Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-14 of U.S. Application 19/051,427 filed on February 12,2025 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/21/2025, 05/23/2025, 03/13/2026, and 03/24/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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.
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being unpatentable over Uchida et al (USPGPub 20190301894).
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Prior Art: Uchida
Regarding claim 1, Uchida discloses a magnetic sensor (shown in figs 1-24) comprising: a plurality of magnetoresistive elements (220); a plurality of structural bodies (51), each structured to cause the plurality of magnetoresistive elements to detect a specific component of a target magnetic field (abstract discloses inputting a magnetic field and output a magnetic field. Therefore helps with targeting a magnetic field); and a detection circuit including a first port (V), a second port (E1), a third port (G), a first resistor section (61), and a second resistor section (62), wherein: a set of the first port, the second port, and the third port is a set of a power supply port, a ground port, and an output port, or a set of the power supply port or the ground port, and two output ports (shown in fig 10 as the outputs are E1 and E2), the first resistor section is provided between the first port and the second port (shown in fig 10), and the second resistor section is provided between the second port and the third port (shown in fig 10); the plurality of magnetoresistive elements include a plurality of first magnetoresistive elements disposed in a first area, and a plurality of second magnetoresistive elements disposed in a second (fig 7 discloses there are multiple areas based on how 30 is sectioned off) area (shown in figs 8-11 and pars 61-64 discloses the sections containing 220); the plurality of first magnetoresistive elements and the plurality of second magnetoresistive elements respectively constitute the first resistor section and the second resistor section (pars 83-85 discloses first and second resistor sections); and the plurality of structural bodies include a structural body extending across the first area and the second area (shown in fig 7 as 51 extending across the first and second areas).
Regarding claim 2, Uchida discloses wherein: the first port is the power supply port; the second port is the output port; and the third port is the ground port (shown in fig 10 as the inputs).
Regarding claim 3, Uchida discloses wherein the first port is a first output port; the second port is the power supply port or the ground port; and the third port is a second output port (fig 8 discloses the ports can be at different positions. Therefore, the first port can now be output and now the second port is power).
Regarding claim 4, Uchida discloses wherein the plurality of structural bodies further include a structural body extending across the first area or the second area (shown in fig 7 as extending across areas).
Regarding claim 9, Uchida discloses wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a plurality of yokes, each made of a soft magnetic body (pars 50, 81-84 discloses being a yoke made of soft magnetic body).
Regarding claim 10, Uchida discloses wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged along each of the plurality of yokes (shown in fig 11 as the elements are apart of the yoke).
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 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.
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 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.
Claims 5-8 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchida et al (USPGPub 20190301894) in view of Sato et al (USPGPub 20090027048).
Regarding claim 5, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein: the first and second areas are disposed so as to be arranged along a first reference direction; and each of the plurality of structural bodies extends in a direction intersecting with the first reference direction at an angle other than 900.
However, Sato discloses wherein: the first and second areas are disposed so as to be arranged along a first reference direction; and each of the plurality of structural bodies extends in a direction intersecting with the first reference direction at an angle other than 90 degrees (par 313 and claim 14 discloses structural bodies are on a reference at an angle other than 90 degrees). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to better sense the target magnetic field.
Regarding claim 6, Uchida comprising a fourth port (E2), wherein: the detection circuit further includes a third resistor section (63) provided between the third port and the fourth port, and a fourth resistor section (64) provided between the first port and the fourth port; the plurality of magnetoresistive elements further include a plurality of third magnetoresistive elements disposed in a third area (shown in figs 7-11), and a plurality of fourth magnetoresistive elements disposed in a fourth area; the plurality of third magnetoresistive elements and the plurality of fourth magnetoresistive elements respectively constitute the third resistor section and the fourth resistor section (shown in figs 7-10 as the resistive areas extend into different area). Uchida does not disclose the plurality of structural bodies include a first structural body extending across only one of the first to fourth areas, a second structural body extending across two of the first to fourth areas, but not extending across other two areas of the first to fourth areas, and a third structural body extending across three of the first to fourth areas.
However, Sato discloses plurality of structural bodies include a first structural body extending across only one of the first to fourth areas, a second structural body extending across two of the first to fourth areas, but not extending across other two areas of the first to fourth areas, and a third structural body extending across three of the first to fourth areas (fig 1A shows elements 21-24 discloses extending from one area to another and par 313 and claim 14 discloses structural bodies are on a reference at an angle other than 90 degrees). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to better sense the target magnetic field.
Regarding claim 7, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein the plurality of structural bodies further include a fourth structural body extending across the first to fourth areas.
However, Sato discloses wherein the plurality of structural bodies further include a fourth structural body extending across the first to fourth areas (pars 313, claim 14 and fig 1A discloses 21 being at angles. Therefore, extending across different areas). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to better sense the target magnetic field.
Regarding claim 8, Uchida discloses the first port is the power supply port (V); the second port is a first output port (E1); the third port is the ground port (G); and the fourth port is a second output (E2) port (shown in fig 10).
Regarding claim 11, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a plurality of inclined surfaces each inclined relative to a reference plane.
However, Sato discloses wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a plurality of inclined surfaces each inclined relative to a reference plane (par 185 discloses a reference point and figs 1-3 shown as having inclined surfaces relative to the reference plane). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to determine the magnetic field based on the different positions of the sensing elements.
Regarding claim 12, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged on each of the plurality of inclined surfaces.
However, Sato discloses the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged on each of the plurality of inclined surfaces (figs 1-3 shown as having the magnetoresistive elements are arranged on the plurality of inclined surfaces). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to determine the magnetic field based on the different positions of the sensing elements.
Regarding claim 13, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein a support member having protruding surfaces, wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces are present in the protruding surfaces.
However, Sato discloses wherein a support member (11) having protruding surfaces (43 and 44), wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces are present in the protruding surfaces (shown in fig 1B as 43a, 43c inside of protruding surfaces)..
Regarding claim 14, Uchida does not fully disclose wherein a support member having groove portions, wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces are present in the groove portions.
However, Sato discloses wherein a support member (11) having protruding surfaces (peaks of 43 and 44), wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces (43a,43c) are present in the protruding surfaces (shown in fig 1B as being inclined surfaces inside the support). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have combined Uchida in view of Sato in order to determine the magnetic field based on the different positions of the sensing elements.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kubik et al (USPGPub 20130099783): discloses a resistor bridge with power, ground and node outputs.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINIC E HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2647. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm EST.
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/DOMINIC E HAWKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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