Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/094,775

CHIP CARRIER

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Jan 09, 2023
Priority
Jan 11, 2022 — FR 2200190
Examiner
KIM, PAUL D
Art Unit
3729
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
STMicroelectronics N.V.
OA Round
2 (Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
1379 granted / 1572 resolved
+17.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +7% lift
Without
With
+6.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
56 currently pending
Career history
1617
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
38.2%
-1.8% vs TC avg
§102
26.9%
-13.1% vs TC avg
§112
31.9%
-8.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1572 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Th is office action is a response to the amendment filed on 6/24/2026. Claim Objections Claims 1-8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Re. claim 1: The phrase “wherein the first levels are successively formed” as recited in line 6 appears to be --wherein the at least two first levels are successively formed--. Appropriate correction is required. 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. Claims 1-8, 11 and 33-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (PGPub 2020/0305289 A1). Yu et al. teach a process of making an integrated circuit chip carrier, comprising steps of: forming a wall surrounding a cavity (F) as shown in Fig. 5F, wherein the wall comprises at least two first levels (5a, 5b, Fig. 5F), by: at each first level, forming a layer of a first resin (53 as shown in Fig. 5B, 54 as shown in Fig. 5D) around a block (59a as shown in Fig. 5B, 59b as shown in Fig. 5BD) as shown in Figs. 5A-5D, wherein the block is made of a material different from the first resin; and then removing each block to open the cavity as shown in Fig. 5F (see also paragraphs [0062]-[0076]). Re. claims 2 and 33: A base of the integrated circuit chip carrier (55) having the wall resting thereon is formed as shown in Fig. 5F, wherein forming the base comprises forming one or more second levels by at each second level, forming a layer of the first resin (550, Fig. 5C, paragraph [0069]) extending in front of the location of the cavity. Re. claims 3 and 34: The base includes metal vias (552) crossing the base in front of the cavity as shown in Fig. 5C. Re. claims 4 and 35: Each first level includes growing metal tracks (51, shown as a far left side) and metal vias (51, shown as the rests of them). Re. claims 5 and 36: The block is made of a same material as the metal tracks and metal vias (paragraph [0065]). Re. claims 6 and 37: The at least two first levels are formed on a plate (50, Fig. 5D). Re. claims 7 and 38: The one or more second levels are formed on the plate before the at least two first levels as shown in Fig. 5C. Re. claims 8 and 39: The plate forms the base of the carrier as shown in Fig. 5D. Re. claim 11: Yu et al. also teach a process of making an integrated circuit chip carrier as set forth above in claim 1, including the block for each first level having same horizontal dimensions as shown in Fig. 5D (see also paragraph [0113]). Allowable Subject Matter Claim 43 is 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 claims 1-8, 11, 33-39 and 43 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 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at 571-272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 09, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Jun 24, 2026
Response Filed
Sep 09, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+6.7%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 1572 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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