Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/636,337

TOOLLESS COMPRESSION ATTACHED MEMORY MODULE INSTALLATION IN INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEMS

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Apr 16, 2024
Examiner
DINH, TUAN T
Art Unit
2848
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 0m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allow Rate
916 granted / 1165 resolved
+10.6% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+23.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
1206
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
43.4%
+3.4% vs TC avg
§102
45.0%
+5.0% vs TC avg
§112
6.6%
-33.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1165 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Title The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: TOOLLESS COMPRESSION ATTACHED MEMORY MODULE INSTALLATION IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND METHOD THE SAME. Drawings The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "310" and "308" have both been used to designate “the head”, and reference characters "304" and "306" have both been used to designate “ramped keyhole, para-0032”. 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. 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. Please, change “310” to - - 308 - - for correction number. Please, change “304” to - -306 - - for correction number. Claim Objections Claims 7, 13-15, 17-18 are objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 7 depended on claim 6 depended on claim 1, line 2, the term of “the head” is lack of antecedence basis. Please, revise. Regarding claim 14, line 2, the term of “the head” is lack of antecedence basis. Please, revise. Please, change “the head” to - - a head of the standoff - - for proper reading. Regarding claims 13-15, and 17, each in line 1, please change “The IHS of claim 11” to - - The IHS of claim 12 - - for proper dependent claims. Regarding claim 18, line 1, the term “A method” is unclear because examiner does not know what kind of “the method” applied in this application. Please, clarify. By applying art, examiner suggests to change to - - A method for toolless installation of a compression attached memory module (CAMM) in an information handing system (HIS) - -. Regarding claim 18, line 5, the phrase of “compress electrical terminals of the IHS component” is not understood. Does applicant meant “compress electrical terminals of a memory module.? Please, clarify. Appropriate correction is 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)(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) 1-2, 6-10, 12-16, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Cromwell et al. (U.S. Patent 6,930,884), hereafter Cromwell. As to claim 1, Cromwell discloses a bolster plate (80) as shown in figures 1-2, comprising: a body (86) configured to contact a memory module (the processor 20 can act as memory device or module with high-speed storage component like registers and cache memory); and a ramped hole (82), the ramped hole (82) configured to (adapted to or capable of being) convert lateral displacement into vertical displacement in response to the ramped hole (82) sliding along a standoff (60) coupled to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB-30) to provide compression between terminals (not shown but the bottom side of the chip 20 connected to the socket 52) of the memory module (20) and a connector (socket 52) on the PCB (30). As to claim 2, Cromwell discloses the bolster plate (80) is configured to lock in place, upon the lateral displacement, to maintain the compression. As to claim 6, Cromwell discloses a head of the standoff (60) is angled at a chamfer (at the element 62) matching a chamfer (at the narrow hole) in the ramped hole (82). As best understood to claim 7, Cromwell discloses the ramped hole (82) is configured to: receive [[the head]] a head (61) of the standoff (60) through a first end; and increase the compression in response to movement of the head along the chamfer towards a second end opposite the first end. As to claim 8, Cromwell discloses the second end (the narrow hole) is configured to lock the bolster plate (80) in place to maintain the compression. As to claim 9, Cromwell discloses the ramped hole (82) comprises: a deep end configured to receive a head (61) of the standoff (60); and a ramp between the deep end and a shallow end, wherein the ramp comprises a slot (85) configured to receive a shaft (the neck) of the standoff. As to claim 10, Cromwell discloses in figures 1-2 the shallow end is angled obliquely away from the ramp to receive the head (61), lock the bolster plate (80) in place, and maintain the compression. As to claim 12, Cromwell discloses an Information Handling System (IHS), as shown in figures 1-2 comprising: a Printed Circuit Board (PCB-30) comprising a connector (socket 52) and a standoff (60); and a memory module (the processor 20 can act as memory device or module with high speed storage component like registers and cache memory) coupled to the PCB (30) via a plate (86), the plate (86) comprising a ramped hole (82) configured to: (i) receive the standoff (60), and (ii) translate lateral displacement into vertical displacement in response to the standoff (60) sliding along the ramped hole (82) to provide a compression force between terminals of the memory module (20) and the connector (52). As to claim 13, Cromwell discloses a head of the standoff (60) is angled at a chamfer (at the element 62) matching a chamfer (at the narrow hole) in the ramped hole (82). As best understood to claim 14, Cromwell discloses the ramped hole (82) is configured to: receive [[the head]] a head (61) of the standoff (60) through a first end; and increase the compression in response to movement of the head along the chamfer towards a second end opposite the first end. As to claim 15, Cromwell discloses the ramped hole (82) comprises: a deep end configured to receive a head (61) of the standoff (60); and a ramp between the deep end and a shallow end, wherein the ramp comprises a slot (85) configured to receive a shaft (the neck) of the standoff. As to claim 16, Cromwell discloses in figures 1-2 the shallow end is angled obliquely away from the ramp. As best understood to claim 18, Cromwell discloses a method for toolless installation of a compression attached memory module (CAMM) in an information handing system (IHS), comprising: receiving, via a ramped hole (82) in an Information Handling System (IHS) component (80), a head (61) of a standoff (60) coupled to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB-30); and sliding IHS component (80) perpendicularly to a shaft (a neck) of the standoff (60) in a first direction to compress electrical terminals of [[the IHS component]] a memory module (20) against a connector (a socket 52) on the PCB (30). As to claim 19, Cromwell further comprising sliding the IHS component (80 or the body 86) perpendicularly to the shaft (the neck of the standoff 60) in a second direction opposite the first direction to decompress the electrical terminals from the connector (52). 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. Claim(s) 3-5, 11, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cromwell in view of Peterson et al. (U.S. 2019/0252286). Regarding claim 3, Cromwell discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for a flange extending generally perpendicular from the body. Peterson teaches a segmented heatsink (106f) as shown in figure 5B that comprises a flange (the left and right ends of the body 120e-120f of the plate 106f) extending generally perpendicular from the body. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Peterson employed in the HIS and its method of Cromwell in order to provide excellent protection and heat dissipation structure. Regarding claim 4, Cromwell as modified by Peterson teaches the flange is positioned to be disposed over an end edge of another PCB (126-figure 5B) comprising the memory module (104). Regarding claim 5, Cromwell as modified by Peterson, Cromwell further comprising a dielectric insulating material (TIM or thermos interface material 53) disposed on a bottom surface of the body (plate 86) to contact the other PCB (30), the dielectric insulating material (53) having a low coefficient of friction. Regarding claims 11, 17, and 20, Cromwell discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the memory module comprises a Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM). Peterson teaches electronic devices (102a-102c) as shown in figures 1 and 5A-5B comprising a circuit board (a substrate 126, para-0048) having a Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM, 104p-104s) mounted on. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Peterson employed in the HIS and its method of Cromwell in order to improve signal integrity and faster memory speeds. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN T DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-1929. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FRI: 8AM-4:30PM. 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, Timothy Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 16, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 11, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+23.1%)
3y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1165 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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