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 .
Election/Restrictions
Restriction to one of the following inventions is required under 35 U.S.C. 121:
Claims 1-16 drawn to a device, classified in CPC H01L 23/3128.
Claims 17-25, drawn to a method, classified in CPC H01L 21/56.
The inventions are independent or distinct, each from the other because:
Inventions I and II are related as product made and process of making. The inventions are distinct if either or both of the following can be shown: (1) that the process as claimed can be used to make another and materially different product or (2) that the product as claimed can be made by another and materially different process (MPEP § 806.05(f)).
In the instant case, the method as claimed in independent method claim 17 could make another materially different process such as an integrated circuit package without front connection pads on a front surface of the support substrate, or without rear connection pads on a rear surface of the support substrate rather than an integrated circuit package with front connection pads on a front surface of the support substrate, or with rear connection pads on a rear surface of the support substrate as claimed in independent product claim 1.
Restriction for examination purposes as indicated is proper because all the inventions listed in this action are independent or distinct for the reasons given above and there would be a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction were not required because one or more of the following reasons apply:
the inventions have acquired a separate status in the art in view of their different classification
the inventions have acquired a separate status in the art due to their recognized divergent subject matter
the inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes /subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search strategies or search queries).
Group I would require a search in at least CPC H01L 23/3128, along with a unique text search.
Group II would not be searched as above and would instead require a search in CPC H01L 21/56.
Applicant is advised that the reply to this requirement to be complete must include (i) an election of an invention to be examined even though the requirement may be traversed (37 CFR 1.143) and (ii) identification of the claims encompassing the elected invention.
The election of an invention may be made with or without traverse. To reserve a right to petition, the election must be made with traverse. If the reply does not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election shall be treated as an election without traverse. Traversal must be presented at the time of election in order to be considered timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are added after the election, applicant must indicate which of these claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
Election of Species
Subsequent to electing a group above, Applicant is advised to elect a respective species to said elected group as set forth below.
This application contains claims directed to the following patentably distinct species (Variations of a thermal paths and heat spreader):
Species I directed to Figure 1 with a heat spreader plate 140 with a spacer ring 136, and without side thermal paths([0016], [0020]), does not appear to be drawn to any of the claims.
Species II directed to Figures 2-3 with a heat spreader plate 140 with a spacer ring 136, and with side thermal paths 202 ([0022]), appears to be drawn to claims 1-8, 11, 14-24.
Species III directed to Figure 4 with a heat spreader plate 140 with an encapsulation block 336, and with side thermal paths 202 ([0030]), appears to be drawn to claims 1-11, 14-16-24.
Species IV directed to Figure 5 with a heat spreader Lid 440 with side thermal paths 202 on sides of the substrate 110 ([0034]), appears to be drawn to claims 1-8, 12, 14-20, 25.
Species IV directed to Figure 5 with a heat spreader Lid 540 with side thermal paths 202 on sides of the substrate 110 and thermal paths 202 ([0037]), appears to be drawn to claims 1-8, 12-20, 25
The Species are independent or distinct because:
The listed Species offer the choice between two different heat spreaders either the heat spreader plate 140 or the heat spreader Lid, with or without thermal paths encompassing different layers, and with an encapsulation block 336 or a spacer ring 136 (Fig1-6).
The resulting election should be of a Species (e.g. an election of Species I, or e.g. Species II, or Species III, etc.).In addition, the respective species are not obvious variants of each other based on the current record.
Applicant is required under 35 U.S.C. 121 to elect a single disclosed species, or a single grouping of patentably indistinct species, for prosecution on the merits to which the claims shall be restricted if no generic claim is finally held to be allowable. Currently claims none of the claims is generic.
There is a serious search and/or examination burden for the patentably distinct species as set forth above because at least the following reason(s) apply: the species or grouping of patentably indistinct species require a different field of search such as searching different class/subclass combinations and employing different search strategies and search queries, specifically to find the different features listed above.
Applicant is advised that the reply to this requirement to be complete must include (i) an election of a species or a grouping of patentably indistinct species to be examined even though the requirement may be traversed (37 CFR 1.143) and (ii) identification of the claims encompassing the elected species or grouping of patentably indistinct species, including any claims subsequently added. An argument that a claim is allowable or that all claims are generic is considered nonresponsive unless accompanied by an election.
The election may be made with or without traverse. To preserve a right to petition, the election must be made with traverse. If the reply does not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the election of species requirement, the election shall be treated as an election without traverse. Traversal must be presented at the time of election in order to be considered timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are added after the election, applicant must indicate which of these claims are readable on the elected species or grouping of patentably indistinct species.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the species, or groupings of patentably indistinct species from which election is required, are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the species to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the species unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other species.
Upon the allowance of a generic claim, applicant will be entitled to consideration of claims to additional species which depend from or otherwise require all the limitations of an allowable generic claim as provided by 37 CFR 1.141.
A telephone call was made to Applicant Representative on 12/16/2025 to request an oral election to the above restriction requirement, claims 9-13 and 17-25 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election of Group 1 and Species B was made without traverse during a phone interview on 12/16/2025 with attorney of record Andre Szuwalski.
Claims 1-8 and 14-16 are still pending.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
The examiner has required restriction between product or apparatus claims and process claims. Where applicant elects claims directed to the product/apparatus, and all product/apparatus claims are subsequently found allowable, withdrawn process claims that include all the limitations of the allowable product/apparatus claims should be considered for rejoinder. All claims directed to a nonelected process invention must include all the limitations of an allowable product/apparatus claim for that process invention to be rejoined.
In the event of rejoinder, the requirement for restriction between the product/apparatus claims and the rejoined process claims will be withdrawn, and the rejoined process claims will be fully examined for patentability in accordance with 37 CFR 1.104. Thus, to be allowable, the rejoined claims must meet all criteria for patentability including the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 101, 102, 103 and 112. Until all claims to the elected product/apparatus are found allowable, an otherwise proper restriction requirement between product/apparatus claims and process claims may be maintained. Withdrawn process claims that are not commensurate in scope with an allowable product/apparatus claim will not be rejoined. See MPEP § 821.04. Additionally, in order for rejoinder to occur, applicant is advised that the process claims should be amended during prosecution to require the limitations of the product/apparatus claims. Failure to do so may result in no rejoinder. Further, note that the prohibition against double patenting rejections of 35 U.S.C. 121 does not apply where the restriction requirement is withdrawn by the examiner before the patent issues. See MPEP § 804.01.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-4 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3 recites “thermal path is on and direct contact with” in Line L2 but should read – thermal path is on and in direct contact with --.
Claim 4 recites “thermal path is on and direct contact with” in Line L2 but should read – thermal path is on and in direct contact with --.
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.
Claims 1-8 and 14-16 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L8, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L8) refers to a new external direct thermal path or each of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 2, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L1, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L1) refers to a new external direct thermal path or each of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 3, the limitation "each direct thermal path" in Lines L1-2, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each direct thermal path” (L1-2) refers to a new direct thermal path or each of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 4, the limitation "each direct thermal path" in Lines L1-2, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each direct thermal path” (L1-2) refers to a new external direct thermal path or each of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 5, the limitation "at least one direct thermal path" in Lines L1-2, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “at least one direct thermal path” (L1-2) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “at least one direct thermal path” has been interpretated as at least one of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 6, the limitation "at least one direct thermal path" in Lines L1-2, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “at least one direct thermal path” (L1-2) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “at least one direct thermal path” has been interpretated as at least one of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 8, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L1, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L1) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 14, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L1, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L1) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 15, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L1, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L1) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 16, the limitation "each external direct thermal path" in Line L1, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “each external direct thermal path” (L1) refers to a new direct thermal path or at least one of the “plurality of external direct thermal paths” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L8. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “each external direct thermal path” has been interpretated as each of the plurality of external direct thermal paths.
Regarding claim 2, the limitation "the package" in Lines L3-4, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “the package” (L3-4) refers to a new package or at least one of the “integrated circuit package” previously cited in Claim 1 Line L1. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “the package” has been interpretated as the integrated circuit package.
The balance of claims are rejected for being dependent upon an already rejected claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ady et al. (US9698132B1-Ady32)
Regarding claim 1, Ady32 discloses an integrated circuit package (integrated circuit package 600-Examiner's annotated Fig 10), comprising:
a support substrate (support substrate 603-Examiner's annotated Fig 10) including
front connection pads (611-Examiner's annotated Fig 10) on a front surface of the support substrate (upper surface of 603-Examiner's annotated Fig 10) and
rear connection pads (609-Examiner's annotated Fig 10) on a rear surface of the support substrate (bottom surface of 603-Examiner's annotated Fig 10);
an integrated circuit device mounted to the support substrate in flip chip orientation with a front face of the integrated circuit device facing the front surface of the support substrate (integrated circuit device 615 in flip chip orientation mounted on top of support substrate 603-Examiner's annotated Fig 10);
a thermally conductive heat spreader mounted adjacent a rear face of the integrated circuit device (Copper so thermally conductive heat spreader 1009 on rear face of integrated circuit device 615-Examiner's annotated Fig 10); and
a plurality of external direct thermal paths (External direct thermal paths Left/Right 611/605-Examiner's annotated Fig 10),
each external direct thermal path thermally coupling a top surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader to the rear surface of the support substrate (External direct thermal paths Left/Right 611/605 coupling top of thermally conductive heat spreader 1009 to Support substrate 60-Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
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Regarding claim 2, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package wherein each external direct thermal path comprises:
a first portion on and in direct contact with the top surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader (External direct thermal paths Left/Right 611/605 First portion on top of 1009-Examiner's annotated Fig 10);
a second portion on and in direct contact with an external side surface of the package (Second portion on the side 603 so on the side and direct contact with an external surface of integrated package 600-Examiner's annotated Fig 10); and
a third portion on and in direct contact with the rear surface of the support substrate (Third portion on the rear of support substrate 603-Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
Regarding claim 4, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 2, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package
wherein the second portion of each direct thermal path is on and direct contact with an external side surface of the support substrate (Second portion on the side 603 so on the side and in direct contact with an external surface of integrated package 600-Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
Regarding claim 5, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 2, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package
wherein the third portion of at least one direct thermal path is in contact with a corresponding one of the rear connection pads on the rear surface of the support substrate (Rear connection pads between substrate 603 and solder balls 609 on bottom of Support substrate 60-C5 L32-38, Examiner's annotated Fig 10), and further comprising
a solder ball mounted to said corresponding one of the rear connection pads (Rear connection pads between substrate 603 and solder balls 609 on bottom of Support substrate 60-C5 L32-38, Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
Regarding claim 6, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 2, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package
wherein the third portion of at least one direct thermal path forms a rear thermal connection pad on the rear surface of the support substrate (Rear connection pads between substrate 603 and solder balls 609 on bottom of Support substrate 60-C5 L32-38, Examiner's annotated Fig 10), and further comprising
a solder ball mounted to said rear thermal connection pad (Rear connection pads between substrate 603 and solder balls 609 on bottom of Support substrate 60-C5 L32-38, Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
Regarding claim 7, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package further comprising
a spacer ring positioned between the thermally conductive heat spreader and the support substrate (Spacer ring top of 1003 between thermally conductive heat spreader 1009 and the support substrate 609, surrounding the integrated circuit device 615-Examiner's annotated Fig 10),
said spacer ring surrounding the integrated circuit device (Spacer ring top of 1003 between thermally conductive heat spreader 1009 and the support substrate 609, surrounding the integrated circuit device 615-Examiner's annotated Fig 10),
where a bottom surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader is mounted to an upper surface of the spacer ring (Spacer ring top of 1003 between 1009 and 609, surrounding the integrated circuit device 615, with bottom of 1009 mounted on 1003-Examiner's annotated Fig 10, C8 L21-24).
Regarding claim 14, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package
wherein each external direct thermal path is a C-shaped or U-shaped clip (U-shaped clip-Fig 5).
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ady et al. (US9698132B1-Ady32)in view of Yeh et al. (US 20220310474 A1-Yeh74).
Regarding claim 3, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 does not disclose an integrated circuit package
wherein the second portion of each direct thermal path is on and direct contact with an external side surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader.
Yeh74 teaches an integrated circuit package
wherein the second portion of each direct thermal path is on and direct contact with an external side surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader (Second portion on the side and in direct contact with an external surface of heat spreader 500-Examiner's annotated Fig 3E).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the integrated circuit package of Ady32 as taught by Yeh74 for the purpose of having a foolproof design for assembly (Yeh74: [0052] L 19-20).
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Regarding claim 8, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 7, as noted above.
Ady32 further discloses an integrated circuit package wherein each external direct thermal path comprises:
a first portion on and in direct contact with the top surface of the thermally conductive heat spreader (External direct thermal paths Left/Right 611/605 First portion on top of 1009-Examiner's annotated Fig 10);
a second portion on and in direct contact with the support substrate (Second portion on the side 603 so on the side and in direct contact with an external surface of integrated package 600-Examiner's annotated Fig 10); and
a third portion on and in direct contact with the rear surface of the support substrate (Rear connection pads between substrate 603 and solder balls 609 on bottom of Support substrate 60-C5 L32-38, Examiner's annotated Fig 10).
Ady32 does not disclose an integrated circuit package wherein each external direct thermal path comprises:
a second portion on and in direct contact with the external side surfaces of the spacer ring.
Yeh74 teaches an integrated circuit package wherein each external direct thermal path comprises:
a second portion on and in direct contact with the external side surfaces of the spacer ring (Second portion on the side and in direct contact with an external surface of heat spreader 500, and with the external sides of the spacer ring 300-Examiner’s annotated Fig 3E).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the integrated circuit package of Ady32 as taught by Yeh74 for the purpose of having a foolproof design for assembly (Yeh74: [0052] L 19-20).
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Claim(s) 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ady et al. (US9698132B1-Ady32)in view of Vincent et al. (US 9355985 B2-Vincent85).
Regarding claim 15, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 does not disclose an integrated circuit package
wherein each external direct thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive ink material.
Vincent85 does not explicitly teach an integrated circuit package
wherein each external direct thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive ink material.
Vincent85 explicitly teaches
Heat spreader structure 60 is formed by depositing either metal-containing epoxies, or printable ink or a solder paste so a conductive material (C5 L 13-26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the integrated circuit package of Ady32 such as each the thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive ink as taught by Vincent85 for the purpose of improving thermal performance of the package (Vincent85: C3 L3-6).
Regarding claim 16, Ady32 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Ady32 does not disclose an integrated circuit package
wherein each external direct thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive paste material.
Vincent85 does not explicitly teach an integrated circuit package
wherein each external direct thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive paste material.
Vincent85 explicitly teaches
Heat spreader structure 60 is formed by depositing either metal-containing epoxies, or printable ink or a solder paste so a conductive material (C5 L 13-26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the integrated circuit package of Ady32 such as each the thermal path is formed of a printed or deposited conductive paste as taught by Vincent85 for the purpose of improving thermal performance of the package (Vincent85: C3 L3-6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chen et al. (US 20220037229 A1-Chen29) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader lid (170-Fig 1C, [0029]).
Nasr et al. (US20250105085A1-Nasr85) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader plate and thermal paths (709, 715/714 -Fig 8A, [0070]).
Kuo et al. (US 20230411173 A1-Kuo73) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader lid (130 -Fig 1E, [0055]).
Kim et al. (US 20230119181 A1-Kim81) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader lid (180 -Fig 3g, [0030]).
Kuo et al. (US20220359228-Kuo28) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader lid (130 -Fig 1E, [0055]).
Lin et al. (US 20200051888 A1-Lin88) teaches an integrated circuit package with a heat spreader (208 -Fig 14, [0055]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHALIE R FAYETTE whose telephone number is (571)272-1220. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am-6pm ET.
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, Christine Kim can be reached at (571) 272-8458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
NATHALIE R. FAYETTE
Examiner
Art Unit 2812
/NATHALIE R FAYETTE/Examiner, Art Unit 2812 12/18/2025
/CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812