Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/546,055

MAGNETIC SCALE, MAGNETIC SCALE SYSTEM, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MAGNETIC SCALE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MAGNETIC SCALE SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Aug 10, 2023
Priority
Feb 18, 2021 — JP 2021-024667 +1 more
Examiner
LEGASPI, EUGENE REY DEVERA
Art Unit
3729
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Panasonic Holdings Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 0% of cases
0%
Career Allowance Rate
0 granted / 0 resolved
-70.0% vs TC avg
Minimal +0% lift
Without
With
+0.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
24
Total Applications
across all art units
This examiner has no resolved cases yet (career too new); statute-level performance unavailable. The Grant Probability card shows Tech Center averages instead.

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/546,055 CTNF 101622 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Objections 07-45 AIA Claim 11 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot depend from any other multiple dependent claims. In this case, Claim 11 is dependent on both claims 7 and 8 . See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claim has not been further treated on the merits. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-103 AIA The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-5, 7-8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Finn (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20120055013 A1) . Regarding claim 1, Finn discloses an apparatus and method of a magnetic scale comprising: a magnetic scale body (card body in FIG. 12B and 12C, ¶373, the body including labeled elements 1260, 1278, 1276, and 1272) including a magnetic substance (ferrite layer, ¶373, “a ferrite layer with high magnetic permeability can be integrated into an intermediate layer of a card body, with said layer hosting an area of resin with magnetic fillers, ferrite nanoparticles in a polymer or a sheet of sintered ferrite”); and PNG media_image1.png 257 905 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 151 912 media_image2.png Greyscale an adhesive layer (adhesive layer 1274 in FIG. 12C, ¶377) including a hot-melt adhesive (hot melt adhesive, ¶199) and attached to the magnetic scale body (FIG. 12C depicts adhesive layer 1274 attached to the lower surface of the layered structure). Regarding claim 2, Finn further discloses the magnetic scale of claim 1, as detailed above, wherein the magnetic scale body includes a magnetic layer including the magnetic substance (contactless RFID device “tag” 1260 in FIG. 12B, ¶374) and a support member supporting the magnetic layer (core layer/substrate 1272 in FIG. 12C, ¶377), the support member has a first surface facing the magnetic layer (FIG. 12C depicts the top surface of core layer facing the contactless RFID device “tag” 1260) and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface (FIG. 12C depicts the bottom surface on the opposite side of the first surface), and the adhesive layer is attached to the second surface of the support member (adhesive layer 1274 in FIG. 12C, ¶377, “a core layer 1272… an adhesive layer 1274 on a bottom”). Regarding claim 3, Finn further discloses the magnetic scale of claim 2, as detailed above, wherein the magnetic scale body further includes a sticking sheet bonding the magnetic layer and the support member to each other (adhesive layer 1276; FIG. 12B and 12C depicts the ferrite shielding element 1270 formed under the contactless RFID device “tag” 1260. This allows the adhesive layer 1276 to be situated between the contactless RFID device “tag” 1260 and core layer 1272. Release layer 1278 is “peeled off and discarded” (¶377) before attaching the two elements together). Regarding claim 4, Finn further discloses a magnetic scale system (transponder, ¶2), as detailed above, comprising: the magnetic scale of claim 1 (mobile phone sticker “MPS”, ¶375); and an adhesion target (cell phone 1250 in FIG. 12B, ¶374) to which the magnetic scale body is bonded via the adhesive layer (FIG. 12B and 12C, ¶376, “a ferrite shielding element 1270 is disposed between the back of the cell phone 1250 and RFID tag 1260 to alleviate attenuation of coupling between”). Regarding claim 5, Finn further discloses a method for manufacturing a magnetic scale, as detailed above, the method comprising a step of attaching an adhesive layer to at least part of a magnetic scale body (FIG. 12B and 12C, ¶377, “an elongated tape… dispersed throughout an adhesive layer 1274”), the adhesive layer including a hot-melt adhesive (hot melt adhesive, ¶199), the magnetic scale body (card body in FIG. 12B and 12C, ¶373, the body including labeled elements 1260, 1278, 1276, and 1272) including a magnetic substance (ferrite layer, ¶373). Regarding claim 7, Finn further discloses the method of claim 5, as detailed above, wherein the magnetic scale includes the magnetic scale body including a magnetic layer including the magnetic substance (contactless RFID device “tag” 1260 in FIG. 12B, ¶374), a support member supporting the magnetic layer (core layer/substrate 1272 in FIG. 12C, ¶377), and a sticking sheet bonding the magnetic layer and the support member to each other (adhesive layer 1276; FIG. 12B and 12C, as detailed in rejection of claim 3, supra), the method further comprising a step of melting the adhesive layer to make the adhesive layer adhere to the support member and then bonding the support member to the magnetic layer via the sticking sheet (please refer to rejection of claim 6, supra, as it is applicable to claim 7 in the manner of melting an adhesive layer 1274, via the well-known hot melt adhesive, to adhere the core layer 1272 to the cell phone 1250, as depicted in FIG. 12B and 12C). Regarding claim 8, Finn further discloses a method for manufacturing a magnetic scale system, as detailed above, the method comprising: the step of attaching the adhesive layer to the at least part of the magnetic scale body according to claim 5 and a step of melting the adhesive layer to make the adhesive layer adhere to an adhesion target and then coagulating the adhesive layer (please refer to rejection of claim 6, supra, as it is applicable to claim 8 in the manner of melting an adhesive layer 1274, via the well-known hot melt adhesive, to adhere the core layer 1272 to the cell phone 1250, as depicted in FIG. 12B and 12C). Regarding claim 11, Finn further discloses the method of claim 8, as detailed above, further comprising the step of melting the adhesive layer (adhesive layer 1276 in FIG. 12C) to make the adhesive layer adhere to the support member (core layer 1272 in FIG. 12C) and then bonding the support member to the magnetic layer (contactless RFID device “tag” 1260 in FIG. 12B) via the sticking sheet (adhesive layer 1276 in FIG. 12C) according to claim 7. (please also refer to rejection of claim 6, supra, as it is applicable to claim 11 in the manner of melting an adhesive layer 1276, via the well-known hot melt adhesive, to adhere the core layer 1272 to the contactless RFID device “tag” 1260, as depicted in FIG. 12B and 12C) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-103 AIA The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-27-aia AIA Claim(s) 6 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Finn . Regarding claim 6, Finn further discloses the method of claim 5, as detailed above, wherein the step of attaching the adhesive layer to the at least part of the magnetic scale body, The adhesive layer including a hot-melt adhesive (hot melt adhesive, ¶199) (the manufacturing of the device from Finn’s disclosure features an end product that has incorporated an adhesive layer that uses the polyurethane hot melt adhesive. This would indicate a melting step within the manufacturing of the device to liquidize and coagulate the hot-melt adhesive, providing a layer of adhesive to adhere other layers together), The magnetic scale body including a magnetic substance (a ferrite with high magnetic permeability, ¶373). Alternatively, in arguendo, Finn is considered not to directly disclose the method including attaching an adhesive layer to at least part of the magnetic scale body via a hot-melt adhesive. Though Finn does not directly disclose the method including melting the adhesive layer to make the adhesive layer adhere to the at least part of the magnetic scale body, Finn does characterize the adhesive layer as a “hot melt adhesive”. The term “hot melt adhesive” is a widely standard and well-established meaning, especially to one of ordinary skill in the art, is it is widely known as a type of thermoplastic adhesive that melts when heated. As depicted in FIG. 12B and 12C, an adhesive layer 1274 is used to adhere core layer 1272 to the cell phone 1250. Similarly, another embodiment disclosed by Finn describes a conductive material undergoing a coagulation process by a laser. Though Finn also does not directly disclose the step of coagulating the adhesive layer, the term “coagulating the adhesive layer” is naturally expected as the adhesive layer, after undergoing a melting process claimed as a “hot-melt adhesive” from claim 5, would result in the substrate solidifying or coagulating. This solidifying step would occur during the cooling of the hot melt adhesive, allowing the bond between two elements to form a strong bond. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to take Finn’s disclosure and understand that a melting, and coagulating, process would have to take place during the manufacturing step of a transducer to adhere two layers together utilizing a hot melt adhesive, as it is widely understood to include said processes. Regarding claim 9, Finn further discloses the method of claim 8, as detailed above, wherein the step of melting the adhesive layer (hot melt adhesive, ¶199) includes irradiating the adhesive layer with a laser beam to melt the adhesive layer (¶244, “a laser may be used to selectively modify conductive characteristics of a film such as an adhesive layer”) (the manufacturing of the device from Finn’s disclosure features an end product that has incorporated an adhesive layer that uses the polyurethane hot melt adhesive. This would indicate a melting step within the manufacturing of the device to liquidize and coagulate the hot-melt adhesive, providing a layer of adhesive to adhere other layers together. Similarly, melting of an adhesive layer could be done by a laser, providing irradiation to change a layer’s properties and characteristics). Alternatively, in arguendo, Finn is considered not to directly disclose the method including the step of melting the adhesive layer by irradiating with a laser beam. Though Finn does not directly disclose the melting of an adhesive layer via a laser beam, Finn does disclose a technique of utilizing a laser to melt a material (¶255, “a laser is used to modify (such as melt) the particles to form a conductor in the polymer). While Finn fails to teach the laser being used on the adhesive layer to melt the adhesive, the term “hot melt adhesive” is a widely standard and well-established meaning, especially to one of ordinary skill in the art, is it is widely known as a type of thermoplastic adhesive that melts when heated. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the laser onto the adhesive rather than the particles to melt and/or change the physical and chemical properties of the adhesive bond between elements. (please also refer to rejection of claim 6, supra, as it is applicable to claim 9 in the manner of melting an adhesive layer 1274, via the well-known hot melt adhesive, to adhere the core layer 1272 to the cell phone 1250, as depicted in FIG. 12B and 12C) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Finn, and further in view of Tran et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20130087959 A1) hereinafter Tran . Regarding claim 10, Finn further discloses the method of claim 8, as detailed above. However, Finn fails to disclose the method wherein the step of melting the adhesive layer includes heating the adhesion target and bringing the adhesive layer into contact with the adhesion target to melt the adhesive layer. Tran discloses a method (Title: Optically Tuned Metalized Light to Heat Conversion Layer for Wafer Support System) wherein the step of melting the adhesive layer (adhesive joining layer, ¶44) includes heating the adhesion target (¶41, “the wafer circuit may be damaged by radiation energy such as a laser beam reaching the wafer through the light transmitting support, the photothermal conversion layer and the joining layer. To avoid such circuit damage, a light absorbing dye capable of absorbing light at the wavelength of the radiation energy or a light reflecting pigment capable of reflecting the light may be contained in any of the layers constituting the laminated body or may be contained in a layer separately provided between the photothermal conversion layer and the substrate”); and bringing the adhesive layer into contact with the adhesion target to melt the adhesive layer (¶44, “The glass carrier with the photothermal conversion layer was laminated to a 150 mm diameter silicon wafer using an adhesive joining layer, the adhesive was in contact with the metal coating of the carrier. 3M.RTM. Liquid UV-Curable Adhesive LC-3200 was used as the adhesive joining layer to laminate the carrier and silicon wafer”). Finn discloses the method of manufacturing a layered circuit with the use of adhesive layers to bond layers together. Tran discloses that heat may be applied to both the adhesive and the adhesion target, wherein the adhesion target may contain an additional light absorbing dye layer within the circuit structure to direct damaging radiation of the laser beam away. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the technique of heating the adhesion target and applied it to Finn’s method to avoid damage to the wafer circuit due to radiation energy from the laser beam and to allow the wafer laminate to undergo heat aging to cure the adhesive material (¶41). (please also refer to rejection of claim 6, supra, as it is applicable to claim 10 in the manner of melting an adhesive layer 1274, via the well-known hot melt adhesive, to adhere the core layer 1272 to the cell phone 1250, as depicted in Finn’s FIG. 12B and 12C). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE REY D LEGASPI whose telephone number is (571)272-2956. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5PM. 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, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. 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. /E.D.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3729 /THOMAS J HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 2 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 3 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 4 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 5 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 6 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 7 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 8 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 9 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 10 Art Unit: 3729 Application/Control Number: 18/546,055 Page 11 Art Unit: 3729
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 10, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
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