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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “at least one additional opening extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side, wherein a respective additional double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed in a respective one of the at least one additional openings, claim 1, the first double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional openings, claim 6, at least one additional opening extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side… at least one additional double-sided printed circuit board arranged and affixed in a respective one of the at least one additional openings, claim 12, and at least one additional double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed in a respective additional opening of at least one additional openings of the single-sided printed circuit board that extend at least partially through from the third side of the single-sided printed circuit board to the fourth side of the single-sided printed circuit board, claim 24” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
None of the figures that shows that limitations as above. Figures 1-7 show only the first double-side printed circuit board (PCB) affixed/mounted on the surface of the single-side PCB with openings through the first and second surfaces of the single side PCB. Figure 8 that shows the first and second double-side PCBs (850, 852) affixed or mounted on the first and second surface of the single-side PCB, but the first and second (additional) openings do not pass through the first and second sides of the single-side PCB. Please, clarify.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-4, 6-16, and 18-33 are 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 1, lines 14-16, the phrase of “at least one additional opening extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side, wherein a respective additional double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed in a respective one of the at least one additional openings.” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the at least one additional openings" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 6, the phrase of “the first double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional openings” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
Regarding claim 12, lines 9-10, and 19-20, the phrase of “at least one additional opening extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side… at least one additional double-sided printed circuit board arranged and affixed in a respective one of the at least one additional openings” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the at least one additional openings" in line 20. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 18, the phrase of “the first double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional openings” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
Regarding claim 24, lines 10-13, the phrase of “at least one additional double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed in a respective additional opening of at least one additional openings of the single-sided printed circuit board that extend at least partially through from the third side of the single-sided printed circuit board to the fourth side of the single-sided printed circuit board” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
Regarding claim 28, the phrase of “the first double-sided printed circuit board is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional openings” is not understood because there is/are no figures that shows the limitations as above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-10, 12-14, 16, 18-22, and 24-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cantle et al. (U.S. Patent 9,865,310) in view of Meier et al. (‘535) cited in the record.
As best understood to claim 1, Cantle discloses a single-sided printed circuit board (PCB) (68) as shown in figures 4a-4f, comprising:
a first side (top side) comprising a first surface [[on which first components are arranged]];
a second side (bottom side) comprising a second surface;
a first opening (the space 70 from the top surface to the bottom surface) extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side, wherein a first double-sided printed circuit board (PCB 54) is capable of being arranged and affixed in the first opening, wherein:
the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) comprises a third side comprising a third surface on which second components (top 52) are arranged, and a fourth side comprising a fourth surface on which third components (bottom 52) are arranged,
the third surface and the first surface face a first direction, and the fourth surface
and the second surface face a second direction, and none of the third components (the bottom 52) protrude beyond the second surface;
[[a connector]]; and
at least one additional opening (space 70, the opening from the bottom surface to the top surface of the element 68) extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side, wherein a respective additional double-sided printed circuit board (PCB 60) is arranged and affixed in a respective [[one of]] the at least one additional opening[[s]].
Cantle does not specifically disclose the single-side PCB having a connector and the first surface on which first components are arranged.
Meier teaches a transmission control module (1) as shown in figure 2 comprising a PCB (2) having a connector (8) and the first surface (21) on which first components are arranged.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Meier employed in the PCB of Cantle in order to provide external connection and functional characteristics of the components mounted on the PCB.
As to claim 2, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first side comprises a fifth surface in the opening (70), the fifth surface facing the first direction, and wherein none of the third components protrude beyond the fifth surface.
Regarding claim 3, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first opening (70) extends from the first side through the second side.
Regarding claim 4, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) is soldered to the single-sided printed circuit board (68).
As best understood to claim 6, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) having or comprised the third components (52) is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional opening[[s]] (70).
As best understood to claim 7, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third components (52) arranged on the fourth surface of the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) are arranged in the opening and wherein at least the third surface is arranged above the first surface.
Regarding claim 8, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third components (52) arranged on the fourth surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application- specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 9, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the second components (52) arranged on the third surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application-specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 10, Cantle as modified by Meier teaches the connector (8) is on
an edge of the single-sided printed circuit board (21).
As best understood to claim 12, Cantle discloses a device, as shown in figures 4a-4f comprising:
a single-sided printed circuit board (PCB 68), comprising:
a first side (top side) comprising: a first surface [[on which first components are arrangeable]];
a second side (bottom side) comprising a second surface;
a first opening (70) extending at least partially through from the first side to the
second side;
[[a connector]]; and
at least one additional opening (70) extending at least partially through from the first side to the second side;
a first double-sided printed circuit (PCB 54) board arranged and affixed in the first opening, wherein:
the first double-sided PCB comprises a third side comprising a third surface on which second components (52) are arranged, and a fourth side comprising a fourth surface on which third components (52) are arranged,
the third surface and the first surface face a first direction, and the fourth surface
and the second surface face a second direction, and none of the third components (52) protrude beyond the second surface; and
at least one additional double-sided PCB (60) arranged and affixed in a respective the at least one additional opening[[s]].
Cantle does not specifically disclose the single-side PCB having a connector and the first surface on which first components are arranged.
Meier teaches a transmission control module (1) as shown in figure 2 comprising a PCB (2) having a connector (8) and the first surface (21) on which first components are arranged.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Meier employed in the PCB of Cantle in order to provide external connection and functional characteristics of the components mounted on the PCB.
Regarding claim 13, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first side comprises a fifth surface in the opening (70), the fifth surface facing the first direction, and wherein none of the third components protrude beyond the fifth surface.
Regarding claim 14, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first opening extends from the first side through the second side.
Regarding claim 16, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first double-sided PCB (54) is soldered to the single-sided printed circuit board.
As best understood to claim 18, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) having or comprised the third components (52) is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional opening[[s]] (70).
Regarding claim 19, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third components (52) arranged on the fourth surface are arranged in the opening and wherein at least the third surface is arranged above the first surface.
Regarding claim 20, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third components (52) arranged on the fourth surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application- specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 21, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the second components (52) arranged on the third surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application-specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 22, Cantle as modified by Meier teaches the connector (8) is on
an edge of the single-sided printed circuit board (21).
As best understood to claim 24, Cantle discloses a double-sided printed circuit board (54), comprising:
a first side (top side) comprising a first surface on which first components (52) are arranged;
a second side (bottom side) comprising a second surface on which second components (52) are arranged;
wherein the double-sided PCB (54) is configured to be arranged and affixed in a first opening (the second components 52 fitted into the opening 70) of a single-sided printed circuit board that extends at least partially through from a third side of the single-sided PCB (68) to a fourth side of the single-sided PCB (68), wherein the second components (52) protrude into the opening but none of the second components protrude beyond a fourth surface of the fourth side, and
wherein at least one additional double-sided PCB (60) is arranged and affixed in a respective additional opening (70) of at least one additional openings of the single-sided (68) that extend at least partially through from the third side of the single-sided printed circuit board to the fourth side of the single-sided printed circuit board.
Cantle does not specifically disclose the single-side PCB having the third components extend from the third surface.
Meier teaches a transmission control module (1) as shown in figure 2 comprising a PCB (2) having the third surface (21) on which the third components are arranged.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Meier employed in the PCB of Cantle in order to provide functional characteristics of the components mounted on the PCB.
Regarding claim 25, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third side of the single-sided PCB (68) comprises a fifth surface in the opening (70), the fifth surface and the third surface facing a first direction, and wherein none of the third components protrude beyond the fifth surface.
Regarding claim 26, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the opening (70) extends from the third side of the single-sided printed circuit board through the fourth side.
Regarding claim 27, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the double-sided PCB (54) is soldered to the single-sided printed circuit board, see figure 2.
As best understood to claim 28, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) having or comprised the third components (52) is arranged and affixed within the first opening and within at least one additional opening of the at least one additional opening[[s]] (70).
As best understood to claim 29, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the components (52) extending from the second surface of the first double-sided printed circuit board (54) are arranged in the opening and wherein at least the first surface is arranged above the third surface.
Regarding claim 30, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the third components (52) arranged on the fourth surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application- specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 31, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses the second components (52) arranged on the third surface comprise at least one of a NAND flash memory, an application-specific integrated circuit, a power management integrated circuit, or a temperature sensitive component.
Regarding claim 32, Cantle as modified by Meier teaches the connector (8) is on
an edge of the single-sided printed circuit board (21).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cantle in view of Meier as applied to claims above, and further in view of Mataya (‘316) cited in the record.
Regarding claim 15, Cantle as modified by Meier discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the device comprises an M.2 form factor, 2.5" form factor, mSATA form factor, U.2 form factor, 2230 form factor, 2242 form factor, 2280 form factor, or 22110 form factor.
Mataya teaches a SSD with modular memory (110) as shown in figure 2 comprising the device having a M2 form factor.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Mataya employed in the PCB of Cantle and Meier in order to create a compact and high performance SSD for PCs and other device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 23, and 33 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.
Claims 11, 23, and 33 depended on claims 1, 12, and 24, would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4, 6-16, 18-33 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.
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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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848