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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 24 June 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 09 June 2026, with respect to specifications, drawings, and claims 20 and 26 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections to specifications and drawings and the 35 USC § 112 rejection of claims 20 and 26 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 09 June 2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1, 13, and 17 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The examiner finds that Son Fig. 13 and ¶ [0096] discloses the added subject matter in the amended limitations. Please see 35 U.S.C. § 103 rejections below of claims 1, 13, and 17.
In summary, this application is not placed in a condition for an allowance.
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.
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.
Claims 1-5, 8-11, 17, 20-22 and 24-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2016/0322562 A1) in view of Son (US 2022/0418082 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jang teaches an electronic device (Figs. 1-24: magneto-resistive chip package 200 and various embodiments) comprising:
a printed circuit board (102);
a semiconductor chip mounted (108) and electrically connected to the printed circuit board (using wires 112), and including a magnetic memory element (110, see ¶ [0080]); and
a shielding unit (118) including a magnetic material (118a or 118b, see ¶ [0074]-[0075] and Figs. 4A & 4B), and mounted to the printed circuit board (Figs. 2-3, 10, 13, 15-24 shows 118 having a base 104 that is mounted on 102; see also ¶ [0078] ) to at least partially cover the magnetic memory element (the abovementioned figures show 118 having a top cover 116 that covers 110; see ¶ [0086]-[0087] ) so as to reduce interference from an external magnetic field on the magnetic memory element (¶ [0004, ¶ [0074]), the shielding unit including
a ceiling wall (116) having a first edge (top right edge), a second edge adjacent (bottom right edge) to the first edge, a third edge (bottom left edge) opposite the first edge, and a fourth edge (top left edge) opposite the second edge; and
a plurality of supporting walls (COL).
However, Jang does not teach the electronic device wherein the supporting walls comprises of a first supporting wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall, and a fourth supporting wall, which extend in an upright direction to connect respectively to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge, wherein the first supporting wall and the second supporting wall extend respectively along the first edge and the second edge, and are connected to each other at a first corner between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the third supporting wall extends along the third edge, and is spaced apart from a second corner between the second edge and the third edge, and a third corner between the third edge and the fourth edge, wherein the fourth supporting wall extends along the fourth edge, and is spaced apart from the third corner and a fourth corner between the first edge and the fourth edge, and wherein a height of the first supporting wall is the same as a height of the third supporting wall.
Son, in the same field of invention, teaches an electronic device having a shielding unit (13, see Fig. 13; ¶ [0095]: Fig. 13 is an embodiment of shielding unit 6 in Figs. 6-9) further comprising:
a first supporting wall (W1, see Examiner Fig. 1; ¶ [0123]: W1 is a third portion 1330; ¶ [0099] explains third portions 63 disposed on and connected to conductive pads 81 of PCB 441; hence W1 is a supporting wall), a second supporting wall (W2; W2 is also a third portion 1330, hence W2 is a supporting wall), a third supporting wall (W3; W3 is also a third portion 1330, hence W3 is a supporting wall), and a fourth supporting wall (W4; W4 is also a third portion 1330, hence W4 is a supporting wall), which extend in an upright direction (along the z-axis) to connect respectively to the first edge (E1), the second edge (E2), the third edge (E3), and the fourth edge (E4),
wherein the first supporting wall and the second supporting wall extend respectively along the first edge (W1 extends along the y-axis) and the second edge (W2 extends along the x-axis), and are connected to each other at a first corner (C1) between the first edge and the second edge,
wherein the third supporting wall extends along the third edge (W3 extends along the y-axis), and is spaced apart from a second corner (C2) between the second edge and the third edge, and a third corner (C3) between the third edge and the fourth edge,
wherein the fourth supporting wall extends along the fourth edge (W4 extends along the x-axis), and is spaced apart from the third corner and a fourth corner (C4) between the first edge and the fourth edge, and
wherein a height (height of W1) of the first supporting wall is the same as a height (height of W3) of the third supporting wall.
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Son into the device of Jang to add a first support wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall and a fourth supporting wall to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge, respectively, in the manner described above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jang in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of using the shielding unit as a shielding unit of a camera module in a cell phone (Son ¶ [0094]-[0097] ) that uses multiple electronic components (71-74, ¶ [0096]; any of these components are analogous to the magnetic memory element since Son in ¶ [0035]-[0036] teaches a cell phone comprising memory modules ), wherein the first wall and second walls (these walls together form an L-shaped unit) of the shielding unit are unit to improve the rigidity and to reduce the mechanical stress of the shielding unit (¶ [0106]); and to use the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and fourth walls are used as grounding connections of the shielding unit, which reduces the malfunctions or electrical damage to components, hence improving device performance (¶ [0099], ¶ [0210] ).
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Examiner Figure 1. Taken from Son Fig. 13.
However, Son Fig. 13 alone does not teach: two opposite portions of the semiconductor chip are exposed from the third supporting wall.
Son, further teaches the embodiment in Fig. 6-9 having multiple chips (71, 72, 73, 74) and, through a different embodiment, further teaches the number, shape, and position of these multiple chips can vary (¶ [0096]: “[T]he number, position, or shape of electronic components, which are arranged on the front surface 441A of the first printed circuit board 441 to correspond to the metal structure 6, may not be limited to the illustrated embodiment, and may be various” ). Hence, Son teaches two opposite portions (L, R; see Examiner Fig. 2) of the semiconductor chip (71) are exposed from the third supporting wall (W3).
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Examiner Fig. 2. Taken from Son Fig. 6. Note: Arrows pointing W1, W2, W3, and W4 shows where these supporting walls are placed on conductive lands 81.
The said person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find also it obvious to combine the additional teachings of Son into the device of Jang to have two opposite portions of the semiconductor chip be exposed from the third supporting wall. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jang in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of adding more than one electronic components required for a camera module in a cell phone (Son ¶ [0096]) and for using different chip arrangements for the purpose of fitting the space requirements of the device (Son ¶ [0096] ). In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (the particular placement of a contact in a conductivity measuring device was held to be an obvious matter of design choice). See also MPEP § 2144.04 (VI) (C).
Regarding claim 2, the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling wall (116, see Jang Fig. 3) is made of the magnetic material (116 is part of 118, with 118 having 118a that is a magnetic material layer; see Jang ¶ [0074] and ¶ [0086] ), and is disposed on the magnetic memory element opposite to the printed circuit board (ceiling wall 116 is disposed on top of 110, with PCB 102 disposed on the bottom on 110).
Regarding claim 3, the electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first supporting wall, the second supporting wall, the third supporting wall, and the fourth supporting wall support the ceiling wall so as to permit the ceiling wall to be disposed over the magnetic memory element (see Son Fig. 6 where any one of the electronic components 71-74 are analogous to the magnetic memory element of Jang).
Regarding claim 4, the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first supporting wall, the second supporting wall, the third supporting wall, and the fourth supporting wall is made of the magnetic material (COL/106 is part of 118, with 118 having magnetic material layers 118a or 118b; see Jang ¶ [0074]-[0075], ¶ [0078] and Fig. 4A or 4B).
Regarding claim 5, the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first supporting wall, the second supporting wall, the third supporting wall, and the fourth supporting wall is made of a non-magnetic material (COL/106 is part of 118, with 118 having a non-magnetic layers 118c; see Jang ¶ [0074]-[0076] and Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 8, the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein
the printed circuit board has a top surface (Jang Fig. 2: top surface of 102) on which the semiconductor chip and the shielding unit are mounted,
the shielding unit occupies an area (the surface area of the top surface of 102 under 116 corresponds to the area the entire 118 occupies on 102) on the top surface of the printed circuit board, the occupied area of the shielding unit ranging from a first value (the surface area of 102 under 104) to a second value (surface area of the top surface of 102 under 116),
when the occupied area of the shielding unit is the first value, the shielding unit is configured to permit the semiconductor chip to be fitted thereinside (the first value equals to the surface area of 102 under 104, since chip 110 is on top of 104 and 104 is a part of 118), and
when the occupied area of the shielding unit is the second value, the occupied area of the shielding unit is a surface area (surface area of the top surface of 102 under 116) of the top surface of the printed circuit board (the second value equals to the surface area of the top surface of 102 under 116).
Regarding claim 9, the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip is spaced apart from the shielding unit (Jang Fig. 2 shows chip 108 spaced apart from wall 106 of the shielding unit 118 along the horizontal axis).
Regarding claim 10, the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip abuts the shielding unit (Jang Fig. 2 and ¶ [0080]: adhesive 107 may be omitted; hence chip 108 abuts, i.e., directly contacts, base 104 of the shielding unit 118).
Regarding claim 11, the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic memory element is a magnetic random access memory (Jang ¶ [0081]).
Regarding claim 17, Jang teaches an electronic device (Figs. 1-3, 9-24: magneto-resistive chip package 200 and various embodiments) comprising:
a printed circuit board (102);
a semiconductor chip mounted (108) and electrically connected to the printed circuit board (using wires 112), and including a magnetic memory element (110, see ¶ [0080]); and
a shielding unit (118) mounted to the printed circuit board (Figs. 2-3, 10-11, 13, 15-24 shows 118 having a base 104 that is mounted on 102; see also ¶ [0078] ) to cover the magnetic memory element (the abovementioned figures show 118 having a top cover 116 that covers 110; see ¶ [0086]–[0087] ), so as to reduce interference from an external magnetic field on the magnetic memory element (¶ [0004], ¶ [0074]), the shielding unit including
a ceiling wall (116) having a first edge (top right edge), a second edge adjacent (bottom right edge) to the first edge, a third edge (bottom left edge) opposite the first edge, and a fourth edge (top left edge) opposite the second edge; and
a plurality of supporting walls (COL).
However, Jang does not teach the electronic device wherein the shielding unit partially covers the magnetic memory element such that the plurality of supporting wall comprises of a first supporting wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall, and a fourth supporting wall, which extend in an upright direction to connect respectively to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge, wherein the first supporting wall and the second supporting wall extend respectively along the first edge and the second edge, and are connected to each other at a first corner between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the third supporting wall and the fourth supporting wall extend respectively along the third edge and the fourth edge, and are spaced apart from each other, wherein the magnetic memory element has a first peripheral region facing the first supporting wall, a second peripheral region facing the second supporting wall, a third peripheral region facing the third supporting wall, and a fourth peripheral region facing the fourth supporting wall, wherein a spaced-apart distance between the first peripheral region and the first supporting wall is smaller than a spaced-apart distance between the third peripheral region and the third supporting wall, and a spaced-apart distance between the fourth peripheral region and the fourth supporting wall, and wherein a length of the third supporting wall along the third edge is smaller than a length of the third edge.
Son, in the same field of invention, teaches a shielding unit (13, see Fig. 13; this is an embodiment of shielding unit 6 in Figs. 6-9 and ¶ [0096] ) partially covers (there are gaps along the edges of the shielding unit) the magnetic memory element (72; ¶ [0100]: 72 is an electronic component; ¶ [0035], [0036]: device 101 may include memory 101 and/or memories 132/134; hence 72 is analogous to the magnetic memory element of Jang) such that the shielding unit includes
a first supporting wall (W1, see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above; ¶ [0123]: W1 is a third portion 1330; ¶ [0099] explains third portions 63 disposed on and connected to conductive pads 81 of PCB 441; hence W1 is a supporting wall), a second supporting wall (W2; W2 is also a third portion 1330, hence W2 is a supporting wall), a third supporting wall (W3; W3 is also a third portion 1330, hence W3 is a supporting wall ), and a fourth supporting wall (W4; W4 is also a third portion 1330, hence W4 is a supporting wall), which extend in an upright direction (along the z-axis) to connect respectively to the first edge (E1), the second edge (E2), the third edge (E3), and the fourth edge (E4),
wherein the first supporting wall and the second supporting wall extend respectively along the first edge (W1 extends along the y-axis) and the second edge (W2 extends along the x-axis), and are connected to each other at a first corner (C1) between the first edge and the second edge,
wherein the third supporting wall and the fourth supporting wall extend respectively along the third edge and the fourth edge (W3 extends along the y-axis; W4 extends along the x-axis), and are spaced apart from each other (W3 and W4 are spaced apart along the y-axis),
wherein the magnetic memory element has a first peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W1; see Examiner Fig. 3 below) facing the first supporting wall, a second peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W2) facing the second supporting wall, a third peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W3) facing the third supporting wall, and a fourth peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W4) facing the fourth supporting wall,
wherein a spaced-apart distance (D1) between the first peripheral region and the first supporting wall is smaller than a spaced-apart distance (D3) between the third peripheral region and the third supporting wall, and a spaced-apart distance (D4) between the fourth peripheral region and the fourth supporting wall, and
wherein a length (length of W3; see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above) of the third supporting wall along the third edge is smaller than a length (length of E3) of the third edge.
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Examiner Fig. 3. Taken from Son Fig. 6 with the shielding unit 12 in Fig. 13 superimposed on the PCB 441.
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Son into the device of Jang to add a first support wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall and a fourth supporting wall to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge, respectively, with the structural relationships with respect to their corresponding edges and with respect to corresponding peripheral regions of the magnetic memory, are added as described in the manner above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jang in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of using the shielding unit as a shielding unit of a camera module in a cell phone (Son ¶ [0094]-[0097] ) that uses multiple electronic components (71-74, ¶ [0096]; any of these components are analogous to the magnetic memory element since Son in ¶ [0035]-[0036] teaches a cell phone comprising memory modules ), wherein the first wall and second walls (these walls together form an L-shaped unit) of the shielding unit are unit to improve the rigidity and to reduce the mechanical stress of the shielding unit (¶ [0106]) while the third wall and fourth walls are used as grounding connections of the shielding unit for improving device performance (¶ [0099], ¶ [0210] ). The person of ordinary skill would also be motivated to position the respective supporting walls of the shielding unit with respect to the magnetic memory element in the manner described above for the purpose of adding more than one electronic components (71, 73-74) to the camera units that are commonly shielded by the shielding unit (see Fig. 6 and ¶ [0160] ).
However, Son Fig. 13 alone does not teach: two opposite portions of the semiconductor chip are exposed from the third supporting wall.
Son, further teaches the embodiment in Fig. 6-9 having multiple chips (71, 72, 73, 74) and, through a different embodiment, further teaches the number, shape, and position of these multiple chips can vary (¶ [0096]: “[T]he number, position, or shape of electronic components, which are arranged on the front surface 441A of the first printed circuit board 441 to correspond to the metal structure 6, may not be limited to the illustrated embodiment, and may be various” ). Hence, Son teaches the device
wherein two opposite portions (L,R, see Examiner Fig. 2 in claim 1 rejection above) of the semiconductor chip are exposed from the third supporting wall.
The said person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find also it obvious to combine the additional teachings of Son into the device of Jang to change the size of the semiconductor chip such that two opposite portions of the semiconductor chip be exposed from the third supporting wall. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jang in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of using different chip arrangements for the purpose of fitting the space requirements of the device (Son ¶ [0096] ). In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (the particular placement of a contact in a conductivity measuring device was held to be an obvious matter of design choice). See also MPEP § 2144.04 (VI) (C).
Regarding claim 20, the electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the shielding unit is made of a magnetic material (COL/106 and 116 is part of 118, with 118 having magnetic material layers 118a or 118b; see ¶ [0074]-[0075] and Figs. 4A or 4B) which is one of silicon steel, manganese zinc, cobalt iron, nickel iron, and combinations thereof (Jang ¶ [0075]: “magnetic conductive layer may be formed of, for example, a high permeability material including NixFe1-x or NixMoyFe1-x-y. The magnetic conductive layer may be formed by adding another material, such as copper (Cu) or cobalt (Co), to the above-stated material. The magnetic non-conductive layer may include, for example, a ferrite layer, such as a MnZn-ferrite layer or a NiZn-ferrite layer,” emphasis added).
Regarding claim 21, the electronic device according to claim 17, wherein
a first length (length of W1; see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above) is a length of the first supporting wall along the first edge;
a second length (length of W2) is a length of the second supporting wall along the second edge;
a third length (length of W3) is a length of the third supporting wall along the third edge;
a fourth length (length of W4) is a length of the fourth supporting wall along the fourth edge; and
at least one of the first length and the second length is greater than one of the third length and the fourth length (as shown in Examiner Fig. 1, the lengths of W1 and/or W2 are longer than the lengths of W3 and/or W4).
Regarding claim 22, the electronic device according to claim 17, wherein a length of the first supporting wall (length of W1; see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above) along the first edge is smaller than a length of the first edge (length of E1), and a portion of the semiconductor chip is exposed from the first supporting wall (due to the opening at the right of W1).
Regarding claim 24, the electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the third supporting wall is spaced apart from the second supporting wall (Examiner Fig 1, as shown in claim 1 rejection above, shows W3 spaced apart from W2 along the y-axis), and the fourth supporting wall is spaced apart from the first supporting wall (Examiner Fig. 1 shows W4 spaced apart from W1 along the y-axis).
Regarding claim 25, the electronic device according to claim 17, wherein
the first peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W1, see Examiner Fig. 2 in claim 17 rejection above) is spaced apart (D1) from the first supporting wall (W1) along a first direction (D1 extends along the x-axis), and the third peripheral region (surface of 72 facing W3 is spaced apart (D3) from the third supporting wall along the first direction (D3 extends along the x-axis),
the first supporting wall extends along the first edge to entirely cover the first peripheral region along the first direction (Examiner Fig. 2 shows the entire surface that faces W1 is covered by W1; also note that Examiner Fig. 1 shows W1 longer than what is illustrated in Examiner Fig. 2), and
the third supporting wall extends along the third edge to partially cover the first peripheral region along the first direction (Examiner Fig. 2 shows W3 having openings to the left and right of it; hence it is partially covering the surface of 72 facing W3).
Regarding claim 26, the electronic device according to claim 25, wherein
a spaced-apart distance (D2, see Examiner Fig. 2 in claim 17 above) between the second peripheral region and the second supporting wall is smaller than the spaced-apart distance (D3) between the third peripheral region and the third supporting wall, and the spaced-apart distance (D4) between the fourth peripheral region and the fourth supporting wall,
the second peripheral region is spaced apart from the second supporting wall along a second direction (D2 extends along the y-axis), and the fourth peripheral region is spaced apart from the fourth supporting wall along the second direction (D4 extends along the y-axis), the second direction being different from the first direction (x-axis; see 35 U.S.C. § 112 (b) rejection above),
the second supporting wall extends along the second edge to entirely cover the second peripheral region along the second direction (Examiner Fig. 2 shows W2 extending along x-axis to cover completely the surface of 72 that faces W2; also note that Examiner Fig. 1 shows W2 longer than what is illustrated in Examiner Fig. 2), and
the fourth supporting wall extends along the fourth edge to partially cover the fourth peripheral region along the second direction (Examiner Figs. 1& 2 shows W4 having openings to the left and right of it; hence it is partially covering the surface of 72 facing W4).
Claims 13, 15-16 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuttle (US 6,625,040 B1) and further in view of Graham (US 2016/0064141 A1) and Son (US 2022/0418082 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Tuttle teaches an electronic device (10) comprising:
a printed circuit board (20);
a semiconductor chip (12) mounted and electrically connected (using 14 and 15) to the printed circuit board, and including a magnetic memory element (Col. 2, Lns 55-57: “integrated circuits 12 which, in turn, include internal electromagnetic structures, such as MRAM cells”); and
a shielding unit (33) made of a magnetic material (Col. 3, Lns 26-37), and mounted to the printed circuit board (Figs. 2-4 show 33 mounted on 20) to at least partially cover the magnetic memory element so as to reduce interference from a magnetic field (Col. 1, Ln 60: external magnetic fields) from the magnet on the magnetic memory element (Col. 2, Lns 65-66).
However, Tuttle does not teach the electronic device comprising of a magnet disposed to be spaced apart from the printed circuit board.
Graham, in the same field of invention, teaches an electronic device (Fig. 2: 101) comprising of a magnet (208) disposed to be spaced apart (208 is vertically spaced apart from 213) from the printed circuit board (213).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Graham into the device of Tuttle to provide a magnet spaced apart from the printed circuit board. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Tuttle in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of using the magnet as an alignment magnet (Graham ¶ [0027]) that aligns the transmit coils (202) of the electronic device with the receive coils (218) of a second device (102) in order to enable an inductive power transmission system (100, see Graham Fig. 1 and ¶ [0025]), which effectively acts as a wireless charging pads for smart phones, wearable devices, etc. (¶ [0025]).
Tuttle further teaches the shielding unit comprising of
a ceiling wall (top horizontal surface of 33) having a first edge, a second edge adjacent to the first edge, a third edge opposite the first edge, and a fourth edge opposite the second edge (since 33 is a three-dimensional object having a U-shaped cavity, then the ceiling wall has all these four edges) and
a first supporting wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall, and a fourth supporting wall, which extend in an upright direction to connect respectively to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge (33 is illustrated in Figs. 1-4 to be a U-shaped lid having vertical walls; each of the four vertical walls correspond to the claimed first, second, third, and fourth supporting walls).
However, Tuttle in view of Graham does not teach the electronic device wherein the first supporting wall and the second supporting wall extend respectively along the first edge and the second edge, and are connected to each other at a first corner between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the third supporting wall and the fourth supporting wall extend respectively along the third edge and the fourth edge, and are spaced apart from each other.
Son, in the same field of invention, teaches an electronic device having a shielding unit (13, see Fig. 13; ¶ [0095]: this is an embodiment of shielding unit 6 in Figs. 6-9),
wherein the first supporting wall (W1, see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above; ¶ [0123]: W1 is a third portion 1330; ¶ [0099] explains third portions 63 disposed on and connected to conductive pads 81 of PCB 441; hence W1 is a supporting wall ) and the second supporting wall (W2; W2 is also a third portion 1330, hence W2 is a supporting wall) extend respectively along the first edge (E1) and the second edge (E2), and are connected to each other at a first corner (C1) between the first edge and the second edge, and
wherein the third supporting wall (W3; W3 is also a third portion 1330, hence W3 is a supporting wall) and the fourth supporting wall (W4; W4 is also a third portion 1330, hence W4 is a supporting wall) extend respectively along the third edge (E3) and the fourth edge (E4), and are spaced apart from each other.
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Son into the device of Jang to add a first support wall, a second supporting wall, a third supporting wall and a fourth supporting wall to the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge, respectively, with their structural relationships described in the manner described above and with their respectively distances from the semiconductor chip added in the manner as described above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jang in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of using the shielding unit as a shielding unit of a camera module in a cell phone (Son ¶ [0094]-[0097] ) that uses multiple electronic components (71-74, ¶ [0096]; any of these components are analogous to the magnetic memory element since Son in ¶ [0035]-[0036] teaches a cell phone comprising memory modules ), wherein the first wall and second walls (these walls together form an L-shaped unit) of the shielding unit are unit to improve the rigidity and to reduce the mechanical stress of the shielding unit (¶ [0106]); and using the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and fourth walls as grounding connections of the shielding unit which reduces the malfunctions or electrical damage to components, hence improving device performance (¶ [0099], ¶ [0210] ).
However, Son Fig. 13 alone does not teach the device wherein a spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the first supporting wall is smaller than a spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the third supporting wall, and a spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the fourth supporting wall, wherein a spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the second supporting wall is smaller than the spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the third supporting wall, and the spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the fourth supporting wall, and wherein a portion of the third edge is exposed from the third supporting wall.
Son, further teaches the embodiment in Fig. 6-9 having multiple chips (71, 72, 73, 74) and, through a different embodiment, further teaches the number, shape, and position of these multiple chips can vary (¶ [0096]: “[T]he number, position, or shape of electronic components, which are arranged on the front surface 441A of the first printed circuit board 441 to correspond to the metal structure 6, may not be limited to the illustrated embodiment, and may be various” ). Hence, Son teaches the device:
wherein a spaced-apart distance (D1, see Examiner Fig. 2 in claim 1 rejection above) between the semiconductor chip (71) and the first supporting wall is smaller than a spaced-apart distance (D3) between the semiconductor chip and the third supporting wall, and a spaced-apart distance (D4) between the semiconductor chip and the fourth supporting wall,
wherein a spaced-apart distance (D2) between the semiconductor chip and the second supporting wall is smaller than the spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the third supporting wall (D3), and the spaced-apart distance between the semiconductor chip and the fourth supporting wall (D4), and
wherein a portion (portion of E3 to the left and right of W3) of the third edge is exposed from the third supporting wall.
The person of ordinary skill would also be motivated to position the respective supporting walls of the shielding unit with respect to the semiconductor device in the manner as described above for at least the purpose of adding more than one electronic components (72-74) to the camera units that are commonly shielded by the shielding unit (see Fig. 6 and ¶ [0160] ) and for using different chip arrangements for the purpose of fitting the space requirements of the device (Son ¶ [0096] ). In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (the particular placement of a contact in a conductivity measuring device was held to be an obvious matter of design choice). See also MPEP § 2144.04 (VI) (C).
Regarding claim 15, the electronic device according to claim 13, wherein
the printed circuit board has a top surface (Tuttle Figs. 2-4: top surface of 20) on which the semiconductor chip and the shielding unit are mounted,
the shielding unit occupies an area (area of the top surface of 20 enclosed by 33) on the top surface of the printed circuit board, the occupied area of the shielding unit ranging from a first value (value of the area of the top surface of 20 enclosed by 33 minus the area of the top surface of 20 occupied by 12, as shown in Tuttle Figs. 2-4) to a second value (the hypothetical area of the top surface of 20 occupied by 33 with the components 12 removed ),
when the occupied area of the shielding unit is the first value, the shielding unit is configured to permit the semiconductor chip to be fitted thereinside (Tuttle Figs. 2-4 show the top surface area of 20 allows 12 to be fitted inside the cavity of 33), and
when the occupied area of the shielding unit is the second value, the occupied area of the shielding unit is a surface area of the top surface of the printed circuit board (as shown in Figs. 2-4, the hypothetical area occupied by 33 with components 12 removed is the area of the top surface of 20).
Regarding claim 16, the electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the magnetic memory element is a magnetic random access memory (Tuttle Col. 2, Lns 55-57: “integrated circuits 12 which, in turn, include internal electromagnetic structures, such as MRAM cells”).
Regarding claim 27, the electronic device according to claim 13, wherein a portion (portion of E2 that does not have W2; see Examiner Fig. 1 in claim 1 rejection above) of the second edge is uncovered by the second supporting wall (this portion does not have W2).
Conclusion
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/DOUGLAS YAP/Assistant Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/JOHN M PARKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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