DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement(s)
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) filed on June 1, 2023, Sept. 26, 2024, and April 14, 2025 were considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 11 include “directly/indirectly contacting” or “indirectly/directly contacting” and it is unclear if this is intended to mean “directly contacting or indirectly contacting” or something else. For the purposes of examination, this language will be interpreted to mean “directly contacting or indirectly contacting.”
Claim 1 includes “the heat sink body” which has no antecedent basis. For the purposes of examination, this language will be interpreted as referring to the previously introduced “heat slug design body.”
Claims 2-8 are rejected due to their dependency from claim 1.
Claim 9 includes “a substrate which has a circuit pattern, and is a quadrangular plane.” A plane is a two-dimensional object, and a substrate exists in three dimensions. Accordingly, it is impossible for a substrate to be two-dimensional. For the purposes of examination, this language will be interpreted to mean the substrate has a plane.
Claims 10, 11 include “the wind” which as no antecedent basis.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20130135823A1 (“Kim”) in view of US 20060145311 A1 (“Abbott”).
RE: Claim 1, Kim discloses A heat slug design (510 in FIG. 4 including 300, [0074]) comprising:
a heat slug design body (300; 300 includes 370, 380, [0075]) implemented to be larger than or the same as an area of a substrate (100; 370 covers a unit area of 100, [0076]; FIG. 4 shows upper plate 370 is larger than area of substrate 100 occupied by 200; Additionally, FIG. 1 shows 300 is larger than an area of substrate 100 occupied by 200; Note: “area” is not defined by the instant specification; Accordingly, under a broad reasonable interpretation, “area” is not necessarily an entire surface area of the substrate, and is here interpreted to mean any area of a substrate, including a partial surface area),
a plurality of fixation portions (380, 390 in FIG. 5) formed on an outer periphery of the heat slug design body, and directly contacting the substrate (four securing portions 390 are positioned at four corner portions of the unit area of the circuit board 100, respectively, [0078]; FIG. 4 shows 390 directly contacting 100), and
a plurality of opening portions (opening portions OA, 320 in FIGs. 4-5, [0079]-[0080]) formed between the plurality of fixation portions on the outer periphery of the heating sink body, and having a space having a predetermined height from the substrate (FIGs 4-5 show opening portions OA, 320 formed between the plurality of fixation portions 390 on the outer periphery of the heating sink body 300, and having a space having a predetermined height from the substrate 100).
Kim does not explicitly disclose:
a contact area formed at a center of the heat slug design body, and directly/indirectly contacting a silicon die formed on the substrate.
However, in the embodiment of FIGs. 1-2, Kim discloses:
a contact area (area of 300 in FIGs. 1-2 indirectly contacting chip 200 through adhesive 350; adhesive 350 is interposed between the integrated circuit chip 200 and the cover 300, and thus the cover 300 may be more stably secured to the circuit board 100, [0065]) formed at a center of the heat slug design body, and directly/indirectly contacting a die formed on the substrate (FIGs. 1-2 shows the contact area of 300 formed at center of 300 indirectly contacting 200 through 350).
FIGs. 1-2 show the air flow generator 400 and the second opening 320 offset from the center of 300 with the air flow generator 400 positioned between the top right corner and bottom left corner of 300; Accordingly, the opening 320 is between the diagonal corners of 300.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of FIGs. 4-5 so that a central contact area of 300 indirectly contacts 200, and the air flow generator 400 and the second opening 320 are offset from the center of 300 as taught by Kim in order to more stably secure 300 to the circuit board 100 as further taught by Kim.
Further Kim discloses 200 is a semiconductor chip, [0057].
In the same field of endeavor, Abbott discloses the material of the semiconductor chip may comprise silicon, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, or any other semiconductor or compound material used in integrated circuit manufacturing, [0037].
Accordingly, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, there was a need to select a material for the semiconductor chip 200 in Kim.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use silicon as the material in the semiconductor chip 200 as this would have been obvious to try since silicon is one solution for semiconductor material in a semiconductor chip identified by Abbott, and this would have had a reasonable expectation of success, see MPEP 2143.
RE: Claim 2, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 1, wherein:
the heat slug design body is implemented in a quadrangular shape (Kim FIG. 5 shows 300 has a quadrangular shape, i.e., 300 has four sides; FIG. 1 shows top view of 300 has four sides).
RE: Claim 3, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 2, wherein:
the plurality of fixation portions are formed on four sides of the outer periphery of the heat slug design body, respectively (Kim FIG. 4 shows 390 are on edges of 100; As 390 are formed at four corner portions, [0078], they would be formed on the four sides of the outer periphery of 300; further, support 380 extends upward from the securing portion, [0077]; one or more supports extend from corresponding securing portions, [0030]; Accordingly, four securing portions 390 would have four corresponding supports 380 on four sides of 300; Alternatively, modifying the device to have four supports 380 on four sides of 300 would have been obvious since it has been held that mere duplication or arrangement of the essential working parts of a device (i.e., supports 380) involves only routine skill in the art, see MPEP 2144.04).
RE: Claim 4, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 3, wherein:
the plurality of opening portions, are formed at four apexes (In Kim FIGs. 4-5: 380) of the outer periphery of the heat slug design body, respectively (Kim discloses the gap area between neighboring supports 380 is open to form an opening area OA, [0079]; Accordingly, the opening areas OA would defined by neighboring supports 380 and therefore be positioned at the neighboring supports 380 which form apexes of 300).
RE: Claim 5, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 2, wherein:
the plurality of fixation portions are formed at four apexes of the outer periphery of the heat slug design body, respectively (In Kim FIGs. 4-5: 390 are formed at four corner portions, [0078], further, support 380 extends upward from the securing portion, [0077]; one or more supports extend from corresponding securing portions, [0030]; Accordingly, four securing portions 390 would have four corresponding supports 380 at four corners of 300; Alternatively, modifying the device to have four supports 380 at four corners of 300 would have been obvious since it has been held that mere duplication or arrangement of the essential working parts of a device (i.e., supports 380) involves only routine skill in the art, see MPEP 2144.04).
RE: Claim 6, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 5, wherein:
the plurality of opening portions, are formed on four sides of the outer periphery of the heat slug design body, respectively (Kim discloses the gap area between neighboring supports 380 is open to form an opening area OA, [0079]; Accordingly, the opening areas OA would be formed on the four sides of the outer periphery of 300 in between the four supports 380).
RE: Claim 7, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The heat slug design of claim 1, wherein:
at least one opening portion (In Kim FIGs. 4-5: 320) of the plurality of opening portions is an inlet through which wind generated by a cooling fan (400 includes a fan, [0067], [0069]) is introduced (when the air flow generator 400 may force the surrounding air to flow into the flow space S through the second opening 320, the air around the integrated circuit chip 200 may flow out of the flow space S to the surroundings through the opening area OA. That is, the air may be compelled to flow into the flow space S from surroundings through the second opening 320 and to flow out of the flow space S through the opening area OA, thereby generate the compulsory air flow from the second opening 320 to the opening area OA via the flow space S, [0080]), and
at least one opening portion (opening area OA) of the plurality of opening portions is an outlet through which the introduced wind is discharged jointly with the heat of the silicon die (That is, the air may be compelled to flow into the flow space S from surroundings through the second opening 320 and to flow out of the flow space S through the opening area OA, thereby generate the compulsory air flow from the second opening 320 to the opening area OA via the flow space S, [0080]).
Claim 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Abbott as applied to claim 7, further in view of US5912800A (“Sammakia”).
RE: Claim 8, Kim in view of Abbott does not explicitly disclose The heat slug design of claim 7, wherein:
the outlet, releases the heat generated from the silicon die to the outside through natural convection by a difference between a temperature of the silicon die and a surrounding temperature of the silicon die.
However, Kim discloses heat is generated from the chip 200, [0064].
Kim further discloses The temperature sensor may detect a temperature thereof, for example, a surface temperature of the integrated circuit chip 200 periodically or constantly. When the detected surface temperature of the integrated circuit chip 200 may be higher than a given reference temperature, the fan controller may be allowed to operate, [0073].
The term “convection” is defined as “movement in a gas or liquid in which the warmer parts move up and the cooler parts move down,” (see definition 2a provided by Merriam-Webster available at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convection, accessed on March 24, 2026.
Accordingly, as the temperature of the chip increases, and before the temperature of the chip 200 reaches the reference temperature or before the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the chip 200 has reached the reference temperature, the chip 200 would generate heat, and heat air surrounding the chip 200, increasing the pressure in the air surrounding the chip 200, causing the heated air to rise and be released through at least one opening area OA through natural convection.
Alternatively:
In the same field of endeavor, Sammakia discloses In order to provide for the thermal management, or natural convection of an air flow for cooling a heated module or an electronic package 12 attached to the vertical board 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1b, Col. 3, lines 30-35.
Sammakia further discloses The air flow is propagated on the basis of the phenomenon that warm air possesses a lower density than the surrounding cold air, and therefore will attempt to flow upwardly. This results in the cold air from the surroundings being drawn in and upwardly as a replacement for the warm air, thereby generating a buoyancy-induced, or natural convection air flow Col. 1, lines 30-40.
In FIG. 1b, the mounting surface of the semiconductor chip 12 is vertically oriented.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit board 100 and the mounting surface of 200 to be vertically oriented as taught by Sammakia in order to improve thermal management by allowing heat dissipation through natural convection. As a result, at least one of the outlets OA would release the heat generated from the silicon die 200 to the outside through natural convection by a difference between a temperature of the silicon die 200 and a surrounding temperature of the silicon die 200.
Claims 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Abbott.
RE: Claim 9, Kim discloses A semiconductor package (510 in FIG. 4 including 300, [0074]) comprising:
a substrate (100) which has a circuit pattern (printed circuits of circuit board 100, [0052] and/or wirings 110, 112, [0053]), and is a quadrangular plane (FIG. 4 shows 100 is planar and therefore has a plane; FIG. 1 shows 100 is quadrangular);
a die (200) formed on the substrate, and electrically connected to the substrate (printed circuits are electrically connected to 200, [0052]; 111 is electrically connected to 200, [0053]); and
a heat slug design (300) formed at an upper portion of the die, and releasing heat generated from the die to the outside (the term “at” is not defined by the instant specification; the term “at” is defined as “used as a function word to indicate presence or occurrence in, on, or near,” (see definition 1 by Merriam-Webster available at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at, accessed on March 24, 2026; accordingly, 300 is formed near an upper portion of 200, and therefore formed at the upper portion of 200; heat generated from the integrated circuit chip 200 may also be dissipated by thermal conduction through the cover 300, [0064]),
wherein the heat slug design includes a plurality of fixation portions (380) generated by a predetermined length around four apexes of an outer periphery of the heat slug design or with partial lengths of four sides directly contacting the substrate (380 is formed around, i.e., near four apexes of an outer periphery of 300 in FIGs. 4-5), and a plurality of opening portions (opening portions defined by 380, 370; gap area between the neighboring supports 380 may be open, to thereby form an opening area OA between the neighboring supports 380, [0079]) formed between respective fixation portions and formed to be spaced apart from the substrate by a predetermined height (FIG. 4 shows 300, 380, 370 are spaced apart from 100 by 390 and therefore the opening portions defined by 380, 390 are spaced apart from 100 by a predetermined height of 390).
Kim does not explicitly disclose 200 is a silicon die.
However Kim discloses 200 is a semiconductor chip, [0057].
In the same field of endeavor, Abbott discloses the material of the semiconductor chip may comprise silicon, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, or any other semiconductor or compound material used in integrated circuit manufacturing, [0037].
Accordingly, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, there was a need to select a material for the semiconductor chip 200 in Kim.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use silicon as the material in the semiconductor chip 200 as this would have been obvious to try since silicon is one solution for semiconductor material in a semiconductor chip identified by Abbott, and this would have had a reasonable expectation of success, see MPEP 2143.
RE: Claim 10, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The semiconductor package of claim 9, further comprising:
a cooling fan (400 includes a fan, [0067], [0069]) which operates so as for the wind to be introduced into any one opening portion of the plurality of opening portions (400 operates for wind to be introduced into 320, opening area OA, [0080]).
RE: Claim 11, Kim in view of Abbott discloses The semiconductor package of claim 9,
wherein the heat slug design
discharges the wind introduced into at least one opening portion of the plurality of opening portions jointly with the heat of the silicon die through at least one opening portion of the plurality of opening portions (Kim discloses the air flow generator 400 may force the surrounding air to flow into the flow space S through the second opening 320, the air around the integrated circuit chip 200 may flow out of the flow space S to the surroundings through the opening area OA. That is, the air may be compelled to flow into the flow space S from surroundings through the second opening 320 and to flow out of the flow space S through the opening area OA, thereby generate the compulsory air flow from the second opening 320 to the opening area OA, [0080]; Accordingly, 300 would discharge wind introduced into the opening areas OA and therefore through opening areas OA; heat generated from the integrated circuit chip 200 may also be dissipated by thermal conduction through the cover 300, [0064]; Accordingly, heat from the chip 200 would also heat the wind in 300 which would be discharged through the opening areas OA).
Kim, in the embodiment of FIGs. 4-5 does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the heat slug design
releases the heat generated from the silicon die to the outside through natural convection by a difference between a temperature of the silicon die and a surrounding temperature of the silicon die through a contact area indirectly/directly contacting the silicon die.
The term “convection” is defined as “movement in a gas or liquid in which the warmer parts move up and the cooler parts move down,” (see definition 2a provided by Merriam-Webster available at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convection, accessed on March 24, 2026.
In the embodiment of FIGs. 1-2, Kim discloses:
wherein the heat slug design
releases the heat generated from the silicon die to the outside through natural convection by a difference between a temperature of the silicon die and a surrounding temperature of the silicon die through a contact area (area of 300 in FIGs. 1-2 indirectly contacting chip 200 through adhesive 350;) indirectly/directly contacting the silicon die (the adhesive 350 may include a conductive epoxy resin and a conductive adhesive tape and thus the heat generated from the integrated circuit chip 200 may be efficiently dissipated out of the semiconductor package 500 by the thermal conduction through the adhesive 350, [0065]; the cover 300 may include a metal flat having good thermal conductivity, and thus heat generated from the integrated circuit chip 200 may also be dissipated by thermal conduction through the cover 300, [0064]; adhesive 350 is interposed between the integrated circuit chip 200 and the cover 300, and thus the cover 300 may be more stably secured to the circuit board 100, [0065]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of FIGs. 4-5 so that a contact area of 300 indirectly contacts 200, and the air flow generator 400 and the second opening 320 are offset from the center of 300 as taught by Kim in order to more stably secure 300 to the circuit board 100 as further taught by Kim. As a result, 300 would release heat generated from the die 200 to the outside through natural convection by a difference between a temperature of the die 200 and a surrounding temperature of the die 200 through the contact area of 300 indirectly contacting die 200.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL ANGUIANO whose telephone number is (703)756-1226. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday.
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/MICHAEL ANGUIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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