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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 10, the limitation “the primary or the secondary pulse region applies a Gaussian spatial distribution and the other of the primary and the secondary pulse region applies a rectangular shaped spatial distribution” is lacking support in the specification. The specification does not disclose a method for controlling surface asperity using a laser pulse having a two pulse regions with two different spatial distributions, i.e., Gaussian spatial distribution and rectangular shaped spatial distribution.
Regarding claims 11-15, the claims are rejected due to their dependency on an rejected claim as shown above.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation “an interface between melted material and solidified material moves outward from the center of the membrane vent hole over time” is lacking written description in the specification. The specification does not disclose the interface between melted material and solidified material can move outward from the center of the hole.
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.
Claim 18 is 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.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation “an interface between melted material and solidified material moves outward from the center of the membrane vent hole over time” is indefinite. It is unclear how this limitation relate to the active step in claim 1. It is unclear how the interface between melted material and solidified material can move outward from the center of the hole.
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.
Claims 16-17 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ametowobla (DE 102015224488A1) (cited in IDS).
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Regarding claims 16-17, Ametowobla teaches a method for controlling surface asperity during laser sealing of a membrane vent hole, the method comprising:
applying a laser pulse having a laser intensity spatial distribution on the membrane vent hole (opening 11) to form a seal (material region 13) over the membrane vent hole (opening 11), the seal having a seal surface (See fig.2 and para.[0044] “For example, it is also provided that the introduction of energy or heat is controlled by means of the time-shaped laser pulse 905 in such a way that the further laser pulse duration 907 is at least partially preceded in time by a first transition of the material region 13 from the solid to the liquid state. In addition, it is provided, for example, that the introduction of energy or heat is controlled by means of the time-shaped laser pulse 905 such that the third laser pulse duration 911 at least partially follows a second transition of the material region 13 from the liquid to the solid state.”), the laser pulse (laser pulse 905) including a primary laser pulse region (laser pulse duration 901) and a secondary laser pulse region (laser pulse duration 911) beginning once the primary laser pulse region ends (see fig.6), the seal surface having a solidification path where the seal solidifies from a center of the membrane vent hole outward therefrom [Examiner’s note: a solidification path is the result of the sealing the vent hole. It is inherent to have a solidification path between the center of the hole and the outward of the vent hole after sealing the vent hole using laser.], and the solidification path includes melted material adjacent the vent hole at a first time and does not include melted material adjacent the vent hole at a second time later than the first time [Examiner’s note: It is inherent the material is melted after applying laser to the material, and the material will be cool down and solidify after a certain period of time.].
Regarding claims 19-20, Ametowobla teaches the seal surface having a surface asperity characteristic [Examiner’s note: It is inherent that every surface have a certain asperity characteristic.], and the surface asperity characteristic is a reduced surface asperity height [Examiner’s note: It is inherent that every surface have a certain asperity height.].
Response to Arguments
With respect to the claim rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and 112(b), applicant amended claims 1, 4, 10, 16-17, which overcomes the claim rejections. Therefore the claim rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and 112(b) are withdrawn. However, new 112 rejection are raised due to the claim amendments.
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 12/09/2025, with respect to rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1 and 10 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 16 have been considered but are moot because the claim amendment of claim 16 change the scope of the claim to be boarder. Therefore, the new ground of rejection is made by the new scope of the claim,
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 are allowed.
Conclusion
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.
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/CHRIS Q LIU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761