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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/04/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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, 6-10, 12, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jack et al. (2013/0278988).
Regarding claim 1, Jack discloses a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices (at least Figure 1A, 100, electrochromic lite), the method comprising: creating a continuous electrical isolation line (140, area; Figure 1C depicts 140, area, is continuous) in a first conductive layer (115, first TCO; [0040] teaches an edge deletion process removes 115, first TCO) around substantially an entire perimeter of a substrate (140, area, is produced around the perimeter of 105, glass sheet; [0040]); and depositing an electroactive material (125, EC stack) and a second conductive layer (130, second TCO) over the formed first conductive layer to form one or more electroactive devices on the substrate (Figure 1A).
Regarding claim 6, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a laser creates the continuous isolation line in the first conductive layer ([0042] teaches the edge deletion process is conducted by laser ablation).
Regarding claim 7, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the laser removes a portion of the first conductive layer ([0042] teaches the edge deletion process is conducted by laser ablation).
Regarding claim 8, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a first bus bar adjacent to or on the continuous electrical isolation line (bus bar 1), wherein the continuous electrical isolation line isolates the bus bar from creating a short in the one or more electroactive devices ([0044]).
Regarding claim 9, Jack discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the first bus bar is electrically connected to the second conductive layer (Figure 1 depicts bus bar 1 is provided on 130, second TCO).
Regarding claim 10, Jack discloses the method of claim 9, further comprising depositing a second bus bar, wherein the second bus bar is electrically connected to the first conductive layer (Figure 1 depicts bus bar 2 is provided on 115, first TCO).
Regarding claim 12, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, wherein placing the electroactive material and the second conductive layer over the formed first conductive layer and the continuous isolation line comprises depositing the electroactive material over the first conductive layer (at least Figure 1A), wherein the continuous electrical isolation line comprises the electroactive material (at least Figure 1A depicts 140, area, is adjacent to 125, EC stack, thus may be considered as including the edge/border of 125, EC stack).
Regarding claim 13, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising determining the shape, size, and location of the one or more electroactive devices on the substrate after forming the continuous electrical isolation line (at least [0052]).
Regarding claim 15, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the electroactive material is selected from the group consisting of an inorganic metal oxide electroactive active material, such as WO.sub.3, V.sub.2O.sub.5, MoO.sub.3, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, TiO.sub.2, CuO, Ir.sub.2O.sub.3, Cr.sub.2O.sub.3, Co.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, Sb.sub.2O.sub.3, a lanthanide-based material with or without lithium, another lithium-based ceramic material, a nickel oxide (NiO, Ni.sub.2O.sub.3, or combination of the two), and Li, nitrogen, Na, H, or another ion, any halogen, and any combination thereof ([0055]).
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 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 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jack et al. (2013/0278988) in view of Wang et al. (2018/0196323).
Regarding claim 2, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the one or more electroactive devices are configured to be maintained at a continuously graded transmission state. Jack and Wang are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Wang teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices wherein the one or more electroactive devices are configured to be maintained at a continuously graded transmission state (at least Abstract, Figure 10).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Wang and provide wherein the one or more electroactive devices are configured to be maintained at a continuously graded transmission state. Doing so would allow for a more visibly pleasing transition between less transmission to greater transmission.
Regarding claim 3, the modified Jack discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location on the substrate (Wang: at least [0035]).
Regarding claim 4, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location on the substrate. Jack and Wang are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Wang teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location on the substrate (at least [0035]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Wang and provide wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location on the substrate. Doing so would allow for a more visibly pleasing patterned transition between less transmission to greater transmission.
Claims 5, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jack et al. (2013/0278988) in view of Strong et al. (2022/0080706, of record).
Regarding claim 5, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, but fails to teach further comprising forming more than one electroactive device on the substrate. Jack and Strong are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Strong teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices comprising forming more than one electroactive device on the substrate (at least Figure 4H; [0106]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Strong and provide forming more than one electroactive device on the substrate. Doing so would allow for efficient manufacture of multiple electroactive devices.
Regarding claim 11, Jack discloses the method of claim 1, but fails to teach further comprising cutting the substrate to separate the one or more electroactive devices. Jack and Strong are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Strong teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices comprising cutting the substrate to separate the one or more electroactive devices (at least Figures 4H and 4I; [0106]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Strong and provide cutting the substrate to separate the one or more electroactive devices. Doing so would allow for efficient manufacture of multiple electroactive devices.
Regarding claim 14, Jack discloses the method of claim 8, but fails to teach wherein each of the one or more electroactive devices includes a portion of the continuous electrical isolation line. Jack and Strong are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Strong teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices wherein each of the one or more electroactive devices includes a portion of the continuous electrical isolation line (at least Figure 4H; [0106], A1, A2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Strong and provide wherein each of the one or more electroactive devices includes a portion of the continuous electrical isolation line. Doing so would allow for efficient manufacture of multiple electroactive devices.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jack et al. (2013/0278988) in view of Kailasam et al. (2017/0371218).
Regarding claim 16, Jack discloses the method of claim 8, but fails to teach further comprising moving the substrate to a second location prior to depositing the first bus bar. Jack and Kailasam are related because both teach a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Kailasam teaches a method of manufacturing one or more electroactive devices comprising moving the substrate to a second location prior to depositing the first bus bar (at least [0218] teaches bus bar placement and EC device configurations are decided downstream after the electrochromic coating process, thus interpreted as moving the substrate prior to depositing the bus bar).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jack to incorporate the teachings of Kailasam and provide moving the substrate to a second location prior to depositing the first bus bar. Doing so would allow for improved flexibility in how large scale coated sheets are post-processed.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Strong et al. (2022/0080706, of record) in view of Wang et al. (2018/0196323).
Regarding claim 17, Strong discloses a substrate (at least Figure 1A, 105, glass sheet) for manufacturing one or more electroactive devices (100, electrochromic lite), comprising: a continuous electrical isolation line (140, area; Figure 1C) in a first conductive layer (115, first TCO; [0043]); wherein the continuous electrical isolation line is around substantially an entire perimeter of the substrate (at least Figure 1C); wherein each of the one or more electroactive devices comprise: a portion of the continuous electrical isolation line in the first conductive layer (at least Figure 1A depicts 140, area, is adjacent to 115, first TCO, thus may be considered as including the edge/border of 115, first TCO).
Strong fails to teach wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location. Strong and Wang are related because both teach a substrate for manufacturing one or more electroactive devices.
Wang teaches a substrate for manufacturing one or more electroactive devices wherein one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location (at least [0035]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Strong to incorporate the teachings of Wang and provide wherein the one or more electroactive devices do not have a predetermined location on the substrate. Doing so would allow for a more visibly pleasing patterned transition between less transmission to greater transmission.
Regarding claim 18, the modified Strong discloses the substrate of claim 17, wherein the one or more electroactive devices are each configured to be tinted as a gradient (Wang: at least Abstract, Figure 10).
Regarding claim 19, the modified Strong discloses the substrate of claim 17, wherein each of the one or more electroactive devices further comprise an electroactive material (125, EC stack) and a second conductive layer over the formed first conductive layer (130, second TCO).
Regarding claim 20, the modified Strong discloses the substrate of claim 17, wherein the portion of the continuous electrical isolation line isolates a first bus bar from a second bus bar (Figure 1A depicts a spacing between bus bar 2 and 145, isolated portion; this spacing can be considered to be isolating bus bar 1 from bus bar 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Habibi (10,227,046), Heintzelman (2018/0170263), Cammenga (2017/0088055), Tonar (2015/0239399), Ash (2015/0085341), and McCabe (2007/0153356) disclose relevant electrochromic devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BALRAM T PARBADIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0602. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BALRAM T PARBADIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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