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’s election without traverse of Groups I, claims 1-11, in the reply filed on May 4, 2026, is acknowledged. Claims 12-20 are withdrawn for being directed to a nonelected invention. The restriction requirement is deemed proper and made final.
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 2, 3, 8 and 9 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.
The claims recite “and/or.” This renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if both or only one of the listed limitations are required. For purposes of examination, the claims will be interpreted as “or.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-7, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2011/0240358 Nakai et al.
Regarding claim 1, Nakai teaches a component carrier 100 (paragraph 0058), comprising:
a stack having at least one electrically conductive layer structure 20 and at least one electrically insulating layer structure 10 (paragraph 0058),
wherein the at least one electrically insulating layer structure comprises:
an insulating material 10b, and
fillers 10a embedded in the insulating material (paragraph 0060),
wherein at least one of the fillers is exposed at one of the main surfaces of the at least one electrically insulating layer structure (figure 22b);
wherein the at least one exposed filler comprises a high-roughened surface portion F1 and a low-roughened surface portion F3 (paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 2, Nakai teaches that the high-roughened surface portion is associated with the exposed portion of said at least one exposed filler (figures 21 and 22b), and
wherein the low-roughened surface portion is associated with the not-exposed portion of the at least one exposed filler (figures 20 and 22a).
Regarding claim 3, Nakai teaches that a surface portion, where the at least one exposed filler is exposed (figure 22b), has a roughness value (high) corresponding to the high-roughened surface portion of the at least one exposed filler, and
a different roughness value (low) from the roughness value of another surface portion (paragraph 0073) on a main surface of the at least one electrically insulating layer structure (figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, Nakai teaches that the high-roughened surface portion of the filler protrudes beyond the insulating material (figure 22b).
Regarding claim 5, Nakai teaches that the low-roughened surface portion of the exposed filler faces away from the main surface of the insulating material, where the exposed filler is exposed (figure 22a).
Regarding claim 6, Nakai teaches at least one further electrically insulating layer structure 104 (paragraph 0085), comprising a further insulating material and further fillers (paragraph 0084),
wherein at least some of the further fillers respectively comprise a further high-roughened surface portion and a further low-roughened surface portion (paragraph 0085).
Regarding claim 7, Nakai teaches that the further low-roughened surface portion of the further exposed filler faces away from the further insulating material surface, where the further exposed filler is exposed (figure 22a).
Regarding claim 9, Nakai teaches that the fillers comprise silicon dioxide (paragraph 0061 teaching silica).
Regarding claim 11, Nakai teaches that at least some of the fillers are in direct contact to each other (figure 22b).
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.
Claims 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2011/0240358 Nakai et al.
Regarding claim 8, Nakai teaches that the high-roughened surface portion of the exposed filler has a roughness Rz of more than 100 nm (3.50 microns, paragraph 0075). While Rz and Ra are not equivalent measurements, Ra is an average roughness and Rz is the maximum roughness such that Rz is greater than or equal to Ra. Therefore, an Rz value of 3.50 microns shows that the Ra value will be 3.50 microns or less.
“In the case where the claimed ranges ‘overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art’ a prima facie case of obviousness exists,” (MPEP 2144.05 Section I). Therefore, absent evidence of criticality, the taught range of 3.50 microns or less reads on the claimed range of more than 100 nm.
Regarding claim 10, Nakai teaches that at least 30% of the weight of the insulating material of the at least one electrically insulating layer structure is occupied by fillers (paragraph 0065). Nakai teaches a weight percentage rather than a volume percentage. However, there must be some portion of the 30 wt% or more range that overlaps with the 40 vol% or more range. For example, 100 wt% is equal to 100 vol%.
“In the case where the claimed ranges ‘overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art’ a prima facie case of obviousness exists,” (MPEP 2144.05 Section I). Therefore, absent evidence of criticality, the taught range of 30 wt% or more reads on the claimed range of 40 vol% or more.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Megha M Gaitonde whose telephone number is (571)270-3598. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
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/MEGHA M GAITONDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
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