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 .
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on March 19. 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 7 to 10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on March 19. 2026.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima (wo 2017/164233).
The Nagashima reference teaches a method of creating an aluminum nitride plate or layer, note entire reference. A aluminum nitride layer is grown on a base layer, which can also be aluminum nitride. Then by a cutting means a layer or plate of aluminum nitride is then separated from the base material. The separated aluminum nitride layer or plate is then polished by standard means, note, translation. The resulting aluminum nitride layer is free standing. The sole difference between the instant claim and the prior art is the processing of the face to be parallel to a crystal lattice. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable face preparation in the Nagashima reference in order to remove imperfections from the surface or face allowing for a better cut.
With regards to claim 6, the Nagashima reference teaches cutting in one step, one jig, note translation.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima (wo 2017/164233).
The Nagashima reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claim in the grinding step for radius of curvature. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable grinding of the face in the Nagashima reference in order to have a set curvature prior to cutting. Noting, the reference does teach grinding is known in the art.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima (wo 2017/164233).
The Nagashima reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claim in the polishing of the face. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable polishing of the face in the Nagashima reference in order to a uniform surface. Noting, the reference does teach polishing is known in the art.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima (wo 2017/164233).
The Nagashima reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claim in the radius of curvature. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable grinding, polishing steps in the Nagashima reference in order to have a set radius of curvature in the cut layer or plate.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima (wo 2017/164233).
The Nagashima reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claim in the face being aluminum polar face. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable face that is polished in the Nagashima reference in order to create the desired parallel orientation, as the reference does teach the face can be aluminum nitride.
Examiner’s Remarks
The remain references are merely cited of interest as showing the state of the art in aluminum nitride formation and cutting.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT M KUNEMUND whose telephone number is (571)272-1464. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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RMK
/ROBERT M KUNEMUND/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1714
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