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 § 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, 3-5, 8-10, 13, 14, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hey-Shipton US 10,230,350 in view of Yantchev US 10,992,284.
1. Hey-Shipton discloses a bandpass filter (Fig. 4) comprising: a plurality of acoustic resonators (X1, X3, X4, etc.) each comprising:
a piezoelectric layer (Fig. 1; item 105), an interdigital transducer (IDT 110, 120) on the piezoelectric layer and having a plurality of interleaved fingers, and wherein the plurality of acoustic resonators includes:
a plurality of series resonators (X1, X3, etc.) connected in series between an input and an output of the bandpass filter,
a plurality of shunt resonators (X4, X6, etc.) that are each connected between a ground and a node between a respective pair of the plurality of series resonators,
a first extracted pole resonator (X2) connected between the ground and a node between the input and a first series resonator from among the plurality of series resonators, and
a second extracted pole resonator (X10) connected between the ground and a node between the output and a last series resonator from among the plurality of series resonators, and
wherein one of the first and second extracted pole resonators has a resonance frequency that is higher than an upper edge of a passband of the bandpass filter (Col. 7 lines 33-35).
Hey-Shipton does not disclose the acoustic resonators are bulk acoustic resonators each comprising: a piezoelectric layer; an IDT having a plurality of interleaved fingers; and a dielectric layer disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT.
Yantchev exemplarily discloses a filter (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, etc.) comprising: a plurality of bulk acoustic resonators (S1-S5, P1-P4; XBARs) comprising: a piezoelectric layer (Fig. 2 item 110; Fig. 5 item 510), an IDT (Fig. 2 item 238; Fig. 5 item 536) on the piezoelectric layer and having a plurality of interleaved fingers; and a dielectric layer (Fig. 2 item 214, Col. 4 lines 51-53; Fig. 5 item 570, 575) disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT; and thickness of the dielectric layer affects resonance frequencies of resonators (Col. 6 line 61 – Col. 7 line 12).
At the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/replaced the acoustic resonators as bulk acoustic resonators of Yantchev. The modification would have been obvious because the replacement of similar parts (MPEP 2143(I)(B)) and the bulk acoustic resonators are suited for use in high frequencies as taught by Yantchev (Col. 3 lines 21-23).
3. The bandpass filter according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators comprises a substrate (Yantchev: Fig. 1 item 120) and an intermediate dielectric layer (122) that couples the substrate to the piezoelectric layer, and wherein the piezoelectric layer includes a diaphragm (115) over a cavity (140) in the intermediate dielectric layer with the interleaved fingers of the respective IDT on the diaphragm (Col. 9 lines 4-17).
4. The bandpass filter according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the respective dielectric layers of each of the first and second extracted pole resonators is different than a thickness of the respective dielectric layers of the plurality of series resonators and the plurality of shunt resonators (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35, Fig. 5 item 530: transmission zero at frequencies higher than the passband means that the resonance frequencies are higher than that of the series and shunt resonators which created the passband; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12: the resonance frequencies depend on thicknesses, so that the higher frequencies would be “thinner”).
5. The bandpass filter according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of the respective dielectric layers of the plurality of series resonators is thicker than the thickness of respective dielectric layer of the one of the first and second extracted pole resonators that has the resonance frequency that is higher than the upper edge of the passband of the bandpass filter (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35: the series resonators would have smaller resonance frequencies than that of X2/X10 so the dielectric layer would be thicker as according to Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12).
8. The combination discloses the bandpass filter according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose a thickness of the respective piezoelectric layers of each of the first and second extracted pole resonators is different than a thickness of the respective piezoelectric layers of the plurality of series resonators and the plurality of shunt resonators. However, Hey-Shipton discloses the X2/X10 resonators have higher resonance frequencies (Col. 7 lines 33-35; Fig. 5 item 530) and Yantchev discloses the resonance frequency is highly dependent on the thickness of the diaphragm (Col. 7 lines 6-12, piezoelectric thickness is part of the diaphragm), thus at the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made the piezoelectric thicknesses (to affect diaphragm thicknesses) of the extracted pole resonators to be different from that of the series and shunt resonators. The modification would have been obvious as a mean to achieve the different in resonance frequencies (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12).
9. The bandpass filter according to claim 1, wherein a stack (diaphragm) thickness of each of the first and second extracted pole resonators is different than a stack thickness of the plurality of series resonators and the plurality of shunt resonators (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12).
10. The bandpass filter according to claim 9, wherein the stack thickness of the plurality of series resonators is thicker than the stack thickness of the one of the first and second extracted pole resonators that has the resonance frequency that is higher than the upper edge of the passband of the bandpass filter (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12; extracted pole resonators have higher resonance frequencies so that their thickness is “thinner”, thus the series resonators would have “thicker” thicknesses).
13. The combination discloses the bandpass filter according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose a pitch of the respective IDTs of each of the first and second extracted pole resonators is different than a pitch of the respective IDTs of the plurality of series resonators and the plurality of shunt resonators. However, Hey-Shipton discloses the X2/X10 resonators have higher resonance frequencies (Col. 7 lines 33-35; Fig. 5 item 530) and Yantchev discloses the resonance frequency can be affected by pitch (Fig. 8), thus at the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made the pitches of the extracted pole resonators to be different from that of the series and shunt resonators. The modification would have been obvious as a mean to achieve the different in resonance frequencies (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35; Yantchev: Fig. 8).
14. The bandpass filter according to claim 13, wherein the pitch of the respective IDTs of the plurality of series resonators is larger than a pitch of the one extracted pole resonator that has the resonance frequency that is higher than the upper edge of the passband of the bandpass filter (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35; Yantchev: Fig. 8; X2/X10 have higher resonance frequencies, so the pitch can be made “smaller” as shown in Yantchev, thus the series resonators with “lesser” resonance frequencies would have “larger” pitch).
16. The bandpass filter according to claim 1, wherein the respective IDTs of each of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators are configured to excite primary shear acoustic waves in the respective piezoelectric layer in response to a radio frequency signal or a microwave signal applied to the IDT (Yantchev: XBAR, title; Col. 4 lines 15-21).
Claim(s) 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Hey-Shipton US 10,230,350 in view of Yantchev US 10,992,284 as applied to claims 1, 5, 10, 14 above, and further in view of Guyette US 2022/0109420.
2. The combination discloses the invention as discussed above, but does not disclose the other of the first and second extracted pole resonators has a resonance frequency that is lower than a lower edge of the passband of the bandpass filter.
Guyette discloses a filter (Fig. 3A) comprising: a filter section (310) between input and output ports (FP1, FP2); low extracted pole resonators (XL1, XL2) between the ports and ground; high extracted pole resonators (XH1, XH2) between the ports and ground; the low extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) lower than a lower edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]); the high extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) higher than an upper edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]).
At the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/added the other extracted pole resonator as a low extracted pole resonator to the filter. The modification would have been obvious because the low extracted pole resonators would provide transmission zeroes at the lower edge of the passband to help shape the filter response and reduce insertion loss at the lower edge as taught by Guyette (abstract; Fig. 3A, 5).
6. The combination discloses the invention as discussed above, but does not disclose the thickness of the respective dielectric layers of the plurality of shunt resonators is thinner than the thickness of respective dielectric layer of the other of the first and second extracted pole resonators that has a resonance frequency that is lower than a lower edge of the passband of the bandpass filter.
Guyette discloses a filter (Fig. 3A) comprising: a filter section (310) between input and output ports (FP1, FP2); low extracted pole resonators (XL1, XL2) between the ports and ground; high extracted pole resonators (XH1, XH2) between the ports and ground; the low extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) lower than a lower edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]); the high extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) higher than an upper edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]).
At the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/added low extracted pole resonator(s) to the filter. The modification would have been obvious because the low extracted pole resonators would provide transmission zeroes at the lower edge of the passband to help shape the filter response and reduce insertion loss at the lower edge as taught by Guyette (abstract; Fig. 3A, 5).
As a result of the combination, the low extracted pole resonator would have a lower resonance frequency than that of the shunt resonators, so that the thickness of the dielectric layer for the low extracted pole resonator would be “thicker” and that of the shunt resonators would be “thinner”.
7. The bandpass filter according to claim 6, wherein the respective thicknesses of the dielectric layers of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators are measured in a direction orthogonal to surfaces of the respective piezoelectric layers (Yantchev: Fig. 2).
11. For brevity, low extracted pole resonator(s) is made/added as similarly discussed in claims 2 or 6 above. The low extracted pole resonator would have a lower resonance frequency than that of the shunt resonators, so that the stack thickness (diaphragm) for the low extracted pole resonator would be “thicker” and that of the shunt resonators would be “thinner” (Guyette: [0047], [0055]; abstract; Fig. 3A, 5; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12).
12. The bandpass filter according to claim 11, wherein the respective stack thicknesses of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators are measured in a direction orthogonal to surfaces of the respective piezoelectric layers (Yantchev: Fig. 2).
15. For brevity, low extracted pole resonator(s) is made/added as similarly discussed in claims 2 or 6 above. The low extracted pole resonator would have a lower resonance frequency than that of the shunt resonators, so that the pitch for the low extracted pole resonator would be “more” and that of the shunt resonators would be “less” (Guyette: [0047], [0055]; abstract; Fig. 3A, 5; Yantchev: Fig. 8).
Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Hey-Shipton US 10,230,350 in view of Yantchev US 10,992,284 and Guyette US 2022/0109420.
18. Hey-Shipton discloses a bandpass filter (Fig. 4) comprising: a plurality of acoustic resonators (X1, X3, X4, etc.) each comprising:
a piezoelectric layer (Fig. 1 item 105), an interdigital transducer (IDT 110, 120) on the piezoelectric layer and having a plurality of interleaved fingers, and wherein the plurality of acoustic resonators includes:
a plurality of series resonators (X1, X3, etc.) connected in series between an input and an output,
a plurality of shunt resonators (X4, X6, etc.) that are each connected between a ground and a node that is between a respective pair of series resonators of the plurality of series acoustic resonators,
a high side extracted pole resonator (X2, X10) connected between the ground and either the input or the output, and wherein the high side extracted pole resonator has a resonance frequency that is higher than an upper edge of a passband of the bandpass filter (Col 7 lines 33-35).
Hey-Shipton does not disclose the acoustic resonators are bulk acoustic resonators each comprising: a piezoelectric layer; an IDT having a plurality of interleaved fingers; and a dielectric layer disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT; a low side extracted pole resonator connected between the ground and the other of the input or the output, and wherein the low side extracted pole resonator has a resonance frequency that is lower than a lower edge of a passband of the bandpass filter.
Yantchev exemplarily discloses a filter (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, etc.) comprising: a plurality of bulk acoustic resonators (S1-S5, P1-P4; XBARs) comprising: a piezoelectric layer (Fig. 2 item 110; Fig. 5 item 510), an IDT (Fig. 2 item 238; Fig. 5 item 536) on the piezoelectric layer and having a plurality of interleaved fingers; and a dielectric layer (Fig. 2 item 214, Col. 4 lines 51-53; Fig. 5 item 570, 575) disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT; and thickness of the dielectric layer affects resonance frequencies of resonators (Col. 6 line 61 – Col. 7 line 12).
Guyette discloses a filter (Fig. 3A) comprising: a filter section (310) between input and output ports (FP1, FP2); low extracted pole resonators (XL1, XL2) between the ports and ground; high extracted pole resonators (XH1, XH2) between the ports and ground; the low extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) lower than a lower edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]); the high extracted pole resonators provide transmission zeros (resonance frequencies) higher than an upper edge of the passband ([0047]; [0055]).
At the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/replaced the acoustic resonators as bulk acoustic resonators of Yantchev. The modification would have been obvious because the replacement of similar parts (MPEP 2143(I)(B)) and the bulk acoustic resonators are suited for use in high frequencies as taught by Yantchev (Col. 3 lines 21-23).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/added low extracted pole resonator(s) to the filter as the low side extracted pole resonator. The modification would have been obvious because the low extracted pole resonators would provide transmission zeroes at the lower edge of the passband to help shape the filter response and reduce insertion loss at the lower edge as taught by Guyette (abstract; Fig. 3A, 5).
19. The bandpass filter according to claim 18, wherein: a stack thickness of the plurality of series resonators is thicker than a stack thickness of the high side extracted pole resonator (Hey-Shipton: Col. 7 lines 33-35, Fig. 5; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12; high side extracted pole resonator would have “higher” resonance frequency than that of the series resonator so that the stack thickness of the high side extracted pole resonator is “thinner” and that of the series resonator is “thicker”),
a stack thickness of the plurality of shunt resonators is thinner than a stack thickness of the low side extracted pole resonator (Guyette: [0047], [0055]; Yantchev: Col. 7 lines 6-12; low side extracted pole resonator would have “less” resonance frequency that that of shunt resonator so that the stack thickness of low side extracted pole resonator is “thicker” and that of shunt resonator is “thinner”); and
the respective stack thicknesses of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators are measured in a direction orthogonal to surfaces of the respective piezoelectric layers (Yantchev: Fig. 2).
20. The bandpass filter according to claim 18, wherein the respective IDTs of each of the plurality of bulk acoustic resonators are configured to excite primary shear acoustic waves in the respective piezoelectric layer in response to a radio frequency signal or a microwave signal applied to the IDT (Yantchev: XBAR, title; Col. 4 lines 15-21).
Claim(s) 1, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hey-Shipton US 10,230,350 in view of Yantchev US 11,165,407.
1, 17. For brevity, Hey-Shipton discloses the invention as discussed above, but does not disclose Hey-Shipton does not disclose the acoustic resonators are bulk acoustic resonators each comprising: a piezoelectric layer; an IDT having a plurality of interleaved fingers; and a dielectric layer disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT; a substrate and a Bragg reflector that couples the substrate to the piezoelectric layer.
Yantchev ‘407 discloses an acoustic resonator (Figs. 2, 3, etc.) comprising: a substrate (220); a Bragg reflector (340), a piezoelectric layer (210), IDT (236) having a plurality of interleaved fingers on the piezoelectric layer; a dielectric layer (314) disposed on and between the interleaved fingers of the IDT (Col. 5 lines 49-55).
At the time of the filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made/replaced the acoustic resonators as bulk acoustic resonators of Yantchev ‘407. The modification would have been obvious because the replacement of similar parts (MPEP 2143(I)(B)) and the bulk acoustic resonators are suited for use in high frequencies as taught by Yantchev (Col. 4 lines 51-53).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hara US 8,847,700 discloses filter with series and shunt resonators and corresponding frequencies for passband (Fig. 2A,B).
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/A.W/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843