CTNF 18/737,817 CTNF 82842 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 12-151 AIA 26-51 12-51 Status of Claims Claims 1-20 are pending in this application. Information Disclosure Statement Acknowledgment is made that the information disclosure statement has been received and considered by the examiner. If the applicant is aware of any prior art or any other co-pending applications not already of record, he/she is reminded of his/her duty under 37 CFR 1.56 to disclose the same. Drawings There are no objections or rejections to the drawings. Specification 06-31 AIA The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. 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. 07-34-01 AIA Claim s 1-20 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, 15, and 18 each recite the limitation “vertically” or “vertical”. It is unclear what is meant by vertically. It is unclear what this limitation means when the device is rotated, or turned on its side. The examiner suggests the use of definite terms such as parallel and perpendicular, and reciting the direction with respect to other claim elements (e.g. perpendicular to the upper surface of the base structure). One of ordinary skill in the relevant art would not know what structures/steps are covered by the limitation. For these reasons, the claim is indefinite. Claims 3, 5, 9, 11, 18 and 19 each recite the limitation “horizontal” or “horizontally”. It is unclear what is meant by horizontally. It is unclear what this limitation means when the device is rotated, or turned on its side. The examiner suggests the use of definite terms such as parallel and perpendicular, and reciting the direction with respect to other claim elements (e.g. parallel to the upper surface of the base structure). One of ordinary skill in the relevant art would not know what structures/steps are covered by the limitation. For these reasons, the claim is indefinite. Claims 2-9 depend from rejected claim 1, include all limitations of claim 1 and therefore are rejected for the same reason. Claims 11-14 depend from rejected claim 10, include all limitations of claim 10 and therefore are rejected for the same reason. Claims 17-20 depend from rejected claim 16, include all limitations of claim 16 and therefore are rejected for the same reason. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-fti The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-fti Claim s 1-3, 6, 8-11 and 13-18 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US Patent Application Publication No 9,741,668) hereinafter referred to as Kim . Per Claim 1 Kim discloses a microelectronic device, (see figures 5C-D) comprising a semiconductor die (120) operatively coupled to a base structure (110); and an encapsulant (140) substantially surrounding the semiconductor die; and one or more recesses (145) vertically extending from an upper surface of the encapsulant to one or more locations at or proximate to an upper surface of the base structure (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 2 Kim discloses the device of claim 1, (see figures 5C-D) including where a lower boundary of the one or more recesses (145) is vertically positioned at an interface between the semiconductor die (120) and the base structure (110). (as shown in figures 5C-D) PNG media_image1.png 285 512 media_image1.png Greyscale Per Claim 3 Kim discloses the device of claim 1, (see figures 5C-D) including where the one or more recesses (145) are positioned outside of a horizontal area of the semiconductor die (120). (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 6 Kim discloses the device of claim 1, (see figures 5C-D) including a fill material (160) substantially filling at least one of the one or more recesses. (see figures 5D) Per Claim 8 Kim discloses the device of claim 1, (see figures 5C-D) including where one or more recesses individually exhibit a rectangular vertical cross-sectional shape or a triangular vertical cross-sectional shape. (see figures 5D) Per Claim 9 Kim discloses the device of claim 1, (see figures 5C-D) including where the one or more recesses are horizontally positioned outside of horizontal areas of conductive structures of the base structure and the semiconductor die. (see figures 5D) Per Claim 10 Kim discloses a electronic system device, (see figures 5C-D and 12B) comprising an input device (1350); an output device (1330); a processor device (1311) operably coupled to the input device and the output device (see figure 12B); and a memory device (1312) operably coupled to the processor device and comprising: a semiconductor die (120) coupled to a base structure (110); and an encapsulant (140) substantially surrounding the semiconductor die; and and a recess (145) defined in the encapsulant (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 11 Kim discloses the device of claim 10, (see figures 5C-D) including where the recess (145) is horizontally positioned outside of a horizontal area of the semiconductor die (120). (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 13 Kim discloses the device of claim 11, (see figures 5C-D) including where the recess (145) is partially defined by two sidewalls of the encapsulant that converge with one another at an angle. (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 14 Kim discloses the device of claim 13, (see figures 5C-D) including where the angle is within a range from about 1 degree to about 60 degrees. (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 15 Kim discloses the device of claim 10, (see figures 5C-D) including where the recess vertically extends to an upper surface of the base structure. (as shown in figures 5C-D) Per Claim 16 Kim discloses a method of forming a microelectronic device, (see figures 5C-D and 12B) the method comprising positioning a semiconductor die (120) over a substrate (as shown in figures 5C-D); encapsulating the semiconductor die in a first mold material (140); forming one or more recesses (145) in the first mold material; and heating the microelectronic device after forming the one or more recesses (column 4, lines 15-20). Per Claim 17 Kim discloses the device of claim 16, (see figures 5C-D) including filling at least one of the one or more recesses with a second mold (160) material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) different than a first CTE of the first mold material (connection terminal (160) is conducting, while the mold layer (140) is non conducting, therefore they inherently have a different CTE). Per Claim 18 Kim discloses the device of claim 16, (see figures 5C-D) including where forming one or more recesses (145) in the first mold material comprises forming at least one of the one or more recesses to be at least partially horizontally positioned outside of a horizontal area of the semiconductor die. (as shown in figures 5C-D) Allowable Subject Matter 07-43-02 AIA Claim s 4-5, 7, 12, 18 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Cited Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior art included on the Notice of References Cited (PTOL 892) attached herewith . The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMI VALENTINE MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-9786. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 7am-5pm. 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, Eva Montalvo can be reached on (571) 270-3829. 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. /Jami Valentine Miller/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 Application/Control Number: 18/737,817 Page 2 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 18/737,817 Page 4 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 18/737,817 Page 5 Art Unit: 2818 Application/Control Number: 18/737,817 Page 6 Art Unit: 2818
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