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 .
In view of the Appeal Brief filed on 04/24/2026, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY
REOPENED. A new ground rejection is set forth below.
To avoid abandonment of the application, appellant must exercise one of the
following two options:
(1) file a reply under 37 CFR 1.111 (if this Office action is non-final) or a reply
under 37 CFR 1.113 (if this Office action is final); or,
(2) initiate a new appeal by filing a notice of appeal under 37 CFR 41.31 followed
by an appeal brief under 37 CFR 41.37. The previously paid notice of appeal fee and
appeal brief fee can be applied to the new appeal. If, however, the appeal fees set forth
in 37 CFR 41.20 have been increased since they were previously paid, then appellant
must pay the difference between the increased fees and the amount previously paid.
A Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by
signing below:
/Timothy J. Dole/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 12, line 1, please, change “A power module” to - - The power module - - for proper reading.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-5, 7-9, and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cottet et al. (U.S. 2017/0338162) in view of Armstrong et al. (U.S. 2013/0010419).
As to claim 1, Cottet discloses a power module (10, para-0057) as shown in figure 1 comprising:
a group of at least three rectangular electrical power components (24) arranged on a substrate (12), and wherein at least one side of another of the rectangular electrical power components (24) is orthogonal or parallel to the line.
Cottet does not specifically disclose at least one side of at least one of the rectangular electrical power components is not orthogonal or parallel to a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components of the group.
Armstrong teaches a server system (600 as shown in figure 6 comprising a group of at least three rectangular electrical power components (206) arranged on a substrate (432), and at least one side of at least one (the side of the left or right switch 206) of the rectangular electrical power components (206) is not orthogonal or parallel to a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components (206) of the group.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Armstrong employed in the power module of Cottet in order to reduce the electrical connections in distance between the chips of one group, and reduce the thermal resistance of the heat-conducting path.
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Regarding claim 2, Cottet as modified by Armstrong disclose the geometric centres of all of the rectangular electrical power components (24) that comprise the group are disposed along a straight line.
Regarding claim 3, Cottet as modified by Armstrong discloses the group of
rectangular electrical power components (24) are electrically connected in parallel, see para-0060.
Regarding claim 4, Cottet as modified by Armstrong discloses the rectangular electrical power components (102) are semiconductor switches (para-0058+).
Regarding claim 5, Cottet as modified by Armstrong discloses the power module (10) provides a half bridge circuit, para-0060+.
Regarding claim 7, Cottet as modified by Armstrong discloses external DC power terminals (60, 62) are arranged at one end of the module in the first direction, and one or more AC power terminals are arranged at the opposite end of the module in the first direction, para-0023+.
Regarding claim 8, Cottet as modified by Armstrong teaches in figure 6 the angle between a side of at least one of the rectangular electronic power components (206) and a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components of the group is within the range 30-60°
Regarding claim 9, Cottet as modified by Armstrong teaches the angle between a side of at least one of the rectangular electronic power components (206) and a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components of the group is 45°.
As to claim 11, Cottet discloses a power module (10, para-0057) as shown in figure 4 comprising:
a group of at least three rectangular electrical power components (24) arranged on a substrate (12), and
a first load track (28) and a second load track (18) located on the substrate (12); wherein the at least three rectangular electrical power components (24) are arranged on the first load track (28).
Cottet does not specifically disclose at least one side of at least one of the rectangular electrical power components is not orthogonal or parallel to a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components of the group.
Armstrong teaches a server system (600 as shown in figure 6 comprising a group of at least three rectangular electrical power components (206) arranged on a substrate (432), and at least one side of at least one (the side of the left or right switch 206) of the rectangular electrical power components (206) is not orthogonal or parallel to a line that passes through the geometric centres of the remaining rectangular electrical power components (206) of the group.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Armstrong employed in the power module of Cyr in order to reduce the electrical connections in distance between the chips of one group, and reduce the thermal resistance of the heat-conducting path
Regarding claim 12, Cottet as modified by Armstrong further comprising wirebonds (26) connecting the at least three rectangular electrical power components (24) to the second load track (18).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Cottet as best or in combination of other references do not teaches, suggest the power module having the power module comprises two first sets of semiconductor switches, each first set of semiconductor switches being mounted on the inner load track and electrically connected to an intermediate load track such that the first sets of semiconductor switches form a first arm of the half bridge circuit; wherein the power module comprises two second sets of semiconductor switches, each second set of semiconductor switches being mounted on an intermediate load track and electrically connected to an outer load track, such that the second sets of semiconductor switches form a second arm of the half bridge circuit.
Claim 10 is allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: neither the references cited nor the cited references teach, suggest, or in combination of a power module having the power module comprises two first sets of semiconductor switches, each first set of semiconductor switches being mounted on the inner load track and electrically connected to an intermediate load track such that the first sets of semiconductor switches form a first arm of the half bridge circuit; and wherein the power module comprises two second sets of semiconductor switches, each second set of semiconductor switches being mounted on an intermediate load track and electrically connected to an outer load track, such that the second sets of semiconductor switches form a second arm of the half bridge circuit.
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.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN T DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-1929. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm, M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
