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 .
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.
1. Claims 1, 2 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over unpatentable over Boyd (US20230388711) in view of Strasser et al. (US20190071305A1).
As to Claim 1, Boyd teaches a MEMS device ( abstract, Figure 3), comprising: a base( substrate 10), wherein a back cavity( back cavity 11) passes through the base( substrate 10, [0042]); a diaphragm( diaphragm 20) connected to the base(substrate 10.,[0043]) and covering the back cavity( 11), wherein the diaphragm( 20) comprises an upper diaphragm part and a lower diaphragm part that are arranged opposite to each other ( the diaphragm 20 includes a first membrane 22 and a second membrane 23 that are arranged opposite to each other. [0043], Figure 3), and a receiving space is formed between the upper diaphragm part and the lower diaphragm part ( a predetermined gap is maintained between the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23 to form an accommodating space 24. [0043]) ; a counter electrode located in the receiving space( counter electrode 40 is arranged in the accommodating space 24, [0045]); and support members( support 30 including plurality of support members 31, [0009]) arranged concentrically( [0009]) and located between the upper diaphragm part ( first membrane 22) and the lower diaphragm part ( second diaphragm 23), wherein the support members(31) are spaced apart from one another( Figure 2) and spaced apart from the counter electrode ( counter electrode 40, Figure 2-4) two opposite ends of each of the support members are connected to the upper diaphragm part and the lower diaphragm part, respectively (the support 30 is arranged in the accommodating space 24, and opposite ends of the support 30 are respectively connected to the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23. The function of the support 30 is to keep the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23 flat, or at least limit/control the bending/deformation of the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23 between the supports 30 ); wherein the diaphragm( first membrane 22 and second membrane 23) comprises a first zone( first region 26) and a second zone( second region 27, Figure 2) located at an outer circumference of the first zone( first region 26), and in the first zone( first region 26), a surface of the upper diaphragm part facing away from the lower diaphragm part is covered with a first electrode( electrode region 21), a surface of the lower diaphragm part facing away from the upper diaphragm part is covered with a second electrode , and the first electrode is arranged opposite to the second electrode [0046] teaches the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23 both includes a first region 26 and a second region 27. For example, the first region 26 refers to an electrode region 21 on the second region 27. The electrode region 21 refers to the portion inside the solid circle shown in FIG. 2. The second region 27 is formed by a semiconductor material without doping conductive ions, and the first region 26 is formed by doping conductive ions in the semiconductor material, so that the compliance performance is improved and thus is not easily peeled off.) Boyd does not explicitly teach in the second zone a surface of the upper diaphragm part facing away from the lower diaphragm part and a surface of the lower diaphragm part facing away from the upper diaphragm part are each covered with a reinforcement layer. However, Strasser in related field (MEMS) teaches the first membrane structure 224 can have a so-called “segmentation” 232, wherein the term segmentation denotes a subdivision or demarcation of two regions of the membrane structure by means of an insulating layer arrangement. By means of a segmentation arranged e.g. in a manner extending circumferentially in the membrane structure, the membrane structure of a MEMS microphone can be electrically isolated, wherein the deflectable region of the membrane is arranged in a first region and the second region is situated for example in the holding structure situated at the edge. Parasitic effects, such as e.g. parasitic capacitances, can be significantly reduced by means of the segmentation of the membrane structures. However, the segmentation 232 illustrated in FIG. 1a should be regarded merely as optional. [0046]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to segment the diaphragm such that the second zone is covered with a reinforcement layer such as an insulator layer to electrically isolate the segmented portion and reduce the effect of parasitic capacitance.
As to Claim 2, Boyd in view of Strasser teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and regarding the following: wherein in the second zone, first cavities are formed in one of the support members; wherein an upper ventilation slot penetrating through the upper diaphragm part is formed corresponding to the first cavities, and a lower ventilation slot penetrating through the lower diaphragm part is formed corresponding to the first cavities; and wherein the upper ventilation slot, the first cavities and the lower ventilation slot are connected, Boyd teaches [0048] the ventilation slot 25 successively penetrates through the first membrane 22, the supports 30 and the second membrane 23. That means a vent is provided between the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23. Therefore, the compliance of the membrane in the area where the ventilation slot 25 is located can be significantly increased. For example the ventilation slots 25 may only be provided at periphery of the diaphragm 20. Several ventilation slots 25 may be located in the circumferential area of the electrode region 21 at an intervals. The ventilation slots 25 on the first membrane 22 and the second membrane 23 may have the same or different size and shape, which is not limited herein. See at least Boyd on Figure 3.
As to Claim 8, Boyd in view of Strasser teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the reinforcement layer is made of an insulating material, Strasser teaches the first membrane structure 224 can have a so-called “segmentation” 232, wherein the term segmentation denotes a subdivision or demarcation of two regions of the membrane structure by means of an insulating layer arrangement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-7 and 9-10 are 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691