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 .
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.
Claims 1, 4, 7-9, 13, 18, 19, 26 and 29-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kubo et al. (US2007/0115079 A1, Cited by Applicant).
First Interpretation:
In regards to claim 1, Kubo et al. teaches in Fig. 3 an acoustic wave filter/device comprising:
A first piezoelectric layer (17) including a first/bottom main surface and a second/top main surface opposite to the first main surface in a first direction;
A first support portion including a first support substrate (12) that overlaps the first piezoelectric layer in the first direction;
A first resonator (15) provided on at least the first main surface of the first piezoelectric layer;
A second piezoelectric layer (27) including a third/top main surface and a fourth/bottom main surface opposite to the third main surface in the first direction;
A second support portion including a second support substrate (22) that overlaps the second piezoelectric layer in the first direction; and
A second resonator (25) provided on at least the third main surface of the second piezoelectric layer;
Wherein the first resonator and the second resonator each include a functional electrode (respective top electrode 18 and 28);
The first support portion includes a space portion (unlabeled air cavity between resonator 15 and support 12) that overlaps at least a portion of the functional electrode of the first resonator in a plan view in the first direction;
The second support portion includes a space portion (unlabeled air cavity between resonator 25 and support 22) that overlaps at least a portion of the functional electrode of the second resonator in the plan view in the first direction;
A main surface (bottom surface) of the first support substrate (12) on a first piezoelectric layer side and a main surface (top surface) of the second support substrate (22) on a second piezoelectric layer side oppose each other in the first direction;
The first resonator and the second resonator are electrically connected by a conductive joining portion (24x) extending in the first direction;
A space (11) between the first support substrate and the second support substrate is sealed by a sealing portion (20) (see Paragraph [0113], which discloses that the space 11 is hermetically sealed); and the first support substrate and the second support substrate have different thicknesses (see Paragraph [0115], which discloses that the first support substrate 22 has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the second support substrate 22).
In regards to claim 4, based on Paragraphs [0070], [0075], [0079] and [0083], and related Fig. 11, the first resonator (15) includes a plurality of serial arm resonators (e.g. 45a and 45b) connected in series; and the second resonator (25) includes a plurality of parallel arm resonators (e.g. 55a and 55b) connected in parallel.
In regards to claim 7, based on Paragraph [0109], the first support substrate (12) and the second support substrate (22) each include silicon.
In regards to claims 8 and 9, based on paragraphs [0045] and [0141] and related Fig. 18, both the first and second resonators include a first/second intermediate insulating layer (304) on the first/second piezoelectric layer side, in which the first/second intermediate insulating layers have different thicknesses from each other.
In regards to claim 13, based on Paragraph [0043], the first piezoelectric layer (17, forming a series resonator) and the second piezoelectric layer (27, forming a parallel resonator) have different thicknesses.
In regards to claim 18, based on related fig. 11, through electrode (43a and 43b) passes through the first support substrate; wherein one end portion of the through electrode in the first support substrate is electrically connected to the first resonator, and another end portion of the through electrode in the first support substrate is connected to an outer electrode (44a and 44b).
In regards to claim 26, based on Paragraph [0035], the acoustic wave device is structured to generate a fundamental wave within the respective piezoelectric layer, in which the fundamental wave is a type of plate wave.
In regards to claims 29 and 30, based on related Fig. 16 and 17 and paragraph [0136], the acoustic wave device is part of a composite filter device (multiplexer/duplexer 100) having an antenna terminal (ant) connected to an antenna (201); and at least one acoustic wave device (208) connected in common to the antenna terminal.
In regards to claim 31, based on related Fig. 16 and 17 and paragraph [0136], the acoustic wave device is part of a composite filter device (multiplexer/duplexer 100) comprising: a plurality of acoustic wave devices (located within filters 204, 204a and 208) connected in common to an antenna terminal (102) which is connected to an antenna (201) via a switch (SW)
Second Interpretation:
In regards to claim 1, Kubo et al. teaches in Fig. 3 an acoustic wave device comprising:
A first piezoelectric layer (27) including a first/top main surface and a second/bottom main surface opposite to the first main surface in a first direction;
A first support portion including a first support substrate (22) that overlaps the first piezoelectric layer in the first direction;
A first resonator (25) provided on at least the first main surface of the first piezoelectric layer;
A second piezoelectric layer (17) including a third/bottom main surface and a fourth/top main surface opposite to the third main surface in the first direction;
A second support portion including a second support substrate (12) that overlaps the second piezoelectric layer in the first direction; and
A second resonator (15) provided on at least the third main surface of the second piezoelectric layer;
Wherein the first resonator and the second resonator each include a functional electrode (respective top electrode 28 and 18);
The first support portion includes a space portion (unlabeled air cavity between resonator 25 and support 22) that overlaps at least a portion of the functional electrode of the first resonator in a plan view in the first direction;
The second support portion includes a space portion (unlabeled air cavity between resonator 15 and support 12) that overlaps at least a portion of the functional electrode of the second resonator in the plan view in the first direction;
A main surface (top surface) of the first support substrate (22) on a first piezoelectric layer side and a main surface (bottom surface) of the second support substrate (12) on a second piezoelectric layer side oppose each other in the first direction;
The first resonator and the second resonator are electrically connected by a conductive joining portion (24x) extending in the first direction;
A space (11) between the first support substrate and the second support substrate is sealed by a sealing portion (20) (see Paragraph [0113], which discloses that the space 11 is hermetically sealed); and the first support substrate and the second support substrate have different thicknesses (see Paragraph [0115], which discloses that the second support substrate 12 has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the first support substrate 22).
In regards to claim 19, based on related Fig. 11, a through electrode (43a and 43b) passes through the second support substrate; wherein one end portion of the through electrode in the second support substrate is electrically connected to the second resonator, and another end portion of the through electrode in the second support substrate is connected to an outer electrode (44a and 44b).
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 2, 3, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubo et al. (US2007/0115079 A1, Cited by Applicant) in view of Nishihara et al. (US2017/0373668 A1, Cited by Applicant).
As disclosed above, Kubo et al. (first Interpretation) teaches the claimed invention as recited in claims 1 and 4. Kubo et al. does not teach: in regards to claim 2, wherein the first resonator and the second resonator are division resonators connected in series to each other; in regards to claim 3, wherein the first resonator and the second resonator are division resonators connected in parallel to each other; in regards to claim 5, wherein at least one of the serial arm resonators includes a plurality of division resonators connected in series to each other; and in regards to claim 6, wherein at least one of the parallel arm resonators includes a plurality of division resonators connected in parallel to each other.
Nishihara et al. teaches in Fig. 3D an acoustic wave filter comprising division/divided series resonators (S4a and S4b) connected in series to each other and division/divided parallel resonators (P3a and P3b) connected in parallel to each other. Based on Paragraph [0031], Nishihara et al. teaches that having divided series and parallel resonators as shown in Fig. 3D provide the benefit of reducing second harmonics for the filter.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Kubo et al. and have divided both the series/first resonator and parallel/second as taught by Nishihara et al. in Fig. 3D (i.e. the series resonator would be divided and connected in series to each other, and the parallel resonator would be divided and connected parallel to each other), in which the pair of divided resonators can be located on either the same support substrate or opposite substrate, because such a modification would have provided the benefit of reducing second harmonics from the filter as suggested by Nishihara et al. (see Paragraph [0031]).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubo et al. (US2007/0115079 A1, Cited by Applicant) in view of Hatakeyama et al. (US2017/0346463 A1, Cited by Applicant).
As disclosed above, Kubo et al. (first Interpretation) teaches the claimed invention as recited in claim 1. Kubo et al. does not teach: in regards to claim 17, further comprising a shield electrode covering the functional electrode of the first resonator or the functional electrode of the second resonator.
Hatakeyama et al. teaches in Fig. 1 an acoustic wave device comprising a first acoustic resonator (12) and a second acoustic wave resonator (22) located in a seal cavity region (26). Based on Fig. 1 and Paragraph [0039], a grounded shield electrode (37) covers both acoustic resonators to reduce interference between the two acoustic resonators.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Kubo et al. and have added a grounded shield electrode between the first and second functional electrodes, covering both functionals electrode, as taught by Kubo et al. (see Fig. 1), because such a modification would have provided the benefit of reducing interference between the two resonators as taught by Hatakeyama (see Paragraph [0039]).
Claims 21 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubo et al. (US2007/0115079 A1, Cited by Applicant) in view of Zhang et al. (US2015/0263697 A1).
As disclosed above, Kubo et al. (first Interpretation) teaches the claimed invention as recited in claim 1. Kubo et al. teaches in Paragraph [0109], that the piezoelectric layers of the first and second resonators are made from ZnO. Kubo et al. does not teach: in regards to claim 21, wherein the first piezoelectric layer or the second piezoelectric layer includes lithium niobate or lithium tantalate; and in regards to claim 27, wherein the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer are made of lithium niobate or lithium tantalate.
Zhang et al. teaches in Fig. 1 an acoustic wave resonator (100) comprising a piezoelectric layer (140). Based on Paragraph [0024], the piezoelectric layer can be made from Zno, lithium niobate or lithium tantalate.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Kubo et al. and have replaced the ZnO piezoelectric material of both the first and second resonators with either lithium niobate or lithium tantalate because such a modification would have been a well-known in the art substitution of art-recognized alternative/equivalent for a piezoelectric material that able to perform the same function as taught by Zhang et al. (see Paragraph [0024]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12, 14-16, 20, 22-25 and 28 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/JORGE L SALAZAR JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843