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
1. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted and are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. According, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Examiner Notes
2. Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1, 6-8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shimazawa et al. (US. Pub. 2008/0100968; hereinafter “Shimazawa”). Regarding claim 1, Shimazawa discloses, in Fig. 1, a magnetoresistance effect element (a magneto-resistive effect device in Fig. 1) comprising: a magnetization free layer (a free magnetization layer 50) in which magnetization direction is caused to rotate by an external magnetic field; a magnetization fixed layer (a fixed magnetization layer 30) in which magnetization direction is fixed in a first direction(such as x-axis direction); a nonmagnetic spacer layer (a spacer layer 40) located between the magnetization free layer (50) and the magnetization fixed layer (30); and two magnet layers (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 6) that sandwich the magnetization free layer in a second direction (such as y-axis direction) different from the first direction (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 6 adjacent to the two sides of the GMR device 5 via the insulating layer 4), wherein when viewed from a third direction (z-axis direction) that is perpendicular to the first direction (x-axis direction) and the second direction (y-axis direction), the magnetization free layer (50) includes an end portion that faces either of the two magnet layers (see Fig. 1), and two linear sides (two linear sides along insulation layers 4) that are connected to the end portion and that extend in different directions from each other (see Fig. 1), and wherein the two linear sides are inclined with respect to the second direction (see Fig. 1).
PNG
media_image1.png
352
574
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6, Shimazawa discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein the free magnetization layer is elongated in the second direction (see Fig. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 7, Shimazawa discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein each of the two magnet layers includes a ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer (see [0100]).
Regarding claim 8, Shimazawa discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein a length of each of the two magnet layers in the second direction is greater than a length of each of the two magnet layers in the first direction (see Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 13, Shimazawa discloses, in Fig. 1, a magnetoresistance effect element (a magneto-resistive effect device in Fig. 1) comprising: a magnetization free layer (a free magnetization layer 50) in which magnetization direction is caused to rotate by an external magnetic field; a magnetization fixed layer (a fixed magnetization layer 30) in which magnetization direction is fixed in a first direction (such as x-axis direction); a nonmagnetic spacer layer (a spacer layer 40) located between the magnetization free layer and the magnetization fixed layer (see Fig. 1); and two magnet layers (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 6) that sandwich the magnetization free layer in a second direction (such as y-axis direction) different from the first direction (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 6 adjacent to the two sides of the GMR device 5 via the insulating layer 4), wherein when viewed from a third direction (such as z-axis direction) that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the magnetization free layer (50) includes an end portion that faces either of the two magnet layers, each magnet layer includes a recess that faces the end portion, and the recess has an innermost portion and two linear laterals that are connected to the innermost portion (as shown in Fig. 1, the two magnet layers 6 formed a recess for accommodating a laminated body 4, the magnetization free layer 50 has both end portions that face the two magnet layers, the two magnet layers sandwich the magnetization free layer 50).
5. Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al. (US. Pub. 2011/0100953; hereinafter “Tanaka”). Regarding claim 1, Tanaka discloses, in Figs. 1 and 14, a magnetoresistance effect element (a magneto-resistive element 500 in Fig. 1) comprising: a magnetization free layer (a free magnetization layer 50) in which magnetization direction is caused to rotate by an external magnetic field; a magnetization fixed layer (a pinned magnetization layer 30) in which magnetization direction is fixed in a first direction(such as x-axis direction); a nonmagnetic spacer layer (a spacer layer 40) located between the magnetization free layer (50) and the magnetization fixed layer (30); and two magnet layers (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 106) that sandwich the magnetization free layer in a second direction (such as y-axis direction) different from the first direction (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 106 sandwich the free layer 50, see Fig. 1), wherein when viewed from a third direction (z-axis direction) that is perpendicular to the first direction (x-axis direction) and the second direction (y-axis direction), the magnetization free layer (50) includes an end portion that faces either of the two magnet layers (see Fig. 1), and two linear sides (two linear sides along insulation layers 4) that are connected to the end portion and that extend in different directions from each other (see Fig. 1), and wherein the two linear sides are inclined with respect to the second direction (see Fig. 1).
PNG
media_image2.png
330
586
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein the two linear sides that passes through the end portion extend on both sides of an axis parallel to the second direction (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 2, wherein the angle between the two linear sides is equal to or greater than 20 degrees and equal to or less than 120 degrees (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 2, wherein the two linear sides are symmetrical with respect to the axis (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein the lengths of the two magnet layers (106) in the first direction are greater than the length of the magnetization free layer (50) in the first direction (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein the free magnetization layer is elongated in the second direction (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein each of the two magnet layers includes a ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer (see [0092].
Regarding claim 8, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein a length of each of the two magnet layers in the second direction is greater than a length of each of the two magnet layers in the first direction (see Figs. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 9, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1, wherein each of the magnet layers (106) that face the end portion includes a recess for accommodating the two linear sides (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element of claim 9, wherein, when viewed from the third direction, the recess has an innermost portion that faces the end portion in the second direction and two linear laterals that face the two linear sides in the second direction (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 11, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element of claim 10, wherein the two linear laterals are longer than the two linear sides (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 12, Tanaka discloses the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 9, wherein a dimension of an opening of the recess in the first direction is larger than a dimension in the first direction of the magnetization free layer (free layer 50 of MR element 500) in the opening (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 13, Tanaka discloses, in Figs. 1 and 14, a magnetoresistance effect element (a magneto-resistive effect device in Fig. 1) comprising: a magnetization free layer (a free magnetization layer 50) in which magnetization direction is caused to rotate by an external magnetic field; a magnetization fixed layer (a fixed magnetization layer 30) in which magnetization direction is fixed in a first direction (such as x-axis direction); a nonmagnetic spacer layer (a spacer layer 40) located between the magnetization free layer and the magnetization fixed layer (see Fig. 1); and two magnet layers (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 106) that sandwich the magnetization free layer (50) in a second direction (such as y-axis direction) different from the first direction (two bias magnetic field-applying layers 106 sandwich the free layer 50, see Fig. 1), wherein when viewed from a third direction (such as z-axis direction) that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the magnetization free layer (50) includes an end portion that faces either of the two magnet layers (106), each magnet layer includes a recess that faces the end portion, and the recess has an innermost portion and two linear laterals that are connected to the innermost portion (as shown in Fig. 14, the two magnet layers 106 formed a V-shaped recess for accommodating a laminated body 500, the V-shaped recess has an innermost portion and two linear laterals that are connected to the innermost portion).
PNG
media_image3.png
318
520
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 14, Tanaka discloses a magnetic sensor comprising the magnetoresistance effect element according to claim 1 (a thin film magnetic head including a magnetoresistive effect element (MR element) that has a magnetic sensor multi-layered film with a polygonal shape, see [0010]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka. Regarding claim 15, Tanaka discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 14, except for explicitly specifying that the magnetic sensor is used in a camera module.
However having a magnetic sensor being used in a camera module or in a specific area would simply be a matter of inventor design choice on the basis of its suitability for the intended use.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the magnetic sensor of Tanaka into a camera module in order to meet the system design and specification requirement.
Prior Art of Record
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kaiser et al. (U.S Pub. 2011/0013317) discloses a magnetic sensor (see specification for more details). Shimazawa et al. (U.S Pub. 2007/0086120) discloses a magnetoresistive element (see specification for more details).
Conclusion
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
7/11/2026
Prosecution Insights