DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to an application that was filed on 05/23/2024. Claims 1-13 are presented for examination consideration.
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 § 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa et al. (US20070221399A1 and Nishizawa hereinafter), in view of Yazaki et al. (US20190363030A1 and Yazaki hereinafter, cited in the 05/23/2024 IDS and family member cited in the 12/27/2022 International Search Report), and as motivated by Kaeriyama (US20120062040A1 and Kaeriyama hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Nishizawa discloses a module (item 10 of Fig. 1A and ¶[0054] shows and indicates module 10 {electronic component 10}) comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other (item 13A of Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows and indicates first substrate 13A {flat ceramic member 13A} having first surface 13A-top {top surface of flat ceramic member 13A} and second surface 13A-bottom {bottom surface of flat ceramic member 13A} facing away from each other); and a second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface facing away from each other (item 11A of Fig. 1A and ¶[0055] shows and indicates second substrate 11A {ceramic layers 11A} having third surface 11A-top {top surface of ceramic layers 11A} and fourth surface 11A-bottom {bottom surface of ceramic layers 11A} facing away from each other), wherein the second substrate is disposed to overlap the first substrate with the third surface facing the first substrate while the second substrate is spaced from the first substrate on a side of the second surface of the first substrate (items 13B, 12 of Fig. 1A and ¶[0055 & 0057] shows and indicates where second substrate 11A is disposed to overlap first substrate 13A with third surface 11A-top facing first substrate 13A while second substrate 11A is spaced from first substrate 13A by the cavity formed between the two columnar metal leg portions 13B to accommodate the surface mount devices 12 formed on the side of second surface 13A-bottom of first substrate 13A), the first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected (Fig. 1A and ¶[0055 & 0057] shows and indicates where first substrate 13A and second substrate 11A are electrically connected through the two columnar metal leg portions 13B), an inductor is mounted on the third surface (item 12B of Fig. 1A and ¶[0056] shows and indicates inductor 12B {chip-like passive electronic component inductor 12B} is mounted on third surface 11A-top), and at least one shield electrode is fixed to the first substrate with the shield electrode being positioned so as to cross a path of a magnetic flux emitted by the inductor, and each of the at least one shield electrode is grounded (items 13C, 13D, 13B, 11 of Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows and indicates shield electrode 13C_13D_13B {shield electrode formed by the structures of the shield electrode layer 13C and via conductors 13D connected to columnar metal leg portions 13B} is fixed to first substrate 13A; where it is interpreted that shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is positioned so as to cross a path of the magnetic flux emitted by inductor 12B; and where shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is grounded {shield electrode layer 13C is preferably grounded to a ground electrode provided at the wiring board 11 through the columnar metal leg portions 13B}).
Nishizawa discloses the claimed invention except to explicitly disclose wherein shield electrode is fixed to the first substrate with the shield electrode being positioned so as to cross a path of a magnetic flux emitted by the inductor.
Yazaki discloses wherein shield electrode is fixed to the first substrate with the shield electrode being positioned so as to cross a path of a magnetic flux emitted by the inductor (items 40, 10R, 650, 600 of Fig. 19 and ¶[0183_0185 & 0189] shows and indicates where shield electrode 10R {shield plate 10R} is fixed to first substrate 40 {sealing resin 40} with shield electrode 10R being positioned so as to cross a path of magnetic flux 650 emitted by inductor 600).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein shield electrode is fixed to the first substrate with the shield electrode being positioned so as to cross a path of a magnetic flux emitted by the inductor into the structure of Nishizawa. One would have been motivated in the module of Nishizawa and have the shield electrode be fixed to the first substrate with the shield electrode being positioned so as to cross the path of a magnetic flux emitted by the inductor, in order to design the required shield plate that is able to efficiently block noise created by the magnetic flux emitted by the inductor of various frequencies and efficiently transfer the noise to the ground thereby enhancing the shielding characteristics to improve the characteristics of surrounding electronic components, as inferred by Yazaki in ¶[0006_0015 & 0022-0023], and as motivated by Kaeriyama in Fig. 9 and ¶[0104], where electromagnetic shielding interconnect pattern 404 suppresses the magnetic flux from inductors 310 & 320 from generating noise in circuit 100, in the module of Nishizawa.
Regarding claim 2, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the inductor is disposed such that the magnetic flux emitted by the inductor is perpendicular to the third surface, and the at least one shield electrode is disposed to cover a part of the second surface (Yazaki: items 21, 201 of Fig. 19 and ¶[0182-0183 & 0185] shows where inductor 600 is disposed such that the magnetic flux direction that is emitted by inductor 600 is perpendicular to third surface 21_201 {first main surface 201 of the LTCC substrate 21}; Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows where shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is disposed to cover part of second surface 13A-bottom).
Regarding claim 3, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the inductor is disposed such that the magnetic flux emitted by the inductor is parallel to the third surface, and the at least one shield electrode is disposed to stand vertically on the second surface (Yazaki: items 21, 201 of Fig. 19 and ¶[0182-0183 & 0185] shows where inductor 600 is disposed such that the magnetic flux direction that is emitted by inductor 600 is parallel to third surface 21_201 {first main surface 201 of the LTCC substrate 21}; Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows where shield electrode 13D_13B section of shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is disposed to stand vertically on second surface 13A-bottom).
Regarding claim 4, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the at least one shield electrode is at least one columnar conductor disposed to connect the first substrate and the second substrate (Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows where shield electrode 13B section of shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is columnar conductor disposed to connect first substrate 13A and second substrate 11A).
Regarding claim 5, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the at least one shield electrode is a plurality of strip-shaped conductors disposed in parallel with each other (Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows where shield electrode 13D_13B section of shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is a plurality of strip-shaped conductors disposed in parallel with each other).
Regarding claim 7, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the at least one shield electrode is a plurality of columnar conductors disposed in parallel with each other, and the plurality of columnar conductors are disposed along two parallel side surfaces of the inductor from which the magnetic flux is emitted (Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0057] shows where shield electrode 13B section of shield electrode 13C_13D_13B is a plurality of columnar conductor that are disposed in parallel with each other; and where the plurality of columnar conductors are disposed along two parallel side surfaces of inductor 12B; and where it is understood and interpreted that the plurality of columnar conductors will be disposed along the two parallel side surfaces of inductor 12B from which the magnetic flux is emitted; Yazaki: item 201 of Fig. 19 and ¶[0182-0183 & 0185] shows where inductor 600 is disposed such that the direction of magnetic flux 650 that is emitted by the parallel side surfaces of inductor 600 will be in parallel to second surface 40_201 {surface 201 of sealing resin 40}).
Regarding claim 9, see the rejection of claim 5 above.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa in view of Yazaki (motivated by Kaeriyama), as detailed in the rejection of claim 1 above, and in further view of Kato et al. (JP2001267710A and Kato hereinafter, cited in the 05/23/2024 IDS and cited in the 12/27/2022 International Search Report).
Regarding claim 6, modified Nishizawa discloses a module, wherein the first substrate has a recessed portion in the second surface, and a part of an inductor enters the recessed portion (Nishizawa: Fig. 1A and ¶[0056-0057] shows and indicates where first substrate 13A, second surface 13A-bottom, and inductor 12B; Nishizawa: items 13A, 13C, 13G, 13H of Fig. 15A and ¶[0109-0110 & 0113-0114] shows and indicates an alternate embodiment where first substrate 13A has a recessed portion in second surface 13A-bottom, and a part of an inductor 13H {chip ceramic electronic component inductor 13H} enters the recessed portion; Yazaki: item 201 of Fig. 19 and ¶[0182-0183 & 0185] shows and indicates where first substrate 40, second surface 40_201 {surface 201 of sealing resin 40}, and inductor 600).
However, Nishizawa and Yazaki do not disclose wherein the first substrate has a recessed portion in the second surface, and a part of the component enters the recessed portion.
Kato discloses wherein the first substrate has a recessed portion in the second surface, and a part of the component enters the recessed portion (items 1a, 1b, 6, 7, 3c of Fig. 1 and ¶[0021-0022] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where first substrate 1a_1b {substrate formed from upper substrate 1a and middle substrate 1b} has recessed portion 6 {cavity 6} in the second surface 1a_1b_7 {surface of combined substrate of the upper substrate 1a and middle substrate 1b adjacent to the surface of the shield metal layer grounded electrode 7}; and where a part of the component 3c_6 {part of electronic components 3c in cavity 6} enters recessed portion 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the first substrate has a recessed portion in the second surface, and a part of the component enters the recessed portion into the structure of modified Nishizawa. One would have been motivated in the module of modified Nishizawa and have the first substrate have a recessed portion in the second surface, and a part of the component enters the recessed portion, in order for Nishizawa to provide an alternate embodiment with the shield electrode structure of the initial embodiment and accommodate a physically larger inductor component footprint, as shown in Fig. 1 and indicated in ¶[0021-0022] by Kato, in the module of modified Nishizawa.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa in view of Yazaki (motivated by Kaeriyama), as detailed in the rejection of claim 2 above, and in further view of Kato.
Regarding claim 10, see the 103 rejection of claim 6 above where the Nishizawa and Yazaki references are additional rejected in further view of the Kato reference.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa in view of Yazaki (motivated by Kaeriyama), as detailed in the rejection of claim 3 above, and in further view of Kato.
Regarding claim 11, see the 103 rejection of claim 6 above where the Nishizawa and Yazaki references are additional rejected in further view of the Kato reference.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa in view of Yazaki (motivated by Kaeriyama), as detailed in the rejection of claim 4 above, and in further view of Kato.
Regarding claim 12, see the 103 rejection of claim 6 above where the Nishizawa and Yazaki references are additional rejected in further view of the Kato reference.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishizawa in view of Yazaki (motivated by Kaeriyama), as detailed in the rejection of claim 5 above, and in further view of Kato.
Regarding claim 13, see the 103 rejection of claim 6 above where the Nishizawa and Yazaki references are additional rejected in further view of the Kato reference.
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:
Regarding claim 8, the primary reason for allowance is due to a module, further comprising: a signal line disposed to connect the first substrate and the second substrate; an intermediate sealing resin sealing a space between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a shield film covering at least a side surface of the intermediate sealing resin, wherein the signal line is sandwiched between the plurality of columnar conductors and the shield film.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1325. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847