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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/24/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant amends the claims to introduce a “heat dissipation body” that is between the electronic element and heat dissipation structure. However, Tain’s thermal conductive layer (106) includes two portions: a lower portion (106 lower), in contact with the top surface of the electronic element (104) which reads on the claimed “heat dissipation body” and an upper wider portion (106 upper), which reads on the claimed “heat dissipation structure.” This forms the exact T-shaped structure (26/25) provided in Figure 2D of applicant’s disclosure, where the lower body portion (25) laterally overlaps with the circuit area (23), and the upper structure (26) is above and wider than the lower body (25).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-3, 5-13, and 15-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1)(a) as being anticipated by Tain et al. (US Publication No. 2009/0294947).
Regarding claim 1, Tain discloses an electronic package, comprising:
an encapsulation layer (110)
a first electronic element (104 above) embedded in the encapsulation layer (110)
a second electronic element (104 below) embedded in the encapsulation layer (110) and spaced apart from the first electronic element (104 above)
a circuit structure (122) disposed on the encapsulation layer (110) and electrically connected (connected through vias 116) to the first electronic element (104 above) and the second electronic element (104 below), wherein the circuit structure (112) has a hollow area corresponding to the first electronic element (104 above)
a heat dissipation structure (106 upper portion) disposed in the hollow area (126 displaced by 106) and thermally connected to the first electronic element (104 above), wherein a heat dissipation body (106 lower portion) is disposed in the hollow area and between the first electronic component (104) and the heat dissipation structure (106 upper portion)
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Regarding claim 2, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) includes a heat dissipation member (106) disposed in the hollow area (displaced by 106) and a heat dissipation material filled in the hollow area (Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 3, Tain discloses the heat dissipation member (106) is a metal frame (106 is inline with the outer frame portion surrounding 102 in Figures 4B-4C).
Regarding claim 5, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) is in a shape of a plug and inserted into the hollow area (Figures 4B-4C).
Regarding claim 6, Tain discloses the hollow area (displaced by 106) penetrates through the circuit structure (122) (Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 7, Tain discloses the hollow area (displaced by 106) is free from penetrating through the circuit structure (Figure 1A).
Regarding claim 8, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) is extended on the circuit structure (122).
Regarding claim 9, Tain discloses the first electronic element (104) is provided with a heat dissipation body (106/128) corresponding to the hollow area (displaced by 106).
Regarding claim 10, Tain discloses the heat dissipation body (106) is a heat sink (128).
Regarding claim 11, Tain discloses a method of manufacturing an electronic package, comprising:
embedding a first electronic element (104 above) and a second electronic element (104 below) in an encapsulation layer (110) in a manner of being spaced apart from each other
forming a circuit structure (122) on the encapsulation layer (110) to electrically connect the circuit structure (122) to the first electronic element (104 above) and the second electronic element (104 below), wherein the circuit structure (122) has a hollow area (displaced by 104) corresponding to the first electronic element (104 above)
disposing a heat dissipation structure (106 upper portion) in the hollow area to connect the heat dissipation structure to the first electronic element, wherein a heat dissipation body (106 lower portion) is disposed on the first electronic element (104) and in the hollow area (within encapsulant 110 and displaced by 106)
Regarding claim 12, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) includes a heat dissipation member (106) disposed in the hollow area (displaced by 106) and a heat dissipation material filled in the hollow area (Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 13, Tain discloses the heat dissipation member (106) is a metal frame (106 is inline with the outer frame portion surrounding 102 in Figures 4B-4C).
Regarding claim 15, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) is in a shape of a plug and inserted into the hollow area (Figures 4B-4C).
Regarding claim 16, Tain discloses the hollow area (displaced by 106) penetrates through the circuit structure (122) (Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 17, Tain discloses the hollow area (displaced by 106) is free from penetrating through the circuit structure (Figure 1A).
Regarding claim 18, Tain discloses the heat dissipation structure (106) is extended on the circuit structure (122).
Regarding claim 20, Tain discloses the heat dissipation body (106) is a heat sink (128).
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 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tain et al. (US Publication No. 2009/0294947) in view of Choi et al. (US Publication No. 2020/0144192).
Regarding claim 4, Tain discloses the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claim 2 above. Tain is silent regarding the heat dissipation material is liquid metal. However, Choi discloses a heat sink which includes a liquid cooled plate and a low melting point metal bonding material (paragraph 71). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the heat dissipation material of Tain to include liquid metal, as taught by Choi, since it can improve adhesion and therefore the effectiveness of the heat dissipation unit (paragraph 108).
Regarding claim 14, Tain discloses the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claim 12 above. Tain is silent regarding the heat dissipation material is liquid metal. However, Choi discloses a heat sink which includes a liquid cooled plate and a low melting point metal bonding material (paragraph 71). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the heat dissipation material of Tain to include liquid metal, as taught by Choi, since it can improve adhesion and therefore the effectiveness of the heat dissipation unit (paragraph 108).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEIL R PRASAD whose telephone number is (571) 270-3129. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jacob Choi can be reached at (469) 295-9060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/N.R.P/ 3/5/2026Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/JACOB Y CHOI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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