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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant election of group I, reading on Claims 1-8 and 15-20, without traverse is acknowledged.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5-8, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HSIEH et al. (US 2020/0312897), (hereinafter, HSIEH) in view of NAKAMOTO (US 2019/0305170), (hereinafter, NAKAMOTO).
RE Claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, HSIEH discloses in FIG. 5 an image sensor package comprising:
an image sensor die 504;
an electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 coupled over the image sensor die 504, referring to FIG. 5 [0073]; and
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a dam 510/511 “blocking light/non-transparent” between the image sensor die 504 and the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506;
wherein the dam 510/512 forms a space between the image sensor die 504 and the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506, referring to FIG. 5.
HSIEH does not disclose the dam 510/511 comprising a colored additive.
However, in the same field of endeavor, NAKAMOTO discloses a photosensor package, wherein a heat curable resin 117 with filler component such as ZnO and carbon black “colored” additives included therein to enhance light-blocking abilities and absorb infra-red emissions as well, which implies blocking of the visible light as well, hence meeting the claimed limitations of Claims 2, 4 and 5 [0051].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to use the colored filler components of NAKAMOTO disclosure in order to improve the light-blocking properties of dam 510/511 “blocking light/non-transparent” of HSIEH disclosure and enhance infra-red absorption of the dam 510/511 as disclosed NAKAMOTO [0051].
RE Claim 6, HSIEH discloses package, wherein the dam 510/611 fixedly couples the image sensor die 504 and the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 together.
RE Claim 7, HSIEH discloses package, further comprising a substrate 502 coupled to the image sensor die 504 [0070].
RE Claim 8, HSIEH discloses package, further comprising an adhesive material 524 that fixedly couples the image sensor die 504, the dam 510/511, and the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 together, referring to FIG. 5.
RE Claims 15, 18 and 20, HSIEH discloses in FIGS. 5-9 a method of forming an image sensor package, the method comprising:
providing an image sensor die 504;
forming a dam 510/511 on an electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 [0074 and 102];
applying an adhesive material 524 to the image sensor die 504 [102];
placing the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 over the image sensor die 504;
fixedly coupling the image sensor die 504 to the electromagnetic radiation transmissive cover 506 by curing the adhesive material 524; and
preventing one or more wavelengths of light from passing through the dam 510/511
HSIEH does not disclose that preventing one or more wavelengths of light from passing through the dam 510/511 using a colored additive comprised in the dam.
However, in the same field of endeavor, NAKAMOTO discloses a photosensor package, wherein a heat curable resin 117 with filler component such as ZnO and carbon black “colored” additives included therein to enhance light-blocking abilities and absorb infra-red emissions as well, which implies blocking of the visible light as well, hence meeting the claimed limitations of Claims 18 and 20 [0051].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to use the colored filler components of NAKAMOTO disclosure in order to improve the light-blocking properties of dam 510/511 “blocking light/non-transparent” of HSIEH disclosure and enhance infra-red absorption of the dam 510/511 as disclosed NAKAMOTO [0051].
RE Claim 16, HSIEH discloses a method, further comprising coupling a substrate 502 to the image sensor die 504, referring to FIGS. 5 and 9.
RE Claim 17, HSIEH discloses a method, further comprising applying a mold compound 530 to the image sensor die 504, the dam 510/511, and the electromagnetic radiation cover 506, referring to FIGS. 5, 7A and 9.
RE Claim 19, HSIEH discloses a method, wherein curing the adhesive material 524 further comprises only thermally curing the adhesive material 524 [0096].
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HSIEH et al. (US 2020/0312897), (hereinafter, HSIEH) in view of NAKAMOTO (US 2019/0305170), (hereinafter, NAKAMOTO) as implemented in Claim 1 and in further view of Odeh et al. (US 2017/0174983), (hereinafter, Odeh).
RE Claim 3, HSIEH does not disclose a method, wherein the colored additive makes the dam optically opaque to ultraviolet light wavelengths.
However, in a related art Odeh discloses a photochromic material that includes a first polymeric layer having a photochromic compound that is capable of being activated in response to a stimulus. The first polymeric layer is configured such that the activated photochromic compound becomes inactivated within 10 minutes, preferably within 5 minutes, most preferably within 1 minute, in the absence of said stimulus, wherein colored with pigments to create opaque or permanently colored translucent layers. Similarly, additives can be added to the multi-layered color changing materials of the present invention. For instances, additives can be added to any of the layers of the materials of the present invention to achieve a desired effect. The amounts of such additives can range from 0.001 to 40 wt. %. In addition to the pigments, non-limiting examples of such additives include plasticizers, ultraviolet absorbing compounds [0113].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to use Odeh disclosed additives in or order to block ultraviolet light by HSIEH disclosed dam 510/511 as disclosed by Odeh [0113].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YASSER ABDELAZIEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5783. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9 am - 6 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at (571)270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YASSER A ABDELAZIEZ, PhD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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