-off state, and then it transmitting a start signal to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 3735
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`another device by the wireless communication, the other device shifting periodically
`
`from a power-off state to a power-on state on its own when it is in the power-off state in
`
`order to check said start signal, and it being activated if it receives said start signal
`
`when it shifts from the power-off state to the power-on state, and it returning to the
`
`power-off state if it does not receive said start signal when it shifts from the power-off
`
`state to the power-on state, said one device transmitting said start signal continuously
`
`over a period longer than a period during which said power switch is operated to
`
`activate said one device.
`
`Kanayama et al. teach these limitations as a communication system comprising a
`
`master and a slave that can communicate with each other, the master (the “one” device)
`
`including a first communication section for transmitting a start request signal to the slave
`
`(fig. 1, item 21), the slave (the “other” device) including a second communication section
`
`for receiving the start request signal transmitted by the master (fig. 1, item 31). The
`
`slave can take any of a start state in which the slave can communicate with the master,
`
`a communication control state in which at least the slave can receive the start request
`
`signal transmitted by the master and makes a transition to the start state upon reception
`
`of the start request signal, or a standby state in which power is less consumed than in
`
`the start state or the communication control state. The slave further includes a state
`
`control section for repeatedly operating so that the slave in the standby state is switched
`
`to the communication control state at a predetermined timing and is switched to the
`
`standby state when the communication control state continues for a predetermined time
`
`period without receiving the start request signal. Kanayama also discloses the one
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`device starting to transmit said start signal at the same time when said power switch is
`
`operated to activate the device (see fig. 2, where the slave makes a transition to the
`
`communication state when the power is selected to "on" on the master), and
`
`continuously transmitting said start signal over a period during which said power switch
`
`is operated (see paragraph [0067] and [0068] where the slave, having made the
`
`transition to a communication state, remains in that state until it times out and makes a
`
`transition to standby) and it continuously transmits said start signal over a
`
`predetermined period after completion of the operation of said power switch (see fig. 2
`
`where the slave remains in continuous communication with the master until it places
`
`itself in standby). See also paragraph [0087].
`
`The apparatus of Sasagawa et al. is portable and is carried about--either as a
`
`unit or independently-- to medical facilities or patients homes and is engineered to
`
`operate the main body remotely.
`
`The combination of Sasagawa et al. and Kanayama et al. provides Sasagawa et
`
`al. with the means by which the body of the sphygmomanometer as well as the remote
`
`control unit can be powered down should it be left on accidentally while travelling
`
`between locations, or if it is required to operate the main body when detached and the
`
`main body is in a standby state. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of
`
`ordinary skill in the art having the teachings of Sasagawa et al., and Kanayama et al., at
`
`the time the invention was made to modify Sasagawa et al. with the ability to power off
`
`should it be left on accidentally, or if it is required to operate the main body when
`
`detached and the main body is in a standby state as taught by Kanayama et al.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`Sasagawa and Kanayama do not disclose a dedicated one-to-one transmission
`
`as the wireless communication between the devices. Asakura teaches a system having
`
`main and other devices, where communication between the devices is via dedicated
`
`one-to-one transmission (paragraphs [O115]-[O116]) in order to improve security and
`
`reliability (paragraph [0116]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
`
`art at the time the invention was made to have configured the system of Sasagawa, as
`
`modified, for dedicated one-to-one transmission between the devices, as taught by
`
`Asakura, in order to improve security and reliability.
`
`Sasagawa, as modified, does not disclose the start signal being continued to be
`
`transmitted after the power switch is released. Graham teaches transmitting a signal
`
`from a main device to an other device upon pushing of a switch/actuator, where the
`
`signal continues to be sent after the switch/actuator is released (column 4, lines 51 -67).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention
`
`was made to have made the system of Sasagawa, as modified, and configured the start
`
`signal to be transmitted to the other device after release of the power switch, as taught
`
`by Graham, in order to ease operation for a user by not requiring the user to hold the
`
`switch in place for an extended period.
`
`Regarding claim 3, Sasagawa et al. discloses a blood pressure measuring device
`
`(abstract and fig. 1) comprising: a main device (fig. 1, item 10): said main device having
`
`a pressurizing means (fig. 2, item 27 "pressure air pump") for inflating a cuff (fig 2, item
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 9
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`2), a control means (see paragraph [0013] where the control unit (fig. 2, item 20)
`
`comprises an air pressure pump for pressurization as well as an exhaust valve for the
`
`release of pressure) for controlling said pressurizing means to measure a blood
`
`pressure of a user, a wireless communication means (fig. 2, item 24 where the
`
`communication portion makes the wireless communication between the body portion
`
`and the remote control unit (fig. 2, item 40) possible); a separate device capable of
`
`being used separately from said main device (fig. 2, item 40 "remote control unit"): said
`
`separate device having a wireless communication means (fig. 2, item 45
`
`"communication port") for performing a wireless communication with said wireless
`
`communication means of said main device (fig. 2, item 24), at least one of a display
`
`means (fig. 1, item 43 "display screen") for displaying data received from said main
`
`device via the wireless communication and an operation means (see [0009] where the
`
`remote control unit contains an operating portion (fig. 18, item 42) which operates the
`
`body portion) for operating said main device via the wireless communication, where at
`
`least one device of said main device (see paragraph [0010] where the main body has
`
`an operating portion (fig. 18, item 6) comprising an on/off switch) and said separate
`
`device (fig. 18, item 42) has a power switch. Sasagawa et al. does not disclose the
`
`limitations where one device having said power switch being activated when said power
`
`switch is operated when it is in a power-off state, and then it transmitting a start signal to
`
`the other device by the wireless communication, the other device shifting periodically
`
`from a power-off state to a power-on state on its own when it is in the power-off state in
`
`order to check said start signal, and it being activated if it receives said start signal
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 10
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`when it shifts from the power-off state to the power-on state, and it returning to the
`
`power-off state if it does not receive said start signal when it shifts from the power-off
`
`state to the power-on state, said one device transmitting said start signal continuously
`
`over a period longer than a period during which said power switch is operated to
`
`activate said one device.
`
`Kanayama et al. teach these limitations as a communication system comprising a
`
`master and a slave that can communicate with each other, the master (the “one” device)
`
`including a first communication section for transmitting a start request signal to the slave
`
`(fig. 1, item 21), the slave (the “other” device) including a second communication section
`
`for receiving the start request signal transmitted by the master (fig. 1, item 31). The
`
`slave can take any of a start state in which the slave can communicate with the master,
`
`a communication control state in which at least the slave can receive the start request
`
`signal transmitted by the master and makes a transition to the start state upon reception
`
`of the start request signal, or a standby state in which power is less consumed than in
`
`the start state or the communication control state. The slave further includes a state
`
`control section for repeatedly operating so that the slave in the standby state is switched
`
`to the communication control state at a predetermined timing and is switched to the
`
`standby state when the communication control state continues for a predetermined time
`
`period without receiving the start request signal. Kanayama further discloses the other
`
`device transmitting an acknowledgment signal when it receives the start signal, said one
`
`device starting to transmit said start signal at the same time when said power switch is
`
`operated to activate the device, and it stopping transmitting said start signal when it
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 11
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`receives the acknowledgment signal from the other device (see the entire document,
`
`especially fig. 2 and paragraphs [0066] - [0069] where the master sends a polling
`
`packet to the slave and receives a reply from the slave. The master terminates the
`
`propagation of a polling packet once communication is established with the slave). See
`
`also paragraph [0029].
`
`The combination of Sasagawa et al. and Kanayama et al. provides Sasagawa et
`
`al. with the means by which the body of the sphygmomanometer as well as the remote
`
`control unit can be powered down should it be left on accidentally while travelling
`
`between locations, or if it is required to operate the main body when detached and the
`
`main body is in a standby state. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of
`
`ordinary skill in the art having the teachings of Sasagawa et al., and Kanayama et al., at
`
`the time the invention was made to modify Sasagawa et al. with the ability to power off
`
`should it be left on accidentally, or if it is required to operate the main body when
`
`detached and the main body is in a standby state as taught by Kanayama et al.
`
`The apparatus of Sasagawa et al. is portable and is carried about--either as a
`
`unit or independently-- to medical facilities or patient's homes and is engineered to
`
`operate the main body remotely.
`
`Sasagawa and Kanayama do not disclose a dedicated one-to-one transmission
`
`as the wireless communication between the devices. Asakura teaches a system having
`
`main and other devices, where communication between the devices is via dedicated
`
`one-to-one transmission (paragraphs [0115]-[0116]) in order to improve security and
`
`reliability (paragraph [0116]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 12
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`art at the time the invention was made to have configured the system of Sasagawa, as
`
`modified, for dedicated one-to-one transmission between the devices, as taught by
`
`Asakura, in order to improve security and reliability.
`
`Sasagawa, as modified, does not disclose the start signal being continued to be
`
`transmitted after the power switch is released. Graham teaches transmitting a signal
`
`from a main device to an other device upon pushing of a switch/actuator, where the
`
`signal continues to be sent after the switch/actuator is released (column 4, lines 51 -67).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention
`
`was made to have made the system of Sasagawa, as modified, and configured the start
`
`signal to be transmitted to the other device after release of the power switch, as taught
`
`by Graham, in order to ease operation for a user by not requiring the user to hold the
`
`switch in place for an extended period.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`10.
`
`Applicant's arguments filed 23 July 2012 have been fully considered but they are
`
`not persuasive.
`
`Applicant argues that Kanayama does not teach continuously transmitting a
`
`signal over a period after operation of a switch because Kanayama’s signal’s period is
`
`not dependent upon the timing of the power switch operation. This is not persuasive -
`
`Applicant is attempting to bring in unclaimed limitations. The claim merely calls for a
`
`signal to be transmitted during a period that happens to be after switch operation. It
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
`
`Page 13
`
`Art Unit: 3735
`
`does not call for the period to be determined by the operation of the switch. Further,
`
`there are no claimed limitations as to the timing or duration of “predetermined period".
`
`Similarly, Applicant also argues that Kanayama does not teach receipt of an
`
`acknowledgement signal because Kanayama teaches sending a signal that indicates a
`
`change of state. This is not persuasive — there is no definition in the claims or disclosure
`
`of what constitutes an “acknowledgement signal”. Any signal that indicates that the
`
`"other" device has received a signal may be considered a signal indicating
`
`"acknowledgement" absent a specific, limiting definition.
`
`11.
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to transmission of a signal after releasing the
`
`power switch have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply
`
`to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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`The Examiner notes that Applicant’s remarks are not commensurate with the
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`claimed limitations. Applicant specifically addresses “powering off’ the start switch and
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`the main device, but this is not claimed. In fact, Applicant’s assertion of defining the
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`pressing of the start switch to equal powering on and releasing it to equal powering off
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`is found nowhere in the claims. The claims merely call for applying pressure to a switch
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`and releasing the pressure, and for various tasks to happen in response to these
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`actions. There is nothing directed to turning the main device on or off. As such,
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`Applicant's argument that the main device is powered off upon release of the switch has
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`no basis in the claims.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
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`Page 14
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`Art Unit: 3735
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`12.
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`Applicant’s arguments with respect to communication via a one-to-one
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`transmission have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply
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`to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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`Conclusion
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`13.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to KAREN TOTH whose telephone number is (571 )272—
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`6824. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon thru Fri.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Patricia Mallari can be reached on 571-272—4729. The fax phone number
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`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
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`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272—1000.
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`/KAREN TOTH/
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`Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 11/956,231
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`Page 15
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`Art Unit: 3735
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`/M|CHAEL KAHELIN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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`