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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 5-6, 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Claim 5 relations of “first wafer having the first connector pin and second wafer having the second connector pin” lacks enabling disclosure. Figures 5-7, shows the first wafer having both first and second pins 13, 13. Just how the device could be formed with one wafer having the first pin and a second wafer having the second pin is unclear and lacks enabling disclosure.
Claim 13 rejected for same reasons see figures 8, 9.
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 1-17 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 1, terms, “the center direction” and “the positions” have no antecedent basis.
Claims 4, 10, line 1, “the electrical” has no antecedent basis.
Claim 4, “the connector pin” has no antecedent basis.
Claim 7, terms, “the coupling part” and “the center direction” have no antecedent basis.
Claim 9, terms, “the connector pin” and “the groove portion” have no antecedent basis.
Claim 10, “the center direction” and “the positions” have no antecedent basis.
Claim 11, line 1, “the second connector pin” has no antecedent basis.
Claim 12, term, “the first connector pin” has no antecedent basis.
Claim 15, terms, “the center direction” and “the second coupling part” have no antecedent basis.
Claim 17, terms, “the second connector pin” and “the groove portion” have no antecedent basis.
Claim 1, line 4, should read –a plurality of wafers each one having …--; lines 6-7, should read –a guide part having a with smaller than that of each one of the plurality of coupling parts and arrange one surface of an associated one of the plurality of coupling parts, and --; line 8 should read – connector pins provided on both sides of each one of the coupling parts--; also should read –wherein each one of the guide parts comprises…--.
Same rejection as for claim 1 applied to claim 10, lines 7, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Claim 4, line 6, should read – connector pins provided on both sides of each one of... --; also line 7 should read –wherein each one of the connector pins… --.
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.
Claims 4 ,8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as being anticipated by Chen (U. S. Patent 10,601,184).
Regarding claim 4, Chen, see figure 11, discloses a test connector for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, the test connector comprising: a housing 1; a plurality of wafers 2, 3 having a plurality of coupling parts (formed by adjacent pairs of pins 322 in spacer 113) arranged at regular intervals on one side and stacked standing upright on the housing 1; and connector pins 322 provided on both sides of the plurality of coupling parts (formed by adjacent pairs of pins 322 in spacer 113), wherein the connector pin 322 comprises a first connector pin 322 and a second connector pin 322 having different end positions. Note that term “test connector” do not define structurally over references.
Regarding claim 8, Chen, see figure 11 discloses the plurality of wafers 2, 3 have groove portions (between pair of pins 322) between the plurality of coupling parts (by formed by adjacent pair of pins 322 in space 113).
Regarding claim 9, Chen, see figure 11, discloses the connector pin 322 has a bent portion bent toward the inside of the groove portion (between pair of pins 322) at an end thereof.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 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.
None of the references discloses the coupling part has introduction portions inclined in the center direction on both sides of an end thereof.
Claims 1-3, 10-12, 15-17 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.
None of the references discloses a test connector for testing electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, the test connector comprising: a housing; a plurality of wafers having a plurality of coupling parts arranged at regular intervals
on one side and stacked standing upright on the housing; a guide part having a width smaller than that of the plurality of coupling parts and arranged on one surface of the plurality of coupling parts; and connector pins provided on both sides of the guide part, wherein the guide part comprises a first introduction portion and a second introduction
portion inclined in the center direction on both sides of an end thereof and the positions of the first introduction portion and the second introduction portion are different, a test connector for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, the test connector comprising: a first connector; and a second connector coupled to the first connector, wherein the first connector comprises: a first housing; a plurality of first wafers having a plurality of first coupling parts arranged at regular intervals on one side and stacked standing upright on the first housing; a guide part having a width smaller than that of the plurality of first coupling parts and arranged on one surface of the plurality of first coupling parts; and first connector pins provided on both sides of the guide part, wherein the guide part comprises a first introduction portion and a second introduction portion inclined in the center direction on both sides of an end thereof and the positions of the first introduction portion and the second introduction portion are different, and wherein the second connector comprises: a second housing; a plurality of second wafers having a plurality of second coupling parts arranged at regular intervals on one side and stacked standing upright on the second housing; and second connector pins provided on both sides of the plurality of second coupling parts.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG K DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-2090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Riyami A Abdullah can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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