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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 17, 2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-12 are examined.
Claims 7-12 are newly added.
Response to Amendment
The amendments made to the claims overcome the previous 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 rejections; therefore, the rejections are withdrawn. However, see the updated 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 rejections, where the identified first and second regions are changed.
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.
Claim 7-8 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 7-8 recites the limitation "the same locations" in the last two lines. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the limitation will be interpreted as “the same separation layers” based on the instant specification in ¶ [0102] reciting “the plural first regions and the plural second regions lie in which the separation layers 15-4 have been already formed are irradiated with the laser beam again as above” where “the third indexing feed step and the third laser beam irradiation step are alternately executed repeatedly, plural separation layers 15-4 separate from each other” in ¶ [0100].
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claims 9-12 recite “wherein the third processing step is performed before the first and second processing steps”. The claims depend on claims 2, 5, 7, and 8, which already recite “a third processing step for forming the separation layers sequentially … before the first processing step is executed” and claim 1 and 3, which the claims further depend on, recite “a second processing step for forming the separation layers … after the first processing step is executed”. Therefore, the third processing step is already recited as being performed before the first and second processing steps with respect to when the first processing step is performed and claims 9-12 fail to further limit the subject matter in claims 2, 5, 7, and 8.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 4-6, 8, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Donofrio (US 2020/0316724 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Donofrio discloses a manufacturing method (¶ [0182] – methods for processing a crystalline material substrate) of a single-crystal silicon substrate (¶ [0191] – “substrate” refers to a crystalline material, such as a single crystal semiconductor material; ¶ [0106] – crystalline material comprises silicon carbide material) by which the substrate is manufactured from a workpiece composed of single-crystal silicon (¶ [0191] –a single crystal semiconductor material) manufactured in such a manner that a crystal plane included in crystal planes {100} (¶ [0007]; FIG. 2-3 – crystal planes of hexagonal crystal) is exposed in each of a front surface and a back surface (¶ [0275] – laser emissions to frontside and backside of the thick wafer), the manufacturing method comprising:
a separation layer forming step of forming separation layers including modified parts (¶ [0214] – laser emissions 61 being focused through a surface of a bar substrate 62 to form subsurface laser damage 63) and cracks (¶ [0214] – to form subsurface laser damage 63, ¶ [0223-0225] – cracks 71C, 72C, 73C, propagate laterally from the damage lines 71, 72, 73) that extend from the modified parts inside the workpiece (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include first, second, and third pluralities of parallel lines 71, 72, 73); and
a splitting-off step (¶ [0270] – a device wafer splitting process, to form a thin wafer divided from the tick wafer) of splitting off the substrate from the workpiece with use of the separation layers as a point of origin (¶ [0271] – fracturing of the substrate 240 along the subsurface laser damage 243) after the separation layer forming step is executed (as the fracturing is performed on the subsurface laser damage, the fracturing/splitting-off is performed after the laser/separation forming step), wherein
the separation layer forming step has:
a first processing step for forming the separation layers in a plurality of first regions (¶ [0220], FIG. 11D – third plurality of parallel lines 73 formed; ¶ [0228], FIG. 13 – laser damage line 93, depicted as the light grey in annotated FIG> 11D and 13) that each extend along a first direction that is parallel to the crystal plane (¶ [0220, 0228] – parallel lines, FIG. 11D and 13 depict 73 and 93 extend in first direction) and in which an angle formed with respect to a crystal orientation included in crystal orientations is equal to or smaller than 5° (FIG. 11B-11D and 13 depict that 73/93/first direction is parallel to the 63/crystal orientation in FIG. 10A and would therefore form an angle that is about 0°) and are separate from each other in a second direction (Fig. 11B-11D depicts the first regions formed at 73 are separate from each other in a direction direction) that is parallel to one of the exposed crystal plane (Fig. 10A depicts the first and second directions are parallel to 63) and is orthogonal to the first direction (Fig. 11B-11D depict the second direction orthogonal to 73/93/first direction), and
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Annotated Fig. 10A, 11D, and 13 of Donofrio
a second processing step (¶ [0217] – fourth subsurface laser damage pattern; ¶ [0228] – subsurface laser damage line 94) for forming the separation layers in a plurality of second regions (¶ [0228] – laser damage line 94; black region in annotated FIG. 11D and 13) that each extend along the first direction (¶ [0228] – parallel damage lines 94, FIG. 13 depicts 93 extends in first direction) and are separate from each other in the second direction (¶ [0220] – 94 each include lines having a pitch of 500 nm, FIG. 13 depicts 94 are spaced in the second direction) after the first processing step is executed (¶ [0217] – fourth subsurface laser damage pattern formed after the first through third subsurface laser damage patterns).
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
each of the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - second region formed by 94) is positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of first regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - each of the second regions, i.e. dark grey regions, are positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of first regions, i.e., light grey regions),
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - far left and right first region formed by 73/93), is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11D - each of the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, are positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions, i.e. dark grey regions, except the far left and right first region),
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Annotated Fig. 11D and 13 of Donofrio
the first processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a first laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0225] – third plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 73 that form a third subsurface laser damage pattern 73) of relatively moving the workpiece and a focal point of a laser beam (FIG. 11D depicts the formation of 73A, where the path moves along parallel lines) with such a wavelength (¶ [0196] – wavelength below the bandgap of the crystalline material 30) as to be transmitted through the single-crystal silicon along the first direction (¶ [0196] – to permit the laser emissions 36 to be focused at a targeted depth below a surface thereof) in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of first regions (FIG. 11D depicts formation of 73 on one of the first regions, i.e. light grey area, along the parallel line), and
a first indexing feed step of relatively moving a position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 72 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 72B; FIG. 11C depicts after forming a damage line 72, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 72B to form the subsequent damage line 72), and
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
Donofrio further discloses in another embodiment, a fourth subsurface laser damage pattern may be formed after the first through third subsurface laser damage patterns, with the fourth subsurface laser damage pattern serving to further connect cracks emanating from any two or more of the first, second, or third lines (¶ [0217]). FIG. 13 depicts first and fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form first through fourth subsurface laser damage patterns (¶ [0228]). The method for forming a crystalline material substrate in FIG. 13 involves use of four passes of laser subsurface damage formation, with each pass forming lines having a 500 micron pitch (¶ [0229]). Following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass (¶ [0229]). Therefore, first, second, and third damage lines 91-93 correspond to the first, second, and third damage lines 71-73, and damage line 94 is formed after the passes of damage lines 71-73 described in ¶ [0223-0226] and depicted in FIG. 11A-11D.
Donofrio does not explicitly disclose the second processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a second laser beam irradiation step of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of second regions, and
a second indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction, and
wherein, during the second laser beam irradiation step, the focal point of the laser beam moved along the first direction in the second region is positioned to be centered between the focal points of the laser beam moved along the first direction in adjacent first regions during the first laser beam irradiation step
However, Donofrio discloses formation of damage line 71-73 is formed by a processing step executed by alternatively repeating:
laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0223-0225] – first-third plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 71-73 that form a first-third subsurface laser damage pattern 71A-73A) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11A-11D depicts the formation of 71A-73A, where the path moves along parallel lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of regions (Annotated FIG. 11D above depicts first and second regions), and
a second indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223-0225] – 71-73 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B; FIG. 11A-11D depicts after forming a damage line 71-73, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B to form the subsequent damage line 71-73; ¶ [0229] - each pass forming lines having a 500 micron pitch).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the three damage lines 71-73 by using the irradiation steps and indexing steps recited in the embodiment in ¶ [0223-0226] and depicted in FIG. 11A-11D to form the embodiment with four parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form the fourth subsurface laser damage pattern serving to further connect cracks emanating from any two or more of the first, second, or third lines (¶ [0217]). Therefore Donofrio discloses a second processing step executed by alternatively repeating:
a second laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0223-0225] – first-third plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 71-73 that form a first-third subsurface laser damage pattern 71A-73A) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11A-11D depicts the formation of 71A-73A, where the path moves along parallel lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of second regions (¶ [0228] – laser damage line 94; black region in annotated FIG. 11D and 13), and
a second indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223-0225] – 71-73 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B; FIG. 11A-11D depicts after forming a damage line 71-73, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B to form the subsequent damage line 71-73; ¶ [0229] - each pass forming lines having a 500 micron pitch).
In view of the obviousness above, Donofrio further discloses:
wherein, during the second laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0228] – subsurface laser damage lines 94), the focal point of the laser beam moved along the first direction in the second region (FIG. 13 depicts 94 is in dark grey region) is positioned to be centered between the focal points of the laser beam moved along the first direction in adjacent first regions during the first laser beam irradiation step (FIG. 13 depicts 94 is positioned in the center between the lines formed by 93 forming the light grey regions; ¶ [0229] - each pass forming lines having a 500 micron pitch; Following the first pass, lines formed by the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass).
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FIG. 13 of Donofrio
Regarding claim 5, Donofrio discloses the method according to claim 4.
Donofrio discloses the first plurality of parallel lines 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass (¶ [0219]). Therefore, Donofrio further discloses:
the separation layer forming step has a third processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) sequentially from a region located at one end in the second direction toward a region located at another end in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B depicts 71 is formed from one end to another in the second direction) before the first processing step is executed (¶ [0219] - 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass; ¶ [0229] – following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass) and
the third processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a third laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11B depicts the formation of 71A, where the path moves along parallel lines; FIG. 13 depicts parallel subsurface laser damage lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to any of the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B and 13 depicts formation of 71 on the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, and second regions, i.e. dark grey area, along the parallel lines), and
a third indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 71 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B; FIG. 11B depicts after forming a damage line 71, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B to form the subsequent damage line 71; ¶ [0220] – 91 each include lines having a pitch of 500 nm).
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Annotated Fig. 11B and 13 of Donofrio
Regarding claim 10, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 5. Donofrio further discloses wherein the third processing step 71/91 is performed before the first 73/93 and second processing steps 94 (¶ [0229] - first and fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form first through fourth subsurface laser damage patterns; following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass).
Regarding claim 6, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 4. Donofrio further discloses wherein: in the first processing step, the separation layers are formed in all of the plurality of first regions (¶ [0225] – second plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 73 formed; FIG. 11D depicts the laser damage lines 73 are formed in all first regions; ¶ [0228] – parallel subsurface laser damage lines 93, four passes of laser subsurface damage formation), and in the second processing step, the separation layers are formed in all of the plurality of second regions (¶ [0228] – fourth plurality of parallel lines 94 formed; FIG. 13 depicts the laser damage lines 94 are formed in all second regions).
Regarding claim 8, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 4. Donofrio further discloses wherein:
the first processing steps results in a plurality of first separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include third pluralities of parallel lines 73; ¶ [0228] - third plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 93 to form third subsurface laser damage patterns);
the second processing steps results in a plurality of second separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0228] - fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 94 to form fourth subsurface laser damage patterns);
the separation layer forming step has a third processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) sequentially from a region located at one end in the second direction toward a region located at another end in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B depicts 71 is formed from one end to another in the second direction) before the first processing step is executed (¶ [0219] - 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass; ¶ [0229] – following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass) and
the third processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a third laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11B depicts the formation of 71A, where the path moves along parallel lines; FIG. 13 depicts parallel subsurface laser damage lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to any of the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B and 13 depicts formation of 71 on the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, and second regions, i.e. dark grey area, along the parallel lines), and
a third indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 71 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B; FIG. 11B depicts after forming a damage line 71, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B to form the subsequent damage line 71; ¶ [0220] – 91 each include lines having a pitch of 500 nm).
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Annotated Fig. 11B and 13 of Donofrio
wherein, the third processing steps results in a plurality of third separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include first pluralities of parallel lines 71; ¶ [0228] - first plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form third subsurface laser damage patterns);
Donofrio does not explicitly disclose further wherein the third separation layers are formed at the same locations as the first separation layers and the second separation layers.
However, Donofrio discloses in another embodiment wherein the separation layers are formed at the same locations (¶ [0246] – a first subsurface laser damage pattern 173; a second subsurface laser damage pattern 175, wherein a vertical extent 176 of the second damage pattern overlaps with a vertical extent 174).
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FIG. 23B of Donofrio
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first 73/93, second 94, and third processing steps 71/91 to have overlap damage patterns so subsequent fracturing of the crystalline material may be performed along or through the damage overlap region (¶ [0246]).
Regarding claim 12, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 8. Donofrio further discloses wherein the third processing step 71/91 is performed before the first 73/93 and second processing steps 94 (¶ [0229] - first and fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form first through fourth subsurface laser damage patterns; following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass).
Claim(s) 1-3, 7, 9, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Donofrio (US 2020/0316724 A1), as applied to claims 4-6, 8, 10, and 12.
Regarding claim 1, the claims recite identical limitations as claim 4 and thus the rejections of claims 4-6 and 8 applied above, apply here. The difference between claim 1 and 4 is that claim 1 recites “each of the plurality of second regions, except for one of said second regions, is positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions” and “each of the plurality of first regions, except for one of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions” whereas claim 4 recites “each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions”. This difference relates to the size of the substrate and the number of alternating first and second regions that can fit on the substrate. If the substrate size in Donofrio was smaller, then “each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions”. See Annotated FIG. 11D and 13 of Donofrio below.
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Annotated Fig. 11D and 13 of Donofrio
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to design the separation forming step to have the suitable number of alternating first and second regions based on the size of the regions and size of the substrate. “A person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.” KSR int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S.Ct. 1727,82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 2-3 and 7, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 1. The claims recite identical limitations as claims 5-6 and 8, respectively, and thus the rejections of claims 5-6 and 8 applied above, apply here.
Regarding claim 9 and 11, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 2 and 7, respectively. Donofrio further discloses wherein the third processing step 71/91 is performed before the first 73/93 and second processing steps 94 (¶ [0229] - first and fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form first through fourth subsurface laser damage patterns; following the first pass, lines formed by a second pass are offset 125 microns, the third pass are offset 250 microns, the fourth pass are offset 375 microns from the lines of the first pass).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 17, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Donofrio does not recited the amended limitation of claim 1 and 4.
See updated 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1 and 4 over Donofrio, where the “first regions” and “second regions” are updated in annotated FIGS and rejection relies on another embodiment depicted in FIG 13.
Conclusion
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 JONATHAN B WOO whose telephone number is (571)272-5191. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached on (571) 270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN B WOO/Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754