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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 6/3/26, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10, 21-29 under 35 USC §103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of an objection and rejection under 35 USC § 112.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
The second occurrence of “IC package” is redundant.
Suggested amendment:
8. (Currently Amended) The IC package of claim 1, wherein the surface of the die is a first surface, and further comprising:
an interconnect, wherein a second surface of the die is mounted on a die pad of the interconnect; and
a wire bond that is coupled to the first surface of the die and to a pad of the interconnect.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-10, 21-46 is / 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 21 recite “the interface region is exposed to an environment of the IC package.” The phrase does not clearly identify the physical environment to which the interface region is exposed. Because the IC package itself is the claimed article, it is unclear whether the recited “environment” refers to an ambient environment external to the IC package, an internal environment within the IC package, a region outside the molding, or some other environment associated with the package.
Suggested amendment:
1. (Currently amended) An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising:
a die comprising an interface region situated on a surface of the die
a metal wall mounted on the surface of the die that circumscribes the interface region and extends from the surface of the die to a wall height, the metal wall comprising a first region and a second region that is stacked on the first region, the first region having a first width and the second region having a second width, the second width being greater than the first width; and
a molding encasing a remaining portion of the die, wherein the molding has a height that extends from the surface of the die to a level that is less than the wall height of the metal wall,
wherein the interface region is exposed from the molding.
Suggested amendment:
21. (Currently Amended) An integrated circuit (IC) package, comprising:
a cavity circumscribing an interface region on a surface of a die, the cavity extending from the surface of the die to a first height;
metal in the cavity forming a metal wall circumscribing the interface region of the die, wherein the metal wall comprises a first region having a first width, the first region extending from the surface of the die to the first height, and a second region stacked on the first region, the second region having a second width greater than the first width and the second region extending from the first height to a second height; and
a mold encasing the die, such that the interface region is exposed from the mold, and the mold extends from the surface of the die to a height less than the second height of the metal wall.
Claim 25 recites “wherein depositing the metal in the cavity comprises copper.” Claim 25 is directed to an IC package, yet the limitation is expressed in terms of a process instead of a product. Further, it is unclear how the act of depositing “comprises copper.”
Suggested amendment:
25. (Currently Amended) The IC package of claim 24, wherein
The other claims are rejected as being dependent on an indefinite base claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2021/0017018 (Liu), 2017/0081175 (Steiert), 2009/0215216 (Huang), teach a package including a wall for preventing molding material from flowing onto a sensor region.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERESA M ARROYO whose telephone number is (703)756-1576. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 A.M. E.T. - 5:00 P.M. E.T.).
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/TERESA M. ARROYO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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