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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 4, 7-9 are currently pending.
Claim 1 has been amended
Claims 5-6 has withdrawn
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 03/26/2026 does not place the application in condition for allowance. This action is made final.
Status of Rejections Pending
since The Office Action of 12/29/2025
The examiner modified the rejection below to address claim amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gui et al (PG Pub 20060180197), and further in view of Bett et al (PG Pub 20150380591)
Regarding claim 1, Gui et al teaches a tandem solar cell comprising:
a top cell module configured to generate power by photoelectrically converting incident light and allow part of the incident light to pass through the top cell module [para 44-45 fig 4-5];
and a bottom cell module laminated to the top cell module, the bottom cell module being configured to generate power by photoelectrically converting light that has passed through the top cell module, wherein the top cell module includes a plurality of top cells that are connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel [para 39]
the bottom cell module includes a plurality of bottom cells that are connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel, the number of the bottom cells being equal to the number of the top cells [para 39 fig 4-5]
an electrode (124, 128) connecting the plurality of top cells is positioned such that the electrode does not overlap the bottom cells in plan view [fig 4-5 para 47]
the plurality of top cells arranged in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in plan view [fig 3-7]
the plurality of top cells and the plurality of bottom cells are arranged to face each other in a one-to-one correspondence in plan view [fig 3-7]
the plurality of top cells aligned in the first direction are connected to each other in the first direction by a plurality of first electrodes (124, 128) (electrically conductive traces 128 are patterned on the surfaces of the substrates to provide electrical paths between each of the corresponding anodes and cathodes of each of the PV cells ) (In the instant application, para 50 shows an electrode includes the first electrode and second electrode) [para 48];
the plurality of first electrodes are connected to each other in the second direction by plurality of second electrodes arrange outside an arrangement of top cells in the first direction [fig 4 see drawing below]
the plurality of first electrodes (124,128)are positioned such that the plurality of first electrodes do not overlap the plurality of bottom cells in plan view [fig 4-7]
Each of the plurality of second electrodes connects end portions of respective first electrodes to each other [fig 4-7 see drawing below]
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Gui et al teaches the claimed limitation as set forth above, but Gui et al does not teach each top cell of the plurality of top cells having protruding portions, which extends beyond the outer edges of a respective bottom cell of the plurality of bottom cells in the second direction in plan view.
Bett et al teaches a solar module comprising plurality of solar cells where the top cell being larger than that of the bottom cells where each top cell of the plurality of top cells has protruding portions, which extends beyond the outer edges of a respective bottom cell of the plurality of bottom cells in the second direction in plan view [fig 10a b c 11].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the shape to top cells of Gui et al to be larger than the bottom cell such that each top cell of the plurality of top cells has protruding portions, which extends beyond the outer edges of a respective bottom cell of the plurality of bottom cells in the second direction in plan view since such modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
As for combination, the top cell module includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged on the protruding portions, the plurality of first electrodes is positioned outside the
outer edges of the respective bottom cell, the plurality of top cells aligned in the first direction are connected to each other in the first direction by the plurality of first electrodes that are arranged on the protruding portions
Regarding claim 4, modified Gui et al teaches a connection mode of the plurality of top cells and a connection mode of the plurality of bottom cells are set to match a current ratio between the top cells and the bottom cells [para 49]
Regarding claim 7, Since the top cell and bottom are interconnected, thus it is considered that a positive terminal of the top cell module is a first positive terminal of the solar cell, a negative terminal of the top cell module is a first negative terminal of the solar cell, a positive terminal of the bottom cell module is a second positive terminal of the solar cell, a negative terminal of the bottom cell module is a second negative terminal of the solar cell [fig 4-5].
Regarding claim 8, modified Gui et al teaches a solar cell system comprising one or more solar cells of a first type in which the positive terminal of the top cell module is present at a first corner when viewed from a light incident side and one or more solar cells of a second type in which the positive terminal of the top cell module is present at a second corner adjacent to the first corner when viewed from a light incident side, the solar cells being a plurality of solar cells, wherein the solar cells of the first type and the solar cells of the second type are arranged alternately in an arrangement direction [para 36] (each solar cell is organic solar cell with different types of material], and at a connection point of a solar cell of the first type and a solar cell of the second type adjacent to each other, the first positive terminal of the solar cell of the first type and the first negative terminal of the solar cell of the second type are connected and the second positive terminal of the solar cell of the first type and the second negative terminal of the solar cell of the second type are connected [fig 8-9] (plurality of solar cell are connected in series [para 39])
Regarding claim 9, modified Gui et al teaches the plurality of first electrodes (124, 128) being positioned such that the plurality of first electrodes do not overlap the plurality of top cells in plan view, and wherein the plurality of bottom cells are positioned between the plurality of first electrodes (124, 128) in plan view [fig 6-7].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 03/26/2026 are deemed moot in view of the following new grounds of rejection, necessitated by Applicant’s amendment to the claims which significantly affected the scope thereof (i.e., by incorporating new limitations into the independent claims, which require further search and consideration).
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 UYEN M TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7602. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/UYEN M TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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