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 .
Attorney Docket Number: 35044-0365US
Filling Date: 08/25/23
Applicant: Lee et al
Examiner: Bilkis Jahan
DETAILED ACTION
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 14-18, 21-35 in the reply filed on 01/02/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-13 and 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Device, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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) 14-16, 21-22, 26-28, 31-34 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al (US 2015/0162307 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses a method of making a package structure (Fig. 1), the method comprising: attaching a semiconductor module 10, 12, 50 (Para. 13) to a package substrate 52, 54, wherein the semiconductor module 10, 12 includes a semiconductor module corner portion 62 (Para. 21, Fig. 1H); and attaching a package lid 72, 66, 62 (Paras. 21, 26, 27) to the package substrate 52, wherein the package lid 72 comprises: a package lid foot portion 62 (Para. 21) attached to the package substrate 52; and a package lid plate portion 72a, 72b connected to the package lid foot portion 62 and over the semiconductor module 10, 12, wherein the package lid plate portion 72a, 72b includes a recess 72C (Para. 27) over the semiconductor module corner portion (Fig. 1H).
Regarding claim 15, Chen discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising: forming the semiconductor module 10, 12, wherein the forming of the semiconductor module comprises: attaching a semiconductor die 10 to an interposer 18 (Para. 15) by forming a hybrid bond 14 between the semiconductor die 10 and the interposer 18; and forming a molding material layer 16 (Para. 14) on the semiconductor die 10, wherein the semiconductor module 10 corner portion includes a corner of the semiconductor die 10 and a corner of the molding material layer 16.
Regarding claim 16, Chen discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72, 66, 62 to the package substrate 52 comprises positioning a portion of the recess 72C over the semiconductor module corner portion 10 and a portion of the recess 72C outside the semiconductor module corner portion 10 (Fig. 1H).
Regarding claim 21, Chen discloses a method of making a package structure, the method (Fig. 1) comprising: forming a package lid 72, 66, 62 (Paras. 21, 26) including a plate portion 72 and a recess 72c (Para. 27) in the plate portion 72; attaching a die module 10, 12 (Para. 13) to a package substrate 52 (Para. 17); and attaching the package lid 72a, 72b to the package substrate 52 such that the recess 72c in the plate portion 72 of the package lid 72 is over a corner of the die module 10, 12.
Regarding claim 22, Chen discloses the method of claim 21, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that a portion of the recess 72c is located outside the corner of the die module 10, 12.
Regarding claim 26, Chen discloses the method of claim 21, further comprising: forming a thermal interface material (TIM) layer 58 on the die module 10, 12, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that the recess 72c is over a corner of the TIM layer 58.
Regarding claim 27, Chen discloses the method of claim 21, wherein the die module includes a die 12 and an encapsulation layer 16 around the die 12, and the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that the recess 72c is over the encapsulation layer 16.
Regarding claim 28, Chen discloses the method of claim 27, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that the recess 72c is over a corner of the die 12 (Fig. 1H).
Regarding claim 31, Chen discloses the method of claim 21, further comprising: attaching an adjacent die 10 to the package substrate, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that the plate portion 72a, 72b of the package lid 72 is over the adjacent die 10.
Regarding claim 32, Chen discloses the method of claim 31, further comprising: forming a thermal interface material (TIM) layer 58 on the adjacent die 10, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that the plate portion 72a, 72b of the package lid 72a, 72b on the TIM layer 58 over the adjacent die 10.
Regarding claim 33, Chen discloses the method of claim 31, wherein the package lid 72 further comprises a foot portion 62 attached to the plate portion 72a, 72b, and the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b comprises attaching the foot portion 62 of the package lid to the package substrate 52 such that the adjacent die 10 is between the die module 12 and the foot portion 62 of the package lid 72a, 72b.
Regarding claim 34, Chen discloses a method of making a package structure, the method (Fig. 1) comprising: forming a die module 12 including a die 12 and an encapsulation layer 16 around the die 12; attaching the die module 12 to a package substrate 52; and attaching a package lid 72a, 72b to the package substrate 52 such that an opening 72c in a plate portion 72a, 72b of the package lid 72 is over the encapsulation layer 16 at a corner of the die module 12.
Regarding claim 35, Chen discloses the method of claim 34, wherein the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that a portion of the opening 72c in the plate portion 72a, 72b is over a corner of the die 12 (Fig. 1H).
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) 23 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (US 2015/0162307 A1).
Regarding claim 23, Chen discloses the method of claim 21, wherein the recess 72c (1st one from left, Fig. 1H) includes a recess width in a first direction (X-direction), the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b is performed such that a first portion of the recess width is outside the die module 72c (portion on the 16) and a second portion of the recess width 72c (portion on the 12) is over the die module 12, 10, and a size of the second portion is greater than a size of the first portion (Fig. 1H).
Chen discloses a particular size of the first portion and the second portion. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill of the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to obtain a first portion of the recess width is outside the die module 72c (portion on the 16) and a second portion of the recess width 72c (portion on the 12) is over the die module 12, 10, and a size of the second portion is greater than a size of the first portion for intended purposes.
the applicants have not established the criticality (see next paragraph below) of the size.
CRITICALITY
The specification contains no disclosure of either the critical nature of the claimed size or any unexpected results arising therefrom. Where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited in a claim, the applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Regarding claim 25, Chen does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 21, wherein the forming of the package lid is performed such that a depth of the recess is less than a thickness of the plate portion of the package lid.
However, Chen discloses depth of the recess 72c and thickness of the plate portion of the package lid 72a, 72b. It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill of the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to obtain the forming of the package lid is performed such that a depth of the recess is less than a thickness of the plate portion of the package lid for intended purposes.
the applicants have not established the criticality (see next paragraph below) of the depth/thickness.
CRITICALITY
The specification contains no disclosure of either the critical nature of the claimed depth/thickness or any unexpected results arising therefrom. Where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited in a claim, the applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Claim(s) 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (US 2015/0162307 A1) in view of De Sousa et al (US 2015/0206851 A1, Sousa hereinafter).
Regarding claim 17, Chen discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising: forming a thermal interface material (TIM) layer 58 (Para. 19) on the semiconductor module 10; and forming an adhesive layer 60 (Para. 20) on the package substrate 52.
Chen does not explicitly disclose the attaching of the package lid to the package substrate comprises pressing the package lid plate portion onto the TIM layer and attaching the package lid foot portion to the package substrate through the adhesive layer.
However, Sousa discloses the attaching of the package lid to the package substrate comprises pressing the package lid plate portion onto the TIM layer and attaching the package lid foot portion to the package substrate through the adhesive layer (Para. 5, claim 10).
Sousa teaches the above modification is used to make package of the device (Para. 5). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill of the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine Chen method with Sousa method as suggested above to make package of the device (Para. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Chen discloses the method of claim 17, wherein the forming of the TIM layer comprises positioning a TIM layer corner portion of the TIM layer 58 on the semiconductor module corner portion 10, 12, and the attaching of the package lid 72a, 72b to the package substrate 62 comprises positioning the recess 72c over the TIM layer 58 corner portion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24, 29 and 30 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BILKIS JAHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5022. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5 Pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon T 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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BILKIS . JAHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2817
/BILKIS JAHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817