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 .
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 – 10, 12 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yeon (US 20210345492).
Regarding claim 1, Yeon discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a carrier (the substrate of the package 202 or 204, Fig. 5) having a first surface (bottom surface of 202) and a second surface (top surface of the package 202) opposite to the first surface;
an electronic component (the components mounted on the top surface of the package 202 substrate) abutting the second surface;
a first antenna (the antenna 406 connected to 202 via the flexible PCB 510) connected with the carrier; and
a conductive element (the contacts on the bottom surface of the package 202 configured to electrically connected to the antenna 406; or the contacts on the top surface of the package 204) abutting the first surface of the carrier and configured to test the first antenna (the package 202 is in electrical communication with the antenna 406).
Regarding claim 2, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Yeon further discloses a flexible circuit structure (the flexible PCB 510) connecting the first antenna (406) to the carrier (202) and electrically connected to the conductive element (the contacts on the bottom surface of 202).
Regarding claim 3, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2. Yeo further suggests the conductive element is spaced apart from the flexible circuit structure (the contacts are spaced apart from the flexible PCA 510 before coupling to the flexible PCB).
Regarding claim 4, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2. Yeon further suggests the conductive element is electrically connected to the carrier through the flexible circuit structure (the contacts on the top surface of the package 204 is connected to the package 202 through the flexible PCB 510).
Regarding claim 5, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Yeon further discloses a connector (a connector 614, Fig. 6) abutting the conductive element (the connector 614 is next to the contact on the bottom side of the component 605), wherein an electrical transmission path between the connector (614) and the electronic component (605) is substantially the same as an electrical transmission path between the conductive element (the contact on the bottom side of the component 605 conduct the power and signal between the component 605 and the connector 614) and the electronic component (605).
Regarding claim 6, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2. Yeon further suggests a portion of the carrier is exposed by the flexible circuit structure, and the conductive element covers the portion (the gap between 202 and 510, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1. Yeon further suggests an encapsulant (the encapsulant covering the components on the top surface of the package 202) abutting the second surface and encapsulating the electronic component, wherein the encapsulant is free from overlapping the first antenna along a direction substantially orthogonal to the second surface (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2. Yeon further suggests the flexible circuit structure comprises a first portion (the portion underneath package 202) over the first surface and a second portion (the portion underneath the antenna 406) connected to the first portion and extending along a direction substantially orthogonal to the first surface, and wherein the first antenna is disposed over the second portion and configured to emit an electromagnetic wave along a direction substantially parallel to the first surface of the carrier (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 8. Yeon further suggests the second portion is free from overlapping the carrier along the direction substantially parallel to the first surface of the carrier (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 8. Yeon further suggests the flexible circuit structure comprises a first bent portion (the bent portion 520c) connecting the first portion to the second portion, and the first bent portion allows the second portion to extend further away from the carrier (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 12, Yeon discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a carrier (the substrate of the package 202, Fig. 5; or substrate 602, Fig. 6);
a flexible circuit structure (the flexible PCB 510) disposed over the carrier;
a first antenna (the antenna 406) connected to the flexible circuit structure; and
a connector (the connector 614, Fig. 6, mounted on the surface of the substrate 602) disposed over the carrier and electrically connected to the first antenna (406) by the flexible circuit structure (510), wherein the connector is configured to connect an external device to the carrier (paragraph 57).
Regarding claim 13, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 12. Yeon further discloses an electronic component (605, Fig. 6) disposed under the carrier, wherein the electronic component is free from overlapping the first antenna along a direction substantially orthogonal to a surface of the carrier supporting the connector (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 12. Yeon further discloses an electronic component (component 605 and 607, Fig. 6) disposed under the carrier; and a second antenna (the antenna 206 or 506; Fig. 5) connected to the flexible circuit structure, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to emit electromagnetic waves along different directions (several different antenna directions, Fig. 5), and the electronic component is free from overlapping the first antenna and the second antenna along a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the carrier supporting the connector (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 15, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 12. Yeon further discloses the connector (614) is disposed within a space defined by the flexible circuit structure and the carrier (the connector 614 is a in a space involving the substrate 620 and the flexible circuit board 210; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 16, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 12. Yeo further suggests a width of the flexible circuit structure (710c) is less than that of the carrier (the area 710a attached to the carrier substrate having a width larger than area 710c to accommodate the entire surface of the substrate).
Regarding claim 17, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 12. Yeon further suggests the connector (614) is electrically connected to the first antenna (204, 206, 406, 506) by the carrier (substrate of the package 202).
Regarding claim 18, Yeon discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a carrier (the carrier of the package 202, Fig. 5; or substrate 602, Fig. 6);
an electronic component (components on the surface of the substrate of the package 202; or components 603, 605, 607) disposed under the carrier;
a connector (the connector 614) disposed over the carrier and configured to connect the carrier to an external device; and
a bendable circuit layer (the flexible circuit board 510 or 210) connecting an antenna (the antenna 406) to the carrier and spaced apart from the connector.
Regarding claim 19, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 18. Yeon further discloses the electronic component is configured to face a printed circuit board (circuit bord 210), and a heat dissipation path (a gap between the package 202 and the circuit board 202) is provided between the electronic component and the printed circuit board.
Regarding claim 20, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 19. Yeon further discloses the antenna protrudes from a lateral surface of the printed circuit board and configured to emit an electromagnetic wave along a direction substantially perpendicular to the lateral surface of the printed circuit board (the antenna transmission direction is perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board 510, 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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yeon (US 20210345492), in view of Kim (US 20200112081).
Regarding claim 11, Yeon discloses the claimed invention as set forth in claim 10.
Yeon does not explicitly disclose the flexible circuit structure comprises a third portion and a second bent portion connecting the first portion and the third portion, the second bent portion allows the third portion to extend further away from the carrier, and the electronic device further comprises: a second antenna disposed on the third portion and configured to emit an electromagnetic wave along the direction substantially parallel to the first surface of the carrier.
Kim teaches the flexible circuit board (190) has several bending sections (Fig. 5C).
It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to extending a working circuit board in order to accommodate more sophisticated circuitry.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yu (US 20220373670) discloses a antenna and package mounted on a flexible circuit board, Fig. 3.
Lu (US 20220130776) discloses a package mounted on a flexible circuit board, Fig. 6C.
Han (US 20200395675) discloses a package and antenna mounted on a flexible circuit board, Fig. 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BINH B TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9289. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy J Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BINH B TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848