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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takata (US PGPub 20200295737) in view of Nakagawa et al. (US PGPub 20200336133), both references of record, and Ueyama et al. (US PGPub 20180166206)
As per claim 1:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
A high frequency module (multiplexer 1) comprising:
a mounting substrate (60) having a first main surface (60a) and a second main surface (bottom) that are opposite to each other;
an antenna terminal (common terminal 63) on the mounting substrate (shown in Fig. 5D);
a filter (10 or 20) connected to the antenna terminal; and
an inductor (L1 or L2) on the first main surface of the mounting substrate and comprising a winding portion ([0063]),
wherein the filter comprises a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (S1-S5 & P1-P4 or S6-S8 & P5-P8, [0056-0057]), wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators comprise:
a plurality of series arm resonators (S1-S5 or S6-S8) in a signal path connected to the antenna terminal, and
a plurality of parallel arm resonators (P1-P4 or P5-P8) connected between the signal path and ground ([0051]),
wherein the series arm resonator and/or the parallel arm resonator (S5 and/or P4 or S6 and/or P5) closest to the antenna terminal is an antenna end resonator,
wherein the filter further comprises:
a first substrate (19), a first functional electrode (bus bar of antenna end resonator) on the first substrate and forming a part of the antenna end resonator ([0073-0076]),
wherein a first electronic component comprising the first substrate and the first functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate (as seen in Figs. 3-4),
wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and antenna end resonators is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the non-antenna end-resonators (as shown in Fig 2, electrically, and Fig. 5A-5B & 6, physically)
wherein the inductor is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate (as seen in Fig. 6).
Takata further discloses in Fig. 8:
A comparative configuration of the high frequency module wherein the inductor (L1) is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna end resonator (S5) when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view (as seen in Fig. 8).
Takata does not disclose in Figs. 1-6:
a second substrate separate from the first substrate, and
a second functional electrode on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator,
wherein a second electronic component comprising the second substrate and the second functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate,
wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and the first electronic component is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the second electronic component, and wherein the inductor is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna end resonator when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view, the long sides being in a direction of a winding axis of the winding portion, and wherein the winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to the first main surface.
Nakagawa discloses in Figs. 1 & 12:
a filter (acoustic wave device 1) connected to an antenna terminal (101);
wherein the filter comprises a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (31-39), wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators comprise:
a plurality of series arm resonators (odd numbered resonators) in a signal path connected to the antenna terminal, and a plurality of parallel arm resonators (even numbered resonators) connected between the signal path and ground,
wherein the series arm resonator and/or the parallel arm resonator closest to the antenna terminal is an antenna end resonator ([0040]), wherein the filter further comprises:
a first substrate (first resonators 3A, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42A, [0042]), a first functional electrode (busbar 71A) on the first substrate and forming a part of the antenna end resonator,
a second substrate (second resonators 3B, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42B, [0061]) separate from the first substrate ([0124]), and a second functional electrode (busbar 71B) on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator ([0072]), and
wherein the antenna end-resonators of a plurality of filters are formed on a common substrate (one chip [0128]).
Ueyama discloses in Figs. 1-4:
An inductor (multilayer body 20 with coil patterns 15) having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 2A & 3A, and being a rectangular parallelepiped, [0056]), the long sides being in a direction of a winding axis of the winding portion, and wherein the winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to a first main surface of a mounting board ([0062]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the antenna end resonators and the non-antenna end resonators of each filter on separate substrates as per Nakagawa to provide the benefit of reducing spurious emissions while preventing deterioration in characteristics in the pass band while reducing variations in resonators other than the antenna end resonators as taught by Nakagawa ([0123-0126]).
As a consequence of the combination, the combination discloses a second substrate separate from the first substrate, and a second functional electrode on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator, wherein a second electronic component comprising the second substrate and the second functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate, wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and the first electronic component is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the second electronic component.
It would be further obvious to use the relative placement of the inductor and filter of Fig. 8 of Takata as an alternative configuration able to provide the same function as taught by Takata ([0090]).
It would be further obvious to replace the inductor of Takata with the inductor of Ueyama et al. to provide the benefit of an inductor able to increase the number of windings without increasing the height of the inductor as taught by Ueyama et al. ([0062])
As a consequence of the combination, a distance between the antenna terminal and the first electronic component is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the second electronic component, and wherein the inductor is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna end resonator when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view, the long sides being in a direction of a winding axis of the winding portion, and wherein the winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to the first main surface.
As per claim 2:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
A high frequency module (multiplexer 1) comprising:
a mounting substrate (60) having a first main surface (60a) and a second main surface (bottom) that are opposite to each other;
an antenna terminal (common terminal 63) on the mounting substrate (shown in Fig. 5D);
a filter (10 or 20) connected to the antenna terminal; and
an inductor (L1 or L2) on the first main surface of the mounting substrate and comprising a winding portion ([0063]),
wherein the filter comprises a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (S1-S5 & P1-P4 or S6-S8 & P5-P8, [0056-0057]), wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators comprise:
a plurality of series arm resonators (S1-S5 or S6-S8) in a signal path connected to the antenna terminal, and
a plurality of parallel arm resonators (P1-P4 or P5-P8) connected between the signal path and ground ([0051]),
wherein the series arm resonator and/or the parallel arm resonator (S5 and/or P4 or S6 and/or P5) closest to the antenna terminal is an antenna end resonator,
wherein the filter further comprises:
a first substrate (19), a first functional electrode (bus bar of antenna end resonator) on the first substrate and forming a part of the antenna end resonator ([0073-0076]),
wherein a first electronic component comprising the first substrate and the first functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate (as seen in Figs. 3-4),
wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and antenna end resonators is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the non-antenna end-resonators (as shown in Fig 2, electrically, and Fig. 5A-5B & 6, physically)
wherein the inductor is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein in the inductor, the antenna end resonator does not overlap an inner part of the winding portion of the inductor in a side view from a side opposite to a side of the first electronic component ([0064]).
Takata further discloses in Fig. 8:
A comparative configuration of the high frequency module wherein the inductor (L1) is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna end resonator (S5) when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view (as seen in Fig. 8).
Takata does not disclose in Figs. 1-6:
a second substrate separate from the first substrate, and
a second functional electrode on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator,
wherein a second electronic component comprising the second substrate and the second functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate,
wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and the first electronic component is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the second electronic component (inductor L1 may be placed along the long side of the filter along a shield wire extending between S1, S2, & P2, [0090]), and
wherein a winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to the first main surface, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna-end resonator when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view.
Nakagawa discloses in Figs. 1 & 12:
a filter (acoustic wave device 1) connected to an antenna terminal (101);
wherein the filter comprises a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (31-39), wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators comprise:
a plurality of series arm resonators (odd numbered resonators) in a signal path connected to the antenna terminal, and a plurality of parallel arm resonators (even numbered resonators) connected between the signal path and ground,
wherein the series arm resonator and/or the parallel arm resonator closest to the antenna terminal is an antenna end resonator ([0040]), wherein the filter further comprises:
a first substrate (first resonators 3A, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42A, [0042]), a first functional electrode (busbar 71A) on the first substrate and forming a part of the antenna end resonator,
a second substrate (second resonators 3B, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42B, [0061]) separate from the first substrate ([0124]), and a second functional electrode (busbar 71B) on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator ([0072]), and
wherein the antenna end-resonators of a plurality of filters are formed on a common substrate (one chip [0128]).
Ueyama discloses in Figs. 1-4:
An inductor (multilayer body 20 with coil patterns 15) having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 2A & 3A, and being a rectangular parallelepiped, [0056]), the long sides being in a direction of a winding axis of the winding portion, and wherein the winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to a first main surface of a mounting board ([0062]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the antenna end resonators and the non-antenna end resonators of each filter on separate substrates as per Nakagawa to provide the benefit of reducing spurious emissions while preventing deterioration in characteristics in the pass band while reducing variations in resonators other than the antenna end resonators as taught by Nakagawa ([0123-0126]).
As a consequence of the combination, the combination discloses a second substrate separate from the first substrate, and a second functional electrode on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator, wherein a second electronic component comprising the second substrate and the second functional electrode is on the first main surface of the mounting substrate, wherein a distance between the antenna terminal and the first electronic component is shorter than a distance between the antenna terminal and the second electronic component, wherein the inductor is adjacent to the first electronic component in a plan view from a thickness direction of the mounting substrate, and wherein in the inductor, the antenna end resonator does not overlap an inner part of the winding portion of the inductor in a side view from a side opposite to a side of the first electronic component.
It would be further obvious to use the relative placement of the inductor and filter of Fig. 8 of Takata as an alternative configuration able to provide the same function as taught by Takata ([0090]).
It would be further obvious to replace the inductor of Takata with the inductor of Ueyama et al. to provide the benefit of an inductor able to increase the number of windings without increasing the height of the inductor as taught by Ueyama et al. ([0062])
As a consequence of the combination, a winding axis of the winding portion is parallel to the first main surface, and wherein the inductor does not overlap the antenna-end resonator when viewed from a long side of the inductor, the inductor having two long sides and two short sides in the plan view.
As per claims 3 & 4:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
a second filter (20) having a second pass band ([0043]) different from a first pass band of the filter, wherein the second filter has a plurality of second acoustic wave resonators (S6-S8 & P5-P8) different from the plurality of first acoustic wave resonators of the filter, wherein the second filter comprises a third substrate (as seen in Figs. 3 & 4B).
Takata does not disclose:
wherein the first substrate is common to the third substrate.
Nakagawa discloses in Figs. 1 & 12:
a filter (acoustic wave device 1) connected to an antenna terminal (101);
wherein the filter comprises a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (31-39), wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators comprise:
a plurality of series arm resonators (odd numbered resonators) in a signal path connected to the antenna terminal, and a plurality of parallel arm resonators (even numbered resonators) connected between the signal path and ground,
wherein the series arm resonator and/or the parallel arm resonator closest to the antenna terminal is an antenna end resonator ([0040]), wherein the filter further comprises:
a first substrate (first resonators 3A, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42A, [0042]), a first functional electrode (busbar 71A) on the first substrate and forming a part of the antenna end resonator,
a second substrate (second resonators 3B, comprising high acoustic velocity support substrate 42B, [0061]) separate from the first substrate ([0124]), and a second functional electrode (busbar 71B) on the second substrate and forming a part of at least one acoustic wave resonator other than the antenna end resonator ([0072]),
wherein the antenna end-resonators of a plurality of filters are formed on a common substrate (one chip [0128]).
As a consequence of the combination of claims 1 and 2, the combination discloses the first substrate is common to the third substrate.
As per claims 5 & 6:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the first pass band comprises a frequency band of a first communication band (transmission band 25, [0043]), and wherein the second pass band comprises a frequency band of a second communication band (reception band 25, [0043]) that enables simultaneous communication with the first communication band (separate bands for separate frequencies connected without a switch at a common node, as seen in Fig. 1, wherein the filters may be a plurality of reception or transmission filters, [0088]).
As per claims 7 & 8:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the at least one antenna end resonator is the parallel arm resonator closest to the antenna terminal (as seen in Figs. 1-6).
As per claims 9 & 10:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the mounting substrate comprises:
a first ground conductor (Fig. 5B discloses an unlabeled patterned conductor connected through vias to ground terminal 64 in Fig. 5D), at least a part of which overlaps the first electronic component in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 5A-B), and a second ground conductor (via connector of L3 in Fig. 5B),
Takata does not disclose:
a second ground conductor, at least a part of which overlaps the second electronic component in the plan view, and wherein in the plan view, a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the first ground conductor to an area of the first electronic component is greater than a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the second ground conductor to an area of the second electronic component.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the second ground conductor to overlap the second electronic component of the combination as a ground connection for a non-antenna end resonator connected to ground terminal 11 of the filter 10 to provide the benefit of minimizing the area of the filter connections, as is well understood in the art, and for a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the first ground conductor to an area of the first electronic component to be greater than a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the second ground conductor to an area of the second electronic component, as a design choice for handling current to ground and providing a ground layer for electrical shielding of the antenna-end resonators as is well understood in the art, and as one of a limited number of options (less than, greater than, equal to).
As per claims 11 & 12:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the mounting substrate comprises:
a first ground conductor (Fig. 5B discloses an unlabeled patterned conductor connected through vias to ground terminal 64 in Fig. 5D), at least a part of which overlaps the first electronic component in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 5A-B), and a second ground conductor (via connector of L3 in Fig. 5B),
Takata does not disclose:
a second ground conductor, at least a part of which overlaps the second electronic component in the plan view, and wherein in the plan view, an area of the part of the first ground conductor overlapping the first electronic component is larger than an area of the part of the second ground conductor overlapping the second electronic component.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the second ground conductor to overlap the second electronic component of the combination as a ground connection for a non-antenna end resonator connected to ground terminal 11 of the filter 10 to provide the benefit of minimizing the area of the filter connections, as is well understood in the art, and wherein the plan view, an area of the part of the first ground conductor overlapping the first electronic component to be larger than an area of the part of the second ground conductor overlapping the second electronic component, as a design choice for handling current to ground and providing a ground layer for electrical shielding of the antenna-end resonators as is well understood in the art, and as one of a limited number of options (less than, greater than, equal to).
As per claims 13 & 14:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the mounting substrate comprises:
a first ground conductor (Fig. 5B discloses an unlabeled patterned conductor connected through vias to ground terminal 64 in Fig. 5D), at least a part of which overlaps the first electronic component in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 5A-B), and a second ground conductor (ground terminal 64, seen in Fig. 5D),
Takata does not disclose:
a second ground conductor, at least a part of which overlaps the second electronic component in the plan view, and wherein in the plan view, a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the second ground conductor to an area of the second electronic component is greater than a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the first ground conductor to an area of the first electronic component.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the second ground conductor to overlap the second electronic component of the combination as a ground connection for a non-antenna end resonator connected to ground terminal 11 of the filter 10 to provide the benefit of minimizing the area and distance of the filter connections, as is well understood in the art, and for a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the second ground conductor to an area of the second electronic component to be greater than a ratio of an area of the overlapping part of the first ground conductor to an area of the first electronic component, as a design choice for handling current to ground and providing a ground layer for electrical shielding of the antenna-end resonators as is well understood in the art, and as one of a limited number of options (less than, greater than, equal to).
As per claims 15 & 16:
Takata discloses in Figs. 1-6:
the mounting substrate comprises:
a first ground conductor (Fig. 5B discloses an unlabeled patterned conductor connected through vias to ground terminal 64 in Fig. 5D), at least a part of which overlaps the first electronic component in the plan view (as seen in Figs. 5A-B), and a second ground conductor (ground terminal 64, seen in Fig. 5D).
Takata does not disclose:
a second ground conductor, at least a part of which overlaps the second electronic component in the plan view, and wherein in the plan view, an area of the part of the first ground conductor overlapping the first electronic component is larger than an area of the part of the second ground conductor overlapping the second electronic component.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the second ground conductor to overlap the second electronic component of the combination as a ground connection for a non-antenna end resonator connected to ground terminal 11 of the filter 10 to provide the benefit of minimizing the area and distance of the filter connections, as is well understood in the art, and wherein the plan view, an area of the part of the second ground conductor overlapping the second electronic component to be larger than an area of the part of the first ground conductor overlapping the first electronic component, as a design choice for handling current to ground and providing a ground layer for electrical shielding of the antenna-end resonators as is well understood in the art, and as one of a limited number of options (less than, greater than, equal to).
Claim(s) 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the resultant combination of Takata (US PGPub 20200295737) in view of Nakagawa et al. (US PGPub 20200336133), both references of record, and Ueyama et al. (US PGPub 20180166206) as applied to claims 1 & 2 above, and further in view of Kawasaki et al. (US PGPub 20170273183), a reference of record.
The resultant combination discloses the high frequency modules of claims 1 & 2, as rejected above.
As per claims 17 & 18:
The resultant combination does not disclose:
a resin layer on the first main surface of the mounting substrate that covers at least a part of the first electronic component, at least a part of the second electronic component, and the inductor; and a metal electrode layer that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential, wherein a main surface of the second electronic component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer.
Kawasaki discloses in Fig. 1A:
a high frequency module including the use of a resin layer (13) on a first main surface of a mounting substrate (12) that covers at least a part of multiple electronic components including a chip inductor ([0059]), and a piezoelectric component (2); and
a metal electrode layer (heat-dissipation accelerating member 10 ([0067]) that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential (connected to shielding member 14, which is ground, [0072]), wherein a main surface of a piezoelectric component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer (as seen in Fig. 1A).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to encapsulate the resultant combination using the resin of Kawasaki et al. to provide the benefit of physically stabilizing the components of the high frequency module, and to provide the heat-dissipation accelerating member, connecting member, and shielding member of Kawasaki to the acoustic chips of the resultant combination to further provide the benefit of improving heat dissipation as taught by Kawasaki ([0074-0076]).
As a consequence of the combination, the combination discloses a resin layer on the first main surface of the mounting substrate that covers at least a part of the first electronic component, at least a part of the second electronic component, and the inductor; and a metal electrode layer that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential, wherein a main surface of the second electronic component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer.
As per claims 19 & 20:
The resultant combination does not disclose:
a resin layer on the first main surface of the mounting substrate that covers at least a part of the first electronic component, at least a part of the second electronic component, and the inductor; and a metal electrode layer that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential, wherein a main surface of the first electronic component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer.
Kawasaki discloses in Fig. 1A:
a high frequency module including the use of a resin layer (13) on a first main surface of a mounting substrate (12) that covers at least a part of multiple electronic components including a chip inductor ([0059]), and a piezoelectric component (2); and
a metal electrode layer (heat-dissipation accelerating member 10 ([0067]) that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential (connected to shielding member 14, which is ground, [0072]), wherein a main surface of a piezoelectric component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer (as seen in Fig. 1A).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to encapsulate the resultant combination using the resin of Kawasaki et al. to provide the benefit of physically stabilizing the components of the high frequency module, and to provide the heat-dissipation accelerating member, connecting member, and shielding member of Kawasaki to the acoustic chips of the resultant combination to further provide the benefit of improving heat dissipation as taught by Kawasaki ([0074-0076]).
As a consequence of the combination, the combination discloses a resin layer on the first main surface of the mounting substrate that covers at least a part of the first electronic component, at least a part of the second electronic component, and the inductor; and a metal electrode layer that covers at least a part of the resin layer and that has a ground potential, wherein a main surface of the first electronic component, which is on a side of the high frequency module opposite to a side of the mounting substrate, is in contact with the metal electrode layer.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see applicant’s remarks, filed 02/04/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-16 under Takata in view of Nakagawa and claims 17-20 under Takata, Nakagawa, and Kawasaki have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Takata in view of Nakagawa and Ueyama et al.
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 SAMUEL S OUTTEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7123. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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, Andrea Lindgren Baltzell can be reached at (571) 272-1988. 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.
/Samuel S Outten/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843