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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I, Claims 1-16 in the reply filed on 01/09/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the method claims (claims 17-20) include all limitations (or features) of the device claims, so there should not be a serious search and/or examination burden. This is not found persuasive because invention I classified in H10F77/933, whereas invention II classified in H10F71/00. To examine both groups would require non-coextensive searches. The different classifications of each group are just one example of how the inventions would require different searches and how the inventions are independent. Other examples may include different text search queries, different data bases, etc. Taking all these factors into consideration would place an undue burden on the examiner to search and examine both groups of inventions.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "BP" and "SU" have both been used to designate Supporting layer in Fig. 10. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “Sensing Device”.
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.
Claims 1-16 are 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 1; Ln. 9-10 recited that “the sensing part is separated from a first cavity by the supporting part and the circuit layer”, however from Fig. 10, it is clearly shows that the sensing part SEN is on top of the first cavity R1, not separated from it. Therefore, the scope of the limitations is unclear and indefinite. Accordingly, the boundaries of the claims are not reasonably clear and also language in the claims is ambiguous, vague, incoherent, opaque, or otherwise unclear in describing and defining the claimed invention. In the interest of prosecution “the sensing part is separated from a first cavity by the supporting part and the circuit layer” will be interpreted as “the sensing part is separated from the circuit layer by a first cavity and the supporting part”.
Claim 4 recited that “the first terminal part of the cantilever is fixed on the circuit layer by the bridge pier” and Claim 5 recited “the first fixing member is disposed on the first terminal part”. Also Claim 7 recited “the first fixing member is disposed on the supporting layer”. However, Fig.10 clearly shows that bridge pier-BP and supporting layer-SU are both disposed under fixing member-F1 at the first terminal part- CB_T1 as a same layer. Therefore, it is not clear that the bridge pier and the supporting layer are different layer or different feature at the first terminal part. Accordingly, the metes and bounds of the scope of the claims are not clear, therefore Claims 4 and 7 are indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 9-11and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guang-jie Di, CN 113432725.
Regarding Claim 1, Guang-jie discloses; A sensing device, comprising: a substrate (Fig. 1-2; 1); a circuit layer (Fig. 1-2, 14 and Page 11; ¶ 1; measuring circuit system 1) disposed on the substrate, and the circuit layer comprising a plurality of driving circuits (Fig. 1-2 and Page 10; ¶ 3; measuring circuit system 1 for a plurality of array arranged infrared detector pixel); and a plurality of sensing units (Fig. 1-2 and Page 10; ¶ 3; the infrared detector comprises a plurality of array arranged infrared detector pixel) disposed on the circuit layer, and each of the sensing units comprises: a supporting part electrically connected (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 4; the beam structure 11 is electrically connected with the CMOS measuring circuit system 1 through the first columnar structure 61 and the supporting base 42) to one of the plurality of driving circuits; and a sensing part electrically connected (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 4; the absorbing plate 10 is used for converting the infrared signal into electric signal and electrically connected with the corresponding first columnar structure 61 through the second columnar structure 62 and the corresponding beam structure 11) to the supporting part, and the sensing part is separated (Fig. 1-2; the absorbing plate 10 is separated from columnar structure 61 and measuring circuit system 1 by the cavity formed by sacrificial layer as best understood by the examiner- see 112 rejection above) from a first cavity by the supporting part and the circuit layer, wherein in a normal direction of the substrate, at least a portion of the supporting part is disposed (Fig. 1-2; columnar structure 61 disposed between the absorbing plate 10 and measuring circuit system 1) between the circuit layer and the sensing part.
Regarding Claim 2, Guang-jie discloses; the circuit layer further comprises a reflective layer (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 3; sensing structure 2 comprises a resonant cavity composed of a reflective layer 4), the reflective layer is electrically insulated (Fig. 1-2 and Page 16; ¶ 4; the sealed release isolation layer 3 located between the CMOS measuring circuit system 1 and CMOS infrared sensing structure 2 interface) from the driving circuit, and at least a portion of the first cavity is disposed (Fig. 1-2; the cavity formed by sacrificial layer disposed between reflective layer 4 and the absorbing plate 10) between the reflective layer and the sensing part.
Regarding Claim 3, Guang-jie discloses; the supporting part comprises a cantilever (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 3; beam structure 11), a first terminal part (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 3; the beam structure 11 is electrically connected with the CMOS measuring circuit system 1 through the first columnar structure 61) of the cantilever is fixed to the circuit layer, and a second terminal part (Fig. 1-2 and Page 11; ¶ 4; second columnar structure 62 is directly electrically connected with the corresponding absorbing plate 10) of the cantilever supports the sensing part.
Regarding Claim 4, Guang-jie discloses; the supporting part further comprises a bridge pier (Fig. 1-2 and Page 22; ¶ 3; first dielectric layer 13), and the bridge pier is connected (Fig. 1-2 and Page 22; ¶ 3; the beam structure 11 comprises a first dielectric layer 13) to the cantilever, wherein the first terminal part of the cantilever is fixed (Fig. 1-2 and Page 22; ¶ 3; first columnar structure 61of the beam structure 11 fixed on the circuit system 1 with the first dielectric layer 13) on the circuit layer by the bridge pier.
Regarding Claim 5, Guang-jie discloses; the supporting part further comprises a first fixing member (Fig. 1-2 and Page 22; ¶ 3; first electrode layer 14), and the first fixing member is disposed (Fig. 1-2 and Page 22; ¶ 3; electrode layer 14 disposed on first columnar structure 61of the beam structure 11) on the first terminal part.
Regarding Claim 6, Guang-jie discloses; a material of the first fixing member comprises Mo, MoN, MoW, or W (Fig. 1-2 and Page 27; ¶ 1; first electrode layer 14 of the material comprises tungsten).
Regarding Claim 9, Guang-jie discloses; the sensing part comprises an absorbing layer (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises a third dielectric layer 130) and a sensing layer (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises a heat-sensitive dielectric layer 120), and the absorbing layer is disposed (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises a heat-sensitive dielectric layer 120, a third dielectric layer 130 over the beam structure 11) between the sensing layer and the supporting part, so that a second cavity separates (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; cavity between the second columnar structure 62 separate heat-sensitive dielectric layer 120 from beam structure 11) between the sensing layer and the supporting part.
Regarding Claim 10, Guang-jie discloses; the sensing part further comprises a second fixing member (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises a second electrode layer 140), and the second fixing member is disposed (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises second electrode layer 140 disposed over third dielectric layer 130) on the absorbing layer.
Regarding Claim 11, Guang-jie discloses; a material of the second fixing member comprises Mo, MoN, MoW, or W (Fig. 1-2,6 and Page 27; ¶ 1; the material of the second electrode layer 140 comprises tungsten).
Regarding Claim 13, Guang-jie discloses; respective sides of the sensing layer and the absorbing layer are aligned (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; absorbing plate 10 comprises a third dielectric layer 130 and heat-sensitive dielectric layer 120 are aligned in normal direction from the substrate 1) in the normal direction of the substrate.
Regarding Claim 15, Guang-jie discloses; a material of the sensing layer comprises a-Si, VOx, YBaCuO, GeSiO, SiGe, BiLaSrMnO, or a combination thereof (Fig. 1-2, 6 and Page 25; ¶ 2; heat sensitive medium layer 120 comprises vanadium oxide).
Regarding Claim 16, Guang-jie discloses; a readout circuit and a logic circuit, the readout circuit is coupled to the plurality of driving circuits, and the logic circuit is coupled to the readout circuit (Fig. 1-2, 14 and Page 19; ¶ 4-5; CMOS measurement circuit system 1 includes a bias generation circuit 7; column-level analog front-end circuit 8 and row-level circuit 9 with and a plurality of gate drive sub-circuits 722).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AZM PARVEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1447. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6 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, DREW RICHARDS can be reached at (571)272-1736. 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.
/AZM PARVEZ/
Examiner
Art Unit 2892
/NORMAN D RICHARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2892