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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`wwwusptogov
`
`
`
`
`
`15/633,272
`
`06/26/2017
`
`Kenichi SHINDO
`
`20296.0105USW1
`
`9058
`
`53148
`7590
`02/23/2018
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN,MUELLER&LARSONP.C. —
`45 South Seventh Street
`CHOWDHURY’ ROCKSHANA D
`Suite 2700
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402- 1683
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`2835
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/23/2018
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/0r 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):
`PTOMail @hsml.com
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 15/633,272 SHINDO ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2835ROCKSHANA CHOWDHURY $233
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`-
`-
`
`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 06/26/2017.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2b)lX| This action is non-final.
`2a)I:| 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)|:I 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 EX parte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`3) I] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`2) E Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date 05/25/2017.
`4) D Other: —-
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180125
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)|XI Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6 III Claim s) _ is/are allowed.
`s M is/are rejected.
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`) )
`
`_
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)|:l Claim(s
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, 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
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events"
`h/index.‘s
`
`
`
`
`
`or send an inquiry to PF"I-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Z| The drawing(s) filed on 06/26/2017is/are: a)IXI 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:I Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:I Some” c)I:I None of the:
`a)I:I All
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.I:I 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.
`
`Attach ment(s)
`
`
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 2
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claims 1-3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
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`Claim Objections
`
`Claim 1
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`in lines 8-9 recite “the second side" and it should instead recite “the
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`second side of the second housing” to maintain consistency and to avoid
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`ambiguity.
`
`Claim 2 in lines 4, 11-13 recite “the leg member” should instead recite “the rod-
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`shaped leg member” to maintain consistency and to avoid ambiguity.
`
`Claim 2 in lines 7, 8, 10 and 12 recite “the link members” should instead recite
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`“the pair of link members” to maintain consistency and to avoid ambiguity.
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`Claim 2 in line 9 recites “the second side" and it should instead recite “the second
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`side of the second housing” to maintain consistency and to avoid ambiguity.
`
`Claim 3 in line 7 recites “one of the main walls" and it should instead recite “one
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`of the first main wall and the second main wall” to maintain consistency and to
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`avoid ambiguity.
`
`Claim 3 in lines 9 and 11 recite “the link member” should recite “each of the pair
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`of link members” to maintain consistency and to avoid ambiguity.
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`Claim 3 in lines 11, 12 recite “the one end” should instead recite “the one end of
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`each of the pair of the link members" to maintain consistency and to avoid
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`ambiguity.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 3
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`0 Claim 3 in line 3 recites “a main face of the second housing” should recite “the
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`main face of the second housing” as previously recited in claim 1.
`
`0 Claim 3 in line 17 recites “a vertical position of a mounted face” should recite “the
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`vertical position of a mounted face” as previously recited in claim 1.
`
`In the interest of compact prosecution, Examiner interpretation above in light of
`
`drawing and specification is to be confirmed in the next Office communication by the
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`Applicant and also appropriate correction is required.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
`
`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that
`
`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
`
`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or
`otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
`
`Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Chen et al
`
`(US Patent No. 7566043 B2 and Chen hereinafter)
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`Regarding Cieir‘n “i, Ghen dieoloses (figs, l~5 end eee reproduced fig, 2 below} an
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`electronic device comprising:
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`a first housing (20) provided with a dispiay {24);
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`a second housing {21) provided with an operating portion (keyboard, col 3, line l3}; and
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`a hinge (not shown, eiernent 263 and element 21 pivotebly connected to each other, col
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`2, line 54) that connects a first side (F1) on a rear of the first housing in a length
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 4
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`directien and a secarrd side (F2) of the second hhusihg such that the first hhusihg and
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`the sat-2mm housing are Gambit-2 0f reiative ratatiarr {pivatabte},
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`whereair‘r the semhd musing has, a tag (1 {3) Capabte at pretrudihg rearward 0f the
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`secehd side, and
`
`
`
`
`
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`‘fig;-mam-napviiH
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`\2;.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 5
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`e eheoe of 3 section (reotangie—ehaeed) in the Second side connected to the tee is eet
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`such that; when the leg is protruded rearward et the eecend eide, a rear end of the leg
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`{154, fig. 3) protrudes; downward irem e verticei poeition of a mounted ieee {mounting
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`face oi ieg 1G in the eiet 25) which is a main face of the second housing oppeeite to a
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`main face (top surface of 22} en which the operating portion is provided.
`
`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 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.
`
`Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen
`
`et al in view of Henry et al. (US Pub No. 2008/0117603 A1 and Henry hereinafter)
`
`
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`Chen does not expiieitiy disciose wherein the ieg inciudee:
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`e rod—shaped ieg member; and
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`a pair of iink members; which connects the ieg member and the eeeond
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`side of the second housing to each etheiz
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`wherein the pair of iink members. is connected on one end oi eech et the iink memhei‘e,
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`to the eeeend eide of the second heueing ed as to he rotatebie with e predetermined
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`epece formed between the tint: meinhere in e iehger direction ei the eeeend side, and
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
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`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 6
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`enether enci et ene et the tink members is eenneeted te ene end et the ieg member ee
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`35; te be etieebie in e, tenger direetien et the ieg member, and
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`anether end at anether tint: member is; eenneetee te enether end et the ieg member ee
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`es te be eiidabie in the ienger titre-Chen er the ieg member.
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`Hewever, Henry teaehee (figs.
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`t—E} wherein the ieg ineiudee:
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`e, red—eheped teg member (“i G4); and
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`a pair et tink members; {1163, H8) which eenneete the tee member end the eeeene
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`side et the secend heueing (rear side et 102} te each ether,
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`wherein the pair at iink memhere ie cennected, en ene end et each 01‘ the iink membere,
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`tn the eeeenrzt eide et the eeeend heueing ee as to be retetebte (ti [em 5]) with a
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`predetermined speee {epeee between the eiemente ttfi and 118) termed between the
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`tint: members in a ienger eireetien (widthwiee ciirectien) et the second side, and
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`anether end et ene et the iink members is connected te ene enci of the tee member 30
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`as to be eiieebie (eiteebie in eiet 16:38} in e ienger direetien et the ieg member, and
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`enether ene et enether tint: member is; eenneeterj to another enct ei the tee member ee
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`ae te he eiiciebie (eiiciebie in eiete HQ) in the ienger directien er the ieg member.
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`it WQUiCt have been ebvietie te one at erdinery ekiit in the art betere the effective fitting
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`dete ef the eieimee invention te eembine the teaching et Henry te the eieetrenic device
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`at Ghen in errjer te brevide eiieabie ieg that eiieee irem an extracted heeitien ta
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`retracted peeitten te beienee the eieetrenie device in tiieci pesitien.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
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`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 7
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`fiegerdtng Cteim 33 Chen/Henry dieetesee the eieetrpnte device aeeerding te eteirn 2,
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`Chen further teeehee wherein the eeeend heueihg hes:
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`a first main wait (tee eurteee et t’t‘iait’t hedy 22) Genetittrttng a their: face (trent Surface) of
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`the eeeehd heusing;
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`a seeend rhein weii (hettem of 22 inetuding etet 25) dispesed peratiet te the first main
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`watt with a predetermined seeee end eenetituting a rheunted face {25} of the eeeend
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`heuetng; and
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`a retetien shaft (26) prejeetihg at ieest item ene at the teeth watte teward the ethery and
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`the kink member is eehtigured eueh that:
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`a throughwhete (t i (It) ferrhed en the one end ef the fink member is engaged with the
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`retetten eheft ee that the itnk member is retetehie eheht the me end;
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`the ene end is sandwiched 30 as to he stidehte (figs. 34} between a first face (tee inner
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`surface pt :25) et the tiret rhein weii areund the retetien shaft and
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`e eeeend teee (betterh thner eurfeee ef 25) of the eeeend rheEh wait ereund the retetiert
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`sheh,ehd
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`the first face and the seeend face tttt retetive te e mettnted teee (rhetinting face et re
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`with :22) at the seepnd heueing such that a rear end pt the teg (reer part 01‘ 10‘) protrudes
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`dewnwerd frern e vertteet eeeitien et the theehted teee.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 8
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`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al in
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`view of Kim et al. (US Patent No. 7298610 BZ and Kim hereinafter)
`
`
`
`It Chen discloses the electronic: device accoidihg to claim 1. Chen
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`does not expiicitiy disclose the first housing is a tablet: computer configured to be
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`detachabie to the hinge. However, Kim further teaches (figs. 36) the first housing is a
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`tahiei computer (50) configured to be detachable to the hinge {pivoting portion}.
`
`It
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`would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling
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`date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Henry to the electronic device
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`of Chen in order to provide detachable display portion to use the tablet separately.
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`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA CHOWDHURY whose telephone number
`
`is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday 7:00
`
`am to 5:30 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful,
`
`the examiner’s supervisor, Jinhee Lee can be reached on 571 -272-1 977. The fax
`
`phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is
`
`571-273-8300.|nformation 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.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 9
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`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 -272-1 000.
`
`/ROCKSHANA CHOWDHURY/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2835
`
`