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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This Office Action responds to the Application filed on 11/27/2023 and IDS filed on 9/5/2024. Claims 1-7 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
3. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim recited a system with plurality of modules. However, a system with plurality modules can be considered as entirely a computer program and/or software. Computer program/software is not one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter.
Applicant should amend the system of claim 7 to include processor and/or memory in order to overcome the 35 U.S.C 101 rejection above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dai et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0221990 A1).
As per claim 1, Dai discloses:
A chip packaging power distribution network electromagnetic modeling method, comprises:
S1: decomposing an initial power distribution network, and obtaining at least one decomposed region (See Para [0017]-[0119], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604…Diagram 900 shows a three dimensional mesh having TILE 902, CELL 904, as well as a top view of tile 906 and a cross sectional view of tile 908, See Figure 11 & Para [0124], i.e. Diagram 1100 depicts a decomposition of a complex PDN structure 1101…DN structure 1101 may be decomposed);
S2: conducting electromagnetic field solving for each of the at least one decomposed region, and obtaining at least one sub-magnetic field model (See Figure 6, i.e. 606 & 610 & 612, See Para [0010], i.e. using at least one processor, an electromagnetic (EM) model for each of one or more discontinuity structures, See Para [0117], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604. Operations may further include identifying the discontinuity models 606, See Para [0119], i.e. an electromagnetic (EM) model (e.g., Unit Y parameter with length and width) may be extracted using a method of moments approach, See Para [0124], i.e. Specifically, PDN structure 1101 may be decomposed into pin 1102, through via 1104, sandwich plane edge 1106, plane pair 1108, sandwich split plane 1110, overlay split plane 1112, and bottom shorted via 1114. It should be noted that these discontinuity structures are merely provided for exemplary purposes, See Para [0129]-[0130]);
S3: conducting circuit connection for each of the at least one sub-magnetic field model, and conducting circuit connection for neighboring sub-magnetic field models, and forming a complete circuit connection (See Para [0117], i.e. include multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Figure 6, i.e. 618 – nodes connection on upper and lower surface, See Para [0129], i.e. the nodes on the upper surface and the lower surface of the CELL model may not be connected to each other directly, but through the plane and via discontinuity models…nodes are shorted at the split location and then connected to the plane split discontinuity model); and
S4: solving the complete circuit connection, and generating a complete electromagnetic field model (See Figure 6, i.e. 620 – PDN simulation (consumption of scaled Y parameter models), See Para [0117], i.e. multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Para [0151], i.e. co-simulation with the whole extracted power system models, the timing analysis may be accurately simulated (e.g., Simultaneous Switching Noise (SSN), Simultaneous Switching Output (SSO), Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)).
As per claim 2, Dai discloses all of the features of claim 1 discloses above wherein Dai also discloses wherein the step S1 comprises: S11: providing a plurality of decomposed planes on the initial power distribution network, wherein the plurality of decomposed planes separate the initial power distribution network uniformly into the at least one decomposed region (See Para [0107], i.e. uniform… power/ground planes, see Para [0017]-[0119], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604…Diagram 900 shows a three dimensional mesh having TILE 902, CELL 904, as well as a top view of tile 906 and a cross sectional view of tile 908, See Figure 11 & Para [0124], i.e. Diagram 1100 depicts a decomposition of a complex PDN structure 1101…DN structure 1101 may be decomposed); and S12: providing a solving port at at least one μbump and at least one bump of a power distribution network corresponding to each of the at least one decomposed region (See Para [0128], i.e. impressing the TEM source at one port and calculating the reflected and transmitted EM field at two ports, See Para [0131]-Para [0132], See Para [0136]).
As per claim 3, Dai discloses all of the features of claim 2 discloses above wherein Dai also discloses wherein the step S11 further comprises judging the plurality of decomposed planes, when the plurality of decomposed planes are located at positions of via, μbump, bump or flat, adjusting the plurality of decomposed planes to leave the positions of via, μbump, bump or flat (See Para [0017]-[0119], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604…Diagram 900 shows a three dimensional mesh having TILE 902, CELL 904, as well as a top view of tile 906 and a cross sectional view of tile 908, See Figure 11 & Para [0124], i.e. Diagram 1100 depicts a decomposition of a complex PDN structure 1101…DN structure 1101 may be decomposed –[prior art decompose to include a via, it does not appear prior art split a via in the decomposing, therefore considered as teaching of the judging as cited above]).
As per claim 4, Dai discloses all of the features of claim 1 discloses above wherein Dai also discloses wherein the step S2 comprises the following steps: S21: adding a power distribution network port and a ground network port for each of the at least one decomposed region, wherein the power distribution network port and the ground network port are provided at the decomposed plane of each of the at least one decomposed region (See Para [0004], i.e. split plane power distribution is generally implemented by a power plane 110 and a ground plane 120, See Para [0101], i.e. power planes… ground planes, See Para [0107], See Para [01116]-[0117]) ; and S22: conducting electromagnetic field solving for each of the at least one decomposed region with a method of moments (MOM) electromagnetic field simulation engine, and obtaining the at least one sub-magnetic field model (See Para [0107]-[0119], i.e. Generally, the method of moments is a procedure for solving Equation, See Para [0125]-[0128]).
As per claim 5, Dai discloses all of the features of claim 4 discloses above wherein Dai also discloses wherein the step S3 comprises the following steps: S31: conducting circuit connection for each of the at least one sub-magnetic field model as per actual physical connections; S32: using the power distribution network port and the ground network port at the decomposed plane of each of the at least one decomposed region as nodes of circuit connection and realizing circuit connection of neighboring sub-magnetic field models; and S33: conducting circuit connection of neighboring sub-magnetic field models sequentially and forming the complete circuit connection (See Para [0117], i.e. include multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Figure 6, i.e. 618 – nodes connection on upper and lower surface, See Para [0129], i.e. the nodes on the upper surface and the lower surface of the CELL model may not be connected to each other directly, but through the plane and via discontinuity models…nodes are shorted at the split location and then connected to the plane split discontinuity model).
As per claim 6, Dai discloses all of the features of claim 1 discloses above wherein Dai also discloses wherein obtaining the complete electromagnetic field model by circuit simulation of the complete circuit connection (See Figure 6, i.e. 620 – PDN simulation (consumption of scaled Y parameter models), See Para [0117], i.e. multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Para [0151], i.e. co-simulation with the whole extracted power system models, the timing analysis may be accurately simulated (e.g., Simultaneous Switching Noise (SSN), Simultaneous Switching Output (SSO), Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)).
As per claim 7, Dai discloses:
A system using the chip packaging power distribution network electromagnetic modeling method as defined in claim 1 (See Figure 2) comprises:
a decomposition module: configured to decompose an initial power distribution network into at least one decomposed region (See Para [0017]-[0119], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604…Diagram 900 shows a three dimensional mesh having TILE 902, CELL 904, as well as a top view of tile 906 and a cross sectional view of tile 908, See Figure 11 & Para [0124], i.e. Diagram 1100 depicts a decomposition of a complex PDN structure 1101…DN structure 1101 may be decomposed);
an electromagnetic field solving module: configured to conduct electromagnetic field solving for each of the at least one decomposed region and obtaining at least one sub-magnetic field model (See Figure 6, i.e. 606 & 610 & 612, See Para [0010], i.e. using at least one processor, an electromagnetic (EM) model for each of one or more discontinuity structures, See Para [0117], i.e. geometric extraction 602 and generation of a three dimensional adaptive mesh 604. Operations may further include identifying the discontinuity models 606, See Para [0119], i.e. an electromagnetic (EM) model (e.g., Unit Y parameter with length and width) may be extracted using a method of moments approach, See Para [0124], i.e. Specifically, PDN structure 1101 may be decomposed into pin 1102, through via 1104, sandwich plane edge 1106, plane pair 1108, sandwich split plane 1110, overlay split plane 1112, and bottom shorted via 1114. It should be noted that these discontinuity structures are merely provided for exemplary purposes, See Para [0129]-[0130]);
a circuit connection module: configured to conduct circuit connection for the at least one sub-magnetic field model and obtaining a complete circuit connection (See Para [0117], i.e. include multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Figure 6, i.e. 618 – nodes connection on upper and lower surface, See Para [0129], i.e. the nodes on the upper surface and the lower surface of the CELL model may not be connected to each other directly, but through the plane and via discontinuity models…nodes are shorted at the split location and then connected to the plane split discontinuity model); and
an electromagnetic field model generation module: configured to solve the complete circuit connection and obtain a complete electromagnetic model (See Figure 6, i.e. 620 – PDN simulation (consumption of scaled Y parameter models), See Para [0117], i.e. multi-node connections on the upper and lower surface of a particular conductor 618 and eventual PDN simulation 620, See Para [0151], i.e. co-simulation with the whole extracted power system models, the timing analysis may be accurately simulated (e.g., Simultaneous Switching Noise (SSN), Simultaneous Switching Output (SSO), Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)).
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NHA T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1405. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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/NHA T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851
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