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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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, 12 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) discloses an electronic device (Fig 1-8), comprising: a substrate (10) comprising: a core (11-13) having an upper planar surface (upper surface of 12) and a lower planar surface (lower surface of 13), wherein the core (11-13) includes a cavity (90) extending between the upper planar surface (upper surface of 12) of the core (11-13) and the lower planar surface (lower surface of 13) of the core (11-13), the cavity (90) further being defined by inner sidewalls (sidewalls of 90) of the core (11-13); an electronic component (301) at least partially disposed in the cavity (90), the electronic component (301) including an upper planar surface (302) having one or more electronic component terminals (311,312), a lower surface (303), and a plurality of external sidewalls (306); a lower dielectric layer (34; [0094]) disposed over the lower planar surface (lower surface of 13) of the core (11-13) and below a lower planar surface (303) of the electronic component (301); a (substantially void-free cured) plugging ink (92; [0013,0063,0092] “epoxy resin” “charging step, by use of a dispenser apparatus (product of Asymtek), the resin filler 92 of a thermosetting resin (product of NAMICS CORPORATION) is charged into a gap between the accommodation hole”; as seen by Fig 7-8, 92 is shown as substantially without voids and plugging 90; note that the claim has not structurally defined this “ink” and is therefore being interpreted as a fluid or viscous substance as 92 is filling using a dispenser; https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ink; 92 is shown plugged/filled into a cavity 90) partially surrounding the electronic component (301), the plugging ink (92) extending between the inner sidewalls (side walls of 90) of the core (11-13) defining the cavity (90) and the plurality of external sidewalls (306) of the electronic component (301) and between the lower surface (303) of the electronic component (301) and an upper surface (upper surface of 34 in Fig 6) of the lower dielectric layer (34); and an upper metallization structure (41,43; [0064]) configured to provide one or more conductive paths ([0064,0074]) from the one or more electronic component terminals (311,312) to one or more upper metal terminals (41) of the upper metallization structure (41,43).
Though the claim uses the relative term of substantially, Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose substantially void-free plugging ink.
Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 14), comprising: a substrate (10) comprising: a core (161,164; see Fig 3) having an upper planar surface (12) and a lower planar surface (13), wherein the core (161,164) includes a cavity (90) extending between the upper planar surface (12) of the core and the lower planar surface (13) of the core; an electronic component (61) at least partially disposed in the cavity (90), wherein the electronic component (61) is at least partially surrounded in the cavity (90) by a substantially void-free ([0077] “prevent a void”) (cured [0072-0078]) plugging ink (92;note that the claim has not structurally defined this “ink” and is therefore being interpreted as a fluid or viscous substance; https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ink; 92 is shown plugged/filled into a cavity), the electronic component (61) including an upper planar surface (62) having one or more electronic component terminals (65) and a lower surface (63), wherein the (cured [0072-0078]) plugging ink (92) extends below (see Fig 14 showing 92 spreading below 63; [0077-0079]) the lower surface (63) of the electronic component (61); and an upper metallization structure (41,43,23,24) configured to provide one or more conductive paths ([0061]) from the one or more electronic component terminals (65) to one or more upper metal terminals (24) of the upper metallization structure.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus as disclosed by Muramatsu, comprising a substantially void-free plugging ink as taught by Origuchi, in order to fill the cavity and provide a reliable fill (Origuchi, [0077-0078]). Furthermore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus as disclosed by Muramatsu, comprising a substantially void-free plugging ink as taught by Origuchi because removing voids would allow for better fixing of the component within the cavity, as a potentially remaining void would be a space where the resin filler would not be present and fixing of the filler, cavity wall and component wall would be depreciated with the presence of a void.
Claim states a “cured” but “cured” does not represent product structure but only refers to the process by which the ink is formed. Thus Claim is a product claim that recites a process step(s) of curing and is thus treated as a product-by-process claim. See MPEP2113.
Regarding Claim 12, Muramatsu discloses a substrate (Fig 1-8), comprising: a core (11-13) having an upper planar surface (upper surface of 12) and a lower planar surface (lower surface of 13), wherein the core (11-13) includes a cavity (90) extending between the upper planar surface (upper surface of 12) of the core (11-13) and the lower planar surface (lower surface of 13) of the core (11-13), the cavity (90) further being defined by inner sidewalls (sidewalls of 90) of the core (11-13); an electronic component (301) at least partially disposed in the cavity (90), the electronic component (301) including an upper planar surface (302) having one or more electronic component terminals (311,312), a lower surface (303), and a plurality of external sidewalls (306); a lower dielectric layer (34; [0094]) disposed over the lower planar surface (lower surface of 13) of the core (11-13) and below a lower planar surface (303) of the electronic component (301); a (substantially void-free cured) plugging ink (92; [0013,0063,0092] “epoxy resin” “charging step, by use of a dispenser apparatus (product of Asymtek), the resin filler 92 of a thermosetting resin (product of NAMICS CORPORATION) is charged into a gap between the accommodation hole”; as seen by Fig 7-8, 92 is shown as substantially without voids and plugging 90; note that the claim has not structurally defined this “ink” and is therefore being interpreted as a fluid or viscous substance as 92 is filling using a dispenser; https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ink; 92 is shown plugged/filled into a cavity 90) partially surrounding the electronic component (301), the plugging ink (92) extending between the inner sidewalls (side walls of 90) of the core (11-13) defining the cavity (90) and the plurality of external sidewalls (306) of the electronic component (301) and between the lower surface (303) of the electronic component (301) and an upper surface (upper surface of 34 in Fig 6) of the lower dielectric layer (34); and an upper metallization structure (41,43; [0064]) configured to provide one or more conductive paths ([0064,0074]) from the one or more electronic component terminals (311,312) to one or more upper metal terminals (41) of the upper metallization structure (41,43).
Though the claim uses the relative term of substantially, Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose substantially void-free plugging ink.
Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 14), comprising: a substrate (10) comprising: a core (161,164; see Fig 3) having an upper planar surface (12) and a lower planar surface (13), wherein the core (161,164) includes a cavity (90) extending between the upper planar surface (12) of the core and the lower planar surface (13) of the core; an electronic component (61) at least partially disposed in the cavity (90), wherein the electronic component (61) is at least partially surrounded in the cavity (90) by a substantially void-free ([0077] “prevent a void”) (cured [0072-0078]) plugging ink (92;note that the claim has not structurally defined this “ink” and is therefore being interpreted as a fluid or viscous substance; https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ink; 92 is shown plugged/filled into a cavity), the electronic component (61) including an upper planar surface (62) having one or more electronic component terminals (65) and a lower surface (63), wherein the (cured [0072-0078]) plugging ink (92) extends below (see Fig 14 showing 92 spreading below 63; [0077-0079]) the lower surface (63) of the electronic component (61); and an upper metallization structure (41,43,23,24) configured to provide one or more conductive paths ([0061]) from the one or more electronic component terminals (65) to one or more upper metal terminals (24) of the upper metallization structure.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus as disclosed by Muramatsu, comprising a substantially void-free plugging ink as taught by Origuchi, in order to fill the cavity and provide a reliable fill (Origuchi, [0077-0078]). Furthermore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus as disclosed by Muramatsu, comprising a substantially void-free plugging ink as taught by Origuchi because removing voids would allow for better fixing of the component within the cavity, as a potentially remaining void would be a space where the resin filler would not be present and fixing of the filler, cavity wall and component wall would be depreciated with the presence of a void.
Claim states a “cured” but “cured” does not represent product structure but only refers to the process by which the ink is formed. Thus Claim is a product claim that recites a process step(s) of curing and is thus treated as a product-by-process claim. See MPEP2113.
Regarding Claim 16, Muramatsu further discloses the substrate (Fig 1-8) of claim 12, wherein the upper metallization structure (41,43) comprises: one or more metal vias (43; [0064]).
Claim(s) 2 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Sakai (US 2012/0085572 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu does not disclose the electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the electronic component occupies at least 66% of the cavity.
Sakai (US 2012/0085572 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1), wherein: an electronic component (400) occupies at least 66% ([0036-0041]) of a cavity (200).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, wherein: the electronic component occupies at least 66% of the cavity as taught by Sakai, in order to meet usage requirements and control overall warpage effects on the device (Sakai, [0036-0041]).
Regarding Claim 13, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu does not disclose the substrate of claim 12, wherein: the electronic component occupies at least 66% of the cavity.
Sakai (US 2012/0085572 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1), wherein: an electronic component (400) occupies at least 66% ([0036-0041]) of a cavity (200).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the substrate as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, wherein: the electronic component occupies at least 66% of the cavity as taught by Sakai, in order to meet usage requirements and control overall warpage effects on the device (Sakai, [0036-0041]).
Claim(s) 5, 7, 8, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 16 above, and further in view of Suzuki (US 2013/0074332 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu further discloses the electronic device (Fig 1-8) of claim 1, further comprising: one or more vias (16) extending between the upper planar surface (upper surface of 12) of the core and the lower planar surface (lower surface of 13) of the core (11-13).
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose the one or more vias are explicitly metal vias.
Suzuki (US 2013/0074332 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1-10), comprising: one or more metal vias (14) extending between an upper planar surface (12) of a core (11) and a lower planar surface (13) of the core.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, comprising metal vias as taught by Suzuki, in order to provide an electrically conductive material (Suzuki, [0036]).
Regarding Claim 7, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi and Suzuki teaches the limitations of the preceding claim, including metal via, and Muramatsu further teaches the electronic device (Fig1-8) of claim 5, wherein: at least one metal via (16) of the of the one or more metal vias (16) includes a metal via structure (16) having a hollow cavity (cavity comprising 17), wherein the hollow cavity of the metal via structure is filled with the (cured) plugging ink (17; [0057,0094] also “epoxy resin” 92 is also epoxy resin).
Claim states a “cured” but “cured” does not represent product structure but only refers to the process by which the ink is formed. Thus Claim is a product claim that recites a process step(s) of curing and is thus treated as a product-by-process claim. See MPEP2113.
Regarding Claim 8, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi and Suzuki teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu further discloses the electronic device (Fig 1-8) of claim 7, wherein: the core (11-13) has a thickness above 800 micrometers ([0057]).
Regarding Claim 17, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu further discloses the substrate (Fig 1-8) of claim 16, wherein: at least one metal via (43) of the of the one or more metal vias includes a via structure (16) having a hollow cavity (cavity comprising 17), wherein the hollow cavity of the metal via structure is filled with the (cured) plugging ink (17; [0057,0094] also “epoxy resin” 92 is also epoxy resin).
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose the one or more vias are explicitly metal vias such that the of the one or more metal vias includes a metal via structure having a hollow cavity, wherein the hollow cavity of the metal via structure is filled with the cured plugging ink.
Suzuki (US 2013/0074332 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1-10), comprising: one or more metal vias (14) extending between an upper planar surface (12) of a core (11) and a lower planar surface (13) of the core.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, comprising metal vias, such that the of the one or more metal vias includes a metal via structure having a hollow cavity, wherein the hollow cavity of the metal via structure is filled with the cured plugging ink as taught by Suzuki, in order to provide an electrically conductive material (Suzuki, [0036]).
Regarding Claim 18, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi and Suzuki teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu further discloses the substrate (Fig 1-8) of claim 17, wherein: the core has a thickness above 700 micrometers ([0057]).
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) and Suzuki (US 2013/0074332 A1) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Sakai (US 2012/0085572 A1).
Regarding Claim 6, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi and Suzuki teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu does not disclose the electronic device of claim 5, wherein: the core has a thickness equal to or less than 800 micrometers.
Sakai (US 2012/0085572 A1) teaches of a core (300) has a thickness equal to or less than 800 micrometers ([0036-0041]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi and Suzuki, wherein: the core has a thickness equal to or less than 800 micrometers as taught by Sakai, in order to provide a thinner wiring board while still maintaining rigidity and control warpage (Sakai, [0036-0041]).
Claim(s) 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 12 above and further in view of Shan (US 2017/0359898 A1).
Regarding Claim 10, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu does not disclose the electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the electronic component comprises a deep trench capacitor.
Shan (US 2017/0359898 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1-8), wherein: an electronic component (110; [0016]) comprises a deep trench capacitor ([0016]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, wherein: the electronic component comprises a deep trench capacitor as taught by Shan, in order to dampen power fluctuations (Shan, [0016]).
Regarding Claim 20, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Muramatsu does not disclose the substrate of claim 12, wherein: the electronic component comprises a deep trench capacitor.
Shan (US 2017/0359898 A1) teaches of an electronic device (Fig 1-8), wherein: an electronic component (110; [0016]) comprises a deep trench capacitor ([0016]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the substrate as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, wherein: the electronic component comprises a deep trench capacitor as taught by Shan, in order to dampen power fluctuations (Shan, [0016]).
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muramatsu (US 2011/0018099 A1) in view of Origuchi (US 2009/0237900 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Masuda (US 2020/000599 A1).
Regarding Claim 11, Muramatsu in view of Origuchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Muramatsu further references a computer ([0014]).
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of: a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, a wearable device, a laptop computer, a server, an internet of things (IoT) device, or a device in an automotive vehicle.
Masuda teaches of an electronic device ([0045]), wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of: a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone ([0045]), a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer ([0045]), a computer ([0045]), a wearable device, a laptop computer, a server, an internet of things (IoT) device, or a device in an automotive vehicle.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Origuchi, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of: a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, a wearable device, a laptop computer, a server, an internet of things (IoT) device, or a device in an automotive vehicle as taught by Masuda, in order to provide an electronic device that can generate capacitance, improve capacitance per unit area and induce failure mode to be an open mode (Masuda, [0003-0008,0021,0045]). Furthermore an electronic device as taught by Muramatsu in view of Masuda would provide a means of electrical connection between different components and circuitry as part of a tablet computer or mobile phone, such as to provide electrical connections as party of the device’s functions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROSHN K VARGHESE whose telephone number is (571)270-7975. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 900 am-300 pm.
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/ROSHN K VARGHESE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896