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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1-20, 23, 24, 27-35, 41-46, and 48-52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujise et al. (US 2012/0057730).
With respect to claim 1, Fujise et al. discloses an apparatus (Figs 2 and 15), comprising: a first vibration member (item 15); a second vibration member (item 25) at a rear surface of the first vibration member (Fig 2); a vibration apparatus including a first vibration generating apparatus (item 16) connected with the first vibration member (Fig 2) and a second vibration generating apparatus (item 26) connected with the second vibration member (Fig 2); and a space between the first vibration member and the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 2, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first vibration generating apparatus overlaps the second vibration generating apparatus (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 3, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus vibrate in a same direction (Figs 3A-3B).
With respect to claim 4, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein a size of the first vibration member is different from a size of the second vibration member, or is greater than or equal to a size of the second vibration member (Fig 2, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 5, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first vibration member is different from a thickness of the second vibration member, or is greater than or equal to a thickness of the second vibration member (Fig 2, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 6, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a connection member (items 74 and 75) between the first vibration member and the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 7, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connection member surrounds the space (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 8, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein a first surface of the connection member is connected with the rear surface of the first vibration member, and a second surface different from the first surface of the connection member is connected with an upper surface of the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 9, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure (item 111) at a rear surface of the second vibration member (Fig 15).
With respect to claim 10, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a first connection member (items 74 and 75) connected with the first vibration member to surround the space (Fig 2); and a second connection member (item 111) between the second vibration member and the enclosure (Fig 15).
With respect to claim 11, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the first connection member is different from a thickness of the second connection member, or is greater than or equal to a thickness of the second connection member (Figs 2 and 15, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 12, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the first connection member overlaps the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 13, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein a first surface of the first connection member is connected with the rear surface of the first vibration member (Fig 2), and a second surface different from the first surface of the first connection member is connected with an upper surface of the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 14, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein a width of the first connection member is different from a width of the second connection member, or is less than or equal to a width of the second connection member (Figs 2 and 15, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 15, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first connection member does not overlap the second vibration member (Figs 2 and 15).
With respect to claim 16, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 15, wherein a first surface of the first connection member is connected with the rear surface of the first vibration member (Fig 2), and a second surface different from the first surface of the first connection member is connected with the enclosure (Figs 2 and 15).
With respect to claim 17, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 9, wherein the enclosure comprises: a bottom portion; and a lateral portion connected with an edge of the bottom portion and at least one of the first vibration member and the second vibration member (Fig 15).
With respect to claim 18, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first connection member overlaps at least a portion of the lateral portion (Figs 2 and 15), wherein a width of the first connection member is different from a width of the lateral portion, or is less than or equal to a width of the lateral portion (Figs 2 and 15, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions), wherein the second connection member overlaps the lateral portion (Figs 2 and 15), and a width of the second connection member is greater than or equal to a width of the first connection member, or less than or equal to a width of the lateral portion (Figs 2 and 15, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 19, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lateral portion comprises: a first lateral portion connected with the first vibration member by the first connection member (Fig 2); and a second lateral portion provided at an inner side of the first lateral portion and connected with the second vibration member by the second connection member (Figs 2 and 15).
With respect to claim 20, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first connection member and the lateral portion surround the space (Fig 2)
With respect to claim 23, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises: at least one vibration part; a first electrode layer at a first surface of the at least one vibration part; and a second electrode layer at a second surface different from the first surface of the at least one vibration part (Paragraph 44)
With respect to claim 24, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one vibration part comprises an inorganic material portion having a piezoelectric characteristic (Paragraph 68).
With respect to claim 27, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first vibration generating apparatus is disposed at at least one of a first surface of the first vibration member and a second surface different from the first surface of the first vibration member (Fig 2), and wherein the second vibration generating apparatus is disposed at at least one of a first surface of the second vibration member and a second surface different from the first surface of the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 28, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 27, wherein a vibration driving signal applied to the first vibration generating apparatus has a phase which is a same as or opposite to a phase of a vibration driving signal applied to the second vibration generating apparatus (this language refers only to the operation of the device and does not further limit its structural features, in addition, this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 29, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises a plurality of vibration generators (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 30, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 29, wherein vibration driving signals respectively applied to the plurality of vibration generators have a same phase or opposite phases (this language refers only to the operation of the device and does not further limit its structural features, in addition, this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 31, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 29, wherein the first vibration generating apparatus comprises: a first vibration generator at the first surface of the first vibration member; and a second vibration generator at the second surface of the first vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 32, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein at least a portion of the first vibration generator overlaps the second vibration generator (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 33, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein a vibration driving signal applied to the first vibration generator has a phase opposite to a phase of a vibration driving signal applied to the second vibration generator (this language refers only to the operation of the device and does not further limit its structural features).
With respect to claim 34, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the second vibration generating apparatus is disposed at at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the second vibration member, and wherein at least a portion of the second vibration generating apparatus overlaps at least one of the first vibration generator and the second vibration generator (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 35, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 34, wherein a vibration driving signal applied to the second vibration generating apparatus has a phase, which is the same as a phase of a vibration driving signal applied to one of the first vibration generator and the second vibration generator, and has a phase opposite to a phase of a vibration driving signal applied to the other of the first vibration generator and the second vibration generator (this language refers only to the operation of the device and does not further limit its structural features, in addition, this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions).
With respect to claim 41, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises a first vibration part (item 16/26) and a second vibration part (item 17/27) spaced apart from each other in parallel (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 42, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 41, wherein vibration driving signals respectively applied to the first vibration part and the second vibration part have the same phase, or have a phase difference therebetween (this language refers only to the operation of the device and does not further limit its structural features, in addition, this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “different” and “equal” as conditions)
With respect to claim 43, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 41, wherein each of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises a first vibration part and a second vibration part (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 44, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 43, wherein one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the first vibration generating apparatus overlaps at least one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the second vibration generating apparatus, or does not overlap the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the second vibration generating apparatus (Fig 2, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “overlaps” and “does not overlap” as conditions).
With respect to claim 45, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises a plurality of vibration generators (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 46, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 45, wherein the first vibration generating apparatus comprises: a first vibration generator at the first surface of the first vibration member, the first vibration generator including the first vibration part and the second vibration part (Fig 2); and a second vibration generator at the second surface of the first vibration member, the second vibration generator including the first vibration part and the second vibration part (Fig 2), wherein one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the first vibration generator overlaps at least one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the second vibration generator, or does not overlap the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the second vibration generator (Fig 2, wherein this condition is inherently meant as the claim includes both “overlaps” and “does not overlap” as conditions).
With respect to claim 48, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one weight member (item 79) provided in at least one of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 49, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 48, wherein the at least one weight member (item 79) overlaps one or more of a center portion of and an edge portion of at least one of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 50, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 48, wherein the at least one weight member is disposed in at least one of the first vibration member and the second vibration member (Fig 2).
With respect to claim 51, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first vibration member and the second vibration member comprises one or more materials of metal, plastic, fiber, leather, wood, cloth, rubber, carbon, glass, and paper (Paragraph 68).
With respect to claim 52, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first vibration member comprises one or more of a display panel including a pixel displaying an image, a screen panel on which an image is to be projected from a display apparatus, a light emitting diode illumination panel, an organic light emitting illumination panel, an inorganic light emitting illumination panel, a signage panel, a vehicular interior material, a vehicular exterior material, a vehicular glass window, an interior material of a vehicular seat, a ceiling material of a building, an interior material of a building, a window of a building, an interior material of an aircraft, and a mirror (Paragraphs 72-75).
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.
Claims 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujise et al. in view of Garimella et al. (US 2002/0175596).
With respect to claim 21, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17.
Fujise et al. does not disclose that the bottom portion of the enclosure comprises at least one hole provided to connect a space between the second vibration member and the enclosure with the outside.
Garimella et al. teaches a piezoelectric device in which the bottom portion of the enclosure comprises at least one hole provided to connect a space between the second vibration member and the enclosure with the outside (Fig 1).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the holes in the enclosure of Garimella et al. with the device of Fujise et al. for the benefit of providing improved transmission of the acoustic energy by removing barriers for the acoustic energy (Fig 1 of Garimella et al.).
With respect to claim 22, the combination of Fujise et al. and Garimella et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 21. Garimella et al. discloses that at least a portion of the at least one hole is provided to overlap the second vibration generating apparatus (Figs 1 and 4).
Claims 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujise et al. in view of Fukuoka et al. (US 2013/0094681).
With respect to claim 26, Fujise et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 23.
Fujise et al. does not disclose that each of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises: a first cover member at the first electrode layer; and a second cover member at the second electrode layer.
Fukuoka et al. teaches a piezoelectric device in which each of the first vibration generating apparatus and the second vibration generating apparatus comprises: a first cover member (item 20, top side of vibration generating apparatus) at the first electrode layer; and a second cover member (item 20, bottom side of vibration generating apparatus) at the second electrode layer (Fig 2).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the cover layers of Fukuoka et al. with the device of Fujise et al. for the benefit of better protecting the device and suppressing spurious emissions (Paragraph 40 of Fukuoka et al.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25, 36-40, and 47 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the at least one vibration part comprises: a plurality of inorganic material portions having a piezoelectric characteristic; and an organic material portion between the plurality of inorganic material portions” in combination with the remaining elements of claim 25.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the second vibration generating apparatus comprises: a third vibration generator at the first surface of the second vibration member; and a fourth vibration generator at the second surface of the second vibration member” in combination with the remaining elements of claim 36.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the second vibration generating apparatus comprises: a third vibration generator at the first surface of the second vibration member, the third vibration generator including the first vibration part and the second vibration part; and a fourth vibration generator at the second surface of the second vibration member, the fourth vibration generator including the first vibration part and the second vibration part, wherein one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the third vibration generator overlaps at least one of the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the fourth vibration generator, or does not overlap the first vibration part and the second vibration part of the fourth vibration generator” in combination with the remaining elements of claim 47.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Derek John Rosenau whose telephone number is (571)272-8932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7 am to 5:30 pm Central Time.
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/DEREK J ROSENAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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