Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 18/697,985

Semiconductor Device and Manufacturing Method Therefor

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Apr 02, 2024
Priority
Nov 05, 2021 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2021040752
Examiner
HO, ANTHONY
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
91%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 91% — above average
91%
Career Allowance Rate
1045 granted / 1149 resolved
+30.9% vs TC avg
Minimal +2% lift
Without
With
+2.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
1172
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.6%
-37.4% vs TC avg
§103
36.0%
-4.0% vs TC avg
§102
36.8%
-3.2% vs TC avg
§112
16.5%
-23.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1149 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Group 1, claims 1-3, in the reply filed on June 22, 2026 is acknowledged. Accordingly, claims 4-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on June 22, 2026. 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. Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al (US Pub 2020/0135710). Kim et al discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a wiring layer (i.e. 110) in which wiring is formed; a semiconductor chip (i.e. 120a, 120b) disposed on the wiring layer; an integrated circuit (i.e. first to third memory dies) formed on a main surface of the semiconductor chip, the main surface facing a side of the wiring layer, and connected to the wiring; a heat transport layer (i.e. 130) formed on a surface of the semiconductor chip on which the integrated circuit is not formed, and further including a heat transporter including an extending portion extending on the wiring layer and formed on the semiconductor chip; a molding resin layer (i.e. 150) made of a molding resin for molding the semiconductor chip covered with the heat transport layer on the wiring layer; a heat dissipation plate (i.e. 160) formed on the molding resin layer; and a heat transport structure (i.e. 142) formed to penetrate the molding resin layer, and including a heat transporter that thermally connects the extending portion of the heat transport layer and the heat dissipation plate (i.e. see at least Figures 13 and 31; paragraphs 0085-0093, 0138-0140). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2 and 3 are 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY HO whose telephone number is (571)270-1432. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM, Monday-Friday. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at 571-272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANTHONY HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 02, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 22, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME
2y 10m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12701886
DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 8m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Patent 12696679
FULLERENE DERIVATIVE AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREFOR
3y 2m to grant Granted Jul 28, 2026
Patent 12694190
LAYOUT METHOD AND SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE FOR IC
2y 6m to grant Granted Jul 28, 2026
Patent 12696506
SILICON CARBIDE WAFER AND SILICON CARBIDE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME
2y 10m to grant Granted Jul 28, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
91%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+2.4%)
2y 3m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1149 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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