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 .
Withdrawal of Claims 29-36 by Election by Original Presentation
Newly submitted claims 29-36 are directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons: New Claims 29-33 pertain to the formation of a structure which comprises a molding material, an encapsulation layer, a thinning step and a third semiconductor die, elements which were not found in the originally presented Claims. Moreover, New Claims 29-33 do not require the measuring and determining steps using two alignment marks on two semiconductor dies as required by the originally elected Claims.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, claims 29-33 are withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
To preserve a right to petition, the reply to this action must distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement. Otherwise, the election shall be treated as a final election without traverse. Traversal must be timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are subsequently added, applicant must indicate which of the subsequently added 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.
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 21-28 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 21 contains the limitation “ wherein features of the second redistribution layers are adjusted to correct for the placement errors”. It is unclear what features the claim is referring to and what adjustments are being made. Are the features adjusted during the formation of the redistribution layer? As the metes and bounds of the Claim are not defined, the Claim is properly rejected as being indefinite. Further correction/clarification are required. Claims 22-28 are rejected based on their dependency on Claim 21.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art known to the Examiner is listed on the PTO 892 and IDS forms. Hsu et al disclose connecting a semiconductor chip on a redistribution layer to another redistribution layer based on alignment marks on the chip. See Figures 8-9 and corresponding text, especially paragraphs 41-90.
With respect to Claims 17-20, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious “ measuring a spatial position and orientation of a first alignment mark formed on the first semiconductor die and of a second alignment mark formed on the second semiconductor die; determining a spatial position and orientation of a respective area associated with the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die based on the spatial position and orientation of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark; and forming a second redistribution layer over, and electrically attached to, the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die by performing operations comprising: forming a second plurality of repeat units that are spatially displaced from one another, wherein each of the second plurality of repeat units comprises redistribution layer electrical connections; spatially aligning each of the second plurality of repeat units with the respective area associated with the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die based on the spatial position and orientation of the respective area associated with the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor die”, combined with the other claimed elements.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER G GHYKA whose telephone number is (571)272-1669. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-6.
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.
AGG
May 22, 2026
/ALEXANDER G GHYKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
Prosecution Insights