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
The response filed 08/11/2026 is accepted, in which, claims 1, 3, and 6-8 are amended, claim 2 is canceled, and claims 13-14 are newly added. Claims 1, 6, and 13 are independent with claims 1, and 3-14 awaiting an action on the merits as follows.
The rejections of claims 1, 6, and 7 under USC 112b are withdrawn in view of the amended claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding amended claim 6, on page 10 of the response, Applicant argues,
"Nor does the Office Action identify an articulated reason for modifying Hongming's scanning process to include such simultaneous separate heating. The Office Action's stated rationale concerns improving the contacts and does not explain why a person of ordinary skill would have added Chung's supplemental heating to Hongming's scanning-illumination-induced- current process. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Chung and Hongming do not render claim 6, as amended, prima facie obvious, and Applicant respectfully requests withdrawal of the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103."
Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Hongming is only relied upon for the structure of the front and rear contacts to provide the solar cell with a voltage. In fact, Chung teaches such contacts, but does not show them in the drawings, so Chung meets the limitations of claim 6 without Hongming. Please see rejection below for Examiner's interpretation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-5 are allowed.
The following is an Examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
As to claim 1, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest:
A system for stabilizing and/or improving an efficiency of a solar cell with a heating chamber configured to heat air within the heating chamber to heat the solar cell, the heating chamber comprising a chamber wall section transparent to visible light and/or infrared radiation; wherein the illumination unit is positioned outside the heating chamber and configured to locally illuminate and scan a side of the solar cell through the chamber wall section; and wherein the heating chamber, the voltage source, and the illumination unit are configured to operate concurrently while the reverse-bias voltage is applied to the solar cell. Emphasis on the underlined portion.
In addition to the above, the totality of the limitations of claim 1 provides a novel system for stabilizing and/or improving an efficiency of a solar cell.
As such, modification of the prior art of record can only be motivated by hindsight reasoning, or by changing the intended use and function of the prior art themselves. Therefore, it is not clear that one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have made the necessary modifications to the prior art of record to encompass the limitations set forth in the present application. Moreover, none of the prior arts of record, taken either alone or in combination, anticipate nor render obvious the claimed inventions. Hence, claims 1 and 3-5 are allowable over the prior arts of record.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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 13-14 are rejected for indefiniteness.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, the claims recite, "the front contact" and "the rear contact." There is insufficient antecedent basis for these elements. To further prosecution, Examiner will assume the claims should read, "the front-side front contact" and "the rear-side rear contact." Proper correction is required.
Regarding claim 13, the claim recites, "the front side and the rear side." There is insufficient antecedent basis for these elements. To further prosecution, Examiner will assume the claim should read, "a front side and a rear side." Proper correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chung (US 20100236035 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Chung teaches a method (method, [Abs.]) for stabilizing and/or improving an efficiency (repairing solar cell without disturbing portions that are functioning properly, [0008], which would increase efficiency) of a solar cell (11, Fig 1), comprising the following steps:
providing a solar cell (11) having a front side (11A: top of solar cell) with a front contact (11C1: contact on 11A; sending current between two electrodes, [0016]; it is well known in the art for a semiconductor device to have a front contact, which would be one of the two electrodes) and a rear side (11B: bottom of solar cell) with a rear contact (11C2: contact on 11B; sending current between two electrodes, [0016]; it is well known in the art for a semiconductor device to have a rear contact, which would be one of the two electrodes);
applying a reverse bias voltage (V1: reverse voltage, [0016]; would be causing the reverse current across the solar cell; The current sent to solar cell in reverse direction can be directed to the short defect and the heat generated by the current flow can remove the defect, [0016], which improves efficiency) across the front contact (11C1) and the rear contact (11C2); and
c) while the reverse-bias voltage (V1) is applied, heating (heating the solar cell, [0016]) the solar cell (11) with a heating apparatus (laser, [0016]) and, simultaneously with the heating, locally illuminating and scanning (illuminating and scanning; optical beam 15, used to illuminate and scan the cell, [0015]; light from the laser also illuminates and scans the solar cell, [0016]) a side (11A) of the solar cell (11) with an illumination unit (14) to induce a current (I1: reverse current, [0016]) through the solar cell (11) in a reverse direction (reverse current, [0016]).
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 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (US 20100236035 A1), and further in view of Zhao (US 20230010820 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Chung teaches the method of claim 6, the voltage (V1) and the solar cell (11, Fig 1).
Chung fails to explicitly teach the voltage applied to the solar cell in step b) is in the range of-12 to -20 volts.
However, Zhao teaches wherein the voltage applied to the solar cell in step b) is in the range of-12 to -20 volts (-15 V; 1-20 volts in contrary direction, [0016]).
Chung and Zhao are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of solar cell systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Chung with the features of Zhao to create a method wherein the voltage applied to the solar cell in step b) is in the range of-12 to -20 volts for improving the ohmic-contact behavior between a contact grid and an emitter layer in a silicon solar cell (Zhao, [0001]), which would increase the efficiency of the solar cell.
Regarding claim 8, Chung teaches the method of claim 6 and the solar cell (11, Fig 1).
Chung fails to explicitly teach wherein the solar cell is illuminated locally with an illuminance of 5 to 10000 suns, wherein 1 sun = 1000 W/m2 incident power density in the AM1.5G spectrum, in step c).
However, Zhao teaches wherein the solar cell is illuminated locally with an illuminance of 5 to 10000 suns (5000 suns; 500 - 200,000 W/cm2, [0013]), wherein 1 sun = 1000 W/m2 incident power density in the AM1.5G spectrum, in step c).
Chung and Zhao are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of solar cell system methods. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Chung with the features of Zhao to create a method wherein the solar cell is illuminated locally with an illuminance of 5 to 10000 suns, wherein 1 sun = 1000 W/m2 incident power density in the AM1.5G spectrum, in step c) for improving the ohmic-contact behavior between a contact grid and an emitter layer in a silicon solar cell (Zhao, [0001]), which would increase the efficiency of the solar cell.
Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (US 20100236035 A1), and further in view of Frigge (US 20220149225 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Chung teaches the method of claim 6 and the solar cell (11, Fig 1).
Chung fails to explicitly teach wherein the solar cell is heated to a temperature in a range of 150 to 850°C in step c).
However, Frigge teaches wherein the solar cell is heated to a temperature (400° C, [0012]) in a range of 150 to 850°C in step c).
Chung and Frigge are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of solar cell system methods. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Chung with the features of Frigge to create a method wherein the solar cell is heated to a temperature in a range of 150 to 850°C in step c) because such high temperature peaks on the one hand result in short processing times and correspondingly short throughput times and can also bring about improved stabilization effects (Frigge, [0012]).
Regarding claims 10-12, Chung teaches the method of claim 6, the heating (H) of the front side (11A, Fig 1) and the rear side (11B) of the solar cell (11) to which the voltage (V1) is applied.
Chung fails to explicitly teach a time period of 1 to 30 seconds, 1 to 20 seconds, or 1 to 10 seconds.
However, Frigge teaches wherein the heating of the front side and the rear side of the solar cell to which the voltage is applied is carried out according to step c) over a time period (5 seconds, [0012]) of 1 to 30 seconds for claim 9.
Frigge’s 5 seconds also meets the limitations of claims 11-12.
Chung and Frigge are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of solar cell system methods. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Chung with the features of Frigge to create a method with a time period of 1 to 30 seconds, 1 to 20 seconds, or 1 to 10 seconds because such high temperature peaks on the one hand result in short processing times and correspondingly short throughput times and can also bring about improved stabilization effects (Frigge, [0012]). Short processing times in the range of seconds are also desirable for productivity reasons (Frigge, [0012]).
Claims 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (US 20100236035 A1), and further in view of Wong (US 20130207109 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Chung teaches a system for stabilizing and/or improving an efficiency (repairing solar cell without disturbing portions that are functioning properly, [0008], which would increase efficiency) of a solar cell (11, Fig 1) having a front-side front contact (11C1: contact on 11A; sending current between two electrodes, [0016]; it is well known in the art for a semiconductor device to have a front contact, which would be one of the two electrodes) and a rear-side rear contact (11C2: contact on 11B; sending current between two electrodes, [0016]; it is well known in the art for a semiconductor device to have a rear contact, which would be one of the two electrodes), the system comprising:
an illumination unit (IU: 14/15/13/12) configured to locally illuminate (optical energy source, [0030]; matrix driven light control, [0032]) the solar cell (11);
a voltage source (29, power supply between two electrodes, [0034]) configured to apply a reverse-bias voltage (RV: reverse voltage; current in the reverse direction, [0034]) across the solar cell (11) and having two contacting apparatuses (not shown, two electrodes, [0034]), wherein
one contacting apparatus (CA1: not shown; first of the two electrodes would be connected from the power source) is configured to be connected (when combined, the first electrode of Chung's power source would connect to the front contact of Hongming) to the front contact (11C1) of the solar cell (11) and
the other contacting apparatus (CA2: not show; the second of the two electrodes connected from the power source) is configured to be connected to the rear contact (11C2) of the solar cell (11); and
a heating apparatus (45) comprising a first thermally conductive plate (306, Fig 3) and a second thermally conductive plate (308), each configured to be heated (raising the temperature, [0034]) during operation;
a heating apparatus (45) … configured to be heated (raising the temperature, [0034]) during operation
Chung fails to explicitly teach a heating apparatus comprising a first thermally conductive plate and a second thermally conductive plate, each configured to be heated during operation, the first thermally conductive plate being arranged against the front-side front contact and the second thermally conductive plate being arranged against the rear-side rear contact such that the first and second thermally conductive plates completely-cover the front side and the rear side, respectively, of the solar cell and transfer heat to the solar cell.
However, Wong teaches a heating apparatus comprising a first thermally conductive plate (306, Fig 3) and a second thermally conductive plate (308), each configured to be heated during operation,
the first thermally conductive plate (306) being arranged against (when combined, would be arranged against the front-side contact) the front-side front contact and
the second thermally conductive plate (308) being arranged against (when combined, would be arranged against the rear-side contact) the rear-side rear contact
The combination of Chung and Wang discloses the first (306, Wong) and second (308, Wong) thermally conductive plates completely-cover (shown completely covering, Wong) the front side (11T: top of 11, Chung) and the rear side (11B: bottom of 11, Chung), respectively, of the solar cell (11, Chung) and transfer heat (raising the temperature, [0034], Chung) to the solar cell (11, Chung).
Chung and Wong are considered analogous to the claimed invention because all are from the same field of endeavor of solar cell systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Chung with the features of Wong to create a heating apparatus comprising a first thermally conductive plate and a second thermally conductive plate, each configured to be heated during operation, the first thermally conductive plate being arranged against the front-side front contact and the second thermally conductive plate being arranged against the rear-side rear contact such that the first and second thermally conductive plates completely-cover the front side and the rear side, respectively, of the solar cell and transfer heat to the solar cell in order to maintain certain physical properties of the substrate and/or semiconductor layers such as flatness of the substrate and/or semiconductor layers for the subsequent photolithography processes (Wong, [0006]) to increase the quality of silicon layers in semiconductor devices while avoiding significant increases in the cost of manufacturing (Wong, [0007]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Chung and Wong discloses the system of claim 13.
Wong goes on to teach wherein the first (306, Fig 3) and second (308) thermally conductive plates are electrically conductive (electrode plates, [0034]; well known to be electrically conductive).
Chung goes on to teach the one contacting apparatus (CA1, Fig 1) of the voltage source (29) is connected (connected; when combined, would be connected to the front contact through the first thermally conductive plate) to the front contact (11C1) through the first thermally conductive plate and
the other contacting apparatus of the voltage source is connected (connected; when combined, would be connected to the rear contact through the second thermally conductive plate) to the rear contact (11C2) through the second thermally conductive plate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Khan (US 20130146576 A1) - method of heating and applying electrical bias to a PV module
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Jeremy D Watts whose telephone number is (703)756-1055. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 8:00am-4:30pm, F 8:00-3pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JEREMY DANIEL WATTS/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
