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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Applicant is advised that the new art unit number is 2692. Please use the new art unit number for all future communications.
This Office action is in response to the Preliminary Amendment filed on 7/11/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/13/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification - Title
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 13-15, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (Band Gap Control in an Active Elastic Metamaterial With Negative Capacitance Piezoelectric Shunting).
Regarding Claim 1, Chen discloses an apparatus (the location and the extent of the induced band gap of the elastic metamaterial can be effectively tuned by using shunted piezoelectric patch with different values of negative capacitance; Abstract) comprising:
a transducer (When the piezoelectric sample [transducer] is connected to the circuit, as shown in Fig. 1 (b); Fig. 1 b; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 68-69), to be operated with negative capacitance (This circuit can be considered as a negative capacitance circuit with a capacitance Cn to increase or decrease the elastic properties; Fig. 1b; Pg. 2; Col. 2, Lns. 29-31) and via at least one resonance frequency of the transducer (A frequency regime around the resonance frequency, also called a band gap, was observed in the metamaterial, in which the wave cannot propagate through and is trapped in the resonators; Pg. 1; Col. 1, Lns. 12-15); and
tunable circuitry including at least one of a tunable negative capacitance control to change one or more of said at least one resonance frequency and damping resistance control to change a frequency bandwidth around said at least one the resonance frequency (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure ... The effective bending stiffness of the cantilever beam with the shunted PZT patch will change with the change of value of the connected negative capacitance, which induces the frequency range and bandwidth of the first band gap in the active elastic metamaterial plate; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34; see also Fig. 9; Pg. 7; Col. 1, Lns. 2-7).
Regarding Claim 3, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable negative capacitance control refers to or includes at least one of the following:
a variable capacitor, a circuit to permit selection of one or more of a plurality of different capacitance circuits (the stop band of the metamaterial plate could be tuned by changing the connected negative capacitance in a small value around the piezoelectric capacitance ... Figs. 9a-e show the tunable negative capacitance changed by selecting one of a plurality of different capacitance values [circuits]; Figs. 9a-e; Pg. Col. 1, Lns. 18-20).
Regarding Claim 4, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further including an array of a plurality of transducer elements, wherein the transducer is one of among the array of a plurality of transducer elements (Figure 8(a) shows the active elastic metamaterial plate with a periodic array of cantilever-masses bonded by shunted piezoelectric patches. The detailed microstructure in the unit cell is shown in Fig. 8 (b); Figs. 8a-8b; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 35-39).
Regarding Claim 8, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable circuitry to effect the change as a change in bandwidth around said at least one resonance frequency (The effective bending stiffness of the cantilever beam with the shunted PZT patch will change with the change of value of the connected negative capacitance, which induces the frequency range and bandwidth of the first band gap in the active elastic metamaterial plate; Fig. 9; Pg. 7; Col. 1, Lns. 2-7).
Regarding Claim 9, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable circuitry to effect the change as a change in said at least one resonance frequency (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34).
Regarding Claim 13, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further including a control circuit to control an input of the tunable circuitry for changing one or more of said at least one resonance frequency and the frequency bandwidth around said at least one the resonance frequency (Figure 1 shows the circuit that influences/controls the elastic parameters of the piezoelectric sample, designated as gyrator circuit A; Fig.1; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 59-61).
Regarding Claim 14, Chen discloses an apparatus (the location and the extent of the induced band gap of the elastic metamaterial can be effectively tuned by using shunted piezoelectric patch with different values of negative capacitance; Abstract) comprising:
a transducer (When the piezoelectric sample [transducer] is connected to the circuit, as shown in Fig. 1(b); Fig. 1b; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 68-69), coupled to a negative capacitance (This circuit can be considered as a negative capacitance circuit with a capacitance Cn to increase or decrease the elastic properties; Fig. 1b; Pg. 2; Col. 2, Lns. 29-31), to be operated via at least one resonance frequency of the transducer (A frequency regime around the resonance frequency, also called a band gap, was observed in the metamaterial, in which the wave cannot propagate through and is trapped in the resonators; Pg. 1; Col. 1', Lns. 12-15);
tunable circuitry to change one or more of said at least one resonance frequency and a frequency bandwidth around said at least one the resonance frequency (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34); and
an operational amplifier, wherein the tunable circuitry includes tunable negative capacitance created via a feedback path around the operational amplifier (Figure 1 shows the circuit that influences/controls the elastic parameters of the piezoelectric sample, designated as gyrator circuit A. It consists of a capacitor, a potentiometer and an operational amplifier (OA) ... This circuit can be considered as a negative capacitance circuit with a capacitance Cn to increase or decrease the elastic properties. Stable operation of the negative feedback circuit requires the condition Cn < Cp for the circuit A; Fig. 1; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 59-62; see also Pg. 2; Col. 2, Lns. 29-33).
Regarding Claim 15, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tunable circuitry includes at least one of a tunable negative capacitance control and a programmable damping resistance control to drive one or more inputs of the operational amplifier (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34).
Regarding Claim 19, Chen discloses a method (the location and the extent of the induced band gap of the elastic metamaterial can be effectively tuned by using shunted piezoelectric patch with different values of negative capacitance; Abstract) comprising:
operating a transducer, coupled to a tunable negative capacitance, at a resonance frequency of the transducer; and
changing or setting a characteristic concerning the resonance frequency by using a tunable circuit to effect a change of the resonance frequency or a bandwidth around the resonance frequency (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate [transducer] can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure ... The effective bending stiffness of the cantilever beam with the shunted PZT patch will change with the change of value of the connected negative capacitance, which induces the frequency range and bandwidth of the first band gap in the active elastic metamaterial plate; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34; see also Fig. 9; Pg. 7; Col. 1, Lns. 2-7).
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) 2, 16-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Koudar et al. (US 10585178).
Regarding Claim 2, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, however fails to explicitly disclose wherein the tunable circuitry is to effect the change without degrading a degree of sensitivity provided by the transducer.
Koudar teaches a piezo transducer controller having adaptively-tuned linear damping (Title) comprising:
a transducer (FIG. 3 shows an illustrative ultrasonic sensor having a piezoelectric transducer (PZ) coupled to a dedicated transducer controller 302; Fig. 2; Col. 4, Lns. 6-8) to be operated with negative capacitance (FIG. 4A shows an illustrative linear damping module embodiment having a tunable shunt resistance (RD), a tunable shunt reactance and a switch. The shunt reactance is shown as a tunable inductance (L), but in an alternative embodiment the shunt reactance may be a tunable, negative capacitance, which can be implemented using active circuit elements; Fig. 4A; Col. 5, Lns. 37-43) and via at least one resonance frequency of the transducer (The DSP 310 may further process the amplified receive signal to analyze characteristics of the transducer, such as resonance frequency and decay rate; Fig. 3; Col. 4, Lns. 64-66); and
tunable circuitry including at least one of a tunable negative capacitance control to change one or more characteristics of the transducer (FIG. 4A shows an illustrative linear damping module embodiment having a tunable shunt resistance (RD), a tunable shunt reactance and a switch. The shunt reactance is shown as a tunable inductance (L), but in an alternative embodiment the shunt reactance may be a tunable, negative capacitance, which can be implemented using active circuit elements; Fig. 4A; Col. 5, Lns. 37-43);
wherein the tunable circuitry is to effect the change without degrading a degree of sensitivity provided by the transducer (piezoelectric transducers typically have fairly significant temperature coefficients and may be subject to loading from water and debris on their surface;
thus it is desirable to make such tuning adaptive and responsive while preserving accuracy. The control signals 402 provide such tuning to the shunt resistance RD and shunt inductance LP [the control signals provide tuning to ensure high sensnitivity and accuracy]; Fig. 4a; Col. 5; Lns. 59-64).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the tunable circuitry is to effect the change without degrading a degree of sensitivity provided by the transducer as taught by Koudar. The motivation being to preserve accuracy (Koudar; Col. 5, Lns. 62-63).
Regarding Claim 16, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 15, however fails to explicitly disclose further including a stability detection loop, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a maximum allowable negative level of capacitance.
Koudar teaches a piezo transducer controller having adaptively-tuned linear damping (Title) further including:
a stability detection loop, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a maximum allowable negative level of capacitance (A trend filter 810 compares the reverberation period signal with a delayed version of itself to determine if the reverberation period has increased or decreased in response to a previous adaptation of the LP or RD values. An allocator unit 812 accepts a trend signal from the trend filter and stores it in a first latch if the trend is in response to a previous adaptation of the LP value, or stores it in a second latch if the trend is in response to a previous adaptation of the RD value. For subsequent adjustments of those parameters, the allocator uses a multiplexer to select between the latches, applying the appropriate trend sign to a second multiplexer to choose between a positive or negative change to the corresponding parameter, as appropriate to minimize the reverberation period; Fig. 8; Col. 10, Lns. 52-65).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include a stability detection loop, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a maximum allowable negative level of capacitance as taught by Koudar. The motivation being to maintain a minimum value of the desired variable (Koudar; Col. 10, Lns. 62-65).
Regarding Claim 17, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 15, however fails to explicitly disclose further including a resonance frequency estimation circuit, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance control.
Koudar teaches a piezo transducer controller having adaptively-tuned linear damping (Title) further including:
a resonance frequency estimation circuit (The DSP 310 may further process the amplified receive signal to analyze characteristics of the transducer, such as resonance frequency and decay rate; Fig. 3; Col. 4, Lns. 64-66), coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance control (the controller 302 includes at least a linear damping module 311 that may operate under control of the transmitter 306, DSP 310, or core logic 304, to shorten the reverberation period. It may operate alone or as part of a multi-phase damping system that includes, e.g., active damping operations by the transmitter 306. Where active damping operations are employed, the transmitter 306 applies an out-of-phase signal at the end of the transmit pulse to oppose the residual vibrations; Fig. 3; Col. 5, Lns. 20-28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include further including a resonance frequency estimation circuit, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance control, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance control as taught by Koudar. The motivation being to reduce vibrations of a transducer system (Koudar; Col. 5, Lns. 25-28).
Regarding Claim 18, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 14, however fails to explicitly disclose wherein the tunable circuitry includes: a programmable damping resistance control to drive an input of the operational amplifier, and a resonance frequency and bandwidth estimation circuit, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance and a setting to the programmable damping resistance control.
Koudar teaches a piezo transducer controller having adaptively-tuned linear damping (Title) wherein the tunable circuitry includes:
a programmable damping resistance control to drive an input of the operational amplifier (FIG. 4E shows another illustrative embodiment that provides greater precision, using a low noise op-amp {LNA) with the inverting input coupled to the left hand terminal of RD; Fig. 4E; Col. 6, Lns. 5-8), and a resonance frequency and bandwidth estimation circuit (The DSP 310 may further process the amplified receive signal to analyze characteristics of the transducer, such as resonance frequency and decay rate; Fig. 3; Col. 4, Lns. 64-66), coupled to the tunable negative capacitance, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance and a setting to the programmable damping resistance control (the controller 302 includes at least a linear damping module 311 that may operate under control of the transmitter 306, DSP 310, or core logic 304, to shorten the reverberation period. It may operate alone or as part of a multi-phase damping system that includes, e.g., active damping operations by the transmitter 306. Where active damping operations are employed, the transmitter 306 applies an out-of-phase signal at the end of the transmit pulse to oppose the residual vibrations; Fig. 3; Col. 5, Lns. 20-28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the tunable circuitry includes: a programmable damping resistance control to drive an input of the operational amplifier, and a resonance frequency and bandwidth estimation circuit, coupled to the tunable negative capacitance, for automatically providing a setting to the tunable negative capacitance and a setting to the programmable damping resistance control as taught by Koudar. The motivation being to reduce vibrations of a transducer system (Koudar; Col. 5, Lns. 25-28).
Regarding Claim 20, Chen discloses the method of claim 19, further including: controlling an input of the tunable negative capacitance to change a bandwidth at the resonance frequency of the transducer (The effective bending stiffness of the cantilever beam with the shunted PZT patch will change with the change of value of the connected negative capacitance, which induces the frequency range and bandwidth of the first band gap in the active elastic metamaterial plate; Fig. 9; Pg. 7; Col. 1, Lns. 2-7); and wherein using a tunable circuit includes effecting a change of the resonance frequency and a change of the bandwidth around the resonance frequency (the local resonance frequencies of the metamaterial plate can be conveniently tuned through the proper selection of the electrical negative capacitance connected to each patch without modifying the microstructure ... The effective bending stiffness of the cantilever beam with the shunted PZT patch will change with the change of value of the connected negative capacitance, which induces the frequency range and bandwidth of the first band gap in the active elastic metamaterial plate; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 31-34; see also Fig. 9; Pg. 7; Col. 1, Lns. 2-7), wherein the tunable circuit includes a variable negative capacitance control to effect a change of the resonance frequency (This circuit can be considered as a negative capacitance circuit with a capacitance Cn to increase or decrease the elastic properties; Fig. 1 b; Pg. 2; Col. 2, Lns. 29-31) and further includes a controller to change the bandwidth around the resonance frequency (Figure 1 shows the circuit that influences/controls the elastic parameters of the piezoelectric sample, designated as gyrator circuit A; Fig. 1; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 59-61 ).
Chen fails to explicitly disclose the variable negative capacitance control is programmable; and
wherein the controller is a programmable damping resistance.
Koudar teaches a piezo transducer controller having adaptively-tuned linear damping (Title) wherein the variable negative capacitance control is programmable; and
wherein the controller is a programmable damping resistance (the controller 302 includes at least a linear damping module 311 that may operate under control of the transmitter 306, DSP 310, or core logic 304, to shorten the reverberation period. It may operate alone or as part of a multi-phase damping system that includes, e.g., active damping operations by the transmitter 306. Where active damping operations are employed, the transmitter 306 applies an out-of-phase signal at the end of the transmit pulse to oppose the residual vibrations; Fig. 3; Col. 5, Lns. 20-28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the variable negative capacitance control is programmable; and wherein the controller is a programmable damping resistance as taught by Koudar. The motivation being to maintain a minimum value of the desired variable (Koudar; Col. 10, Lns. 62-65).
Claim(s) 5-7 and 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Hossack et al. (US 7670290).
Regarding Claim 5, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further including an array of transducer elements, wherein the transducer is one of among the array of transducer elements (Figure 8(a) shows the active elastic metamaterial plate with a periodic array of cantilever-masses bonded by shunted piezoelectric patches. The detailed microstructure in the unit cell is shown in Fig. 8(b); Figs. 8a-8b; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 35-39).
Chen fails to explicitly disclose each of the transducer elements is biased towards its optimal bias voltage.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) comprising:
a transducer (FIG. 3A illustrates an embodiment of the present invention; a capacitive, microfabricated electrostatic transducer circuit 200, which includes a capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100; Fig. 3A; Col. 6, Lns. 24-27) to be operated with negative capacitance (The capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer circuit 200 also includes a switched balancing reactance 224, which, as described hereinafter, will allow for the balancing of the negative reactance of the capacitive element of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100 during a transmit mode; Fig. 3A; Col. 6, Lns. 32-37); and
tunable circuitry including at least one of a tunable negative capacitance control to change one or more characteristics of the transducer (an acoustic signal is generated by generating a signal from the signal generator 222, which signal is tuned as a result of the
balancing reactance 224 and drives the capacitive electrostatic transducer 100, thereby creating the acoustic signal that emanates therefrom at a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the transmit signal. During a transmit mode, the c; Figs. 3A-3C; Col. 8, Lns. 14-21);
wherein the transducer is biased towards its optimal bias voltage (The transmit circuitry 220 of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer circuit 200 includes a signal generator 222 that generates a transmit frequency drive voltage as appropriate for the application, and is selected in combination with the geometry of the various elements of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100.
This drive voltage is preferably as small as possible, since that allows for many efficiencies to be gained both in terms of the signal generator 222 used, and the tolerance of the design of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100 ... The basic operation of an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3A includes applying a DC bias voltage 210 to the capacitive electrostatic transducer 100; Fig. 3A; Col. 6, Lns. 39-47; see also Col. 8, Lns. 12-14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the transducer is biased towards its optimal bias voltage as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to provide a more efficient apparatus (Hossack; Col. 6, Lns. 45-47).
Regarding Claim 6, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further including control circuitry (Figure 1 shows the circuit that influences/controls the elastic parameters of the piezoelectric sample, designated as gyrator circuit A; Fig. 1; Pg. 2; Col. 1, Lns. 59-61) and an array of a plurality of transducer elements, wherein the transducer is one of among the array of transducer elements (Figure B(a) shows the active elastic metamaterial plate with a periodic array of cantilever-masses bonded by shunted piezoelectric patches. The detailed microstructure in the unit cell is shown in Fig. 8(b); Figs. 8a-8b; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 35-39).
Chen fails to explicitly disclose the control circuitry is to independently set the frequency response of at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) comprising:
control circuitry (if the switching block 226 is implemented as a multiplexer 228, as illustrated in FIG.3C. a control line 229 is additionally needed to transmit a control signal that will cause Switching between transmit circuitry 220 and receive circuitry 230, as shown; Fig. 3C; Col. 7, Lns. 29-34) and an array of a plurality of transducer elements, wherein the transducer is one of among the array of transducer elements (FIG. 14A illustrates a transducer array according to the two electrode sets of this embodiment where the two subsets are interleaved in a checkerboard pattern; Fig. 14A; Col. 12, Lns. 32-35); wherein the control circuitry is to independently set the frequency response of at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array (a balancing circuit inserted into the one or more receive signal paths to substantially balance the capacitance of each ultrasonic transducer over the operating frequency range the balancing circuit comprising an active circuit; and a plurality of switches that isolate the balancing circuit from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers during a transmission of the transducer circuit; Figs. 14A-14B; Claim 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the control circuitry is to independently set the frequency response of at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to operate a capacitive microfabricated transducer efficiently and with reduced acoustic reflectivity (Hossack; Col. 1, Lns. 27-29).
Regarding Claim 7, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further including an array of transducer elements, wherein the transducer is one of among the array of transducer elements {Figure 8(a) shows the active elastic metamaterial plate with a periodic array of cantilever-masses bonded by shunted piezoelectric patches. The detailed microstructure in the unit cell is shown in Fig. 8(b); Figs. 8a-8b; Pg. 5; Col. 2, Lns. 35-39).
Chen fails to explicitly disclose at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array may be selected or controlled independently to provide at least one selectable characteristic associated with one or more of the transducer elements, the at least one selectable characteristic being from among: a certain frequency, and a bandwidth.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) wherein:
at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array may be selected or controlled independently to provide at least one selectable characteristic associated with one or more of the transducer elements, the at least one selectable characteristic being from among: a certain frequency, and a bandwidth {a balancing circuit inserted into the one or more receive signal paths to substantially balance the capacitance of each ultrasonic transducer over the operating frequency range the balancing circuit comprising an active circuit;
and a plurality of switches that isolate the balancing circuit from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers during a transmission of the transducer circuit; Figs. 14A-14B; Claim 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include at least two different ones of the transducer elements in the array may be selected or controlled independently to provide at least one selectable characteristic associated with one or more of the transducer elements, the at least one selectable characteristic being from among: a certain frequency, and a bandwidth as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to operate a capacitive microfabricated transducer efficiently and with reduced acoustic reflectivity (Hossack; Col. 1, Lns. 27-29).
Regarding Claim 10, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, however fails to explicitly disclose wherein the transducer has an optimal bias voltage and the transducer is biased towards the optimal bias voltage.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) wherein:
the transducer has an optimal bias voltage and the transducer is biased towards the optimal bias voltage (The transmit circuitry 220 of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer circuit 200 includes a signal generator 222 that generates a transmit frequency drive voltage as appropriate for the application, and is selected in combination with the geometry of the various elements of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100. This drive voltage is preferably as small as possible, since that allows for many efficiencies to be gained both in terms of the signal generator 222 used, and the tolerance of the design of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100 ... The basic operation of an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3A includes applying a DC bias voltage 210 to the capacitive electrostatic transducer 100; Fig. 3A; Col. 6, Lns. 39-47; see also Col. 8, Lns. 12-14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the transducer has an optimal bias voltage and the transducer is biased towards the optimal bias voltage as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to provide a more efficient apparatus (Hossack; Col. 6, Lns. 45-47).
Regarding Claim 11, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable circuitry includes the tunable negative capacitance control interfacing with the transducer (the stop band of the metamaterial plate could be tuned by changing the connected negative capacitance in a small value around the piezoelectric capacitance ... Figs. 9a-e show the tunable negative capacitance changed by selecting one of a plurality of different capacitance values [circuits]; Figs. 9a-e; Pg. Col. 1, Lns. 18-20).
Chen fails to explicitly disclose the transducer is biased towards an optimal bias voltage of the transducer.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) wherein:
the transducer is biased towards the optimal bias voltage (The transmit circuitry 220 of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer circuit 200 includes a signal generator 222 that generates a transmit frequency drive voltage as appropriate for the application, and is selected in combination with the geometry of the various elements of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100.
This drive voltage is preferably as small as possible, since that allows for many efficiencies to be gained both in terms of the signal generator 222 used, and the tolerance of the design of the capacitive microfabricated electrostatic transducer 100 ... The basic operation of an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3A includes applying a DC bias voltage 210 to the capacitive electrostatic transducer 100; Fig. 3A; Col. 6, Lns. 39-47; see also Col. 8, Lns. 12-14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein: the transducer is biased towards the optimal bias voltage as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to provide a more efficient apparatus (Hossack; Col. 6. Lns. 45-47).
Regarding Claim 12, Chen discloses the apparatus of claim 1, however fails to explicitly disclose wherein the tunable circuitry is to mitigate or cancel parasitic capacitance.
Hossack teaches an electrostatic transducer circuit and method of tuning the same (Abstract) wherein:
the tunable circuitry is to mitigate or cancel parasitic capacitance (In order to enable small probe packages and to limit the parasitic capacitance that loads the transducer on receive, it is desirable to provide active circuitry that in the form of an integrated circuit; Col. 3, Lns. 18-21).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the apparatus of Chen to include wherein the tunable circuitry is to mitigate or cancel parasitic capacitance as taught by Hossack. The motivation being to provide a more efficient apparatus (Hossack; Col. 6, Lns. 45-47).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK FISCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-3549. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 1-6, 7:30-11:59pm EST.
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/MARK FISCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692