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 .
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, 5, 7-9 and 12 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 12, claims 1 and 12 recites “the encapsulant”. However, “an encapsulant” is not recited earlier in the respective claims. Therefore, “the encapsulant” lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate change is required to resolve the antecedent basis issue. For purposes of compact prosecution the Examiner interprets “the encapsulant” as being “the encapsulating body” as “an encapsulating body” is recited earlier in both claims 1 and 12 and is supported by the drawings.
Claims 5 and 7-9 are also rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as they depend from and include all of the limitations of rejected claim 1.
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.
Claims 1, 5, 7-9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2023/0085734) hereinafter “Kim” in view of Tomita et al. (US 2006/0001147) hereinafter “Tomita”, Tsai (US 10,804,413) hereinafter “Tsai” and Tu et al. (US 2018/0012919) hereinafter “Tu” and in further view of Chen et al. (US 2019/0057992) hereinafter “Chen”.
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 1A of Kim teaches a sensor package structure (Paragraph 0002), comprising: a substrate (Item 110) including a plurality of soldering pads (Item 120UP); a sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) disposed on the substrate (Item 110), wherein a top surface of the sensor chip includes a sensing region (Item 220) and a carrying region (Item 210) that surrounds the sensing region (Item 220), wherein the soldering pads (Item 120UP) are arranged outside of the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220), and the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) includes a plurality of connection pads (Items 230) arranged on the carrying region (Item 210); a dam structure (Item 250) being in a ringed shape (Paragraph 0038) and disposed on the carrying region of the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220); a plurality of metal wires (Item 434), wherein one end of each of the metal wires (Item 434) is connected (electrically) to one of the soldering pads (Item 120UP), and another end of each of the metal wires (Item 434) is connected (electrically) to one of the connection pads (Item 230); a light-permeable layer (Item 410) arranged above the sensor chip through the dam structure (Item 250), wherein the light- permeable layer (Item 410) has an upper surface and a lower surface that is opposite to the upper surface, and wherein the light-permeable layer (Item 410), the dam structure (Item 250), and the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) jointly define an enclosed space (Item SP), and the sensing region (Item 220) faces the light-permeable layer (Item 410); and a visible light shielding layer (Item 420) being in a ringed shape (Fig. 1B) and disposed on the light-permeable layer (Item 410), wherein the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) is configured to block a visible light from passing therethrough, and the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) has an opening that is defined by an inner edge thereof and that is located directly above the sensing region (Item 220); where the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) has an inner laterally shielding segment (Portion of Item 420 to the right of the dotted line) that extends inwardly from the normally shielding segment (Portion of Item 420 within the bounds of the two dotted lines denoted by W3), and wherein the opening is defined by an inner edge of the inner laterally shielding segment; and an outer laterally shielding segment (Portion of Item 420 to the left of the dotted line) that extends outwardly from the normally shielding segment (Portion of Item 420 within the bounds of the two dotted lines denoted by W3), and that is arranged outside of the dam structure; and an encapsulating body (Item 350) formed on the substrate (Item 110), wherein the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) and the dam structure (Item 250) are embedded in the encapsulating body, and a part of the light-permeable layer (Item 410) corresponding in position to the opening is exposed from the encapsulating body (Item 350), and wherein each of the metal wires (Item 434) is at least partially embedded in the encapsulating body (Item 350; See interpretation in the 112(b) rejection of claim 1 above), and wherein the dam structure (Item 250), the connection pads (Item 230), and a part of each of the metal wires (Items 434) are located in a projection space defined by orthogonally projecting the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) toward the substrate (Item 110).
Kim does not teach where the dam structure is an infrared light-curing layer.
However, Kim further teaches where the dam structure is a sealing material which may be formed of polyimide, epoxy or glue (Paragraph 0038).
Tomita teaches where a dam structure (Item 30) is a sealing structure which is an infrared light curing layer (Paragraph 0047).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the dam structure of Kim be an infrared light curing layer because an infrared light curing layer is known to act as a sealing structure for a sensor package (Tomita Paragraph 0047).
Kim does not teach where the visible light shielding layer is disposed on the lower surface of the light permeable layer nor the visible light shielding layer only allows an infrared light to pass therethrough and travel onto the infrared light curing layer.
Fig. 3 of Tsai teaches where a visible light shielding layer (Item 41) is disposed on a lower surface of a light permeable layer (Item 3) and only allows a curing light (Item L1) to pass therethrough (Column 3, Lines 39-42) and travel onto a light curing layer (Item 21).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the visible light shielding layer be disposed on the lower surface of the light permeable layer and only allow an infrared light to pass therethrough and travel onto the infrared light curing layer because this would allow infrared light to pass through the visible light shielding layer such that the infrared light could reach and cure the dam structure (infrared light curing layer) (Tsai Column 3, Lines 52-55) to form a seal (Tsai Column 3, Lines 46-48) while providing shielding with respect to incoming light within a desired wavelength, visible light (Tsai Column 4, Lines 16-21).
When the visible light shielding layer of Kim is moved to the lower surface of the light permeable layer, as taught by Tsai, the inner laterally light shielding segment, the infrared light curing layer, the connection pads and a part of each of the metal wires of Kim will continue to be located in a projection space defined by orthogonally projecting the visible light shielding layer toward the substrate.
Kim does not teach where the visible light shielding layer has a normally shielding segment sandwiched between the light-permeable layer and the infrared light curing layer.
Fig. 3 of Tsai further teaches where the visible light shielding layer (Item 41) has a normally shielding segment sandwiched between the light-permeable layer (Item 3) and a light curing layer (Item 21) (which when combined with Tomita in claim 1 above is an infrared light curing layer).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the light shielding layer of Kim be disposed on the lower surface of the light permeable layer, where the visible light shielding layer has a normally shielding segment sandwiched between the light-permeable layer and the infrared light curing layer because this configuration allows for curing light to propagate through the light permeable layer to irradiate the photo-curable adhesive from a roughly orthogonal direction (Tsai Column 4, Lines 66-67 through Column 5, Lines 1-2).
While Fig. 1A of Kim further teaches where a bottom surface of the light permeable layer (Item 410) directly contacts a top surface of the encapsulating body (Item 350), Kim does not teach where the light permeable layer is embedded in the encapsulating body.
Fig. 1 of Tu further teaches where a light permeable layer (Item 4) is embedded in an encapsulating body (Item 53).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the light permeable layer be embedded in the encapsulating body because this allows for a fixing region to be formed which secures the light permeable layer in position (Tu Paragraph 0056).
When the light shielding layer of Kim is placed on the bottom surface of the light permeable layer of Kim as stated above, the light shielding layer will have a portion that extends to the outer edge of the light permeable layer such that the encapsulating body of Kim will be connected to a part of the visible light shielding layer.
Further, Tu further teaches where the encapsulating body (Item 53) firmly fixes structures in a predetermined position within the sensor package structure (Paragraph 0059).
Therefore, it would have been further obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the outer laterally shielding segment be embedded in and connected to the encapsulating body because the encapsulating body will firmly fix the light shielding layer in a predetermined position within the sensor package structure such that the sensor package structure has been reliability (Tu Paragraph 0059).
Kim does not teach where the outer laterally shielding segment is free from contacting the metal wires.
Fig. 3 of Chen teaches where a metal wire (Item 3) is present in an encapsulating body (Item 6) and where the metal wire does not contact a bottom surface of a light permeable layer (Item 41).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a metal wire that is not contacting a bottom surface of the light permeable layer such that the outer laterally shielding segment is free from contacting the metal wire because this configuration is known to electrically connect a substrate to a sensor chip (Chen Paragraph 0020). Further the use of the metal wire in Chen versus the metal wire in Kim, allows for the electrical connection of the metal wire to the substrate and sensor chip without the need for electrical pillars.
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 1A of Kim further teaches wherein an outer edge of the outer laterally shielding segment is flush with a surrounding lateral surface of the light-permeable layer (Item 410).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kim, Tomita, Tsai, Tu and Chen teaches all of the elements of the claimed invention as stated above.
Kim does not teach where at least one of the connection pads and a part of the corresponding metal wire connected thereto are embedded in the infrared light curing layer.
Figs. 1 and 6 of Tu teaches where at least one of connection pads (Items 215) and a part of a corresponding metal wire (Item 3) connected thereto are embedded in a combining layer (Item 52; equivalent to the infrared light curing layer when combined with Kim, Tomita and Tsai).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one of the connection pads and a part of the corresponding metal wire connected thereto are embedded in the infrared light curing layer because this configuration protects the metal wires from damage (Tu Paragraphs 0054 and 0056).
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 1A of Kim further teaches where at least one of the connection pads (Item 230) and the corresponding metal wire (Item 434) connected (electrically) thereto are located outside of the dam structure (Item 250; infrared light curing layer when combined with Tomita and Tsai as stated in the rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 1A of Kim further teaches where the visible light shielding layer is configured to block the visible light having a wavelength within a range from 365 nm to 780 nm (Paragraph 0043; See Examiner’s Note below).
Kim does not teach where the visible light shielding layer only allows the infrared light having a wavelength of at least 780 nm to pass therethrough.
However, as stated in the combination recited in the rejection of claim 1 above, Tomita teaches where a dam structure (Item 30) is a sealing structure which is an infrared light curing layer (Paragraph 0047) and Fig. 3 of Tsai teaches where a visible light shielding layer (Item 4) only allows a curing light (Item L1) to pass therethrough (Column 3, Lines 39-42) and travel onto a light curing layer (Item 21).
Further the Examiner takes official notice that one having ordinary skill in the art would know that the infrared wavelength spectrum ranges from 780 nm to 1 mm.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the visible light shielding layer only allows the infrared light having a wavelength of at least 780 nm to pass therethrough because this would allow infrared light to pass through the visible light shielding layer such that the infrared light could reach and cure the dam structure (infrared light curing layer) (Tsai Column 3, Lines 52-55) to form a seal (Tsai Column 3, Lines 46-48) while reflecting other types of undesired light.
Examiner’s Note: The Examiner notes that while Kim does not explicitly recite the wavelength range 365 nm to 780 nm, this wavelength range claimed covers the spectrum of visible light which Kim does explicitly state is the purpose of the light shielding layer to block in Paragraph 0043.
Regarding claim 12, Fig. 1A of Kim teaches a sensor package structure (Paragraph 0002), comprising: a substrate (Item 110) including a plurality of soldering pads (Item 120UP); a sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) disposed on the substrate (Item 110), wherein a top surface of the sensor chip includes a sensing region (Item 220) and a carrying region (Item 210) that surrounds the sensing region (Item 220), wherein the soldering pads (Item 120UP) are arranged outside of the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220), and the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) includes a plurality of connection pads (Items 230) arranged on the carrying region (Item 210); a dam structure (Item 250) being in a ringed shape (Paragraph 0038) and disposed on the carrying region of the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220); a plurality of metal wires (Item 434), wherein one end of each of the metal wires (Item 434) is connected (electrically) to one of the soldering pads (Item 120UP), and another end of each of the metal wires (Item 434) is connected (electrically) to one of the connection pads (Item 230); a light-permeable layer (Item 410) arranged above the sensor chip through the dam structure (Item 250), wherein the light- permeable layer (Item 410) has an upper surface and a lower surface that is opposite to the upper surface, and wherein the light-permeable layer (Item 410), the dam structure (Item 250), and the sensor chip (Combination of Items 210 and 220) jointly define an enclosed space (Item SP), and the sensing region (Item 220) faces the light-permeable layer (Item 410); and a visible light shielding layer (Item 420) being in a ringed shape (Fig. 1B) and disposed on the light-permeable layer (Item 410), wherein the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) is configured to block a visible light from passing therethrough, and the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) has an opening that is defined by an inner edge thereof and that is located directly above the sensing region (Item 220); an encapsulating body (Item 350) formed on the substrate (Item 110), wherein the sensor chip, (Combination of Items 210 and 220) and the dam structure (Item 250) are embedded in the encapsulating body (Item 350), and a part of the light permeable layer (Item 410) corresponding in position to the opening is exposed from the encapsulating body (Item 350) and wherein each of the metal wires (Item 434) is at least partially embedded in the encapsulant (Item 350), wherein the dam structure (Item 250), the connection pads (Item 230), and a part of each of the metal wires (Items 434) are located in a projection space defined by orthogonally projecting the visible light shielding layer (Item 420) toward the substrate (Item 110).
Kim does not teach where the dam structure is an infrared light-curing layer.
However, Kim further teaches where the dam structure is a sealing material which may be formed of polyimide, epoxy or glue (Paragraph 0038).
Tomita teaches where a dam structure (Item 30) is a sealing structure which is an infrared light curing layer (Paragraph 0047).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the dam structure of Kim be an infrared light curing layer because an infrared light curing layer is known to act as a sealing structure for a sensor package (Tomita Paragraph 0047).
Kim does not teach where the visible light shielding layer is disposed on the lower surface of the light permeable layer nor the visible light shielding layer only allows an infrared light to pass therethrough and travel onto the infrared light curing layer.
Fig. 3 of Tsai teaches where a visible light shielding layer (Item 41) is disposed on a lower surface of a light permeable layer (Item 3) and only allows a curing light (Item L1) to pass therethrough (Column 3, Lines 39-42) and travel onto a light curing layer (Item 21).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the visible light shielding layer be disposed on the lower surface of the light permeable layer and only allow an infrared light to pass therethrough and travel onto the infrared light curing layer because this would allow infrared light to pass through the visible light shielding layer such that the infrared light could reach and cure the dam structure (infrared light curing layer) (Tsai Column 3, Lines 52-55) to form a seal (Tsai Column 3, Lines 46-48) while providing shielding with respect to incoming light within a desired wavelength, visible light (Tsai Column 4, Lines 16-21).
When the visible light shielding layer of Kim is moved to the lower surface of the light permeable layer, as taught by Tsai, the infrared light curing layer, the connection pads and a part of each of the metal wires of Kim will continue to be located in a projection space defined by orthogonally projecting the visible light shielding layer toward the substrate.
While Fig. 1A of Kim further teaches where a bottom surface of the light permeable layer (Item 410) directly contacts a top surface of the encapsulating body (Item 350), Kim does not teach where the light permeable layer is embedded in the encapsulating body.
Fig. 1 of Tu further teaches where a light permeable layer (Item 4) is embedded in an encapsulating body (Item 53).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the light permeable layer be embedded in the encapsulating body because this allows for a fixing region to be formed which secures the light permeable layer in position (Tu Paragraph 0056).
Kim does not teach where the visible light shielding layer is free from contacting the metal wires.
Fig. 3 of Chen teaches where a metal wire (Item 3) is present in an encapsulating body (Item 6) and where the metal wire does not contact a bottom surface of a light permeable layer (Item 41).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a metal wire that is not contacting a bottom surface of the light permeable layer such that the visible light shielding layer is free from contacting the metal wires because this configuration is known to electrically connect a substrate to a sensor chip (Chen Paragraph 0020). Further the use of the metal wire in Chen versus the metal wire in Kim, allows for the electrical connection of the metal wire to the substrate and sensor chip without the need for electrical pillars.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s REMARKS, filed 07/07/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 12 under 35 USC 103(a) 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 Chen.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ERIC K ASHBAHIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5187. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5:30 PM.
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/ERIC K ASHBAHIAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891