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 with traverse of Species 1 (encompassing claims 1-13 and 16-20) in the reply filed on 3/31/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no serious search burden to examine all species. This is not found persuasive because the different species contain mutually exclusive characteristics (e.g., different shapes, different relative radiuses of R1-R4, different relative sizes of first, second, and third landing regions, etc.) and in that way, a search of different mutually exclusive species would amount to search and examination of more than one invention. Furthermore, Applicant has not stated on the record that the different species are obvious variants of each other.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 12/5/23. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive as it is generic. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 11-13 and 16-18 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.
Claim 11 states the ball land has an upper surface “having a circular f” (line 5). The meaning of a “a circular f” is unclear to the examiner. Examiner notes “a circular f” does not appear to be a commonly used term of art within the semiconductor manufacturing arts and the Specification does not further elaborate on its meaning. Claims 11-13 and 16-18 inherit the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, rejections based on their dependencies on claim 11.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 and 19-20 are allowed.
Claim 1 contains allowable subject matter because of the limitation the ball land includes a first land region exposed via the opening, the first land region having a semicircular shape with a first radius; and a second land region integrated with a flat side surface of the first land region and having a semicircular shape with a second radius that is less than the first radius in combination with the other elements of the claim. Claims 2-10 depend on claim 1.
Claim 19 contains allowable subject matter because of the limitation a mask layer covering the second surface of the wiring substrate and including an opening configured to expose a portion of the ball land, the ball land including, a first land region exposed via the opening, the first land region including an upper surface having a semicircular shape with a first radius; and a second land region integrated with a flat side surface of the first land region, the second land region including an upper surface having a semicircular shape with a second radius that is less than the first radius in combination with the other elements of the claim. Claim 20 depends on claim 19.
The closest prior art is Chung et al. (U.S. 2005/0023683 A1; “Chung”) which discloses a ball land (30, Fig. 2a) having a circular shape ([0037]); and a mask layer (36, Fig. 2a) including an opening configured to expose a portion of the ball land, the ball land including, a first land region (A2, Fig. 2a) exposed via the opening, the first land region including an upper surface having a first radius (R1, Fig. 2a) ([0039]); and a second land region (A1, Fig. 2a) integrated with a flat side surface of the first land region (A2, Fig. 2a), the second land region including an upper surface having a second radius (R3, Fig. 2a) that is less than the first radius (R1, Fig. 2a) ([0039]). Yet, Chung does not disclose the first land region and the second land regions are each in a semicircular shape and these features are not render obvious from the prior art.
Conclusion
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/REEMA PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812 5/12/2026
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