Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/165,090

MEMORY MODULE CONNECTION INTERFACE FOR POWER DELIVERY

Final Rejection §102§103
Filed
Feb 06, 2023
Priority
Jun 30, 2022 — CIP of 12/342,461
Examiner
DINH, PHUONG K
Art Unit
2831
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Dell Products L.P.
OA Round
4 (Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allowance Rate
1040 granted / 1193 resolved
+19.2% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+9.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 9m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
1209
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
61.4%
+21.4% vs TC avg
§102
16.9%
-23.1% vs TC avg
§112
8.7%
-31.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1193 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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 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 1-7, 11-17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as being anticipated by Petersen (U. S. Patent 5,919,049). Regarding claim 1, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses a connector socket 18 for receiving a card-edge connector 601 for an information handling system, the connector socket 18 comprising: a first contact array 20 for receiving a second contact array on a first edge of the card-edge connector 601; and a first slot channel 26 perpendicular to the first contact array, the first slot channel (the support 26 extends perpendicular to slot 22 and does include contact at 13) for receiving a second edge of the card-edge connector 601 perpendicular to the first edge of the card edge connector (right edge of the card is perpendicular to the card contact array near leadline 602), the first slot channel 26 including a first contact extending from the first slot channel and configured such that, when the card-edge connector 601 installed into the connector socket, a first current is provided between the connector socket and the card- edge connector through the first contact 13 and a second contact extending from the second edge of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 2, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the first contact 13 is on a first surface of the first slot channel 26 and the second contact finger 608 is on a first surface of the card-edge connector 601, such that, when the card-edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, the first surface of the first slot channel 26 is adjacent to the first surface of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 3, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the connector socket 18 further includes a third contact, and wherein the card-edge connector further includes a fourth contact configured such that, when the card-edge connector is installed into the connector socket, a second current is provided between the connector socket and the card edge connector through the third contact and the fourth contact. Regarding claim 4, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the third contact is on a second surface of the first slot channel 26, such that, when the card-edge connector is installed into the connector socket 18, a second surface of the first slot channel 26 is adjacent to the second surface of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 5, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses further comprising: a second slot channel for receiving a third edge of the card-edge connector, the second slot channel including the third contact. Regarding claim 6, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the first current is a power current to provide power to the card-edge connector 601, and wherein the second current is a ground current for the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 7, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the connector socket 18 is a surface mount socket 18 configured to be soldered to a printed circuit board, and wherein the first contact provides the first current from a first surface mount pad of the printed circuit board. Regarding claim 11, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses a method for receiving an a card-edge connector 601 in an add-in socket 18 of an information handling system, the method comprising: providing, on the add-in module connector socket 18, a card- edge connector interface 20 first contact array for receiving a card edge connector second contact array on a first edge of the card-edge connector 601; providing, on the connector socket 601, a first slot channel 26 perpendicular to the first contact array, the first slot channel (the support 26 extends perpendicular to slot 22 and does include contact at 13) for receiving a second edge of the card-edge connector 601 perpendicular to the first edge of the card edge connector (right edge of the card is perpendicular to the card contact array near leadline 602); providing, on the first slot channel 26, a first contact 13 extending from the first slot channel and configured such that, when the card-edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, a first current is provided between the connector socket 601 and the card-edge connector 601 through the first contact 13 and a second contact extending from the second edge of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 12, Petersen discloses the first contact 13 is on a first surface of the first slot channel 26 and the second contact is on a first surface of the card-edge connector 601, such that, when the card- edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, the first surface of the first slot channel 26 is adjacent to the first surface of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 13, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses further comprising: providing, on the connector socket 18, a third contact, and wherein the card-edge connector 601 further includes a fourth contact configured such that, when the card- edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, a second current is provided between the connector socket 18 and the card-edge connector 601 through the third contact and the fourth contact. Regarding claim 14, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the third contact is on a second surface of the first slot channel 26, such that, when the card- edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, a second surface of the first slot channel 26 is adjacent to the second surface of the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 15, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses further comprising: providing, on the connector socket, a second slot channel for receiving a third edge of the card-edge connector; providing, on the second slot channel, the fifth contact. Regarding claim 16, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the first current is a power current to provide power to the card-edge connector 601, and wherein the second current is a ground current for the card-edge connector 601. Regarding claim 17, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the connector socket 18 is a surface mount socket configured to be soldered to a printed circuit board, and wherein the first contact 13 provides the first current from a first surface mount pad of the printed circuit board. Regarding claim 20, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses an information handling system, comprising: a printed circuit board; and a connector socket 18 for receiving a card-edge connector 601 for the information handling system, the connector socket 18 being affixed to the printed circuit board, and including: a card-edge connector interface 20 first contact array for receiving a card edge connector 601 second contact array on a first edge of the card-edge connector 601; and a first slot channel 26 perpendicular to the first contact array, the first slot channel (the support 26 extends perpendicular to slot 22 and does include contact at 13) for receiving a second edge of the card-edge connector 601 perpendicular to the first edge of the card edge connector (right edge of the card is perpendicular to the card contact array near leadline 602), the first slot channel 26 including a first contact extending from the first slot channel and configured such that, when the card-edge connector 601 is installed into the connector socket 18, a first current is provided from the printed circuit board to the card- edge connector 601 through the first contact and a first contact extending from the second edge of the card-edge connector 601. 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 8-10 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Petersen. Regarding claims 8 18, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the claimed invention except for the connector socket is a plated through hole mount socket configured to be soldered to a printed circuit board, and wherein the first contact provides the first current from a first plated through hole of the printed circuit board. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Petersen to use plate holes as are standard so as to provide for good soldering. Regarding claims 9, 19, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the claimed invention except for the connector socket is a double data rate dual in-line memory module socket. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Petersen to use select type module as necessary for specific application. Regarding claim 10, Petersen, see figure 1, discloses the claimed invention except for the connector socket is a peripheral component interconnect-express device socket. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Petersen to use select type module as necessary for specific application. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed with the amendment have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Comments on page 6 are noted. However, upon review examiner find that the rejection is proper. The applicant argues that, the art of record fails to disclose the features of the independent claims as amended and those claims therefore are allowable, as are the claims that depend therefrom. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Reference meets claim languages with socket having slot channel and contacts 13 in the slot channels to engage contacts 608 extending along a second edge of the card edge contacts. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 PHUONG K DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-2090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 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, Riyami A Abdullah can be reached at 571-270-3119. 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. /PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 6 earlier events
Nov 25, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Dec 03, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Dec 10, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Dec 16, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Jan 13, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Jan 13, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jan 19, 2026
Response Filed
May 22, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+9.0%)
1y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 1193 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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