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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-10, 19-28) in the reply filed on 04/09/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/09/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 5 and 25 recite the limitation “the plurality of electrical contacts of the fist substrate” in line 5. It is unclear if this limitation refers to “a second plurality of electrical contacts recites in line 2 or to “a plurality of electrical contacts” recited in the parent claims 1 and 21.
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., 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 8-10, 19, 21-25, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN’785 (CN112614785, cited in IDS, Machine Translation is provided).
Regarding claim 1, CN’785 discloses a system comprising: a plurality of electrical contacts (13) etched in a surface of a first substrate (22) (Fig.1), each of the plurality of electrical contacts (13) spaced apart from each other of the plurality of electrical contacts (13); a plurality of fluid channels (26) etched along the surface of the first substrate (22), each of the plurality of fluid channels (26) etched between one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts (13);a second substrate (23) bonded to the surface of the first substrate (22) to seal the plurality of fluid channels (26) along the surface of the first substrate (22); and wherein the plurality of fluid channels (26) dissipate heat from a circuit (21) in thermal contact with the first substrate (22).
Regarding claim 2, CN’785 discloses wherein the plurality of fluid channels (26) are sealed between at least the first substrate (22) and the second substrate (23) to facilitate movement of a fluid through the plurality of channels to connect the heat away from the circuit (Fig.1; [0061]).
Regarding claim 3, CN’785 discloses a plurality of fins (16) formed in the first substrate, each of the plurality of fins (16)separated from each other fin of the plurality of fins by a fluid channel (26) of the plurality of fluid channels, wherein each respective fin of the plurality of fins encloses two or more electrical contacts (13) of the plurality of electrical contacts, the two or more electrical contacts (13) extending vertically along a height of the each respective fin (16) (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, CN’785 a device die comprising the circuit (21) having an interconnect layer (12) on a first surface of the device die, wherein a second surface of the device die is bonded with a second surface of the first substrate (22) at a zero clearance to facilitate conduction of the heat from the circuit, via the second surface of the device die and the second surface of the first substrate (21).
Regarding claim 5, CN’785 discloses a second plurality of electrical contacts (14) etched with respect to a surface of the second substrate (23), wherein the surface of the second substrate is bonded with the surface of the first substrate (22) to axially align and couple each of the second plurality of electrical contacts with at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts of the first substrate; and wherein the circuit is configured to communicate a plurality of electrical signals via the plurality of electrical contacts and the second plurality of electrical contacts in electrical continuity with the plurality of electrical contacts (Fig.9).
Regarding claim 8, CN’785 a second plurality of fluid channels (27) etched along a surface of the second substrate (23) bonded to the first substrate (22), wherein each of the second plurality of fluid channels (27) aligns with each respective fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels to form a combined plurality of fluid channels.
Regarding claim 9, CN’785 discloses wherein each combined channel of the combined plurality of fluid channels (27) includes a cross section whose height includes a sum of a height of a respective channel of the plurality of channels and a height of a respective channel of the second plurality of channels, the cross section having a width corresponding to a width of one of the respective channel of the plurality of channels or a width of the respective channel of the second plurality of channels (27).
Regarding claim 10, CN’785 discloses wherein each of the second plurality of fluid channels (27) is etched between one or more of a second plurality of electrical contacts (14) etched perpendicular with respect to the surface of the second substrate, each of the second plurality of electrical contacts aligned with a respective one of the plurality of electrical contacts (11) of the first substrate (22).
Regarding claim 19, CN’785 discloses a device for cooling a circuit, comprising: a first semiconductor substrate (Figs. 1-3, numeral 22) having a first metal component (13) extending from a first surface of the first semiconductor substrate toward an interior of the first semiconductor substrate (22) and a channel (28) etched into and along the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate (22); a second semiconductor substrate (23) having a second metal component (14) extending from a first surface of the second semiconductor substrate (23) towards an interior of the second semiconductor substrate (23); an interface along which the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate (22) is bonded with the first surface of the second semiconductor substrate (23) to seal a fluid inside the channel (26) between the first semiconductor substrate (22) and the second semiconductor substrate (23) and form a metal via (14) from the first metal component coupled with the second metal component; and a device die (21) in thermal contact with the first semiconductor substrate (22) via a second interface along which the device die is bonded with the a second surface of the first semiconductor substrate (22) to dissipate heat generated by a circuit in the device die to the fluid in the channel and electrically connect the metal via to the circuit (21).
Regarding claim 21, CN’785 discloses a system comprising: a surface of a first substrate (22) having each of a plurality of electrical contacts (13), etched on the surface and spaced apart from each other of the plurality of electrical contacts (13); a plurality of fluid channels (26) etched between one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts (13) and configured to dissipate heat from a circuit in thermal contact with the first substrate (22); and a second substrate (23) bonded to the surface of the first substrate to seal the plurality of fluid channels 926) along the surface of the first substrate (22).
Regarding claim 22, CN’785 discloses wherein the plurality of fluid channels (26) are sealed between at least the first substrate (22) and the second substrate (23) to facilitate movement of a fluid through the plurality of fluid channels (26) to convect the heat away from the circuit (21).
Regarding claim 23, CN’785 a plurality of fins (16) formed in the first substrate (22), each of the plurality of fins (16) separated from each other fin of the plurality of fins by a fluid channel (260of the plurality of fluid channels, wherein each respective fin (16) of the plurality of fins encloses two or more electrical contacts (13) of the plurality of electrical contacts, the two or more electrical contacts (13) extending vertically along a height of the each respective fin (16).
Regarding claim 24, CN’785 discloses a device die (21) comprising the circuit (21) having an interconnect layer (12) on a first surface of the device die (21), wherein a second surface of the device die (21) is bonded with a second surface of the first substrate (22) at a zero clearance to facilitate conduction of the heat from the circuit (21), via the second surface of the device die (21) and the second surface of the first substrate (22).
Regarding claim 25, CN’785 discloses a second plurality of electrical contacts (14) etched with respect to a surface of the second substrate (23), wherein the surface of the second substrate (23) is bonded with the surface of the first substrate (22) to axially align and couple each of the second plurality of electrical contacts (14) with at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts (14) of the first substrate (22); and wherein the circuit (21) is configured to communicate a plurality of electrical signals via the plurality of electrical contacts (13) and the second plurality of electrical contacts (14) in electrical continuity with the plurality of electrical contacts.
Regarding claim 28, CN’785 discloses a second plurality of fluid channels (27) etched along a surface of the second substrate (23) bonded to the first substrate (22), wherein each of the second plurality of fluid channels (27) aligns with each respective fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels (26) to form a combined plurality of fluid channels (Fig.1).
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 (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.
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) 6, 7, 20, 26, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN’785 as applied to claims 1, 19, and 21 above, and further in view of Andry (US 7, 990, 711)
Regarding claim 6, CN’785 does not disclose an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels.
Andry however discloses an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels (Fig. 3, numeral 320); and an outlet port (320) to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels.
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify CN’785 with Andry to have an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels for the purpose of suppling a cooling fluid (Andry, column 5, lines 25-30)
Regarding claim 7, Andry discloses a device (Fig.3, numeral 3003) configured to move the fluid, via the inlet port, through the plurality of fluid channels and out of the outlet port, the fluid input via the inlet port at a first temperature and output via the outlet port at a second temperature higher than the first temperature (column 5, lines 25-35; numeral 3001; note: heat gained in passing fluid).
Regarding claim 20, CN’785 discloses a plurality of channels (26) comprising the channel, the plurality of channels (26) etched along the first surface of the first substrate (22).
CN’785 does not disclose an inlet port to facilitate input of the fluid into the plurality of channels; and an outlet port to facilitate output of the fluid from the plurality of channels.
Andry however discloses an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels (Fig. 3, numeral 320); and an outlet port (320) to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels.
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify CN’785 with Andry to have an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels for the purpose of suppling a cooling fluid (Andry, column 5, lines 25-30)
Regarding claim 26, CN’785 does not disclose an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels; and an outlet port to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels.
Andry however discloses an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels (Fig. 3, numeral 320); and an outlet port (320) to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels.
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify CN’785 with Andry to have an inlet port to input a fluid into the plurality of fluid channels to output the fluid out of the plurality of fluid channels for the purpose of suppling a cooling fluid (Andry, column 5, lines 25-30)
Regarding claim 27, Andry discloses a device configured to move the fluid, via the inlet port, through the plurality of fluid channels and out of the outlet port, the fluid input via the inlet port at a first temperature and output via the outlet port at a second temperature higher than the first temperature (column 5, lines 25-35; numeral 3001; note: heat gained in passing fluid).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIA SLUTSKER whose telephone number is (571)270-3849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 am-6 pm.
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/JULIA SLUTSKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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