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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/03/2025, 2/19/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because:
The opening sentence, “Disclosed herein is a magnetic sensor that includes a sensor chip….” is improper.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites “wherein a state where a current value of the excitation current becomes zero continues for a certain period of time in one cycle of the excitation current.” The meaning of the language “a state where a current value of the excitation current” is unclear. It is not clear what the limitation “state” means. It is not when the state is happening and how the state is determined. It is not clear how long is the certain period of time and how the certain period of time is determined. Therefore, the limitation is not clear.
For purposes of the present examination the limitation “a state” is construed to mean as any time when the current is zero. Clarification is required so that the scope of the claim is clear.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite by virtue of its dependence from claim 5.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Edelstein in the US Patent Number US 8222898 B1.
Regarding claim 1, Edelstein teaches a magnetic sensor (sensors, more particularly to magnetic field modulations of magnetic sensors; Column 1 Line 22-23; A preferred embodiment comprises a magnetoelectric sensor 10 comprising three magnetic materials as shown in FIG. 1; Column 6 Line 46-48; Column 21 Line 42-44) comprising:
a sensor chip [1, 2, 3] (The layers- magnetostrictive material such as Metglas.RTM. 1, a biasing ferromagnet 2, and a piezoelectric material 3 as the sensor chip) having a magnetosensitive element [1] (The layers may comprise magnetostrictive material such as Metglas.RTM. 1, a biasing ferromagnet 2, and a piezoelectric material 3; Column 2 Line 44-46; Claim 17. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one of a magnetoresistive sensor, a magnetoelectric sensor, and a magneto-optical sensor, chip-scale atomic magnetometer; magnetostrictive material is the magnetosensitive element as the magneto sensitive element is used for MI sensors, magneto-resistive sensors (AMR, GMR, TMR), and Hall-effect );
a magnetic field collecting body [4, 5] (flux concentrators 4,5 as the magnetic field collecting body as the flux concentrator collecting the magnetic field) (The assembly 10 may optionally comprise flux concentrators 4 and 5; Column 2 Line 46-47) for collecting a
magnetic field to the magnetosensitive element (Claim 13. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the at least one flux concentrator has a first cross sectional area where magnetic flux may enter and a second cross sectional area from where magnetic flux may transfer onto the magnetic sensor and wherein the ratio of the first cross sectional area to the second cross sectional area is greater than or equal to 1.5 and less than 15);
an excitation coil [6] (As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment assembly 10 comprises at least one coil 6 positioned as shown; Column 2 Line 54-55) wound around the magnetic field collecting body [4, 5] (Figure 1 shows an excitation coil [6] wound around the magnetic field collecting body [4, 5]; Claim 18. A method of operating a magnetic sensor comprising: forming at least one coil around the magnetic sensor); and
a modulation circuit [6] (another excitation coil 6 as the modulation circuit as coil 6 function same as the modulation circuit and claim does not recite any structure of the modulation circuit) that supplies an excitation current having a predetermined frequency [fm] (frequency fm as the predetermined frequency) to the excitation coil [6] (When two coils are used, both coils have their field direction along the sense direction of the sensor. One coil 6 can be used to apply a dc field to bias the magnetostrictive material; which affords the opportunity to remove the bias layer from the sensor. The other coil provides an AC magnetic field at a frequency f.sub.m that is large enough in magnitude to drive one or several of the magnetic components of the sensor into and out of magnetic saturation; Column 7 Line 60-67) so as to periodically magnetically saturate the magnetosensitive element without magnetically saturating the magnetic field collecting body (When a component, e.g., the flux concentrator (4,5), the biasing magnet 3, and/or the magnetostrictive material (Metglas.RTM. 1), is saturated, the sensor will be much less sensitive. Thus, either the field sensed due to saturating the flux concentrator will be modulated at f.sub.m or the output amplitude of the sensor will be modulated at f.sub.m if the biasing magnet or magnetostrictive material is driven into and out of saturation; Column 8 Line 15-21; Though the coil 6 is described as operating to drive the materials in components (flux concentrator, magnetorestrictive material and biasing magnet) into and out of saturation, just driving any one of the flux concentrator, the magnetorestrictive material, or the biasing magnet beyond the linear range will create additional peaks; Column 8 Line 6-12; therefore flux concentrator as the magnetic field collecting body will be modulated if the magnetostrictive material driven into and out of saturation, that mean magnetostrictive material either saturated or not saturated and therefore the magnetosensitive element is saturated without magnetically saturating the magnetic field collecting body).
Regarding claim 2, Edelstein teaches a magnetic sensor,
wherein the magnetic field collecting body [4, 5] is lower than the magnetosensitive element [1, 2, 3] in terms of saturation magnetic field (When a component, e.g., the flux concentrator (4,5), the biasing magnet 3, and/or the magnetostrictive material (Metglas.RTM. 1), is saturated, the sensor will be much less sensitive. Thus, either the field sensed due to saturating the flux concentrator will be modulated at f.sub.m or the output amplitude of the sensor will be modulated at f.sub.m if the biasing magnet or magnetostrictive material is driven into and out of saturation; Column 8 Line 15-21; Though the coil 6 is described as operating to drive the materials in components (flux concentrator, magnetorestrictive material and biasing magnet) into and out of saturation, just driving any one of the flux concentrator, the magnetorestrictive material, or the biasing magnet beyond the linear range will create additional peaks; Column 8 Line 6-12; therefore flux concentrator as the magnetic field collecting body will be modulated if the magnetostrictive material driven into and out of saturation, that mean magnetostrictive material either saturated or not saturated and therefore the magnetic field collecting body [4, 5] is lower than the magnetosensitive element [1, 2, 3] in terms of saturation magnetic field).
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edelstein ‘898 B1 in view of FUKUI et al. (Hereinafter, “Fukui”) in the US Patent application Publication Number US 20230118914 A1.
Regarding claim 3, Edelstein fails to teach a magnetic sensor, further comprising a compensation coil integrated in the sensor chip and acting to cancel a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetosensitive element.
Fukui teaches a magnetic sensor and, more particularly, to a magnetic sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity (Paragraph [0001] Line 1-4),
further comprising a compensation coil [120] (A compensation coil 120 in Figure 7 is also formed in the upper or lower layer of the element formation surface 105; Paragraph [0038] Line 15-17) integrated in the sensor chip and acting to cancel a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetosensitive element (The compensation coil 120 cancels a magnetic field to be applied to the magnetosensitive element R1 to allow so-called closed-loop control; Paragraph [0038] Line 19-22; Claim 7. The magnetic sensor as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensor chip further includes a compensation coil that applies a cancelling magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element). The purpose of doing so is to detect a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity, to apply a cancelling magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, to allow so-called closed loop control without involving an increase in the number of components.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the magnetic sensor of Edelstein by introducing a compensation coil as disclosed by Fukui, because Fukui teaches to include a compensation coil integrated in the sensor chip detects a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity (Paragraph [0005]), applies a cancelling magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, allows so-called closed loop control without involving an increase in the number of components (Paragraph [0013]).
Regarding claim 4, Edelstein fails to teach a magnetic sensor, wherein a maximum value of an excitation magnetic field that the excitation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element is larger than a maximum value of a canceling magnetic field that the compensation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element.
Fukui teaches a magnetic sensor and, more particularly, to a magnetic sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity (Paragraph [0001] Line 1-4),
wherein a maximum value of an excitation magnetic field that the excitation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element is larger than a maximum value of a canceling magnetic field that the compensation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element (On the other hand, at the timing when current flowing in the excitation coils C1 to C4 becomes zero, the magnetic structures 10 and 20 are not excited, so that high permeability can be obtained. Thus, a weak magnetic field to be detected is collected by the magnetic structures 10 and 20, and thus a magnetic field in the x-direction passing through the magnetic gap G1 is applied to the magnetosensitive element R1. As a result, a detection signal obtained from the magnetosensitive element R1 is modulated by the frequency of the alternating current i, so that 1/f noise significantly decreases. Further, feedback current according to the detection signal obtained from the magnetosensitive element R1 flows in the compensation coil 120, and the magnetic field applied to the magnetosensitive element R1 is maintained at zero by a cancelling magnetic field generated by the feedback current. Such closed loop control allows high detection accuracy to be achieved; Paragraph [0044] Line 1-18; By cancelling the magnetic field, maximum value of the magnetic field is reduced. However, excitation coil magnetic field is not reduced by the compensation coil and therefore the maximum value of an excitation magnetic field that the excitation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element is larger than the maximum value of a canceling magnetic field that the compensation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element). The purpose of doing so is to detect a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity, to apply a cancelling magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, to allow so-called closed loop control without involving an increase in the number of components.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the magnetic sensor of Edelstein in view of Fukui, because Fukui teaches to apply a maximum value of an excitation magnetic field that the excitation coil to the magnetosensitive element larger than a maximum value of a canceling magnetic field that the compensation coil applies to the magnetosensitive element detects a magnetic field in a low frequency region with high sensitivity (Paragraph [0005]), applies a cancelling magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, allows so-called closed loop control without involving an increase in the number of components (Paragraph [0013]).
Claim(s) 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edelstein ‘898 B1 in view of SOLIGNAC et al. (Hereinafter, “Solignac”) in the US Patent application Publication Number US 20210141033 A1.
Regarding claim 5, Edelstein fails to teach a magnetic sensor, wherein a state where a current value of the excitation current becomes zero continues for a certain period of time in one
cycle of the excitation current.
Solignac teaches a system and a method for suppressing low frequency noise of a magnetoresistive type sensor (Paragraph [0001] Line 1-3),
wherein a state where a current value of the excitation current becomes zero continues for a certain period of time in one cycle of the excitation current (In FIG. 4, the application of the saturation magnetic field to each element 301, 302 is carried out thanks to the current lines 303 and 304. The strong field-zero field oscillation takes place by integrated current lines 303 and 304 as proposed for example in FIG. 6. The current must be chosen in such a way that the sensor saturates in the current mode applied, that is to say that it makes it possible to create a magnetic field on elements greater than Hs+Hp where Hp is the desired field operating range for the sensor and Hs is the saturation field of the element. Since the current applied for a same field is going to vary inversely with the width of the sensors; Paragraph [0093] Line 1-10; The first operating point of the sensor corresponds to zero current in the lines; Paragraph [0094] Line 1-2; Therefore, current is zero in the time when the operating point is zero in the desired field operating range which is the period of time in a cycle). The purpose of doing so is to saturate the sensors with low or zero sensitivity, to separate the variations in resistance of a magnetoresistive sensor due to low frequency noise and the variations in resistance due to the variation in the external magnetic field B, to suppress the low frequency noise of magnetoresistive sensors.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Edelstein in view of Solignac, because Solignac teaches to include a state where a current value of the excitation current becomes zero saturates the sensors with low or zero sensitivity (Paragraph [0106]), separates the variations in resistance of a magnetoresistive sensor due to low frequency noise and the variations in resistance due to the variation in the external magnetic field B, suppresses the low frequency noise of magnetoresistive sensors (Paragraph [0027]).
Regarding claim 6, Edelstein fails to teach a magnetic sensor, wherein a time period during which the current value becomes zero exists 25% or more of one cycle of the excitation current.
Solignac teaches a system and a method for suppressing low frequency noise of a magnetoresistive type sensor (Paragraph [0001] Line 1-3),
wherein a time period during which the current value becomes zero exists 25% or more of one cycle of the excitation current (The modulation means M generate a supply signal V as well as two periodic signals L1 and L2 of frequency f and of adjustable pulse width. The typical frequency f for GMRs is around 100 kHz. For small sized TMRs it may go up to 10 MHz. The signal V is a DC voltage that supplies the GMR or TMR bridge. The periodic signals L1 and L2 supply the current lines 403, 404. A typical pulse width value is 50% of the total cycle. The two pulses are in phase. At the bridge output, a low noise preamplifier PA as well as a filter FPB cutting frequencies above and well below f condition the signal that is digitally acquired, converted and processed by the digital processing means DSP; Paragraph [0117] Line 1-12; 50% pulse width is the duty cycle in the range of 25% or more when the current value is zero). The purpose of doing so is to saturate the sensors with low or zero sensitivity, to separate the variations in resistance of a magnetoresistive sensor due to low frequency noise and the variations in resistance due to the variation in the external magnetic field B, to suppress the low frequency noise of magnetoresistive sensors.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Edelstein in view of Solignac, because Solignac teaches to have a time period during which the current value becomes zero exists 25% or more of one cycle of the excitation current saturates the sensors with low or zero sensitivity (Paragraph [0106]), separates the variations in resistance of a magnetoresistive sensor due to low frequency noise and the variations in resistance due to the variation in the external magnetic field B, suppresses the low frequency noise of magnetoresistive sensors (Paragraph [0027]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Takatsuji (US 20110241665 A1) discloses, “Multi-axis Fluxgate Magnetic Sensor- [0001] The present invention relates to a multi-axis fluxgate magnetic sensor. [0048] The first/second sensor unit 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B and FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C. A toroidal winding is provided as an excitation coil 2-1 to a ring-shaped magnetic core 1-1 indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 6A which is made of a high magnetic permeability material such as permalloy. A first detection coil and a second detection coil, respective axes of which are orthogonal to each other, are further wound around the ring-shaped magnetic core. In the embodiment in FIG. 6A, the ring-shaped magnetic core 1-1, around which the excitation coil 2-1 is wound, is fitted in an excitation coil fitting recess 11a of a coil securing frame 11-1, which is illustrated in FIG. 6B, and a second detection coil 4 and a first detection coil 3, respective axes of which are orthogonal to each other, are wound around the excitation coil 2-1 over the excitation coil securing frame 11-1, as illustrated in FIG. 7A. [0051] The third sensor unit 310 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, a toroidal winding is provided as an excitation coil 2-2 to a ring-shaped magnetic core 1-2 which is similar to the ring-shaped magnetic core 1-1. [0052] The excitation coil 2-2 is fitted in an excitation coil fitting recess 11a of a coil securing frame 11-2 in FIG. 6B. A solenoidal winding is wound as a third detection coil 5 around the ring-shaped magnetic core in the slots 11c. A solenoidal winding is further wound as a compensation coil 6 around the ring-shaped magnetic core in the slots 11b in such a manner that it is orthogonal to the third detection coil 5. As a result of winding the third detection coil 5 and the compensation coil 6 on the ring-shaped magnetic core 1-2 as described above, respective input axes of the third detection coil 5 and the compensation coil 6 are made to be orthogonal to each other. The ring-shaped magnetic core 1-2, the excitation coil 2-2, the coil securing frame 11-2, the third detection coil 5 and the compensation coil 6 constitute the third sensor unit 310-However Takatsuji does not disclose a modulation circuit that supplies an excitation current having a predetermined frequency to the excitation coil so as to periodically magnetically saturate the magnetosensitive element without magnetically saturating the magnetic field collecting body.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NASIMA MONSUR whose telephone number is (571)272-8497. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am-6:00 pm.
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/NASIMA MONSUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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