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
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-5 and 16-19 in the reply filed on 4/9/26 is acknowledged.
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 16-19 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.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "said electrically insulating material" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Check the entire claims for similar issue.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, 16, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Crowley et al. (US 6,459,147, in view of Crowley.)
In regard to claims 1 and 16, in figs. 3-4, Crowley discloses a method of forming a semiconductor package, comprising:
arranging at least one semiconductor die 114/214 on a die mounting location of a die mounting substrate 220;
electrically coupling the at least one semiconductor die to at least one electrically conductive lead 216 of the die mounting substrate, the at least one electrically conductive lead arranged peripherally of the die mounting substrate;
wherein electrically coupling comprises applying an electrical coupling member 232 onto the at least one semiconductor die;
said electrical coupling member comprising a planar body configured to at least partially cover the at least one semiconductor die and the at least one electrically conductive lead; and
wherein said planar body of the electrical coupling member comprises at least one strip- like, electrically conductive formation embedded in an electrically insulating material 218, said at least one strip-like, electrically conductive formation having a first end configured to contact the at least one semiconductor die and having a second end configured to contact the at least one electrically conductive lead.
In regard to claim 2, wherein the planar body of the electrical coupling member comprises a plurality of said strip-like, electrically conductive formations embedded side- by-side in said electrically insulating material. Fig. 3.
Regarding claims 5 and 19, wherein the electrical connection member comprises a cut out portion forming a notch opening at an edge of the electrical coupling member that is configured to leave uncovered a respective area of the at least one semiconductor die and the method further comprising bonding electrically conductive wires to the at least one semiconductor die at locations within said respective area.
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crowley as applied to claims 1 and 16 above, and further in view of Joshi (US 6,133,634.)
In regard to claims 3-4 and 17-18, Crowley discloses all of the claimed limitations as mentioned above. Crowley also shows recess regions in the coupling member, except the figures do not clearly show the thickness difference as currently claimed. Nevertheless, this is common in the art since such feature would create more volume if the housing in order to provide protection and heat issue during the operation of the devices.
For instance, Joshi, in figs 1 and 3, for example, discloses an analogous semiconductor package including a die 102 on a carrier 100, or connecting member. The connection member further includes different thickness that provide a recess for creating a housing for the die.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application was file to form the connecting member as taught in order to take the advantage.
Claim(s) 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Joshi.
Regarding claim 20-22, see the rejections above regarding claims 1, 16, and claims 3-4 and 17-18 where the recess or thickness of the connecting member were addressed (same rejections will net be repeated here.)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN W HA whose telephone number is (571)272-1707. The examiner can normally be reached M-T: 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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, WAEL FAHMY can be reached at (571)-272-1705. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHAN W HA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2814
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