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
Applicant's election with traverse of Species D (Fig. 4B and Claims 1-20) with traverse in the reply filed on 12/15/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the species are not distinct. This is not found persuasive because:
the species or groupings of patentably indistinct species have acquired a separate status in the art due to their recognized divergent subject matter as exemplified by the aforementioned mutually exclusive characteristics, while the species or groupings of patentably indistinct species require a different field of search (different search strategies or search queries, as evidenced by the above-defined distinctions between the species) (see MPEP § 808.02) and/or the prior art applicable to one species would not likely be applicable to another species; and/or the inventions are likely to raise different non-prior art issues under 35 U.S.C. 101 and/or 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph. Therefore, restriction for examination purposes as indicated is proper.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 1-5, 7 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Fang et al. (US Patent No. 11139252 B2 and Fang hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 1, Fang discloses (fig.1) a shielded integrated circuit package comprising: a printed circuit board (6); a semiconductor die (2) mounted to the printed circuit board and having a conductive top surface (5); a conductive adhesive layer (12) provided on the conductive top surface; an over-mold (5) above the printed circuit board, the over-mold encasing a periphery of the semiconductor die while exposing at least a portion of a top surface of the conductive adhesive layer (fig.1); and a conformal metal shield (13) over the over-mold and over the conductive adhesive layer, the conductive adhesive layer and the conformal metal shield forming a path from the semiconductor die to a ground reference (col 8, lines 17-35).
Regarding Claim 2, Fang discloses (fig.1) the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor die includes a surface-mount device.
Regarding Claim 3, Fang discloses (fig.1) the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor die includes one or more of a surface acoustic wave filter, bulk acoustic wave filter, power amplifier, or a low-noise amplifier (passive element).
Regarding Claim 4, Fang discloses (fig.1) the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, wherein the conductive adhesive layer includes a conductive epoxy.
Regarding Claim 5, Fang discloses (fig.1) the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, wherein the conformal metal shield includes aluminum, copper, nickel, iron, tin, or zinc (col 58 lies 15-20).
Regarding Claim 7, Fang discloses (fig.1) the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, wherein the shielded integrated circuit package is configured as a ball grid array package (fig.1).
Regarding Claim 9, Fang discloses (fig.1) a radio frequency packaged module comprising: a printed circuit board (6); first and second semiconductor dies (2,2) mounted to the printed circuit board; a first conductive adhesive layer (12) provided on a conductive top surface of the first semiconductor die (2) and a second conductive adhesive layer (12) provided on a conductive top surface of the second semiconductor die (2); an over-mold (5) above the printed circuit board, the over-mold encasing a periphery of each of the first and second semiconductor dies while exposing at least a portion of a top surface of both the first and second conductive adhesive layers (fig.1); and a conformal metal shield (13) over the over-mold and over the first and second conductive adhesive layers, the first conductive adhesive layer and the conformal metal shield forming a path from the first semiconductor die to a ground reference and the second conductive adhesive layer and the conformal metal shield forming a path from the second semiconductor die to the ground reference (col 8, lines 17-35).
Regarding Claim 10, Fang discloses (fig.1) a radio frequency packaged module of claim 9 wherein each of the semiconductor dies include one or more of a surface acoustic wave filter, bulk acoustic wave filter, power amplifier, or a low-noise amplifier (passive element).
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.
Claims 6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al in view of KITAJIMA et al (US Pub No. 2022/0102296 A1 and KITAJIMA hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 6, Fang discloses the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the conformal metal shield is configured to substantially attenuate radio frequency signals causing electromagnetic interference in the n77, n78, or n79 New Radio frequency bands. However, KITAJIMA teaches (fig.1) wherein the conformal metal shield (103) is configured to substantially attenuate radio frequency signals causing electromagnetic interference in the n77, n78, or n79 New Radio frequency bands ([0035]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of KITAJIMA to device of Fan in order to amplify a transmission signal input from a signal processing circuit and output the amplified transmission signal to an antenna without noise (KITAJIMA and [0035])
Regarding Claim 12, Fang discloses the radio frequency packaged module of claim 9, but fails to disclose wherein the conformal metal shield is configured to substantially attenuate radio frequency signals causing electromagnetic interference in the n77, n78, or n79 New Radio frequency bands. However, KITAJIMA teaches (fig.1) wherein the conformal metal shield (103) is configured to substantially attenuate radio frequency signals causing electromagnetic interference in the n77, n78, or n79 New Radio frequency bands ([0035]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of KITAJIMA to device of Fan in order to amplify a transmission signal input from a signal processing circuit and output the amplified transmission signal to an antenna without noise (KITAJIMA and [0035])
Claims 11, 13, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al in view of Teixeira et al (US Patent No.11605571 B2 and Teixeira hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 11, Fang discloses the radio frequency packaged module claim 9, but fails to disclose wherein the radio frequency packaged module is a front-end module. However, Teixeira teaches (fig.5) wherein the radio frequency packaged module is a front-end module. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an antenna of Teixeira to device of Fan in order to provide an package that include a radio frequency (RF) device filter (Teixeira and col 3, lines 50-55)
Regarding Claim 13, Fang discloses the radio frequency packaged module claim 9, but fails to disclose wherein the radio frequency packaged module is configured as a ball grid array package. However, Teixeira teaches (fig.5) wherein the radio frequency packaged module is configured as a ball grid array package (560). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a ball grid array package of Teixeira to device of Fan in order to provide an package having a plurality of solder interconnects that include a radio frequency (RF) device filter (Teixeira and col 3, lines 50-55)
Regarding Claim 15, Fang discloses a mobile device comprising the radio frequency packaged module claim 9, but fails to disclose the mobile device further comprising an antenna coupled to the radio frequency packaged module. However, Teixeira teaches (fig.5) an antenna (506) coupled to the radio frequency packaged module (200). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an antenna of Teixeira to device of Fan in order to provide an package that include a radio frequency (RF) device filter (Teixeira and col 3, lines 50-55)
Regarding Claim 20, Fang discloses (fig.1) a mobile device comprising: a shielded integrated circuit package including a printed circuit board (6), a semiconductor die (2) mounted to the printed circuit board and having a conductive top surface, a conductive adhesive layer (12) provided on the conductive top surface, an over- mold (5) above the printed circuit board, the over-mold encasing a periphery of the semiconductor die while exposing at least a portion of a top surface of the conductive adhesive layer (fig.1), and a conformal metal shield (13) over the over-mold and over the conductive adhesive layer, the conductive adhesive layer and the conformal metal shield forming a path from the semiconductor die to a ground reference (col 8, lines 17-35). Fan does not explicitly disclose an antenna coupled to the shielded integrated circuit package. However, Teixeira teaches (fig.5) an antenna (506) coupled to the shielded integrated circuit package (200). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an antenna of Teixeira to device of Fan in order to provide an package that include a radio frequency (RF) device filter (Teixeira and col 3, lines 50-55)
Claims 8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al in view of Choi et al (US Patent No. 10285258 B2 and Choi hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 8, Fang discloses the shielded integrated circuit package of claim 1, but fails to disclose a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage around the shielded integrated circuit package. However, Choi teaches (figs. 1-9) a plurality of bond wires (330) forming a wire cage around the shielded integrated circuit package (300).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage of Choi to device of Fan in order to improve the effectiveness of the compartment EMI shield and prevents the wires that extend over the circuitry from coming into contact with the component(s) of the circuitry (Teixeira and col 4, lines 50-55)
Regarding Claim 14, Fang discloses the radio frequency packaged module of claim 9 but fails to disclose a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage around the radio frequency packaged module. However, Choi teaches (figs. 1-9) a plurality of bond wires (330) forming a wire cage around the shielded integrated circuit package (300).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage of Choi to device of Fan in order to improve the effectiveness of the compartment EMI shield and prevents the wires that extend over the circuitry from coming into contact with the component(s) of the circuitry (Teixeira and col 4, lines 50-55)
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al in view of Teixeira et al and further in view of Choi et al
Regarding Claim 16, Fang/Teixeira discloses the mobile device of claim 15, but fails to disclose a plurality of bond wires extending between the printed circuit board and conformal metal shield to form a wire cage around the radio frequency packaged module. However, Choi teaches (figs. 1-9) a plurality of bond wires (330) extending between the printed circuit board (301) and conformal metal shield (310) to form a wire cage around the radio frequency packaged module. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage of Choi to device of Fang/Teixeira in order to reduce EMI emissions from the module package as a whole (Choi and [0004])
Regarding Claim 17, Fang/Teixeira/Choi discloses the mobile device of claim 16. Choi further teaches (figs. 1-9) wherein the wire cage (330) is configured to attenuate radio frequency noise emissions of the first and second semiconductor dies by coupling the noise emissions to the ground reference ([0069]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a plurality of bond wires forming a wire cage of Choi to device of Fang/Teixeira in order to reduce EMI emissions from the module package as a whole (Choi and [0004])
Regarding Claim 18, Fang/Teixeira/Choi discloses the mobile device of claim 16. Choi further teaches (figs. 1-9) wherein the plurality of bond wires (330) form a perimeter boundary around the first and second semiconductor dies (303, 303). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a plurality of bond wires of Choi to device of Fang/Teixeira in order to reduce EMI emissions from the module package as a whole (Choi and [0004])
Regarding Claim 19, Fang/Teixeira/Choi discloses the mobile device of claim 16. Choi further teaches (figs. 1-9) wherein the first and second conductive adhesive layers ([0029], bonding material) each form an electrical connection between one or more of the bond wires (330) and the ground reference (305). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an electrical connection between one or more of the bond wires and the ground reference of Choi to device of Fang/Teixeira in order to reduce EMI emissions from the module package as a whole by two devices are connected together without any intervening devices other than electrical connectors (Choi and [0029])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841