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 .
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 1 – 27 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.
As to claim 1, applicant is claiming an integrated heater and cold plate. However, it is not clear what forms a cold plate and whether the cold plate constitutes one or more components that are defined as part of the integrated heater and cold plate or cold plate is a separate component.
Claims 2 - 27 are rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
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 – 4, 6 – 16 and 18 - 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JONES et al. (2024/0133946).
As to claim 1, JONES et al. (hereinafter JONES) discloses a thermal heads and corresponding test system for independently controlling a one or more components while testing one or more devices under test (DUT) ([0149], Fig. 14; The test system 1490 may comprise a thermal head and a socket.) comprising an integrated (150) heater (156, 1456) and cold plate (162, 1462), (Fig. 1B, 14) comprising: a heater ([0150], fig. 14; heater 1456); a base ([0150], fig. 1B, 14, adapters 130,1430); and a heat transfer geometry (162, 132) deposited directly on or permanently attached to the base ([0150], fig. 14; cold plates 1462 are attached to the adapters 1430, [0107], fig. 1B, 6B, cold plate comprises a plurality of fins) or the heater [0045] (Note Fig. 1B, 6B, 14).
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As to claim 2, JONES discloses that the heater (156, 1456) directly contacts the heat transfer geometry (130, 162, 132) ([0086], cold plate and adapter maybe on continuous material, [0107], plurality of fins may be integrated into the bottom plate of cold plate [0104], heater is directly attached to the adapter).
As to claim 3, JONES discloses that the thermal control system excludes air or a thermal interface material (TIM) between the heater (556) and the heat transfer geometry (130, 162, 132).
As to claim 4, JONES discloses that the heater (1456) is joined to the base (130, 1430) ([0045], [0150]).
As to claim 6, JONES discloses that the base (210) comprises a ceramic dielectric material (Fig. 2B, [0050]).
As to claims 7 - 10, JONES discloses that the base (430) comprises one or more metallization layers [0082].
As to claim 11, JONES discloses that the heat transfer geometry (162, 132, 662) comprises one or more rectangular fins (663), pin fins, or gyroid fins ( [0107, The cold plate 662 may be oriented such that its bottom surface 691 is located closest to a corresponding heater or adapter. The cold plate 662 comprises a plurality of fins 663. In some embodiments, the plurality of fins 663 may comprise fins that are long, rectangular fins or rounded pin fins. The plurality of fins 663 may be integrated into the bottom plate 675 and top plate 673.], fig. 6B, plurality of fins 663 may be rectangular of rounded pin.)
As to claim 12, JONES discloses that the heater (156, 1456) comprises a plurality of heating zones, wherein the heat transfer geometry is thermally coupled to multiple of the plurality of heating zones ([0059], [0070], [0150, A thermal controller may be configured to independently control the temperatures of the component 1402 A and component 1402B by way of the respective adapter 1430A or 1430B, heater 1456A or 1456B, and/or cold plate 1462A or 1462B. ], fig. 1B, 14, heaters and cold plates can be independently controlled).
As to claim 13, JONES discloses that the heater (156, 1456) comprises at least one heating zone, wherein the heat transfer geometry (162, 132, 1462) is thermally coupled to the at least one heating zone ([0059, The independent control may comprise one or more of: independent thermal control (e.g., using independent adapters, independent heaters, independent flow control, independent heat sinks, and/or independent cold plates), or independent force control (e.g., using independent force mechanisms). In this manner, the test system may provide different thermal control for different components of a device], [0070], [0150], fig. 14, heaters and cold plates can be independently controlled) (Fig. 1B and 14).
As to claim 14, JONES discloses that the heater (156, 1456) is attached to the base (130, 1430) through brazing, soldering, transient liquid phase bonding, sintering, adhesive bonding, or another permanent bonding process ([0104], heater is attached to the adapter. An attached heater results in better thermal coupling between the adapter, heater, and/or any intermediate layers).
As to claim 15, JONES discloses threaded studs or mechanical support structures (551, 553, 555, 557) affixed to the heater (556) by brazing, soldering, transient liquid phase bonding, sintering, adhesive bonding, or another permanent bonding process [0008], [0092].
As to claim 16, JONES discloses that the heater (556) comprises dielectric layers and conductive layers ([0106, heater may comprise a plurality of dielectric layers]).
As to claim 18, JONES discloses that the heater (556) comprises a plurality of independently controlled heating zones [0095], [0097].
As to claim 19, JONES discloses that the heater (156) is coupled to a thermal controller (130), wherein the thermal controller (130) controls (158) the heater (156) by controlling an electrical power supplied to the heater ([0043], [0048]).
As to claim 20, JONES discloses that the heater (156) is capable of being independently controlled (158) separately from the cold plate (162) ([0070], [0071]).
As to claims 21 - 22, JONES discloses that the heater and the cold plate are controlled by a thermal controller ([0057], processor 804 controls flow of cooling fluid and energization of heating elements).
As to claim 23, JONES discloses that the cold plate (162) comprises a plurality of independently controlled (158) cooling zones [0043].
As to claim 24, JONES discloses that the cold plate (462, Fig. 4) is controlled by a thermal controller (469), wherein the thermal controller (469) controls a coolant fluid flowing through the cold plate, adjust temperature of the one or more cold plate by adjusting a flow rate of a liquid [0009, the one or more thermal controllers set, adjust, or maintain temperatures of the one or more cold plates by setting, adjusting, or maintaining a flow rate or temperature of a liquid or a gas associated with the one or more cold plates], [0084].
As to claim 25, JONES discloses that the heater is configured to support a thermal interface material ((TIM) [0067], a TIM layer 322 may be located on at least one side of an adapter and/or a heater. The TIM layer 322 may be located between an adapter and a device (such as TIM layer 322A located between adapter 33OA and component 3O3A), between a heater and a device (such as TIM layer 322B located between heater 356B and component 302A)).
As to claim 26, JONES discloses that the TIM (722, Fig. 7B) comprises a liquid TIM [0110, The TIM layer 722 may be formed using any technique, such as dispensing a liquid TIM 722 on a component or device, as shown in the example of FIG. 7B. Using a liquid TIM may help minimize gaps between an adapter and a component] or a gas TIM.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JONES et al. (2024/0133946) in view of Mamchik et al. (2022/0196728).
As to claim 5, JONES fails to explicitly disclose that the base is a substrate of the heater. Mamchik et al. (hereinafter Mamchik) discloses heat sink with embedded heater wherein the base (201) is a substrate of the heater (120) (Fig. 2E, wafer substrate 201 is a substrate of heating elements 120 [0036]; wafer substrate 201 comprises SiC). Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of JONES in view of the teachings of Mamchik wherein the base is a substrate of the heater would result in receiving metallization for formation of an embedded heating element.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JONES et al. (2024/0133946) in view of Wigen et al. (11,237,031).
As to claim 17, JONES fails to explicitly disclose the dielectric layers comprise aluminum nitride (AIN). Wigen et al. (hereinafter Wigen) discloses a heater with a dielectric layer wherein the dielectric layers comprise aluminum nitride (AIN). Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of JONES in view of the teachings of Wigen to include aluminum nitride as a dielectric layer as it has high thermal conductivity based on the heating needs of a given region.
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JONES et al. (2024/0133946) in view of Walczyk et al. (11,592,472).
As to claim 27, JONES fails to explicitly disclose that the gas TIM includes helium. Walczyk et al. (hereinafter Walczyk) discloses an apparatus for testing integrated circuits wherein the gas TIM (205) includes helium (Col. 9, lines 10 – 13 ). Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of JONES in view of the teachings of Walczyk to include helium as gas TIM to improve heat transfer as helium is a thermally conductive gas.
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant s disclosure.
Iyengar et al. (11,990,386) is cited for its disclosure of methods and heat distribution devices for thermal management of chip assemblies.
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.
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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.
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/REENA AURORA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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