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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A, including claims 1-5, in the reply filed on 6/24/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shirakawa et al. (PG Pub. No. PG Pub. No. US 2004/0113268 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Shirakawa teaches a power apparatus (¶ 0023 & figs. 1-7 among others) comprising:
a substrate (¶ 0008: plate 7) comprising a first area and a second area separated from each other (figs. 1-3: 7 comprises at least two separate areas);
a first power component (¶ 0025: 13a) arranged on the first area (figs. 1-3: 13a arranged in a first area of 7);
a second power component (¶ 0025: 13b) arranged on the second area (figs. 1-3: 13b arranged in a second area of 7); and
a connection board (¶ 0025: 15a) arranged between the first area and the second area (figs. 1-3: 15a extends from area of 7 including 13a to area of 7 including 13b), and electrically connected to the first power component and the second area (figs. 1, 3: conductive portions 12 and/or 17 of board 15a electrically connected to 13a and area comprising 3b) respectively.
PNG
media_image1.png
316
630
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Shirakawa teaches the power apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the connection board (15a) comprises a base material layer (¶ 0032: 16), a first transmission layer (¶ 0025: conductive layer portions 12a, 12b, 12c), and a second transmission layer (¶ 0033: conductive layer 17) stacked on each other (fig. 3: 16, 12a/12b/12c, and 17 stacked together);
the base material layer is sandwiched between the first transmission layer and the second transmission layer (fig. 3: 16 sandwiched between 12a/12b/12c and 17);
the first transmission layer is electrically connected to the first power component and the second area respectively (figs 1, 3: at least portions 12b and 12c electrically connected second area of 7 and 13a);
the substrate further comprises a third area (figs. 1-3: 7 comprises at least three areas);
the third area is separated from the first area and the second area (figs. 1-3: a third region of 7 separate from first and second regions of 7);
the first power component, the first transmission layer, the second area, and the second power component form a first current path (figs, 1-3: 13b electrically connected to 13a through 12c in second area and conductive element 14b).
PNG
media_image2.png
316
630
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 4, Shirakawa teaches the power apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
a first gate resistor (¶ 0025: gate terminal 24a; since the gate terminal is an electrically conductive element with at least some electrical resistance, it meets the broadest reasonable interpretation of ‘gate resistor’) electrically connected to the first power component (figs. 1-2: 24a electrically connected to 13a); and
a second gate resistor (¶ 0025: gate terminal 24b; since the gate terminal is an electrically conductive element with at least some electrical resistance, it meets the broadest reasonable interpretation of ‘gate resistor’) electrically connected to the second power component (figs. 1-2: 24b electrically connected to 13b).
Regarding claim 5, Shirakawa teaches the power apparatus of claim 4, wherein
the third area, the first transmission layer, and the first power component form a third current path (figs. 1-3: electrically conductive path including elements 2, 14c 12c, 14b and 13a);
the third current path and the first current path are in series and in a same direction (figs. 1-2: at least a portion of third current path in series with and in a same direction as the first current path);
the first gate resistor is arranged on the second transmission layer (figs. 1-2: 24a at least indirectly disposed on 17).
PNG
media_image3.png
316
630
media_image3.png
Greyscale
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shirakawa as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Hong et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2021/0175184 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Shirakawa teaches the power apparatus of claim 2, comprising a first current path (see annotated fig. 3 above).
Shirakawa does not teach the power apparatus further comprising:
a first transmission line electrically connected to one end of the second transmission layer and the third area of the substrate; and
a second transmission line electrically connected to the other end of the second transmission layer and the second power component, wherein the third area is separated from the first area and the second area;
the second power component, the second transmission line, the second transmission layer, the first transmission line, and the third area form a second current path;
the second current path is parallel to and opposite to the first current path.
Hong teaches a power apparatus (¶ 0057 & figs. 6A-6B: 1) comprising:
a first transmission line (¶¶ 0059, 0060: 41 and/or 171) electrically connected to one end of a second transmission layer (¶ 0058: 131) and a third area of a substrate (fig. 6A: 41/171 electrically connected to 131 and third area of body 10); and
a second transmission line (¶ 0060: 42 and/or 43) electrically connected to the other end of the second transmission layer and a second power component (fig. 6A: 42/43 electrically connected to other end of 131 and switch SW2), wherein the third area is separated from the first area and the second area (fig. 6A: third area of 10 laterally separated from first and second areas of 10);
the second power component (SW2), the second transmission line (42/43), the second transmission layer (131), a first transmission line (¶ 0059: 16), and the third area form a second current path (fig. 6A: SW2, 42/43, 131 and 16 form an electrically conductive path);
the second current path is parallel to and opposite to a first current path (¶ 0067 & fig. 6A: at least a portion of the second current path in transmission line 16 or transmission layer 131 is parallel and opposite to electrically conductive path in wiring layer 20).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the power apparatus of Shirakawa with a second current path, as a means to achieve double-sided heat dissipation, reduce thermal resistance, reduce costs, enhance reliability and improve the heat-dissipation capacity of the power module (Hong, ¶ 0010).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kato et al. (PG Pub. No. PG Pub. No. US 2021/0280549 A1) teaches a power apparatus (¶ 0019: 1) comprising a substrate (¶ 0020: 10 and/or 11) comprising a first area and a second area separated from each other (figs. 1-1: 10/11 comprises at least two separate areas), a first power component (¶¶ 0029, 0036: 3a) arranged on the first area (figs. 1-2: 3a arranged in a first area of 10/11), a second power component (¶¶ 0029, 0036: 3b) arranged on the second area (figs. 1-2: 3b arranged in a second area of 10/11), and a connection board (¶ 0020: 2) arranged between the first area and the second area (figs. 1-2: 2 extends from first area of 10/11 to second area of 10/11), and electrically connected to the first power component and the second area (fig. 2: portions of 2 electrically connected to 3a and area of 10/11 comprising 3b) respectively.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN TURNER whose telephone number is (571)270-5411. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-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, Eva Montalvo can be reached at 571-270-3829. 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.
/BRIAN TURNER/ Examiner, Art Unit 2818
Prosecution Insights