`
`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
`wwwnsptogov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
`
` F ING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`
`CONF {MATION NO.
`
`12/300,707
`
`01/09/2009
`
`Satoshi Okuda
`
`080458
`
`1836
`
`23850
`
`7590
`
`06/05/2013
`
`KRATZ,QUINTOS&HANSON,LLP
`1420 K Street, NW.
`4th Floor
`
`WASHINGTON, DC 20005
`
`LANDEROS, IGNACIO EMMANUEL
`ART UNIT
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`3744
`
`MAIL DATE
`
`06/05/2013
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`PAPER
`
`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.
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 12/300,707 OKUDA ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`IGNACIO E. LANDEROS [SENS 3744
`
`-- 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 3 MONTH(S) OR THIRTY (30) DAYS,
`WHICHEVER IS LONGER, FROM THE MAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`In no event however may a reply be timely filed
`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).
`
`Status
`
`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 25 March 2013.
`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) 9-_12 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| CIaim(s)_9-12 Is/are rejected.
`
`8)|:I 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/
`hI/index.‘s orsend an inquiryto 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.
`
`Interim copies:
`
`a)|:l All
`
`b)I:I Some
`
`c)I:I None of the:
`
`Interim copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`
`Paper N°ISI/Ma" Date' —
`PTO/SB/08
`t
`t
`St
`I
`D'
`I'
`f
`2 I] I
`)
`4) I:I Other:
`a emen (s) (
`Isc osure
`n orma Ion
`)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 03-13)
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20130514
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`This Action is in response to the amendment filed on 03/25/2013. Claims 1-8
`
`have been cancelled. Claims 9-12 have been added to the prosecution and are
`
`currently pending.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`
`CONCLUSION—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims
`(B)
`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 9, 11 and 12 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.
`
`Claim 9 recites, “a refrigerant circuit constituted of at least a compressor and an
`
`evaporator,” which renders the claim indefinite because the term 'constituted’ implies
`
`that the limitation is not open ended, and hence the refrigerant circuit comprises nothing
`
`else but a compressor and an evaporator. However, the term "at least" implies that the
`
`refrigerant circuit can include other elements. Thus it is unclear as to what structure the
`
`refrigerant circuit
`
`includes. As best understood the recitation, “a refrigerant circuit
`
`constituted of at least a compressor and an evaporator” should read -a refrigerant circuit
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`comprising at least a compressor and an evaporator-. Claims 11 and 12 are rejected
`
`based on their dependency of claim 9.
`
`Claims 9 and 10 recite, “wherein the measurement hole and the plug are
`
`configured to be operable in a state wherein the door is closed and the panel is open,”
`
`which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear how it is determined whether a
`
`hole and plug are operable. As best understood, so long as the plug fits in the hole, then
`
`they are operable. Claims 11 and 12 are rejected based on their dependency of claims
`
`9and 10.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 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.
`
`The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459
`
`(1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness
`
`under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
`
`.‘hPONTL
`
`Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
`Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
`Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating
`obviousness or nonobviousness.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
`
`Tamaoki et al (JP 2002-333255 herein referred to as “Tamaoki”), in view of Case et al.
`
`(US Pat. No. 3,257,820, herein referred to as “Case”).
`
`Regarding claim 9, Tamaoki discloses a refrigeration apparatus comprising:
`
`a refrigerant circuit (Para [0017], Lines 1-3) comprising at least a compressor
`
`(17) (Figure 7), and an evaporator (20) (Fig. 5);
`
`an insulating box body (i.e. outermost walls of refrigerator seen in figs. 4-7)
`
`having a storage chamber (15) (Fig. 6) cooled to a low temperature by the evaporator
`
`(i.e. ultra low temperature) (Para [0009], Lines 5-7);
`
`a door (8) (fig. 4) which openly closes an opening of the storage chamber; and
`
`a mechanical chamber (i.e. machine house 14) (Fig. 7) which is constituted by
`
`the side of the insulating box body and in which the compressor (17) (Fig. 7) is installed.
`
`Tamaoki fails to explicitly disclose a panel which openably closes an opening of
`
`the mechanical chamber (14), a measurement hole to be in communication with the
`
`storage chamber
`
`(15), and a plug which closes the measurement, wherein the
`
`measurement hole and the plug are configured to be operable in a state wherein the
`
`door is closed and the panel is open.
`
`Case, however, discloses a cold storage container comprising a mechanical
`
`chamber (chamber between walls 11 and 15 is analogous to Tamaoki’s mechanical
`
`chamber because it
`
`is a chamber that encloses the equipment used to generate
`
`refrigeration/cooling for the storage compartment; see Case col. 3,
`
`lns. 5-11 & fig. 1)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 3744
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`that includes a panel (21) (fig. 1) which openably closes an opening (top opening) of the
`
`mechanical chamber, a measurement hole (60) (fig. 1) communicating with the inside of
`
`the storage chamber (i.e. between walls 11 and 16), wherein the measurement hole
`
`(60) is in a side wall (wall 11) (fig. 1) of an insulating box body (20) (fig. 1) on a side of
`
`the mechanical chamber, a plug (i.e. ring seen around the temperature sensor (52) wire
`
`(between controller 51 and temperature sensor 52) or, alternatively, removable block
`
`61) (fig. 1) which closes the measurement hole (col. 3,
`
`lns. 35-41) in an insulating
`
`manner, wherein the measurement hole (60) and the plug (61) are configured to be
`
`operable in a state wherein the door is closed and the panel is open (i.e. measurement
`
`hole is part of an automatic control system (see col. 3,
`
`lns. 28-41),
`
`thus the
`
`measurement hole and the plug are both operable when either door or panel is open
`
`and/or closed).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time
`
`the invention was made to modify the Tamaoki mechanical chamber (14) to include a
`
`measuring hole communicating with the inside of the storage chamber and a plug for
`
`closing the measurement hole, as taught by Case,
`
`in order to create a refrigerating
`
`apparatus that reduces human error by controlling the temperature using temperature
`
`sensors which communicate with the mechanical equipment inside of the mechanical
`
`chamber via the measurement hole, as well as further insulating the storage chamber
`
`from the mechanical parts inside of the mechanical chamber by providing a plug to
`
`close the measurement hole.
`
`Regarding claim 10, Tamaoki discloses a refrigeration apparatus comprising:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 6
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`a high-temperature-side refrigerant circuit and a low-temperature-side refrigerant
`
`circuit
`
`(see abstract;
`
`low temperature circuit and high temperature circuit) each
`
`constituting an independent refrigerant closed circuit (implied from compressors 17, 18)
`
`(fig. 2) in which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor is condensed and then
`
`evaporated to exert a cooling function (implied from a vapor-compression system), an
`
`evaporator of the high-temperature-side refrigerant circuit and a condenser of the low-
`
`temperature-side refrigerant circuit constituting a cascade heat exchanger (i.e. an
`
`implied feature stated as cascade-connecting, see Abstract), an evaporator of the low-
`
`temperature-side refrigerant circuit being configured to cool a storage chamber (inside
`
`of freezer 1) constituted in an insulated box body (1)
`
`(fig. 2) to a low temperature
`
`(Abstract; u/tralow—temperature),
`
`the refrigeration apparatus further comprising:
`
`a door (8) (fig. 4) which openably closes an opening of the storage chamber; and
`
`a mechanical chamber (14) (fig. 2) which is constituted by a side (i.e. element 14
`
`as seen in fig. 2 below the storage body or as alternatively seen in a horizontal
`
`orientation in figs. 4, 5 and 8) of
`
`the insulating box body (1) and in which the
`
`compressor (17, 18) is installed.
`
`Tamaoki fails to disclose a panel which openably closes an opening of the
`
`mechanical chamber (14), a measurement hole communicating with an inside of the
`
`storage chamber (inside of element 1) on the side wall of the insulating box body (1) on
`
`a side of the mechanical chamber (14), a plug which closes the measurement hole, and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`a detachable partition plate which divides an inside of the mechanical chamber into
`
`upper and lower chambers.
`
`Case, however, discloses a cold storage container comprising a mechanical
`
`chamber (chamber between walls 11 and 15 is analogous to Tamaoki’s mechanical
`
`chamber because it
`
`is a chamber that encloses the equipment used to generate
`
`refrigeration/cooling for the storage compartment; see Case col. 3,
`
`lns. 5-11 & fig. 1)
`
`that includes a panel (21) (fig. 1) which openably closes an opening (top opening) of the
`
`mechanical chamber, a measurement hole (hole in which conduit [connecting elements
`
`51 and 52 together] extends through) (fig. 1) communicating with the inside of the
`
`storage chamber (i.e. between walls 11 and 16), wherein the measurement hole is in a
`
`side wall
`
`(wall 11)
`
`(fig. 1) of an insulating box body (20)
`
`(fig. 1) on a side of the
`
`mechanical chamber, a plug (61) (fig. 1) which closes the measurement hole (col. 3, lns.
`
`35-41) in an insulating manner, a detachable partition plate (ring 60) which divides an
`
`inside of the mechanical chamber into upper and lower chambers (i.e. anything above
`
`the insulation body side of ring 60 is the upper chamber portion and anything below the
`
`bottom of ring 60 is the lower chamber), wherein the measurement hole is constituted at
`
`the upper chamber (above ring 60) above the detachable partition plate (ring 60),
`
`wherein the panel (21) is disposed above the upper chamber (as noted above), wherein
`
`the opening of the mechanical chamber (opening of door panel 21) corresponds to an
`
`opening of the upper chamber, and wherein the measurement hole and the plug (61)
`
`are configured to be operable in a state wherein the door is closed and the panel is
`
`open (i.e. measurement hole is part of an automatic control system (see col. 3, lns. 28-
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`41), thus the measurement hole and the plug are both operable when either door or
`
`panel is open and/or closed).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time
`
`the invention was made to modify the Tamaoki mechanical chamber (14) to include a
`
`panel, a measuring hole communicating with the inside of the storage chamber and a
`
`plug for closing the measurement hole, and a partition plate dividing the mechanical
`
`chamber into an upper and lower chamber, as taught by Case,
`
`in order to create a
`
`refrigerating apparatus that reduces human error by controlling the temperature using
`
`temperature sensors which communicate with the mechanical equipment inside of the
`
`mechanical chamber via the measurement hole, as well as further insulating the storage
`
`chamber from the mechanical parts inside of the mechanical chamber by providing a
`
`plug to close the measurement hole. The modification results in that the compressors
`
`(17, 18) of Tamaoki are located in the lower chamber since they are disposed in the
`
`lowermost portion of the mechanical chamber (see fig. 2 of Tamaoki).
`
`Regarding claim 11, Tamaoki discloses the insulating box body is formed of
`
`composite constitution of vacuum insulating panels (5)
`
`(fig. 2) and a foam insulating
`
`material (6) (fig. 2).
`
`Regarding claim 12, Tamaoki, as modified above, discloses the claimed
`
`invention, including that the insulating box body is formed of composite constitution of
`
`vacuum insulating panels (5) (fig. 2) and a foam insulating material (6) (fig. 2), and that
`
`the vacuum insulating panels (5) are arranged in a front, rear and side walls of the
`
`insulating box body (see fig. 2). Tamaoki fails to disclose that the vacuum insulating
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 9
`
`Art Unit: 3744
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`panels (5) are comprised in each wall other than the side wall of the insulating box body
`
`on the side of the mechanical chamber.
`
`Case, however, discloses that its insulating box body (10) (see fig. 1) is formed
`
`foam insulating material in all of its walls including the wall of the insulating box body on
`
`the side of the mechanical chamber (between walls 11 and 16) with no vacuum
`
`insulating panels (col. 2,
`
`lns. 23-39),
`
`i.e., the all of the container is made of various
`
`disclosed foam insulating materials, none of which are vacuum insulated panels.
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the
`
`time the invention was made to modify the side wall of the insulating box body on the
`
`side of the mechanical chamber (wall adjacent to mechanical chamber 14) of Tamaoki
`
`to not include a vacuum insulated panel, as taught by Case, for the purpose of saving in
`
`manufacturing costs by minimizing the number of walls having vacuum insulated
`
`panels. The modification results in that all of the insulating box body walls of Tamaoki
`
`comprise both vacuum insulating panels and foam insulating material, except for the
`
`wall abutting the mechanical chamber - which would only comprise foam insulating
`
`material. Vacuum panels in said wall adjacent to the mechanical chamber would require
`
`all mechanical and electrical connections to equipment of the mechanical chamber to be
`
`routed around the vacuum insulating panels or complex seals throughout said vacuum
`
`insulating panel enabling the connection to be fed through the panels. Thus the
`
`modification is advantageous in that the construction of the insulating box body would
`
`be reduced in complexity since connections can be fed right through a foam insulating
`
`material without any complex seals. It would still, however, be advantageous to maintain
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 10
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`vacuum insulating panels in the remaining walls for the purpose of providing the
`
`insulating box body with superior insulating properties.
`
`Regarding claim 10, Tamaoki discloses a refrigeration apparatus comprising:
`
`a high-temperature-side refrigerant circuit and a low-temperature-side refrigerant
`
`circuit
`
`(see abstract;
`
`low temperature circuit and high temperature circuit) each
`
`constituting an independent refrigerant closed circuit (implied from compressors 17, 18)
`
`(fig. 2) in which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor is condensed and then
`
`evaporated to exert a cooling function (implied from a vapor-compression system), an
`
`evaporator of the high-temperature-side refrigerant circuit and a condenser of the low-
`
`temperature-side refrigerant circuit constituting a cascade heat exchanger (i.e. an
`
`implied feature stated as cascade-connecting, see Abstract), an evaporator of the low-
`
`temperature-side refrigerant circuit being configured to cool a storage chamber (inside
`
`of freezer 1) constituted in an insulated box body (1)
`
`(fig. 2) to a low temperature
`
`(Abstract; u/tralow—temperature),
`
`the refrigeration apparatus further comprising:
`
`a door (8) (fig. 4) which openably closes an opening of the storage chamber; and
`
`a mechanical chamber (14) (fig. 2) which is constituted by a side of the insulating
`
`box body (1) and in which the compressor (17, 18) is installed.
`
`Tamaoki fails to disclose a panel which openably closes an opening of the
`
`mechanical chamber (14), a measurement hole communicating with an inside of the
`
`storage chamber (inside of element 1) on the side wall of the insulating box body (1) on
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 11
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`a side of the mechanical chamber (14), a plug which closes the measurement hole, and
`
`a detachable partition plate which divides an inside of the mechanical chamber into
`
`upper and lower chambers.
`
`Case, however, discloses a cold storage container comprising a mechanical
`
`chamber (chamber between walls 11 and 15 is analogous to Tamaoki’s mechanical
`
`chamber because it
`
`is a chamber that encloses the equipment used to generate
`
`refrigeration/cooling for the storage compartment; see Case col. 3,
`
`lns. 5-11 & fig. 1)
`
`that includes a panel (21) (fig. 1) which openably closes an opening (top opening) of the
`
`mechanical chamber, a measurement hole (hole in which conduit [connecting elements
`
`51 and 52 together] extends through) (fig. 1) communicating with the inside of the
`
`storage chamber (i.e. between walls 11 and 16), wherein the measurement holeis in a
`
`side wall
`
`(wall 11)
`
`(fig. 1) of an insulating box body (20)
`
`(fig. 1) on a side of the
`
`mechanical chamber, a plug (61) (fig. 1) which closes the measurement hole (col. 3, lns.
`
`35-41) in an insulating manner, a detachable partition plate (ring 60) which divides an
`
`inside of the mechanical chamber into upper and lower chambers (i.e. anything above
`
`ring 60 is considered the upper chamber and anything below ring 60 is considered to be
`
`the lower chamber), wherein the measurement hole is constituted at the upper chamber
`
`(above ring 60) above the detachable partition plate (ring 60), wherein the panel (21) is
`
`disposed above the upper chamber (above ring 60), wherein the opening of
`
`the
`
`mechanical chamber (opening of door panel 21) corresponds to an opening of the upper
`
`chamber, and wherein the measurement hole and the plug (61) are configured to be
`
`operable in a state wherein the door is closed and the panel is open (i.e. measurement
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 12
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`hole is part of an automatic control system (see col. 3,
`
`lns. 28-41),
`
`thus the
`
`measurement hole and the plug are both operable when either door or panel is open
`
`and/or closed).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time
`
`the invention was made to modify the Tamaoki mechanical chamber (14) to include
`
`panel, a measuring hole communicating with the inside of the storage chamber and a
`
`plug for closing the measurement hole, and a partition plate dividing the mechanical
`
`chamber into an upper and lower chamber, as taught by Case,
`
`in order to create a
`
`refrigerating apparatus that reduces human error by controlling the temperature using
`
`temperature sensors which communicate with the mechanical equipment inside of the
`
`mechanical chamber via the measurement hole, as well as further insulating the storage
`
`chamber from the mechanical parts inside of the mechanical chamber by providing a
`
`plug to close the measurement hole. The modification results in that the compressors
`
`(17, 18) of Tamaoki are located in the lower chamber since they are disposed in the
`
`lowermost portion of the mechanical chamber (see fig. 2 of Tamaoki).
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant's arguments filed 03/25/2013 have been fully considered but they are
`
`not persuasive, unless otherwise noted below.
`
`Applicant's arguments (pages 6-13) fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.1 1 1 (b) because
`
`they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/300,707
`
`Page 13
`
`Art Unit: 3744
`
`specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them
`
`from the references.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to IGNACIO E. LANDEROS whose telephone number is
`
`(571 )270-1 875. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 9am-
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`5pm.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Judy Swann can be reached on (571) 272-7075. The fax phone number for
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`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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`/I. E. L./
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`/John F Pettitt/
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`Examiner, Art Unit 3744
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3744
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