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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/11/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A, and Claims 1-6 in the reply filed on 07/02/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 7 - 10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/02/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1 - 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsuoka (US20120217616A1; hereinafter Matsuoka).
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Matsuoka: FIG. 3
Regarding Claim 1, Matsuoka discloses a semiconductor device (semiconductor device 101, FIG. 3 reproduced above, [0080]), comprising:
a first conductive member (conductor plate 23), FIG. 3, [0097];
a second conductive member (conductive plate 21), FIG. 3, [0089] including
a first part (pad portion 211) separated from the first conductive member (23) in a first direction (Z direction), FIG. 3, [0090], and
a second part (mounting portion 213) extending from an end portion of the first part (211) in a second direction (Y direction) crossing the first direction (Z), the second part (213) including a lead part, FIG. 3, [0092];
a semiconductor chip (semiconductor chip 32) located between the first part (211) and the first conductive member (23) in the first direction (Z), the semiconductor chip (32) being electrically connected with the first conductive member (23), (the semiconductor chip 32 is joined to the conductor plate 23 through the conductive joint portion 414), [0097];
a connection plate (22) located between the semiconductor chip (32) and the first part (211) in the first direction (Z direction), the connection plate being conductive, [0093];
a first bonding member (conductive joint portion 413) positioned between the semiconductor chip (32) and the connection plate (22), the first bonding member (413) electrically connecting the semiconductor chip (32) and the connection plate (22), the first bonding member being conductive, FIG. 3, [0103];
a second bonding member (conductive joint portions 411) positioned between the first part (211) and the connection plate (22), the second bonding member (411) electrically connecting the first part (211) and the connection plate (22), the second bonding member being conductive, FIG. [0100], [0101], [0102].
The second bonding member 411 electrically connects the first part 211 and the connection plate 22 through the electrical path including electrodes 313, chip 31, electrode 311, and conductive joint 412, [0101], [0102].
a resin part (resin 7) covering the semiconductor chip (32), the connection plate (22), and the first part (211), FIG. 3, [0081],
the resin part (7) not covering a portion of the lead part (213) and a portion of the first conductive member (surface 232 of first conductive member 23), [0098].
Regarding Claim 2, Matsuoka discloses the device according to claim 1,
wherein the connection plate (22) includes an end portion (221) in the second direction (Y direction), FIG. 3, [0092], [0094].
the end portion of the connection plate (22) is positioned at the lead part side (213), FIG. 3, [0092], [0094].
Matsuoka (FIG. 3, [0092], [0094]) discloses the end portion 221 of connection plate 22 is positioned on the side of the lead part 213 and extends in the Y direction.
the second bonding member (411) does not contact the end portion of the connection plate (22), FIG. 3, [0101].
Matsuoka [0101] discloses the conductive joint portion 411 is interposed between the semiconductor chip 31 and the pad portion 211 of the conductor plate 21, and the figure 3 shows the 411 does not contact the end portion of the connection plate 22.
Regarding Claim 3, Matsuoka discloses the device according to claim 2,
wherein
the first bonding member (413) contacts the end portion (221) of the connection plate (22), FIG. 3, [0103].
Matsuoka [0103] discloses the conductive joint portion 413 is interposed between the semiconductor chip 32 and the pad portion 221 of the conductor plate 22, and the figure 3 shows the portion 413 contacts the end portions of 221 of the conductor plate 22.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 4 - 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuoka.
Regarding Claim 4, Matsuoka discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein
a strength of the second bonding member (411) is less than a strength of the first bonding member (413), [0100].
Matsuoka [0100] discloses each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 is made of a conductor and examples of the conductor making up each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 include solder and silver. It would have been obvious for one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select bonding member materials with a strength of the second bonding member less than a strength of the first bonding member as a matter of design choice.
Regarding Claim 5, Matsuoka discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein
a composition of the second bonding member (411) is different from a composition of the first bonding member (413), [0100].
Matsuoka [0100] discloses each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 is made of a conductor and examples of the conductor making up each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 include solder and silver. It would have been obvious for one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select bonding member materials with a composition of the second bonding member different from a composition of the first bonding member as a matter of design choice.
Regarding Claim 6, Matsuoka discloses the device according to claim 5, wherein
the second bonding member (411) includes lead, and
the first bonding member (413) does not include lead, [0100].
or a lead concentration of the first bonding member is less than a lead concentration of the second bonding member.
Matsuoka [0100] discloses each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 is made of a conductor and examples of the conductor making up each of the conductive joint portions 411 to 414 include solder and silver. It would have been obvious for one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select second bonding material to include lead containing solder and the first bonding material to include silver as a matter of design choice.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISHNA PALANISWAMY whose telephone number is (571)272-6239. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brent Fairbanks can be reached at (408) 918-7532. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Krishna J. Palaniswamy/ Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/Brent A. Fairbanks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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