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 .
Status of Claims
The status of the claims is as follows:
Claims 1-20 are pending.
An action on the merits for claims 1-20 follows.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
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 17, 19, and 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.
Claims 17 and 20 recite the limitation "the cooling liquid." In claim 16, from which both depend, there is established a first cooling liquid and a second cooling liquid but not “a cooling liquid.” Therefore, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, “the cooling liquid” will be interpreted as “the first cooling liquid.”
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the cold plate." In claim 16, from which it depends, there is established a first cold plate and a second cold plate but not “a cold plate.” Therefore, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, “the cold plate” will be interpreted as “the first cold plate.”
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.
(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.
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Kearney et al (US 20160049354 A1), hereinafter Kearney.
Regarding Claim 16, Kearney teaches a system (“power semiconductor module;” Figs. 5a (simplified top-view), 5b (simplified side-view), 3 (simplified side-view of one island of 5b), Paragraph [0030]; Note: Fig. 3 describes a section of the semiconductor module with one island that is the same as the plurality of islands shown but not described in depth with reference to Figs. 5a, 5b. “[…] may be similar to that shown in Fig. 3,” Paragraph [0031]), comprising:
a first semiconductor device (rightmost “power semiconductor component,” (53); Fig. 5b, Paragraph [0032]) positioned on a die substrate (“PCB,” (51); Fig. 5b, Paragraph [0031]);
a first cold plate (rightmost “TCF Island,” (52); Paragraph [0031]) disposed within the die substrate (51) and containing a first cooling liquid (“coolant;” Paragraph [0032]), wherein the first cold plate (rightmost (52)) is positioned proximate to the first semiconductor device (53) and configured to at least partially dissipate heat using the first cooling liquid (“coolant”) from the first semiconductor device (53) during operation of the first semiconductor device (53; Paragraph [0032]);
a second semiconductor device (leftmost “power semiconductor component,” (54); Paragraph [0032]) positioned on the die substrate (51); and
a second cold plate (leftmost “TCF Island,” (52); Figs. 5a, 5b, Paragraph [0031]) disposed within the die substrate (51) and containing a second cooling liquid (“coolant,” within leftmost island 52; Paragraph [0032]), wherein the second cold plate (leftmost (52)) is positioned proximate to the second semiconductor device (54) and configured to at least partially dissipate heat using the second cooling liquid (“coolant” within leftmost island 52) from the second semiconductor device (54) during operation of the second semiconductor device (54; Paragraph [0032]);
wherein the first cold plate (rightmost (52)) is galvanically isolated (“galvanic isolation may be maintained;” Paragraph [0031]) from the second cold plate (leftmost (52)) using an isolating mechanism (“tube,” (57); Paragraph [0032]).
Regarding Claim 17, Kearney teaches the system (“power semiconductor module;” Figs. 5a (simplified top-view), 5b (simplified side-view), 3 (simplified side-view of one island of 5b), Paragraph [0030]) of claim 16, wherein
the first cold plate (rightmost (52)) includes a first enclosed channel (“portions,” (38 and 39) of the rightmost island; Paragraph [0027]) containing the cooling liquid (“coolant”);
the second cold plate (leftmost (52)) include a second enclosed channel ((“portions,” (38 and 39) of the leftmost island; Paragraph [0027]) containing the cooling liquid (“coolant”); (Being similar to the island of Fig. 3, both left and right island 52 in Fig. 5b is shown to have portions 38 and 39 although they are unlabeled, thereby forming an enclosed channel)
at least one of the first and second enclosed channels (38 and 39) include an inlet (“coolant inlet port,” (55); Fig. 5b, Paragraph [0031]) and an outlet (“coolant outlet port, (56); Paragraph [0031]), wherein the inlet (55) is configured to allow inflow of the cooling liquid (“coolant”) into at least one of the first and second enclosed channels (38 and 39) and the outlet is (56) configured to allow outflow of the cooling liquid (“coolant”) from at least one of the first and second enclosed channels (38 and 39); (Paragraph [0032])
wherein the cooling liquid (“coolant”) is configured to circulate (“flows through;” Paragraph [0032]) within the first and second enclosed channels (38 and 39).
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Regarding Claim 18, Kearney teaches the system (“power semiconductor module;” Figs. 5a (simplified top-view), 5b (simplified side-view), 3 (simplified side-view of one island of 5b), Paragraph [0030]) of claim 16, wherein the first semiconductor device (53) includes an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (“may be an IGBT;” Paragraph [0023]) and the second semiconductor device (54) is a diode (“may be a diode;” Paragraph [0023]). (The first and second semiconductor devices 53 and 54 correspond to first and second semiconductor devices 32 and 33 but are not explicitly discussed with reference to Figs. 5a, 5b, Paragraph [0031].)
Regarding Claim 19, Kearney teaches the system (“power semiconductor module;” Figs. 5a (simplified top-view), 5b (simplified side-view), 3 (simplified side-view of one island of 5b), Paragraph [0030]) of claim 16, wherein the cold plate (52) is an electrically conductive cold plate (“made of a material that is also electrically conducting;” Paragraph [0029].
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.
Claims 1-5 and 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morozumi et al. (US 20170271239 A1), hereinafter Morozumi, in view of Qu et al. (US 20210407889 A1), hereinafter Qu.
Regarding Claim 1, Morozumi teaches at least a system (“semiconductor module,” (100); Figs. 1 (top-view), 2 (cross-sectional side-view), 19 (circuit of semiconductor module), Paragraph [0060]) comprising:
At least one semiconductor device (“cooling-target device,” (11); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0062]) positioned on a die substrate (“cooling-target module,” (10); Paragraph [0062]); and
at least one cold plate (“heatsink unit,” (21); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0064]) containing a cooling liquid (“refrigerant;” Paragraph [0064]);
the at least one cold plate (21) is positioned proximate to the at least one semiconductor device (11) and configured to at least partially dissipate heat using the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) from the at least one semiconductor device (11) during operation of the at least one semiconductor device (11; Fig. 2, Paragraphs [0064]).
Morozumi does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one cold plate is disposed within the die substrate.
Qu teaches at least a system (“semiconductor package,” (100); Figs. 1, 2A (enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 1); Paragraph [0020]) comprising:
At least one cold plate (“ducts,” (212); Fig. 2A, Paragraph [0021]) disposed within the die substrate (“module substrate,” (210); Paragraph [0021]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system of Morozumi with the teachings of Qu such that the cold plate is disposed within the die substrate. This is because integrating the cold plate into the substrate allows the cold plate to be beneath and closer to the semiconductor device. This has the added benefit of allowing the cold plate to remove heat via the bottom of the device, improving its functionality (Paragraph [0020]).
Regarding Claim 2, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 1, wherein the at least one cold plate (21) includes an enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel;” Paragraph [0064]) containing the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”).
Regarding Claim 3, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 2, wherein the enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel”) includes an inlet (“inlet protrusion,” (22); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0064]) and an outlet (“outlet protrusion,” (23); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0064]), wherein the inlet (22) is configured to allow inflow of the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) into the enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel”) and the outlet (23) is configured to allow outflow of the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) from the enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel”). (Paragraph [0064].)
Regarding Claim 4, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 3, wherein the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) is configured to circulate within the enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel;” Paragraph [0064]).
Regarding Claim 5, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 2, further comprising at least another semiconductor device (second “cooling-target device,” (11a); Annotated Fig. 1, Paragraph [0062]) positioned on the die substrate (10), the at least another semiconductor device (11a) is coupled (“set of two cooling-target devices;” Paragraph [0062]) to the at least one semiconductor device (11).
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Regarding Claim 7, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 5, wherein the at least one cold plate (21) is positioned proximate to the at least another semiconductor device (11a) and configured to at least partially dissipate heat from at least one of: the at least one semiconductor device (11) and the at least another semiconductor device (11a) during operation of at least one of: the at least one semiconductor device (11) and the at least another semiconductor device (11a). (Paragraph [0064]).
Regarding Claim 8, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 5. Morozumi as modified by Qu does not explicitly teach wherein the system of claim 5 further comprises at least another cold plate disposed within the die substrate, the at least another cold plate including another enclosed channel containing the cooling liquid;
the at least another cold plate is positioned proximate to the at least another semiconductor device and is configured to at least partially dissipate heat using the cooling liquid from the at least another semiconductor device during operation of the at least another semiconductor device.
A second embodiment of Morozumi teaches a system (“semiconductor module,” (100); Figs. 8 (top-view), 9 (cross-sectional side view), Paragraph [0089]) further comprising at least another cold plate (“heatsink unit,” (21b); Fig. 9, Paragraph [0092]), the at least another cold plate (21b) including another enclosed channel (“refrigerant flow channel;” Paragraph [0064]; Not restated regarding this embodiment but references an analogous heatsink unit 21) containing the cooling liquid (“refrigerant;” Paragraph [0095]);
the at least another cold plate (21b) is positioned proximate to the at least another semiconductor device (11a) and is configured to at least partially dissipate heat using the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) from the at least another semiconductor device (11a) during operation of the at least another semiconductor device (11a; Paragraph [0095]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify the system of Morozumi to include a second cold plate including a closed channel that can dissipate heat from the at least another semiconductor device. This is because having separate cold plates allows sections of the die substrate (10) to be attached separately. This has the added benefit of making the cold plate easier to attach to other components and reduces the time needed for manufacture (Paragraph [0094]). This breaks up the cold plate of Morozumi’ s first embodiment into multiple sections including a cold plate (21a) and an at least another cold plate including (21b). Morozumi as modified by Qu and the second embodiment of Morozumi additionally does not explicitly teach at least another cold plate disposed within the die substrate.
Qu further teaches at least a system (Qu, “semiconductor package,” (100); Figs. 1, 2A (enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 1); Paragraph [0020])) comprising at least another cold plate (second of “ducts,” (212); Fig. 2A, Paragraph [0021]) disposed within the die substrate (“module substrate,” (210); Paragraph [0021]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify the system of Morozumi with the additional teachings of Qu such that the at least another cold plate is disposed within the die substrate. This is because integrating the cold plate into the substrate allows the cold plate to be beneath and closer to the semiconductor device. This has the added benefit of allowing the cold plate to remove heat via the bottom of the device, improving its functionality (Paragraph [0020]).
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Regarding Claim 9, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi (second
embodiment), “semiconductor module,” (100); Figs. 8, 9, Paragraph [0089]) of claim 8.
Morozumi as modified by Qu does not explicitly teach wherein the another enclosed channel is
not connected to the enclosed channel.
Qu further teaches a system (Qu, “semiconductor package,” (100); Figs. 1, 2A, 3C (possible schematic view of a “microfluidic network” (300) in accordance with Fig. 1)); Paragraphs [0020 and 0025])) comprising: an enclosed channel (“microchannel,” (114a); Fig. 3c, Paragraph [0028]),
another enclosed channel (“microchannel,” (114b); Fig. 3c, Paragraph [0028]),wherein the another enclosed channel (114b) is not connected to the enclosed channel (114a).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify the system of Morozumi with the teachings of Qu such that the another enclosed channel is not connected to the enclosed channel. This is because having separate enclosed channels for coolant allows the channels to remove heat from respective semiconductor devices simultaneously (Paragraph [0028].
Regarding Claim 10, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi (second embodiment), “semiconductor module,” (100); Figs. 8 (top-view), 9 (cross-sectional side view), Paragraph [0089]) of claim 8, wherein the another enclosed channel (21b) is connected to the enclosed channel (21a), wherein the cooling liquid (“refrigerant”) is configured to circulate between the enclosed channel (21a) and the another enclosed channel (21b; Paragraph [0095]).
Regarding Claim 11, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 5, wherein the at least one cold plate (21) is positioned below (Fig. 2) at least one of: the at least one semiconductor device (11) and the at least another semiconductor device (11a).
Regarding Claim 12, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 5, wherein the at least one semiconductor device (11) includes a semiconductor switching device (“the cooling target devices 11 are reverse-conducting IGBTs (RC-IGBTs);” Paragraph [0063]).
Regarding Claim 13, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 12, wherein the semiconductor switching device (“RC-IGBT”) includes an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (“the cooling target devices 11 are reverse-conducting IGBTs (RC-IGBTs);” Paragraph [0063]).
Regarding Claim 14, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 12, wherein at least another semiconductor device (11a) is a diode (“a semiconductor chip having, formed therein, and RC-IGBT that serves both functions [of a transistor and of a diode] may be used;” Paragraph [0148]).
Regarding Claim 15, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 1, wherein the cold plate (21) is an electrically conductive cold plate (“includes […] copper […];” Paragraph [0064]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morozumi in view of Qu, and further in view of Saito et al. (JP 2023060675 A), hereinafter Saito. (Machine translation of Saito is provided and is used for citation purposes herein.)
Regarding Claim 6, Morozumi as modified by Qu teaches the system (Morozumi, (100); Figs. 1, 2, 19, Paragraph [0060]) of claim 5. Morozumi as modified by Qu does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one semiconductor device and the at least another semiconductor device are coupled using at least one of the following: a bond wire, a clip, and any combination thereof.
Saito teaches at least a system (“semiconductor package;” Fig. 2a, Paragraph [0018]) wherein the at least one semiconductor device (“semiconductor element,” (4a); Paragraph [0033]) and the at least another semiconductor device (“semiconductor element,” (4b); Paragraph [0033]) are coupled using at least one of the following: a bond wire (“bonding wires for connecting the chips;” Paragraph [0032]), a clip, and any combination thereof.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system of Morozumi as modified by Qu such that the at least one semiconductor device and the at least another semiconductor device are coupled using a bond wire. This is because connecting the devices via bond wires has the benefit of suppressing high-frequency vibration due to the resonance between the chips by using the mutual inductance of the bonding wires (Paragraph [0051]).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kearney in view of Hermida (US 20240118042 A1), hereinafter Hermida.
Regarding Claim 20, Kearney teaches the system (“power semiconductor module;” Figs. 5a
(simplified top-view), 5b (simplified side-view), 3 (simplified side-view of one island of 5b), Paragraph [0030]) of claim 16.
Kearney does not explicitly teach wherein the cooling liquid includes at least one of: a de-ionized water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, mineral oil, and any combinations thereof.
Hermida teaches a system (“heat exchanger device,” (1) “suitable for cooling […] one or more semiconductor device;” Figs. 1a, 1b, Paragraph [0133]) wherein the cooling liquid (“liquid coolant;” Paragraph [0139]) includes at least one of: a de-ionized water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, mineral oil, and any combinations thereof (“ethylene glycol-based antifreeze;” Paragraph [0040]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system of Kearney with the teachings of Hermida such that the cooling liquid includes ethylene glycol. This is because a coolant with heat exchanging properties is needed and including ethylene glycol-based antifreeze has the added benefit of preventing the coolant from freezing (Paragraph [0040]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nolan Stuessy whose telephone number is (571) 645-5843. The examiner can normally be reached week days 9:30 - 17:00 US Eastern Time.
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/NOLAN GABRIEL STUESSY/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
/DAVIENNE N MONBLEAU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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