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election without traverse of device embodiment 3 as shown in fig. 12 (claims 1-9, 11, 12 readable thereon, claim 10 withdrawn) in the reply filed on 4/9/2026 is acknowledged.
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 1-5, 7-12 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 recites the limitation “the first convex portion where the first diffusion region is disposed is located in a direction where the plurality of electric fuse portions are arranged with respect to a plurality of electric fuse cells in plan view, is not located in an intercell region between two electric fuse cells of the plurality of electric fuse cells next to each other, and is located outside the intercell region” at the last 4 lines. The three bolded portions of the above recitation appears to either not give sufficient relative terminology to know where this claimed element is and even possibly contradict each bolded limitation.
According to the claim, the first diffusion region is:
-disposed in the direction of the electric fuses;
-is not in an intercell region, and
-is outside the intercell region.
Even with this information, it is unclear as to where the first diffusion region is, under the electric fuses or outside the area of the electric fuses.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the subject matter disclosed in the new claim 13 is not taught by the prior art of record.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 1-5, 7-12 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US2002/0192879 to Tsui, US10,811,353 to Li et al. US2008/0217735 to Chen et al., US2009/0224323 to Im et al., US2021/0104460 to Allman et al., US6,271,574 to Delpech et al., and US2009/0256235 to Takaoka et al. all each electric fuse structures, but is silent as to the first well, second well, first diffusion region second diffusion regions.
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 JESSE Y MIYOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-1629. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at 571-272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSE Y MIYOSHI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
