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Applicant’s election of Invention II (Claims 13-32 readable thereon and claims 1-12 withdrawn) in the reply filed on May 10, 2026, is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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.
Claims 13-32 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.
Regarding Claim 13, Claim 13 contains the phrase, “forming a primary blind hole by irradiating a first surface of the insulating portion with first laser light and removing at least a part of the insulating portion; forming a blind hole having a portion of the metal portion as a bottom surface by irradiating a bottom surface defining the primary blind hole with second laser light having a shorter wavelength than the first laser light;”. The phrase, “a blind hole” could describe the primary blind hole or an additional, new blind hole. As such, claim 13 is seen as indefinite. The application will be examined wherein the “blind hole” being described is a secondary blind hole formed after the first blind hole. Claims 14-32 are dependent upon Claim 13, and as such inherit the above deficiencies.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-32 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 13, the closest available references, that of Ko et al (USPGPUB 20240170330, hereinafter “Ko”) and Mizukoshi et al (USPGPUB 20060084253, hereinafter “Mizukoshi), alone or in any reasonable combination, fails to teach the limitation, “forming a primary blind hole by irradiating a first surface of the insulating portion with first laser light and removing at least a part of the insulating portion; forming a blind hole having a portion of the metal portion as a bottom surface by irradiating a bottom surface defining the primary blind hole with second laser light having a shorter wavelength than the first laser light;” The closest available references do not teach a laser of lower wavelength, followed by one of higher wavelength, being used to irradiate a surface to create a blind hole, and there are no references which could be reasonably combined or relied upon to teach or motivate that limitation as that particular order of laser energies would not be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Claims 14-32 are dependent upon Claim 13.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICTOR J LASASSO whose telephone number is (703)756-5668. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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, Jessica Manno can be reached at (571) 272-2339. 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.
/V.J.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898
Prosecution Insights