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 II in the reply filed on 10/03/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 2-4 and 18-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species I and III-IV, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/03/2025.
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 5-17 and 20 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 5 recites “the side connecting portions” is indefinite and unclear since claim 1 recites “a plurality of side connecting portions”.
Claim 5 recites “the side connecting portions each are further configured to couple the middle first coil and the outermost second coil” is indefinite and unclear because the claim limitation appears to have the middle first coil coupled to the outermost second coil. However, the middle first coil appears to be separate from the outermost second coil. The examiner suggests clarification.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the middle first coil" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the outermost second coil" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites “the side connecting portions” is indefinite and unclear since claim 1 recites “a plurality of side connecting portions”.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the outermost first coil" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the innermost first coil" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the middle first coil" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the outermost second coil" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the innermost second coil" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the outermost first coil" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites “the side connecting portions” is indefinite and unclear since claim 1 recites “a plurality of side connecting portions”.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the outermost first coil" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 5, 8-10, 13-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lim et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0284552].
Regarding Claim 1, Lim et al. shows an inductor device (see Figs. 8-11b and Drawings 1-2 below), comprising:
a plurality of coils (211, 212) comprising:
a first winding (211) comprising a plurality of first coils (221a, 221b, 221d, 221f, 231a, 231b, 231d, 231f, 241a, 241b, 241d, 241f, 251a, 251b, 251d and 251f); and
a second winding (212) comprising a plurality of second coils (222a, 222b, 222d, 222f, 232a, 232b, 232d, 232f, 242a, 242b, 242d, 242f, 252a, 252b, 252d and 252f);
a first central connecting portion (first central connection portion FC, see Drawings 1-2 below) configured to couple the first coils and the second coils which are interleaved (see Figs. 8-9, elements 252d, 242d interleaved with elements 251a, 241a and elements 222b, 232b interleaved with elements 221f, 231f), so that a first one (222d, 252b) of the second coils is coupled to a second one (222b, 252d) of the second coils (see Figs. 8-9); and
a plurality of side connecting portions (side connecting portion CP1, CP2) configured on two sides (left side and right side) of the first central connecting portion (first central connection portion FC) and each configured to couple the second one (222b, 252d) of the second coils to a third one (222a, 252f) of the second coils (see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below), so that the second one (222b, 252d) of the second coils and a first one (251d, 221b) of the first coils compose one of the coils of the inductor device (elements 222b, 252d and elements 251d, 221b compose one of the coils, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below);
wherein the second one (222b, 252d) of the second coils is close adjacent to the third one (222a, 252f) of the second coils (element 222b is close adjacent to element 222a and element 252d is close adjacent to element 252f, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below).
Regarding Claim 5 (see 112 rejections above), Lim et al. shows the side connecting portions (side connecting portion CP1, CP2) each are further configured to couple the middle first coil (221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b) and the outermost second coil (222a, 222b, 252d, 252f, see Figs. 8-9, elements 221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b magnetically coupled to elements 222a, 222b, 252d, 252f).
Regarding Claim 8, Lim et al. shows the first central connecting portion (first central connection portion FC) comprises:
a first crossing portion (231h, 221h, or 241h) configured to couple the innermost first coil (241a, 241b, 231d, 231f) and the middle first coil (221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below, element 231h, 221h, or 241h configured to electrically coupled indirectly elements 241a, 241b, 231d, 231f and elements 221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b); and
a second crossing portion (222e, 252e, 242e, or 232e) configured to couple the outermost second coil (222a, 222b, 252d, 252f) and the innermost second coil (242a, 242b, 232d, 232f, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below, element 222e, 252e, 242e, or 232e configured to electrically coupled indirectly elements 222a, 222b, 252d, 252f and elements 242a, 242b, 232d, 232f), wherein the first crossing portion (231h, 221h, or 241h) and the second crossing portion (222e, 252e, 242e, or 232e) are incompletely overlapped with each other (see Figs. 11a-11b, element 231h incompletely overlapped with element 232e or 242e or element 221h incompletely overlapped with element 242e or element 241h incompletely overlapped with element 222e).
Regarding Claim 9, Lim et al. shows the first crossing portion (231h, 221h, or 241h) comprises a first connecting member (231h or 221h), and the first connecting member (231h or 221h) is configured to couple the innermost first coil (241a, 241b, 231d, 231f) and the middle first coil (221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below, element 231h or 221h configured to electrically coupled indirectly elements 241a, 241b, 231d, 231f and elements 221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b).
Regarding Claim 10, Lim et al. shows the first crossing portion (231h, 221h, or 241h) further comprises a second connecting member (241h), and the second connecting member (241h) is configured to couple the innermost first coil (241a, 241b, 231d, 231f) and the middle first coil (221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b, see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below, element 241h configured to electrically coupled indirectly elements 241a, 241b, 231d, 231f and elements 221d, 221f, 251a, 251b with 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b), wherein the first connecting member (221h) and the second connecting member (241h) are intersected with each other (see Figs. 8-11b and Drawings 1-2 below, element 221h and element 241h are intersected with each other), and the first connecting member (221h) and the second connecting member (241h) are in different layers (see Figs. 8-11b and Drawings 1-2 below, element 221h and element 241h are in different layers).
Regarding Claim 13, Lim et al. shows the inductor device further comprises a second central connecting portion (second central connecting portion SC, see Drawings 1-2 below), the first central connecting portion (first central connecting portion FC) is on a first side (first side S1) of the inductor device (see Drawings 1-2 below), and the second central connecting portion (second central connecting portion SC) is on a second side (second side S2) of the inductor device (see Drawings 1-2 below), wherein the first side is different from the second side (see Drawings 1-2 below).
Regarding Claim 14, Lim et al. shows the second central connecting portion (second central connecting portion SC) comprises a third crossing portion (221e, 251e), and the third crossing portion (221e, 251e) is configured to couple the outermost first coil (221b, 251d, 221a, 251f) and the middle first coil (221d, 251b, 221f, 251a, 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b).
Regarding Claim 15, Lim et al. shows the third crossing portion (221e, 251e) comprises a first connecting member (221e), and the first connecting member (221e) is configured to couple the outermost first coil (221b, 221a) and the middle first coil (221d, 251b, 221f, 251a, 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b).
Regarding Claim 16, Lim et al. shows the third crossing portion (221e, 251e) further comprises a second connecting member (251e), and the second connecting member (251e) is configured to couple the outermost first coil (251d, 251f) and the middle first coil (251b, 221d, 221f, 251a, 241d, 241f, 231a, 231b), wherein the first connecting member (221e) and the second connecting member (251e) are intersected with each other (see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below), and the first connecting member (221e) and the second connecting member (251e) are in different layers (see Figs. 8-11b, element 221e and element 251e are in different layers).
Regarding Claim 17, Lim et al. shows the side connecting portions (side connecting portion CP1, CP2) are on the first side (first side S1) of the inductor device (see Drawings 1-2 below).
Regarding Claim 20, Lim et al. shows the inductor device further comprises a first input-output terminal (211a, 211b) and a second input-output terminal (212a, 212b), the first input-output terminal is coupled to the outermost first coil (221a, 221b, 251f, 251d) on the first side (first side S1) of the inductor device (see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below), and the second input-output terminal is coupled to the outermost second coil (222a, 222b, 252f, 252d) on the second side (second side S2) of the inductor device (see Figs. 8-9 and Drawings 1-2 below).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 11-12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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