DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-8, and 17-20) in the reply filed on 7/7/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 9-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 7/7/26.
Further, Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I (claims 1-8) in the reply filed on 7/7/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that no reason was given. This is not found persuasive because no reason was given. However, applicant’s election of Invention I (claim 1-8) in the reply filed on 7/7/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 7/7/26.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 504a. See FIG. 11A. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “a second portion of the first lateral surface distal to the mold compound” (claim 1), and “a second portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound” (claim 1) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1 thru 8 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.
In line 16 of claim 1, the applicant states “a second portion of the first lateral surface
distal to the mold compound”; however, it appears (see, for example, FIG. 11A) that a second portion 1008 of the first lateral surface 1001 is not distal to the mold compound 522. The same applies to lines 20-21 wherein the applicant states “a second portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound”. Appropriate clarification and/or correction are required.
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)(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.
In view of the 112 rejection above, claim(s) 1 thru 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Tanaka et al. US 2024/0063096 A1. Tanaka discloses (see, for example, FIG. 1) a semiconductor package 10 comprising a semiconductor die 115 having a device side (i.e. top side) in which circuitry is formed and a non-device side (i.e. bottom side) opposing the device side; a die pad 11P coupled to the non-device side of the semiconductor die; a mold compound 117 covering the semiconductor die 115 and the die pad 11P; and a copper lead 11L having a first portion 11L1 located inside the mold compound 117 and a second portion 11L2 located exterior to the mold compound 117, the first portion (i.e. bottom surface of lead 111 that is inside the mold compound 117) of the copper lead 11L not plated by another metal 116, and the second portion 11L2 of the copper lead 11L including: top and bottom surfaces; an end surface distal to the first portion of the copper lead and facing away from the mold compound; and first and second lateral surfaces orthogonal to the top, bottom, and end surfaces, wherein the end surface, the top surface, and the bottom surface are plated with the another metal 116, a first portion of the first lateral surface distal to the mold compound and proximal to the end surface is plated with the another metal, a second portion (i.e. top portion of lead 11L) of the first lateral surface distal to the mold compound and proximal to the first portion of the first lateral surface is not plated (i.e. because there is a roughening structure including grains that prevents the another metal 116 from plating the copper lead 11L) with the another metal 116, a first portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound and proximal to the end surface is plated with the another metal, and a second portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound and proximal to the first portion of the second lateral surface is not plated with the another metal. In paragraph [0027], Tanaka discloses the copper lead 111 being copper. Because of the 112 rejection, Tanaka does not disclose a second portion of the first lateral surface distal to the mold compound and a second portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at a time prior to the effective filing date, to have a second portion of the first lateral surface distal to the mold compound and a second portion of the second lateral surface distal to the mold compound in order to increase the size of the leads to make connections farther away from the semiconductor package.
Regarding claim 2, see, for example, FIG. 1 wherein Tanaka discloses the mold
compound 117 fully encapsulates the die pad 11P, not including the external plating 116.
Regarding claim 3, see, for example, FIG. 1 wherein Tanaka discloses the device side (i.e. top side) of the semiconductor die 115 faces a top surface of the mold compound 117 and the non-device side (i.e. bottom side) of the semiconductor die 115 faces a bottom surface of the mold compound 117, and wherein the first portion 11L1 of the copper lead 11L includes an elevated portion that is closer to the top surface of the mold compound 117 than is the second portion 11L2 of the copper lead 11L.
Regarding claim 4, see, for example, FIG. 1 wherein Tanaka discloses the first portion 11L1 of the copper lead 11L includes a sloping portion that connects the elevated portion to the second portion 11L2 of the copper lead 11L.
Regarding claim 5, see, for example, FIG. 1 wherein Tanaka discloses the second portion 11L of the copper lead 11L being flat.
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka discloses (see, for example, FIG. 4A) multiple second copper leads 11L1 identical to the copper lead; however, Tanaka does not disclose a pitch between the copper lead and the second copper lead being less than 2.5 mm; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at a time prior to the effective filing date, to have a pitch between the copper lead and the second copper lead being less than 2.5 mm in order to maximize the density within the semiconductor package, and since it has been held that discovering the optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka does not disclose the bottom surface of the copper lead being within 0.05 mm of being flush with the bottom surface of the mold compound; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at a time prior to the effective filing date, to have the bottom surface of the copper lead being within 0.05 mm of being flush with the bottom surface of the mold compound in order to have a flat contact surface for mounting directly to a board and/or other substrate, and since it has been held that discovering the optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 8, see, for example, FIG. 4A wherein Tanaka disclose tie bars 11S extending away from the die pad 11P.
INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONTACT THE USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1733. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 730-330 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JOSHUA BENITEZ can be reached at 571-270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Eugene Lee
July 16, 2026
/EUGENE LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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