DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 2, 7, 14, 19, and 20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Interpretation
The claim elements do not invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).
Response to Arguments and Amendments
Applicant's arguments and amendments filed February 20, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive with regards to the §§ 102 and 103. Applicant argues that Bernard (D1) only teaches processes related to PZT, and not to ceramics, examiner disagrees. Applicant’s specification page 1, lines 28-30, states: Ceramic materials having piezoelectric properties include, for example, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), barium titanate, and lead titanate.
References
D1: Bernard et al. "Direct laser processing of bulk lead zirconate titanate ceramics", Materials Science and Engineering B, vol. 172, August 2010, pages 85-88.
D2: CN106316388 LI et al. January 11, 2017
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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 1-9 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D1.
With regards to claim 7, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of an additively manufactured layered composite structure (Fig. 1) comprising: a first ceramic layer - either the first layer created by injection into the molten pool as described by D1, page 86, left column, lines 17-18 or any one of the layers to which still another layer follows in accordance with D1, page 86, left column, lines 12-13, and 24-26; page 86, right column, I. 14-15; wherein the first ceramic layer includes a ceramic powder having piezoelectric characteristics - D1, page 86, left column, lines 29-45; and a second ceramic layer having a deposition configuration and a set configuration - any subsequent layer according to D1, page 86, left column, lines 12-13, 24-26; and right column, lines 14-15, the deposition configuration being before melting as described by D1, page 86, left column, line 24; page 86, right column, lines 13-14 and the set condition being the condition during melting; wherein, in the deposition configuration a ceramic powder having piezoelectric characteristics is applied over the first ceramic layer as a powder layer D1, page 86, left column, lines 24; page 86, right column, lines 13-14 before melting; and wherein in the set configuration the ceramic powder is sintered over the first ceramic layer as a sintered layer D1, page 86, left column, line 24; right column, lines 13-14 during melting.
With regards to claim 1 the D1 reference pages 85-86, Fig. 1 discloses a method for additively manufacturing a layered composite structure page 86, right column, lines 14-15: "the process deposits the material layer-by-layer fashion", also page 86, left column, lines 12-13, 24-26; the method comprising: building a first ceramic layer from ceramic powder having piezoelectric characteristics are e.g. mentioned by page 86, left column, line 2. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) as disclosed at page 86, left column, lines 29-45. The first layer created by injection as described by page 86, left column, lines 17-18 is a first layer, also, each one of the subsequently deposited layers as described by page 86, left column, lines 12-13, 24-26 or page 86, right-hand column, lines 14-15 is a first layer in relation to the subsequently deposited layer or layers on top of such a preceding first layer; constructing the first ceramic layer includes: depositing a first layer of ceramic powder, wherein the layer of ceramic powder includes a plurality of ceramic particles page 86, left column, lines 24-25: "powder delivery nozzle" in generation of one of subsequent layers; sintering at least a portion of the first layer of the ceramic powder, wherein sintering the portion of the first layer of ceramic powder melts the plurality of ceramic particles page 86, left column, line 24: "laser head" in generation of one of subsequent layers and page 86, right column, lines 13-14: "processing of PZT parts involves melting of PZT powder". D1 discloses "sintering" on page 85 and melting of particles of the powder; and setting the portion of the first layer, wherein setting the portion of the first layer forms the first ceramic layer having piezoelectric characteristics page 86, right column, line 14: "resolidification of PZT powder"; and building a second ceramic layer over the first ceramic layer - any one of the subsequent layers according to page 86, left column, lines 12-13, and 24-26; page 86, right column, lines 14-15 deposited on a preceding first layer constructing the second ceramic layer includes: depositing a second layer of ceramic powder on the first ceramic layer page 86, left column, lines 24-25, the above conclusions apply analogously; sintering at least a portion of the second layer of the ceramic powder, wherein sintering the portion of the second layer of ceramic powder melts the plurality of ceramic particles page 86, left column, line 24; page 86, right column, lines 13-14, the above conclusions apply analogously; and setting at least a portion of the second layer of ceramic powder over the first ceramic layer, wherein setting the portion of the second layer forms a second ceramic layer having piezoelectric characteristics over the first ceramic layer page 86, right column, line 14, the above conclusions apply analogously.
With regards to claims 2 and 12, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of a first layer generated in the pool of molten substrate material as described by page 86, left column, lines 16-22 is a substrate layer, the substrate as disclosed by D1 is a build plate, base plate or template layer.
With regards to claims 3, 9, and 14, the D1 reference discloses steps as defined occur as parts of the repetition as described by page 86, left column, lines 26-28 for the further layers subsequent to the second layer.
With regards to claim 4, the D1 reference discloses steps as defined occur as parts of the repetition as described by page 86, left column, lines 26-28 for the second layer subsequent to the first layer.
With regards to claim 5, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of electrodes page 87, lines 25-30.
With regards to claims 6 and 11, the D1 reference discloses PZT on page 86, left column, lines 29-45. This material is piezoelectric.
With regards to claim 8, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of acetone on page 86, left column, lines 29-55.
With regards to claim 13, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of silver contact points page 86, right column, lines 1-2 are metallization layers.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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 10, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over D1 as applied to claims 1-9 and 14 above, and further in combination with D2.
The difference between the D1 reference and claims 15-19 is that the claim recites the utilization as a component of a sonar system. The D2 reference teaches that it was well known in the art to utilize sonar (see ¶ 0002). It would have been obvious to modify the D1 reference to be utilize with a sonar system as motivated by the D2 reference to enable the D1 system to be able to perform navigation and ranging.
With regards to claim 20, the D1 reference discloses the utilization of a textured (rough) surfaces (see page 87, lines 1-8).
With regards to claim 10, the D1 reference discloses the layers can be of different thickness (see Fig. 1(a)). Also in view of 550 U.S. 398, 401 (2007), the aforementioned combination of familiar elements according to known methods as shown above is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results.
Examiner Note
Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. However, any citation to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33, 216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1968)). Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Dan Pihulic whose telephone number is 571-272-6977. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Helal Algahaim, can be reached on 571-270-5227.
/Daniel Pihulic/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3645