UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/032,232
`
`04/26/2016
`
`Yuya SUZUKI
`
`MIYAP0101WOUS
`
`6038
`
`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
`
`SALTEK AARON J
`
`ART UNIT
`1724
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/1 1/2019
`
`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):
`
`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/032,232
`Examiner
`AARON J SALTER
`
`Applicant(s)
`SUZUKI et al.
`Art Unit
`1724
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 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 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f 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). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 1/24/19.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] 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 Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
`
`1,3—5,7—8 and 11—12 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) 1,3—5,7—8 and 11—12 is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s)
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)[:] The drawing(s) filed on
`
`is/are: a)D accepted or b)l:] 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):] Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a)D All
`
`b)[:l Some”
`
`c)C] None of the:
`
`1.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] 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)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date M.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) D Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190202
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
`
`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`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 1/24/19 has been entered.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`3.
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/12/18 was filed after the mailing
`
`date of the Final Action on 11/6/18. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
`
`Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
`
`4.
`
`Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`Claim Objections
`
`a.
`
`Claim 1, lines 16-17, ”the cathode” should be changed to read ”the E cathode”
`
`because it is clear that Applicant is referring to the air cathode
`
`Appropriate correction is required.
`
`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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 3
`
`claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention
`was made.
`
`The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere C0,, 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966),
`
`that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are
`
`summarized as follows:
`
`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
`
`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
`
`4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or
`
`nonobviousness.
`
`2.
`
`Claims 1, 3-5, 7-8, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Tabata (JP 2015072820 A) (utilizing the 10/3/13 filing date) in further in view of Lee et al. (KR
`
`20090091878 A, see also machine translation previously provided).
`
`3.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Tabata discloses a microbial fuel cell (Translation; [0001]) comprising: a liquid
`
`comprising organic matter (Translation; [0017]); an anode (50) (Fig. 12) placed in the liquid comprising
`
`the organic matter; an air cathode (60) having an air intake portion (the portion of the cavity of the
`
`hollow fiber membrane 40 above the liquid level; see annotated Fig. 12 below) for taking air into the air
`
`cathode (Translation; [0029]); and an oxygen-blocking portion (70) for blocking oxygen from dissolving in
`
`the liquid comprising the organic matter through the surface of the liquid comprising the organic matter
`
`(the oxygen-blocking portion is hovering over the surface of the liquid and is thus capable of blocking
`
`oxygen; see annotated Fig. 12 reproduced below), the air intake portion passing through the oxygen-
`
`blocking portion (see annotated Fig. 12 reproduced below), the air cathode further having cathodes (as
`
`per Fig. 10(b) and [0082] of the translation, ”the plurality of cross-sections” are being interpreted as
`
`multiple cathodes; see annotated Fig. 12 reproduced below) and an air chamber (the portion of the
`
`cavity of the hollow fiber membrane 40 below the liquid level; see annotated Fig. 12 reproduced below)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 4
`
`between the cathodes, the cathodes being in contact with the air chamber (see annotated Fig. 12
`
`reproduced below), the cathodes and the air chamber being placed in the liquid (see annotated Fig. 12
`
`reproduced below), the air cathode being an air cathode in which air is capable of being passed through
`
`the air intake portion and being taken into the air chamber and air taken into the air chamber is capable
`
`of being in contact with the air cathode (see annotated Fig. 12 reproduced below).
`
`Bi)
`
`“3“
`we?!)
`:3
`(F
`MW
`
`I» ’i
`I
`”Mk
`
`Air intake ortion
`p
`
` \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'\\\\V\\\\\\\
`n...,.4.:.
`
`
`
`,4»...,4.4;...._..‘._,...'
`m,,x,,,y/I/K/”””””(6””Im/I”””’.i
`
` .,‘-:.
`
` _>
`Liquid surface
`
`«5
`E
`'
`
`l
`9
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`.
`Oxygen—blocking
`
`portion
`
`
`
`
`
`<
`
`
`
`
`
`«In
`
` /////u;,,,}7),Yen,»
`
`....get-m.m}
`
`
`
`4.
`
`Tabata further discloses that the oxygen-blocking portion supports the air cathode and allows
`
`the microbial fuel cell to change positions relative to the liquid (Translation; [0026]).
`
`5.
`
`Tabata does not disclose wherein the oxygen-blocking portion having floating properties for the
`
`liquid comprising the organic matter, the oxygen-blocking portion being directly in contact with the
`
`surface of the liquid comprising the organic matter, the oxygen-blocking portion being so placed that the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 5
`
`oxygen-blocking portion is capable of fluctuating following a fluctuation of a position of the liquid
`
`surface.
`
`6.
`
`Lee discloses a microbial fuel cell (Translation; P1:Paragraph 1:L1) comprising: a liquid (10)
`
`comprising organic matter (Translation; microorganisms; P3:Paragraph 1:L9) (Translation; water;
`
`P3:Paragraph 2:L7); an oxygen-blocking portion (140) (Fig. 3) for blocking oxygen from dissolving (the
`
`oxygen-blocking portion is on the surface of the liquid and is thus capable of blocking oxygen; Fig. 3) in
`
`the liquid comprising the organic matter through the surface of the liquid comprising the organic
`
`matter, the oxygen-blocking portion having floating properties (Translation; buoyant body;
`
`P3:Paragraph 2:L1) for the liquid comprising the organic matter, the oxygen-blocking portion being
`
`directly in contact with the surface of the liquid comprising the organic matter (Fig. 3), the oxygen
`
`blocking portion being so placed that the oxygen-blocking portion is capable of fluctuating following a
`
`fluctuation of a position of the liquid surface (Translation; P2:”Summary of the Invention”) to ensure the
`
`microbial fuel cell can still function when there is a fluctuation in the liquid level (Translation; P2:L11-
`
`14).
`
`7.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was
`
`filed to utilize the oxygen-blocking portion of Lee such that it is placed directly in contact with the
`
`surface of the liquid comprising the organic matter in the microbial fuel cell of Tabata to ensure the
`
`microbial fuel cell can still function when there is a fluctuation in the liquid level and the skilled artisan
`
`would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so.
`
`8.
`
`Regarding claim 3, modified Tabata discloses all the limitations of the microbial fuel cell above
`
`and further discloses wherein the oxygen-blocking portion floats on the surface of the liquid comprising
`
`the organic matter (Lee; Fig. 3).
`
`

`

`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 7
`
`13.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was
`
`filed to structure the plurality of air cathodes of modified Tabata as claimed because it would make it
`
`possible to increase the power generation and the water throughput and the skilled artisan would have
`
`a reasonable expectation of success in doing so.
`
`14.
`
`Regarding claim 12, modified Tabata discloses all the limitations of the microbial fuel cell above
`
`and further discloses that the oxygen-blocking portion holds a plurality of microbial fuel cells (Fig. 8).
`
`Furthermore, Lee discloses that by increasing the number of microbial fuel cells, the power generation
`
`and the water throughput increases (Translation; Tabata; [0073]). Therefore by increasing the contact
`
`area of the oxygen-blocking portion in 100% of the total surface area of the liquid surface, the number
`
`of sites for the placement of microbial fuel cells increases which thus will necessarily increase the power
`
`generation and the water throughput.
`
`15.
`
`Thus, in an effort to maximize the power generation and the water throughput, the skilled
`
`artisan would have found it obvious to maximize the contact area of the oxygen-blocking portion in
`
`100% of the total surface area of the liquid surface such that the contact area is within the claimed
`
`range of 50% in order to maximize the number of microbial fuel cells allowing for an increase in power
`
`generation and the water throughput.
`
`16.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was
`
`filed to increase the contact area of the oxygen-blocking portion of modified Tabata to within the
`
`claimed range in order to increase the number of microbial fuel cells to in-turn increase the power
`
`generation and the water throughput and the skilled artisan would have a reasonable expectation of
`
`success of doing so.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`17.
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the
`
`arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/032,232
`Art Unit: 1724
`
`Page 8
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
`
`should be directed to AARON J SALTER whose telephone number is (469)295-9103. The examiner can
`
`normally be reached on M-F 9:00-6:00.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
`
`USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
`
`the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
`
`Miriam Stagg can be reached on (571) 270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this
`
`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
`
`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained
`
`from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available
`
`through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-
`
`direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer
`
`Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR
`
`CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/AARON J SALTER/
`Examiner, Art Unit 1724
`
`/JONATHAN G LEONG/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
`2/6/2019
`
`