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
`
`15/698,767
`
`09/08/2017
`
`Hiroshi YAHATA
`
`P53365
`
`8788
`
`04/18/2019
`7590
`125331
`Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation
`of America c/o Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C.
`1950 Roland Clarke Place
`
`Reston, VA 20191
`
`EXAMINER
`
`YANG, NIEN
`
`ART UNIT
`2484
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`04/18/2019
`
`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):
`
`gbp atent @ gbp atent.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/698,767
`Examiner
`NIEN RU YANG
`
`Applicant(s)
`YAHATA et al.
`Art Unit
`2484
`
`AIA (FITF) 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 08 September 2017.
`[: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) fl 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) fl 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 08 September 2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)D 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). All
`
`b)D Some**
`
`C)D 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)/Mai| Date 09/21/2017 and 10/24/2017_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190408
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`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.
`
`1.
`
`This is a reply to the application filed on 09/08/2017,
`
`in which, claims 1-4 remain
`
`pending in the present application with claim 1 being independent claim.
`
`When making claim amendments, the applicant is encouraged to consider the
`
`references in their entireties, including those portions that have not been cited by the
`
`examiner and their equivalents as they may most broadly and appropriately apply to any
`
`particular anticipated claim amendments.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`2.
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 21, 2017
`
`and October 24, 2017 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and are
`
`being considered by the Examiner.
`
`Double Patenting
`
`3.
`
`The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on ajudicially created
`
`doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the
`
`unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent
`
`and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-
`
`type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 3
`
`identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the
`
`reference c|aim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or
`
`would have been obvious over, the reference c|aim(s). See, e.g.,
`
`In re Berg, 140 F.3d
`
`1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d
`
`2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re LongL 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985);
`
`In re
`
`Van Omum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438,
`
`164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644
`
`(CCPA 1969).
`
`A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321 (c) or 1.321
`
`(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory
`
`double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to
`
`be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of
`
`activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
`
`Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a
`
`terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with
`
`37 CFR 3.73(b).
`
`4.
`
`Claims 1-4 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double
`
`patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4 of copending Application No.
`
`15/698,779 (hereinafter “’8779”).
`
`Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct
`
`from each other because the instant application claims broader in every aspect than the
`
`patent claim and is therefore an obvious variant thereof.
`
`5.
`
`Regarding claim 1 of this application:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 4
`
`Claim 1 of this a lication
`
`Claim 1 of ‘8779
`
`A recording medium in which are recorded
`a video stream that is encoded video
`information,
`
`map information, and
`bitrate information of the video stream,
`
`it ptayback devtce that reads out and
`piays content from a recording medium in
`which are recorded
`a system stream that Enctudss video
`stream encoded video information,
`
`map information, and
`peak bitrate information of the system
`stream
`
`
`
`wherein the map information includes
`playback start time information of a picture
`that is included in the video stream and is
`indeoendentl
`decodable,
`
`the map information includes
`playback start time information of a picture
`that is included in the system stream and is
`inde-endentl
`decodable,
`
`start position information indicating a data
`start oosition of the oicture, and
`
`start position information indicating a data
`start oosition of the oicture, and
`
`size information indicating a data size of a
`section where the picture is recorded,
`based on a predetermined stipulated data
`size,
`wherein the stipulated data size differs in
`accordance with the bitrate information,
`
`and wherein the size information is
`a value indicating a data size based on a
`first stipulated data size, in a case where
`the bitrate information indicates a bitrate
`laroer than a oredetermined value,
`and is
`
`size information indicating a data size of a
`section where the picture is recorded it:
`the system stream, based on a
`oredetermined stioulated data size
`wherein the stipulated data size varies in
`accordance with the peak bitrate
`information,
`
`the size information to be a value indicating
`a data size based on a first stipulated data
`size, in a case where the peak bitrate
`information indicates a bitrate larger than a
`oredetermined value,
`and the site information to be
`
`a value indicating a data size based on a
`second stipulated data size that is smaller
`than the first stipulated data size, in a case
`where the bitrate information indicates a
`bitrate equal to or smaller than the
`oredetermined value.
`
`a value indicating a data size based on a
`second stipulated data size that is smaller
`than the first stipulated data size, in a case
`where the peak bitrate information
`indicates a bitrate equal to or smaller than
`the oredetermined value.
`
`It should be noted that the table above distinguishes the equivalent
`
`limitations
`
`between the instant application and that of ‘8779.
`
`In conclusion, claim 1 of the instant
`
`application is anticipated by claim 1 of ‘8779 in that claim 1 of ‘8779 contains all the
`
`limitations of claim 1 of the instant application. The instant application claim is broader
`
`or equivalent in every aspect than claim 1 of ‘8779 and is therefore an obvious variant
`
`thereof. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patently distinct
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 5
`
`from each other because claim 1
`
`is generic to all that is recited in claim 1 of ‘8779. That
`
`is, claim 1 of the instant application is anticipated by claim 1 of ‘8779.
`
`6.
`
`Regarding claim 2 of this application:
`
`Claim 2 of this a lication
`
`Claim 2 of ‘8779
`
`
`
`The playback device according to Claim 1,
`The recording medium according to Claim
`1, wherein the first stipulated data size is a wherein the first stipulated data size is a
`value allocated every 192 x 1024 x n bytes,
`value allocated every 192 x 1024 x n bytes,
`wherein n is a natural number.
`wherein n is a natural number
`
`It should be noted that the table above distinguishes the equivalent
`
`limitations
`
`between the instant application and that of ‘8779.
`
`In conclusion, claim 2 of the instant
`
`application is anticipated by claim 2 of ‘8779 in that claim 2 of ‘8779 contains all the
`
`limitations of claim 2 of the instant application. The instant application claim is broader
`
`or equivalent in every aspect than claim 2 of ‘8779 and is therefore an obvious variant
`
`thereof. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patently distinct
`
`from each other because claim 2 is generic to all that is recited in claim 2 of ‘8779. That
`
`is, claim 2 of the instant application is anticipated by claim 2 of ‘8779.
`
`7.
`
`Regarding claim 3 of this application:
`
`Claim 3 of this a lication
`
`Claim 3 of ‘8779
`
`
`
`The recording medium according to Claim
`1, wherein the predetermined value is
`48,000,000 bits/second.
`
`The playback device according to Claim 1,
`wherein the predetermined value is
`48,000,000 bits/second.
`
`It should be noted that the table above distinguishes the equivalent
`
`limitations
`
`between the instant application and that of ‘8779.
`
`In conclusion, claim 3 of the instant
`
`application is anticipated by claim 3 of ‘8779 in that claim 3 of ‘8779 contains all the
`
`limitations of claim 3 of the instant application. The instant application claim is broader
`
`or equivalent in every aspect than claim 3 of ‘8779 and is therefore an obvious variant
`
`thereof. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patently distinct
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 6
`
`from each other because claim 3 is generic to all that is recited in claim 3 of ‘8779. That
`
`is, claim 3 of the instant application is anticipated by claim 3 of ‘8779.
`
`8.
`
`Regarding claim 4 of this application:
`
`Claim 4 of this a lication
`
`Claim 4 of ‘8779
`
`
`
`The recording medium according to Claim
`1, wherein the size information is a 3-bit
`lono value.
`
`The playback device according to Claim 1,
`wherein the size information is a 3-bit long
`value.
`
`It should be noted that the table above distinguishes the equivalent
`
`limitations
`
`between the instant application and that of ‘8779.
`
`In conclusion, claim 4 of the instant
`
`application is anticipated by claim 4 of ‘8779 in that claim 4 of ‘8779 contains all the
`
`limitations of claim 4 of the instant application. The instant application claim is broader
`
`or equivalent in every aspect than claim 4 of ‘8779 and is therefore an obvious variant
`
`thereof. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patently distinct
`
`from each other because claim 4 is generic to all that is recited in claim 4 of ‘8779. That
`
`is, claim 4 of the instant application is anticipated by claim 4 of ‘8779.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
`
`9.
`
`35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
`
`Whoever invents or discovers anynew and useful process, machine, manufacture, orcompositionof
`matter, or any new and useful improvementthereof, mayobtain a patenttherefor,subject to the
`conditions and requirements ofthis title.
`
`10.
`
`Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is
`
`directed to non-statutory subject matter.
`
`Claims 1-4 recite, inter alia, "recording medium." After close inspection, the
`
`Examiner respectfully notes that the disclosure, as a whole, does not specifically identify
`
`what may be included as a recording medium and what is not to be included as a
`
`recording medium.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 7
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`An Examiner is obliged to give claims their broadest reasonable interpretation
`
`consistent with the specification during examination. The broadest reasonable
`
`interpretation of a claim drawn to a recording medium typically covers forms of non-
`
`transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signals per se in view of the
`
`ordinary and customary meaning of recording medium, particularly when the
`
`specification is silent. See MPEP 2111.01. When the broadest reasonable interpretation
`
`of a claim covers a signal, per se, the claim must be rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as
`
`covering non-statutory subject matter.
`
`Therefore, given the silence of the disclosure and the broadest reasonable
`
`interpretation,
`
`the recording medium of the claim may include transitory propagating
`
`signals. As a result, the claim pertains to non-statutory subject matter.
`
`However, the Examiner respectfully submits a claim drawn to such a recording
`
`medium that covers both transitory and non-transitory embodiments may be amended
`
`to narrow the claim to cover only statutory embodiments to avoid a rejection under 35
`
`U.S.C. § 101 by adding the limitation "non-transitory" to the claim. Such an amendment
`
`would typically not raise the issue of new matter, even when the specification is silent
`
`because the broadest reasonable interpretation relies on the ordinary and customary
`
`meaning that includes signals per se. For additional
`
`information, please see the Patents'
`
`Official Gazette notice published February 23, 2010 (1351 0G 212).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`11.
`
`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 8
`
`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
`
`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
`
`the same under either status.
`
`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 maynotbe obtained, notwithstanding thatthe claimed
`invention is not identicallydisclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences
`between the claimed invention and the priorartare such that the claimed invention as awhole
`would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person
`having ordinaryskill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentabilityshall not
`be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
`
`12.
`
`Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Yahata et al. (US 20050238326 A1, hereinafter Yahata) in view of Shimada et al.
`
`(US 20110255846 A1, hereinafter Shimada).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Yahata discloses a recording medium in which are recorded
`
`a video stream that is encoded video information (see Yahata, paragraph [0047]:
`
`“The recording medium 100 is used for recording an EP_m ap thereon in association
`
`with an AVCIip. The AVClip is a multiplexed transport stream generated by multiplexing
`
`elementary streams, such as a video stream”),
`
`map information (see Yahata, paragraph [0047]: “The recording medium 100 is
`
`used for recording an EP_map thereon in association with an AVCIip”), and
`
`bitrate information of the video stream (see Yahata, paragraph [0056]: “Each
`
`original image has a type, such as an image of nature and an animation, and each type
`
`has a different characteristic. The bit rate to be assigned to each type is different as
`
`well”),
`
`wherein the map information includes
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 9
`
`start position information indicating a data start position of the picture (see
`
`Yahata, paragraph [0048]: “The |_start included in each entry of the EP_map
`
`indicates a start position of each |_picture”), and
`
`size information indicating a data size of a section where the picture is
`
`recorded, based on a predetermined stipulated data size (see Yahata, paragraph
`
`[0048]: “Each |_end has a 3-bit value that indicates the size of each |_picture
`
`(001b, 010b). The start position and the size of the l-picture is shown in each
`
`entry, and therefore it is possible to realize special playbacks”) and (see Yahata,
`
`paragraph [0180]: “It is acceptable to include bit rate information in the Clip
`
`information and determine the meaning of the value of the |_end based on the bit
`
`rate information. For instance, it is possible to predefine |_end table”),
`
`wherein the stipulated data size differs in accordance with the bitrate information
`
`(see Yahata, paragraphs [0054]-[0056]: “l-picture size to be stored into the EP_map is
`
`recorded in units that are meaningful at the time of reading, such as units of ECG block
`
`sizes... The bit rate to be assigned to each type is different as well. Therefore, the |-
`
`picture sizes on the graph of FIG. 3 showing the occurrence rates are distributed over
`
`different ranges”), and
`
`wherein the size information is
`
`a value indicating a data size based on a first stipulated data size, in a
`
`case where the bitrate information indicates a bitrate larger than a predetermined
`
`value (see Yahata, paragraphs [0159]-[0161]: “a speed rate of the playback
`
`device 300 is assigned to each digit of the 3-bit value representing the l-picture
`
`size... the upper limit of the l-picture size for each speed rate is determined” and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 10
`
`paragraph [0193]: “Instead of the average bit rate, the maximum bit rate may be
`
`used in the samewayf’), and is
`
`a value indicating a data size based on a second stipulated data size that
`
`is smaller than the first stipulated data size, in a case where the bitrate
`
`information indicates a bitrate equal to or smaller than the predetermined value
`
`(see Yahata, paragraph [0161]: “the upper limit is determined according to a rule
`
`that the larger the speed rate is, the smaller the l-picture is, and the smaller the
`
`speed rate is, the larger the l-picture size is”; and paragraph [0193]: “Instead of
`
`the average bit rate, the maximum bit rate may be used in the same way”).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Yahata discloses all the claimed limitations with the
`
`exception of wherein the map information includes playback start time information of a
`
`picture that is included in the video stream and is independently decodable.
`
`Shimada from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the map
`
`information includes
`
`playback start time information of a picture that is included in the video stream
`
`and is independently decodable (see Shimada, paragraph [0046]: “The PTS
`
`(Presentation Time Stamp) indicating the starting display time of the first picture in the
`
`stream information file 231 corresponding to the address management file”).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Shimada with
`
`the teachings as in Yahata. The motivation is to use Shimada’s PTS (Presentation
`
`Time Stamp) defined in EP_Map to indicate a starting playback time of the first picture
`
`in a video stream information file corresponding to an address management file thus
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 11
`
`recognizing and managing a playback start time of an identified l-picture in the video
`
`stream in order to appropriately determined the starting time of playback and to perform
`
`appropriate subtitle display.
`
`Regarding claim 2, the combination teachings of Yahata and Shimada as
`
`discussed above also disclose the recording medium according to Claim 1,
`
`wherein the first stipulated data size is a value allocated every 192 x 1024 x n
`
`bytes, wherein n is a natural number (see Yahata, paragraph [0191]: “Although the |-
`
`picture size is represented by the number of the ECC blocks in each embodiment, it
`
`may be represented by... the number of packets included in the transport stream (each
`
`packet is 192 bytes in the case of the BD-ROM). Furthermore, the l-picture size may be
`
`represented by units of 192 bytes including Arrival Time Stamp and TS packets, or by
`
`units of 32 Kbytes, which is the least common multiple between 192 bytes and 2
`
`Kbytes”).
`
`The motivation for combining the references has been discussed in claim 1
`
`above.
`
`Regarding claim 3, the combination teachings of Yahata and Shimada as
`
`discussed above also disclose the recording medium according to Claim 1,
`
`wherein the predetermined value is 48,000,000 bits/second (see Yahata,
`
`paragraph [0074]: “FIG. 5 shows the occurrence rates of l-pictures in the case where
`
`the fluctuation band of assigned bit rates is wide. The full line is the same as that shown
`
`in FIG. 3, which represents the occurrence rates when the average bit rate is 24 Mbps.
`
`The broken lines show the occurrence rates when the average bit rate is 1 Mbps and 48
`
`Mbps” 48 Mbps = 48,000,000 bits/second).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 12
`
`The motivation for combining the references has been discussed in claim 1
`
`above.
`
`Regarding claim 4, the combination teachings of Yahata and Shimada as
`
`discussed above also disclose the recording medium according to Claim 1,
`
`wherein the size information is a 3-bit long value (see Yahata, paragraph [0144]:
`
`“the l-picture sizes are equally assigned to the 3-bit values”).
`
`The motivation for combining the references has been discussed in claim 1
`
`above.
`
`The Examiner has cited particular paragraphs and figures in the references
`
`applied to the claims above for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified
`
`citations are representative of the teachings of the arts and are applied to specific
`
`limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well.
`
`It is
`
`respectfully requested from the Applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the
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`references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as
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`well as the context of the passage taught by the prior arts or disclosed by the Examiner.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to NIENRU YANG whose telephone number is (571)272-
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`4212. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 10 AM - 6 PM EST.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone,
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`in-person, and video
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`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/698,767
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 13
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
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`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, THAI TRAN can be reached on 571-272—7382. 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).
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`If you would like assistance from a
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`NIENRU YANG
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`Examiner
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`Art Unit 2484
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`/NIENRU YANG/
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`Examiner, Art Unit 2484
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`/THAI Q TRAN/
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`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2484
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`