DETAILED ACTION
Examiner’s Notes
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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112:
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
(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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 5 recites “wherein an area ratio S is in a range of 0.2 or less, wherein the area ratio S is a ratio of a total area of the plane parallel to the light-receiving surface in the power generation section (Sp) relative to a total area of the plane parallel to the light-receiving surface in the bypass section (Sb)”, which is not supported by the specification or previously presented claims. The Applicant’s specification, which discloses “Therefore, the area ratio S (Sb/Sp) between the total area of the plane parallel to the light-receiving surface in the power generating unit (Sp) and the total area of the plane parallel to the light-receiving surface in the bypass section (Sb) is preferably 0.001 to 0.2, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.15” [0018], does not support the recitation. Appropriate correction is required. (Examiner’s Note: In case of amendment to the claim(s), further search and consideration are required).
Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites “said component” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 recites “said component” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KARG (US 20100078057 A1).
Regarding claim 1, KARG teaches a photoelectric conversion module (see the solar module; see [Abstract], Figs. 1-3), comprising:
a power generation section (see the first sheet part C with solar cells; [0057] the first sheet part C comprises a first string with first, second, and third solar cells C1, C2, and C3), and
a bypass section (see the second sheet part B with bypass diodes; [0057] the second sheet part B comprises a second string with first, second, and third bypass diodes B1, B2, and B3),
wherein each of the power generation section and the bypass section comprises: a first electrode (see the front electrode layer), a photoelectric conversion layer (see the absorber layer), and a second electrode (see the back electrode layer),
the first electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer, and the second electrode are laminated in this order (see Figs. 1-2),
each of the power generation section and the bypass section has a diode function (The first sheet part C with solar cells and the second sheet part B with bypass diodes have a diode function) (see Fig. 3b), and a diode direction of the power generation section and a diode direction of the bypass section are opposite to each other in a plane parallel to a light-receiving surface (see Figs. 3a, 3b).
Regarding claim 2, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
KARG teaches at least one component selected from the group consisting of the first electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer, and the second electrode, in the power generation section and said component in the bypass section are formed of a same material as one another (see Figs. 1-3, and [Abstract] The rectifying diode sheet comprising at least a back electrode layer, a front electrode layer, and an absorber layer located between the back electrode layer and the front electrode layer. The rectifying diode sheet is divided in first and second sheet parts, whereby the first sheet part comprises at least one solar cell. The second sheet part comprises at least one bypass diode, circuited in an anti-parallel configuration with the at least one solar cell).
Regarding claim 3, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
KARG teaches each of the power generation section and the bypass section further comprises a support (see substrate 1, which supports each of the first sheet part C with solar cells and the second sheet part B with bypass diodes).
Regarding claim 4, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 3.
KARG teaches at least one component selected from the group consisting of the support, the first electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer, and the second electrode, in the power generation section and said component in the bypass section are made of a same material as one another (see Figs. 1-3, and [Abstract] The rectifying diode sheet comprising at least a back electrode layer, a front electrode layer, and an absorber layer located between the back electrode layer and the front electrode layer. The rectifying diode sheet is divided in first and second sheet parts, whereby the first sheet part comprises at least one solar cell. The second sheet part comprises at least one bypass diode, circuited in an anti-parallel configuration with the at least one solar cell).
Regarding claim 6, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
KARG teaches at least part of the bypass section is shaded (The second sheet part B with bypass diodes has a capability of being shaded during operation).
Regarding claim 9, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
KARG teaches the photoelectric conversion module is a solar cell (see the solar module).
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KARG (US 20100078057 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of BUSH (US 20230096010 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 1.
Regarding the claimed “wherein the photoelectric conversion layer has a perovskite structure represented by following chemical formula (I), XαYβZγ (I) wherein X represents a halogen ion, Y represents a monovalent cation, Z represents a divalent cation, and a ratio of α:β:γ is 3:(0.95 to 1.05):(0.95 to 1.05)”, KARG discloses a thin film solar cell with a bypass diode, but does not explicitly disclose the claimed feature. However, BUSH teaches a thin film solar cell with a bypass diode, wherein the subcell layer includes one or more absorber layers including a perovskite material, wherein perovskite materials may be characterized by the formula ABX3, with A representing a large atomic or molecular cation (e.g. Cs, methylammonium, formamidinium, etc.), with B representing a positively charged cation (e.g. metal, lead, plumbate, Sn), and X representing a negatively charged anion (e.g. halide, I, Br, Cl) [0047]. It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the perovskite material for the absorber layer, wherein the perovskite materials may be characterized by the formula ABX3, with A representing a large atomic or molecular cation (e.g. Cs, methylammonium, formamidinium, etc.), with B representing a positively charged cation (e.g. metal, lead, plumbate, Sn), and X representing a negatively charged anion (e.g. halide, I, Br, Cl), in the device of KARG as taught by BUSH, because the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supports a prima facie obviousness determination (MPEP 2144). Therefore, modified KARG teaches the photoelectric conversion layer has a perovskite structure (see the perovskite material) represented by following chemical formula (I), XαYβZγ (I) wherein X represents a halogen ion, Y represents a monovalent cation, Z represents a divalent cation, and a ratio of α:β:γ is 3:(0.95 to 1.05):(0.95 to 1.05) (see the ABX3; A corresponds to the claimed “Y”, B corresponds to the claimed “Z”, X corresponds to the claimed “X”, A represents a large atomic or molecular cation (e.g. Cs, methylammonium, formamidinium, etc.) which is a monovalent cation, B represents a positively charged cation (e.g. metal, lead, plumbate, Sn) which is a divalent cation, and X representing a negatively charged anion (e.g. halide, I, Br, Cl) which is a halogen ion; α is 3, β is 1, and γ is 1).
Regarding claim 8, Applicant is directed above for a full discussion as applied to claim 7.
Modified KARG teaches the monovalent cation represented as Y in the chemical formula (I) comprises at least one cation selected from the group consisting of a cesium cation, a rubidium cation, a potassium cation, a methylammonium cation, and a formamidinium cation (A represents a large atomic or molecular cation (e.g. Cs, methylammonium, formamidinium, etc.).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAE-SIK KANG whose telephone number is 571-272-3190. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00am – 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew T. Martin can be reached on 571-270-7871. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAE-SIK KANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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