Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/472,256

SENSOR PACKAGE STRUCTURE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 22, 2023
Examiner
TRAN, TIEN
Art Unit
2812
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Tong Hsing Electronic Industries Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 1m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allow Rate
12 granted / 13 resolved
+24.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
33
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
61.8%
+21.8% vs TC avg
§102
19.5%
-20.5% vs TC avg
§112
13.0%
-27.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 13 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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. DETAILED ACTION Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-7) in the reply filed on 03/10/2026 is acknowledged. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) based upon an application filed in TAIWAN on 0 5 / 2 6 /202 3 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 0 9 / 22 /202 3 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. 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., c hang ing 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 -3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 10 2 (a)( 1 ) as being unpatentable over US20240250100A1 ; Sang- Uk Kim ; (hereinafter “ Kim ”) . Regarding Claim 1 , Kim teaches a sensor package structure (Figure 1, [0009]) , comprising: a substrate (#20, Figure 4) ; a sensing chip (#10) disposed on the substrate (#20) , wherein an upper surface of the sensing chip has a sensing region (#MLA) ; a light-permeable element (#30) disposed above the sensing chip (#10) ; a photoresist layer (#65, [0085]) disposed on a first surface of the light-permeable element (#65 disposes on bottom surface of #30) ; and a die-bonding film layer (#60) adhered between the sensing chip (#10) and the light-permeable element (#30) and surrounding the sensing region (#MLA) . Regarding Claim 2 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 1, wherein Kim further teaches : a plurality of metal wires (#70, Figure 4) , wherein the substrate includes a plurality of first pads (#25) , the sensing chip (#10) further includes a plurality of second pads (#15) , the plurality of second pads (#15) is disposed on the upper surface (#10) and embedded under the die-bonding film layer (#60) , one end of each of the plurality of metal wires is connected to the plurality of first pads, and another end of each of the plurality of metal wires is connected to the plurality of second pads and embedded into the die-bonding film layer (#70 extend through #60 and connect #25 and #15) . Regarding Claim 3 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 2 , wherein Kim further teaches an encapsulation compound (#50, Figure 4) disposed on the substrate (#20) , wherein the sensing chip (#10) , the die-bonding film layer (#60) , the photoresist layer (#65) , the plurality of metal wires (#70) , and a part of the light-permeable element (#30) are embedded in the encapsulation compound (#50). 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. 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. Clai m 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of US 202 40014239 A1; Arai et al.; (hereinafter “ Arai ”) . Regarding Claim 4 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 1, wherein Kim further teaches one side of the die-bonding film layer (Figure 4, #60) facing towards the sensing region (#MLA) has a flat surface . Kim does not explicitly teach one side of the photoresist layer facing towards the sensing region has a rough surface . However, Arai teaches a n image sensor (Figure 3, [0047]), comprising one side of a photoresist layer (#13, [0151], protruding body for reflecting light) facing towards the sensing region has a rough surface (Figures 10-14, [0144]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Kim with the teaching of Arai in order to effectively reflect light / reduce flare according to Arai , [0151]. Claim s 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of US 20090267170 A1; Chien et al.; (hereinafter “ Chien ”). Regarding Claim 5 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 1, wherein Kim further teaches the die-bonding film layer (#60, Figure 4) and the photoresist layer (#65) may have a same width . Kim does not explicitly teach the width of the die-bonding film layer and the width of the photoresist layer are smaller than 100 μm . However, Chien teaches a packaged image sensor ([00 06 ]), comprising a width of a die-bonding film layer and a width of a photoresist layer are smaller than 100 μm (Figure 4B, [ 0023 ] , spacer paste and photoresist #408A-B have a width of approximately 38 μm ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by Chien because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. Regarding Claim 6 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 1 . Kim does not explicitly teach a distance between an outer edge of the sensing region and an outer edge of the sensing chip is smaller than 400 μm . However, Chien teaches a distance between an outer edge of the sensing region and an outer edge of the sensing chip is smaller than 400 μm (Figures 3A-B, [0021], a distance from an edge of array #306 to an edge of die #302 is a sum of width #w and offset #d, wherein #w is about 75 μm . Hence, the sum is smaller than 400 μm ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by Chien because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness . Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of US20 070200944 A1; Takeuchi e t al.; (hereinafter “ Takeuchi ”). Regarding Claim 7 , Kim teaches the sensor package structure as described in claim 1. Kim does not explicitly teach an inclination of the first surface relative to a horizontal plane is less than 10 μm . However, Takeuchi teaches a n image sensor ([0009]), wherein an inclination of the first surface relative to a horizontal plane is less than 10 μm ([0123], translucent plate #30 is substantially parallel to die #20, hence, an inclination of a surface of #30 is approximately zero) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Kim with the teaching of Takeuchi in order to prevent shading caused by an inclination of the translucent plate according to Takeuchi , [0123]. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US20080079105A1 – Figures 6A-B and [0051] US2 0200350357 A 1 – Figure s 1-2 US 20220392820A 1 – Figure 1 US 2 0200411574 A1 – Figures 3, 6-7 and [0027] US7227236B1 – Col. 3, ln. 51-55 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Enter examiner's name" \* MERGEFORMAT TIEN TRAN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-6967 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm ET . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT CHRISTINE S KIM can be reached on FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (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. /TIEN TRAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2812 /CHRISTINE S. KIM/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 22, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 25, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
92%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+11.1%)
3y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 13 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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