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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of "Species II, Figures 4A-4B, claims 8-15" in the reply filed on May 27, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that "at least claims 8, 9, and 15 are generic to each of Species II, Species III, Species IV, Species V, Species VI, and Species VII. As such, searching for at least Species Il-Species VII would not require a different field of search, would not necessitate search queries tailored to different structures, and thus, would not be a burden for the Examiner."
This argument, however, is not found to be persuasive because each of the various disclosed species details a mutually exclusive characteristic of a magnetic recording head as evidenced by the representation of each various species with a different figure or set of figures. A search for one of these mutually exclusive characteristics (including mutually exclusive features provided for in the independent and/or dependent claims) is not coextensive with a search for the other mutually exclusive characteristics and therefore searching for all mutually exclusive characteristics could not be done without serious burden.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Accordingly, claims 1-7 and 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to one or more non-elected inventions/species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
(i) With regard to page 1, lines 1-3, application number 18/511,235 should be amended to reflect that the application has matured into the U.S. Patent No. 12,380,923.
(ii) With regard to page 2, line 8 of paragraph [0006], the two periods after the word "head" should be changed to a single period.
(iii) With regard to page 8, lines 4-6, application number 16/365,034 should be amended to reflect that the application has matured into the U.S. Patent No. 10,991,390.
(iv) With regard to page 8, line 9 of paragraph [0030], the term "arrows 233" should be changed to the term --arrows 234-- in order to remain consistent with Fig. 2.
(v) With regard to page 9, lines 4 and 6 of paragraph [0032] and page 10, lines 1, 2, 5, 9 of paragraph [0036], and lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of paragraph [0037] the term "spintronic device 230" should be changed to the term -- spintronic device 250-- in order to remain consistent with Fig. 2.
(vi) With regard to page 9, lines 2, 4, 5, 9 of paragraph [0034]), the term "leading taper 244" should be changed to the term -- leading taper 224-- in order to remain consistent with Fig. 2.
(vii) With regard to page 15, line 4 of paragraph [0051], the term "second portion 302b" should be changed to the term --second portion 320b-- in order to remain consistent with Fig. 4A.
(viii) With regard to page 16, lines 1-8 the discussion of the current path through the recording head of Fig. 4A, references "second portion 312b" (which is not depicted or used in Fig. 4A), yet neglects discussion how the current flows into the magnetic layer (438) and then into the trailing shield 304. Applicant should consider tailoring the discussion of the embodiment of Fig. 4A to discuss the current path for the specific embodiment, in lieu of using the discussion of the embodiment associated with Fig. 3A, since there is no corresponding "second portion 312b" in the embodiment of Fig. 4A.
(ix) With regard to page 17, line 2 of paragraph [0058], the term "Figure 4" should be changed to the term --Figures 4A, 4B-- since there is no Figure simply abled as "Figure 4."
(x) With regard to page 18, paragraph [0060], the discussion of the current path through the recording head of Fig. 5A, references "second portion 312b" (which is not depicted or used in Fig. 5A), yet neglects discussion how the current flows into the magnetic layer (438) and then into the trailing shield 304. Applicant should consider tailoring the discussion of the embodiment of Fig. 5A to discuss the current path for the specific embodiment, in lieu of using the discussion of the embodiment associated with Fig. 3A, since there is no corresponding "second portion 312b" in the embodiment of Fig. 5A.
(xi) With regard to pages 20-21, paragraph [0067], the discussion of the current path through the recording head of Fig. 6A, references "second portion 312b" (which is not depicted or used in Fig. 6A), yet neglects discussion how the current flows into the magnetic layer (438) and then into the trailing shield 304. Applicant should consider tailoring the discussion of the embodiment of Fig. 6A to discuss the current path for the specific embodiment, in lieu of using the discussion of the embodiment associated with Fig. 3A, since there is no corresponding "second portion 312b" in the embodiment of Fig. 6A.
Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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 8 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Goncharov et al. (US 11,900,971 B1).
The applied reference has a common Applicant/Assignee/Inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
As per claim 8, Goncharov et al. (US 11,900,971 B1) discloses a magnetic recording head (e.g., Fig. 3A), comprising: a main pole (e.g. 310) disposed at a media facing surface (MFS) (Fig. 3A); a trailing shield (e.g., 324) disposed over the main pole (310); a hot seed layer (e.g., 320) disposed between the main pole (310) and the trailing shield (324) at the MFS; a conductive layer (316 - low resistance layer) disposed between the main pole and the hot seed layer (320) at the MFS (Fig. 3A); a first blocking layer (e.g., 314) comprising a first portion disposed between the main pole (310) and the conductive layer (316); a second blocking layer (e.g., 330) disposed between the hot seed layer and the trailing shield (324); and a magnetic layer (e.g., 318 - see col. 6, ll. 60-63) disposed between the first blocking layer (314) and the second blocking layer (330) - see Fig. 3A.
As per claim 15, a magnetic recording device (e.g. 100 - see Fig. 1) is provided.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-14 are tentatively objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but, pending an updated search, amendments or arguments presented by the Applicant and considered by the Examiner in reply to this office communication, would be favorably considered if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Citation of Prior or Relevant Art on enclosed PTO-892
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The cited art made of record (see the enclosed PTO-892), not applied to the rejection of the claims, supra, each disclose aspects of the claimed invention, including wherein cross-track current paths are provided proximate magnetic poles to assist with magnetic recording.
The best prior art has been applied to the claimed invention (see the rejection of the claims on the applied prior art, supra). However, if Applicant chooses to amend the claims in a manner to obviate the applied prior art, as noted in the rejection, supra, the Applicant is advised to not only carefully review the applied prior art for all it teaches and/or suggests, but also the cited prior art of record in order to obviate any potential rejections based on potential amendment(s); by doing so, compact prosecution on the merits can be enhanced.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to William J Klimowicz whose telephone number is (571)272-7577. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 8:00AM-6PM, ET.
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.
/WILLIAM J KLIMOWICZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
Prosecution Insights