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 .
Examiner’s Note
1. Claim 2 further limits an optional component of the composition of Claim 1. Thus, prior art could teach a different optional component of the composition of Claim 1 but not teach the optional components further limited by dependent claims of independent Claim 1 and still be utilized to reject said dependent claims of independent Claim 1 which further limit other optional components of the composition of independent Claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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 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.
3. 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:
4. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
5. Claims 1-2 and 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wehrmann et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2017/0362431 A1), hereinafter Wehrmann.
6. Regarding Claims 1-2 and 4-7, Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally experimental examples PC3 to PC11) a film forming composition. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally experimental examples PC3 to PC11) a compound represented by formula (4) of the present application and a resin obtained using the compound represented by formula (4) of the present application as a monomer. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally experimental examples PC3 to PC11) the optional compound represented by general formula (1) of the present application is an optional compound represented by general formula (2) of the present application. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally experimental examples PC3 to PC11) wherein the compound represented by formula (4) of the present application is a compound represented by formula (6) of the present application. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally experimental examples PC3 to PC11) wherein the resin is a resin represented by formula (8) of the present application. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraphs [0174-0196], principally chlorobenzene) the film forming composition further comprising a solvent.
6. Claims 1-3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tomonari et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2020/175353 A1), hereinafter Tomonari.
7. Regarding Claims 1-3 and 7, Tomonari teaches (Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0008, 0053, and 0078]) a film forming composition. Tomonari teaches (Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0008, 0053, and 0078]) a compound represented by general formula (1) of the present application and a compound represented by general formula (3) of the present application. Tomonari teaches (Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0008, 0053, and 0078]) the compound represented by general formula (1) of the present application is a compound represented by general formula (2) of the present application. Tomonari teaches (Fig. 1, Paragraphs [0008, 0053, and 0078]) the compound represented by general formula (3) of the present application. Tomonari teaches (Paragraph [0080]) the film forming composition further comprising a solvent, therein dimethylformamide.
8. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wehrmann et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2017/0362431 A1), hereinafter Wehrmann; and further in view of Oshita et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2021/0130602 A1), hereinafter Oshita.
9. Regarding Claim 9, while Wehrmann teaches all limitations of Claim 1, Wehrmann fails to explicitly teach the film forming composition further comprising a crosslinking agent.
10. Wehrmann teaches (Paragraph [0013]) film forming composition comprising polycarbonates with improved glass transition temperatures and heat distortion resistance. Oshita teaches (Paragraphs [0098, 0109, and 0132]) film forming composition comprising polycarbonates with improved glass transition temperatures and heat distortion resistance. Oshita teaches (Paragraph [0172]) the film forming composition further comprising a crosslinking agent. Oshita teaches (Paragraph [0171]) the inclusion a crosslinking agent in the film forming composition can modify the material strength of the resultant film without negatively affecting its performance.
11. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wehrmann in view of Oshita to further comprise a crosslinking agent. Doing so would result in modification of the material strength of the resultant film without negatively affecting its performance, as recognized by Oshita.
Allowable Subject Matter
12. Claims 8 and 10-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art fails to teach the above composition further comprising an acid generating agent of Claim 8 nor does it teach the methods of Claims 10-13, principally the method steps involving irradiation and development.
Conclusion
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number (571) 272-0750. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
14. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Keith D. Hendricks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1733
/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
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