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 .
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) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hanafusa et al. [US 6,462,515].
With respect to claim 1, Hanafusa discloses a package for use with an integrated circuit having a contact pad, the package comprising: an enclosure portion [10 and/or 26]; a package pin for external connection [30]; and a protective element coupled between the contact pad and the package pin [24 and 55], the protective element being operable in a first state or a second state [i.e. connected state and a disconnected state]; wherein in the first state the protective element is configured to pass a current between the contact pad and the package pin [implicit operation of a connected circuit], and wherein when the current is above a threshold value the protective element is configured to change from the first state to the second state to prevent the current from flowing between the contact pad and the package pin [implicit operation of a disconnected circuit ].
With respect to claim 2, Hanafusa further discloses wherein in the first state the protective element has a low impedance to allow current flow [i.e. when the circuit is connected the current flows due to the low impedance of the metal].
With respect to claim 3, Hanafusa further discloses wherein in the second state the protective element has a high impedance to prevent current flow [i.e. when the circuit is disconnected the current stops due to the high impedance of air].
With respect to claim 4, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the protective element comprises a bond wire [24 and/or 55 are equated to circuitry wires/bond wires].
With respect to claim 5, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the bond wire is made of a material configured to change its impedance upon a temperature change [i.e. copper, also see “PTC element 55”].
With respect to claim 6, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the material is a metallic material or a metal alloy material [i.e. copper].
With respect to claim 7, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the material comprises at least one of Copper, Gold and Aluminium [i.e. copper].
With respect to claim 8, Hanafusa further discloses wherein when the current is above the threshold value, the bond wire liquifies, hence increasing the impedance of the bond wire [“meltable portion” 24, see Fig. 4].
With respect to claim 9, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the bond wire has a geometry which defines the threshold value at which the bond wire changes from the first state to the second state [see Fig. 4, 24a].
With respect to claim 10, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the bond wire extends between a first end connectable to the contact pad of the integrated circuit and a second end connectable to the package pin [i.e. 24/55 extend between 30 and 26].
With respect to claim 11, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the bond wire has a central portion provided between two tapered outer portions, the central portion having a central diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer portions [Fig. 4; 24a is narrower than 24b].
With respect to claim 12, Hanafusa further discloses wherein the enclosure portion is made of plastic, ceramic, or metal or a combination of these materials [PCB include copper circuit traces, i.e. a metal].
With respect to claims 13-14, Hanafusa further discloses a circuit assembly comprising the package as claimed in claim 1 connected to an integrated circuit comprising an internal circuit [Figs. 7-8].
With respect to claims 15-16, Hanafusa further discloses a system comprising the circuit assembly as claimed in claim 13, coupled to an external circuit wherein the external circuit comprises a battery cell circuit to form a battery cell charging system [Fig. 4, i.e. phone 1, see abstract].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Many further prior arts disclose the concept of utilizing a phase change type protective element.
US 2022/0176849 to Demont et al. discloses wire bonds 807/808 used as protective elements between circuitry in batteries to melt at a set amount of current.
US 2022/0375818 to Nishida discloses bond wires 9a/9b connected between semiconductor devices.
US 11,784,500 to Richter discloses fuse 420 that melts and breaks a connection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL R PELTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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, Julian Huffman can be reached at 571-272-2147. 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.
/NATHANIEL R PELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
Prosecution Insights