`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
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`15/490,001
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`04/18/2017
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`YUJI NAKAMURA
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`PIPMM-57437
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`8765
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`03’06’2020
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`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
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`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
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`SAAB ERIN BARRY
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`1735
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`03/06/2020
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`patdoeket@pearne.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`
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`0/7709 A0170” Summary
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`Application No.
`15/490,001
`Examiner
`ERIN B SAAD
`
`Applicant(s)
`NAKAMURA, YUJI
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`1735
`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).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/23/2019.
`CI A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a). This action is FINAL.
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`2b) D This action is non-final.
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`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.
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`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 Expade Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above Claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`
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`[:1 Claim(ss)
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`is/are allowed.
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`8)
`Claim(s 112Is/are rejected
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`D Claim(ss_) is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`S)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s
`* If any claims have been determined aflowable. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
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`10)|:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on 4/18/2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)C] 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).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)C] Some**
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2C] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`SD 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)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1) [3 Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`2) C] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) E] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20200302
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
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`2.
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`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.
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`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.
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`3.
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`Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA),
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`second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly
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`claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the
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`applicant regards as the invention.
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`4.
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`Claim 1 states “wherein the timer weights a measurement for a time measured
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`when the solder is moved on the screen mask by the squeegee or time measured when
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`the solder does not move on the screen mask”. What is meant by weights? How does
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`timer ‘weight’ anything? Time and weight are two different things. When googled, timer
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`weights refers to sound. This does not work in this instance. Using weight and time
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`together does not appear to make sense. Does the Applicant intend to say ‘measuring
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`time’? The current specification does not give any indication as to what is meant by
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`timer weights a measurement. The Examiner requests that the Applicant please clarify
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`this limitation.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`Page 3
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`5.
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`Claim 2 is indefinite because it is unclear what is meant by “wherein the weighted
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`measurement intervai causes the timer to measure time as sherter than aetuaiiy
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`measured time ter which the seider is met/ed en the screen mask by the squeegee”.
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`its
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`stated aheve, it is net understeed what is meant by ‘weightedi Furthermereg haw does
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`a timer measure time that is shorter than time measured? The Examiner tines net
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`understand this iimitatioh and requests that the Appiioant piease sierity.
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`6.
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`Ciaim 3 is indefinite because it is net understeed what is meant by “weighted
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`measurement intervai”. As stated aheve, it is net understeod what is meant by
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`”weighted”. Furthermere, here does a timer measure an intervat at time so as te heeeme
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`greater than a measurement ihtervat of time for which the soider does not move on the
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`screen mask? A timer measures time, se hew dees it measure time so it beeemes
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`greater than a different intervai’? The Examiner does net understand this iimitatien.
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`7.
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`Ciaim 8 is indefinite because it is uneiear what is meant by “wherein the
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`measurement intervat ter which the soider is moved en the screen mask by the
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`squeegee is net weighted? The Examiner does not understand this iimitatien at aii and
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`requests that the Apeiieant piease eiariiy. Hew is the time intervai net weighted?
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`8.
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`Claim 7 states “wherein a measurement interval is weighted when measured a
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`time for which the solder is moved on the screen mask by the squeegee or time for
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`which the solder does not move on the screen mask. Time and weight are two different
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`things. When googled, time weights refers to sound. This does not work in this
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`instance. How is a time weighted? Does the Applicant intend to say ‘measuring time’?
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`The current specification does not give any indication as to what is meant by weighted.
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`The Examiner requests that the Applicant please clarify this limitation.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`Page 4
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`9.
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`Claim 8 is indefinite because it is unclear what is meant by “the measurement
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`intervai is weighted such that a measured time is sherter than aetuaiiy measured time
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`ter which the seider is meved en the screen mask by the squeegee”. As stated above.
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`it is net understood what is meant by ‘weighted’. Furthermere, haw dees a timer
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`measure time that is shorter than time measured? The Examiner dees net understand
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`this iimitatien and requests that the Appiieant piease ciarity.
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`10.
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`Ciaim ‘3 is indefinite because it is net understeed what is meant by “weighted
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`measurement intervai”. As stated aheve, it is net understeod what is meant by
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`”iitieighted”. The Examiner dees not understand this iiitiitatieh.
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`11.
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`Ciaim i2 is indefinite because it is unetear what is meant by ”wherein the
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`measurement intervat test which the seider is moved on the screen mask by the
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`squeegee is net weighted". The Examiner dees net understand this iimitatien at aii and
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`requests that the Appiieai‘tt piease eiarity.
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`12.
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`Claims 1-12 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth
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`in this Office action. The Examiner would like to remind the Applicant that no new
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`matter may be added to the claims.
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`Response to Arguments
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`13.
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`Applicant's arguments filed 12/23/2019 have been fully considered but they are
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`not persuasive.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`Page 5
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`14.
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`The amendment to the claims does not overcome a 112 2nOI rejection. The
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`Examiner still does not understand who time and weight are related. As stated above,
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`The Examiner turned to Google to perform a search. Timer weights refers to sound.
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`There does not appear to be a correlation with time and weight that works for this
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`current invention. The current Specification does not give any guidance to how this
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`works. A new 112 2nOI rejection has been presented based on the Applicant’s
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`amendment.
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`Conclusion
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`15.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
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`this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed within
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`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the
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`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
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`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
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`the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`Page 6
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`16.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571 )270-
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`3634. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
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`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(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, Keith Walker can be reached on 571 -272—3458. 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 https://ppair-
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`my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private
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`PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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`If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access
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`272-1000.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/490,001
`Art Unit: 1735
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`/ER|N B SAAD/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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`Page 7
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