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 .
Response to Amendment
That the amendment to the claim languages filed on 8/14/26 has been fully considered and made of record. Claims 1- 20 are now pending in that claims 1-5, 7-9, 15-20 are unelected.
Claim Objections
Claims 6, 10-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
many terms or phrases is /are unclear and confusing the following are examples:
“selective laser etching a feature into a resonator beam adjacent to a vertical surface of the a first resonator beam of the resonator, wherein the resonator beam comprises a piezoelectric material, wherein the resonator comprises: the first resonator beam and a second resonator beam extending from a first pad to a second pad, the first resonator beam being parallel to the second resonator beam and separated from the second resonator beam by a first width, and wherein the vertical surface comprises an inner sidewall of the first resonator beam facing the second resonator beam;” (claim 6, lines 3-8) is awkwardly worded and confusing and should be updated as following:
--forming a first resonator beam and a second resonator beam for the resonator, wherein the first resonator beam and the second resonator beam comprise a piezoelectric material and a first pad and a second pad at each ends;
selective laser etching a feature into a vertical surface of the first resonator beam of the resonator
extending the first resonator beam and the second resonator beam from the first pad to the second pad, wherein the first resonator beam being parallel to the second resonator beam and separated from the second resonator beam by a first width, and the vertical surface of the first resonator beam includes an inner sidewall facing the second resonator beam;”-- , for clarity of the method inventive claim formats.
“depositing a conductive material onto the surface of the resonator beam adjacent to the feature, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode comprises the conductive material;”(claim 6, lines 8-9) is unclear and confusing in that it is not known whether “the resonator beam” is directed to the “first resonator beam” or “the second resonator beam”? please be more specific.
“forming, via the feature, a gap within the conductive material on the surface of the resonator beam by inhibiting deposition of the conductive material on a surface area of the vertical surface corresponding to the gap, wherein the gap electrically isolates the first electrode from the second electrode” (claim 6, lines 10-13) is unclear and confusing in that it is not known what being referring to as “forming, via the feature,” appear to be: -- “wherein in the etching the feature further comprises forming the features includes a gap within the conductive material on the surface of the resonator beam by inhibiting deposition of the conductive material on a surface area of the vertical surface corresponding to the gap, wherein the gap electrically isolates the first electrode from the second electrode “--, for clarity of the claims.
“wherein the feature comprises a recess” (claim 10, line 1) is in structure forms and should be updated to: --” wherein the selective etching further comprises forming a recess” --.
Claims 11-14 are suggested to update to reflect the same formats as suggested in the above claims.
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 6, 10-14 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.
“the resonator beam” (claim 6, line 3) lacks proper antecedent basis.
“wherein the resonator comprises” (claim 6, line 4) is product limitation which made claim 6 unclear.
“the vertical surface” (claim 6, lines 6-7) is unclear and confusing in that it is uncertain whether this directed to the vertical surface of the first resonator beam in line 2-3 of claim 6?
“the surface of the resonator beam” (clam 6, line 9) lacks proper antecedent basis.
“wherein a first electrode and a second electrode comprises the conductive material;” (claim 6, lines 10) should be more specific as to how “a first and a second are formed” by the conductive material.
“the resonator beam” (claim 6, lines 11-12) lacks proper antecedent basis.
““the vertical surface” (claim 6, lines 12-13) lack proper antecedent basis.
“the surface of the resonator beam into the resonator beam” (claim 10, line 2) lacks proper antecedent basis.
“wherein the recess comprises a first recess length in a first lateral direction and a first recess” (claim 11, lines 1-2) not positive method limitation appears to be product limitation and should be updated to:-- wherein the forming of the recess further comprises forming a first recess length in a first lateral direction and a first recess”--.
“the recess forms” (claim 12, line 1); “the resonator beam” (claim 12, line 1-2) lack proper antecedent basis.
“the recess forms” (claim 12, line 1) should be updated to reflect changes as in above claim 11.
“that is selective laser etched and removed to form the gap” (claim 13, lines 4-5) should be:-- in the selective laser etching to form the gap”--
“the surface of the resonator beam” (claim 14, line 2) lacks proper antecedent basis for this.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to pending rejected claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new formulated rejection (see above).
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 MINH N TRINH whose telephone number is (571)272-4569. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH ~5:00-3:30.
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/MINH N TRINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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