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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8 requires “wherein each of the interconnect is…” when there is only one recited interconnect, “each of” is grammatically incorrect. 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.
Claim 6 is 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 6 recites the limitation “wherein a diameter of a portion of the second external electrode bonded to a portion of the second electronic component, the portion being a portion of the second electronic component other than the second external electrode is equal to a diameter of a portion of the second external electrode bonded to the second interconnect.” The underlined portion of the claim renders the claim indefinite. Firstly, it is unclear whether the term “the portion being a portion of the second electronic component” is referring to a portion of the second external electrode or a portion of the electronic component. It is also unclear as to what the claim is intended to require, as the amended claim language is still unclear how the second external electrode can be bonded to itself, i.e. the portion connected to the second electronic component and the portion bonded to the second interconnect, as, based on the current record, it is not apparent or discussed that the second external electrode or any of the disclosed external electrodes begin as two separate portions bonded together during manufacture. It is the Examiner’s understanding, or possibly assumption, that claim 6 is intended to require that the upper and lower half portions of the second external electrode have the same width or shape when viewed in a cross-sectional view, or that claim 6 is intended to require that the second external electrode has a circular shape with flat top and bottom surfaces where the second external electrode is bonded to the second electronic component and the second interconnect, respectively. However, this level of speculation as to the meaning of the claim is a clear indication of indefiniteness.
Thus, the Examiner suggests amending the claim to require the intended configuration of the second external electrode in an alternate fashion.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-9, 11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sankman et al. ("Sankman” US 2019/0371778).
Regarding claim 1, Sankman discloses:
An electronic component package (Figures 7, 8) comprising:
a resin portion (molding material 150) having a first surface (lowermost surface of resin portion 150, see also annotated Figure 8 below);
one or more electronic components (110/120) each having a plurality of external electrodes (contacts 220, labeled in Figure 2, see also annotated Figure 8 below); and
a plurality of interconnects (810/820) electrically connected to the plurality of external electrodes (220, interconnects 810/820 are connected to external electrodes 220 through the bridge interconnect 140 and vias 800 therein, see para. [0060]), wherein
only each of the plurality of interconnects (810/820) is exposed from the resin portion (150) on the first surface (Figure 8 shows that the interconnects are exposed from the lower surface of the resin), and
the plurality of interconnects (810/820) are covered with the resin portion (150, see Figure 8 which shows the resin portion 150 covering upper surfaces of the interconnects 810/820, i.e. the interconnects and the resin portion vertically overlap),
wherein each of the plurality of interconnects (810/820) is an integrated member (each interconnect 810/820 are integrated electrically with the device) contacting any one of the plurality of external electrodes (220, the interconnects 810/820 are electrically contacting the plurality of external electrodes through vias 800, see para. [0060] and Figure 8) and contacting the first surface (the interconnects 810/820 contact the lower surface of the resin either at corner portions, i.e. the leftmost and rightmost interconnects 810 contact the bottom surface of the resin through its upper corners, and also physically contact the resin portion at least through the bridge interconnect 140).
Regarding claim 2, Sankman discloses wherein portions of the plurality of interconnects (810/820) exposed from the first surface (lower surface of resin portion 150) have same areas (the width of the lower edges of interconnects 810 are all the same, thus take up the same area in a cross-sectional view).
Regarding claim 4, Sankman discloses wherein two or more of the plurality of interconnects (810/820) are connected to at least one of the plurality of external electrodes (220, external electrodes 220 are connected to interconnects 810/820 through vias 800 in bridge interconnect 140).
Regarding claim 5, Sankman discloses wherein the plurality of interconnects (810/820) include a first interconnect (810, left side portion) and a second interconnect (810, right side portion, see annotated Figure 8 below),
the one or more electronic components (110/120) are a plurality of electronic components (110/120),
the plurality of electronic components (110/120) include a first electronic component (120) having a first external electrode (220 on lower side of component 110) on at least a bottom surface of the first electronic component (120, see Figure 8), and a second electronic component (110) having a second external electrode (solder bump between external electrodes 220 on component 110 and the contacts on top side of bridge interconnect 140, see also annotated Figure 8 below) being a solder bump (Figure 8 shows a solder bump), and
the first interconnect (810, left side portion) is connected to the first external electrode (220 on first component 110), and the second interconnect (810, right side portion) is connected to the second external electrode (solder bump, shown below in annotated Figure 8).
Regarding claim 6, Sankman discloses wherein a diameter of a portion of the second external electrode (upper half portion of solder bump second external electrode) bonded to a portion of the second electronic component (110), the portion being a portion of the second electronic component (110) other than the second external electrode is equal to a diameter of a portion of the second external electrode (lower half of solder bump second external electrode) bonded to the second interconnect (810, see Figure 8 below, the second external electrode, solder bump labeled below, is symmetric about a horizontally-extending center line, and thus has the same diameter on top and bottom sides of the solder bump second external electrode).
Regarding claim 7, Sankman discloses wherein the plurality of interconnects (810/820) include a third interconnect (820), and a region of the third interconnect (820) exposed on the first surface (lower surface of resin portion 150) is equal to a region drawn by projecting any one of the plurality of external electrodes onto the first surface (the first external electrodes’ vertical projection overlaps exactly with the vertical projection of the third interconnect, see Figure 8 and annotated Figure 8 below).
Regarding claim 8, Sankman discloses:
An electronic component package (Figures 7, 8) comprising:
a resin portion (150) having a first surface (lower surface, shown in Figures 7, 8, and labeled below in annotated Figure 8);
an electronic component (120) having an external electrode (contacts 220, labeled in Figure 2, on lower surface of the electronic component 120 in Figure 8); and
an interconnect (810) electrically connected to the external electrode (220, see Figure 8, the electrodes are electrically connected through vias 800 in the bridge interconnect structure, see para. [0060]), wherein
only the interconnect (810) is exposed from the resin portion (150) on the first surface (lower surface of resin portion, see Figure 8),
the external electrode (220 on lower surface of component 120) is covered with the resin portion (150, see Figure 8), and
wherein each of the interconnect (810/820) is an integrated member (each interconnect 810/820 are integrated electrically with the device) contacting external electrode (220, the interconnects 810/820 are electrically contacting the plurality of external electrodes through vias 800, see para. [0060] and Figure 8) and contacting the first surface (the interconnects 810/820 contact the lower surface of the resin either at corner portions, i.e. the leftmost and rightmost interconnects 810 contact the bottom surface of the resin through its upper corners, and also physically contact the resin portion at least through the bridge interconnect 140).
Regarding claim 9, Sankman discloses wherein two or more of the plurality of interconnects (810/820) are connected to at least one of the plurality of external electrodes (220, see Figure 8).
Regarding claim 11, Sankman discloses wherein the plurality of interconnects (810/820) include a first interconnect (810, left side portion, also labeled below in annotated Figure 8) and a second interconnect (810, right side portion, also labeled below in annotated Figure 8),
the one or more electronic components (110/120) are a plurality of electronic components (110/120),
the plurality of electronic components (110/120) include a first electronic component (120) having a first external electrode (contacts 220 on lower side of first component 120) on at least a bottom surface of the first electronic component (120, see Figure 8), and a second electronic component (110) having a second external electrode (solder bump between external electrodes 220 on component 110 and the contacts on top side of bridge interconnect 140, see also annotated Figure 8 below) being a solder bump (Figure 8 shows the second external electrode as a solder bump), and
the first interconnect (810, left side portion) is connected to the first external electrode (220 on lower side of the first component 120), and the second interconnect (810, right side portion, labeled below) is connected to the second external electrode (solder bump, see annotated Figure 8 below).
Regarding claim 13, Sankman discloses wherein the plurality of interconnects (810/820) include a first interconnect (810, left side portion, also labeled below in annotated Figure 8) and a second interconnect (810, right side portion, also labeled below in annotated Figure 8),
the one or more electronic components (110/120) are a plurality of electronic components (110/120),
the plurality of electronic components (110/120) include a first electronic component (120) having a first external electrode (contacts 220 on lower side of first component 120) on at least a bottom surface of the first electronic component (120, see Figure 8), and a second electronic component (110) having a second external electrode (solder bump between external electrodes 220 on component 110 and the contacts on top side of bridge interconnect 140, see also annotated Figure 8 below) being a solder bump (Figure 8 shows the second external electrode as a solder bump), and
the first interconnect (810, left side portion) is connected to the first external electrode (220 on lower side of the first component 120), and the second interconnect (810, right side portion, labeled below) is connected to the second external electrode (solder bump, see annotated Figure 8 below).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to the claim to change “extraction electrode(s)” to “interconnect(s)” overcome the 112(b) rejection of the claims regarding the terminology.
Applicant's arguments regarding the 112(b) rejection of claim 6 filed February 26 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that amended claim 5 recites that the second interconnect is part of the second electronic component, therefore amended claim 6 specifies that the second interconnect is bonded to a different portion of the second electronic component. The Examiner respectfully disagrees, as this is not what the language of claims 5 and 6 require. Claim 5 requires that the first and second electronic components have first and second external electrodes, respectively. Claim 5 does not require that the second interconnect is a part of the second electronic component. Further, claim 6 pertains to the diameters of different portions of the second external electrode relative to one another. It does not appear that claim 6 pertains to the second interconnect being bonded to the second electronic component in a different region than where the second external electrode is bonded to the second electronic component. Thus, it is the Examiner’s position that claim 6 is still indefinite, see above for further elaboration.
Applicant's argument regarding the prior art rejection of claim 1 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the bridge contacts 810/820 do not contact the contacts 220. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Examiner concedes that the bridge contact 810/820 and the contacts 220 of Sankman are not in direct physical contact. However, in the art, the term “contact”, given its broadest reasonable interpretation, can require a form of contact other than direct physical contact, which would require that two elements’ surfaces touch each other directly, with no intervening layers, materials, or elements. “Contact” could also mean electrical contact, thermal contact, etc. Thus, under the latter interpretations of “contact”, either thermal or electrical, Sankman’s bridge contacts 810/820 and contact 220 are in contact with each other, since 1) they are electrically connected as established above, and 2) they are in some degree of physical contact, with few intervening layers between, and would have thermal influences on one another, thus are also in thermal contact. Therefore, the interpretation of Sankman by the Examiner is maintained above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Genevieve G Bullard-Connor whose telephone number is (571)270-0609. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.
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/Genevieve G Bullard-Connor/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899