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 .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
1. Claims 1-4, 6, 9, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bretthauer et al. (US 20230362551A1) in view of Cerini (US2020/382876A1).
As to Claim 1, Bretthauer teaches a MEMS device ( piezoelectric MEMS transducers, [0002]) comprising: a transducer element having a membrane structure, ( [0031] teaches, Figures 1a-1b the piezoelectric transducer comprises a deflectable structure 20 having a first portion 20-1 and a laterally adjoining second portion 20-2) wherein the membrane structure ( deflectable structure 20 having second portion 20-2, Figures 4a, 4b )comprises a ventilation region( perforations and openings 50,52) with a plurality of flaps( the shape of a flap or wing or fin 52, [0091]) and a stiffening structure mechanically anchored to the membrane structure,( [0092] teaches optionally the rib, ridge (beam) or grid pattern 26-1 of the structural stiffening element 26 for increasing the rigidity of the second portion 20-2 are arranged in/on the second portion 20-2 of the deflectable structure 20.). Regarding the following: wherein the stiffening structure comprises a peripheral frame element laterally surrounding the ventilation region and a cross-member mechanically coupled to the peripheral frame element and spanning the ventilation region, [0092], Figures 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b teaches the deflectable structure 20 comprises a lightweight construction which can be implemented by means of a flat material stack (having an insulating material layer), wherein the perforations or openings 50, 52, e.g. having the shape of a flap (=wing or fin), and optionally the rib, ridge (beam) or grid pattern 26-1 of the structural stiffening element 26 for increasing the rigidity of the second portion 20-2 are arranged in/on the second portion 20-2 of the deflectable structure 20. Thus, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 4a-4b, the passivation layer 24, the perforations or openings 50,52 and, optionally, the rib, ridge (beam) or grid pattern 26-1 of the structural stiffening element 26 are arranged in the center of the deflectable membrane structure 20, i.e. in the second portion 20-2 of the deflectable membrane structure 20. Bretthauer does not explicitly teach the stiffening structure comprises a peripheral frame element laterally surrounding the ventilation region and a cross-member mechanically coupled to the peripheral frame element and spanning the ventilation region. However, Cerini in related field ( piezoelectric MEMS transducer) teaches [0052] a through hole 28 passes through the whole active membrane 15, the pillar element 26 and the passive membrane 25, defining a path for the air from the rear surface 25b of the same passive membrane 25 (and from the through cavity 13) to the front surface 15a of the active membrane 15. [0054] teaches the through hole 28 constitutes the ventilation hole of the MEMS transducer 10 and, as discussed previously, its dimensions and configuration determine the low-frequency characteristics (the roll-off point) of the MEMS transducer 10. Further, on [0056]- [0058] teaches he passive membrane 25 carries, at its rear surface 25b, a reinforcement structure 30, so-called “stiffener”, formed integrally with the same passive membrane 25 (being, in the example discussed, also of semiconductor material, in particular polysilicon).[0057] The reinforcement structure 30, as illustrated schematically also in FIG. 4 (which is a view from beneath of the passive membrane 25), is as a whole shaped, for example, like a web, and has a plurality of projecting portions 31, coupled to the rear surface 25b of the passive membrane 25 and extending as protuberances towards the through cavity 13. [0058] In particular, the reinforcement structure 30 has the function of increasing the stiffness of the passive membrane 25, without adding further and significant mass contributions to the same passive membrane 25. In this way, it is possible to have a very thin passive membrane 25 (for example, with a thickness of 0.3 μm) with a high stiffness (being substantially unreformable). See at least Figures 2-4, 5K-6B. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the stiffening structure, such as ribs 26 of Bretthauer so that the stiffening structure further includes a peripheral frame laterally surrounding the ventilation region and a cross-member mechanically coupled to the peripheral frame element and spanning the ventilation region, as taught by reinforcement structure 30 of Cerini on Figure 4, [0056], [0057] to further increase the stiffness of the diaphragm, without adding further and significant mass contributions to the same diaphragm. See at least Cerini on [0058].
As to Claim 2, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the stiffening structure comprises a ridge, ledge and/or wall structure including an insulating material, ( [0107] of Bretthauer teaches a structural stiffening element 26 for increasing the rigidity of the second portion 20-2 is arranged on or in combination with the insulating material layer 24 (passivation layer). The structural stiffening element 26 of the insulating layer 24 may comprise a rib, ridge (beam) or grid pattern.
As to Claim 3, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and Bretthauer further teaches wherein the flaps( flap 52 of Figure 4b) are symmetrically arranged ( Figure 4b) with respect to a geometrical center point of the ventilation region ( openings 50).
As to Claim 4, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and Brethauer further teaches wherein the membrane structure( membrane 20) comprises a ventilation hole( 50) in the ventilation region( second portion 20-2, Figure 4B, [0091) .
As to Claim 6, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the flaps are elastically coupled to the membrane structure and are integrally formed from a portion of the membrane structure( [0091] of Bretthauer further teaches the second portion 20-2 of the deflectable membrane structure 20 may comprise perforations or openings 50, 52, wherein at least a part of (or all) the perforations or openings 50, 52 may comprise the shape of a flap 52 (=wing or fin) in the second portion 20-2 of the membrane structure 20. The flaps 52 are elastically coupled to the membrane structure 20, wherein the flaps 50 may form an integral portion of the membrane structure 20.)
As to Claim 9, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and, further comprising a counter-electrode structure arranged in a vertically spaced and overlapping configuration to the membrane structure, Cerini teaches on [0077] and Figures 3A and 5I, the piezoelectric sensing elements 19 are formed on the active membrane 15 (which has a thickness comprised, for example, between 0.5 μm and 1.5 μm). In particular, in a per se known manner, a bottom electrode layer, a first piezoelectric layer, an intermediate electrode layer, a second piezoelectric layer and a top electrode layer (in the case of a biomorphic structure) are deposited in sequence on the active membrane 15.)
As to Claim 17, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the ventilation region (second portion 20-2, Figure 1a ) is formed at a geometric central region of the membrane structure( deflectable membrane structure 20).
As to Claim 18, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and regarding the following: wherein the ventilation region is located offset from a geometrical central region of the membrane structure, Bretthauer on Figure 1a and Cerini on Figure 3A shows the ventilation region in the middle, but does not explicitly teach wherein the ventilation region is located offset from a geometrical central region of the membrane structure. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to place the ventilation region offset from the center region to achieve desire acoustic modification is well known in the art.
As to Claim 19, Bretthauer in view of Cerini teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the transducer element is a sound transducer with a microphone and/or a loudspeaker functionality, (Bretthauer teaches on [0010], [0011], [0033]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 8, 10-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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