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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/23/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Application
Acknowledgement has been made to the amendment received on 06/23/2026. Claims 1-17 are pending in this application. Claims 16-17 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 20110210413A1) in view of Lee et al (US 20240120286 A1).
Re claim 1 Huang teaches, a chip package comprising;
a sensing element (area of 100A/100B, fig1/fig 7) [0020], wherein a surface of the sensing element has a sensing area (100A, fig 1) [0020] and a conductive pad 104, fig 1) [0021], and the conductive pad (104) is adjacent to an edge of the surface (edge of 100B) [0021];
a dam layer (110, fig 1) [0023] located on the surface of the sensing element (area of 100A/100B fig 1) [0020] and surrounds the sensing area (100A) [0020], wherein the dam layer (110/111A, fig 1) has a main portion (110, fig 1) [0020] and a plurality of mark portions (111A, fig 1) [0025], the mark portions have a same shape (circular, see fig 111A, fig 1) [0025] and the mark portions (111A, fig 2) are respectively located in a plurality of corners (four corners of 110, shown in fig 7) of the main portion (110, fig 1) [0025], located in a sidewall of the main portion (side wall of 110, respectively located on a plurality of corners (four corners of the sensing element (100A/100B, fig 1), respectively located on a plurality of inner edges of the main portion (inner edge of 110) [0020], or respectively located on a plurality of outer edges of the main portion; and
a light transmissive cover (114, glass substrate, fig 1) [0023] located on the dam layer (110, fig 1 [0020]).
Huang does not teach the mark portions have the same shape but have different orientations when viewed from above, such that the chip package is numbered based on a pattern combination of the mark portions for tracking of the chip package during manufacture.
Lee does teach the mark portions (100, fig 11) [0084] have the same shape (same L shape) [0084] but have different orientations (different direction) [0084] when viewed from above (fig 11), such that the chip package (1h, fig 11) [0084] is numbered based on a pattern combination of the mark portions for tracking of the chip package during manufacture.(the chip package is rotated maybe determined through the direction of the shape of mark, assigning different combination of rotated identical mark portion to encode package identifier) [0084] .
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lee into the structure of Huang to include the mark portions have the same shape but have different orientations when viewed from above, such that the chip package is numbered based on a pattern combination of the mark portions for tracking of the chip package during manufacture as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang based on the teaching of Lee in the above manner for the purpose of improving the recognition rate of an optical system in a semiconductor package manufacturing process.[0004].
Re claim 3 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1,
wherein the mark portions (111A, fig 1/fig 7) [Huang 0025] are respectively located in the corner of the main portion (110, fig 1/fig 7), the mark portions (111A, fig 1/fig 7) [Huang, 0025] are separated from each (see fig 7).
Re claim 4 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 3,
wherein the mark portions (111A, fig1/fig 7) [Huang 0025] are opening (hallow pattern) through the dam layer (110/111).
Re claim 5 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 5,
wherein the mark portions (111A, fig 1) [Huang, 0025] are located in the sidewall (sidewall of 110 see fig 1/ fig 7) of main portion (110, fig 1), the mark portions (111A, fig 1/fig 7) are adjacent to each other (shown in fig 7).
Re claim 7 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1 wherein when the mark portions (111A, fig 1) are respectively located on the corners (corners of 100A) of the sensing element (100A/100B), the mark portions (111A, fig 7) [Huang, 0025] are separated from each other (see fig 7).
Re claim 8 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 7,
Huang and Lee do not teach the mark portions are convex portions, and the convex portions and the main portion comprise a same material.
Huang does teach the mark portions 111 fig 7 may further be in other shapes, such as semicircular shape, elliptical shape, triangular shape, square shape or combinations thereof [0025]. And 111 are formed in the spacing layer (dam layer, 110, fig 7) [0025].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Huang to include the mark portions are convex portions, and the convex portions and the main portion comprise a same material as claimed as a mean to improve reliability of chip package [0025].
Furthermore, arriving at the claimed feature of "convex portion" would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. Absent persuasive evidence that the
particular configuration of the claimed mark pattern shape is significant, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Re claim 9 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 7,
wherein top surfaces of the mark portions (111A, fig 1/fig 7) are level with a top surface of the main portion (110, fig 1/ fig 7).
Re claim 10 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1,
wherein when the mark portions (111A, fig 1) are respectively located on the inner edges (inner side of 110, fig 1) of the main portion (110) [0025], the mark portions are separated from each other (see fig 1 and 2).
Re claim 13 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1,
wherein when respectively located on the outer edges of the main portion (110, fig 1/ fig 7), the mark portions (111,fig 1/fig 7) [Huang 0025]are separated from each other (see fig 7).
Re claim 14 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1,
wherein each of the outer edges of the main portion (outer edge of 110, fig 7) [Huang, 0026]is a line shape (straight line see fig 7) and a shape of each of the mark portions (shape of111A, fig 7) is different from the line shape (circular, semicircular etc) [Huang, 0025].
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang modified by Lee as applied to claim 1 further in view of Liu et al (US 20120292744A1).
Re claim 2 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 1,
Huang in view of Lee do not teach the mark portions of the dam layer are binary patterns, octal patterns, decimal patterns, or hexadecimal patterns.
Liu teaches, the mark portions (recognition mark ) of the dam layer (104, fig 1B)
[0022] are binary patterns, octal patterns, decimal patterns, or hexadecimal pattems.[0044].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Liu into the structure of Huang and Lee to include the mark portions of the dam layer are binary patterns, octal patterns, decimal patterns, or hexadecimal patterns as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang and Lee based on the teaching of Liu in the above manner for the purpose of improving yield of the chip package [0045].
Claims 6, 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang modified by Lee as applied to claim 5 further in view of Lee1 et al (US 20150206916A1).
Re claim 6 Huang in view of Lee teaches, Chip package of claim 5,
Huang and Lee do not teach the Mark portions are concave portions, and top surfaces of the concave portions are lower than a top surface of the main portion.
Lee1 teaches, the Mark portions (131, fig 10A) [0056] are concave portions [0056],
and top surfaces of the concave portions (top of 131) [0056] are lower than a top surface of the main portion (top of 130b) [0056].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lee1 into the structure of Huang and Lee to include the Mark portions are concave portions, and top surfaces of the concave portions are lower than a top surface of the main portion as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang and Lee based on the teaching of Lee1 in the above manner for the purpose of improving the yield rate of the chip [0020].
Furthermore, arriving at the claimed feature of "Concave" would have involved a
mere change in the shape of a component. Absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed mark portion is significant, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669,149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Re claim 12 Huang in view of Lee teaches the chip package of claim 10,
Huang and Lee do not teach the mark portions are concave portions, convex portions, or combinations thereof.
Lee1 teaches teach the mark portions (131, fig 10A) [0062] are concave portions [0062], convex portions, or combinations thereof.
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lee1 into the structure of Huang and Lee to include the mark portions are concave portions, convex portions, or combinations thereof as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang and Lee based on the teaching of Lee1 in the above manner for the purpose of improving the yield rate of the chip [0020].
Furthermore, arriving at the claimed feature of "Concave" would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. Absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed mark portion is significant, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Re claim 15 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 13,
Huang and Lee do not teach the mark portions are concave portions, convex portions, or combinations thereof.
Lee1 teaches teach the mark portions (131, fig 10A) [0062] are concave portions [0062], convex portions, or combinations thereof.
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lee1 into the structure of Huang and Lee to include the mark portions are concave portions, convex portions, or combinations thereof as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang and Lee based on the teaching of Lee1 in the above manner for the purpose of improving the yield rate of the chip [0020].
Furthermore, arriving at the claimed feature of "Concave" would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. Absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed mark portion is significant, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang modified by Lee as applied to claims 1 and 10 further in view of Ho et al (US 20170148844A1).
Re claim 11 Huang in view of Lee teaches, the chip package of claim 10, Huang and Lee do not teach, each of the inner edges of the main portion is a zigzag shape, and a shape of each of the mark portions is different from the zigzag shape.
Ho teaches each of the inner edges of the main portion (130,shown in fig 7) [0032]
is a zigzag shape [0032], and a shape of each of the mark portions (131, fig 5) is different from the zigzag shape.
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Ho into the structure of Huang and Lee to include each of the inner edges of the main portion is a zigzag shape, and a shape of each of the mark portions is different from the zigzag shape as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Huang and Lee based on the teaching of Ho in the above manner for the purpose of improving the product yield.
Furthermore, arriving at the claimed feature of "Zigzag shape" would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. Absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed inner edges of the main portion of the dam layer is significant, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-15 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 PRATIKSHA J LOHAKARE whose telephone number is (571)270-1920. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7.30 am-4.30 pm.
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/PRATIKSHA JAYANT LOHAKARE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/CALEB E HENRY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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