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 1-17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites: “an upper board electrically connected another end of the at least one pillar opposing an end of the at least one pillar that is electrically connected with the at least one lower board, the at least one upper board being electrically connected with the substrate; a pillar that extends between the lower board and the upper board. . . .”
There is no antecedent basis for the terms “the at least one pillar,” “the at least one lower board,” and “the at least one upper board.”
It is believed that this should be construed as: “an upper board electrically connected another end of a pillar opposing an end of the the pillar [[that]] extends between the lower board and the upper board. . . .”
In order to expedite prosecution, claim 1 is construed as such.
All claims that depend from claim 1 are objected to because they depend from an objected parent claim.
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 5-14 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.
The term “substantially parallel” in claim 5 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially parallel” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
In order to expedite prosecution, claim 5 is construed as how it might be interpreted by a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 12 recites the limitation: "an upper-board flat portion extending along a plane parallel or substantially to the upper surface of the substrate. . . ."
It is not clear what is meant by the term: “parallel or substantially to the upper surface. . . ."
In order to expedite prosecution, claim 12 is construed as: "an upper-board flat portion extending along a plane parallel
All claims that depend from claims 5 and 12 are rejected because they depend from a rejected parent claim.
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 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 1, 4-5, 8-9 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Hefei” (CN110767647A, Examiner’s note: the citations of Hefei are based on the English translation) in view of “Xiong” (US 2025/0286457).
Regarding claim 1, Hefei discloses 1. A power supply module comprising: a substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, middle, page 5, middle; the module power supply comprises the layer 201 is a substrate);
an electronic component provided on an upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the chip 202 is an electronic component provided on an upper surface of the layer 201);
a lower board electrically connected with the electronic component through the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 204 is a lower board electrically connected with the chip 202 through the layer 201);
an upper board electrically connected another end of a pillar opposing an end of the (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 207 is an upper board electrically connected another end of a pillar 205 opposing an end of the pillar 205 that is electrically connected with the layer 204, the layer 207 being electrically connected with the layer 201. Examiner’s note: see the claim objections above regarding the construction of this limitation.);
[[a]] the pillar [[that]] extends between the lower board and the upper board and that includes a first end electrically connected with the lower board and a second end electrically connected with the upper board (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the pillar 205 extends between the layer 204 and the layer 207 and that includes a first end electrically connected with the layer 204 and a second end electrically connected with the layer 207. Examiner’s note: see the claim objections above regarding the construction of this limitation.).
Hefei does not disclose a magnetic material provided around a periphery of the pillar.
Xiong discloses a magnetic material provided around a periphery of the pillar (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; the magnetic shaped core 31 is provided around a periphery of the copper post 51).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power supply module with Xiong’s magnetic material provided around a periphery of the pillar in order to provide an improved voltage regulator module by optimizing the structure and the size of the module, as suggested by Xiong at [0007]-[0008].
Regarding claim 4, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 4.
Xiong discloses 4. The module according to claim 1, wherein the lower board, the pillar, and the upper board define an inductor (Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 6, [0042], [0049]; the two inductors L are defined by the corresponding first copper posts 51 and the magnetic core assembly 30 collaboratively).
Regarding claim 5, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei discloses 5. The module according to claim 1, wherein the lower board is connected with the upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 204 is connected with the upper surface of the layer 201);
the lower board includes a lower-board rising portion extending upwards from the substrate, a lower-board bent portion located on an end of the lower-board rising portion, and a lower-board flat portion extending from the lower-board bent portion along a plane parallel or substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 204 includes a pillar 203 which is a lower-board rising portion extending upwards from the layer 201, a lower-board bent portion located on an end of the pillar 203, and a lower-board flat portion extending from the lower-board bent portion along a plane parallel or substantially parallel to the upper surface of the layer 201 Examiner’s note: see the 112 rejections above regarding the construction of this limitation.);
and an upper surface of the lower-board flat portion is connected with the first end of the one pillar (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; an upper surface of the lower-board flat portion is connected with the first end of the middle pillar 205).
Regarding claim 8, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 5, above.
Hefei discloses 8. The module according to claim 5, wherein a surface area of the lower-board flat portion is greater than a surface area of the lower-board rising portion (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; a surface area of the lower-board flat portion is greater than a surface area of the pillar 203).
Regarding claim 9, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 5, above.
Hefei discloses 9. The module according to one of claim 5, wherein a maximum height of the electronic component is the same as or smaller than a distance between a lower surface of the lower-board flat portion and the upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; a maximum height of the chip 202 is the same as or smaller than a distance between a lower surface of the lower-board flat portion and the upper surface of the layer 201).
Regarding claim 12, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 9, above.
Hefei discloses 12. The module according to claim 9, wherein the upper board includes: an upper-board flat portion extending along a plane parallel (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 207 includes: an upper-board flat portion extending along a plane parallel or substantially to the upper surface of the layer 201. Examiner’s note: see the 112 rejections above regarding the construction of this limitation.);
an upper-board bent portion provided on an end of the upper-board flat portion (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the pillar 205 and layer 207 forms an upper-board bent portion provided on an end of the upper-board flat portion);
and an upper-board rising portion extending from the upper-board bent portion and electrically connected to the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the pillar 205 is an upper-board rising portion extending from the upper-board bent portion and electrically connected to the layer 201).
Regarding claim 13, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 12, above.
Hefei discloses 13. The module according to claim 12, wherein a sum of the maximum height of the electronic component, a maximum thickness of the lower-board flat portion, and a maximum thickness of the pillar is the same as a total distance between a lower surface of the upper-board flat portion and the upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; a sum of the maximum height of the chip 202, a maximum thickness of the lower-board flat portion of the layer 204, and a maximum thickness of the pillar 205 is the same as a total distance between a lower surface of the upper-board flat portion of the layer 207 and the upper surface of the layer 201).
Regarding claim 14, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 12, above.
Hefei discloses 14. The module according to claim 12, wherein a total surface area of the upper-board flat portion is larger than a total surface area of the upper-board rising portion (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; a total surface area of the upper-board flat portion of the layer 207 is larger than a total surface area of the pillar 205).
Regarding claim 15, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 15.
Xiong discloses 15. The module according to claim 1, wherein the pillar has a cylindrical shape (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; the copper post 51 has a cylindrical shape).
Regarding claim 16, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 16.
Xiong discloses 16. The module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component includes a field-effect transistor (Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 6, [0042]; the switch element is a driver and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor).
Regarding claim 17, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei discloses 17. The module according to claim 1, further comprising an additional pillar, wherein the pillar and the additional pillar are arranged in a straight line which extends in a direction that crosses an extending direction of the lower board (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the pillars 205 are arranged in a straight line which extends in a direction that crosses an extending direction of the layer 204).
Regarding claim 18, Hefei discloses 18. A power supply module comprising: a first substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, middle, page 5, middle; the module power supply comprises the layer 201 is a substrate);
a first electronic component provided on an upper surface of the first substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the chip 202 is an electronic component provided on an upper surface of the layer 201);
a first lower board electrically connected with the first electronic component through the first substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 204 is a lower board electrically connected with the chip 202 through the layer 201);
a first upper board electrically connected with the first substrate (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the layer 207 is an upper board electrically connected another end of a pillar 205 opposing an end of the pillar 205 that is electrically connected with the layer 204, the layer 207 being electrically connected with the layer 201);
a first pillar that extends between the first lower board and the first upper board and that includes: a first end electrically connected with the first lower board; and a second end electrically connected with the first upper board (Fig. 2, page 5, middle; the pillar 205 extends between the layer 204 and the layer 207 and that includes a first end electrically connected with the layer 204 and a second end electrically connected with the layer 207).
Hefei does not disclose a second substrate; a first magnetic material provided around the first pillar; a second electronic component provided on an upper surface of the second substrate; a second lower board electrically connected with the second electronic component through the second substrate; a second upper board electrically connected with the second substrate; a second pillar that extends between the second lower board and the second upper board and that includes: a first end electrically connected with the second lower board; and a second end electrically connected with the second upper board; and a second magnetic material provided around the second pillar; wherein the first lower board, the first pillar, the first upper board, the second lower board, the second pillar, and the second upper board are magnetically connected together.
Xiong discloses a second substrate; a first magnetic material provided around the first pillar (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; each module 2 in Figs. 3 and 6 includes a printed circuit board 22 which is a substrate; the magnetic shaped core 31 is provided around a periphery of the copper post 51);
wherein the first lower board, the first pillar, the first upper board, the second lower board, the second pillar, and the second upper board are magnetically connected together (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; each of the modules in Fig. 6 are magnetically connected together);
a second pillar; and a second magnetic material provided around the second pillar (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; the magnetic shaped core 31 is provided around a periphery of each of the copper posts 51).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power supply module, as modified by Xiong, with duplicating the second electronic component, a second lower board, a second upper board and a second pillar and its respective configuration, since Xiong teaches having a plurality of modules, with each module being a duplication of electronic components, boards, substrates and pillars. Furthermore, it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 19, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 18, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 19.
Xiong discloses 19. The module according to claim 18, wherein the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are fixed together (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; the first and second magnetic shaped core 31 are fixed together).
Regarding claim 20, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 19, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 20.
Xiong discloses 20. The module according to claim 19, wherein the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are provided together as a single monolithic member (Figs. 3B, 3C, 6, [0045], [0049]; the first and second magnetic shaped core 31 are provided together as a single monolithic member).
Claims 2-3 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hefei in view of Xiong and “Watanabe“ (US 2024/0164066).
Regarding claim 2, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 2.
Watanabe discloses 2. The module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is thermally connected with the lower board (Figs. 1-4, [0025]; the thermal conductive material 6 fills a space between the electronic component 5 and the base member 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power module, as modified by Xiong, with Watanabe’s thermal conductive material in order to provide for a heat dissipation structure for dissipating heat generated from an electronic component, as suggested by Watanabe at [0025].
Regarding claim 3, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 1, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 3.
Watanabe discloses 3. The module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is thermally connected with the lower board through a thermal conductive material (Figs. 1-4, [0025]; the thermal conductive material 6 fills a space between the electronic component 5 and the base member 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power module, as modified by Xiong, with Watanabe’s thermal conductive material in order to provide for a heat dissipation structure for dissipating heat generated from an electronic component, as suggested by Watanabe at [0025].
Regarding claim 6, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 5, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 6.
Watanabe discloses 6. The module according to claim 5, wherein an upper surface of the electronic component is thermally connected with a lower surface of the lower-board flat portion (Figs. 1-4, [0025]; the thermal conductive material 6 fills a space between the electronic component 5 and the base member 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power module, as modified by Xiong, with Watanabe’s thermal conductive material in order to provide for a heat dissipation structure for dissipating heat generated from an electronic component, as suggested by Watanabe at [0025].
Regarding claim 7, Hefei in view of Xiong and Watanabe discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 6, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 7.
Watanabe discloses 7. The module according to claim 6, wherein thermally conductive material is provided between the upper surface of the electronic component and the lower surface of the lower-board flat portion (Figs. 1-4, [0025]; the thermal conductive material 6 fills a space between the electronic component 5 and the base member 1).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hefei in view of Xiong and “Xiang“ (US 2022/0223510).
Regarding claim 10, Hefei in view of Xiong discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 9, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 10.
Xiang discloses 10. The module according to claim 9, wherein the electronic component is at least partially molded in a resin material (Fig. 7, [0073]; the electronic component 112 is encapsulated in and is at least partially molded in the resin material 113).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have constructed Hefei’s power module, as modified by Xiong, with Xiang’s electronic component being at least partially molded in a molding resin in order to improve a heat dissipation capability of the embedded packaging structure, as suggested by Xiang at [0044].
Regarding claim 11, Hefei in view of Xiong and Xiang discloses the claimed invention as applied to claim 10, above.
Hefei does not disclose the limitations of claim 11.
Xiang discloses 11. The module according to claim 10, wherein a maximum height of the resin material is the same or smaller than the distance between the lower surface of the lower-board flat portion and the upper surface of the substrate (Fig. 7, [0073]; a maximum height of the resin material 113 is the same or smaller than the distance between the lower surface of the lower-board flat portion and the upper surface of the substrate).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STANLEY TSO whose telephone number is (571)270-0723. The examiner can normally be reached Tu-Thurs 6am-6pm, alt M 6am-2pm.
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/STANLEY TSO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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