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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species I, claims 1-6, in the reply filed on 9 June 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 7-11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement on the ground(s) that examination of all of the identified inventions and all of the pending claims would not result in a serious search and/or examination burden. This is not found persuasive for the reasons set forth in the Election Requirement. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Applicant is reminded to identify claims 7-11 as being withdrawn in the next submission of a claim listing.
The Office notes that Applicant identified claim 9 as being drawn to the elected species and identified claim 3 as not being drawn to the elected species. The Office believes the opposite to be true because claim 9 depends from claim 7, which Applicant acknowledges is drawn to a non-elected species. And claim 3 is directed to subject matter disclosed by Figs. 13A and 13B, which are directed to the elected species.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 6-8, recites “a heat-dissipating lead frame having a number of heat-dissipating portions and mounting a semiconductor element on a central surface is attached to a rear surface side of the main body opposite to the front surface side,” which should read “a heat-dissipating lead frame, having a number of heat-dissipating portions and mounting a semiconductor element on a central surface, is attached to a rear surface side of the main body opposite to the front surface side” for proper composition and clarity. Stated another way for increased understanding, the added commas make clear that “is attached” is intended to modify the lead frame rather than the nearest preceding noun phrase.
Claim 5, lines 2-4, recites “a mounting surface for mounting a semiconductor chip formed of a material having heat dissipation properties and provided at a center on a front surface side of a mounting portion,” which should read “a mounting surface, for mounting a semiconductor chip, formed of a material having heat dissipation properties and provided at a center on a front surface side of a mounting portion” for proper composition and clarity. Stated another way for increased understanding, the added commas make clear that the mounting surface (not the semiconductor chip) has the heat dissipation properties and is provided at a center of a mounting portion.
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 5 and 6 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.
Claim 5, lines 7-10, recites “with the mounting surface facing the front surface of the semiconductor package, the mounting surface is fitted into an opening provided in a semiconductor device package, and the lead frame is attached to a rear surface of the semiconductor device package,” which is indefinite because: (1) claim 5 defines a lead frame and (2) the quoted recitation immediately above indicates that the lead frame is only one component of a device having multiple interrelated components. Accordingly, claim 5 lacks clarity as to whether the device having multiple components is being claimed or the single component of the lead frame is being claimed. Additionally, the recitations of “is fitted” and “is attached” are product by process features that do not limit the scope of the claimed device; even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. MPEP §2113(I). For the purpose of compact prosecution and to better comport with the remainder of claim 5 and its dependent claims, the above-quoted portion of claim 5 will be interpreted as being omitted. Claim 6 is rejected due to its dependence from base claim 5.
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, 5, and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mosher et al. (US20110012242A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mosher teaches in Fig. 1 a semiconductor device package, comprising:
an opening (108) provided on a center side of a main body (102) of a package (100) {Fig. 1; [0020]}; and
a concave area provided on at least a front surface side of the main body (102) at a center side including the opening (108), and recessed from an outer edge side that is outside of the center side {Fig. 1}, wherein
a heat-dissipating lead frame (104) having a number of heat-dissipating portions (112) and mounting a semiconductor element on a central surface (central surface of 110) is attached to a rear surface side of the main body (102) opposite to the front surface side {Fig. 1; [0020], The semiconductor or other device or circuit is mounted in the cavity 108 directly on, i.e., in contact with, a central portion 110 of the lead portion 104}.
Regarding claim 2, Mosher teaches the semiconductor device package according to claim 1, and Mosher further teaches wherein a mounting portion (110) on the center side of the lead frame (104), on which the semiconductor element is mounted, fits into the opening (108) {Fig. 1; [0020]}.
Regarding claim 5, as interpreted in view of the indefiniteness rejection, Mosher teaches in Fig. 1 a heat-dissipating lead frame, comprising:
a mounting surface (central mounting portion of 104) for mounting a semiconductor chip formed of a material having heat dissipation properties and provided at a center on a front surface side of a mounting portion (mounting portion of 104) {Fig. 1; [0019], The lead portion 104, which is typically copper {copper has a high thermal conductivity (i.e., is highly dissipative of heat)};[0020], The semiconductor or other device or circuit is mounted in the cavity 108 directly on, i.e., in contact with, a central portion 110 of the lead portion 104}; and
a number of heat-dissipating portions (112) provided around the mounting portion (mounting portion of 104) and/or on a rear surface side (unselected alternative) opposite to the mounting surface {Fig. 1; [0020]}.
Regarding claim 6, Mosher teaches the heat-dissipating lead frame according to claim 5, and Mosher further teaches wherein
the mounting surface (central mounting portion of 104) has a substantially rectangular shape {Fig. 1; portion of 110 within 108 has a substantially rectangular shape}, and
each of the heat-dissipating portions (112) is composed of a number of plate-shaped heat-dissipating fins formed around a lower surface side of the mounting surface (central mounting portion of 104) {Fig. 2; [0020]}.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mosher as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hsiao et al. (US20060255253A1).
Regarding claim 3, Mosher teaches the semiconductor device package according to claim 1, but Mosher does not teach wherein the concave area is provided not only on the front surface of the main body but also on the rear surface.
In an analogous art, Hsiao teaches in Fig. 4 and paragraph [0023] a concave area is provided not only on a front surface of a main body (38) but also on a rear surface. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mosher’s semiconductor device package based on the teachings of Hsiao – such that the concave area is provided not only on the front surface of the main body but also on the rear surface – so: (1) an image sensor may be disposed in the rear surface concavity of the main body and electrically connected to the main body through solder pads disposed in the rear surface concavity and (2) the image sensor is centered within an opening formed by the front surface concavity of the main body. Hsiao [0023]. Moreover, all the claimed elements (e.g., concave area, front surface, main body, rear surface) were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (e.g., as taught by Hsiao) with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielding nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. MPEP §2143(I)(A). Furthermore, [t]he selection of a known … [structure] based on its suitability for its intended use [is] … prima facie obviousness. MPEP §2144.07.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mosher as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Igarashi (WO2020183822A1), using Igarashi (US20220084921A1) as the English translation.
Regarding claim 4, Mosher teaches the semiconductor device package according to claim 1, but Mosher does not teach wherein an interposer is used in at least a part of the main body of the package.
In an analogous art, Igarashi teaches in Fig. 1 and paragraph [0055] an interposer (150) is used in at least a part of a main body (150 or {150 and 170}) of a package (100). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mosher’s semiconductor device package based on the teachings of Igarashi – such that an interposer is used in at least a part of the main body of the package – for: (1) the formation of the cavity [0055] and (2) suppressing an influence of thermal expansion due to operating temperature with material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion [0053]. Moreover, all the claimed elements (e.g., interposer, main body, package) were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (e.g., as taught by Igarashi) with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielding nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. MPEP §2143(I)(A). Furthermore, [t]he selection of a known … [structure] based on its suitability for its intended use [is] … prima facie obviousness. MPEP §2144.07.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chiang (US5822848A) teaches a method of detachably mounting a heat sink to a lead frame and then an IC die to the heat sink including the steps of first providing a lead frame that has lead fingers and a multiplicity of tie bars extending inwardly from the lead frame, each tie bar has a fixed end integral with the lead frame and a free end equipped with an attachment means, and then providing a heat sink that has a multiplicity of receptacle means adapted to receive the attachment means on the tie bars as well as at least one opening through the thickness of the heat sink, and detachably engaging the attachment means on the tie bars to the receptacle means on the heat sink. The invention is also directed to a lead frame/heat sink assembly that may have a single IC die or a multiple of IC dies mounted on top of the heat sink. A single IC die or a multiple of IC dies that are mounted to the heat sink can be tested in a KGD or KGS test before being assembled to a lead frame. The heat sink which has at least one opening through its thickness provides both enhanced thermal performance when compared to a conventional heat sink and improved adhesive between the heat sink and a subsequently applied encapsulating compound.
Conclusion
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/D.W.W./Examiner, Art Unit 2891
/MATTHEW C LANDAU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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