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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-16, and 18-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2021/0313089 A1 (Mikladal).
Mikladal discloses, referring primarily to figure 2, an article comprising: a transparent polymeric film (5, [0080]); an electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed over a surface of the transparent polymeric film, wherein the electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern comprises, in order outwardly from a surface of the transparent polymeric film: a metallic pattern (3, [0058]) having a first surface facing the transparent polymeric film and an opposing second surface; and a pattern of a catalytic ink (4, [0044], [0062]) disposed over at least a portion of the opposing second surface of the metallic pattern [claim 1], wherein the transparent polymeric film comprises poly(vinyl butyral) ([0070]) [claim 2], wherein the catalytic ink is effective to catalyze electroless plating ([0064]) [claim 3], wherein the catalytic ink is non-conductive ([0044]) [claim 4], wherein the metallic pattern comprises copper, gold, aluminum, silver, or platinum, or a combination of two or more of these metals ([0055], [0091]) [claim 6], comprising two or more of the same or different electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns disposed over the surface of the transparent polymeric film (pads not shown, but referenced in [0094]) [claim 7], wherein the metallic pattern comprises a plurality of features that can be spaced apart or connected ([0054], [0066]) [claim 8], wherein the transparent polymeric film comprises poly(vinyl butyral), poly(ethylene vinyl acetate), or an ionomeric polymer ([0070]) [claim 9], wherein the transparent polymeric film is in the form of a continuous polymeric film ([0014]) [claim 10], wherein the transparent polymeric film is in the form of a continuous poly(vinyl butyral) film ([0070]) [claim 11], wherein the article comprises two or more of the same or different electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns disposed over the continuous polymeric film (pads not shown, but referenced in [0094]) [claim 12], having an optical transparency of at least 50% ([0037]) [claim 13].
Similarly, Mikladal discloses, a method for providing an article comprising an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern, the method comprising steps A) and B’), in order: A) providing a metallic pattern (3) on a surface of a first substrate (2); and B’) transferring the metallic pattern to a surface of a second substrate (5) thereby providing an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern on the surface of the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is a transparent laminating film ([0080]), wherein step A) comprises steps A-1), A-2), and A-3, in order: A-1) providing a pattern of a catalytic ink (4) on the surface of the first substrate; A-2) curing the catalytic ink pattern sufficient to form a cured catalytic ink pattern; and A-3) electrolessly plating a metal onto the cured catalytic ink pattern to form the metallic pattern on the surface of the first substrate ([0064]) [claim 14], comprising providing the pattern of catalytic ink using flexographic printing ([0067]), wherein the metallic pattern is electrically-conductive ([0055]) [claim 16], wherein the metallic pattern comprises a plurality of features that can be spaced apart or connected ([0054], [0066]) [claim 18], wherein the metallic pattern comprises copper, gold, aluminum, silver, or platinum, or a combination of two or more of these metals ([0055], [0091]) [claim 19], wherein the transparent laminating film comprises poly(vinyl butyral), poly(ethylene vinyl acetate), or an ionomeric polymer ([0070]) [claim 20], wherein the transparent laminating film is in the form of a continuous web ([0014]) [claim 21], comprising providing two or more electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns on the article, by providing two or more of the same or different metallic patterns on the surface of the first substrate; and transferring the two or more of the same or different metallic patterns to the surface of the second substrate, thereby providing two or more of the same or different electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns on the surface of the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is a transparent laminating film that is in the form of a continuous poly(vinyl butyral) web ([0070]) [claim 22].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 17 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: Claim 5 states the limitation “wherein the catalytic ink comprises silver nanoparticles.” This limitation, in conjunction with the other claimed features, was neither found to be disclosed in, nor suggested by the prior art. Claim 17 states the limitation “wherein the catalytic ink pattern comprises silver nanoparticles and a curable polymer precursor.” This limitation, in conjunction with the other claimed features, was neither found to be disclosed in, nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY C NORRIS whose telephone number is (571)272-1932. The examiner can normally be reached 7:15-15:15 M-F.
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, Timothy Thompson can be reached at (571)272-2342. 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.
JEREMY C. NORRIS
Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/JEREMY C NORRIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847