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 .
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 1-20 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.
Claim 7 discloses a thickness of the ground layer is 10 µm or less. Claim 1 would encompass claim 7.
Claim 16 discloses a thickness of the ground layer is 10 µm or less. Claim 12 would encompass claim 16.
Claim 19 discloses a thickness of the ground layer is 10 µm or less.
The limitation “a thickness of the ground layer is 10 µm or less” would encompass a thickness of 0 nm or no ground layer present.
The claims have two different interpretations. The first interpretation is the ground layer is present (i.e. with a thickness) and the second interpretation is the ground layer is not present. MPEP 2173.06 II discloses “where the claim is subject to more than one interpretation … an appropriate course of action would be for the examiner to enter … a rejection based on indefiniteness under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph”.
The examiner interprets the claims, with respect to the prior art, as having a ground layer.
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, and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Tsai et al. (US 2020/0343196).
Regarding claim 1, Tsai et al. disclose a lower redistribution structure (100 and 215)[0067, discloses “the substrate 100 may also include patterned metal layers or traces on its top surface 100a and bottom surface 100b and vias”]; a plurality of conductive posts (310, 311) on an upper surface of the lower redistribution structure, the plurality of conductive posts including a conductive post; a first semiconductor chip (10) on the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure (100 by way of 510), the first semiconductor chip being separated from the conductive post in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure (10 is laterally separated from 310, just like 100 is separated from GND_P in applicant’s figure 1); a radio frequency chip (11)[0068] on the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure and separated from the first semiconductor chip in the direction parallel to the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure(10 is laterally separated from 11, just like 100 is separated from RF in applicant’s figure 1); a ground post (310, 311) between the first semiconductor chip and the radio frequency chip, the ground post configured to shield against an electromagnetic wave generated from the radio frequency chip; a molding layer (500) covering the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure and surrounding the plurality of conductive posts (fig. 13), the first semiconductor chip (fig. 13), the radio frequency chip(fig. 13), and the ground post(fig. 13); and a ground layer (520) on an upper surface of the molding layer and in contact with an upper surface of the ground post (fig. 13).
Regarding claim 9, Tsai et al. disclose a plurality of chip connection terminals ( lower portion of 510, 511) between the first semiconductor chip and the lower redistribution structure (100) and between the radio frequency chip and the lower redistribution structure(100) (fig. 13).
Regarding claim 10, Tsai et al. disclose a conductive cap (upper portion of 510/511) solder ball/bump) on the upper surface of the lower redistribution structure ( lower portion fo 510/511) and electrically connected to the lower redistribution structure; and a lower filler (pad between chip and solder ball/ bump 510/511 shown in figure 13 on upper portion of 510/511, see below) the conductive cap and electrically connected to the conductive cap.
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Regarding claim 11, Tsai et al. disclose a plurality of external connection terminals (S) on a lower surface of the lower redistribution structure (100) (fig. 13).
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0343196) in view of Chowdhury et al. (US 2017/0018456).
Tsai et al. disclose the invention supra.
Tsai fails to disclose a thickness of the ground layer is 10 µm or less.
Chowdhury et al. disclose a ground layer thickness of 3 microns and 5 microns [0074].
It has been held that mere dimensional limitations are prima facie obvious absent a disclosure that the limitations are for a particular unobvious purpose, produce an unexpected result, or are otherwise critical. See, for example, In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984); In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669,149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods (changing the thickness of the ground layer), and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable (a thinner ground layer would still act as a ground layer).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, and 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 12-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter as the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest: the ground layer includes a first ground layer and a second ground layer on an upper surface of the first ground layer, the ground layer has a plurality of gas holes and a plurality of post holes penetrating the ground layer in a vertical direction, and the plurality of post holes correspond to upper surfaces of the plurality of conductive posts (claims 2, 8) an upper redistribution structure comprising a plurality of upper vertical vias on the molding layer and a plurality of upper wiring layers in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias; and a ground wiring layer in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias (claims 3-6) an upper redistribution structure including a plurality of upper vertical vias on the molding layer and a plurality of upper wiring layers in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias; a ground wiring layer in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias; and a heat spreader on an upper surface of the upper redistribution structure and in contact with the ground wiring layer, wherein the ground layer includes a first ground layer and a second ground layer on an upper surface of the first ground layer, the ground layer has a plurality of gas holes and a plurality of post holes penetrating the ground layer in a vertical direction, and the plurality of post holes correspond to upper surfaces of the plurality of conductive posts (claims 12-18) an upper redistribution structure including a plurality of upper vertical vias on the molding layer and a plurality of upper wiring layers in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias; a ground wiring layer in contact with at least one of the plurality of upper vertical vias; a heat spreader on an upper surface of the upper redistribution structure and in contact with the ground wiring layer; a plurality of internal connection terminals on the upper surface of the upper redistribution structure; a second semiconductor chip in contact with the plurality of internal connection terminals and electrically connected to the first semiconductor chip; and a plurality of antennas on the upper surface of the upper redistribution structure and electrically connected to the radio frequency chip, wherein the ground layer includes a first ground layer and a second ground layer on an upper surface of the first ground layer, the ground layer has a plurality of gas holes and a plurality of post holes penetrating the ground layer in a vertical direction, the plurality of post holes correspond to upper surfaces of the plurality of conductive posts, the ground post, the ground layer, the ground wiring layer, and the heat spreader are electrically connected to each other (claims 19-20) .
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY K SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-1884. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at 571-272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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