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.
Claims 1-2, 4-6 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rinne (US 7932615).
Regarding claim 1, Rinne discloses a method for packaging a semiconductor, the method comprising:
preparing a wafer (601-603) comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices [Fig. 6a, col. 11, lines 57-67, and col. 12, lines 1-17];
disposing a mask member (shadow mask) on the wafer [col. 10, lines 43-52]; and
supplying a conductive material (607) on the wafer to pass through the mask member (shadow mask) [col. 10, lines 23-25 and 43-52], thereby forming a conductive pattern layer (607) on the wafer [Fig, 6C].
Regarding claim 2, Rinne discloses wherein the preparing of the wafer comprises preparing the wafer, on which a passivation layer (605,606) is formed, on the plurality of semiconductor devices [Figs. 6a-6b].
Regarding claim 4, Rinne discloses wherein the disposing of the mask member comprises aligning the mask member (shadow mask) on the wafer [Col. 10, lines 43-46].
Regarding claim 5, Rinne discloses wherein the disposing of the mask member (shadow mask) comprises disposing the mask member on the wafer so as to be spaced apart (over) from the wafer (601-603) [Col. 10, lines 43-46].
Regarding claim 6, Rinne discloses wherein the forming of the conductive pattern layer (607) is performed by a sputtering process [Fig. 6C and Col. 10, lines 46-49].
Regarding claim 9, Rinne discloses after the forming of the conductive pattern layer, cutting the wafer for each semiconductor device [col. 11, lines 57-67 and col. 12, lines 1-17].
Regarding claim 10, Rinne discloses wherein the mask member comprises a shadow mask [Col. 10, lines 43-52].
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 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rinne (US 7932615).
Regarding claims 7-8, the court has held that "[I]n considering the disclosure of a reference, it is proper to take into account not only specific teachings of the reference but also the inferences which one skilled in the art would reasonably be expected to draw therefrom." In re Preda, 401 F.2d 825, 826, 159 USPQ 342, 344 (CCPA 1968). In the instant case, Rinne discloses a first step of aligning a mask [col. 10, lines 43-46] and then, a second step of depositing the seed layer [col. 10, lines 46-49]. Therefore, Rinne makes obvious the limitations as recited in claims 7-8 since one ordinary skill in the art can reasonably conclude that the steps of aligning the mask and depositing the seed layer in Rinne are not required to be performed at the same time.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on February 5, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Rinne does not teach or suggest the features as now recited in claim 1. However, the Examiner disagrees. Rinne, as stated in the rejection above, does disclose the argued process in column 10, lines 23-25 and 43-52. Therefore, applicant's arguments are not persuasive and hence, the rejection is considered to be proper.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE R DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1727. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Benitez can be reached at 571-270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jose R Diaz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815