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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Applicant is advised that the new art unit number is 2692. Please use the new art unit number for all future communications.
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 final rejection. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/23/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feiertag et al. (US 2012/0093346).
Regarding claim 1, Feiertag discloses a package (Fig. 3) on which a microphone element (MIC) is to be mounted, the package comprising:
a substrate (SUB) comprising a mounting portion (portion of SUB under MIC) of a microphone element (MIC) in the package (Fig. 3); and at least one recessed portion (cutout) positioned in a region corresponding to the mounting portion (¶ 0066) (Fig. 3: cutout is aligned with portion of SUB that is under MIC), wherein
a bottom surface (surface of SUB that contacts MET) of the recessed portion in the substrate is a thin plate portion (portion of SUB that includes holes SEO) that is thinner than a thickness of another region (Fig. 3: portion of SUB that includes holes SEO is thinner than SUB), and
the substrate comprises a plurality of through holes (SEO) in the thin plate portion (¶ 0066 and Fig. 3),
wherein the substrate is a laminate body (i.e. body of united layers) comprising a plurality of insulation layers (¶ 0026: topmost dielectric layer and bottommost dielectric layer, and note that dielectrics are a type of insulator),
the substrate is a wiring board provided with a wiring conductor on a surface (BMP and/or KON) and an inner portion (Fig. 3 shows integrated connection within substrate, connecting BMP and KON) of the wiring board (¶ 0022-0023, and see Fig. 3), and
the substrate comprises
a first insulation layer (topmost dielectric layer) comprising the thin plate portion (¶ 0026, 0066, and see Fig. 3), and
a second insulation layer (bottommost dielectric layer) in contact with the first insulation layer on a side of the first insulation layer opposite to a side of the first insulation layer where the mounting portion is positioned (¶ 0061: SUB is two-layered which means the portions of the two layers shown in Fig. 3 to be without the metallization therebetween, are in contact) and comprising an opening portion (opening/entrance into the coutout) at a position corresponding to (i.e. aligned with) the thin plate portion, the opening portion being a part of the recessed portion (¶ 0026, 0066).
Regarding claim 14, Feiertag discloses the package according to claim 1, wherein the insulation layer is a ceramic insulation layer (¶ 0022).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Kim et al. KR 10-2017-0004430) teaches a substrate 100 with a thin plate portion with a plurality of openings (111), and a recess portion (120) (Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK FISCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-3549. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 1-6, 7:30-11:59pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CAROLYN R EDWARDS can be reached on 571-270-7136. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK FISCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
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