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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 6 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUNG et al. (US 2020/0350357), (hereinafter, HUNG) in view of HSIEH et al (US 2020/0312897), (hereinafter, HSIEH).
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RE Claim 1, HUNG discloses in FIGS. 1-5 discloses a sensor package structure and a sensing module. HUNG discloses a package comprising:
a package substrate 1 having top and bottom major package substrate 1 surfaces,
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the top major package surface includes a die region, referring to the annotated FIG. 1 above;
a die “sensor chip” attached to the die region “chip bonding region”, the die “sensor chip” includes a first major die surface, the first major die surface includes a sensor region with a sensor “sensor chip”, a cover adhesive region 4 “light curing layer” surrounding the sensor region, referring to FIG. 1. Examiner notes that the light-curing layer is a UV cured material, which implies that the material is adhesive cured by UV [0027], hence meeting the claimed limitation;
a second major surface, the second major surface 11 is attached to the die region of the top major package surface 1, referring to FIG. 1;
a cover attached 5 “light-permeable layer” to the first major die 2 “sensor chip” surface, the cover includes top and bottom major cover surfaces and side cover surfaces, the cover comprises an opaque region 6 disposed at a periphery of the bottom major cover surface of the cover 5 [0030], the opaque region is configured to prevent flaring or scattering of light [0032], and
a cover bond region on a bottom major cover surface, the bottom major cover surface faces the die “sensor chip”, referring to FIG. 2;
a cover adhesive 4, the cover adhesive is configured to attach the cover to the die to form a sealed cavity “E” between the cover 5 and sensor region, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2,
wherein the adhesive 4 contacts the cover bond region on the bottom major cover surface and the cover adhesive region on the first major die surface, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2; and
an encapsulant 7, the encapsulant covers exposed portions of the package substrate 1, die and bond wires 3 and side surfaces of the cover while leaving the first major cover surface exposed, referring to FIG. 1.
HUNG does not disclose a semiconductor package, with the opaque region 6 with coating 6 at the periphery of the bottom major cover surface which extends from the side cover surfaces of the cover.
However, in the same field of endeavor, HSIEH discloses in FIG. 2 an image sensor “semiconductor CMOS” package and a method of making the same [0007]. HSIEH discloses a semiconductor package comprising a cover 206 comprising:
an opaque region with “light blocking layer” 210 [0034-0035] disposed at a periphery of the bottom major cover surface of the cover 206, wherein the opaque region comprises “light blocking layer” 210 in a recessed structure, referring close-up section A of the annotated FIG. 2 above, with an opaque coating 210 at the periphery of the bottom major cover surface which extends from the side cover surfaces of the cover, the opaque region 210 is configured to prevent flaring or scattering of light. Since the layer 210 is recessed within the cover 206, referring the insert close up “A”. Since the bottom surface of the opaque region 210 is below the surface of the cover 206, therefore the opaque light blocking layer 210 is in a recess, hence meeting the claimed limitation is met.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include an opaque coating 210, similar to HSIEH disclosure at the periphery of the bottom major cover surface which extends from the side cover surfaces of the cover of Hung, the opaque region 210 is configured to prevent flaring or scattering of light. Since the layer 210 is recessed within the cover 206, referring the insert close up “A”. Since the bottom surface of the opaque region 210 is below the surface of the cover 206, therefore the opaque light blocking layer 210 is in a recess, hence meeting the claimed limitation is met, as a well-known packaging structure of optical sensors in order to prevent light flaring and light scattering.
RE Claim 2, HUNG in view HSIEH discloses semiconductor package, wherein the opaque region comprises an opaque coating 6 disposed on the opaque region, referring to FIG. 2.
RE Claim 5, HUNG does not disclose the opaque coating comprises an epoxy mold compound layer, a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, an ink layer, or a solder mask.
However, in a related art, HSIEH discloses semiconductor package, wherein a (opaque layer 210 is made of polymer resin or ink [0098].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to use HSIEH’s ink as the opaque coating for Hung’s package in order to prevent flaring and light penetration unto the package.
RE Claim 6, HUNG in view HSIEH discloses semiconductor package, wherein the opaque region 6 having a width in the transverse direction, inwardly from the side cover surfaces, wherein the width is within a range of ½ to ⅔ of the first distance, hence the opaque region width is a result effective variable.
HUNG in view HSIEH does not disclose semiconductor package, opaque region 6 extends inwardly from the side cover surfaces about 25-50 mm beyond the cover adhesive.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant application to use the claimed spacing, absent unexpected result, and the width opaque region width is a result effective variable, since it has been held that discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233; In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980); In re Huang, 100 F.3d 135, 40 USPQ2d 1685, 1688 (Fed. Cir. 1996).
RE Claim 21, HUNG cover 5 comprising:
a top cover surface, and a bottom cover surface, wherein the top and bottom cover surfaces are parallel planar surfaces, and side cover surfaces, referring to FIG. 1 and
wherein the bottom cover surface comprises an opaque region 6 disposed at a periphery of the bottom cover surface from the side cover surfaces, referring to FIG. 1, and the opaque region 6 is configured to prevent flaring or scattering of light, which is an inherent property of an optically opaque region.
HUNG does not disclose the opaque region comprises a recessed structure below the periphery of the bottom cover surface from the side cover surfaces, an opaque coating is disposed in the recessed structure.
However, in the same field of endeavor, HSIEH discloses in FIG. 2 an image sensor “semiconductor CMOS” package and a method of making the same [0007]. HSIEH discloses a semiconductor package comprising a cover 206 comprising:
an opaque region 210 comprises a recessed structure below the periphery of the bottom cover surface from the side cover surfaces, an opaque coating 210 is disposed in the recessed structure. Referring the insert close up “A”, since the bottom surface of the opaque region 210 is below the surface of the cover 206, therefore the opaque light blocking layer 210 is in a recess, hence meeting the claimed limitation is met.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include an opaque coating 210, similar to HSIEH disclosure at the periphery of the bottom major cover surface which extends from the side cover surfaces of the cover of Hung, the opaque region 210 is configured to prevent flaring and light scattering.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-12, 17, 18 and 22-26 are allowed.
Claims 3 and 4 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 21 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YASSER ABDELAZIEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5783. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9 am - 6 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at (571)270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YASSER A ABDELAZIEZ, PhD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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