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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 & 11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1-2 & 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koyama (US 2015/0061942 A1) in view of Lin (US 2008/0139262 A1), and further in view of Voeltzel (US 2003/0080909 A1), hereinafter Voel.
Regarding claim 1, Koyama discloses, in figure 2B, a frequency selective substrate assembly comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate each comprising an inner surface opposite an outer surface (substrate 15 & substrate 19 comprising an inner surface opposite an outer surface);
a conductive material layer disposed on the inner surface of the second substrate (Para [0036], “conductive pattern portion 17”…formed on the second surface of substrate 15); and
an adhesive layer disposed between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate such that the conductive material layer is positioned between the inner surface of the second substrate and the adhesive layer and the adhesive layer bonds the first substrate to the second substrate (Para [0036], “adhesive layer 18 provided in the order, then, used after transferring on a suitable substrate body 19”…i.e., bonding substrate 15 to substrate 19…with conductive pattern portion 17 provided between inner surface of the second substrate 15 and the adhesive layer 18), but fails to disclose wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises a reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less; and
wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material.
However, Lin discloses, in figure 3 & 7, wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises a reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less (Para [0023], “FIG. 7 illustrates filtering results of the multiband frequency selective filter in practice. In FIG. 7, the transverse axis represents frequency, and the longitudinal axis represents reflection coefficient”…depicted as less than 0.7 over approximately 0.3 GHz).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the reflection coefficient of Lin in the substrate assembly of Koyama, to achieve the benefit of selectively passing signals in the desired frequency bands while adjusting the resonant frequency and bandwidth as necessary (Lin, Para [0023]).
In combination, Koyama and Lin fail to disclose wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material.
However, Voel discloses, in figure 1, wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material (Para [0024], “substrate 20 is not limiting in the invention and can be of any dielectric material having any desired characteristics, such as opaque”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the opaque material of Voel in the second substrate of Koyama and Lin, to achieve the benefit of ensuring transmittance in a certain wavelength range is minimized through the second substrate and more efficiently utilized by the frequency selective substrate assembly (Voel, Para [0024]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, and Koyama continues to disclose, in figure 2B, wherein the conductive material layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide, a conductive polymer, a carbon nanotube wire, graphene, or a metal mesh (Para [0117], “the conductive pattern portion 17 having a translucency, which is formed of silver or an alloy having silver as a main component”…i.e., the translucency of the pattern portion conforming to a metal mesh).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, and Koyama continues to disclose, in figure 2B, wherein a thickness of the first substrate is different than a thickness of the second substrate (see figure 2B disclosing substrates 19 & 15 with differing thicknesses).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, and Koyama continues to disclose, in figure 2B, wherein an electric conductivity of the conductive material layer is greater than or equal to 1 million Siemens per meter (Para [0117], “conductive pattern portion 17 having a translucency, which is formed of silver or an alloy having silver as a main component”…Silver having an electric conductivity greater than 1 million Siemens per meter).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel as applied to claims 1-2 & 8-9 above, and further in view of Bard et al. (US 2020/0310014 A1), hereinafter Bard.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, but fail to disclose wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprises glass having an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm.
However, Bard discloses, in figure 3, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprises glass having an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm (Para [0073], “visible light transmittance [i.e., about 300 nm to about 800 nm]…4% reflectivity typically allocated to a glass substrate 4, 8”…i.e., a transmittance greater than 80%).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the substrate properties of Bard in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Lin, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of target maximum light transmission through the glass substrates while minimizing absorption in visible light frequencies, allowing more free to design the infrared reflective or infrared absorbing function of the conductive material layer (Bard, Para [0055]).
Claims 4 & 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel as applied to claims 1-2 & 8-9 above, and further in view of Hong et al. (US 12,074,371 B2), hereinafter Hong.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, but fail to disclose wherein the adhesive layer comprises a material having a tensile strength that is equal to or greater than 1 Newton per centimeter.
However, Hong discloses, in figure 1A, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a material having a tensile strength that is equal to or greater than 1 Newton per centimeter (Col. 5, Lines 20, “the adhesive layer may include a metal such as titanium (Ti)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the adhesive material of Hong in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Lin, and Voel, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., incorporating an adhesive layer with strong bonding properties, as is readily known to be incorporated as an adhesive layer to perform its base function of adhering layers together], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, but fail to disclose wherein the adhesive layer comprises an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm.
However, Hong discloses, in figure 1A, wherein the adhesive layer (Col. 5, Lines 13-16, “mmW reflective structure 100 may include…an adhesive layer for bonding”) comprises an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm (Col. 6, Lines 48-50, “the transmittance of electromagnetic waves of the visible light band [i.e., about 300 nm to about 800 nm] in the mmW reflective structure 100 may be about 80% or more.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the transmittance properties of Hong in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Lin, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of ensuring the transmittance of electromagnetic waves of the assembly is maintained at a high level when incorporated within a structure exposed to visible light (Hong, Col. 12, Lines 21-26).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel as applied to claims 1-2 & 8-9 above, and further in view of Jia (US 2020/0411993 A1).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, but fail to disclose wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises the reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less at an operation frequency of 28 GHz.
However, Jia discloses, in figure 21, wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises the reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less at an operation frequency of 28 GHz (Para [0105], “reflection coefficient is less than or equal to -10 dB [i.e., less than 0.7]…operating frequency range of 22.288 GHz to 30.511 GHz”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the operating frequency range of Jia in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Lin, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of operating at a desired frequency range with minimized signal reflection and thus minimized transmission loss (Jia, Para [0104]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel as applied to claims 1-2 & 8-9 above, and further in view of Bard, and even further in view of Hu et al. (US 11,817,630 B2).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Koyama, Lin, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 1, but fail to disclose wherein a dielectric constant of the adhesive layer is in a range of 2 to 4 and a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers.
However, Bard discloses, in figure 1, wherein a dielectric constant of the adhesive layer is in a range of 2 to 4 (Para [0051], “a polymer interlayer 6 including polyvinyl butyral”…having a dielectric constant in a range of 2 to 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the material of Bard in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Lin, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of implementing a polymer-based adhesive layer with beneficial acoustic insulation properties while maintaining high transmittance in the visible light wavelength range (Bard, Para [0051] & [0052]).
In combination, Koyama, Lin, Voel, and Bard fail to disclose a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers.
However, Hu discloses, in figure 5A, a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers (Col. 8, Lines 67, “he bonding film 503 thickness h.sub.2 may be set to be 0.05 mm”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the thickness of Hu in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Lin, Voel, and Bard, to achieve the benefit of implementing an adhesive layer with sufficient thickness to maintain a strong bond between substrates while not compromising transmittance in the visible light wavelength range (Hu, Col. 5, Lines 11-22).
Claims 11-12 & 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koyama in view of Yang (CN 110416739 A), and further in view of Voel.
Regarding claim 11, Koyama discloses, in figure 2B, a frequency selective substrate assembly comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate each comprising an inner surface opposite an outer surface (substrate 15 & substrate 19 comprising an inner surface opposite an outer surface);
a second conductive material layer disposed on the inner surface of the second substrate (Para [0036], “conductive pattern portion 17”…formed on the second surface of substrate 15); and
an adhesive layer disposed between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate, the adhesive layer coupling the first substrate to the second substrate (Para [0036], “adhesive layer 18 provided in the order, then, used after transferring on a suitable substrate body 19”…i.e., bonding substrate 15 to substrate 19…with conductive pattern portion 17 provided between inner surface of the second substrate 15 and the adhesive layer 18), but fails to disclose a first conductive material layer deposited on the inner surface of the first substrate;
wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises a reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less; and
wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material.
However, Yang discloses, in figure 2 & 7, a first conductive material layer deposited on the inner surface of the first substrate (frequency selective layer 121 on the inner surface of substrate 110); and
wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises a reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less (Para [0061], FIG. 7 depicts the transmission coefficient curve below -10 dB [i.e., less than 0.7] in the present frequency range 21.8 GHz to 30.8 GHz).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the reflection coefficient of Yang in the substrate assembly of Koyama, to achieve the benefit of selectively passing signals in the desired frequency bands while minimizing energy loss in the radio frequency signal (Yang, Para [0059]).
In combination, Koyama and Yang fail to disclose wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material.
However, Voel discloses, in figure 1, wherein the second substrate comprises an opaque material (Para [0024], “substrate 20 is not limiting in the invention and can be of any dielectric material having any desired characteristics, such as opaque”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the opaque material of Voel in the second substrate of Koyama and Yang, to achieve the benefit of ensuring transmittance in a certain wavelength range is minimized through the second substrate and more efficiently utilized by the frequency selective substrate assembly (Voel, Para [0024]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, and Yang continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein each of the first conductive material layer and the second conductive material layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide, a conductive polymer, a carbon nanotube wire, graphene, or a metal mesh (Para [0039], “frequency selective layer [i.e., conductive layers 121 & 122] comprises multiple first metal…and a plurality of second metal…first metal line and the second metal line has a plurality of meshes”).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, and Koyama continues to disclose, in figure 2B, wherein a thickness of the first substrate is different than a thickness of the second substrate (see figure 2B disclosing substrates 19 & 15 with differing thicknesses).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, and Koyama continues to disclose, in figure 2B, wherein an electric conductivity of the first conductive material layer and the second conductive material layer is greater than or equal to 1 million Siemens per meter (Para [0040], “frequency selective layer [121 or 122]…can adopt sputtering Mo/Al/Mo metal layer…conductive silver slurry, nanometer silver, metal mesh”…Silver, Molybdenum, and Aluminum all having an electric conductivity greater than 1 million Siemens per meter).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel as applied to claims 11-12 & 18-19 above, and further in view of Bard.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, but fail to disclose wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprises glass having an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm.
However, Bard discloses, in figure 3, wherein each of the first substrate and the second substrate comprises glass having an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm (Para [0073], “visible light transmittance [i.e., about 300 nm to about 800 nm]…4% reflectivity typically allocated to a glass substrate 4, 8”…i.e., a transmittance greater than 80%).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the substrate properties of Bard in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Yang, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of target maximum light transmission through the glass substrates while minimizing absorption in visible light frequencies, allowing more free to design the infrared reflective or infrared absorbing function of the conductive material layer (Bard, Para [0055]).
Claims 14 & 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel as applied to claims 11-12 & 18-19 above, and further in view of Hong.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, but fail to disclose wherein the adhesive layer comprises a material having a tensile strength that is equal to or greater than 1 Newton per centimeter.
However, Hong discloses, in figure 1A, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a material having a tensile strength that is equal to or greater than 1 Newton per centimeter (Col. 5, Lines 20, “the adhesive layer may include a metal such as titanium (Ti)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the adhesive material of Hong in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Yang, and Voel, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., incorporating an adhesive layer with strong bonding properties, as is readily known to be incorporated as an adhesive layer to perform its base function of adhering layers together], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, but fail to disclose wherein the adhesive layer comprises an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm.
However, Hong discloses, in figure 1A, wherein the adhesive layer (Col. 5, Lines 13-16, “mmW reflective structure 100 may include…an adhesive layer for bonding”) comprises an average transmittance greater than 80% over a wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 800 nm (Col. 6, Lines 48-50, “the transmittance of electromagnetic waves of the visible light band [i.e., about 300 nm to about 800 nm] in the mmW reflective structure 100 may be about 80% or more.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the transmittance properties of Hong in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Yang, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of ensuring the transmittance of electromagnetic waves of the assembly is maintained at a high level when incorporated within a structure exposed to visible light (Hong, Col. 12, Lines 21-26).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel as applied to claims 11-12 & 18-19 above, and further in view of Jia.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, but fail to disclose wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises the reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less at an operation frequency of 28 GHz.
However, Jia discloses, in figure 21, wherein the frequency selective substrate assembly comprises the reflection coefficient of 0.7 or less at an operation frequency of 28 GHz (Para [0105], “reflection coefficient is less than or equal to -10 dB [i.e., less than 0.7]…operating frequency range of 22.288 GHz to 30.511 GHz”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the operating frequency range of Jia in the frequency selective substrate assembly of Koyama, Yang, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of operating at a desired frequency range with minimized signal reflection and thus minimized transmission loss (Jia, Para [0104]).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel as applied to claims 11-12 & 18-19 above, and further in view of Bard, and even further in view of Hu.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Koyama, Yang, and Voel disclose the frequency selective substrate assembly of claim 11, but fail to disclose wherein a dielectric constant of the adhesive layer is in a range of 2 to 4 and a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers.
However, Bard discloses, in figure 1, wherein a dielectric constant of the adhesive layer is in a range of 2 to 4 (Para [0051], “a polymer interlayer 6 including polyvinyl butyral”…having a dielectric constant in a range of 2 to 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the material of Bard in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Yang, and Voel, to achieve the benefit of implementing a polymer-based adhesive layer with beneficial acoustic insulation properties while maintaining high transmittance in the visible light wavelength range (Bard, Para [0051] & [0052]).
In combination, Koyama, Yang, Voel, and Bard fail to disclose a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers.
However, Hu discloses, in figure 5A, a thickness of the adhesive layer is in a range of 25 micrometers to 175 micrometers (Col. 8, Lines 67, “he bonding film 503 thickness h.sub.2 may be set to be 0.05 mm”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the thickness of Hu in the adhesive layer of Koyama, Yang, Voel, and Bard, to achieve the benefit of implementing an adhesive layer with sufficient thickness to maintain a strong bond between substrates while not compromising transmittance in the visible light wavelength range (Hu, Col. 5, Lines 11-22).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sekisui Chemical Co., LTD., “Polyvinyl Butyral Resin S-LEC B”, 2018. [discloses the known dielectric constant of polyvinyl Butyral (PVB)].
ASM Aerospace Specification Metals Inc., “Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5), Annealed”, 2016, [discloses the known tensile strength of titanium].
Anne, M., Helmenstine, “Table of Electrical Resistivity and Conductivity”, 2017, [discloses the known electrical conductivity of Silver and Aluminum].
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 TYLER J PERENY whose telephone number is (571)272-4189. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/TYLER J PERENY/Examiner, Art Unit 2842
/LINCOLN D DONOVAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2842