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 .
This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 12/19/25. Claims 1-17.
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.
The rejection of claim(s) 1-9 is/are under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mahler et al. (US PGPub 2015/0064844, hereinafter referred to as “Mahler”, IDS reference) in view of Stahr et al. (US PGPub 2017/1064481, hereinafter referred to as “Stahr”) has been maintained for reasons of record.
Mahler discloses the semiconductor device substantially as claimed. See figures 1A-11 and corresponding text, where Mahler shows, in claim 1, a power electronic assembly, comprising: (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075])
a printed circuit board (PCB) ([0057]); and
a power module, wherein the power module comprises:
a leadframe (110, 120);
a power semiconductor die (111, 121) having a first load terminal (10) and a control terminal (12) at a first side of the power semiconductor die (111) and a second load terminal (11) at a second side opposite the first side, the second load terminal (11) being soldered to the leadframe (110, 120);
a first metal clip (131) soldered to the first load terminal (10) and forming a first terminal of the power module at a first side of the power module; and
a second metal clip (132) soldered to the control terminal (12) and forming a second terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module ([0039]), wherein the leadframe (110, 121) extends to the first side of the power module (111, 121) and forms a third terminal (11) of the power module at the first side of the power module, or (examiner views this as the alternative where Mahler teaches the first and second metal clips terminals 10, (12)) a third metal clip is soldered to the leadframe and forms the third terminal of the power module,
wherein the PCB ([0057]) includes electrically conductive vias that extend through one or more insulating layers of the PCB and contact the first terminal, the second terminal and the third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module.
Mahler fails to show an embedded power module in the PCB.
Stahr teaches, in claim 1, forming a power device (23, 24) that is embedded within a printed board (22) (figures 9 and 9a; [0038-0040]). Stahr provides the advantages of using very thin designed structures and is produced to contact both sides using the planar process, and flexible ([0044]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate an embedded power module in the PCB, in the method of Mahler, according to the teachings of Stahr with the motivation of using very thin designed structures and is produced to contact both sides using the planar process, and flexible.
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 2, wherein the first terminal, the second terminal and the third terminal of the power module are coplanar within +/- 30 pm at the first side of the power module. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 3, wherein the power module is a molded module. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 4, wherein the first metal clip of the power module has a plurality of slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the first metal clip to the first load terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 5, wherein the second metal clip of the power module has one or more slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the second metal clip to the control terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 6, wherein the first metal clip of the power module has a plurality of slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the first metal clip to the first load terminal of the power semiconductor die, and wherein the second metal clip of the power module has one or more slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the second metal clip to the control terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 7, wherein the power semiconductor die has a thickness less than 100 pm, and wherein each of the first load terminal, the second load terminal and the control terminal of the power semiconductor die comprises Cu and has a thickness less than 10 pm. (figures 3A-3E; [0034-0036], [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 8, wherein the third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module is formed by a region of the leadframe that extends to the first side of the power module. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 9, wherein the third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module is formed by the third metal clip soldered to the leadframe. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Claim(s) 10-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mahler et al. (US PGPub 2015/0064844, hereinafter referred to as “Mahler”, IDS reference) in view of Stahr et al. (US PGPub 2017/1064481, hereinafter referred to as “Stahr”).
Mahler discloses the semiconductor device substantially as claimed. See figures 1A-11 and corresponding text, where Mahler shows, in claim 10, a power module for embedding in a printed circuit board (PCB), the power module comprising:
a leadframe (110, 120);
a power semiconductor die (111, 121) having a first load terminal (10) and a control terminal (12) at a first side of the power semiconductor die (111, 121) and a second load terminal (11) at a second side opposite the first side, the second load terminal (11) being soldered to the leadframe (110, 120);
a first metal clip (131) soldered to the first load terminal (10) and forming a first terminal of the power module at a first side of the power module; and
a second metal clip (132) soldered to the control terminal (12) and forming a second terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module, wherein the leadframe extends to the first side of the power module and forms a third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module, or (examiner views this as the alternative where Mahler teaches the first and second metal clips) a third metal clip is soldered to the leadframe and forms the third terminal of the power module,
wherein the first terminal, the second terminal and the third terminal of the power module are coplanar within +/- 30 pm at the first side of the power module. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler fails to show an embedded power module in the PCB.
Stahr teaches, in claim 10, forming a power device (23, 24) that is embedded within a printed board (22) (figures 9 and 9a; [0038-0040]). Stahr provides the advantages of using very thin designed structures and is produced to contact both sides using the planar process, and flexible ([0044]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed, to incorporate an embedded power module in the PCB, in the method of Mahler, according to the teachings of Stahr with the motivation of using very thin designed structures and is produced to contact both sides using the planar process, and flexible.
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 11, wherein the first metal clip has a plurality of slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the first metal clip to the first load terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 12, wherein the second metal clip has one or more slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the second metal clip to the control terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 13, wherein the power semiconductor die and part of the leadframe are embedded in a molding compound. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 14, wherein the first metal clip has a plurality of slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the first metal clip to the first load terminal of the power semiconductor die, and wherein the second metal clip has one or more slots configured as a reservoir for accommodating solder paste used to solder the second metal clip to the control terminal of the power semiconductor die. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 15, wherein the power semiconductor die has a thickness less than 100 pm, and wherein each of the first load terminal, the second load terminal and the control terminal of the power semiconductor die comprises Cu and has a thickness less than 10 pm. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 16, wherein the third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module is formed by a region of the leadframe that extends to the first side of the power module. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler)
Mahler in view of Stahr shows, in claim 17, wherein the third terminal of the power module at the first side of the power module is formed by the third metal clip soldered to the leadframe. (figures 3A-3E; [0069-0075], Mahler first and second are terminals are coplanar)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed Remarks have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The examiner views that the rejection above meets the claimed limitations based on the applicant’s arguments, however, the examiner has provide a more clear rejection.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 12/19/25, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) Mahler et al. (US PGPub 2015/0064844, hereinafter referred to as “Mahler”, IDS reference) in view of Stahr et al. (US PGPub 2017/1064481, hereinafter referred to as “Stahr”) in further view of Lee et al. (US PGPub 2019/0131232, hereinafter referred to as “Lee”) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mahler et al. (US PGPub 2015/0064844, hereinafter referred to as “Mahler”, IDS reference) in view of Stahr et al. (US PGPub 2017/1064481, hereinafter referred to as “Stahr”).
Conclusion
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/STANETTA D ISAAC/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 April 17, 2026
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