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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated 05/20/2024, in which claims 1, 3-15 were amended, claim 2 was cancelled, has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species 2, Figs. 2-3, claims 1, 3, 5, 7-8, 11, 13-15 in the reply filed on 09/10/2026 is acknowledged.
Accordingly, claims 4, 6, 9-10, 12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the features of “a housing”, “two main electrode structures for electrically contacting the first main electrode and the second main electrode electrodes of the thyristor structures of the semiconductor device; a first auxiliary electrode structure for electrically contacting the gate electrode of the first thyristor structure; and a second, separate auxiliary electrode structure for electrically contacting the gate electrode of the second thyristor structure” of claim 15 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 8 recites “the first emitter region, the second emitter region and the second base region is each a region of the semiconductor body” which has grammar error. The above limitation of claim 8 should be -- the first emitter region, the second emitter region and the second base region are each a region of the semiconductor body.-- Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1, 3, 5, 7-8, 11, 13-15 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.
Regarding claim 1, claim 1 recites the limitation “the first base region is a same conductivity type and are each a region of the semiconductor body.” The limitation is confusing. It is unclear what Applicant attempts to claim. Further, it is unclear “the first base region” refers to the first base region of the first thyristor structure or the first base region of the second thyristor structure.
In addition, claim 1 recites “the gate electrode”. It is unclear “the gate electrode” refers to the gate electrode of the first thyristor structure or the gate electrode of the second thyristor structure.
Regarding claim 7, claim 7 recites “the first base region is separated from each other.” It is unclear how a single first base region is separated from each other. Further, it is unclear “the first base region” refers to the first base region of the first thyristor structure or the first base region of the second thyristor structure.
Regarding claim 13, claim 13 claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. See In re Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation, 639 F.3d 1303, 1318, 97 USPQ2d 1737, 1748-49 (Fed. Cir. 2011). See MPEP 2173.05 (p).
Claims depending from the rejected claims noted above are rejected at least on the same basis as the claim(s) from which the dependent claims depend.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1686. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am -5:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
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/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
