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 § 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 1-3, 5-7, 9, 10 and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by OH et al. (US PG Pub 2012/0049386, hereinafter Oh).
Regarding claim 1, figure 1 of Oh discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a substrate (110);
attaching an electronic component (120) to the substrate;
attaching a fixing feature (140) to an upper surface of the electronic component, wherein the fixing feature extends along the upper surface of the electric component and includes a portion extends beyond a lateral surface of the electronic component; and
forming a bonding wire (150) connecting the substrate and the electronic component, wherein the bonding wire is at least partially disposed on the fixing feature, and the fixing feature is disposed between the bonding wire and the exposed area of the substrate, and an end of the portion of the fixing feature is in contact with the bonding wire.
Regarding claim 2, figure 1 of Oh discloses the fixing feature (140) is spaced apart from the lateral surface of the electronic component (120).
Regarding claim 3, figure 1 of Oh discloses the portion of the fixing feature (140) is slanted with respect to the lateral surface of the electronic component (120).
Regarding claim 5, figure 1 of Oh discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a substrate (110);
disposing an electronic component (120) on the substrate;
forming a bonding wire (150) comprising a first terminal connected to the electronic component and a second terminal connected to the substrate; and
forming a fixing feature (140) on the substrate, wherein the bonding wire is at least partially on the fixing feature, and the fixing feature extends along an upper surface of the electric component;
wherein the fixing feature has a first portion over an upper surface of the electronic component and a second portion spaced apart from the upper surface of the electronic component and extending beyond a lateral surface of the electronic component, and an end of the second portion of the fixing feature is in contact with the bonding wire.
Regarding claim 6, figure 1 of Oh discloses the fixing feature (140) is spaced apart from the lateral surface of the electronic component (120).
Regarding claim 7, figure 1 of Oh discloses forming an encapsulant (160) encapsulating the electronic component (120), wherein the fixing feature (140) is spaced apart from the lateral surface of the electronic component by the encapsulant.
Regarding claim 9, figure 1 of Oh discloses the second portion of the fixing feature (140) is slanted with respect to the lateral surface of the electronic component (120).
Regarding claim 10, figure 1 of Oh discloses the second portion of the fixing feature (140) is spaced apart from an upper surface of the substrate (120).
Regarding claim 13, figure 1 of Oh discloses the bonding wire (150) is conformally on the second portion of the fixing feature (140).
Regarding claim 14, figure 1 of Oh discloses the bonding wire (150) is spaced apart from the first portion of the fixing feature (140).
Regarding claim 15, figure 1 of Oh discloses the fixing feature (140) extends from the first terminal of the bonding wire (150) to the second terminal of the bonding wire.
Regarding claim 16, figure 1 of Oh discloses the bonding wire (150) is against a corner of the electronic component (120), wherein the corner of the electronic component is defined by an upper surface and a lateral surface of the electronic component.
Regarding claim 17, figure 1 of Oh discloses the fixing feature (140) is in contact with an upper surface of the electronic component (120).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants argue that Oh shows the end of the contact-preventing portion 144 is not in contact with the conductive connecting member 150.
However, the claimed “portion” of the fixing feature can be interpreted such that an “end of the portion” coincides with the section that is in contact with the wire 150. The claim does not specifically delineate where the “portion” starts and ends.
For at least the aforementioned reasons, the rejection is deemed proper and made final.
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.
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/YU-HSI D SUN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817