DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues (starting at the bottom of page 6; with the meat of argument at the bottom of page 7 and top of page 8) that the elements that Examiner argues read on “flexible circuit board” in FIG. 4B of Azuma is not “flexible” because it is actually ceramic, which is not “flexible”, by definition.
This argument is found unpersuasive in light of the other teaching that Examiner pointed out in his Non-Final Rejection of claim 1. Specifically, the same portion that was cited in FIG. 4B, is shown to be “Flexible Circuit” in FIGs. 5A-B of Azuma [Wingdings font/0xE0] “at the very least such configuration is obvious in light of explicit teachings of FIG. 5B”, as Non-Final Rejection of claim 1 pointed out. In other words, Examiner does not rely on FIG. 4B to teach “flexible”. He relies on FIGs. 5A-B to teach “flexible”. Thus Applicant’s argument is unpersuasive.
Applicant argues that Azuma teaches a “single component”, even though the claim requires two components [Wingdings font/0xE0] flexible circuit board and reinforcing plate.
This argument is found unpersuasive in light of MPEP. Specifically, MPEP is quite clear that “making integral” or “making separable” does not result in any patentable distinction (MPEP 2144.04). This is not something that Examiner argues, this is something that MPEP requires. Examiner is not allowed to consider that something has patentable weight, merely because it is made in two separate parts (as Applicant claims), instead of one. Hence, Applicant’s argument is found unpersuasive.
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 of this title, 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, 5-6, 8-10, 14-15, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US-2014/0043525) by Azuma et al (“Azuma”) in view of (US-2019/0043906) by Wu et al (“Wu”).
Regarding claim 1, Azuma discloses in FIGs. 4B and 5A-B and related text, e.g., a packaging structure (see FIG. 4B) comprising:
a flexible circuit board (unmarked; see “image sensor”; it is flip-chip connected (par. 12); 4 example balls are shown as connections from “image sensor” going above; hence, the item directly above the 4 balls is “circuit board” [Wingdings font/0xE0] that is why the balls are connecting to it; as far as “flexible”, see, FIG. 5A; it shows “image sensor” being connected to a “flexible circuit” above, in a way similar to FIG. 4B; hence, the item in FIG. 4B is a “flexible circuit board” or at the very least such configuration is obvious in light of explicit teachings of FIG. 5B) comprising a first opening (opening in the “circuit board” that contains “IR filter”, L1, etc.), a first connecting portion surrounding the first opening (a portion of “flexible circuit board” where the 4 example balls are shown; directly above the “image sensor”), and a second connecting portion surrounding and coupled with the first connecting portion (a portion of “flexible circuit board” to the outside of where the 4 example balls are shown; a portion that is not directly above the “image sensor”);
an image sensor (“image sensor”) comprising a photosensitive area (central area; the one that has “IR Filter” and “L1” above it; hence, “photosensitive area”) and a connection area surrounding the photosensitive area (see the 4 balls that are shown, that are connecting to the “circuit board” above; “connecting area” is below the balls, on the “image sensor”), the connection area being electrically coupled with the first connecting portion through a conductive body (the 4 example balls), the photosensitive area being exposed by the first opening (see FIG. 4B);
a reinforcing plate (directly to the left and right of the image sensor, and directly below the “flexible circuit board”), wherein the reinforcing plate and the image sensor are located on a same side of the flexible circuit board (see FIG. 4B); and the reinforcing plate is formed on a surface of the second connecting portion (as was explained directly above, regarding FIG. 4B of Azuma: a portion of “flexible circuit board” to the outside of where the 4 example balls are shown; a portion that is not directly above the “image sensor”; that portion is “on a surface of the second connecting portion”).
Azuma does not disclose “an adhesive layer covering edges of the image sensor and coupling the image sensor, the reinforcing plate, and the flexible circuit board”.
Azuma also does not disclose “a material of the reinforcing plate is plastic”.
Wu discloses in FIG. 1 and related text (to match presentation of Azuma, turn FIG. 1 upside down; the “photosensitive area” of Wu is 8 (par. 49); hence, to match “photosensitive area” of Azuma, turn the drawing upside down), e.g., an adhesive layer (14) bonding together image sensor (6), the object to the sides of image sensor (24), the object above of image sensor (22 and 16) and the conductor (10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the device of Azuma with “an adhesive layer bonding together “image sensor”, the object to the sides of image sensor, the object above of image sensor and the conductor” as taught by Wu,
and with “a material of the reinforcing plate is plastic”,
in order “to compensate for different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) between the chip, the bumps, the traces, the layer 16, the transparent cover, and so forth, to increase life expectancy of the package, reduce crack growth, etc.” (par. 55), and
in order to simplify processing steps of making of the device, by making the device out of notoriously well-known materials (use of plastics in semiconductor industry related packaging is known at least from 1980’s; hence, use of plastics in a specific application is at the very least would be obvious to a POSITA), respectively.
It has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
When these specific teachings of Wu are applied to device of Azuma it will result in “an adhesive layer covering edges of the image sensor “an adhesive layer covering edges of the image sensor (14 of Wu covers 6) and coupling the image sensor (6), the reinforcing plate (Wu’s equivalent in the same position, to the left and right of image sensor [Wingdings font/0xE0] 26 of Wu), and the flexible circuit board (Wu’s equivalent in the same position, above image sensor [Wingdings font/0xE0] 16/22 of Wu)”.
Regarding the process limitations of "formed … by injection molding", these would not carry patentable weight in this claim drawn to a structure, because distinct structure is not necessarily produced.
Note that a "product by process" claim is directed to the product per se, no matter how actually made, In re Hirao, 190 USPQ 15 at 17 (footnote 3). See also In re Brown, 173 USPQ685; In re Luck, 177 USPQ 523; In re Fessmann, 180 USPQ 324; In re Avery, 186 USPQ 161; In re Wertheim, 191 USPQ 90 (209 USPQ 554 does not deal with this issue); and In re Marosi et al., 218 USPQ 289, all of which make it clear that it is the patentability of the final product per se which must be determined in a "product by process" claim, and not the patentability of the process, and that an old or obvious product produced by a new method is not patentable as a product, whether claimed in "product by process" claims or not. Note that the applicant has the burden of proof in such cases, as the above case law makes clear.
Regarding claim 5, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein the reinforcing plate (as explained in claim 1, regarding FIG. 4B of Azuma: directly to the left and right of the image sensor, and directly below the “flexible circuit board”) defines a second opening (the one that contains “image sensor”) communicating with the first opening (see FIG. 4B), the image sensor is arranged in the second opening (as stated directly above) and recesses into the reinforcing plate (see FIG. 4B; bottom surface of “reinforcing plate” is below bottom surface of “image sensor”; hence, “image sensor recesses into reinforcing plate”; thus meeting limitations), and the adhesive layer is arranged between the reinforcing plate and the connection area (as was explained in claim 1, regarding FIG. 1 of Wu) and extends to the connection area (as was explained in claim 1, regarding FIG. 1 of Wu) and the first connecting portion (as was explained in claim 1, regarding FIG. 1 of Wu).
Regarding claim 6, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein a size of the first opening is smaller than a size of the image sensor (as shown in FIG. 4B), and the size of the image sensor is smaller than a size of the second opening (as shown in FIG. 4B).
Regarding claim 8, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., further comprising a passive element (FIG. 1 of Wu, 28; it is a “via” per par. 48; hence, it is a notoriously well-known passive element, known as “resistor”, by definition) embedded in the reinforcing plate (see FIG. 1) and electrically coupled with the second connecting portion (see FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 9, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein the adhesive layer (FIG. 1 of Wu, 14) further extends to a surface of the connection area (left and right edges of 6) facing away from the flexible circuit board (left and right edges of 6 are facing to the left and right; hence, away from Wu’s equivalent of flexible circuit board (20/22).
Regarding claim 10, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., a lens module (FIG. 4B, “Camera Module”; contains lenses L1-L4) comprising:
a packaging structure (various objects discussed in claim 1); and
a lens assembly (“Housing” and “Lens barrel”) arranged on the packaging structure;
wherein the packaging structure comprises:
a flexible circuit board (see claim 1) comprising a first opening (see claim 1), a first connecting portion (see claim 1) surrounding the first opening, and a second connecting portion (see claim 1) surrounding and coupled with the first connecting portion (see claim 1);
an image sensor (see claim 1) comprising a photosensitive area (see claim 1) and a connection area (see claim 1) surrounding the photosensitive area, the connection area being electrically coupled with the first connecting portion through a conductive body (see claim 1), the photosensitive area being exposed by the first opening (see claim 1);
a reinforcing plate (see claim 1), wherein the reinforcing plate and the image sensor are located on a same side of the flexible circuit board (see claim 1), a material of the reinforcing plate is plastic, and the reinforcing plate is formed on a surface of the second connecting portion by injecting molding (see claim 1 for all limitations, the ones given patentable weight and not); and
an adhesive layer (see claim 1) covering edges of the image sensor (see claim 1) and coupling the image sensor, the reinforcing plate, and the flexible circuit board (see claim 1).
Regarding claim 14, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein the reinforcing plate defines a second opening communicating with the first opening (see claim 5), the image sensor is arranged in the second opening (see claim 5) and recesses into the reinforcing plate (see claim 5), and the adhesive layer is arranged between the reinforcing plate and the connection area (see claim 5) and extends to the connection area and the first connecting portion (see claim 5).
Regarding claim 15, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein a size of the first opening is smaller than a size of the image sensor (see claim 6), and the size of the image sensor is smaller than a size of the second opening (see claim 6).
Regarding claim 17, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein the packaging structure further comprises a passive element embedded in the reinforcing plate (see claim 8) and electrically coupled with the second connecting portion (see claim 8).
Regarding claim 18, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., wherein the adhesive layer further extends to a surface of the connection area facing away from the flexible circuit board (see claim 9).
Regarding claim 19, the combined device of Azuma and Wu disclose in cited figures and related text, e.g., an electronic device comprising a lens module (see claim 10), the lens module comprising:
a packaging structure (see claim 10); and
a lens assembly (see claim 10) arranged on the packaging structure;
wherein the packaging structure comprises:
a flexible circuit board (see claims 1 & 10) comprising a first opening (see claims 1 & 10), a first connecting portion (see claims 1 & 10) surrounding the first opening, and a second connecting portion (see claims 1 & 10) surrounding and coupled with the first connecting portion (see claims 1 & 10);
an image sensor (see claims 1 & 10) comprising a photosensitive area (see claims 1 & 10) and a connection area (see claims 1 & 10) surrounding the photosensitive area (see claims 1 & 10), the connection area being electrically coupled with the first connecting portion through a conductive body (see claims 1 & 10), the photosensitive area being exposed by the first opening (see claims 1 & 10); a reinforcing plate (see claims 1 & 10), wherein the reinforcing plate and the image sensor are located on a same side of the flexible circuit board (see claims 1 & 10), a material of the reinforcing plate is plastic, and the reinforcing plate is formed on a surface of the second connecting portion by injecting molding (see claim 1 for all limitations, the ones given patentable weight and not); and
an adhesive layer (see claims 1 & 10) covering edges of the image sensor (see claims 1 & 10) and coupling the image sensor, the reinforcing plate, and the flexible circuit board (see claims 1 & 10).
Conclusion
Additional references (if any) are cited on the PTO-892 as disclosing similar features to those of the instant invention.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 Alexander Belousov whose telephone number is (571)-272-3167. The examiner can normally be reached on 10 am-4 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jeff Natalini can be reached on 571-272-2266. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Alexander Belousov/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2894
09/30/25
/Mounir S Amer/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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