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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in grounds of the new rejection.
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.
1. Claims 1-3, 6-9 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Lee et al. (US 20200194167) in view of Yoon et al. (US 20150102891) and Hong et al. (US 2017/0140866).
Regarding claim 1, Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0024-0055/0066-0067) discloses a body (100) having one surface and the other surface facing each other, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface to each other (see figure 7); a substrate (200) disposed in the body; a coil portion including: first and second coil patterns (320/320’) disposed on one surface of the substrate and each having at least one turn, and third and fourth coil patterns (310/310’) disposed on the other surface of the substrate and each having at least one turn (see figure 7); and first and second external electrodes (500/600) disposed on the one surface of the body (see figure 7), spaced apart from each other (see figure 7) and connected to the second and fourth coil patterns (see figure 7), respectively, wherein winding axes of the first to fourth coil patterns are parallel to the one surface of the body (see figure 7).
Lee et al. discloses wherein the first and second external electrodes (500/600) are disposed on the one surface of the body (see figure 7), spaced apart from each other (see figure 7) but does not expressly disclose wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces and wherein the first and third coil patterns are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns.
Yoon et al. (figures 4-5) discloses a teaching wherein the first and second external electrodes (83/84) are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
Hong et al. (figures 2-3 and para 0054) discloses a teaching wherein the first and third coil patterns (21/23) are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes (81/82) and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns (22/24).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces as taught by Yoon et al. to the inductive of Lee et al. such has to save in production cost in regards to less materials and less time needed to make the inductive device, while also allowing an influence of the external electrodes hindering a flow of magnetic flux may be decreased, such that performance properties of the inductor such as inductance (Ls) and the quality factor (Q), and the like, may be further improved.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces and wherein the first and third coil patterns are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns as taught by Hong et al. to the inductive of Lee et al. such has to design a more compact device which saves in production cost in regards to less materials and less time needed to make the inductive device.
Regarding claim 2, Lee et al. (figures 7-8) discloses a first insulating layer (420) disposed between the first and second coil patterns to cover the first coil pattern (see figure 8); a second insulating layer (410) disposed between the third and fourth coil patterns to cover the third coil pattern (see figure 8).
Regarding claim 3, Lee et al. (figure 7 and para 0067) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes a first lead-out portion extending from an outermost turn of the second coil pattern to contact the one surface of the body (see para 0067); and a second lead-out portion extending from an outermost turn of the fourth coil pattern to contact the one surface of the body (see para 0067).
Regarding claim 6, Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0066-0069) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes: a first sub-lead-out portion disposed on the one surface of the substrate (see figure 7 and para 0067), spaced apart from the first coil pattern, covered by the first insulating layer (see para 0067), and connected to the first external electrode (see figure 7); and a second sub-lead-out portion disposed on the other surface of the substrate (see para 0067), spaced apart from the third coil pattern, covered by the second insulating layer (see figure 7), and connected to the second external electrode (see figure 7).
Regarding claim 7, Lee et al. (figure 7-8) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes: a first sub-via passing through the first insulating layer to connect the first lead-out portion and the first sub-lead-out portion to each other; and a second sub-via passing through the second insulating layer to connect the second lead-out portion and the second sub-lead-out portion to each other. (see para 0062 disclosing a teaching wherein dummy lead-out pattern (sub-lead-outs portions) may be connected to the lead-out patterns by a connection via (not illustrated).
Regarding claim 8, Lee et al. (figure 7-8) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes: a third sub-lead-out portion disposed on the other surface of the substrate, spaced apart from the third coil pattern (see figure 7 and parr 0067), covered by the second insulating layer, and connected to the first external electrode; and a fourth sub-lead-out portion disposed on the one surface of the substrate, spaced apart from the first coil pattern, covered by the first insulating layer, and connected to the second external electrode(see figure 7 and parr 0067).
Regarding claim 9, Lee et al. (figure 7-8) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes: a fifth sub-lead-out portion disposed on the second insulating layer(see figure 7 and parr 0067), spaced apart from the fourth coil pattern, and connected to the first external electrode; and a sixth sub-lead-out portion disposed on the first insulating layer, spaced apart from the second coil pattern, and connected to the second external electrode (see figure 7 and parr 0067).
Regarding claim 17, Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0024-0055/0066-0067) discloses a body (100) having one surface and the other surface facing each other, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface to each other (see figure 7); a substrate (200) disposed in the body and having one surface facing one of the plurality of side surfaces (see figure 7); a coil portion including: first and second coil patterns disposed on the one surface of the substrate and each having at least one turn (320/320’), and third and fourth coil patterns disposed on the other surface of the substrate and each having at least one turn (310/310’); and first and second external electrodes disposed on the one surface of the body, spaced apart from each other (see figure 7) and connected to the second and fourth coil patterns (see figure 7), respectively.
Lee et al. discloses wherein the first and second external electrodes (500/600) are disposed on the one surface of the body (see figure 7), spaced apart from each other (see figure 7) but does not expressly disclose wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces and wherein the first and third coil patterns are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns.
Yoon et al. (figures 4-5) discloses a teaching wherein the first and second external electrodes (83/84) are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
Hong et al. (figures 2-3 and para 0054) discloses a teaching wherein the first and third coil patterns (21/23) are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes (81/82) and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns (22/24).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces as taught by Yoon et al. to the inductive of Lee et al. such has to save in production cost in regards to less materials and less time needed to make the inductive device, while also allowing an influence of the external electrodes hindering a flow of magnetic flux may be decreased, such that performance properties of the inductor such as inductance (Ls) and the quality factor (Q), and the like, may be further improved.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the first and second external electrodes are spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces and wherein the first and third coil patterns are physically spaced apart from the first and second external electrodes and electrically connected to the first and second external electrodes respectively through the second and fourth coil patterns as taught by Hong et al. to the inductive of Lee et al. such has to design a more compact device which saves in production cost in regards to less materials and less time needed to make the inductive device.
Regarding claim 18, Lee et al. (figures 7-8) discloses a first insulating layer (420) disposed between the first and second coil patterns to cover the first coil pattern (see figure 8); a second insulating layer (410) disposed between the third and fourth coil patterns to cover the third coil pattern (see figure 8).
Regarding claim 19, Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0066-0069) discloses wherein the coil portion further includes: a first sub-lead-out portion disposed on the one surface of the substrate (see figure 7 and para 0067), spaced apart from the first coil pattern, covered by the first insulating layer (see para 0067), and connected to the first external electrode (see figure 7); and a second sub-lead-out portion disposed on the other surface of the substrate (see para 0067), spaced apart from the third coil pattern, covered by the second insulating layer (see figure 7), and connected to the second external electrode (see figure 7).
2. Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Lee et al. (US 20200194167) in view of Yoon et al. (US 20150102891) and Hong et al. (US 2017/0140866) in further view of Lee et al. (US 2017/0032885).
Regarding claim 4, the modified inductive device of Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0024-0055/0066-0067) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose wherein the coil portion further includes: a first via passing through the substrate to connect outer ends of the first and third coil patterns to each other;
a second via passing through the first insulating layer to connect inner ends of the first and second coil patterns to each other; and a third via passing through the second insulating layer to connect inner ends of the third and fourth coil patterns to each other.
Lee et al. (2885) (figures 29/31 and para 0072) discloses a teaching wherein the coil portion further includes: a first via (234) passing through the substrate to connect outer ends of the first and third coil patterns to each other (see figure 31); a second via (214) passing through the first insulating layer to connect inner ends of the first and second coil patterns to each other; and a third via (234) passing through the second insulating layer to connect inner ends of the third and fourth coil patterns to each other.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the coil portion further includes: a first via passing through the substrate to connect outer ends of the first and third coil patterns to each other; a second via passing through the first insulating layer to connect inner ends of the first and second coil patterns to each other; and a third via passing through the second insulating layer to connect inner ends of the third and fourth coil patterns to each other as taught by Lee et al(2885). to the inductive of Lee et al such has to allow for DC resistance to be reduced thereby allowing for a higher inductance to be obtained.
. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Lee et al. (US 20200194167) in view of Yoon et al. (US 20150102891) and Hong et al. (US 2017/0140866)in further view of Lee et al. (US 2016/0276094).
Regarding claim 5, the modified inductive device of Lee et al. (figures 7-8 and para 0024-0055/0066-0067) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose an insulating film integrally covering surfaces of the substrate, the coil portion, and the first and second insulating layers.
Lee et al. (6094) (figures 1-4 and para 0042-0064) discloses a teaching wherein an insulating film (193) integrally covering surfaces of the substrate, the coil portion, and the first and second insulating layers.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein teaching wherein an insulating film integrally covering surfaces of the substrate, the coil portion, and the first and second insulating layers as taught by Lee et al (6094). to the inductive of Lee et al such has to protect the inductive device from outside elements thereby reducing the chances of the inductive device being damaged.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
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 RONALD HINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7915. The examiner can normally be reached M to F; 8 -5.
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/RONALD HINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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