CTNF 18/913,062 CTNF 90392 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 2-5 and 12-14 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 2 recites “The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to 1,” it should read “The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1,” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by YAO et al (US 2020/0126731) . Regarding claim 1, YAO discloses a multilayer ceramic capacitor (Fig. 1-3) comprising: a multilayer body (Fig. 1, 11) including: a multilayer body chip (Fig. 2-3, 11 where internal electrodes are) and side margin portions (Fig. 3, sides outside internal electrodes) on both side of the multilayer body chip in a width direction (Fig. 3, W); and two external electrodes (Fig. 2, 14a/b) on end surfaces (Fig. 2, 15a/b) of the multilayer body in a length direction (Fig. 2, L) intersecting a lamination direction (Fig. 2, T); wherein the multilayer chip includes an inner layer portion (Fig. 2, 122) and two outer layer portions (Fig. 2, 121) on both side of the inner layer portion in the lamination direction (Fig. 2); the inner layer portion includes internal electrode layers in the lamination direction (Fig. 2); the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include ceramic grains ([0029]); a difference between an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the inner layer portion and an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the side margin portions is about 100 nm or less ([0029] 10% of 220 = 22nm which teaches the claim limitations). Regarding claim 6, YAO further discloses that the grain size of the grains is about 140 nm or more and about 270 nm or less ([0029]). Regarding claim 8, YAO further discloses that the difference between the average grain size of the ceramic grains in the inner layer portion and the average grain size of the ceramic grains included in the side margin portions is about 36% or less ([0029] 10% or less) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAO et al (US 2020/0126731) in view of PARK et al (US 2021/0005382) Regarding claim 7, YAO fails to teach the claim limitations. PARK teaches that, when each of the side margin portions is divided into an innermost region and an outermost region (Fig. 4, 112a and 112b) the ceramic grains in the outermost region are smaller than the ceramic grains in the innermost region (Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of PARK to the invention of YAO, in order to provide a multilayer ceramic capacitor capable of improving reliability (PARK [0010] . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAO et al (US 2020/0126731) in view of Hashimoto (US 2020/0411248) Regarding claim 9, YAO fails to teach the claim limitations. Hashimoto teaches that the internal electrode layers include Ni as a main component ([0066]); and tin is located on an interface between the internal electrode layers and a dielectric layer ([0071]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Hashimoto to the invention of YAO, in order to provide a multilayer electronic component having high flexural strength (Hashimoto [0006]. Regarding claim 10, YAO, as modified by Hashimoto, further teaches that the tin is solidly dissolved in the internal electrode layers ( Hashimoto [0063-0066]). Regarding claim 11, YAO, as modified by Hashimoto, further teaches that the tin is solidly dissolved in the dielectric layer ( Hashimoto [0057]) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-5 and 12-16 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. Regarding claim 2-5 and 12-14, the prior art fails to teach or make obvious, alone or in combination, the limitation of “ wherein the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include Si and Ti; and a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the inner layer portion is higher than a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the side margin portions ” in combination with the other claim limitations. Regarding claim 15-16, the prior art fails to teach or make obvious, alone or in combination, the limitation of “ wherein the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include Si and Ti; and a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the inner layer portion is higher than a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the side margin portions ” in combination with the other claim limitations. Additional Relevant Prior Art: Tsuru et al (US 2020/0303125) teaches relevant art in Table 2. SIM et al (US 2022/0139624) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3. Nishimura et al (US 2015/0155099) teaches relevant art in [0038]. Yamaguchi (US 2014/0268489) teaches relevant art in [0029]. TERAOKA et al (US 2020/0111613) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3. SUGITA et al (US 2016/0049255) teaches relevant art in [0062-0096]. HASHIMOTO et al (US 2020/0105468) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P MCFADDEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5649. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 8am-9pm PST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at (571) 272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MICHAEL P MCFADDEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/913,062 Page 2 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/913,062 Page 3 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/913,062 Page 4 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/913,062 Page 5 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/913,062 Page 6 Art Unit: 2847
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