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
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 12-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang et al. (US pub 20220157730).
With respect to claim 1, Jang et al. teach a printed circuit board, comprising (see figs. 1-12, particularly fig. 11 and associated text):
a substrate portion 100 including a first insulating layer 112, a first wiring layer 122, 123 disposed on or within the first insulating layer, and a cavity (area where 200 occupies) penetrating through at least a portion of the first insulating layer;
a connection structure 200 disposed within the cavity of the substrate portion, and including a second insulating layer 212, a second wiring layer 222 disposed on or within the second insulating layer, and a metal layer M disposed on a lower surface and a side surface of the second insulating layer,
wherein the metal layer is disposed on an outermost side of the connection structure.
With respect to claim 2, Jang et al. teach the connection structure further comprises a protective layer (insulating layer right under 223) disposed between the metal layer and the second insulating layer. See fig. 11 and associated text.
With respect to claim 12, Jang et al. teach wiring density of the second wiring layer is greater than wiring density of the first wiring layer. See fig. 11 and associated text.
With respect to claim 13, Jang et al. teach a thickness of any one of the second insulating layers is less than a thickness of any one of the first insulating layers. See fig. 11 and associated text.
With respect to claim 14, Jang et al. teach the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer comprise an organic material, respectively. See fig. 11 and associated text.
With respect to claim 15, Jang et al. teach a first semiconductor chip 310 disposed on a portion of the substrate portion and a portion of the connection structure, and connected to a portion of the substrate portion and a portion of the connection structure; and a second semiconductor chip 320 disposed on another portion of the substrate portion and another portion of the connection structure, and connected to another portion of the substrate portion and another portion of the connection structure and connected to the first semiconductor chip through the connection structure. See fig. 11 and associated text.
With respect to claim 16, Jang et al. teach the connection structure includes first (top) and second (bottom) surfaces opposing each other in which the second surface faces a bottom surface of the cavity, and third (left) and fourth (right) surfaces opposing each other, and the metal layer provides only the second to fourth surfaces among the first to fourth surfaces of the connection structure. See fig. 11 and associated text.
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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang et al. (US pub 20220157730).
With respect to claim 4, Jang et al. fail to teach the metal layer is copper or al.
However, the use of copper or al metal layer is well-known semiconductor art.
Claim(s) 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang et al. (US pub 20220157730).
With respect to claim 17, Jang et al. teach a printed circuit board, comprising (see figs. 1-12, particularly fig. 11 and associated text):
a substrate portion 100 including a first insulating layer 112, a first wiring layer 122, 123 disposed on or within the first insulating layer, and a cavity (area where 200 occupies) penetrating through at least a portion of the first insulating layer; and
a connection structure 200 disposed within the cavity of the substrate portion, and including a second insulating layer 212, a second wiring layer 222 disposed on or within the second insulating layer, a protective layer (insulating layer right under 223) covering a lower surface and a side surface of the second insulating layer, and a metal layer M disposed on the protective layer.
With respect to claim 20, Jang et al. teach the connection structure includes first (top) and second (bottom) surfaces opposing each other in which the second surface faces a bottom surface of the cavity, and third (left) and fourth (right) surfaces opposing each other, and the metal layer provides only the second to fourth surfaces among the first to fourth surfaces of the connection structure. See fig. 11 and associated text.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6-11, and 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/24/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See below.
In response to the applicant’s arguments on pages 6 and 7 of the response dated 6/24/26, it is submitted that in fig. 11 of Jang et al. the part of the metal layer M that extends beyond the second insulating layer 212 is over a side (vertical) surface of the second insulating layer. Further, it is submitted that claim 1 as written does not require the metal layer to be formed directly on the side surface of the second insulating layer.
In response to the applicant’s arguments on page 8of the response dated 6/24/26, it is submitted that in fig. 11 of Jang et al. the protective layer (the layer right under 223), at least the edge portion of the protective layer is over a side (vertical) surface of the second insulating layer. Further, it is submitted that claim 1 as written does not require the protective layer to be formed directly on the side surface of the second insulating layer.
Conclusion
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.
/LONG PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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