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. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 29 June 2023, 18 July 2024 and 20 February 2025 were filed prior to the mailing date of this office correspondence. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 7, lines 1-2: “ wherein the number of the second pores is smaller than the number of the first pores. ” should read: -- wherein number of the second pores is smaller than number of the first pores. -- Appropriate correction is required. 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- 6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Nozaki (US 20160360615) . 492785 1536268 first pores 0 first pores 1219835 1360069 2509113 1458544 0 0 3476981 1712315 boundary line 0 boundary line 3397250 1347470 copper foil layer 0 copper foil layer 2925903 1509725 0 3327400 945515 0 3521379 783869 protrusion layer 0 protrusion layer Annotated Fig. 5, Nozaki. Regarding claim 1, Nozaki teaches, a surface-treated copper foil ( Figs. 1 to 5, electrolytic copper foil used in the invention can be obtained by conducting electrolytic treatment using a plating solution for surface roughening treatment , para. [0036]) comprising: a copper foil layer ( see copper foil in annotated Fig. 5 above); and a protrusion layer (see minute projections 10 in Fig. 5 , a roughened surface having a plurality of minute projections, para. [0012] , electrolytic copper foil has a plurality of minute projections on one surface, para. [0042] ) formed on one surface of the copper foil layer, wherein the surface-treated copper foil comprises pores formed inside the protrusion layer or around a boundary between the copper foil layer and the protrusion layer ( roughened surface of the electrolytic copper foil, the volume of pores with a diameter of 100 to 1000 nm , see Fig s . 1 to 5, para. [0046 -0047 ]). Regarding claim 2 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Nozaki further teaches , t he surface-treated copper foil according to claim 1, wherein the pores comprise first pores (see annotated Fig. 5 above) arranged along a boundary line (see Fig. 5 above) between the copper foil layer and the protrusion layer (see Fig. 5 ) . 4483786 2040686 pore diameter 0 pore diameter 4260850 2212975 0 Annotated Fig. 1, Nozaki. Regarding claim 3, Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 2. Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 2, wherein the first pores have an average diameter of 0.01 to 0.05 μm (see the pore diameter in Fig. 1 above ). Regarding claim 4 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 3 . Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 3, wherein an average interval between the adjacent first pores is 0.15 to 0.25 μm ( number of the minute projections is preferably 6 to 35, … present in the observation field width of a cross sectional surface of 25 μm , para. [0050], and the diameter of pores 100 to 1000 nm , para. [0046], in which, the period of pores between 0.7 to 4.1 μm , pore diameter is between 0.01 to 0.1 μm , which anticipates the claimed interval between the adjacent pores 0.15 to 0.25 μm ) . Regarding claim 5 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 2 . Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 2, wherein the first pores are distributed in a height region within 1/3 from the lowest point of the protrusion layer based on a sum of thicknesses of the copper foil layer and the protrusion layer (evenly distributing 6 to 35 minute projections with a height of 1.0 μm to 5.0 μm , para. [0051] ; a copper layer preferably with a thickness of 0.5 to 2 μm is formed, para. [0081] , in w hich the claimed pore height region is anticipated ) . Regarding claim 6 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 2 . Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 2, wherein the pores further include second pores formed inside the protrusion layer (see the Note and annotated Fig. 5 below) . Note : claim fails to define first pores or second pores or there is no distinction between pores or first pores or second pores. 2965450 1417320 1693545 1418590 952398 1602156 first pores 0 first pores 3783965 1610360 second pores 0 second pores 3945255 768350 protrusion layer 0 protrusion layer 3751682 930885 0 Annotated Fig. 5, Nozaki. Regarding claim 8 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6 . Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion layer includes a plurality of protrusions (see the projections 10, Fig. 5) , and a ratio of a cross-sectional area of the second pores to a cross-sectional area of one of the protrusions is 0.001 to 20% (diameter of the pores , 10 0 to 1000 nm ; one portion of at least one of the minute projections exists in an area with the width of 25/n ( μm ) , number of the minute projections is preferably 6 to 35 , para. [0048-0051], in which, the diameter of the pore is between 0.1 and 1 μm and width of the projection is between 0.7 and 4.1 μm , which anticipates the claimed ratio of the cross-sectional are of the second pores to the cross-sectional area of one of the protrusions ) . Regarding claim 9 , Nozaki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6 . Nozaki further teaches, the surface-treated copper foil according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion layer includes a plurality of protrusions, and a ratio of a cross-sectional area of the second pores to a cross-sectional area of one of the protrusions is 0.001 to 5% ( diameter of the pores , 100 to 1000 nm; one portion of at least one of the minute projections exists in an area with the width of 25/n ( μm ), number of the minute projections is preferably 6 to 35, para. [0048-0051] ) . Regarding claim 1 0 , Nozaki teaches, a circuit board (printed wiring board, see Title and para. [0003, 0009]) comprising: an insulation layer (insulating resin, para. [0003, 0006 ] ) ; and a wiring layer formed on a surface of the insulation layer ( electrolytic copper foil used in producing a printed wiring board, a copper clad laminate having the resin composite electrolytic copper foil and a B-stage resin composition layer laminate molded, para. [0003]) , the wiring layer including a copper foil layer (see annotated Fig. 5) and a protrusion layer (see the projections 10, Fig. 5 , electrolytic copper foil has a plurality of minute projections on one surface , para. [0042] ) formed on one surface of the copper foil layer, wherein the wiring layer includes pores formed inside the protrusion layer or around a boundary between the copper foil layer and the protrusion layer ( roughened surface of the electrolytic copper foil, the volume of pores with a diameter of 100 to 1000 nm, see Figs. 1 to 5, para. [0046-0047] ) . 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. Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nozaki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (US 20230240008) . Regarding claim 7 , Nozaki does not teach, the number of the second pores is smaller than the number of the first pores . However, Kim teaches a printed circuit board including a surface-treated copper foil comprising: a copper foil layer 20 in Fig. 1 ; and a protrusion layer (see annotated Fig. 1 below) formed on one surface of the copper foil layer, wherein the surface-treated copper foil comprises pores ( pore having a first width w1 , Fig. 1, para. [0073]) formed inside the protrusion layer , second pores ( pore having a second width w2 , Fig. 4, para. [0090]) formed inside the protrusion layer, in which, t he surface-treated copper foil according to claim 6, wherein the number of the second pores is smaller than the number of the first pores. From the teachings of Kim , forming pores having a first width w1 in Fig. 1 and forming pores having a second width w2 in Fig. 4, and Nozaki para. [0051], “ substantially evenly distributing 6 to 35 minute projections …the peel strength can be stabilized in the width direction/longitudinal direction of a copper foil ” , o ne of ordinary skill in the art would have known that selection of number of pores pore and/or the pore interval is a design choice that optimizes the peel strength . 4281881 931850 0 4519549 781126 protrusion layer 0 protrusion layer 4502455 525703 copper foil layer 0 copper foil layer 4297045 682549 0 Annotated Fig. 1, Kim. Therefore, in view of the teachings of Kim , 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 modify surface-treated copper foil of Nozaki and optimize the number of first and second pores as taught by Kim so that it enables to reduce the surface roughness and hence the transmission loss of a circuit board. Moreover, there is no indication in the instant invention that any surprising results were derived, or that any special steps were devised in order to form number of pores, or any advantages in selecting number of second pores smaller than the number of first pores . Such a combination would have been done by one of ordinary skill in the art without any need for experimentation and with reasonable expectations of success. Conclusion Prior art Matsunaga ( US 20130323602 ) teaches a surface-treated copper foil comprising: a copper foil layer; and a protrusion layer formed on one surface of the copper foil layer, wherein the surface-treated copper foil comprises pores formed inside the protrusion layer . Prior art Lee ( US 20160260980 ) teaches a surface-treated copper foil including a copper foil layer; and a protrusion layer formed on one surface of the copper foil layer, wherein the surface-treated copper foil comprises pores formed inside the protrusion layer. Prior art Suzuki ( US 20050175826 ) teaches a surface-treated copper foil including a copper foil layer and a protrusion layer formed on one surface of the copper foil layer including pores. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JOSE K. ABRAHAM whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-1087 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 EST . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT THOMAS J. HONG can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-0993 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JOSE K ABRAHAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 3729