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 .
Title
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. Currently, the title has been changed to:
“SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE CAPABLE OF REDUCING THE VARIATIONS IN GATE-SOURCE VOLTAGE AMONG A PLURALITY OF SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENTS”
DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi et al. (Pub. No. US 2012/0106220 A1, herein Yamaguchi).
Regarding claim 1, Yamaguchi discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of semiconductor elements 22 each having a control electrode configured to control a main current (Yamaguchi: paragraphs [0069], [0075]-[0076]); a metal electrode through which the main current of the plurality of semiconductor elements flows (Yamaguchi: paragraphs [0047]-[0050]); and a control wire connecting each of the control electrodes of the plurality of semiconductor elements in series, and interlinked with a magnetic field generated when the main current flows through the metal electrode (Yamaguchi; Figs. 1-20B and paragraphs [0118]-[0124], [0173]).
Regarding claim 2, Yamaguchi discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control wire is provided in the vicinity of an end portion of the metal electrode when viewed from a direction in which the main current flows in the metal electrode (Yamaguchi; Figs. 2, 5-12, 18-19 and paragraphs [0041]-[0046]).
Regarding claims 3 and 6, Yamaguchi discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein based on induced electromotive forces that are to be cumulatively applied to the control electrodes of the semiconductor elements by the magnetic field, distances between portions of the control wire corresponding to the induced electromotive forces and the metal electrode are set (Yamaguchi; Figs. 14A-14C and paragraphs [0099]-[0100], [0121]).
Regarding claims 4 and 7, Yamaguchi discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein based on the induced electromotive forces that are to be cumulatively applied to the control electrodes of the semiconductor elements by the magnetic field, angles between the extending direction of portions of the control wire corresponding to the induced electromotive forces and a direction of the main current in the metal electrode in plan view are set (Yamaguchi; Figs. 2, 5-12, 18-19 and paragraphs [0099]-[0100], [0121]).
Regarding claims 5 and 8, Yamaguchi discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer provided on a surface of the metal electrode on the control wire side (Yamaguchi; 2, 5-12, 18-19 and paragraphs [0046], [0057]).
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Waltrich et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0387762 A1, herein Waltrich).
Regarding claim 1, Waltrich discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of semiconductor elements each having a control electrode configured to control a main current (Waltrich: Figs. 2A-8B and paragraphs [0021], [0025], [0133]-[0134]); a metal electrode through which the main current of the plurality of semiconductor elements flows (Waltrich: Figs. 2A-8B and paragraphs [0010], [0133]-[0134]); and a control wire connecting each of the control electrodes of the plurality of semiconductor elements in series (Waltrich: Figs. 2A-8B and paragraphs [0032], [0087], [0133]-[0136]), and interlinked with a magnetic field generated when the main current flows through the metal electrode (Waltrich: Figs. 2A-8B and paragraphs [0221], [0229], [0324]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MALIHEH MALEK whose telephone number is (571)270-1874. The examiner can normally be reached M/T/W/R/F, 8:30-5.
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December 30, 2025
/MALIHEH MALEK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813