DETAILED ACTION
General Remarks
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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/09/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 07/09/2026 has been entered. Claims 2-3, 8-11, 14 and 19 are
canceled. The limitation of claim 30 of “wherein each intermediate pad of the intermediate pads includes a metal pad having a shape of a plurality of shapes or having a size of a plurality of sizes” describes a Species (such as 1A-1K) different to the Species showed in claim 26 (4A-4I), then claim 30 is withdrawn by consideration.
The terminal disclaimer filed on 02/06/2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent
granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of any patent granted on application serial number 16/225,182 has been reviewed and accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
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.
Claim 26-34 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 claim 26, it recites the limitation “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row.…” is not explained. The limitation is not clear what is the location of “a first row” and “a second row”. Therefore, it is indefinite. For the examination purpose and according to Figure 4I, the limitation “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row” is interpreted as “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row on a first side of the row of the intermediate pads, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row on a second side of the row of the intermediate pads…”.
Regarding claims 27-33, those are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112 (b), because of their dependency status from claim 26.
Regarding claim 28, it recites the limitation “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads are on a same side or opposite sides of the row of the intermediate pads …” is not explained. The limitation is not clear what are “the same side or opposite sides” of the row of the intermediate pads for that reason this limitation has multiple interpretations. Therefore, it is indefinite. For the examination purpose and according to claim 26 and Figure 4I, the limitation “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads are on a same side or opposite sides of the row of the intermediate pads…” is interpreted as “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads are on a same side and opposite sides of the row of the intermediate pads…”.
Regarding claim 29, it recites the limitation “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads extend in a same direction or in opposite directions…” is not explained. The limitation is not clear what are “a same direction” or “in opposite directions” for that reason this limitation has multiple interpretations. Therefore, it is indefinite. For the examination purpose and according to claim 26 and Figure 4I, the limitation “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads extend in a same direction or in opposite directions …” is interpreted as “…wherein the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads extend in a same direction and in opposite directions …”.
Regarding claim 34, it recites the limitation “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row.…” is not explained. The limitation is not clear what is the location of “a first row” and “a second row”. Therefore, it is indefinite. For the examination purpose and according to Figure 4I, the limitation “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row” is interpreted as “…the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row on a first side of the row of the intermediate pads, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row on a second side of the row of the intermediate pads…”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 1, 4-7, 12-13, 15-18 and 20-25 are allowed.
Claims 26-29 and 31-33 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claim 34 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35
U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The closest prior art to the present invention is Otremba et al. (US 20150270208 A1)
Otremba discloses a power semiconductor device including a leadframe, which includes a first chip carrier part and at least one second chip carrier part, which are fitted at a distance from one another and are in each case electrically conductive, at least one first power semiconductor component applied on the first chip carrier part, at least one second power semiconductor component applied on the second chip carrier part, external contacts in the form of external leads.
Re: Independent Claim 1 (and dependents claims 4-7, 12-13, 15-18 and 20-25), there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to provide:
first gull-wing leads and second gull-wing leads on the side of the die, the first gull-wing leads and the second gull-wing leads attached to the second surfaces of a row of the intermediate pads, the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces external to the encapsulation material and aligned in a first row on a first side of the row of the intermediate pads, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces external to the encapsulation material and aligned in a second row on a second side of the row of the intermediate pads opposing the first side of the row of the intermediate pads, and the first external attachment surfaces and the second external attachment surfaces facing the second direction.
Re: Independent Claim 26 (and dependents claims 27-29,31-33), there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to provide:
first gull-wing leads and second gull-wing leads coupled to a row of the intermediate pads, the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row on a first side of the row of the intermediate pads, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row on a second side of the row of the intermediate pads and the first gull-wing leads interleaved with the second gull-wing leads in a direction along the row of the intermediate pads.
Re: Independent Claim 34, there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to provide:
mounting a die on a carrier; forming intermediate pads on the carrier; forming electrical connections between the die and the intermediate pads; encapsulating the die, the electrical connections, and portions of the intermediate pads; removing the carrier to expose the intermediate pads; and attaching first gull-wing leads and second gull-wing leads coupled to a row of the intermediate pads, the first gull-wing leads having first external attachment surfaces aligned in a first row on a first side of the row of the intermediate pads, the second gull-wing leads having second external attachment surfaces aligned in a second row on a second side of the row of the intermediate pads, and the first gull-wing leads interleaved with the second gull-wing leads in a direction along the row of the intermediate pads.
Missing elements in the closest art gives rise to the innovation in the current invention.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANDRA M RODRIGUEZ VILLANUEVA whose telephone number is (571)272-1936. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am-5:00pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at (571) 272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANDRA MILENA RODRIGUEZ VILLANUEVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898
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