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 .
Status of the Application
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s application 18/452,089 filed on October 30 2023 in which claims 1 to 18 are pending.
Drawings
The drawings submitted on August 18 2023 have been reviewed and accepted by the Examiner.
Notation
References to patents will be in the form of (C: L) where C is the column number and L is the line number. References to pre-grant patent publications will be to the paragraph number in the form of (¶ XXXX).
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1, 2, 9-11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over El-Hinnawy et al. (US 2020/0058850 A1; hereinafter “El-Hinnawy”) in view of Chen (US 2005/0051901 A1).
Regarding claim 1, El-Hinnawy teaches a phase change material (PCM) switch ;(Fig.1A; ¶ 0018), including:
a PCM region (112; ¶ 0019) including first and second signal ports configured to be coupled to a signal source (124 and 125; ¶ 0019);
a resistive heater (106; Fig.1A; ¶0020) adjacent the PCM region (112) and including first and second heater control signal ports (124 and 125);
(c) a source (142, Fig.1A; ¶ 0018) of control pulse coupled to the first and second heater (106; Fig. 1A) control having a first power profile to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state and a second power profile to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state (signal used to transform from an amorphous phase to crystalline phase, or vice versa; ¶ 0020).
El-Hinnawy does not teach the power source is an AC control pulses coupled to the first and second heater control signal ports the AC control pulses having a first power profile to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state and a second power profile to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.
However, Chen teaches in the same field of endeavor of AC control pulses (AC; ¶ 0031) coupled to the first and second heater control signal ports (26 and 28; Fig.4A; 0031) the AC control pulses having a first power profile to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state and a second power profile to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state (¶ 0031-0032).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, to have an AC control pulse coupled to the first and second heater control signal of the device of the El-Hinnawy as taught by Chen for the purpose of reducing the resistance drift of the PCM memory layer (¶ 0008).
Regarding claim 2, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen teaches first power profile comprises a set of high- power, short-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state (Chen; Fig. 4A; high current for .1 to 1o msec; ¶ 0031).
Regarding claim 9, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen teaches wherein the source of AC control pulses includes an H- Bridge circuit coupled to the first and second heater control signal ports (366a-366c creates an H bridge for the circuit; Fig.3; ¶ 0051).
Regarding claim 10, El-Hinnawy teaches a phase change material (PCM) switch ;(Fig.1A; ¶ 0018), including:
a PCM region (112; ¶ 0019) including first and second signal ports configured to be coupled to a signal source (124 and 125; ¶ 0019);
a resistive heater (106; Fig.1A; ¶0020) adjacent the PCM region (112) and including first and second heater control signal ports (124 and 125);
(c) a source (142, Fig.1A; ¶ 0018) of control pulse coupled to the first and second heater (106; Fig. 1A) control having a first power profile to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state and a second power profile to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state (signal used to transform from an amorphous phase to crystalline phase, or vice versa; ¶ 0020).
El-Hinnawy does not teach the power source is an AC control pulses coupled to the first and second heater control signal ports the AC control pulses coupled t the first and second heater control signal ports and configured to selectively output a first set of AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state and a second set of AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.
However, Chen teaches in the same field of endeavor of AC control pulses (AC; ¶ 0031) coupled to the first and second heater control signal ports (26 and 28; Fig.4A; 0031) and configured to selectively output a first set of AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state (¶ 0031-0032) and a second set of AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state (¶ 0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, to have an AC control pulse coupled to the first and second heater control signal of the device of the El-Hinnawy as taught by Chen for the purpose of reducing the resistance drift of the PCM memory layer (¶ 0008).
Regarding claim 11, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen teaches first power profile comprises a set of high- power, short-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state (Chen; Fig. 4A; high current for .1 to 1o msec; ¶ 0031).
Regarding claim 18, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen teaches first power profile comprises a set of high- power, short-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state (Chen; Fig. 4A; high current for .1 to 1o msec; ¶ 0031).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over El-Hinnawy et al. (US 2020/0058850 A1; hereinafter “El-Hinnawy”) in view of Chen (US 2005/0051901 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen (US 2010/0177559 A1; hereinafter “Chen2”).
Regarding claim 5, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not explicitly teach wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave-form.
However, Chen2 teaches wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave- form (Fig.5; ¶ 0057).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, to have wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Chen2 to compensate for the asymmetrical heating of the active region caused by thermal-electric effects such as the Thomson effect ¶ 0061.
Regarding claim 14, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not explicitly teach wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave-form.
However, Chen2 teaches wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave- form (Fig.5; ¶ 0057).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, to have wherein the AC control pulses have a rectangular wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Chen2 to compensate for the asymmetrical heating of the active region caused by thermal-electric effects such as the Thomson effect ¶ 0061.
Claims 6-8 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over El-Hinnawy et al. (US 2020/0058850 A1; hereinafter “El-Hinnawy”) in view of Chen (US 2005/0051901 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Azizoglu (US 2018/0325127 A1).
Regarding claim 6, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a sinusoidal wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses have a sinusoidal wave- form (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a sinusoidal wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sinusoidal wave-form or square wave-form.
Regarding claim 7, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a sawtooth wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses have a sawtooth waveform (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a sawtooth wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sinusoidal wave-form, square wave-form or sawtooth wave-form.
Regarding claim 8, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a triangular wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses a triangular waveform (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a triangular wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sawtooth wave-form, square wave-form or triangular wave-form.
Regarding claim 15, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a sinusoidal wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses have a sinusoidal wave- form (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a sinusoidal waveform in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sinusoidal wave- form or square wave- form.
Regarding claim 16, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a sawtooth wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses have a sawtooth waveform (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a sawtooth wave-form in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sinusoidal wave-form, square wave-form or sawtooth wave-form.
Regarding claim 17, El-Hinnawy as modified by Chen does not teach the AC control pulses have a triangular wave-form.
However, Azizoglu teaches an AC control pulses a triangular waveform (¶ 0052).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention, an AC control pulses have a triangular waveform in the device of El-Hinnawy and Chen as taught by Azizoglu since it is very well known in the art to have and AC control that can be a sawtooth wave-form, square wave-form or triangular wave-form.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is objected to since the prior art does not teach the following limitation: “the second power profile comprises a set of low- power, long-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.”
Claim 4 is objected to since the prior art does not teach the following limitation: “wherein the first power profile comprises a first set of high-power, short-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state, and the second power profile comprises a second set of low-power, long-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.”
Claim 12 is objected to since the prior art does not teach the following limitation: “the second set of AC control pulses comprises low-power, long-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.”
Claim 13 is objected to since the prior art does not teach the following limitation: “the first set of AC control pulses comprises high- power, short-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a high resistance state, and the second set of AC control pulses comprises low-power, long-period AC control pulses to transform the PCM region into a low resistance state.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mounir S Amer whose telephone number is (571)270-3683. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:30.
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/Mounir S Amer/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818