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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/03/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/22/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 1120 (in para. 64 of instant Specification). 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. 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 Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (line 1) should read “A communication module,
Claim 5 should read “wherein the height of each of the plurality of antennas is approximately 100 μm or taller”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-4 and 6-10 are objected to due to their dependency.
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) 1-2 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by IDS document Kuo et al. (US 2022/278058; “Kuo”).
Claim 1: Kuo discloses (figs. 9 & 10 below) A communication module (package 1000), comprising: a package substrate (¶33, dielectric layer 216); a die (100 including at least 102, 116) on the package substrate (fig. 3); and a plurality of antennas (¶39, “Each TDV wall 297 and its adjacent corresponding TDV grating 296 may be referred to as an antenna 40”; ¶40, “the TDV walls 297 may comprise conductive plates”) around the die (fig. 10), wherein the plurality of antennas (40) are coupled to the die (100) by a plurality of traces (feedlines 271), and wherein heights of each of the plurality of antennas (296/297) is greater than a thickness of the traces (271) (shown in fig. 9).
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Claim 2: Kuo discloses the communication module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of traces (271) have substantially uniform lengths (fig. 10).
Claim 4: The communication module of claim 1, wherein the heights of each of the plurality of antennas (296/297) is greater than a length and/or a width of each of the plurality of antennas (fig. 9).
Claim 5: Kuo discloses the communication module of claim 1, wherein the height of each of the plurality of antennas approximately 100 μm or taller.
Figure 9 of Kuo shows that the height of TDV wall 297 is the same as the height H1 of the die 100, where H1 is shown in figure 4. Para. [0036] of Kuo states that a height H1 of the die 100 may be in a range from 20 μm to 775 μm. Kuo therefore discloses wherein the height of each of the plurality of antennas approximately 100 μm or taller.
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 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by IDS document Wang et al. (US 2022/336385; “Wang”).
Claim 1: Wang discloses (fig. 11 below) A communication module (¶175, P1), comprising: a package substrate (¶33, carrier 102); a die (¶40, semiconductor die 130) on the package substrate; and a plurality of antennas (ATN1 125) around the die (130), wherein the plurality of antennas (125) are coupled to the die by a plurality of traces (¶40, ¶¶46-47, redistribution structure 110), and wherein heights (Z-direction) of each of the plurality of antennas (125) is greater than a thickness of the traces (110).
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Claim 9: Wang discloses the communication module of claim 1, further comprising planar antennas (¶88, antenna elements AE of the first package 10a) on a surface of the package substrate (102).
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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kook et al. (US 2018/0190600; “Kook”).
Claim 1: Kook discloses, in the embodiment of fig. 2 (below), A communication module (packaged device with integrated antennas, title), comprising: a package substrate (202); a die (die 221) on the package substrate (package substrate 202); and a plurality of antennas (¶32, “The first package component 210 can comprise an antenna that includes a radiating element 211 and a grounded element 212”) around the die (221) (around the die is interpreted as portions of the antenna extend beyond the boundaries of the die, as shown in fig. 6B of the drawings of the instant Application), wherein the plurality of antenna(interconnects 213, 223, 214, 224), and wherein heights of each of the plurality of antennas is greater than a thickness of the traces (shown in fig. 2).
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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) 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS document Kuo et al. (US 2022/278058; “Kuo”) in view of Kook et al. (US 2018/0190600; “Kook”).
Claim 3: Kuo discloses the communication module of claim 1.
Kuo does not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of antennas are in a circular arrangement around the die. However, Kuo does show that the plurality of antennas (40, which include 296/297) encircle the die (100) (see fig. 10).
Kook teaches a communication module (¶2) having a plurality of antennas (340) around a die (320), the plurality of antennas coupled to the die by traces (330a, 340a) (¶52). Kook also teaches (annotated fig. 5B below) wherein the plurality of antennas are in a circular arrangement around the die.
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the communication module of Kuo wherein the plurality of antennas are in a circular arrangement around the die, as taught by Kook. The motivation to do so is to allow for the module to create desirable beamforming and/or directional capabilities, which may be otherwise challenging to accomplish in board-mounted or die-integrated antennas, particularly for high-frequency applications (¶25 of Kook).
Claim 8: Kuo discloses the communication module of claim 1.
Kuo does not explicitly disclose wherein one or more of the plurality of antennas have parabolic surfaces.
Kook teaches (annotated fig. 5B) wherein one or more of the plurality of antennas (340) have parabolic surfaces (¶51, “the curved or angled shape of the radiating element 340 can structurally and functionally approximate a parabolic antenna).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the communication module of Kuo wherein one or more of the plurality of antennas have parabolic surfaces, as taught by Kook. Doing so allows for the package 300 to transmit and/or receive radiation over a controlled angle (¶52 of Kook).
Claim(s) 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS document Kuo et al. (US 2022/278058; “Kuo”) in view of Ramalingam et al. (US 2024/0106128; “Ram”).
Claim 6: Kuo discloses the communication module of claim 1.
Kuo does not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of antennas have non-vertical sidewalls.
Ram teaches a communication module (fig. 8) wherein the plurality of antennas (antenna 40) have non-vertical sidewalls (¶103, “sidewalls 102A, 102B, 102C may be planar, e.g., straight or linear, curved, sloped, angled, corrugate, or may have any desired shapes to adjust the response of antenna 40”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the communication module of Kuo wherein the plurality of antennas have non-vertical sidewalls as taught by Ram. Doing so allows for the response of the antenna to be adjusted according to user preferences (¶103 of Ram).
Claim 7: the modified Kuo teaches the communication module of claim 6, wherein the plurality of antennas have a first portion that is angled in towards the die and a second portion that is angled away from the die (¶103, “sidewalls 102A, 102B, 102C may be planar, e.g., straight or linear, curved, sloped, angled, corrugate, or may have any desired shapes to adjust the response of antenna 40” – corrugated sidewalls will have alternating portions angled towards the die and away from the die).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kook in view of Kamgaing et al. (US 2018/0212645; “Kam”).
Claim 10: Kook discloses the communication module of claim 1.
Kook does not disclose wherein the die is on an opposite side of the package substrate from the plurality of antennas.
Kam teaches (fig. 10 below) a communication module (package with radio transceiver, ¶14) having a package substrate (lower portion of 1002) where the die (¶53, primary IC chip 1030 and radio chip 1012) is on an opposite side of the package substrate (1002) from the plurality of antennas (¶53, antennas 1022, 1024).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the communication module of Kook wherein the die is on an opposite side of the package substrate from the plurality of antennas, as taught by Kam. Doing so allows for the use of stacked die systems such that additional dies may be stacked on the top side of the substrate to add additional functions or processing power to the package (¶52 of Kam).
Claim(s) 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2018/0025999; “Yu”).
Claim 18: Yu discloses (figs. 1D & 6 below) An electronic system (semiconductor package with antennas, abstract), comprising: a board (package substrate 400); a package substrate (¶¶60-61, redistribution layer 160) coupled to the board (via connectors 166); a die (die 114) coupled to the package substrate (¶61, “antennas 117 may be electrically coupled to inter-package connectors 314 through the front-side redistribution layer 160”); and an antenna (117) coupled to the die (¶23, “one or more antennas 117 are electrically coupled to circuit 180 of the die 114”), wherein the antenna is a three-dimensional shape (fig. 1C shows that antenna 117 has a height H, i.e., a first dimension, and fig. 1D shows a top view of fig. 1C showing second and third dimensions of antenna 117, ¶¶22-23).
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Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein the die is a transceiver. However, Yu discloses (¶23) “As illustrated in FIG. 1D, one or more antennas 117 are electrically coupled to circuit 180 of the die 114. Circuit 180 may be or include an RF circuit (also referred as an RF module) of the semiconductor die 114, which RF circuit may interface with one or more antennas 117 for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals, such as radio frequency (RF) signals”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the RF circuit/module 180 of the die 114 is a transceiver.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art that the die is a transceiver. A transceiver allows for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals such as RF signals (¶23).
Claim 19: Yu discloses the electronic system of claim 18, (117) is on the package substrate (160) (see fig. 6).
Claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2018/0025999; “Yu”) in view of Yeon et al. (US 2023/0014567; “Yeon”).
Claim 20: Yu discloses the electronic system of claim 18.
Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein the electronic system is part of a personal computer, a server, a mobile device, a tablet, or an automobile.
However, Yu does disclose (¶23) that the electronic system has antennas for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals such as RF signals. Yu also discloses (¶42) “where the dipole antenna 117 is designed to be used for an operation frequency in a range from about 50 GHz to about 80 GHz (e.g., 60 GHz)”.
Yeon teaches a package substrate with integrated antenna and related IC packages and fabrication methods. Yeon also teaches that modern smart phones can use 5G cellular networks in the range of 24.25 to 86 Gigahertz (GHz) (¶2). Yeon teaches (¶3) “Radio-frequency (RF) transceivers that support mmWave spectrum are incorporated into mobile and other portable devices that are designed to support mmWave communications signals”.
Yeon therefore teaches an electronic system that operates in the same frequency band as the Yu electronic system and which is part of a mobile device.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize the electronic system of Yu as part of a mobile device, as taught by Yeon. Doing so allows for a plurality of antennas to be used in a compact structure to provide signal coverage in a desired, larger area around an RFIC package (¶3 of Yeon).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Wan (US 2020/0273773) - a semiconductor device including a chip package and an antenna package (fig. 5) having a package substrate 110, antenna elements 180 on one side of the package substrate, and a semiconductor chip on the other side of the package substrate. The antennas are arranged around the die and different types of antennas can be utilized (¶37).
Choudhury (US 2017/0237154) – antennas arranged in a circular pattern around an IC (fig. 4).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNA N HAMADYK whose telephone number is (703)756-1672. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANNA N HAMADYK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ALEXANDER H TANINGCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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