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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the suction nozzle in claim 9 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 9 recites a suction nozzle configured to, in operation, engage with the semiconductor package by suctioning onto the semiconductor package.
However, The specification fail to provide adequate written description of the limitation “a suction nozzle configured to, in operation, engage with the semiconductor package by suctioning onto the semiconductor package.”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 8 and 10 - 20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As to claims 1 – 8, the prior art fails to show a fin structure coupled to the second thermal interface material, the fin structure including: a third side that is coupled to the second thermal interface material; a fourth side opposite to the third side and facing away from the second thermal interface material; a plurality of fins at the third side and protruding from the third side into the second thermal interface material; a plurality of recesses at the third side, the plurality of recesses are at least partially delimited by the plurality of fins, the plurality of recesses being filled with the second thermal interface material; and a plurality of pillars at the fourth side and protruding from the fourth side. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
As to claims 10 – 16, the prior art fails to show a fin structure coupled to the second thermal interface material, the fin structure including: a third side that is coupled to the second thermal interface material; a fourth side opposite to the third side and facing away from the second thermal interface material; a plurality of fins at the third side and protruding from the third side into the second thermal interface material; a plurality of recesses at the third side, the plurality of recesses are at partially delimited by the plurality of fins, the plurality of recesses being filled with the second thermal interface material; and a plurality of pillars at the fourth side and protruding from the fourth side; and a testing structure including: a socket base including a second guide structure, the second guide structure is configured to, in operation, engage with the first guide structure of the end effector structure; and one or more conductive testing structures configured to, in operation, be in electrical communication with one or more conductive structures of the semiconductor package, and the one or more conductive testing structures are configured to, in operation, provide an electrical pathway to the one or more conductive structures of the semiconductor package to test electrical structures and connections of the semiconductor package. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
As to claims 17 – 20, the prior art fails to show a plurality of fins at the first side and protruding from the first side, the plurality of fins are configured to be inserted into a thermal interface material; a plurality of recesses at the first side, the plurality of recesses are at least partially delimited by the plurality of fins, and the plurality of recesses are filled with the thermal interface material; and a plurality of pillars at the second side and protruding from the second side, the plurality of pillars being configured to be exposed to a coolant to dissipate heat from the plurality of pillars. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant s disclosure.
Yu et al. (12,300,575) is cited for its disclosure of a semiconductor package and method.
Tsai et al. (11,990,404) is cited for its disclosure of heat dissipation for semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture.
Williamson et al. (2009/0179657) is cited for its disclosure of a printed circuit board for coupling probes to a tester, and apparatus and test system using same.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REENA AURORA whose telephone number is (571)272-2263. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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, Lee Rodak can be reached at 5712705628. 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.
/REENA AURORA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858