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 Arguments
The affidavit under 37 CFR 1.130(a) filed on July 23, 2026, with regards to Figure 5 of Chang et al. (TW202347800A) has been received. The affidavit applies to the exception provision under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1). The rejection herein relies upon Figure 6 of Chang et al. (TW202347800A) which has an architecture and structure of the capacitor in Figure 5. The Applicant does not need to consider newly cited portions of the references. The structural citations are equivalent to what has been previously cited. Note that in the previously issued Rejection, Figure 6 was relied upon to reject the limitations of claim 17. The Examiner is citing a different portion of the reference to elaborate upon that which has been cited previously.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9 of Remarks, filed July 23, 2026, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection of claim 12 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of the aforementioned claim has been withdrawn.
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 (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 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) 1-9 and 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chang et al. (TW202347800A).
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Figure 6 of Chang with Examiner’s Comments (Figure 6EC)
In re claim 1, Chang discloses a capacitor unit, comprising:
a first finger electrode (14 – Figure 6, Description ¶16, ¶19) , configured to receive a first terminal signal (Description ¶26);
a second finger electrode (E21 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶23, ¶26), pointing to the first finger electrode (14 – Figure 6EC) and configured to receive a second terminal signal (Description ¶26); and
a third finger electrode (E31 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶23, ¶26), disposed adjacent to the second finger electrode (E21 – Figure 6EC) with an interval (space between E21 and E31 – Figure 6EC), pointing to the first finger electrode (14 – Figure 6EC), and configured to receive another second terminal signal (Description ¶26),
wherein the first finger electrode (14 – Figure 6EC) points to the second finger electrode (E21 – Figure 6EC) and the third finger electrode (E31 – Figure 6EC), one part of the first finger electrode (141 – Figure 6EC, Detailed Description ¶25) is disposed interleaved with the second finger electrode (E21 – Figure 6EC), and the other part of the first finger electrode (141 – Figure 6EC) is disposed interleaved with the third finger electrode (E31 - Figure 6EC).
In re claim 2, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 1, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein the first terminal signal and the second terminal signal form a first set of differential signals, and the first terminal signal and the another second terminal signal form a second set of differential signals (Description ¶26).
In re claim 3, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 2, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein the first terminal signal is a positive terminal input signal, and the second terminal signal and the another second terminal signal are negative terminal input signals different from each other, respectively (Description ¶26).
In re claim 4, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 2, as explained above. Chang further discloses the first terminal signal is a negative terminal input signal, and the second terminal signal and the another second terminal signal are positive terminal input signals different from each other, respectively (Description ¶26).
In re claim 5, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 1, as explained above. Chang further discloses the first finger electrode (14 – Figure 6) comprises a plurality of first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31 and in between E21, E31– Figure 6EC) and a first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the first branch electrode sections extend in a first direction (See Figure 5EC) and are arranged at intervals in a second direction (See Figure 5), one end of each first branch electrode section (141 within E21, E31 – Figure 6EC) is connected to the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6), and the first trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the first terminal signal (Description ¶26);
the second finger electrode (E21 – Figure 6EC) comprises a plurality of second branch electrode sections (241 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) and a second trunk electrode section (242 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the second branch electrode sections extend in the first direction (See Figure 6EC) and are arranged at intervals in the second direction (See Figure 6EC), one end of each second branch electrode section is connected to the second trunk electrode section (242 – Figure 6EC), the other end of each second branch electrode section is adjacent to the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC) and has a gap with the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC), and the second trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the second terminal signal (Description ¶26);
the third finger electrode (E31 – Figure 6EC) comprises a plurality of third branch electrode sections (221 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) and a third trunk electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25), the third branch electrode sections extend in the first direction and are arranged at intervals in the second direction (See Figure 6EC), one end of each third branch electrode section (221 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) is connected to the third trunk electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the other end of each third branch electrode section is adjacent to the first trunk electrode section and has a gap with the first trunk electrode section (See Figure 6EC), and the third trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the another second terminal signal (Description ¶26); and
each first branch electrode section (141 within E21, E31 and in between E21, E31– Figure 6EC) is located between two second branch electrode sections (241 – Figure 6EC) that are adjacent to each other, two third branch electrode sections (242 – Figure 6EC) that are adjacent to each other, or the second branch electrode section and the third branch electrode section that are adjacent to each other (Figure 6EC).
In re claim 6, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 5, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein a total quantity of the first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31 and between E21, E31 – Figure 6EC), the second branch electrode sections (241 of E21 – Figure 6EC), and the third branch electrode sections (221 of E31 – Figure 6EC) is odd (Figure 6EC; There are a total of 7 branch electrode sections in this region.).
In re claim 7, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 6, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein in a case that a total quantity of the second branch electrode sections (241 of E21 – Figure 6EC) is the same as that of the third branch electrode sections (221 of E31 – Figure 6EC), the second finger electrode and the third finger electrode are axially symmetric with the first branch electrode section (141 between E21, E31 – Figure 6EC) located between the second branch electrode section and the third branch electrode section that are adjacent to each other as an axis of symmetry (Figure 6EC).
In re claim 8, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 6, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein a total quantity of the first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31 and between E21, E31 – Figure 6EC) is a total quantity of the second branch electrode sections (241 of E21 – Figure 6EC) and the third branch electrode sections (221 of E31 – Figure 6EC) minus 1 (Figure 6EC; The total number of second and third branch electrode sections is 4, and the total number of first branch electrode sections is 3.).
In re claim 9, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 1, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein a plurality of capacitor units (C1, C2 – Figure 6EC) are disposed in sequence (Figure 6EC), and any two adjacent capacitor units in the capacitor units abut each other through respective second finger electrodes by sharing one second branch electrode section, or abut each other through respective third finger electrodes (E31, E32 – Figure 6EC) by sharing one third branch electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC).
In re claim 14, Chang discloses the capacitor according to claim 9, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein first terminal signals each are a positive terminal input signal, and second terminal signals and other second terminal signals each are a negative terminal input signal (Description ¶26).
In re claim 15, Chang discloses the capacitor according to claim 9, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein first terminal signals each are a negative terminal input signal, and second terminal signals and other second terminal signals each are a positive terminal input signal (Description ¶26).
In re claim 16, Chang discloses the capacitor according to claim 9, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein the shared second branch electrode section or the shared third branch electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC) extends in a first direction (Figure 6EC), and the capacitor units (C1, C2 – Figure 6EC) are disposed in a column in sequence in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (Figure 6EC).
In re claim 17, Chang discloses the capacitor according to claim 9, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein the capacitor units (C1, C2, C3, C4 – Figure 6EC) are disposed in a matrix in sequence (Figure 6EC), any two of the capacitor units adjacent in a first direction (C1, C2 and C3, C4– Figure 6EC) abut each other through respective first finger electrodes by sharing one first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC), and any two of the capacitor units adjacent in a second direction (C1, C4 and C2, C3 – Figure 6EC) orthogonal to the first direction abut each other through respective second finger electrodes by sharing the second branch electrode section, or abut each other through respective third finger electrodes by sharing the third branch electrode section (222, 282 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶27), wherein the shared second branch electrode section or the shared third branch electrode section extends in the first direction, and the shared first trunk electrode section extends in the second direction (Figure 6EC; Note that elements 222 and 282 correspond to the third branch sections that connect C1 and C2 and that connect C3 and C4.).
In re claim 18, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 9, as explained above. Chang further discloses the first finger electrode of each capacitor unit (14 of C1, C2 – Figure 6EC) comprises a plurality of first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31 and in between E21, E31– Figure 6EC) and a first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the first branch electrode sections extend in a first direction (See Figure 6EC) and are arranged at intervals in a second direction (See Figure 6), one end of each first branch electrode section (141 within E21, E31 – Figure 6EC) is connected to the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6), and the first trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the first terminal signal (Description ¶26);
the second finger electrode of each capacitor unit (E21, E23 – Figure 6EC) comprises a plurality of second branch electrode sections (241 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) and a second trunk electrode section (242, 122 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the second branch electrode sections extend in the first direction (See Figure 6EC) and are arranged at intervals in the second direction (See Figure 6EC), one end of each second branch electrode section is connected to the second trunk electrode section (242, 122– Figure 6EC), the other end of each second branch electrode section is adjacent to the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 5EC) and has a gap with the first trunk electrode section (142 – Figure 6EC), and the second trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the second terminal signal (Description ¶26);
the third finger electrode of each capacitor unit (E31, E32 – Figure 6EC) comprises a plurality of third branch electrode sections (221 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) and a third trunk electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25), the third branch electrode sections extend in the first direction and are arranged at intervals in the second direction (See Figure 6EC), one end of each third branch electrode section (221 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶25) is connected to the third trunk electrode section (222 – Figure 6EC, Description ¶26), the other end of each third branch electrode section is adjacent to the first trunk electrode section and has a gap with the first trunk electrode section (See Figure 6EC), and the third trunk electrode section is suitable to receive the another second terminal signal (Description ¶26); and
each first branch electrode section of each capacitor unit (141 within E21, E31, E32, E23 and in between E21, E31 and in between E31, E32 and in between E32, E23– Figure 6EC) is located between two second branch electrode sections (241 – Figure 6EC) that are adjacent to each other, two third branch electrode sections (242 – Figure 6EC) that are adjacent to each other, or the second branch electrode section and the third branch electrode section that are adjacent to each other (Figure 6EC).
In re claim 19, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 18, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein a total quantity of the first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31, E32, E23 and between E21, E31 and in between E31, E32 and in between E32, E23 – Figure 6EC), the second branch electrode sections (241 of E21, E23 – Figure 6EC), and the third branch electrode sections (221 of E31, E32 – Figure 6EC) is odd (Figure 6EC; There are a total of 15 branch electrode sections in this region.).
In re claim 20, Chang discloses the capacitor unit according to claim 18, as explained above. Chang further discloses wherein a total quantity of the first branch electrode sections (141 within E21, E31, E32, E23 and between E21, E31 and in between E31, E32 and in between E32, E23 – Figure 6EC) is a total quantity of the second branch electrode sections (241 of E21, E23 – Figure 6EC) and the third branch electrode sections (221 of E31, E32 – Figure 6EC) minus 1 (Figure 6EC; The total number of second and third branch electrodes is 8, and the total number of first branch electrodes is 7.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) the second terminal signals are different from the other second terminal signals.
Claim 11 is 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. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) in the same capacitor unit a second terminal signal is different from another second terminal signal, two another second terminal signals of two adjacent capacitor units that abut each other by sharing the second branch electrode section are different from each other, and two second terminal signals fo two adjacent capacitor units that but each other by sharing the third branch electrode section are different from each other.
Claim 12 is 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. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) a first terminal signal of at least one of the capacitor units is different from that of another capacitor unit, the second terminal signals of the capacitor units are the same as one another, the another second terminal signals of the capacitor units are the same as one another, and the second terminal signals are different from the another second terminal signals.
Claim 13 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. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) a first terminal signal of at least one of the capacitor units is different from that of another capacitor unit, and in a same capacitor unit a second terminal signal is different from another second terminal signal, two another second terminal signals of two adjacent capacitor units that abut each other by sharing the second branch electrode section are different from each other, and two second terminal signals of two adjacent capacitor units that abut each other by sharing the third branch electrode section are different from each other.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hahn et al. (US Publication 2017/0310296) Figure 14A
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 ARUN RAMASWAMY whose telephone number is (571)270-1962. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ARUN RAMASWAMY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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