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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/25/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-5, 10-13 and 24-25 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 2, lines 3-4 recite “the first rotational contact portion” and “the second rotational contact portion”. For clarity and consistency, lines 3-4 should recite “the first portion” and “the second portion”. Claim 3 depending from claim 2 is objected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 4, lines 3-4 recite “the rotational contact second portion” and “the rotational contact third portion”. For clarity and consistency, lines 3-4 should recite “the second portion” and “the third portion”. Claim 5 depending from claim 4 is objected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 10, lines 3-4 recite “the first rotational contact portion” and “the second rotational contact portion”. For clarity and consistency, lines 3-4 should recite “the first portion” and “the second portion”. Claim 11 depending from claim 10 is objected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 12, lines 3-4 recite “the rotational contact second portion” and “the rotational contact third portion”. For clarity and consistency, lines 3-4 should recite “the second portion” and “the third portion”. Claim 13 depending from claim 12 is objected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 24, line 3 recites “the first rotational contact portion” and “the second rotational contact portion”. For clarity and consistency, line 3 should recite “the first portion” and “the second portion”.
Regarding claim 25, lines 3-4 recite “the rotational contact second portion” and “the rotational contact third portion”. For clarity and consistency, lines 3-4 should recite “the second portion” and “the third portion”. Claim 5 depending from claim 4 is objected for the same reason.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-7, 9-15 and 17-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rathburn (US Pat. 5,947,749).
Regarding claim 1, Rathburn teaches a test socket for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), comprising: a socket body (54) configured to engage the semiconductor IC (38) and a load board (44) (as shown in fig. 2); an elastomer retainer (50) including a top surface (56) adjacent to said socket body (54) and configured to face the semiconductor IC (38) (as shown in fig. 2), and a bottom surface (58), opposite the top surface (56), configured to face a load board (44) (as shown in fig. 2), the elastomer retainer (50) defining a slot (60) extending from the top surface to the bottom surface (as shown in fig. 2); and a rotational contact (48a-48d) positioned in the slot (60), the rotational contact (48a-48d) configured to move between a free state and a pre-load state (as shown in fig. 5), and to move between the pre-load state and a loaded state (as shown in fig. 5), wherein said elastomer retainer (50) is configured to compress under a pre-load force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the free state to the pre-load state upon engagement of said socket body (54) with the load board (44) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), and compress under a loading force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the pre-load state to the loaded state upon engagement of said socket body (54) with the semiconductor IC (38) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), said rotational contact (48a-48d) comprises a curved portion (22) and a tail (18), wherein said curved portion (22) and said tail (18) comprise a concave inner surface (as shown in fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said socket body (54) defines a receptacle (110) into which the semiconductor IC (38) is configured to be set (as shown in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said elastomer retainer (50) is configured to compress under a force from said rotational contact (48a-48d) against said socket body (54) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 21, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said rotational contact (48a-48d) includes a first portion (16) having a tip (12), a second portion (14), and a third portion (18) having the tail, the first portion (16) extending from the second portion (14) in a first direction, the third portion (18) extending from the second portion (14) in a second direction opposite the first direction (as shown in fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 21, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said curved portion (22) comprises a first curved portion curving in a first curved direction and extending between the rotational contact second portion (14) and the rotational contact third portion (18) (as shown in fig. 1), wherein the tail (18) is configured to compress said elastomer retainer (50) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state and said concave inner surface is configured to contact said elastomer retainer (50) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 2, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 4, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said rotational contact (48a-48d) further comprises a second curved portion (12) curving in a second curved direction and extending between the first rotational contact portion (16) and the second rotational contact portion (14), the second curved direction is opposite the first curved direction (as shown in fig. 1), the tip (12) configured to engage a contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 3, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 2, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said tip (12) of said rotational contact (48a-48d) is configured to translate across the contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 5, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 4, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said tail (18) of said rotational contact (48a-48d) is configured to engage a printed circuit board (PCB) pad (46a-46d) of the load board (44) when in the pre-load state and the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3).
Regarding claim 9, Rathburn teaches a test system for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), the test system comprising: a load board (44); and a test socket comprising: a socket body (54) configured to engage the semiconductor IC (38) and a load board (44); an elastomer retainer (50) including a top surface (56) adjacent to said socket body (54) configured to face the semiconductor IC (38), and a bottom surface (58), opposite the top surface (56), configured to face said load board (44), the elastomer retainer (50) defining a slot (60) extending from the top surface (56) to the bottom surface (58); and a rotational contact (48a-48d) positioned in the slot (60), the rotational contact (48a-48d) configured to move between a free state and a pre-load state (as shown in fig. 5), and to move between the pre-load state and a loaded state (as shown in fig. 5), wherein said elastomer retainer (50) is configured to compress under a pre-load force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the free state to the pre-load state upon engagement of said socket body (54) with said load board (44) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), and compress under a loading force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the pre-load state to the loaded state upon engagement of said socket body (54) with the semiconductor IC (38) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), said rotational contact (48a-48d) comprises a concave surface (22) configured to rest on said elastomer retainer (50) (as shown in fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 9, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said socket body (54) defines a receptacle (110) into which the semiconductor IC (38) is configured to be set (as shown in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 15, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 9, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said elastomer retainer (50) is configured to compress under a force from said rotational contact (48a-48d) against said socket body (54) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 22, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 9, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said rotational contact (48a-48d) includes a first portion (16) having a tip (12), a second portion (14), and a third portion (18) having the tail, the first portion (16) extending from the second portion (14) in a first direction, the third portion (18) extending from the second portion (14) in a second direction opposite the first direction (as shown in fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 22, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein rotational contact (48a-48d) comprises a first curved portion (12) curving in a first curved direction and extending between the first rotational contact portion (16) and the second rotational contact portion (14) (as shown in fig. 1), said tip (12) configured to engage a contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 11, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 10, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said tip (12) of said rotational contact (48a-48d) is configured to translate across the contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 12, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 10, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said rotational contact (48a-48d) further comprises a second curved portion (12) curving in a second curved direction and extending between the rotational contact second portion (14) and the rotational contact third portion (18), wherein said tail (18) is at an end opposed the tip (12), the tail (18) and the concave inner surface are configured to compress said elastomer retainer (50) when said rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 13, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 12, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein said load board (44) comprises a PCB pad (46a-46d), and wherein said tail (18) of said rotational contact (48a-48d) is configured to engage said PCB pad (46a-46d) when in the pre-load state and the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3).
Regarding claim 9, Rathburn teaches a method for assembling a test system for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), said method comprising: positioning a socket body (54) configured to engage the semiconductor IC (38) and a load board (44) adjacent to a top surface (56) of an elastomer retainer (50), the top surface (56) configured to face the semiconductor IC (38), the elastomer retainer (50) further including a bottom surface (58), opposite the top surface (56), configured to face the load board (44), the elastomer retainer (50) defining a slot (60) extending from the top surface (56) to the bottom surface (58); and positioning a rotational contact (48a-48d) in the slot (60), the rotational contact (48a-48d) configured to move between a free state and a pre-load state (as shown in fig. 5), and to move between the pre-load state and a loaded state (as shown in fig. 5), wherein the elastomer retainer (50) is configured to compress under a pre-load force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the free state to the pre-load state upon engagement of the socket body (54) with the load board (44) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), and compress under a loading force from the rotational contact (48a-48d) when moving from the pre-load state to the loaded state upon engagement of the socket body (54) with the semiconductor IC (38) (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5), said rotational contact (48a-48d) comprises a concave surface configured to rest on said elastomer retainer (50) (as shown in fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 17, in addition, Rathburn teaches further comprising mounting the socket body (54) on the load board (44), wherein mounting the socket body (54) on the load board translates the rotational contact (48a-48d) toward the socket body (54) into the pre-load state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 19, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 18, in addition, Rathburn teaches further comprising setting the semiconductor IC (38) into the socket body (54), wherein setting the semiconductor IC (38) into the socket body (54) rotates the rotational contact (48a-48d) into the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 20, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 19, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein setting the semiconductor IC (38) into the socket body (54) translates a tip (12) of the rotational contact (48a-48d) across a contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) (as shown in fig. 2-3).
Regarding claim 23, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 17, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein the rotational contact (48a-48d) includes a first portion (16) having a tip, a second portion (14), and a third portion (18) having a tail, the first portion (16) extending from the second portion (14) in a first direction, the third portion (18) extending from the second portion (14) in a second direction opposite the first direction (as shown in fig. 1).
Regarding claim 24, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 23, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein the rotational contact (48a-48d) comprises a first curved portion (12) curving in a first curved direction and extending between the first rotational contact portion (16) and the second rotational contact portion (14) (as shown in fig. 1), the tip (12) engaging a contact pad (42a-42d) of the semiconductor IC (38) when the rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Regarding claim 25, Rathburn teaches the limitations of claim 24, in addition, Rathburn teaches wherein the rotational contact (48a-48d) further comprises a second curved portion (22) curving in a second curved direction and extending between the rotational contact second portion (14) and the rotational contact third portion (18) (as shown in fig. 1), wherein the tail (18) is at an end opposite the tip (12) (as shown in fig. 1), the tail (18) and the concave inner surface compress the elastomer retainer (50) when the rotational contact (48a-48d) moves from the pre-load state to the loaded state (as shown in fig. 2-3 and 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 8 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rathburn (US Pat. 5,947,749) in view of Osato et al. (US Pat. 7,771,220).
Regarding claims 8 and 16, Rathburn teaches all the limitations of claims 7 and 15.
Rathburn fails to specifically teach wherein said socket body includes an insert, and wherein said elastomer retainer defines a hole in the top surface configured to receive said insert to hold said elastomer retainer in place with respect to said socket body. However, Osato et al. teaches wherein said socket body (40) includes an insert (where 62 will be inserted), and wherein said elastomer retainer (34) defines a hole in the top surface configured to receive said insert to hold said elastomer retainer (34) in place with respect to said socket body (40) (as shown in fig. 1 and disclosed in col. 8, lines 3-11).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have the socket body include an insert, and wherein said elastomer retainer defines a hole in the top surface configured to receive said insert to hold said elastomer retainer in place with respect to said socket body as taught by Osato et al. with the invention of Rathburn in order to provide stabilize and secure all the test socket.
Conclusion
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/ROBERTO VELEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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