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 Objections
Claims 1 and 21 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 21 respectively recite “a first portion”. No “second portion” has been subsequently claimed. This limitation should read --an extending portion--, thereby clearly reading on Figs. 1 and 16 of the invention.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-21 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 1 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: a first substrate mounted on the grounding layer of the antenna, a radio frequency (RF) semiconductor die mounted on the first substrate, and the RF semiconductor die being electrically connected to the antenna layer through a connecting line.
Claims 1 and 21 respectively reciting “an antenna” to merely include “an antenna substrate”, “an antenna layer”, “a grounding layer” and “a first conductive feature” are indefinite, since it’s unclear how “an antenna” is obtained absent any feed or excitation line, or any electrically interconnected elements. In other words, it’s NOT understood how do these recited (mechanical) elements form “an antenna”.
The spec. discloses, e.g., in ¶ 113 of the printed publication:
[0113] The electronic module 350 is mounted on the first substrate 201 and opposite to the grounding layer 220A. In some embodiments, the electronic module 350 includes the semiconductor die 340, a molding compound 344 and at least one conductive bump structure 345. The semiconductor die 340 is electrically connected to the antenna layer 210 through the connecting line 346. In some embodiments, the connecting line 346 is formed by the electrical routings of the antenna substrate 200A and the first substrate 201. In some embodiments, the connecting line 346 is formed passing through the antenna substrate 200A, a through hole 221 of the grounding layer 220A and the first substrate 201. In addition, the through hole 221 is filled with a dielectric material 223 that is the same or similar to the dielectric material of the antenna substrate 200A and the first substrate 201. Therefore, a portion of the connecting line 346 passing through the through hole 221 may be spaced apart from the grounding layer 220A by the dielectric material 223. As shown in FIG. 16A, the semiconductor die 340 is electrically connected to the connecting line 346 through the conductive bump structures 345. In some embodiments, the semiconductor die 340 is, for example, a radio frequency (RF) die.
As such, it appears that a semiconductor die electrically connected to the antenna layer using a connecting line are essential features of the invention, absent which the antenna cannot operate as its intended purpose, which is to provide multi band operation in mm-wave frequencies (see e.g., ¶ 47 of the printed publication).
Claims 1 and 21 respectively reciting “the angle” are indefinite for lacking antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as --an angle--.
Claims 2-20 are rejected for depending on claim 1.
In view of the aforementioned, scope of claims 1 and 21 cannot be ascertained.
Nevertheless, there should be a clear recitation of interrelated structure in order to provide a complete and operable antenna (package).
The following claim, drafted by the examiner and considered to distinguish patentably over the art of record in this application, is presented to applicant for consideration:
1. (Currently Amended) An antenna, comprising:
an antenna substrate having a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface;
an antenna layer disposed on the top surface of the antenna substrate;
a grounding layer disposed on the bottom surface of the antenna substrate;
a first conductive feature embedded in the antenna substrate and close to a first edge of the antenna layer, wherein the first conductive feature and the grounding layer are spaced apart by a part of the antenna substrate, and the first conductive feature comprises an extending an angle between the extending portion or an extended line of the extending portion and the top surface of the antenna substrate is greater than 0 degree[[s]] and less than 180 degrees[[.]];
a first substrate mounted on the grounding layer of the antenna; and
a radio frequency (RF) semiconductor die mounted on the first substrate;
wherein the RF semiconductor die is electrically connected to the antenna layer through a connecting line.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Edwards (US 11139588)
Thyagarajan (US 11431096)
Ueki (US 8098203)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HASAN ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1719. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 9AM-7PM EST.
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/HASAN ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845