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 § 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.
Claim 9 and 19 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 9 recites the limitation "the plurality of capacitors" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the plurality of capacitors" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott Mokler et al. (US 10548249 B2) herein after referred to as Mokler, and further in view of Soo Min Lee et al. (US 20250048557 A1) herein after referred to as Lee.
Regarding claim 1, Mokler teaches:
A printed circuit board assembly (100), comprising: (Fig. 1a and 4)
a substrate (102) having a first surface (118) and a second surface (116) opposite to the first surface, wherein the substrate has a first thickness (132) ;
a Chip mounting region (see diagram below)
a plurality of bonding pads (122-2)
a chip module (150) electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
a cavity (112) disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface that caves in towards the second surface,
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Mokler does not teach:
a cavity disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface that caves in towards the second surface, wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness;
a plurality of bonding pads in the cavity; and
a chip module mounted in the cavity and electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
Lee teaches a circuit board:
An alternative cavity (fig 1 and 18 element 150) disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface (upper surface near 142) that caves in towards the second surface (lower surface near141), wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness (thickness of substrate including 111 and below), wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness (this first thickness would be whole thickness from first surface to second surface);
a plurality of bonding pads (121p) in the cavity; and
a chip module (920) mounted in the cavity and electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Mokler such that the device has an alternative cavity disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface that caves in towards the second surface, wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness, as described in Lee because changing the cavity of Mokler allows for the reduction of the overall thickness of the device. (Lee, Para. [0009])
Regarding claim 2 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 1,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the chip module (150) is a multi-chip (110) module.(Fig. 4, Col. 3 lines 11-39 , Col. 5 lines 10-31)
Regarding claim 3 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 2,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module (150) comprises a module board (106) having a third surface (126) directly facing the first surface (118) of the substrate (102), and a fourth surface (128) opposite to the third surface.(Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 4 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module (150) further comprises a plurality of integrated circuit chips (110) mounted on the fourth surface (128) through a plurality of first ball grid array (BGA) balls.(Fig. 4 element114)
Regarding claim 5 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 4,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the module board is mounted on the plurality of bonding pads (122-2) through a plurality of second ball grid array (BGA) balls.(Fig. 4 element 104)
Regarding claim 6 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 5,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the first BGA balls (114) have a first width and the second BGA balls (104) have a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width. (Fig. 4 104 is wider than 114)
Regarding claim 7 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 6,
Mokler further teaches:
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wherein the first width (114) is about 0.2 mm and the second width (104) is about 0.63 mm. (Col. 5-6 lines 55-15 , element 136, the through hole width, highlighted by the arrow below, can be 3mm wide meaning the relative size of the first and second width can be assumed to be 0.2mm and 0.63mm respectively)
Regarding claim 8 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module further comprises a plurality of capacitors (108) mounted on the third surface(126) of the module board(106). (Fig.4 Col. 4-5 lines 29-9))
Regarding claim 9 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3,
Mokler further teaches:
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wherein the plurality of capacitors (108) have a thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm. (Fig. 1a and 4, Col. 4-5 lines 29-9, Col 5-6 lines 55-15 see below 108 is larger than 0.2mm if the through hole width 136 is 3mm)
Regarding claim 10 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 8,
Mokler further teaches:
further comprising: a through hole (Fig. 4 element 112) disposed in the chip module mounting region (Fig. 1a element134) of the substrate, wherein the through hole is positioned directly under the plurality of capacitors.(Fig.1a and 4, Para. [24],[25])
Regarding claim 11
A printed circuit board assembly (100), comprising: (Fig. 1a and 4)
a substrate (102) having a first surface (118) and a second surface (116) opposite to the first surface, wherein the substrate has a first thickness (132) ;
a Chip mounting region (134)
a plurality of bonding pads (122-2)
a chip module (150) electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
a through hole (112) disposed in the chip module mounting region (134) of the substrate (102); and a heat sink (120) disposed in the through hole and thermally coupled to the chip module. (Fig 4 element 144 Col. 7 lines 18-41)
Mokler does not teach:
a cavity disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface that caves in towards the second surface, wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness;
a plurality of bonding pads in the cavity; and
a chip module mounted in the cavity and electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
Lee teaches:
a cavity (fig 1 and 18 element 150) disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface (upper surface near 142) that caves in towards the second surface (lower surface near141), wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness (thickness of substrate including 111 and below), wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness (this first thickness would be whole thickness from first surface to second surface);
a plurality of bonding pads (121p) in the cavity; and
a chip module (920) mounted in the cavity and electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Mokler such that the device has a cavity disposed within a chip module mounting region of the substrate on the first surface that caves in towards the second surface, wherein the chip module mounting region of the substrate has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness; a plurality of bonding pads in the cavity; and a chip module mounted in the cavity and electrically connected to the substrate through the plurality of bonding pads, as described in Lee because adding this cavity to Mokler allows for the reduction of the overall thickness of the device. (Lee, Para. [0009])
Regarding claim 12 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 11,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the chip module (150) is a multi-chip (110) module.(Fig. 4, Col. 5 lines 10-31)
Regarding claim 13 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 12,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module (150) comprises a module board (106) having a third surface (126) directly facing the first surface (118) of the substrate (102), and a fourth surface (128) opposite to the third surface.(Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 14 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 13,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module (150) further comprises a plurality of integrated circuit chips (110) mounted on the fourth surface (128) through a plurality of first ball grid array (BGA) balls.(Fig. 4 element114)
Regarding claim 15 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 14,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the module board is mounted on the plurality of bonding pads (122-2) through a plurality of second ball grid array (BGA) balls.(Fig. 4 element 104)
Regarding claim 16 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 15,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the first BGA balls (114) have a first width and the second BGA balls (104) have a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width. (Fig. 4 104 is wider than 114)
Regarding claim 17 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 16,
Mokler further teaches:
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wherein the first width (114) is about 0.2 mm and the second width (104) is about 0.63 mm. (Col. 5-6 lines 55-15 , element 136, the through hole width, highlighted by the arrow below, can be 3mm wide meaning the relative size of the first and second width can be assumed to be 0.2mm and 0.63mm respectively)
Regarding claim 18 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 13,
Mokler further teaches:
wherein the multi-chip module further comprises a plurality of capacitors (108) mounted on the third surface(126) of the module board(106). (Fig.4 Col. 4-5 lines 29-9)
Regarding claim 19 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 13,
Mokler further teaches:
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wherein the plurality of capacitors (108) have a thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm. (Fig. 1a and 4 Col. 4-5 lines 29-9, Col 5-6 lines 55-15 see below 108 is larger than 0.2mm if the through hole width 136 is 3mm)
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mokler and Lee as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Emil F. Blase et al. (US 3670210 A) herein after referred to as Blase.
Regarding claim 20 Mokler in view of Lee teaches:
The printed circuit board assembly according to claim 18,
Mokler further teaches
wherein the through hole (fig. 1a and fig 4 element 112) is positioned directly under the plurality of capacitors (108), and wherein the heat sink (120) is in contact with the plurality of capacitors.
Mokler does not teach the contact being direct. Instead, the capacitors and heat sink are in contact through the thermal interface material 144
Blase teaches the direct contact between capacitor and heat sink. (See Abstract and Para. [5])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Mokler and Lee such that the contact between capacitors and the heat sink is direct contact, as described in Blase because the modification allows for a heat transfer path of high thermal conductivity and effective heat management. (See the Abstract and Col. 1 lines 26-46 of Blase)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yu; MingYi et al. (US-20230363085-A1), Proschwitz; Jan et al. (US-20230300975-A1), CHOI; Jae Woong et al. (US-20230171900-A1), Hovis; William Paul et al. (US-20200373260-A1), Loo; Howe Yin et al. (US-20170265306-A1), PARK; Sang-Wook et al. (US-20080122083-A1), LEE; Soo Min et al. (US-20250048557-A1), KIM, EOM JI et al. (WO-2023128729-A1), YOU, CHAE YOUNG et al. (WO-2023121406-A1), REITER TOMAS et al. (DE-102014201781-A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAIME LYNN SPRENGER whose telephone number is (571)272-8444. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday, 7:30a.m. - 5:00p.m. ET..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sue Purvis can be reached at 571-272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAIME LYNN SPRENGER/Examiner, Art Unit 2893 /J.L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893