Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/117,818

INTEGRATED ANTIOXIDANT AND SEALANT SOLUTION TO ADDRESS TEMPERATURE HUMIDITY RELIABILITY ISSUE OF LIQUID METAL INTERCONNECT

Final Rejection §102§103
Filed
Mar 06, 2023
Examiner
DINH, TUAN T
Art Unit
2847
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Intel Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
944 granted / 1198 resolved
+10.8% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+22.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
1229
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
45.0%
+5.0% vs TC avg
§102
38.5%
-1.5% vs TC avg
§112
6.0%
-34.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1198 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Note: An elastic insulator can be an antioxidant material. Tittle The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The claims do not read on the Tittle of the invention. Please, revise. The following title is suggested: A BOARD, AN ELECTRONIC PACKAGE, AND AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. Abstract The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because: In line 2, the term "may be" is not understood because the term "may be" recites a broad range or limitation by linking terms and a narrow range or limitation within the broad range or limitation is considered indefinite since the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the Patent protection desired. Please, change “may be provided” to - - is provided - - for proper reading. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Claim Objections Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 16, please, change “wherein” to - - further comprising - - for proper reading. 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. Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Ju (U.S. 2015/0163897), hereafter Ju. As to claims 1-2, Ju discloses a board (300, para-0029+) as shown in figures 1-4, comprising: a substrate (the body of the circuit board 300); a pad (C) over the substrate (300); a confinement layer (1) over the substrate (300), wherein the confinement layer defines a cavity (2) over the pad (C); a liquid metal (A) comprises gallium, para-0031+, on the pad (C); and a protective layer (the outer layer of the element A, hereafter called PL, see figures 1 and 4) over the liquid metal (D), the protective layer (PL) in contact with the confinement layer (1), figures 2-3. As to claims 3-4, Ju discloses the protective layer (PL) is an antioxidant (the elastic insulator, and the elastic insulator is an antioxidant material, furthermore, the elastic insulator comprises one or more of a sodium ascorbate, a thiol, selenium, a carotenoid, an oil, a silicone oil, a lubricant, a grease, an acrylic coating, a propyl acetate, an acetone, an ethanol, a thermal curable resin, an UV curable resin, and a glycerin. As to claim 5, Ju discloses the carotenoid comprises beta-carotene or Zeaxanthin (the elastic insulator can be created using carotenoid-based materials, specifically by using carotenoids like Beta-carotene as building blocks to create new bio-based, degradable polymers). As to claim 6, Ju discloses the antioxidant comprises one or more of an amine antioxidant, a phenolic antioxidant, a phenol-phosphite antioxidant, a phosphite antioxidant, a dithiocarbamate antioxidant, a thioester antioxidant, and a tolumidazole antioxidant (the elastic insulator acts as a phenolic antioxidant material). As to claim 7, Lu further comprising a capping layer (5) over the cavity (2). As to claim 8, Ju discloses a volume of the liquid metal (D) is greater than a volume of the protective layer (A), figures 1-4. As to claim 9, Ju discloses the protective layer (A) is a fluid at temperatures where the liquid metal is a fluid, para-0032. As to claim 11, Ju discloses an electronic package as shown in figure 2 comprising: a package substrate (chip module 200); a board (300) coupled to the package substrate (40) with socket interconnects (100), wherein a board side (top surface of the board 300) of the socket interconnects (100) includes a liquid metal (A) with an antioxidant coating (elastic insulator formed on outer layer of the element A, hereafter PL, see claim 1) in a cavity in a confinement layer (1), the antioxidant coating in contact with the confinement layer (1), see figures 2-3. As to claims 12-14, Ju discloses the liquid metal (A) comprises gallium, a surface of the liquid metal comprises gallium and gallium oxide (the gallium alloy can convert into gallium oxide), and the surface of the liquid metal (A) does not include gallium oxide monohydroxide crystals. As to claim 15, Ju discloses the liquid metal (A) contacts a pad (C) on the board (300). As to claim 16, Lu further comprising a capping layer (5) over the cavity (2). As to claim 17, Ju discloses the antioxidant comprises one or more of a sodium ascorbate, a thiol, selenium, a carotenoid, an oil, a silicone oil, a lubricant, a grease, an acrylic coating, a propyl acetate, an acetone, an ethanol, a thermal curable resin, an UV curable resin, a glycerin, an amine antioxidant, a phenolic antioxidant, a phenol phosphite antioxidant, a phosphite antioxidant, a dithiocarbamate antioxidant, a thioester antioxidant, and a tolumidazole antioxidant. 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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju ('897) in view of Zhong (U.S. 2005/0228097) Regarding claim 10, Ju ('897) discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the liquid metal has an oxide coating without the formation of metal oxide monohydroxide crystals. Zhong teaches a thermally conductive compositions as shown in figures 1-2 comprising the liquid metal (80) has an oxide coating (90) without the formation of metal oxide monohydroxide crystals. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Zhong employed in the board of Lu ('897) in order to enhance corrosion resistance, and improve dimensional stability. Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju ('897) in view of Hashimoto et al. (U.S. Patent 5,746,927). As to claim 18, Ju discloses an electronic system as shown in figures 1-4, comprising: a board (300); a package substrate (200) coupled to the board through a socket (100), wherein a board side of the socket (100) comprises a liquid metal (A) and an antioxidant (the outer layer made from elastic insulator on the LM A, hereafter PL) over the liquid metal (A) in a cavity in a confinement layer (1), the antioxidant coating in contact with the confinement layer (1), see figures 2-3. Ju does not specifically disclose a die coupled to the package substrate. Hashimoto teaches an electrical connecting device as shown in figures 9a-9c comprising a die (111) coupled to the package substrate (113). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Hashimoto employed in the board of Lu ('897) in order to enhance signal processing and memory management. Regarding claim 19, Ju as modified by Hashimoto discloses the antioxidant comprises one or more of a sodium ascorbate, a thiol, selenium, a carotenoid, an oil, a silicone oil, a lubricant, a grease, an acrylic coating, a propyl acetate, an acetone, an ethanol, a thermal curable resin, an UV curable resin, a glycerin, an amine antioxidant, a phenolic antioxidant, a phenol-phosphite antioxidant, a phosphite antioxidant, a dithiocarbamate antioxidant, a thioester antioxidant, and a tolumidazole antioxidant. Regarding claim 20, Ju as modified by Hashimoto discloses the electronic system is part of a personal computer, a server, a mobile device, a tablet, or an automobile. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN T DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-1929. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm, M-F. 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, Timothy Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. 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. /TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 06, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 12, 2023
Response after Non-Final Action
Apr 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Jul 13, 2026
Response Filed
Sep 15, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (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
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+22.1%)
2y 11m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 1198 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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