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 .
Remarks
Claim 16 has been amended, Claims 18-20 are as previously presented, Claim 15 and 17 is canceled, and claims 1-14 are withdrawn. Claims 16, and 18-20 are currently examined.
Status of objections and rejections
The rejection below has been modified as necessitated by the applicant’s amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 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(s) 16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wallace (US20150102530A1).
Regarding claim 16, Wallace discloses, intermediate structure for an energy storage device, the intermediate structure comprising: a substrate [0012, 0038-0039, Wallace]; a first stack for the energy storage device on the substrate [fig. 2A-B, Wallace depicts a plurality of stacks, any stack can arbitrarily be assigned as a first stack]; a second stack for the energy storage device on the substrate [fig. 2A-B, Wallace depicts a plurality of stacks, any stack that is not the first stack can arbitrarily be assigned as a second stack], the first stack and the second stack each, respectively, comprising: a first electrode layer (116 and 118, a cathode layer) on the substrate (110) [0060-0062, fig. 1-2, Wallace]; an electrolyte layer (120) on the first electrode layer [0062, fig. 1-2, Wallace]; and a second electrode layer (122, an anode layer) on the electrolyte layer [0062, fig. 1-2, Wallace]; a first material (324) between the first stack and the second stack [0071-0074, fig. 3-4, 6-8, Wallace]; and a second material (810) over the first stack [0077-0079, fig. 8-9], the first material and the second stack to electrically connect the second electrode layer of the first stack to the second electrode layer of the second stack [0024-0025, fig. 8, Wallace discloses that 810 is made of copper or aluminum, both electrically conductive. And depicts an intermediate structure where this conductive material would connect two stacks], via the second material [0024-0025, fig. 8, Wallace], wherein the first stack is on a first portion of the substrate [fig. 8-9, Wallace], the second stack is on a second portion of the substrate and a portion of the second material is on and directly contacting a third portion of the substrate [fig. 8-9 and 18, Wallace discloses a cross-section view of the solid-state-cell of the present method where the second (metal) layer (1807, equivalent to 810) is in contact with the substrate. Note the examiner has not included the insulator/barrier layer in this rejection as it is optional], between the first portion of the substrate and the second portion of the substrate [fig. 8-9, Wallace], wherein the first material prevents the second material from contacting the first electrode layer of the first and second stacks and the electrolyte layer of the first and second stacks [0071-0074, fig. 3-4, 6-7, and 18, Wallace depicts the first layer being deposited on the sides of the stacks showing second material cannot contact the first electrode layer from contacting the electrolyte layer of the first and second stack], to electrically insulate the first electrode layer of the first and second stacks and the electrolyte layer of the first and second stacks from the second material [0034, 0036-0049, Wallace discloses that the encapsulation layer (324, “first material layer”) may be a dielectric layer which is electrically insulating ].
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Annotated figure 18, Wallace depicts a cross-sectional view of a solid-state-battery of the present invention.
Regarding claim 18, Wallace discloses the intermediate structure, wherein the first stack and the second stack each [fig. 8 and 18, Wallace], respectively, comprise a first surface on the substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface [fig. 8 and 18, Wallace], and the second material overlaps substantially all of the second surface of at least one of the first or second stacks [fig. 8 and 18, Wallace].
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Annotated figure 18, Wallace
Regarding claim 19, Wallace discloses the second electrode layer comprises lithium [0062, 0099, Wallace notes that the anode may be lithium plated].
Regarding claim 20, Wallace discloses the intermediate structure, wherein the second material (810) comprises copper [0024, Wallace].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/05/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See below for additional details.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on Salot applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 QUINTIN DALE ELLIOTT whose telephone number is (703)756-5423. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-6pm (MST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached on 5712705256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUINTIN D. ELLIOTT/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/MIRIAM STAGG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1724