CTNF 17/663,692 CTNF 84411 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. This is a Non-Final office action based on application 17/663,692 filed May 17, 2022. Claims 21-40 are currently pending and have been considered below. Specification 06-28-02 AIA The substitute specification filed April 7, 2026 has not been entered because it does not conform to 37 CFR 1.125(b) and (c) because: the new specification discloses many instances of new matter, noting that the Applicant’s statement simply saying this specification includes no instance of new matter, is respectfully traversed - see MPEP section 608.01(q) – noting: A substitute specification filed under 37 CFR 1.125(b) must be accompanied by a statement indicating that no new matter was included. There is no obligation on the examiner to make a detailed comparison between the old and the new specifications for determining whether new matter has been added. If, however, an examiner becomes aware that new matter is present, an objection thereto should be made. Many elements in the notating of the figures are changed and even one of ordinary skill in the art looking at the figures it would not be inherent that the numbered layers are what they are specifically pointed to now. For example (and this is far from exhaustive) that each specific limitation being pointed to is specifically conductive vs insulative, specific material of the layer, functional use of the layers, as well as why the structure maps to that specific element vs a different element in the figure. As an example, it is not clear that the metal supporting structure is 42 vs 35, 45, 41, 36, 32, 22, 86, or even some of the other unnumbered limitations . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-01 AIA The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claims 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) because applicant amended specification and claims introduce many new matter descriptions considered not inherently supported by the originally filed specification or inherently clear from the originally filed drawings, therefore the claims and disclosure of the new amended claims/specification is deemed new matter and has not been entered. Independent claim 21 has claim limitations to a coreless substrate including insulating layers and redistribution lines in the insulating layers, metal supporting structure, and an encapsulant related to the metal supporting structures. These limitations as to the combination of limitations together are not inherently made clear in the originally filed specification and/or originally filed drawings to convey the inventors had possession of the claimed invention at the time the application was originally filed (as an example, which elements are metal/conductive vs insulating to specifically map to the claimed layers and then their relationship with an encapsulant – simply looking at the original drawings does not clearly paint this picture). As a note, the original disclosure (which is describing a different invention and figures) does describe a ‘coreless substrate, package components, and an encapsulant’, but does not describe a metal supporting structure nor any clear combination of the elements as claimed. Further, independent claim 30 has claim limitations to a coreless substrate coreless substrate including insulating layers and redistribution lines, metal supporting structure, electrical connectors, an encapsulant, and a stiffener ring that is not inherently made clear in the originally filed specification and/or originally filed drawings to convey the inventors had possession of the claimed invention at the time the application was originally filed (as noted in the more detailed description as to claim 21 above). Further, claim 36 has claim limitations to a plurality of insulating layers on a carrier, redistribution lines, metal supporting structure, and an encapsulant that is not inherently made clear in the originally filed specification and/or originally filed drawings to convey the inventors had possession of the claimed invention at the time the application was originally filed (as noted in the more detailed description as to claim 21 above). Dependent claims 22-29, 31-35, and 37-40, include all the limitations in the independent claims above, while also further limiting the independent claims and limitations that are considered new matter. If Applicant disagrees with the above, please provide clear support from the originally filed disclosure as to how one would identify the claimed subject matter in the original disclosure. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cheng (Pre-Grant Publication 2025/0364383) discloses corner reinforcement structure on a substrate of a package structure. Kim (Pre-Grant Publication 2025/0364516) discloses a second semiconductor chip on a upper interconnection structure and first semiconductor chip and third semiconductor chips spaced apart from the second semiconductor chip in a horizontal direction. Hsieh (Pre-Grant Publication 2025/0349654) discloses a package structure comprising a ring structure on a substrate and a heat sink structure on the ring structure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON C FOX whose telephone number is (571)270-5016. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-6:00PM. 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, Jeff W Natalini can be reached at 571-272-2266. 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. 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. /BRANDON C FOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2818 /JEFF W NATALINI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818 Application/Control Number: 17/663,692 Page 2 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 17/663,692 Page 3 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 17/663,692 Page 4 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 17/663,692 Page 5 Art Unit: 2818
Prosecution Insights