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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed May 29, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the Kondo reference does not teach the newly added limitation: “the electrical component is in contact with the central portions of the first and second ribbon wire bonds”. The examiner respectfully disagrees. The electrical component 1, in figs. 1A and 1B has connection terminals 25 that are in electrical contact with the lead terminals 24, which include central portions 22. Since the claim does not recite any specific type of contact, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim includes electrical contact. It should also be noted that the electrical component 1 is in contact with the central portion 22 via connection terminal 25, joining member 26 and connection pad 21. It is suggested that applicant use “direct physical” contact with the central portions to further distinguish the claims from the Kondo reference.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9, 10, 12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kondo (US20160029484).
Regarding Claim 1, Kondo show and disclose a method, comprising: making first and second ribbon wire bonds (left side 24s and right side 24s, fig. 1A and 1B), each one of the first and second ribbon wire bond including a central portion (22, fig. 1B) between open ends (21s and 23s, fig. 1B), the central portion having a first side (upper side, fig. 1B) facing away from the open ends (23s, fig. 1B) and a second side opposite the first side (lower side, fig. 1B); soldering the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond to first lead pads of a substrate (The lead end portion 23 is a portion connected to a mounting substrate (not illustrated), [0045]; fig. 1A and 1B), wherein the central portion of the first ribbon wire bond extends over the substrate (fig. 1B); soldering the open ends of the second ribbon wire bond to second lead pads of the substrate (The lead end portion 23 is a portion connected to a mounting substrate (not illustrated), [0045]; fig. 1A and 1B), wherein the central portion of the second ribbon wire bond extends over the substrate (fig. 1B); and mounting an electrical component (1, fig. 1B) to the first sides of the central portions of the first and second ribbon wire bonds (fig. 1B), wherein the electrical component is in contact with the central portions of the first and second ribbon wire bonds (fig. 1A and 1B, as explained above, the electrical component is in both electrical contact and indirect physical contact with the central portion 22 of the wire bonds).
Regarding Claim 2, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein each one of the first and second ribbon wire bonds includes legs extending from the corresponding open ends toward the central portion (fig. 1B).
Regarding Claim 3, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the central portion, the open ends, and the legs form a U-shape or a W-shape (U shaped, fig. 1B).
Regarding Claim 4, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the electrical component extends between the central portion of the first ribbon wire bond and the central portion of the second ribbon wire bond forming open space (open space, fig. 1B) between the substrate and the electrical component.
Regarding Claim 5, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 4, wherein: the electrical component is a first electrical component (1b, fig. 5B); and one or more second electrical components (30, fig. 5B) occupy part of the open space.
Regarding Claim 6, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the electrical component corresponds to a sub-PCB (11 and 12 with 19, fig. 1A).
Regarding Claim 7, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 6, wherein the sub-PCB includes integrated circuits (19, fig. 1A), capacitors, resistors, inductors, transformers, bulk acoustic wave devices (BAWs), or any combination thereof.
Regarding Claim 9, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond extend parallel to the first lead pads (fig. 6B, open ends 23 are parallel to the lead pads of the substrate 101).
Regarding Claim 10, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond extend perpendicular to the first lead pads (fig. 6B, note section 23 has a thickness in the y-direction which extends perpendicular to the leads pads of the substrate 101).
Regarding Claim 12, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 3, wherein the U-shape includes one central portion, two legs, and two open ends (fig. 1B).
Regarding Claim 15, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 1, wherein making the first and second ribbon wire bonds comprises making the first and second ribbon wire bonds with a stamping die (paragraph [0060]).
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US20160029484) in view of Stanke (US20120282787).
Regarding claims 10 and 11, Kondo discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, but does not explicitly recite the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond extend perpendicular to the first lead pads, wherein the first lead pads include through holes and the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond are inserted in the through holes.
Stanke discloses the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond extend perpendicular to the first lead pads, wherein the first lead pads include through holes and the open ends of the first ribbon wire bond are inserted in the through holes (paragraph [0003]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the perpendicular extending leads of Stanke being inserted in through holes, in the invention of Kondo for the purpose of providing a well-known alternative for mounting a lead to a board (paragraph [0003]).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US20160029484) in view of Takada (US20150206830).
Regarding Claim 13, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 3, except wherein the W-shape includes two central portions, two legs, two open ends, and one centermost portion.
Takeda discloses a lead frame arrangement wherein the W-shape of the ribbon (fig. 6 (7LSR)) includes two central portions (fig. 6 – middle sections that are not connected), two legs (fig. 6 – left and right side portions), two open ends (fig. 6 – left and right BPD ends), and one centermost portion (fig. 6 – center BPD portion).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the W-shaped ribbon of Takada in the invention of Kondo for the purpose of providing extra connection points on the ribbon wire bond.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US20160029484) in view of Kondo (US20160029487).
Regarding Claim 14, Kondo show and disclose the method of claim 2, except wherein at least one leg forms an angle between 110 degree and 135 degree with the central portion.
Kondo ‘487 discloses wherein at least one leg forms an angle between 110 degree and 135 degree with the central portion (fig. 1B and paragraph [0095], it should be noted that the specification does not provide any criticality for the claimed range, and the specific degree angle of the bend is considered to be a design choice based on desired space and stability considerations).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the angled leg of Kondo ‘487 in the invention of Kondo for the purpose of providing extra space under the electrical component and for making the leads more stable.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 8 and all claims dependent thereof are allowable because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the limitations of the claim in combination as claimed, including: wherein mounting the electrical component further comprises soldering terminals of the electrical component to the central portions of the first and second ribbon wire bonds. The aforementioned limitations in combination with all remaining limitations of the respective claims are believed to render said claim 8 and all claims dependent thereof patentable over art of record.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Timothy J Dole whose telephone number is (571)272-2229. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-2:30pm.
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, Andrea Wellington can be reached at (571)272-4483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Timothy J. Dole/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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