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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 23, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment to claim 23 overcomes the objection to claim 23. Accordingly, the objection to claim 23 is withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 16 – 19, 21 – 25, and 28 - 32 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. In addition, the allowance of claims 1 – 6 is withdrawn in view of the prior art reference, Cohn (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0194456).
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.
Claims 16 – 19, 21 – 22, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cohn (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0194456).
Regarding claim 16, in Figure 4I, Cohn discloses a printed circuit board, comprising: a bump pad layer (comprising 140, 150) comprising a connection means (comprising 140, 150) embedded in an etched dielectric material (120), the etched dielectric material having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the connection means such that a first portion (150) of the connection means extends above a surface of the etched dielectric material and is operable to receive a coupling means (solder bumps 220 are placed in contact with the mounting pad caps 150, paragraph [0026]; Figure 3) and wherein a second portion of the connection means (140) is embedded within the etched dielectric material and has a bottom surface that is substantially planar with respect to a second surface (bottom surface of layer 120) of the etched dielectric material; and a trace metal layer (130) separate from the bump pad layer (bump pad layer 140, 150 is adjacent to trace metal layer 130, but they are separate layers; see Figure 10 of the claimed invention in which bump pad layer 410 is adjacent to trace metal layer 710) and comprising a signal transmission means (130) embedded in a second dielectric material (110) wherein the signal transmission means is electrically coupled to the bottom surface of the second portion of the connection means (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 17, Cohn discloses wherein the first portion of the connection means extends approximately ten micrometers or less above the surface of the etched dielectric material (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 18, Cohn discloses wherein the signal transmission means is plated on the bottom surface of the second portion of the first connection means (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 19, Cohn discloses wherein the bump pad layer substantially covers the trace metal layer (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 21, Cohn discloses wherein the connection means prevents non-wetting between the connection means and the coupling means when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 22, Cohn discloses wherein the connection means prevents a bridge from forming between adjacent connection means on the printed circuit board when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 32, Cohn discloses wherein the first connection means is a unitary structure (Figure 4I).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 – 6, 23 – 25, and 28 – 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohn.
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 4I, Cohn discloses a printed circuit board, comprising: a bump pad layer (comprising 140, 150) comprising a unitary bump pad (comprising 140, 150) embedded in a first dielectric material (120), a first portion of the unitary bump pad (150) extending above a first surface of the first dielectric material and operable to receive a solder ball (solder bumps 220 are placed in contact with the mounting pad caps 150, paragraph [0026]; Figure 3) and a second portion of the unitary bump pad (140) being embedded within the first dielectric material and having a bottom surface that is substantially planar with respect to a second surface of the first dielectric material (Figure 4I); and a trace metal layer (130) separate from the bump pad layer (bump pad layer 140, 150 is adjacent to trace metal layer 130, but are separate layers; see Figure 10 of the claimed invention in which bump pad layer 410 is adjacent to trace metal layer 710), the trace metal layer comprising a trace (130) plated on the bottom surface of the second portion of the unitary bump pad, the trace metal layer being embedded in a second dielectric material (110). Cohn does not specifically disclose mounting pad 140 and mounting pad cap 150 as being an unitary bump pad. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to integrally form the mounting pad 140 and the mounting pad cap 150, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed into pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howard v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1893).
Regarding claim 2, Cohn discloses wherein the first portion of the bump pad is adapted to electrically couple to a pillar of an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 3, Cohn discloses wherein the bump pad layer prevents a solder bridge from forming between connection points on the printed circuit board when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 4, Cohn discloses wherein the bump pad layer prevents solder non-wetting between the bump pad in the bump pad layer and the solder ball when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 5, Cohn discloses wherein the bump pad extends approximately ten micrometers or less above the surface of the first dielectric material (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 6, Cohn discloses wherein the bump pad layer substantially covers the trace metal layer (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 23, in Figure 4I, Cohn discloses a printed circuit board, comprising: a first layer (120) comprising: a first dielectric material (120) etched to a first height; and a unitary bump pad (comprising 140, 150) embedded in and extending through the first dielectric material, the unitary bump pad having a second height that is greater than the first height (Figure 4I), such that: a first portion of the unitary bump pad (150) extends above a first surface of the first dielectric material; and is operable to receive a bonding material (solder bumps 220 are placed in contact with the mounting pad caps 150, paragraph [0026]; Figure 3); and a second portion of the unitary bump pad (140) is embedded in the first dielectric material such that a bottom surface of the second portion of the unitary bump pad is planar with respect to a second surface of the first dielectric material (Figure 4I); and a second layer (110) comprising: a second dielectric material (110); and a trace (130) embedded in the second dielectric material and directly coupled to the bottom surface of the second portion of the unitary bump pad (Figure 4I). Cohn does not specifically disclose mounting pad 140 and mounting pad cap 150 as being an unitary bump pad. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to integrally form the mounting pad 140 and the mounting pad cap 150, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed into pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howard v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1893).
Regarding claim 24, Cohn discloses wherein the first portion of the unitary bump pad is electrically coupleable to a pillar of an electronic component (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 25, Cohn discloses wherein the trace is plated to the bottom surface of the second portion of the unitary bump pad (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 28, Cohn discloses wherein the unitary bump pad prevents solder non-wetting between the unitary bump pad and the bonding material when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 29, Cohn discloses wherein the unitary bump pad prevents a bridge from forming between adjacent connection points on the printed circuit board when an electronic component is mounted on the printed circuit board (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 30, Cohn discloses wherein the second layer extends substantially along the first layer (Figure 4I).
Regarding claim 31, Cohn discloses wherein the first portion of the bump pad and the second portion of the bump pad are plated as a single, unitary structure (Figure 4I).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847