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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1,2,4,5,7-20 are allowable. The restriction requirement between method and device inventions , as set forth in the Office action mailed on September 18, 2025, has been reconsidered in view of the allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction requirement is hereby withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. Specifically, the restriction requirement of September 18, 2025 is fully withdrawn. Claims 16-18, directed to the method invention no longer withdrawn from consideration because the claim(s) requires all the limitations of an allowable claim.
In view of the above noted withdrawal of the restriction requirement, applicant is advised that if any claim presented in a divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application.
Once a restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3 and 6 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 3, the claim first depicts “same side surface” to be the vertical surface (13 in fig. 5C) by stating “second lead segments of at least two connection leads located at a same side surface are arranged at intervals in a first direction; the first direction is parallel to a boundary line” (W of fig. 5C)“ of the same side surface and the second surface” (12 of fig. 5C). Then, “the same side surface” seems to be mixed up with “the second side surface” (bottom surface 12) by stating “at least two openings located at the same side surface are arranged at intervals in the first direction; an opening in the at least two openings exposes at least a portion of a second lead segment of a connection lead in the at least two connection leads.”
Regarding claim 6, it is unclear to what the sub-segments get closer to in “second sub-segments of at least two connection leads located at a same side surface get closer.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1,2,4,5,7-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Prior art does not teach
“a second lead segment located on the second surface and in contact with the second surface” (claims 1 and 15).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1882. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8am to 4pm EST.
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/FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899