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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: “LTCC” (line 2) should be changed to: --Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC). Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-14 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.
“the flatness” (claim 1, line 10), “the components” (both appearances in claim 3, lines 3-4), “the lower direction” (claim 6, line 2) lack antecedent basis.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent 6,154,176 to Fathy et al in view of U.S. Patent 6,472,074 to Sugimoto.
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Fathy et al disclose a method for manufacturing a ceramic substrate for an antenna module, comprising the steps of: stacking a first base material layer (420, Fig. 4) and a second base material layer (410/612/702/816/etc. see Figs. 6-8) such that each of a radiation pattern (414/614/706/818) formed between the first and second base material layers and emits radio waves of millimeter waves (see Col. 1, line 36); and a connection pattern (418/618/708/820) formed inside the second base material layer to be electrically connected with the radiation pattern is provided (see Figs. 4-8) except for explicitly disclose the step of compressing the first and second base material layers; and calcinating the compressed first and second base material layers, wherein the step of compressing is performed at a predetermined pressure such that the flatness of the first and second base material layers has a value within a certain range, and wherein the step of calcinating is performed at a predetermined temperature and time such that the flatness of the first and second base material layers has a value within a certain range.
Sugimoto disclose the step of stacking plurality of ceramic layers having conductive material deposited thereon (see Fig. 3), then compressing and sintering (see Col. 9, lines 53-67) the stack of ceramic layers to form a substrate or an electronic device (2 or 20, see Figs. 1 and 4). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention Fathy et al by utilizing the process of compressing and calcinating the stack of ceramic layers form forming the ceramic substrate as taught by Sugimoto.
Regarding claims 2, and 13, it would have been obvious designed choice to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention by choosing any desired material for the first and second base material layers, the director and radiation pattern such as they are made of different materials having different shrinkage rates.
Regarding claim 3, both Fathy et al and Sugimoto disclose the first and second base material layers are implemented by stacking at least one LTCC substrate (see Col. 4, lines 46-47 in Fathy et al and Abstract in Sugimoto).
Regarding claim 4, Fathy et al disclose the connection pattern comprises a via electrode (416, 418/ 618 and 622/708 and 710/820 and 822) for feeding that penetrates the plurality of LTCC substrates (410/612/702/816, see Figs. 4-8).
Regarding claims 5-10, Fathy et al disclose a via electrode (710/822) for grounding (see Col. 10, line 13) that penetrates a part of the second base material layer, but is spaced apart from a side surface of the via electrode (708/820) for feeding and is provided to surround at least some side surface of the via electrode for feeding is formed on the second base material layer and spaced apart from the radiation pattern (706/818) in the lower direction of the radiation pattern position (see Figs. 7A and 8), and the via electrode for grounding is disposed to be spaced apart from the redistribution layer (406/704/806) in the upper and lower directions of the redistribution layer, and is provided in an area other than a corresponding portion of the redistribution layer on the first and second LTCC substrates that contact the upper and lower portions of the LTCC substrate on which the redistribution layer is provided (see Figs. 7-8).
Regarding claims 11-12, Fathy et al disclose a director (422) is formed at a position corresponding to the radiation pattern (414) on the upper surface of the first base material layer (420) and in the step of stacking or is formed after the step of calcinating.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art cited for their general teachings of making a ceramic substrate.
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/DN/ /DONGHAI D NGUYEN/April 18, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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