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 filed 02/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that “Tuli fails to disclose the claimed "plurality of contact pads," at least because the Office Action maps the claimed "contact pads" to Tuli's protruding interconnect "bumps" (e.g., bumps 132/232/332). Tuli repeatedly characterizes these features as protruding interconnects (bumps) that are used to pierce a sealing film and insert into a corresponding hole (for example, as stated in ¶ [0014] of Tuli and ¶ [0017] of Tuli). In contrast, a "contact pad" (as recited in claim 1) is reasonably understood as a pad-type contact feature, not a protruding piercing structure. The Office Action's construction effectively reads "contact pads" on protruding members that are expressly described in Tuli as piercing elements.” The Examiner disagrees because "bumps" (e.g., bumps 132/232/332) of Tuli are to make electrical contact with the plurality of liquid metal interconnects (122/222/322 ) as claimed.
Applicant later argues that “Second, and independently, Tuli fails to disclose "individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects are adjacent a contact pad of the plurality of contact pads," as recited in claim 1. In the present application, "adjacent" is expressly defined as physical contact with no layer or component between the stated adjacent layers or components. Current Specification, ¶ [0024]. Tuli's liquid metal is sealed in holes by one or more sealing films (for example, upper sealing film 124/224/324 and lower sealing film 126/226/326, as stated in ¶ [0013] of Tuli and T [0017] of Tuli). In the embodiments relied upon by the Office Action, the sealing film is specifically positioned between the bump and the liquid metal until the bump pierces the sealing film (for example, as stated in ¶ [0014] of Tuli and ¶ [0017] of Tuli). Thus, in Tuli's disclosed configuration, the liquid metal interconnect is not "adjacent" any bump (or any purported "contact pad") while the cap layer is sealing the liquid metal interconnect, because the sealing film is between them. The Office Action's mapping of "adjacent" therefore depends on a configuration that is contrary to Tuli's disclosure of the sealing film separating the bump from the liquid metal until piercing occurs. The Examiner again disagrees because electrical contact between the contact pad(s) and individual liquid metal interconnects discloses claimed “the plurality of liquid metal interconnects are adjacent a contact pad of the plurality of contact pads”.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, “the individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads have a thickness less than a thickness of a corresponding liquid metal interconnect of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects.” of claim 27 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities: The phrase “the interposer is permanently attached to the circuit board” appears to be introducing new matter. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 22 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “the interposer has a sealing cap layer on only one side of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects.” has no support in the specification.
Claim 23 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads do not protrude into corresponding liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects.” has no support in the specification.
To expedite the process of the prosecution, the examiner has considered specification as disclosed for rejection of claims 21-23.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 4-5, 7 and 21-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tuli et al. (US 2009/0001576 A1), hereafter Tuli.
Regarding claim 1, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses a system comprising: an integrated circuit component 100/200/300, the integrated circuit component comprising: a plurality of contact pads 132/232/332; an interposer 120/220/320 comprising a plurality of liquid metal interconnects [122/222/322, see Abstract and ¶0012-0013 and ¶0023], wherein individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects are adjacent a contact pad of the plurality of contact pads; and a cap layer 126/226/326 that seals the plurality of liquid metal interconnects, and an adapter comprising: a carrier 110/210 comprising a top surface [surface towards 120/220/320] and a bottom surface [surface for 112/212]; a plurality of nails 114/214/312, wherein individual nails of the plurality of nails extend from the top surface [as shown], pierce the cap layer [see “A bump 132 on the die 130 may pierce the upper sealing film 124 to contact the liquid metal filled in a hole 122 and a bump 114 on the substrate 110 may pierce the lower sealing film 126 to contact the liquid metal in the hole 122, so that the liquid metal may provide an electrical path for the package 100 to interconnect the bump 132 on top of the hole 122 and the bump 114 on a lower side of the hole 122. The die 130 may be coupled to the substrate 110 by the liquid metal in a hole 122 that may interconnect a bump 132 and a bump 114.” as an example], and are electrically coupled to one of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects [see “so that the liquid metal may provide an electrical path for the package 100 to interconnect the bump 132 on top of the hole 122 and the bump 114 on a lower side of the hole 122. The die 130 may be coupled to the substrate 110 by the liquid metal in a hole 122 that may interconnect a bump 132 and a bump 114.”]; and a plurality of pads 112/212 on the bottom surface, wherein individual pads of the plurality of pads are electrically coupled to one of the plurality of nails [¶0016, see “FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor package 200. Referring to FIG. 2, the package 200 may comprise a spacer 220 that may couple a die 230 to a substrate 210. In one embodiment, the substrate 210 may be a ball grid array (BGA) substrate that may comprise a set of one or more solder balls 212 on one side, e.g., the lower side of FIG. 2“].
Regarding claim 4, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0012 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise gallium.
Regarding claim 5, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0012 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise gallium and indium.
Regarding claim 7, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0020 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise a low-temperature solder [“the spacer 320 may comprise a set of one or more holes 322 that may each be filled with a metal that may be in a liquid state, e.g., at a room temperature.].
Regarding claim 21, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit component further comprises a circuit board [330 as an example], wherein the circuit board comprises the plurality of contact pads, wherein the interposer is permanently attached [Tuli discloses this limitation as cited by Applicant in their published specification ¶0029, ¶0081] to the circuit board.
Regarding claim 22, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the interposer has a sealing cap layer on only one side [Tuli discloses one side] of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects.
Regarding claim 23, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads do not protrude [Tuli discloses electrical contact between contact pads and liquid metal interconnects] into corresponding liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects.
Regarding claim 24, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit component further comprises a circuit board [330 as an example], wherein the circuit board comprises the plurality of contact pads, wherein individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads are substantially flat and coplanar with a bottom surface of the circuit board [as shown].
Regarding claim 25, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit component further comprises a circuit board, wherein the plurality of contact pads is on the circuit board, wherein individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads are electrically coupled to a trace, a via, or another interconnect on the circuit board [implicit to electrical connection between 332 and 340, ¶0019].
Regarding claim 26, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the cap layer comprises a foam or a polymer [¶0013], wherein, after being pierced by an individual nail of the plurality of nails, the cap layer partially or fully seals a corresponding liquid metal interconnect of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects, wherein the cap layer prevents most or all liquid metal of the corresponding liquid metal interconnect from leaking out [see “prevent liquid metal leakage” at ¶0013].
Regarding claim 27, Tuli in different embodiment of fig. 1-3, ¶0014-0015, ¶0017, ¶0021, particularly fig. 2 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein individual contact pads of the plurality of contact pads have a thickness less than a thickness of a corresponding liquid metal interconnect of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects [thickness as claimed is implicit to 132 and hole 122, see ¶0014, as an example].
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) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuli as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chraft et al. (US 2008/0136432 A) hereafter Chraft.
Regarding claim 2, Tuli discloses the system of claim 1 including and the adapter. Tuli is silent about a test interface unit to test the integrated circuit component; and a compressible socket mated with the test interface unit and the adapter, the compressible socket comprising a plurality of pins, wherein individual pins of the plurality of pins are in contact with one of the plurality of pads. Chraft in testing environment and at fig. 1 discloses a test interface unit 114 to test [using a tester, ¶0023] the integrated circuit component 110; and a compressible socket 116 mated with the test interface unit, the compressible socket comprising a plurality of pins 106, wherein individual pins of the plurality of pins are in contact with one of the plurality of pads [108 of 110]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date add the test interface as taught by Chraft to the system of Tuli to test the integrated circuit component of Tuli. Modified Tuli discloses the compressible socket mated with the test interface unit and the adapter.
Regarding claim 3, modified Tuli discloses the system of claim 2, particularly Chraft discloses wherein the test interface unit 114 comprises a plurality of pads [pads of 120 on 114], wherein the compressible socket comprises a second plurality of pins [pins of 120 on 116], wherein individual pins of the second plurality of pins are in contact with one of the plurality of pads of the test interface unit [via 120 as shown].
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuli as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nelson et al. (US 5445308).
Regarding claim 6, Tuli discloses the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise gallium. Tuli also discloses the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise gallium and indium. Tuli is silent about wherein individual liquid metal interconnects of the plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprise gallium and tin. Nelson at Table 1, last paragraph on column 6 i.e. “Preferred liquid metal alloys comprise gallium with one or more of tin, bismuth and cadmium.” and at claim 12 discloses “wherein said liquid metal is selected from the group consisting of gallium, gallium/indium, gallium/tin, gallium/indium/tin, mercury, and combinations thereof.” Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use gallium and tin as taught by Nelson as liquid metal of Tuli for the same purpose as taught by Tuli to make the claim invention, since Tuli also discloses liquid metal.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuli as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lauder et al. (US 6130823), hereafter Lauder.
Regarding claim 8, Tuli discloses the system of claim 1. Tuli also discloses wherein the plurality of liquid metal interconnects. Tuli at ¶0016 discloses “ FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor package 200. Referring to FIG. 2, the package 200 may comprise a spacer 220 that may couple a die 230 to a substrate 210. In one embodiment, the substrate 210 may be a ball grid array (BGA) substrate that may comprise a set of one or more solder balls 212 on one side, e.g., the lower side of FIG. 2; however, in some embodiments, any other external interconnects may be utilized. In another embodiment, the substrate 210 may further comprise a first set of protruding interconnects such as bumps 214 on the upper side that may be coupled to the die 230. Examples of the substrate 210 may refer to the corresponding description with regard to the substrate 110 of FIG. 1.” Use of at least 1000 interconnect is old and well known in the BGA devices for high performance computing. Tuli is silent about said plurality of liquid metal interconnects comprises at least 1,000 liquid metal interconnects. Lauder at fig. 1 discloses ball grid array (BGA) module with one or more of the conductive balls 12 are in electrical contact with one or more of said interconnect pads 22. Interconnect is the portion connecting balls 12 and pads 22. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the interconnect of Tuli as taught by Lauder in order to make the claimed invention, to obtain advantages that Lauder has to offer and for high performance computing.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuli as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sauciue et al. (US 2009/0273083 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Tuli discloses an integrated circuit component 100/200/300 includes die 130/230/340. Tuli is silent about said integrated circuit component is a processor. Sauciue in similar environment at fig. 8 discloses the integrated circuit component is a processor [220/870/860 of 805/205, see “The IC die 220 may comprise any suitable processing system (either single core or multi-core), such as a microprocessor, a network processor, a graphics processor, a wireless communications device, a chipset, etc, as well as any combination of these and other systems or devices. an IC die 220 disposed on the first side 212. The IC die 220 may comprise any suitable processing system (either single core or multi-core), such as a microprocessor, a network processor, a graphics processor, a wireless communications device, a chipset, etc, as well as any combination of these and other systems or devices.”]. Sauciue also discloses the electrically conductive fluid 170/870 comprises a liquid metal. Examples of suitable liquid metals include gallium or an alloy of gallium and one or more additional metals (e.g. indium, tin, bismuth, lead, and/or others). According to a further embodiment, the fluid 170/870 comprises an electrically conductive paste, which may be metallic, non-metallic, or a mixture of metallic and non-metallic substances. For example, the fluid 170 may comprise a mixture of gallium (or a gallium alloy) and a thermal grease. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use processor of Sauciue for the integrated circuit component of Tuli for forming the claimed invention and modify the system of Tuli with the processor as taught by Sauciue.
Claim(s) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuli as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 28, Tuli discloses system of claim 1, wherein individual pads of the plurality of pads are heads of corresponding nails of the plurality of nails. Tuli is silent about wherein individual pads of the plurality of pads are coated with gold. Use of gold coating is old and well known in the art for many advantages such as to obtain super electrical conductivity, corrosion and oxidation resistance, wear resistance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use gold coating as claimed to take advantages that gold has to offer.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PARESH PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-1968. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am to 4:00pm.
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, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at 571-272-4448. 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.
/PARESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
April 4, 2026