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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks (pages 1-2), filed 02/03/2026, with respect to claims 1-2 and 7-12 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The prior art rejection of claims 1-2 and 7-12 has been withdrawn.
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 1-2 and 7-12 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 1, lines 19-21 recite “at least one signal probe, the at least one signal probe correspondingly passing through one part of the first quantity of the first guide plate through holes and one part of the first quantity of the second guide plate through holes” and lines 25-27 recite “at least one ground probe, the at least one ground probe correspondingly passing through another part of the first quantity of the first guide plate through holes and another part of the first quantity of the second guide plate through holes”. Also, lines 48-52 recite “wherein the at least one signal probe correspondingly passes through one part of the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and one part of the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes, the at least one ground probe correspondingly passes through another part of the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and another part of the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes”. It is not clear if the claim refers to the same signal probe and ground probe that passes through the first quantity of the first guide plate and second guide plate through holes or a different one, for example “another signal probe from the at least one signal probe”. The remaining claim language in claim 1 and the dependent claims should be clear and consistent when identifying which “signal probe” and “ground probe” is being referred to. For examination purposed, it is going to be assumed that an additional and different signal probe and ground probe is being claimed in the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes.
Claims 2 and 7-12 depending from claim 1 are being rejected for the same reasons.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 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.
Claims 2 and 7-12 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art fails to specifically teach a probe card structure, comprising: wherein the plurality of first guide plate through holes have a second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and the plurality of second guide plate through holes have a second quantity of the second guide plate through holes, and the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes corresponds to the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes, wherein a sum of the first quantity of the first guide plate through holes and the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes is less than or equal to a total quantity of the plurality of first guide plate through holes, a sum of the first quantity of the second guide plate through holes and the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes is less than or equal to a total quantity of the plurality of second guide plate through holes; wherein the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes defines a first guide plate second area of the at least one first guide plate, the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes defines a second guide plate second area of the at least one second guide plate, and at least one of the first guide plate second area and the second guide plate second area is plated with the guide plate conductive film: wherein the at least one signal probe correspondingly passes through one part of the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and one part of the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes, the at least one ground probe correspondingly passes through another part of the second quantity of the first guide plate through holes and another part of the second quantity of the second guide plate through holes: wherein the at least one ground probe of the first guide plate first area and the probe conductive film of the at least one signal probe are electrically connected to each other the at least one ground probe of the first guide plate second area and the probe conductive film of the at least one signal probe are electrically connected to each other the at least one ground probe of the second guide plate first area and the probe conductive film of the at least one signal probe are electrically connected to each other the at least one ground probe of the second guide plate second area and the probe conductive film of the at least one signal probe are electrically connected to each other; wherein the contact elements included in the first guide plate first area are correspondingly insulated from the contact elements included in the first guide plate second area; and wherein the contact elements included in the second guide plate first area are correspondingly insulated from the contact elements included in the second guide plate second area, in combination with all the limitations of the claim.
Claims 2 and 7-12 depending from claim 1, or any other dependent claim, are allowed for the same reasons in combination with the limitations of their dependency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SHUTO (US PGPUB 2022/0074971) teaches an electrical connecting device.
Kawata et al. (US PGPUB 2013/0065455) teaches a contact holder.
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/ROBERTO VELEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858