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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/20/2025 has been entered.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 18 – 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by YAMASAKI et al. (US 20210153350 A1, “YAMASAKI”)
Regarding claim 1, YAMASAKI discloses (Fig. 1) a multilayer wiring board (1), comprising: a first laminated layer; and a second laminated layer, wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer comprises: an insulating resin layer having a first surface and a second surface which is a rear surface thereof, the insulating resin layer including a first recess that is open to the first surface, a groove section that is open to the first surface, and a second recess that is open to the second surface and communicates with one or more of the first recesses, the insulating resin layer being integrally formed in a thickness direction thereof; and a conductor layer including a land portion and a wiring portion filling the first recess and the groove section of the insulating resin layer, respectively, and a via portion protruding from the first surface at a position of the land portion, the via portion filling a recess of another insulating resin layer adjacent to the first surface (See annotated figure below), wherein the insulating resin layer (22) of the first laminated layer is in direct contact with the insulating resin layer (21) of the second laminated layer and wherein the insulating resin layer of the first laminated layer and the insulating resin layer of the second laminated layer are each made of a non-photosensitive resin (See para [0025]).
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Regarding claim 18, YAMASAKI discloses (Fig. 1) composite wiring board (1), comprising: a first wiring board; and a second wiring board bonded to the first wiring board, wherein the first wiring board and the second wiring board are electrically connected to each other via bonding electrodes (33) interposed therebetween, and the second wiring board is the multilayer wiring board of claim 1 (See Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, YAMASAKI discloses (Fig. 1) packaged device comprising: the composite wiring board of claim 18; and a functional device (C) mounted on a surface of the second wiring board opposite to that facing the first wiring board (See Fig. 1).
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.
Claim(s) 2 – 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMASAKI et al. (US 20210153350 A1, “YAMASAKI”) in view of MAEKAWA et al. (US 20220028772 A1, “MAEKAWA”)
Regarding claim 2, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1,
YAMASAKI is silent on wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a portion covering the first surface.
However, MAEKAWA discloses (Fig. 42) wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer (37) including a portion covering the first surface (See annotated figure below).
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YAMASAKI and MAEKAWA are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of MAEKAWA and provide wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer (37) including a portion covering the first surface (See annotated figure above). Doing so would reduce warp and stress and prevent connection failure and diffusion (para [0204], [0206], [0208], [0209])
Regarding claim 3, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 2, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer further includes a portion closing an aperture of the groove section, and a portion covering a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion (See annotated figure above).
Regarding claim 4, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 2, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer is composed of the portion covering the first surface (See annotated figure above).
Regarding claim 5, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1,
YAMASAKI is silent on wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess.
However, MAEKAWA discloses (Fig. 20) wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess (See annotated figure below).
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YAMASAKI and MAEKAWA are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of MAEKAWA and provide wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess (See annotated figure above). Doing so would provide a better encapsulation and insulation protection for both the groove section and the land portion, which are critical areas for electrical performance and reliability.
Regarding claim 6, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 5, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer further includes a portion covering a side wall of the first recess and a portion covering a side wall of the groove section (See annotated figure below).
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Regarding claim 7, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 6, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer further includes a portion covering the first surface (See annotated figure above).
Regarding claim 8, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1,
YAMASAKI is silent on wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer includes: a first inorganic insulating layer including a first portion covering the first surface, a second portion closing an aperture of the groove section, and a third portion covering a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion; and a second inorganic insulating layer including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section, and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess.
However, MAEKAWA discloses (Fig. 20 & 42) a first inorganic insulating layer (37) including a first portion covering the first surface, a second portion closing an aperture of the groove section, and a third portion covering a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion; and a second inorganic insulating layer (37) including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess (See annotated figures below).
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YAMASAKI and MAEKAWA are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of MAEKAWA and provide a first inorganic insulating layer (37) including a first portion covering the first surface, a second portion closing an aperture of the groove section, and a third portion covering a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion; and a second inorganic insulating layer (37) including a portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a portion covering a bottom of the first recess. Doing so would provide a better encapsulation and insulation protection for both the groove section and the land portion, which are critical areas for electrical performance and reliability.
Regarding claim 9, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 8, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the second inorganic insulating layer includes a portion covering a side wall of the first recess, a portion covering a side wall of the groove section, and a portion interposed between the first surface and the first portion covering the first surface (See figure below).
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Regarding claim 10, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1, YAMASAKI is silent on wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a first portion covering the first surface, a second portion covering a bottom of the groove section, and a third portion covering a bottom of the first recess.
However, MAEKAWA discloses (Fig. 20 and 42) wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a first portion covering the first surface (See Fig. 42), a second portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a third portion covering a bottom of the first recess (See annotated figure below).
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YAMASAKI and MAEKAWA are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of MAEKAWA and provide wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes an inorganic insulating layer including a first portion covering the first surface (See Fig. 42), a second portion covering a bottom of the groove section and a third portion covering a bottom of the first recess (See annotated figure above). Doing so would provide a better encapsulation and insulation protection for both the groove section and the land portion, which are critical areas for electrical performance and reliability.
Regarding claim 11, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 10, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the first portion is thicker than each of the second portion and the third portion (By combining the two embodiments of MAEKAWA in Fig. 20 and 42, the thickness for the first portion will be the double of the other two).
Regarding claim 12, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 10, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer further includes a fourth portion covering a side wall of the first recess, and a fifth portion covering a side wall of the groove section, and the first portion is thicker than each of the fourth portion and the fifth portion (See the figure below).
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Regarding claim 13, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 10, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the first portion has a two-layer structure, and a portion of the inorganic insulating layer other than the first portion has a single-layer structure (By combining the two embodiments of MAEKAWA in Fig. 20 and 42, the first portion will have two layers of (37) and the other two will have one layer). .
Regarding claim 14, YAMASAKI in view of MAEKAWA discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 10, wherein MAEKAWA further discloses the inorganic insulating layer includes a first inorganic insulating layer (Fig. 20) and a second inorganic insulating layer(Fig. 42), the first inorganic insulating layer covering the first surface with the second inorganic insulating layer interposed therebetween, the first inorganic insulating layer having a through hole and a slit at a position of the first recess and a position of the groove section, respectively (Fig. 20), and the second inorganic insulating layer extending across the entire inorganic insulating layer (Fig. 42).
Regarding claim 15, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1, wherein the first recess and the groove section have a cross-section in an inverted tapered shape, and the second recess has a cross-section in a forward tapered shape.
(YAMASAKI discloses a tapered via shape para [0030].The shape of the wiring, and the land is merely a design matter to be selected as appropriate. Therefore , a person skilled in the art could easily conceive of making the first portion and second portion of the conductive layer have a reverse tapered shape and a forward tapered shape, which are well known shapes in the art).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMASAKI et al. (US 20210153350 A1, “YAMASAKI”) in view of Chiang et al. (US 20110147339 A1, “Chiang”).
Regarding claim 15, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1,
YAMASAKI also discloses a tapered via portion.
YAMASAKI fails to discloses wherein the first recess and the groove section have a cross-section in an inverted tapered shape, and the second recess has a cross-section in a forward tapered shape
However, Chiang discloses (Fig. 1F) wherein the first recess (122) and the groove section (142b) have a cross-section in an inverted tapered shape, and the second recess (124) has a cross-section in a forward tapered shape (See Fig. 1F).
YAMASAKI and Chiang are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wiring board. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of Chiang and provide wherein the first recess (122) and the groove section (142b) have a cross-section in an inverted tapered shape, and the second recess (124) has a cross-section in a forward tapered shape (See Fig. 1F). Doing so would help distribute mechanical and thermal stress more evenly, preventing cracks in vias and traces during manufacturing or operation.
Claim(s) 16 - 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMASAKI et al. (US 20210153350 A1, “YAMASAKI”) in view of Yamasaki et al. (US 20090188806 A1, “Yamasaki”).
Regarding claim 16, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1, YAMASAKI is silent on wherein each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes a first metal-containing layer covering side surfaces of the land portion, the via portion and the wiring portion, a surface on an aperture side of the groove section of the wiring portion, and a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion.
However, Yamasaki discloses (Fig. 10) a first metal-containing layer (47) covering side surfaces of the land portion, the via portion and the wiring portion, a surface on an aperture side of the groove section of the wiring portion, and a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion(See Fig. 10).
YAMASAKI and Yamasaki are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of Yamasaki and provide a first metal-containing layer (47) covering side surfaces of the land portion, the via portion and the wiring portion, a surface on an aperture side of the groove section of the wiring portion, and a peripheral portion of a surface on the first surface side of the land portion(See Fig. 10). Doing so would an etching stopper layer (para [0071])
Regarding claim 17, YAMASAKI in view of Yamasaki discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 16, wherein Yamasaki further discloses each of the first laminated layer and the second laminated layer further includes a second metal-containing layer (48) interposed between the first metal-containing layer (47) and the conductor layer (49), the second metal- containing layer being made of the same material as the conductor layer (para [0063]) or a metal material having a lower ionization tendency than the material of the conductor layer.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMASAKI et al. (US 20210153350 A1, “YAMASAKI”) in view of Hirasawa et al. (US 20190036247 A1, “Hirasawa”)
Regarding claim 21, YAMASAKI discloses the multilayer wiring board of claim 1, YAMASAKI is silent wherein the insulating resin layer of the first laminated layer and the insulating resin layer of the second laminated layer are each made of a non-photosensitive polyimide insulating resin.
However, Hirasawa discloses (Fig. 4) wherein the insulating resin layer of the first laminated layer and the insulating resin layer of the second laminated layer are each made of a non-photosensitive polyimide insulating resin (See para [0036])
YAMASAKI and Hirasawa are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of multilayer substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified YAMASAKI to incorporate the teachings of Hirasawa and provide wherein the insulating resin layer of the first laminated layer and the insulating resin layer of the second laminated layer are each made of a non-photosensitive polyimide insulating resin (See para [0036]). Doing so would make the insulating layers both flexible and insulating. Therefore, a shape can be deformed according to an intended use, while sufficient insulation is ensured (para [0036]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIDI MOHAMED MAIGA whose telephone number is (703)756-1870. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am 5 pm.
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/SIDI M MAIGA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/STANLEY TSO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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