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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/06/2026 has been entered.
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this 2. application because in the replacement sheet Figure 1 filed on 11/06/2025, item # 125" for "Conn" should be "120". Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1 and 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jenkin et ak (pat# 5,198,756).
As to claim 1, Jenkin et al disclose a power calibration adapter as shown in figures 2-3 having at least at least one carrier substrate (16), at least one first landing pad (17), for releasably contacting a prober tip of the prober (10a); and a power meter interface (21,22) configured to couple to the at least one first landing pad and that is configured to couple the at least one first landing pad to a meter (M). It is noted that Jenkin et al do not mention that the meter (M) is a power measurement device and the power meter interface comprises a connector configured to couple to the power measurement device, wherein the power measurement device is external to the power calibration adapter. However, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to consider the meter (M) is a power measurement device since it has to verify the conductivity of the probes (10a) by measuring the current flowing through the probes and the pads. Furthermore, it appears that the power meter interface (21,22) comprises a connector (wire “21”) coupled to the power measurement device (M) and the power measurement device (M) is not a part of the power calibration adapter m therefore it is external to the power calibration adapter.
As to claim 5, Jenkin et al also disclose at least one carrier substrate (16), wherein at least one first landing pad (17) is arranged on each one of the carrier substrates (16).
As to claim 6, Jenkin et al also disclose a housing base (12) as shown in figure 3, wherein the carrier substrate (16) is arranged at least in part on the housing base.
As to claim 7, Jenkin et al teach that the carrier substrate is fixed to the housing base but do not mention about fixing the carrier substrate (16) to the housing base (12) by at least one of gluing, soldering, screwing, and clamping. However, it would have been obvious and well known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use glue, soldering, screwing or clamping for fixing the carrier substrate (16) to the housing base (12).
As to claim 8, in the device of Jenkin et al, it appears that the carrier substrate (16) is releasably arranged on the housing base (12). As to claim 9, in the device of Jenkins et al, power measurement unit (M) is formed on the carrier substrate (16). As to claim 10, in the device of Jenkins et al, a power measurement unit (M) that is coupled to the at least one first landing pad (17).
As to claim 9, in the device of Jenkins et al, power measurement unit (M) is formed on the carrier substrate (16).
As to claim 10, in the device of Jenkins et al, a power measurement unit (M) that is coupled to the at least one first landing pad (17).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 14-15 are allowed. The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art does not disclose Power calibration adapter for wafer probers, the power calibration adapter comprising: a carrier substrate; at least one first landing pad arranged on the carrier substrate, for releasably contacting a wafer prober tip of the wafer prober; a power meter interface configured to couple to the at least one first landing pad and that is arranged on the carrier substrate and that is configured to couple the at least one first landing pad to a power measurement device; and at least one second landing pad, for releasably contacting the wafer prober tip, and a calibration standard coupled to each one of the second landing pads as recited in claim 2. Claims 3-4 depend from allowed claim 2, they are also allowed accordingly.
The prior art does not disclose a Measurement application system, comprising: a power calibration adapter comprising: a carrier substrate; at least one first landing pad arranged on the carrier substrate, for releasably contacting a wafer prober tip of the wafer prober; and a power meter interface configured to couple to the at least one first landing pad and that is arranged on the carrier substrate and that is configured to couple the at least one first landing pad to a power measurement device; and a power measurement device coupled to at least one power meter interface of the power calibration adapter, and configured to determine a signal power of a signal that is applied to a wafer prober tip of a wafer prober while the wafer prober tip is contacting a respective first landing pad of the power calibration adapter as recited in claim 14. Claim 15 depends from allowed claim 14, it is also allowed accordingly.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Grebner et al (Pat# 6,897,646) disclose Method For Testing Wafers To Be Tested And Calibration Apparatus.
Flach et al (pat# 7,414,421) disclose Insertable Calibration Device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINH P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1964. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Phan Huy can be reached on 571-272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VINH P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858