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 of Group I in the reply filed on 5/4/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 7-8, 16, 18-19, 21, 23 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Liao (US 2014/0067904).
Regarding claim 1, Liao disclose depositing a first plug (101, right side of fig. 1) on a first bond pad (202 right side of fig. 2) of a die(200), wherein the first plug has a proximal end at the first bond pad and a distal end(fig. 2); encapsulating an outer portion of the proximal end of the first plug and at least a portion of the die proximate the proximal end of the first plug with a mold compound (300) (fig. 3);removing at least a portion of the first plug from the first bond pad to form a first opening in the mold compound (fig. 4); and depositing a first unitary redistribution layer plate (204, right side of figure 8) on a portion of the mold compound and in the first opening in the mold compound on the first bond pad (fig. 8).
Regarding claim 2, Liao disclose depositing a second plug (101, left side of fig. 1) on a second bond pad (202 left side of fig. 2) of the die (200), wherein the second plug has a proximal end at the second bond pad and a distal end; encapsulating an outer portion of the proximal end of the second plug and at least a portion of the die proximate the proximal end of the second plug with the mold compound (300) (fig. 3); removing at least a portion of the second plug from the second bond pad to form a second opening in the mold compound; and depositing a second redistribution layer plate (204, left side of figure 8) on a portion of the mold compound and in the second opening in the mold compound and on the second bond pad.
Regarding claim 4, Liao disclose attaching tape (100) to the distal end of the first plug (101) so a space is defined between the die and the tape, wherein the encapsulating the die comprises filling at least a portion of the space defined between the tape and the die with mold compound (fig. 3). MPEP 2131 disclose “[t]he elements must be arranged as required by the claim, but this is not an ipsissimis verbis test, i.e., identity of terminology is not required. In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 15 USPQ2d 1566 (Fed. Cir. 1990).”
Regarding claim 7, Liao disclose the encapsulating the die comprises encapsulating exposed surfaces of the die (figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 8, Liao disclose applying a first package connection (210, solder balls) to the first redistribution layer plate (fig. 9).
Regarding claim 16, Liao disclose depositing first (101, right side of fig. 1) and second plugs (101, left side of fig. 1) on first (202 right side of fig. 2) and second (202 left side of fig. 2) bond pads of a die, respectively, wherein the first and second plugs have proximal ends at the first and second bond pads, respectively, and the first and second plugs have distal ends, respectively; encapsulating the proximal ends of the first and second plugs and at least portions of the die proximate the proximal ends of the first and second plugs with a mold compound(300) (fig. 3); removing at least portions of the first and second plugs from the first and second bond pads (fig. 4); and depositing a first unitary redistribution layer plate on a portion of the mold compound and the first bond pad(204, right side of figure 8); and depositing a second unitary redistribution layer plate on a portion of the mold compound and the second bond pad(204, left side of figure 8).
Regarding claim 18, Liao disclose attaching tape (100) to the distal ends of the first and second plugs (right 101 and left 101) so a space is defined between the die and the tape, wherein encapsulating the die comprises filling at least a portion of the space defined between the tape and the die with mold compound(fig. 3). MPEP 2131 disclose “[t]he elements must be arranged as required by the claim, but this is not an ipsissimis verbis test, i.e., identity of terminology is not required. In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 15 USPQ2d 1566 (Fed. Cir. 1990).”
Regarding claim 19, Liao disclose applying a first package connection(210, solder ball) to the first unitary redistribution layer plate, and applying a second package connection(210, solder ball) to the second unitary redistribution layer plate (fig. 9).
Regarding claim 21, Liao disclose depositing first (101, right side of fig. 1) and second plugs (101, left side of fig. 1) on first (202 right side of fig. 2) and second (202 left side of fig. 2) bond pads of a die, respectively, wherein the first and second plugs have proximal ends at the first and second bond pads, respectively, and the first and second plugs have distal ends, respectively; encapsulating the proximal ends of the first and second plugs and at least portions of the die proximate the proximal ends of the first and second plugs with a mold compound(300) (fig. 3); removing at least portions of the first and second plugs from the first and second bond pads (fig. 4); and depositing a first unitary redistribution layer plate on a portion of the mold compound and the first bond pad(204, right side of figure 8); and depositing a second unitary redistribution layer plate on a portion of the mold compound and the second bond pad(204, left side of figure 8).
Regarding claim 23, Liao disclose attaching tape (100) to the distal ends of the first and second plugs (right 101 and left 101) so a space is defined between the die and the tape, wherein encapsulating the die comprises filling at least a portion of the space defined between the tape and the die with mold compound(fig. 3). MPEP 2131 disclose “[t]he elements must be arranged as required by the claim, but this is not an ipsissimis verbis test, i.e., identity of terminology is not required. In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 15 USPQ2d 1566 (Fed. Cir. 1990).”
Regarding claim 24, Liao disclose applying a first package connection(210, solder ball) to the first unitary redistribution layer plate, and applying a second package connection(210, solder ball) to the second unitary redistribution layer plate (fig. 9).
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Ding et al. (US 2021/0057326).
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask to the film resist; exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist.
Ding et al. disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask (425) to the film resist (429); exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug (metal) comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist [0033] (fig. 4B-4D).
The examiner submits Ding et al. and Liao could be combined to form a plug (metal layer) on the first bond pad.
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming a patterned metal layer using a photoresist), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the patterned photoresist would form a patterned metal layer such as a plug).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 1.
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
The cited portions of Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a dielectric layer over the first redistribution layer plate.
However, Liao figure 17 discloses forming a applying a dielectric layer (503) over the redistribution layer plate (204, circuit layer).
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art embodiment.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming dielectric over the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the insulative layer would dielectrically isolate the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 16 and further in view of Ding et al. (US 2021/0057326).
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask to the film resist; exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist.
Ding et al. disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask (425) to the film resist (429); exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug (metal) comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist [0033] (fig. 4B-4D).
The examiner submits Ding et al. and Liao could be combined to form plugs (patterned metal layers) on the first and second bond pads.
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming a patterned metal layer using a photoresist), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the patterned photoresist would form a patterned metal layer such as a plug).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 16 in view of Kang et al. (US 2020/0043862).
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
The cited portions of Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a polymer layer over the first and second redistribution layer plates.
However, Kang disclose form polyimide (polymer) layers over the metal layer (first and second redistribution layer plates)[0015]
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art embodiment.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming polymer over the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the polymer/polyimide layer would dielectrically isolate the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer).
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 21 and further in view of Ding et al. (US 2021/0057326).
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask to the film resist; exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist.
Ding et al. disclose applying a film resist; applying a patterned mask (425) to the film resist (429); exposing the film resist to light through the patterned mask; and removing portion of the film resist to form an opening in the remaining film resist; and wherein the depositing the first plug (metal) comprises depositing the first plug in the opening in the remaining film resist [0033] (fig. 4B-4D).
The examiner submits Ding et al. and Liao could be combined to form plugs (patterned metal layers) on the first and second bond pads.
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming a patterned metal layer using a photoresist), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the patterned photoresist would form a patterned metal layer such as a plug).
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 21 in view of Kang et al. (US 2020/0043862).
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
The cited portions of Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a polymer layer over the first and second redistribution layer plates.
However, Kang disclose form polyimide (polymer) layers over the metal layer (first and second redistribution layer plates)[0015]
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art embodiment.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming polymer over the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the polymer/polyimide layer would dielectrically isolate the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer).
Claim(s) 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2014/0067904) as applied to claim 21.
Liao et al. disclose the invention supra.
The cited portions of Liao et al. fails to explicitly disclose applying a dielectric layer over the first redistribution layer plate.
However, Liao figure 17 discloses forming a applying a dielectric layer (503) over the first and second redistribution layer plates ( left 204 and right 24, circuit layer).
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art embodiment.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (forming dielectric over the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (the insulative layer would dielectrically isolate the redistribution layer plate/ circuit layer).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY K SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-1884. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at 571-272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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