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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 09/18/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 09/18/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 4-10 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.
Claim 4 recites “a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the first sub-trace, and the first sub-trace” is indefinite and unclear because the terms “the first sub-trace” and “the second sub-trace” is repeated for different portions of “the first trace” and “the second trace”, respectively. Therefore, clarity is needed for the claim limitation “the first sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the first sub-trace, and the first sub-trace”.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yen et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0310980] (hereinafter as “Yen ‘980”).
Regarding Claim 1, Yen ‘980 shows a transformer device (Fig. 3), comprising:
a first trace (IND1), comprising:
at least one first sub-trace (310_2, 310_4), located on a first layer (second metal layer, see Fig. 3); and
a second trace (IND2), comprising:
at least one second sub-trace (320_1, 320_3), located on the first layer (second metal layer, see Fig. 3), and disposed adjacent to the at least one first sub-trace (see Fig. 3); and
a third sub-trace (320_4), located on a second layer (first metal layer, see Fig. 3), and overlapped with the at least one first sub-trace partially (see Fig. 3, element 320_4 overlapped with element 310_4 partially).
Regarding Claim 2, Yen ‘980 shows the third sub-trace (320_4) is located at an inner side of the second trace (see Fig. 3), and overlaps with the at least one first sub-trace (310_4) which is located at an inner side (see Fig. 3) of the first trace partially (see Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 3, Yen ‘980 shows the third sub-trace (320_4) is located at an innermost side of the second trace (see Fig. 3), wherein the at least one first sub-trace comprises a plurality of first sub-traces (310_2, 310_4), and the third sub-trace (320_4) overlaps with the first sub-trace (310_4) which is located at an innermost side (see Fig. 3) of the first sub-traces partially (see Fig. 3).
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yen et al. [TWI 699791 B] (hereinafter as “Yen ‘791”).
Regarding Claim 1, Yen ‘791 shows a transformer device (Fig. 2 with teachings from Fig. 1), comprising:
a first trace (111A-116A, 221A, 231A), comprising:
at least one first sub-trace (111A-116A), located on a first layer (see Fig. 2, see English translation regarding elements 111-116); and
a second trace (121A-127A, 211A, 144A), comprising:
at least one second sub-trace (121A-127A), located on the first layer (see Fig. 2, see English translation regarding elements 121-126), and disposed adjacent to the at least one first sub-trace (see Fig. 2, see English translation); and
a third sub-trace (221A or 144A), located on a second layer (see Fig. 2, see English translation, can be arranged on upper layer), and overlapped with the at least one first sub-trace partially (see Fig. 2, element 221A overlapped with element 116A partially in the upper left corner OR element 144A overlapped with element 116A partially).
Regarding Claim 2, Yen ‘791 shows the third sub-trace (221A or 144A) is located at an inner side of the second trace (see Fig. 2), and overlaps with the at least one first sub-trace (116A) which is located at an inner side (see Fig. 2) of the first trace partially (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 3, Yen ‘791 shows the third sub-trace (221A) is located at an innermost side of the second trace (see Fig. 2, portion of element 221A is located at an innermost side), wherein the at least one first sub-trace comprises a plurality of first sub-traces (111A-116A), and the third sub-trace (221A) overlaps with the first sub-trace (116A) which is located at an innermost side (see Fig. 2) of the first sub-traces partially (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 4 (see 112 rejection above), Yen ‘791 shows the at least one second sub-trace comprises a plurality of second sub-traces (121A-127A, 211A, 144A), and a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace (112A), the second sub-trace (121A), the second sub-trace (122A), the first sub-trace (113A), and the first sub-trace (114A).
Regarding Claim 5, Yen ‘791 shows a first input/output member (191A), located on the first layer (see Fig. 2), and coupled to the first sub-traces (111A-116A, see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Yen ‘791 shows the first input/output member (191A) is coupled to the first sub-trace (111A-116A) which is located at an outer side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Yen ‘791 shows the first input/output member (191A) is coupled to the first sub-trace (111A-116A) which is located at an outermost side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘980 in view of Yen et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0237238] (hereinafter as “Yen ‘238”).
Regarding Claim 4, Yen ‘980 shows the at least one second sub-trace comprises a plurality of second sub-traces (320_1, 320_3).
Yen ‘980 does not show a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the first sub-trace, and the first sub-trace.
Yen ‘238 shows a transformer structure (Fig. 1) teaching and suggesting a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace (first left portion of metallic segment, 102), the second sub-trace (second left portion of metallic segment, 202), the second sub-trace (third left portion of metallic segment, element 204 that is directly adjacent to element 202), the first sub-trace (fourth left portion of metallic segment, element 110 that is directly adjacent to element 104), and the first sub-trace (fifth left portion of metallic segment, 104).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the first sub-trace, and the first sub-trace as taught by Yen ‘238 for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘980 to achieve a decent coupling coefficient and a good quality factor which improves electrical characteristics (Paragraph [0016]).
Regarding Claim 5, Yen ‘238 shows a first input/output member (101, 113), located on the first layer (see Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0013]-[0015]), and coupled to the first sub-traces (102-112, see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 6, Yen ‘238 shows the first input/output member (101, 113) is coupled to the first sub-trace (102-112) which is located at an outer side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 7, Yen ‘238 shows the first input/output member (101, 113) is coupled to the first sub-trace (102-112) which is located at an outermost side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 8, Yen ‘980 shows a second input/output member (321_1, 321_2), located on the second layer (see Fig. 3), and coupled to the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3).
Yen ‘238 also shows a second input/output member (201, 207), located on the second layer (see Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0013]-[0015]), and coupled to the second sub-traces (202-206, see Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 as applied to claims 4-8 above, and further in view of Ho-Hsiang [U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0164667].
Regarding Claim 9, Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces.
Ho-Hsiang shows a transformer (Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8) teaching and suggesting the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) is coupled to the second sub-trace (206a-206e, 306a-306d, 706a-706d, 806a-806d) which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8), and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8, element 208a/208e crosses element 206c, 308a/308e crosses element 306c, 708a/708e crosses element 706c, 808a/808e crosses element 806c).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces as taught by Ho-Hsiang for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 to improve reliability and improve flexibility which maintain high Q-factors (Paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Claim 10, Ho-Hsiang shows the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an innermost side of the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8), and the first input/output member (204a/204e, 304a/304e, 704a/704e, 804a/804e) and the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) are disposed at two sides of the transformer device respectively (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 as applied to claims 4-8 above, and further in view of Chen [U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0060402].
Regarding Claim 9, Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces.
Chen shows a balun (Fig. 3A) teaching and suggesting the second input/output member (336, 338) is coupled to the second sub-trace (340(3), 342(2), 340(1), 342(1), 340(2), 342(3)) which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A), and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A, elements 336, 338 crosses elements 340(3), 342(2), 340(1), 342(1), 340(2), 342(3)).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces as taught by Chen for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘980 in view of Yen ‘238 to improve better coupling effect (Paragraph [0033]) which reduce layout area and saving substrate area which achieves compactness (Paragraph [0040]).
Regarding Claim 10, Chen shows the second input/output member (336, 338) is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an innermost side of the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A), and the first input/output member (316, 318) and the second input/output member (336, 338) are disposed at two sides of the transformer device respectively (see Fig. 3A).
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘791 in view of Yen et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0237238] (hereinafter as “Yen ‘238”).
Regarding Claim 4, Yen ‘791 shows claimed invention as applied above.
In addition, Yen ‘238 shows a transformer structure (Fig. 1) teaching and suggesting the at least one second sub-trace (200) comprises a plurality of second sub-traces (201-207), a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace (first left portion of metallic segment, 102), the second sub-trace (second left portion of metallic segment, 202), the second sub-trace (third left portion of metallic segment, element 204 that is directly adjacent to element 202), the first sub-trace (fourth left portion of metallic segment, element 110 that is directly adjacent to element 104), and the first sub-trace (fifth left portion of metallic segment, 104).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a disposition sequence of the first sub-traces and the second sub-traces is that the first sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the second sub-trace, the first sub-trace, and the first sub-trace as taught by Yen ‘238 for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘791 to achieve a decent coupling coefficient and a good quality factor which improves electrical characteristics (Paragraph [0016]).
Regarding Claim 5, Yen ‘238 shows a first input/output member (101, 113), located on the first layer (see Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0013]-[0015]), and coupled to the first sub-traces (102-112, see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 6, Yen ‘238 shows the first input/output member (101, 113) is coupled to the first sub-trace (102-112) which is located at an outer side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 7, Yen ‘238 shows the first input/output member (101, 113) is coupled to the first sub-trace (102-112) which is located at an outermost side of the first sub-traces (see Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 8, Yen ‘238 shows a second input/output member (201, 207), located on the second layer (see Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0013]-[0015]), and coupled to the second sub-traces (202-206, see Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 as applied to claims 4-8 above, and further in view of Ho-Hsiang [U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0164667].
Regarding Claim 9, Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces.
Ho-Hsiang shows a transformer (Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8) teaching and suggesting the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) is coupled to the second sub-trace (206a-206e, 306a-306d, 706a-706d, 806a-806d) which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8), and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8, element 208a/208e crosses element 206c, 308a/308e crosses element 306c, 708a/708e crosses element 706c, 808a/808e crosses element 806c).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces as taught by Ho-Hsiang for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 to improve reliability and improve flexibility which maintain high Q-factors (Paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Claim 10, Ho-Hsiang shows the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an innermost side of the second sub-traces (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8), and the first input/output member (204a/204e, 304a/304e, 704a/704e, 804a/804e) and the second input/output member (208a/208e, 308a/308e, 708a/708e, 808a/808e) are disposed at two sides of the transformer device respectively (see Figs. 2A, 3, 7, 8).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 as applied to claims 4-8 above, and further in view of Chen [U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0060402].
Regarding Claim 9, Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces.
Chen shows a balun (Fig. 3A) teaching and suggesting the second input/output member (336, 338) is coupled to the second sub-trace (340(3), 342(2), 340(1), 342(1), 340(2), 342(3)) which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A), and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A, elements 336, 338 crosses elements 340(3), 342(2), 340(1), 342(1), 340(2), 342(3)).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the second input/output member is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an inner side of the second sub-traces, and the second input/output member crosses the second sub-traces as taught by Chen for the transformer as disclosed by Yen ‘791 in view of Yen ‘238 to improve better coupling effect (Paragraph [0033]) which reduce layout area and saving substrate area which achieves compactness (Paragraph [0040]).
Regarding Claim 10, Chen shows the second input/output member (336, 338) is coupled to the second sub-trace which is located at an innermost side of the second sub-traces (see Fig. 3A), and the first input/output member (316, 318) and the second input/output member (336, 338) are disposed at two sides of the transformer device respectively (see Fig. 3A).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZFUNG J CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7981. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837