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 . 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.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 10 February 2025. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Specifically, claim 20 sets forth “wherein the electrical current flow is further directed between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the second metallic side bridge,” which has already been set forth in lines 3-5 of base claim 16.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because pending claims 1-20 are anticipated by patented claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 as follows:
With respect to pending claim 1, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) write head comprising: a main pole (MP) including a tip portion (lines 1-3 of patented claim 1); a hot seed (HS) portion (line 6 of patented claim 1); a first write shield connected to the HS portion and disposed at an air bearing surface (ABS) (lines 7-8 of patented claim 1); a first metallic side bridge disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the HS portion (lines 9-10 of patented claim 1); and an oxide layer disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the HS portion to electrically isolate the metallic side bridge and the HS portion (lines 11-14 of patented claim 1).
With respect to pending claim 2, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the PMR write head further comprising: a bias circuit including at least a first bias electrical pad and a second bias electrical pad (lines 19-20 of patented claim 1), the bias circuit directing an electrical current flow along an electrical path between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the first metallic side bridge (lines 20-23 of patented claim 1).
With respect to pending claim 3, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the oxide layer comprises a metallic oxide element (line 11 of patented claim 1), wherein a thickness of the oxide layer is between 1-4 nanometers (lines 14-15 of patented claim 1), and wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises a thickness together with the thickness of the oxide layer between 15 and 25 nm (lines 15-18 of patented claim 1).
With respect to pending claim 4, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the PMR write head further comprising: a protect resistor electrically connected between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 1-3 of patented claim 2), a lead resistor including a first lead resistance from the first or the second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the MP (lines 4-6 of patented claim 2), and a second lead resistance from the first or the second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the write shield (lines 7-9 of patented claim 2); and a tip resistor connected in series between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 10-12 of patented claim 2), the lead resistor and the tip resistor disposed in parallel with the protect resistor (lines 12-14 of patented claim 2).
With respect to pending claim 5, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the bias circuit includes a series resistor (Rs) to control a bias current through the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the first metallic side bridge (lines 1-4 of patented claim 3).
With respect to pending claim 6, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (lines 1-3 of patented claim 4).
With respect to pending claim 7, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the PMR write head further comprising: a metallic side gap and a metallic leading gap, which forms a second metallic side bridge between the MP tip portion and the write shield, electrically connected at the tip portion of the MP (lines 1-5 of patented claim 5).
With respect to pending claim 8, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the electrical current flow is further directed along the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the second metallic side bridge (lines 1-4 of patented claim 6).
With respect to pending claim 9, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims a write head comprising: a main pole (MP) including a tip portion configured to be disposed at an air-bearing surface (ABS) and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium (lines 1-4 of patented claim 7); a hot seed (HS) portion (line 5 of patented claim 7); a write shield connected to the HS portion and disposed at the ABS (lines 6-7 of patented claim 7); a first metallic side bridge disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the HS portion (lines 8-9 of patented claim 7); and an oxide layer comprising a metallic oxide element disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the HS portion to electrically isolate the metallic side bridge and the HS portion (lines 10-13 of patented claim 7).
With respect to pending claim 10, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the write head further comprising: a bias circuit directing an electrical current flow along an electrical path between the tip portion of the main pole and the HS portion via the first metallic side bridge (lines 18-20 of patented claim 7), the bias circuit including: a first bias electrical pad (lines 20-22 of patented claim 7); a second bias electrical pad (line 23 of patented claim 7); a protect resistor electrically connected between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 24-26 of patented claim 7); and a lead resistor including a first lead resistance from the first bias electrical pad or the second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the MP (lines 27-29 of patented claim 7) and a second lead resistance from the first or second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the write shield (lines 29-31 of patented claim 7), and a tip resistor connected in series between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 32-34 of patented claim 7), the lead resistor and the tip resistor disposed in parallel with the protect resistor (lines 34-36 of patented claim 7).
With respect to pending claim 11, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the bias circuit includes a series resistor (Rs) to control a bias current through the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the first metallic side bridge (lines 1-4 of patented claim 8).
With respect to pending claim 12, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (lines 1-3 of patented claim 9).
With respect to pending claim 13, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the write head further comprising: a metallic side gap and a metallic leading gap, which forms a second metallic side bridge between the MP tip portion and the write shield, electrically connected at a MP tip region (lines 1-5 of patented claim 10).
With respect to pending claim 14, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the electrical current flow is further directed between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the second metallic side bridge (lines 1-4 of patented claim 11).
With respect to pending claim 15, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims a system comprising: a main pole (MP) including a tip portion configured to be disposed at an air-bearing surface (ABS) and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium (lines 1-4 of patented claim 12); a hot seed (HS) portion (line 5 of patented claim 12); a first write shield connected to the HS portion and disposed at the ABS (lines 6-7 of patented claim 12); a first metallic side bridge disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the HS portion (lines 8-9 of patented claim 12); a metallic side gap and a metallic leading gap, which forms a second metallic side bridge between the MP tip portion and the write shield, electrically connected at a MP tip region (lines 10-13 of patented claim 12); and an oxide layer disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the HS portion to electrically isolate the first metallic side bridge and the HS portion (lines 14-17 of patented claim 12).
With respect to pending claim 16, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the system further comprising: a bias circuit including at least a first bias electrical pad and a second bias electrical pad (lines 22-23 of patented claim 12), the bias circuit directing an electrical current flow along an electrical path between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the first metallic side bridge (lines 23-26 of patented claim 12), and between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the second metallic side bridge (lines 26-28 of patented claim 12).
With respect to pending claim 17, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims the system further comprising: a protect resistor electrically connected between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 1-3 of patented claim 13); and a lead resistor including a first lead resistance from the first or the second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the MP (lines 4-7 of patented claim 13) and a second lead resistance from the first or second bias electrical pad that is directly connected to the write shield (lines 8-10 of patented claim 13), and a tip resistor (line 10 of patented claim 13), the lead resistor and the tip resistor connected in series between the first bias electrical pad and the second bias electrical pad (lines 11-13 of patented claim 13), the lead resistor and the tip resistor disposed in parallel with the protect resistor (lines 13-15 of patented claim 13).
With respect to pending claim 18, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the bias circuit includes a series resistor Rs to control a bias current through the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the first and the second metallic side bridge (lines 1-4 of patented claim 14).
With respect to pending claim 19, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (lines 1-3 of patented claim 15).
With respect to pending claim 20, U.S. Patent No. 12,236,984 claims wherein the electrical current flow is further directed between the tip portion of the main pole and the write shield via the second metallic side bridge (lines 24 and 26-28 of patented claim 12).
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)(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, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314).
With respect to claims 1 and 6, Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) teach a perpendicular magnetic recording write head (580, see FIG. 5C, for instance) comprising a main pole (502) including a tip portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance); a hot seed portion (530, see lines 60-61 in column 11, for instance); a first write shield (includes 504, for instance, see line 6 in column 12, for instance) connected to the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) and disposed at an air bearing surface (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance, see lines 8-9 in column 3, for instance); a first metallic side bridge (532, see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer”) disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance); and an oxide layer (534, see lines 33-34 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 comprise an insulating material, such as… aluminum oxide”) disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion to electrically isolate the metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) [as per claim 1]; wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer) [as per claim 6].
With respect to claims 9 and 12, Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) teach a write head (580, see FIG. 5C, for instance) comprising a main pole (502) including a tip portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) configured to be disposed at an air-bearing surface (see lines 8-9 in column 3, for instance) and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium (16, see FIGS. 1 and 2, for instance); a hot seed portion (530, see lines 60-61 in column 11, for instance); a write shield (includes 504, for instance, see line 6 in column 12, for instance) connected to the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) and disposed at the air-bearing surface (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance, see lines 8-9 in column 3, for instance); a first metallic side bridge (532, see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer”) disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance); and an oxide layer (534, see lines 33-34 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 comprise an insulating material, such as… aluminum oxide”) comprising a metallic oxide element (see lines 33-34 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 comprise an insulating material, such as… aluminum oxide”) disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion to electrically isolate the metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) [as per claim 9]; wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer) [as per claim 12].
With respect to claims 15 and 19, Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) teach a system (580, see FIG. 5C, for instance) comprising a main pole (502) including a tip portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) configured to be disposed at an air-bearing surface (see lines 8-9 in column 3, for instance) and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium (16, see FIGS. 1 and 2, for instance); a hot seed portion (530, see lines 60-61 in column 11, for instance); a first write shield (includes 504 and 506, for instance, see lines 6 and 12 in column 12, for instance) connected to the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) and disposed at the air-bearing surface (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance, see lines 8-9 in column 3, for instance); a first metallic side bridge (532, see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer”) disposed between the tip portion of the main pole and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance); a metallic side gap (portion of 508 adjacent 506A and 506B, see lines 62-66 in column 9, for instance, i.e., “gap 508 may be a single layer formed of non-magnetic metals like Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer”) and a metallic leading gap (portion of 508 adjacent 506C, see lines 62-66 in column 9, for instance, i.e., “gap 508 may be a single layer formed of non-magnetic metals like Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer”), which forms a second metallic side bridge (508) between the main pole tip portion and the write shield (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance), electrically connected at a main pole tip region (as shown by current 512); and an oxide layer (534, see lines 33-34 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 comprise an insulating material, such as… aluminum oxide”) disposed between the first metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion to electrically isolate the first metallic side bridge and the hot seed portion (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance) [as per claim 15]; wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises one or more layers of a non-magnetic metal material (see lines 65-68 in column 11, for instance, i.e., “portion 532 may individually comprise Cu, Au, Ag, Ru, Cr, W, Mo, Ni, Ta, Pt or Rh or their alloys, or a multilayer of those materials, like a NiCr/Ru/NiTa multilayer) [as per claim 19].
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, 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.
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314).
Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) teach the perpendicular magnetic recording write head as detailed in paragraph 8, supra, further wherein the oxide layer comprises a metallic oxide element (see lines 33-34 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 comprise an insulating material, such as… aluminum oxide”), wherein a thickness of the oxide layer is between 1-4 nanometers (see lines 37-38 in column 10, for instance, i.e., “layers 534 may have a cross-track width of about 4 nm to about 10 nm” includes at least one value, “about 4 nm,” within the claimed range), and wherein the first metallic side bridge comprises a combined thickness together with the thickness of the oxide layer (as shown in FIG. 5C, for instance).
Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314), however, remain silent as to the combined thickness being “between 15 and 25 nm.”
Official notice is taken of the fact that it is notoriously old and well known in the perpendicular magnetic recording write head art to modify the parameters of perpendicular magnetic recording write head components during the course of routine optimization/experimentation. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have had the combined thickness in Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) be between 15 and 25 nm. The rationale is as follows:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the combined thickness in Asif Bashir et al. (US 11,557,314) be between 15 and 25 nm since such a range, absent any criticality (i.e., unobvious and/or unexpected result(s)), is generally achievable through routine optimization/experimentation, and since discovering the optimum or workable ranges, where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). Moreover, in the absence of any criticality (i.e., unobvious and/or unexpected result(s)), the parameter set forth above would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. This includes Liu et al. (US 11,152,021), which teach a perpendicular magnetic recording write head with one or more conductive gap configurations (see FIGS. 16-23, for instance).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Craig A. Renner whose telephone number is (571) 272-7580. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM.
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, Steven Lim can be reached at (571) 270-1210. 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.
/CRAIG A. RENNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688