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
Claims 3, 9-15, and 18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group, species, and subspecies, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/05/2026.
Claims 1-2, 4-8, 16-17, and 19-20 are pending.
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.
Claim 20 is 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 20, the limitation "a corresponding die attach pad " in Lines L1-2, renders the claim indefinite because the antecedent basis is unclear as to whether “a corresponding die attach pad” (Lines L1-2) refers to a new corresponding die attach pad or the “die attach pad” previously cited in Claim 16 Line L2. In the purpose of compact prosecution, “a corresponding die attach pad” has been interpretated as the die attach pad.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, 16-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tan et al. (US20030111720A1-Tan20).
Regarding claim 1, Tan20 discloses a device (Title) comprising:
a die attach pad having a surface region (Die attach pad 104 having a surface region/top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3); and
a die (Die 106-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) having
a base surface that fits within the surface region of the die attach pad (Die 106 having a base/bottom surface fitting surface region/top surface of Die attach pad 104-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
a top surface opposite the base surface (Die 106 having a top surface opposite to base/bottom surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the top surface is larger than the base surface (Die 106 having a top surface opposite to base/bottom surface, top surface being larger than base surface as indicated by dashed line arrows-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
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Regarding claim 2, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses a device wherein the die further comprises:
a die sidewall (die 106 vertical walls of as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) includes
a base sidewall (Base sidewall extending from base surface to overhang surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
an overhang sidewall (Overhang sidewall extending from overhang surface to top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the base sidewall extends from the base surface to an overhang surface (Base sidewall extending from base surface to overhang surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
the overhang sidewall that extends from the overhang surface to the top surface (Overhang sidewall extending from overhang surface to top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3)
such that the die sidewall is discontinuous (vertical overhang and base sidewalls being separated by overhang surface so being discontinuous-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) .
Regarding claim 4, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses a device comprising
a lead separated from an edge of the die attach pad in a lateral direction (Lead separated from an edge of die-attach-pad 104 in a lateral/ horizontal direction-[0033] L1-3, Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the edge defines an edge plane (Edge defining Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
the top surface extends to the edge plane (Top surface extending to Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
Regarding claim 5, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 4, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses a device comprising
a bond wire attached at the die and the lead (Bond wire attached at die 106 and Lead [0033] L1-3, Examiner's annotated Fig 3); and
a molding compound that encapsulates the bond wire, the lead, the die, and the die attach pad (Molding compound 138 encapsulating bond wire 136, die 106, and die-attach pad 104-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
Regarding claim 6, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses a device
wherein the base surface of the die is affixed to the die attach pad with a bond layer (Die attach pad 104 having a surface region/Top surface where the die 106 is attached by bond layer 134-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
Regarding claim 7, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 6, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses a device
wherein the top surface of the die extends beyond the bond layer (Top surface extending to Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow, and beyond bond layer 134-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
Regarding claim 16, Tan20 discloses an integrated circuit (IC) package (Abstract L1) comprising:
a die attach pad having a surface region (Die attach pad 104 having a surface region/top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3);
a lead separated from the die attach pad (Lead separated from an edge of die-attach-pad 104 in a lateral/ horizontal direction-[0033] L1-3, Examiner's annotated Fig 3);
a die (Die 106-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) having
a base surface that fits within the surface region of the die attach pad (Die 106 having a base/bottom surface fitting surface region/top surface of Die attach pad 104-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
a top surface opposite the base surface (Die 106 having a top surface opposite to base/bottom surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the top surface is larger than the base surface (Die 106 having a top surface opposite to base/bottom surface, top surface being larger than base surface as indicated by dashed line arrows-Examiner's annotated Fig 3);
a bond wire attached at the die and the lead (Bond wire attached at die 106 and Lead [0033] L1-3, Examiner's annotated Fig 3); and
a molding compound that encapsulates the bond wire, the lead, the die, and the die attach pad (Molding compound 138 encapsulating bond wire 136, die 106, and die-attach pad 104-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
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Regarding claim 17, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 16, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses an integrated circuit (IC) package wherein the die further comprises:
a die sidewall (die 106 vertical walls of as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) includes
a base sidewall (Base sidewall extending from base surface to overhang surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
an overhang sidewall (Overhang sidewall extending from overhang surface to top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the base sidewall extends from the base surface to an overhang surface (Base sidewall extending from base surface to overhang surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
the overhang sidewall that extends from the overhang surface to the top surface (Overhang sidewall extending from overhang surface to top surface-Examiner's annotated Fig 3)
such that the die sidewall is discontinuous (vertical overhang and base sidewalls being separated by overhang surface so being discontinuous-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) .
Regarding claim 19, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 16, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses an integrated circuit (IC) package
wherein the lead separated from an edge of the die attach pad in a lateral direction (Lead separated from an edge of die-attach-pad 104 in a lateral/ horizontal direction-[0033] L1-3, Examiner's annotated Fig 3),
wherein the edge defines an edge plane (Edge defining Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3) and
the top surface extends to the edge plane (Top surface extending to Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
Regarding claim 20, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 16, as noted above.
Tan20 further discloses an integrated circuit (IC) package wherein
the die is mounted to a corresponding die attach pad with a bond layer (Die attach pad 104 having a surface region/Top surface where the die 106 is attached by bond layer 134-Examiner's annotated Fig 3), and
the top surface of the die extends beyond the bond layer (Top surface of die 106 extending to Edge plane as indicated by vertical arrow, and beyond bond layer 134-Examiner's annotated Fig 3).
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.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US20030111720A1-Tan20) in view of Kim et al. (US 20240079400 A1-Kim00).
Regarding claim 8, Tan 20 discloses all the elements of claim 1, as noted above.
Tan20 does not disclose a device comprising
a ground line embedded in the die attach pad; and
a ground wire attached at the die and the ground line.
Kim00 teaches a device comprising
a ground line embedded in the die attach pad (Ground line PWL embedded in dies attach pad 110-Examiner's annotated Fig 2A, [0019] L1-3), ; and
a ground wire attached at the die and the ground line (Ground wire BW attached to die 140 and ground line PWL-[0025] L1-16-Examiner's annotated Fig 2A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tan20 as taught by Kim00 for the purpose of reducing thickness while forming chip stacks (Kim00: [0004]).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tan et al. (US20130154117A1-Tan17) discloses a device comprising a die wherein the top surface is larger than the base surface (Fig 24).
Masamoto et al. (US20030062613A1-Masamoto13) discloses a device comprising a die wherein the top surface is larger than the base surface (Fig 5).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHALIE R FAYETTE whose telephone number is (571)272-1220. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am-6pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Kim can be reached at (571) 272-8458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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NATHALIE R. FAYETTE
Examiner
Art Unit 2812
/NATHALIE R FAYETTE/Examiner, Art Unit 2812 09/24/2026
/CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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