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 § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 discloses first and second regions including tip end portions of the plurality of electrode fingers wherein an acoustic velocity is decreased in comparison to a central portion of the electrode finger overlap region. Claim 9 features a similar apparatus, wherein the acoustic velocity of the first and second regions is decreased by a mass adding film. Claim 17 features a similar apparatus wherein the acoustic velocity of the first and second regions is decreased by widening the first and second regions in comparison to the central portion. Claims 5 & 6 provide the further limitations on the first and second regions of claims 9 & 17 respectively. Claims 13 & 14 provide the same further limitations of claims 5 & 6, respectively, but being dependent upon claim 9. Claim 13 is addressed below. Claim 14 thus provides for a combined condition of the first and second regions having both wide portions and mass adding films, which lacks written description in the specification beyond that of claim 14, which does not meet the written description requirement. Furthermore, only the individual conditions are disclosed in the figures, such that the figures do not provide adequate support for claim 14.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4, 12, & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4, 12, & 20 recites the limitation "the at least two first acoustic wave resonators" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 4, 12, & 20 are dependent upon claims 1 & 3, 9 & 11, and 17 & 19, respectively. Antecedent basis for “at least two first acoustic wave resonators” is only provided in claims 2, 10, & 18, from which claims 4, 12, & 20 do not depend.
For examination purposes, “the at least two first acoustic wave resonators” will be interpreted as --at least two first acoustic wave resonators--.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
The limitations of claim 13 are included in their entirety in claim 9, upon which claim 13 depends. As such, claim 13 fails to further limit the subject matter of claim 9.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-10, & 13-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (US PGPub 20220116021) in view of Suzuki et al. (US PGPub 20200304092)
As per claim 1:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6:
An acoustic wave filter device (1) comprising:
a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (S1-S5 & P1-P5, [0034] each including:
a piezoelectric substrate (16, [0034]); and
an IDT electrode (3A or 3B, [0036-0037]) on the piezoelectric substrate;
the IDT electrode includes:
a first busbar (4/14);
a second busbar (5/15) facing the first busbar in a predetermined direction;
a plurality of first electrode fingers (6) extending from the first busbar toward the second busbar in the predetermined direction; and
a plurality of second electrode fingers (7) extending from the second busbar toward the first busbar in the predetermined direction;
a region between an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of first electrode fingers and an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of second electrode fingers is defined as an intersecting region (overlap region A);
a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode is defined as λ ([0074]);
in a plan view in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric substrate, each of the plurality of acoustic wave resonators includes:
a central region (B) including a central portion of the intersecting region of the IDT electrode in the predetermined direction;
a first region (C2) including tip end portions of the plurality of first electrode fingers and having a lower acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0053]); and
a second region (C1) including tip end portions of the plurality of second electrode fingers and having a lower acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0053]);
the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include:
a first acoustic wave resonator (3A, [0037]); and
a second acoustic wave resonator (3B, [0037]);
the piezoelectric substrate of the first acoustic wave resonator and the piezoelectric substrate of the second acoustic wave resonator are the same (as seen in Fig. 2);
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region (opening formation region F1) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the first region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
a fourth region (opening formation region F2) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the second region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
the second acoustic wave resonator does not include the third region and the fourth region (as seen in Fig. 3B).
Yokoyama further discloses that the use of the third and fourth regions enable a piston mode ([0056]).
Yokoyama is silent regarding:
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the first region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region; and
a fourth region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the second region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region.
Suzuki et al. discloses in Fig. 2A:
A piston mode ([0008] type surface acoustic wave resonator ([0038]), wherein high velocity regions (opening portions 40) within a busbar outside of the edges of the interdigital electrode fingers have a length in the direction of the fingers have a length of ≤0.5λ ([0064]), wherein λ is a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode ([0047])
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the length in the predetermined direction of the third and fourth regions to be 0.3 λ or longer as a known in the art dimension for busbar openings that provide for a piston mode as taught by Suzuki et al. ([0064]), and thus provide the same function.
As per claims 2, 10, & 18:
The resultant combination discloses in Yokoyama Figs. 1-6:
a first input-output electrode (first signal end 9A); and
a second input-output electrode (first signal end 9B);
wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include:
two or more acoustic wave resonators provided in a signal path between the first input-output electrode and the second input-output electrode (S1-S5); and
two or more acoustic wave resonators connected between the signal path and a ground (P1-P5 and at least one series resonator, [0073]);
the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include at least two of the first acoustic wave resonators ([0056]); and
the at least two first acoustic wave resonators include: an acoustic wave resonator provided in the signal path ([0073]); and
an acoustic wave resonator having a smallest electrode finger pitch in the two or more acoustic wave resonators connected between the signal path and the ground (all parallel resonator may comprise IDT 3A, [0056]).
Yokoyama does not disclose:
the at least two first acoustic wave resonators include: an acoustic wave resonator having a largest electrode finger pitch in the two or more acoustic wave resonators provided in the signal path.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the first acoustic wave resonator in the signal path to have the largest electrode finger pitch as one of a limited number of options for the electrode pitches in the signal path.
As per claims 5 & 13:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6 & 17:
the first region includes a first mass addition film (45) overlapping at least a portion of the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers ([0098-0099]);
the second region includes a second mass addition film (44) overlapping at least a portion of the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers ([0098-0099]);
the tip end portions of the plurality of first electrode fingers are portions including the tip edge of the first electrode finger (as seen in Fig. 17); and
the tip end portions of the plurality of second electrode fingers are portions including the tip edge of the second electrode finger (as seen in Fig. 17).
As per claim 6:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6:
in the first region, the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers includes a first wide portion (wide width portion 6b);
a width of the first wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one first electrode finger ([0050]);
in the second region, the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers includes a second wide (wide width portion 7a); and
a width of the second wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one second electrode finger ([0050]).
As per claims 7 & 15:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6 & 12:
the piezoelectric substrate includes ([0077]):
a support substrate (23);
a high acoustic velocity film on the support substrate (24);
a low acoustic velocity film in the high acoustic velocity film (25); and
a piezoelectric body layer (16) on the low acoustic velocity film;
the high acoustic velocity film is a film in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating through the high acoustic velocity film is higher than an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating through the piezoelectric body layer ([0039]); and
the low acoustic velocity film is a film in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating through the low acoustic velocity film is lower than an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating through the piezoelectric body layer ([0078]).
As per claims 8 & 16:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6 & 12:
the piezoelectric substrate includes:
a silicon substrate ([0081]);
a silicon nitride film ([0082]) on the silicon substrate;
a silicon oxide film on the silicon nitride film; and a piezoelectric body layer on the silicon oxide film ([0082]); and
a material of the piezoelectric body layer includes lithium tantalate or lithium niobate ([0038]).
As per claim 9:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6 & 17:
An acoustic wave filter device (1) comprising:
a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (S1-S5 & P1-P5, [0034] each including:
a piezoelectric substrate (16, [0034]); and
an IDT electrode (3A or 3B, [0036-0037]) on the piezoelectric substrate;
the IDT electrode includes:
a first busbar (4/14);
a second busbar (5/15) facing the first busbar in a predetermined direction;
a plurality of first electrode fingers (6) extending from the first busbar toward the second busbar in the predetermined direction; and
a plurality of second electrode fingers (7) extending from the second busbar toward the first busbar in the predetermined direction;
a region between an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of first electrode fingers and an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of second electrode fingers is defined as an intersecting region (overlap region A);
a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode is defined as λ ([0074]);
in a plan view in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric substrate, each of the plurality of acoustic wave resonators includes:
a central region (B) including a central portion of the intersecting region of the IDT electrode in the predetermined direction;
a first region (C2) including tip end portions of the plurality of first electrode fingers and having a lower acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0053]); and
a second region (C1) including tip end portions of the plurality of second electrode fingers and having a lower acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0053]);
the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include:
a first acoustic wave resonator (3A, [0037]); and
a second acoustic wave resonator (3B, [0037]);
the piezoelectric substrate of the first acoustic wave resonator and the piezoelectric substrate of the second acoustic wave resonator are the same (as seen in Fig. 2);
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region (opening formation region F1) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the first region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
a fourth region (opening formation region F2) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the second region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
the second acoustic wave resonator does not include the third region and the fourth region (as seen in Fig. 3B).
Yokoyama further discloses that the first and second regions may be formed ([0091]) such that:
a first region including tip end portions of the plurality of first electrode fingers and including a first mass addition film (45) overlapping at least a portion of the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers ([0098-0099]); and
a second region including tip end portions of the plurality of second electrode fingers and including a second mass addition film (44) overlapping at least a portion of the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers ([0098-0099]);
the tip end portion of the plurality of first electrode fingers is a portion including the tip edge of the first electrode finger (as seen in Fig. 17);
the tip end portion of the plurality of second electrode fingers is a portion including the tip edge of the second electrode finger (as seen in Fig. 17).
Yokoyama further discloses that the use of the third and fourth regions enable a piston mode ([0097]).
Yokoyama is silent regarding:
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the first region in the predetermined direction; and
a fourth region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the second region in the predetermined direction.
Suzuki et al. discloses in Fig. 2A:
A piston mode ([0008] type surface acoustic wave resonator ([0038]), wherein high velocity regions (opening portions 40) within a busbar outside of the edges of the interdigital electrode fingers have a length in the direction of the fingers have a length of ≤0.5λ ([0064]), wherein λ is a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode ([0047])
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the length in the predetermined direction of the third and fourth regions to be 0.3 λ or longer as a known in the art dimension for busbar openings that provide for a piston mode as taught by Suzuki et al. ([0064]), and thus provide the same function.
As per claim 14:
Yokoyama does not disclose in Fig. 17:
in the first region, the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers includes a first wide portion; a width of the first wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one first electrode finger; in the second region, the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers includes a second wide portion; and a width of the second wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one second electrode finger.
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6:
in the first region, the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers includes a first wide portion (wide width portion 6b);
a width of the first wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one first electrode finger ([0050]);
in the second region, the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers includes a second wide (wide width portion 7a); and
a width of the second wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one second electrode finger ([0050]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for in the first region, the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers includes a first wide portion; a width of the first wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one first electrode finger; in the second region, the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers includes a second wide portion; and a width of the second wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one second electrode finger to provide the benefit of reducing the acoustic velocity within the end regions of the electrode fingers as taught by Yokoyama ([0050]).
As per claim 17:
Yokoyama discloses in Figs. 1-6:
An acoustic wave filter device (1) comprising:
a plurality of acoustic wave resonators (S1-S5 & P1-P5, [0034] each including:
a piezoelectric substrate (16, [0034]); and
an IDT electrode (3A or 3B, [0036-0037]) on the piezoelectric substrate;
the IDT electrode includes:
a first busbar (4/14);
a second busbar (5/15) facing the first busbar in a predetermined direction;
a plurality of first electrode fingers (6) extending from the first busbar toward the second busbar in the predetermined direction; and
a plurality of second electrode fingers (7) extending from the second busbar toward the first busbar in the predetermined direction;
a region between an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of first electrode fingers and an envelope of tip edges of the plurality of second electrode fingers is defined as an intersecting region (overlap region A);
a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode is defined as λ ([0074]);
in a plan view in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric substrate, each of the plurality of acoustic wave resonators includes:
a central region (B) including a central portion of the intersecting region of the IDT electrode in the predetermined direction;
a first region (C2) including tip end portions of the plurality of first electrode fingers, the tip end portion of at least one first electrode finger in the plurality of first electrode fingers including a first wide portion (wide width portion 6b); and
a second region including tip end portions of the plurality of second electrode fingers, the tip end portion of at least one second electrode finger in the plurality of second electrode fingers including a second wide portion (wide width portion 7a);
a width of the first wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one first electrode finger ([0050]);
a width of the second wide portion is wider than a width of the central portion of the at least one second electrode finger ([0050]);
the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include:
a first acoustic wave resonator (3A, [0037]); and
a second acoustic wave resonator (3B, [0037]);
the piezoelectric substrate of the first acoustic wave resonator and the piezoelectric substrate of the second acoustic wave resonator are the same (as seen in Fig. 2);
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region (opening formation region F1) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the first region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
a fourth region (opening formation region F2) having a gap (openings 4d) outside of the second region in the predetermined direction and having a higher acoustic velocity of an acoustic wave than that of the central region ([0054]); and
the second acoustic wave resonator does not include the third region and the fourth region (as seen in Fig. 3B).
Yokoyama further discloses that the use of the third and fourth regions enable a piston mode ([0056]).
Yokoyama is silent regarding:
the first acoustic wave resonator further includes:
a third region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the first region in the predetermined direction; and
a fourth region having a gap having a length of about 0.3 λ or longer in the predetermined direction outside of the second region in the predetermined direction.
Suzuki et al. discloses in Fig. 2A:
A piston mode ([0008] type surface acoustic wave resonator ([0038]), wherein high velocity regions (opening portions 40) within a busbar outside of the edges of the interdigital electrode fingers have a length in the direction of the fingers have a length of ≤0.5λ ([0064]), wherein λ is a wavelength of an acoustic wave determined by an electrode finger pitch of the IDT electrode ([0047])
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the length in the predetermined direction of the third and fourth regions to be 0.3 λ or longer as a known in the art dimension for busbar openings that provide for a piston mode as taught by Suzuki et al. ([0064]), and thus provide the same function.
Claim(s) 3-4, 11-12, & 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the resultant combination of Yokoyama (US PGPub 20220116021) in view of Suzuki et al. (US PGPub 20200304092), as applied to claims 1, 9, & 17 above, and further in view of Yokoyama (USPGPub 20170093372), hereinafter Yokoyama 2.
The resultant combination discloses the acoustic wave filter device of claims 1, 9, & 17, as rejected above.
As per claims 3, 11, & 19:
The resultant combination discloses in Yokoyama Figs. 1-6:
a first input-output electrode (first signal end 9A); and
a second input-output electrode (first signal end 9B);
wherein the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include:
two or more acoustic wave resonators provided in a signal path between the first input-output electrode and the second input-output electrode (S1-S5); and
two or more acoustic wave resonators connected between the signal path and a ground (P1-P5 and at least one series resonator, [0073]);
the plurality of acoustic wave resonators include at least two of the second acoustic wave resonators ([0064]); and
the at least two second acoustic wave resonators include: an acoustic wave resonator having a largest electrode finger pitch in the two or more acoustic wave resonators provided in the signal path ([0064]).
Yokoyama does not disclose:
the at least two second acoustic wave resonators include: an acoustic wave resonator having a smallest electrode finger pitch in the two or more acoustic wave resonators connected between the signal path and the ground.
Yokoyama 2 discloses that a separate parallel arm resonator with a resonance frequency higher than the passband with a transverse ripple outside of the passband may be provided to improve out-of-band attenuation characteristics ([0014])
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide at least one of the second acoustic wave resonator as a parallel arm resonator with a resonance frequency higher than the passband so as to provide the benefit of improving out-of-band attenuation characteristics as taught by Yokoyama 2 ([0014]) wherein the third and fourth regions are not required, improving manufacturing simplicity.
As a consequence of the combination, the at least two second acoustic wave resonators include: an acoustic wave resonator having a smallest electrode finger pitch (highest frequency) in the two or more acoustic wave resonators connected between the signal path and the ground.
As per claims 4, 12, & 20:
The resultant combination discloses in Yokoyama Figs. 1-6:
at least a portion of a frequency band between a resonant frequency and an anti-resonant frequency of at least two first acoustic wave resonators is included in a pass band of the acoustic wave filter device ([0072]).
Conclusion
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.
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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.
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/Samuel S Outten/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843