DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the election of claims filed on March 2, 2026. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Acknowledgement
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group 1 (Claims 1-13) in the reply filed on March 2, 2026, is acknowledged. The present office action is made with all the suggested amendments being fully considered. Accordingly, claims 1-13 are currently pending. Claims 14-20 have been canceled.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 9/29/2023 are being considered by the examiner.
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 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.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Azuma (US 2013/0032508) in view of Glenn (US 6,686,580).
With respect to Claim 1, Azuma shows (Fig. 1-5) most aspects of the current invention including a package tray comprising:
a base (1);
a grid of reflectors (partition walls 3) coupled to a largest planar side of the base;
a plurality of semiconductor packages (6) located within the grid
However, Azuma does not show electromagnetic radiation reflectors, wherein sidewalls of the grid of electromagnetic radiation reflectors are configured to direct electromagnetic radiation toward sides of a plurality of semiconductor packages located within the grid; and wherein the electromagnetic radiation is configured to assist in curing a component of the plurality of semiconductor packages.
On the other hand, and in the same field of endeavor, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) a semiconductor device package comprising an electromagnetic radiation reflector (126) coupled to a largest planar side of a base (102), wherein sidewalls (128a,128c) of the electromagnetic radiation reflector are configured to direct electromagnetic radiation (140) toward sides of a semiconductor package (106) located on the base. Glenn teaches since electromagnetic radiation is reflected on planar inner sidewall of the reflector, which prevents distortion of the image which is displayed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have electromagnetic radiation reflectors and wherein sidewalls of the grid of electromagnetic radiation reflectors are configured to direct electromagnetic radiation toward sides of a plurality of semiconductor packages located within the grid, in the device of Azuma as taught by Glenn, because electromagnetic radiation is reflected on planar inner sidewall of the reflector, which prevents distortion of the image which is displayed.
Furthermore, with respect to claim 1, note that a limitation in a claim with respect to the manner in which a claimed device is intended to be used does not differentiate the claimed device from a prior-art device if the prior-art device teaches all structural limitations in the claims and the functional limitations are found to be inherent in the prior-art device. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997); Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). See Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc. and the related case law cited therein which makes it clear that it is the final product per se which must be determined in a device claim, and not the patentability of its functions (909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990)).
As stated in Best, Where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977).
Note that the applicant has burden of proof once the examiner establishes a sound basis for believing that the products of the applicant and the prior art are the same. See In re Spada, 911 F.2d 705, 709, 15 USPQ2d 1655, 1658 (Fed. Cir. 1990). In the instant case, Azuma in view of Glenn teaches all structural aspects of the semiconductor package tray. Furthermore, the structure of Azuma in view of Glenn is capable of performing the claimed function, recited “wherein the electromagnetic radiation is configured to assist in curing a component of the plurality of semiconductor packages.”
With respect to Claim 2, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light.
With respect to Claim 3, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the electromagnetic radiation (140) is emitted by an electromagnetic radiation source (radiation 140 is emitted from a source used to output image 150) oriented substantially directly above a largest planar surface of the base.
With respect to Claim 4, Azuma shows (Fig. 1-5) wherein the sidewalls of the grid comprise a triangular cross sectional shape or a curved cross sectional shape. Furthermore, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls of the electromagnetic radiation reflector comprise a triangular cross sectional shape.
With respect to Claim 5, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls of the electromagnetic radiation reflector are triangular and angles of two vertices of the triangular cross sectional shape adjacent to the base are substantially 45 degrees.
With respect to Claim 6, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls of the electromagnetic radiation reflector are triangular and angles of two vertices of the triangular cross sectional shape adjacent to the base are substantially 45 degrees to 60 degrees.
With respect to Claim 7, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls of the electromagnetic radiation reflector comprise a closed cross sectional shape that comprises at least two line segments angled substantially 45 degrees from a plane formed by a largest planar surface of the base.
With respect to Claim 8, Azuma shows (Fig. 1-5) wherein the grid is integral with the base.
With respect to Claim 9, Azuma shows (Fig. 1-5) most aspects of the current invention including a package tray comprising:
a base (1) comprising a largest planar surface comprising a grid of reflectors (partition walls 3) coupled thereto
wherein sidewalls of the reflectors are angled to a plane formed by the largest planar surface of the base
However, Azuma does not show electromagnetic radiation reflectors coupled to a base.
On the other hand, and in the same field of endeavor, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) a semiconductor device package comprising an electromagnetic radiation reflector (126) coupled to a largest planar side of a base (102). Glenn teaches since electromagnetic radiation is reflected on planar inner sidewall of the reflector, which prevents distortion of the image which is displayed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the grid comprises electromagnetic radiation reflectors coupled to a base, in the device of Azuma as taught by Glenn, because electromagnetic radiation is reflected on planar inner sidewall of the reflector, which prevents distortion of the image which is displayed
With respect to Claim 10, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls (128a,128c) direct electromagnetic radiation toward sides of a semiconductor package (106) located on the base.
With respect to Claim 11, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light.
With respect to Claim 12, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the electromagnetic radiation (140) is emitted by an electromagnetic radiation source (radiation 140 is emitted from a source used to output image 150) oriented substantially directly above a largest planar surface of the base.
With respect to Claim 13, Azuma shows (Fig. 1-5) wherein the sidewalls of the grid comprise a triangular cross sectional shape. Furthermore, Glenn teaches (Fig. 1-2) wherein the sidewalls of the electromagnetic radiation reflector comprise a triangular cross sectional shape.
Conclusion
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/Q.A.B/ Examiner, Art Unit 2814
/WAEL M FAHMY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2814
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