CTFR 15/643,274 CTFR 84380 DETAILED ACTION Summary This Office Action is in response to the Amendments to the Claims and Remarks filed March 17, 2026. In view of the Amendments to the Claims filed March 17, 2026, the rejection of claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) previously presented in the Office Action sent December 17, 2025 has been withdrawn. In view of the Amendments to the Claims filed March 17, 2026, the rejections of claims 1-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 previously presented in the Office Action sent December 17, 2025 have been substantially maintained and modified only in response to the Amendments to the Claims. Claims 1-9 and 17-27 are currently pending while claims 17-27 have been withdrawn from consideration. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 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. 07-34-01 Claims 1-9 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. 07-34-05 Claim 1 recites the limitation "the fabricating" on line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Dependent claims are rejected for dependency. Claim 7 recites the limitation "the fabricated conductive pathways" on line 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 Claim 9 recites the limitation "the substrate" on line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Amending “a having conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate” to “a substrate having conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate” would overcome the rejection. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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 claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adelhelm (DE 10136442 A1 provided in applicant submitted IDS filed March 1, 2018) in view of Steinfeldt (U.S. Patent No. 9,758,261 B1) and Glenn (U.S. Patent No. 6,313,396 B1) . With regard to claims 1, 6, and 7, Adelhelm discloses a solar panel, comprising: a solar cell array (see Fig. 6) comprised of a substrate (see [0011] , for example, teaching the cited solar cell array “glued to the carrier” which is cited to provide for the claimed “substrate” as it is an underlying or supporting member for the cited solar cells; Adelhelm does not specifically depict the substrate, the cited carrier, but Steinfeldt teaches a conventional substrate design 516, Fig. 4 which is disposed under and encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array for supporting the solar cell array; it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have substituted the generally discussed substrate design of Adelhelm for the specific conventional substrate design of Steinfeldt, which provides an underlying substrate encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array, because the simple substitution of an element known in the art to perform the same function, in the instant case a substrate for supporting a solar cell array, provides a prima facie obviousness determination, see MPEP 2143 B), the solar cells having cropped corners, the cropped corners forming a corner region on the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 below, the cited solar cells having cropped corners that forms a corner region on the substrate, as modified by Steinfeldt above to provide the substrate as an underlying substrate encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array). PNG media_image1.png 741 545 media_image1.png Greyscale Annotated Fig. 6 Adelhelm, as modified above, does not disclose wherein the substrate has conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate. However, Glenn discloses a solar cell panel (see Abstract and Title) and teaches a substrate (components below cells 31/32/33, Fig. 2 including 38 and 40 cited to read on the claimed substrate as they form an underlying and mechanically supporting member) having conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate (see Fig. 2 depicting conductive pathways 37/41 beneath a top surface of the cited substrate that are electrically insulated, not in direct electrical contact, from the solar cells 31/32/33). Glenn teaches connecting to a top contact of a solar cell with tab 34 to connect to the cited conductive pathways 37/41 in order to connect to bypass diode 35 to minimize the effects of a reverse bias voltage (see Fig. 2 and see line 24-31, column 4). Glenn teaches the module design provides for lightweight and inexpensive manufacturing (line 63-67, column 8). Thus, at the time of filing, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the substrate of Adelhelm, as modified above, to include the substrate design of Glenn, because it would have provided for a solar module that is lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture and because it would have provided for to minimizing the effects of a reverse bias voltage. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses connecting one or more corner conductors with the conductive pathways in the substrate in the corner region before the solar cells are attached to the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 of Adelhelm above, in the cited corner region, one or more corner conductors 10 and is cited to read on the claimed “connecting one or more corner conductors with the conductive pathways in the substrate in the corner region” because the cited one or more corner conductor 10 is in electrical connection with the cited conductive pathways in the cited substrate due to the cited corner conductor 10 being electrically connected to both solar cells in which one is electrically connected to the tab, the cited conductive pathways, and bypass diode; the product-by-process limitation “connecting one or more corner conductors with the conductive pathways in the substrate in the corner region before the solar cells are attached to the substrate” is interpreted to require the structure of the one or more corner conductors connected with the conductive pathways in the substrate which is cited above), the one or more corner conductors including one or more conductive jumpers (as depicted in Fig. 6, the cited one or more corner conductors include one or more conductive jumpers 10); attaching the solar cells to the substrate (see [0011] , for example, teaching the solar cell array “glued to the carrier”); electrically connecting one or more contacts of at least one of the solar cells to the one or more corner conductors in an area of the substrate in the corner region (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 above, one or more contacts 9/3/2 of at least one of the solar cells 1 are electrically connected to the cited one or more corner conductors 10 in the area of the cited substrate in the cited corner region that remains exposed, as modified above); and establishing current pathways based at least one the one or more conductive jumpers (as depicted in Fig. 6, the cited one or more conductive jumpers provide for the claimed “establishing current pathways based at least on the one or more conductive jumpers” because current pathways between the adjacent cells are established based on the cited one or more conductive jumpers 10). With regard to claim 2, independent claim 1 is obvious over Adelhelm in view of Steinfeldt and Glenn under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses wherein the solar cells are attached to the substrate such that corner regions of the solar cells are aligned (as depicted in annotated Fig. 6 above, the cited solar cells are attached to the cited substrate such that cited corner regions of the cited solar cells are vertically and horizontally aligned, as modified above). With regard to claim 3, independent claim 1 is obvious over Adelhelm in view of Steinfeldt and Glenn under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses wherein the solar cells are individually attached to the substrate (as depicted in annotated Fig. 6 above, the cited solar cells are individually attached/joined/coupled to the cited substrate, as modified above). With regard to claim 4, independent claim 1 is obvious over Adelhelm in view of Steinfeldt and Glenn under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses wherein the solar cells are attached to the substrate as cell, interconnect and cover glass (CIC) units (Adelhelm does not specifically teach a cover glass but Steinfeldt teaches a cover glass (see line 51-57, column 15) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have combined the cited one or more solar cells of Adelhelm with a cover glass as exemplified by Steinfeldt because the combination of elements known in the prior art supports a prima facie obviousness determination, see MPEP 2143 A; the cited one or more solar cells, as modified by Steinfeldt above to include a cover glass, is cited to read on the claimed “CIC units” as they comprise a cell, interconnects, and a cover glass). With regard to claim 5, independent claim 1 is obvious over Adelhelm in view of Steinfeldt and Glenn under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses wherein the one or more corner conductors are integrated with or fabricated onto or within the surface of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 above, the cited corner region is integrated with one or more corner conductors 10 on the surface of the cited substrate, as modified above). With regard to claim 8, independent claim 1 is obvious over Adelhelm in view of Steinfeldt and Glenn under 35 U.S.C. 103 as discussed above. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses wherein the electrical connections between the one or more contacts of the at least one of the solar cells and the one or more corner conductors are made after the solar cells have been attached to the substrate (the product-by-process limitation “the electrical connections between the one or more contacts of the at least one of the solar cells and the one or more corner conductors are made after the solar cells have been attached to the substrate” is interpreted to require a structure of the electrical connections made between the one or more contacts of the at least one of the solar cells and the one or more corner conductors; see annotated Fig. 6 above depicting the cited electrical connections made between the cited one or more contacts of the cited solar cells 1 and the cited corner conductors 10, as modified above). With regard to claim 9, Adelhelm discloses a method of fabricating a solar panel, comprising: fabricating conductive pathways enabling current flow between solar cells on a solar cell array comprised of a substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1, the solar cell array comprised of fabricated conductive pathways 9/2/10/2/9 enabling current flow between adjacent solar cells on a solar cell array comprised of a substrate; see [0011] , for example, teaching the solar cell array “glued to the carrier” which is cited to provide for the claimed “substrate” as it is an underlying or supporting member for the cited solar cells; Adelhelm does not specifically depict the substrate, the cited carrier, but Steinfeldt teaches a conventional substrate design 516, Fig. 4 which is disposed under and encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array for supporting the solar cell array; it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have substituted the generally discussed substrate design of Adelhelm for the specific conventional substrate design of Steinfeldt, which provides an underlying substrate encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array, because the simple substitution of an element known in the art to perform the same function, in the instant case a substrate for supporting a solar cell array, provides a prima facie obviousness determination, see MPEP 2143 B), the solar cells having cropped corners, the cropped corners forming a corner region on the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 below, the cited solar cells having cropped corners that forms a corner region on the substrate, as modified by Steinfeldt above to provide the substrate as an underlying substrate encompassing the entirety of the surface area of and around the solar cell array). PNG media_image1.png 741 545 media_image1.png Greyscale Annotated Fig. 6 Adelhelm, as modified above, does not disclose wherein the substrate has conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate. However, Glenn discloses a solar cell panel (see Abstract and Title) and teaches a substrate (components below cells 31/32/33, Fig. 2 including 38 and 40 cited to read on the claimed substrate as they form an underlying and mechanically supporting member) having conductive pathways beneath a surface of the substrate (see Fig. 2 depicting conductive pathways 37/41 beneath a top surface of the cited substrate that are electrically insulated, not in direct electrical contact, from the solar cells 31/32/33). Glenn teaches connecting to a top contact of a solar cell with tab 34 to connect to the cited conductive pathways 37/41 in order to connect to bypass diode 35 to minimize the effects of a reverse bias voltage (see Fig. 2 and see line 24-31, column 4). Glenn teaches the module design provides for lightweight and inexpensive manufacturing (line 63-67, column 8). Thus, at the time of filing, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the substrate of Adelhelm, as modified above, to include the substrate design of Glenn, because it would have provided for a solar module that is lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture and because it would have provided for to minimizing the effects of a reverse bias voltage. Adelhelm, as modified above, discloses connecting one or more corner conductors with the conductive pathways in the substrate in the corner region before the solar cells are attached to the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 of Adelhelm above, in the cited corner region, one or more corner conductors 10 and is cited to read on the claimed “connecting one or more corner conductors with the conductive pathways in the substrate in the corner region” because the cited one or more corner conductor 10 is in electrical connection with the cited conductive pathways in the cited substrate due to the cited corner conductor 10 being electrically connected to both solar cells in which one is electrically connected to the tab, the cited conductive pathways, and bypass diode; while Adelhelm, as modified above, does not teach the one or more corner conductors are connected with the conductive pathways before the solar cells are attached to the substrate, the connection before the solar cells are attached to the substrate is one in a finite number of immediately recognizable options, finite options being before, after, or during, within the technical grasp of a skilled artesian and it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art to have tried connecting the one or more corner conductors before the solar cells are attached; see MPEP 2143 E), the one or more corner conductors including one or more conductive jumpers (as depicted in Fig. 6, the cited one or more corner conductors include one or more conductive jumpers 10); attaching the solar cells to the substrate (see [0011] , for example, teaching the solar cell array “glued to the carrier”); electrically connecting one or more contacts of at least one of the solar cells to the one or more corner conductors in an area of the substrate in the corner region (as depicted in Fig. 6 and annotated Fig. 6 above, one or more contacts 9/3/2 of at least one of the solar cells 1 are electrically connected to the cited one or more corner conductors 10 in the area of the cited substrate in the cited corner region that remains exposed, as modified above); and establishing current pathways based at least one the one or more conductive jumpers (as depicted in Fig. 6, the cited one or more conductive jumpers provide for the claimed “establishing current pathways based at least on the one or more conductive jumpers” because current pathways between the adjacent cells are established based on the cited one or more conductive jumpers 10) . Response to Arguments 07-37 AIA Applicant's arguments filed March 17, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant notes the newly added claimed limitations are not found within the previously cited prior art references. However, this argument is addressed in the rejections of the claims above. Conclusion 07-39 AIA THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUSTIN Q DAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5120. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM. 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, Allison Bourke can be reached at (303) 297-4684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /DUSTIN Q DAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721 May 27, 2026 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 2 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 3 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 4 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 5 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 6 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 7 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 8 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 9 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 10 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 11 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 12 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 13 Art Unit: 1721 Application/Control Number: 15/643,274 Page 14 Art Unit: 1721
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