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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/23/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues, beginning page 6, that Fujii fails to teach that the resistance switching is caused by a chemical reaction between the metal oxide layer and hydrogen occurring during application of the writing pulse.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Fujii teaches that the voltage for writing is applied to set the state of the local region 107 to a high resistance HR or low resistance LR state. The voltage for writing causes a chemical reaction (oxidation-reduction) [0076-0077, 0093-0094] such that the sensitivity of the sensor can be controlled by controlling the HR or LR states via the applied voltage for writing. [0063] It is conceived that, in the resistance change phenomenon in gas-sensitive insulating film 103, the resistance changes as the degree of oxygen deficiency in the filaments in very small local region 107 changes when an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs in local region 107. Therefore, the resistance change for setting HR or LR states is caused by the writing voltage. The HR or LR state is maintained in order to detect hydrogen when applying a predetermined reading voltage.
Therefore, applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, 8, 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii et al. (US20190346391) in view of Suzuki et al. (US20220003706).
Claim 1: Fujii teaches a hydrogen detection method that is performed using a hydrogen sensor (gas sensor 100), the hydrogen sensor including: a metal oxide layer (metal oxide film 103 [0077]); an electrode (electrode 104) that is in surface contact with the metal oxide layer (See Fig. 2D); a first terminal connected to the electrode ([0096], Fig. 4A, a power supply 920 is connected to the electrodes 104, 105); and a second terminal connected to the electrodes ([0096], Fig. 4A), the hydrogen detection method comprising: applying a first voltage pulse between the first terminal and the second terminal ([0076, 0093-0094] a voltage for writing is used to set the sensor to a high resistance HR or low resistance LR state) to cause a chemical reaction of the metal oxide layer to hydrogen ([0063] It is conceived that, in the resistance change phenomenon in gas-sensitive insulating film 103, the resistance changes as the degree of oxygen deficiency in the filaments in very small local region 107 changes when an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs in local region 107. Also see [0077]); and applying a second voltage pulse (voltage for reading [0076, 0092] a pulse voltage of which amplitude is smaller than that of the threshold value voltage is applied, the resistance of gas-sensitive insulating film 103 does not change) between the first terminal and the second terminal after the applying of the first voltage pulse, to detect a change in resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal while the change in resistance caused by the chemical reaction occurring during the application of the first voltage pulse is maintained ([0099] the resistance of the location region 107 of the sensor 100 is set to a predetermined resistance, a high-resistance HR state, in advance. In monitoring, the a gas-sensitive voltage of 0.6V is applied to detect hydrogen-containing gas.); wherein an amplitude of the second voltage pulse is smaller than an amplitude of the first voltage pulse ([0076] the amplitude of the voltage for reading is lower than the amplitude of the voltage pulse for writing based on a predetermined threshold); and the applying of the first voltage pulse and the applying of the second voltage pulse are repeated as a set ([0118-0119] Once the local region 107 is formed via the breakdown voltage, the state of the local region 107 can be controlled by the forming process. [0069-0073] The local region can be formed and re-formed to a desired HR state for detection.).
Fujii fails to teach the terminals connect to the same electrode.
However, Suzuki teaches a gas sensor including a metal oxide 4 between a first electrode 3 and second electrode 6, Fig. 1, wherein the measurement circuit 11 is attached to the second electrode 6 in order to apply a voltage [0021] for affecting the resistance based on hydrogen as well as detecting a change in resistance of the metal oxide 4 [0023]. Therefore, the terminals can be attached to one electrode or both electrodes of the hydrogen sensor with predictable results.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use both terminals on a single electrode, as taught by Suzuki, with a reasonable expectation of success and in order to be able to modify the configuration of the hydrogen sensor.
Claim 2: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1. Fujii teaches wherein a pulse width of the first voltage pulse is 1 millisecond or less ([0094] a positive pule width of 100ns is applied to as a writing voltage).
Claim 8: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1. Fujii teaches wherein the a drive circuit (gas evaluation system 900, Fig. 4A) that drives a hydrogen sensor (gas sensor 100), the hydrogen sensor including a metal oxide layer (metal oxide film 103 [0077]); an electrode (electrode 104) that is in surface contact with the metal oxide layer (See Fig. 2D); a first terminal connected to the electrodes ([0096], Fig. 4A, a power supply 920 is connected to the electrodes 104, 105); and a second terminal connected to the electrodes ([0096], Fig. 4A), the drive circuit comprising: an applier (power supply 920) that applies a first voltage pulse between the first terminal and the second terminal to cause a chemical reaction of the metal oxide layer to hydrogen ([0076, 0093-0094] a pulse voltage of a predetermined polarity of which amplitude is larger than that of a predetermined threshold value voltage, a voltage for writing), and then applies a second voltage pulse between the first terminal and the second terminal (voltage for reading [0076, 0092] a pulse voltage of which amplitude is smaller than that of the threshold value voltage is applied, the resistance of gas-sensitive insulating film 103 does not change); and a detector (current measuring instrument 930) that detects resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal while the second voltage pulse is applied between the first terminal and the second terminal ([0096] Current measuring instrument 930 is a measurement circuit that measures the current flowing through gas-sensitive insulating film 103 when a predetermined voltage is applied across first electrode 104 and second electrode 105 in gas sensor 100.) while a change in resistance cause by the chemical reaction occurring during the application of the first voltage pulse is maintained ([0099] the resistance of the location region 107 of the sensor 100 is set to a predetermined resistance, a high-resistance HR state, in advance. In monitoring, a gas-sensitive voltage of 0.6V is applied to detect hydrogen-containing gas.), wherein an amplitude of the second voltage pulse is smaller than an amplitude of the first voltage pulse ([0076] the voltage amplitude for writing (first pulse) is greater than the voltage amplitude for reading (second pulse)); and the applier repeatedly applied the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse as a set ([0118-0119] Once the local region 107 is formed via the breakdown voltage, the state of the local region 107 can be controlled by the forming process. [0069-0073] The local region can be formed and re-formed to a desired HR state for detection.).
Fujii fails to teach the terminals connect to the same electrode.
However, Suzuki teaches a gas sensor including a metal oxide 4 between a first electrode 3 and second electrode 6, Fig. 1, wherein the measurement circuit 11 is attached to the second electrode 6 in order to apply a voltage [0021] for affecting the resistance based on hydrogen as well as detecting a change in resistance of the metal oxide 4 [0023]. Therefore, the terminals can be attached to one electrode or both electrodes of the hydrogen sensor with predictable results.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use both terminals on a single electrode, as taught by Suzuki, with a reasonable expectation of success and in order to be able to modify the configuration of the hydrogen sensor.
Claim 9: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection circuit according to claim 8. Fujii teaches a hydrogen detection device comprising: a hydrogen sensor (gas sensor 100) that includes a metal oxide layer (metal oxide film 103 [0077]), an electrode (electrode 104) that is in surface contact with the metal oxide layer (see Fig. 2D), a first terminal connected to the electrodes ([0096], Fig. 4A, a power supply 920 is connected to the electrodes 104, 105); and a second terminal connected to the electrodes ([0096], Fig. 4A), and the drive circuit (gas evaluation system 900) according to claim 8 that drives the hydrogen sensor.
Fujii fails to teach the terminals connect to the same electrode.
However, Suzuki teaches a gas sensor including a metal oxide 4 between a first electrode 3 and second electrode 6, Fig. 1, wherein the measurement circuit 11 is attached to the second electrode 6 in order to apply a voltage [0021] for affecting the resistance based on hydrogen as well as detecting a change in resistance of the metal oxide 4 [0023]. Therefore, the terminals can be attached to one electrode or both electrodes of the hydrogen sensor with predictable results.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use both terminals on a single electrode, as taught by Suzuki, with a reasonable expectation of success and in order to be able to modify the configuration of the hydrogen sensor.
Claim 10: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1. Fujii teaches wherein the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse have a same polarity (to set the region 107 to a preferred HR state, a positive voltage is used [0072, 0094, 0099] and a reading voltage is positive [0099, 0121]).
Claim 11: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the drive circuit according to claim 8. Fujii teaches wherein the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse have a same polarity (to set the region 107 to a preferred HR state, a positive voltage is used [0072, 0094, 0099] and a reading voltage is positive [0099, 0121]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Suzuki.
Claim 3: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein a pulse width of the second voltage pulse is 100 microseconds or greater.
However, the limitation required by Fujii is that the voltage for reading is lower than the applied voltage for writing in order to prevent the reading voltage (and corresponding current) do not affect the resistance of the metal oxide film [0076], but does not limit the duration of the pulse. Therefore, the problem to be solved, applying a reading voltage to detect metal oxide resistance, is solved by Fujii by applying a pulse voltage. A person having ordinary skill in the art could have determined a suitable time for detecting a resistance of the metal oxide based on the teaching of Fujii.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a reading voltage pulse duration sufficient to detect a resistance of the metal oxide film.
Claims 4, 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Suzuki in view of Homma et al. (US20220026384).
Claim 4: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the first voltage pulse is applied twice or more.
However, Homma teaches applying a writing voltage twice ([0177], Two positive voltage pulses are applied in a single application of the first positive voltage. Fig. 18; [0179] three or more positive voltages may be applied). Therefore, it is known in the art to apply two successive positive writing voltages to a metal oxide film before measurement.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the first voltage pulse twice, as taught by Homma, with the device of Fujii in order to achieve the same effects since the mechanism of the resistance change phenomenon works (Homma [0179]).
Claim 5: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein time between an end of application of the first voltage pulse and a start of application of the second voltage pulse is 100 milliseconds or less.
However, Homma teaches a measurement step S301 for applying a reading voltage which occurs after the writing voltage S303. Homma shows both a measurement S301 occurring immediately after (thus no time between) the writing step S303, Fig. 13A, and a measurement step S301 occurring after a no-voltage state S308, Fig. 17, 18. Therefore the reading voltage can be applied with or without a time separation from the writing voltage application and both are successful measurement techniques.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to leave a time between an end of application of the first voltage pulse and a start of application of the second voltage pulse is 100 milliseconds or less, including zero, as taught by Homma for the predictable result of measuring the resistance of the metal oxide after the writing step (Homma, [0179]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Suzuki in view of Muraoka et al. (US20170307556).
Claim 6: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the hydrogen detection method according to claim 1, but fails to teach changing at least one of the amplitude of the first voltage pulse, a pulse width of the first voltage pulse, or the amplitude of the second voltage pulse, according to a range of hydrogen concentration to be detected.
However, Muraoka teaches a hydrogen sensor including a metal oxide layer 104 and two electrodes 103, 106, Fig. 1, wherein [0099] It is known that the hydrogen detection time t becomes longer with a decrease in the concentration of hydrogen contained in the gas as an object to be tested and becomes shorter with an increase in the concentration of hydrogen.) Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to increase the duration of the first/writing voltage pulse of Fujii in order to detect a decreased concentration of hydrogen.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii in view of Suzuki in view of Mitsuhashi et al. (US20210116405) further in view of Fukui (US4608549).
Claim 7: Fujii in view of Suzuki teaches the method of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the hydrogen sensor is one of four resistors included in a bridge circuit, and in the applying of the second voltage pulse, the change in resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal is detected by measuring a differential voltage between predetermined two points in the bridge circuit or an amount of change in the differential voltage.
However, Mitsuhashi teaches a hydrogen sensor which has a gas-sensitive portion that changes resistance in accordance with detected hydrogen [0026]. It is known in the art to use a bridge configuration with a sensor having a gas-detection dependence, wherein the change in resistance of the sensor R.sub.s is detected as a change in voltage (demonstrated by Fukui, Fig. 8, col. 4, lines 25-43).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a bridge detection circuit including the hydrogen sensor, as taught by Mitsuhashi and Fukui, with the device of Fujii in view of Suzuki in order to detect the change in the resistance value in accordance with the chemical reaction between the adsorbed oxygen on the surface of the gas sensitive portion and the hydrogen gas (Mitsuhashi [0026]).
Conclusion
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 JEAN MORELLO whose telephone number is (313)446-6583. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-4.
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/JEAN F MORELLO/Examiner, Art Unit 2855 10/2/26
/KRISTINA M DEHERRERA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
