CTNF 18/769,818 CTNF 89745 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 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. 07-15 AIA Claims 1-3 a nd 5-7 are reje cted under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1 ) as b eing anti cipated by Silva (US 5,682,297). Re claim 1: Silva discloses A circuit board (PC board 22 in figs. 3-7) , comprising: a first mounting area (TCP footprint formed by land patterns 18(a)-(d) in figs. 3, 5(a)) to which a first electronic part having at least a first function (TCP type microprocessor package 40 in fig. 7; col. 1, lines 40-50) is mountable; and a second mounting area (PGA footprint formed by pin receptors 16 in figs. 3, 5(a)) to which a second electronic part having higher heat dissipation than the first electronic part (PGA type microprocessor package 38 in fig. 6; the PGA package, being larger and capable of receiving a heat sink directly on its dorsal surface, has higher heat dissipation than the thinner TCP package — col. 4, lines 30-50) and at least the first function is mountable (both PGA and TCP packages service the same microprocessor function such as an Intel p5c or 486; col. 1, lines 20-30; col. 3, lines 1-10) , wherein the first mounting area is provided on a first mounting surface of the circuit board (col. 4, lines 1-10: "construct the TCP portion of the dual footprint 14 on one side of a PC board 22") , wherein the second mounting area is provided on a second mounting surface of the circuit board, the second mounting surface being different from the first mounting surface (col. 4, lines 1-10: "construct the PGA portion of the dual footprint 14 on the opposite side of the PC board 22") , and wherein heat dissipation of the first mounting surface is higher than heat dissipation of the second mounting surface (fig. 7; col. 4, lines 30-50: the first mounting surface (TCP side) is provided with heat pad 28 comprising 169 copper plated through-holes 36 tied to internal ground layers and a heat sink 34 on the opposite face of the board, providing a high-conductivity heat path away from the first mounting surface; the second mounting surface, lacking this through-board heat path, has lower heat dissipation) . Re claim 2: Silva further discloses wherein the circuit board is mounted to a predetermined apparatus, and wherein a distance between the first mounting surface and a surface of the apparatus that faces the first mounting area is larger than a distance between the second mounting surface and a surface of the apparatus that faces the second mounting area (fig. 7; the heat sink 34 occupies the space between the second mounting surface and the apparatus housing, while the first mounting surface (carrying the thinner TCP package 40) has the larger clearance from the apparatus surface above) . Re claim 3: Silva further discloses wherein a package size of the first electronic part is smaller than a package size of the second electronic part (fig. 7 vs. fig. 6; the TCP package 40 is thinner and smaller than the PGA package 38; col. 1, lines 40-55) , and an area of the first mounting area is smaller than an area of the second mounting area (figs. 3, 5(a); col. 3, lines 30-45: "the TCP portion of the dual footprint 14 is contained within a perimeter region of the PGA portion of the dual footprint 14") . Re claim 5: Silva further discloses wherein the circuit board has a via connecting an output signal line of the first electronic part to an output signal line of the second electronic part (figs. 3-4, 5(a)-(b); col. 3, lines 5-20: "selected ones of the pin receptors 16 and conductor trace segments 24 are interconnected by a plurality of conductor traces (or etches) 26 and vias 20" — the vias 20 connect the trace segments 24 of the TCP footprint to the pin receptors 16 of the PGA footprint, thereby connecting the output signal lines of the TCP and PGA packages) . Re claim 6: Silva further discloses wherein a connector to which the output signal line of the first electronic part is connected is provided on the first mounting surface (figs. 3, 5(a); the conductor trace segments 24 of the TCP footprint on the first mounting surface serve as connectors to which the output signal lines of the TCP package are connected by ho t bar bonding — col. 4, lines 20-30) . Re claim 7: Silva further discloses wherein the circuit board has a multilayer structure (figs. 3-4 and 5(a)-(b) are described as "two distinct board layers within a single PC board 22" — col. 3, lines 10-25) , and the first mounting area is provided on one outermost layer and the second mounting area is provided on the other outermost layer (col. 4, lines 1-10: TCP footprint on one side of the PC board and PGA footprint on the opposite side of the PC board) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Silva (US 5,682,297) in view of Chen (US 2006/0256520) . Re claim 4: Silva does not explicitly disclose a fan configured to ventilate the first mounting surface. Chen discloses an electronic device having a circuit board (circuit board in fig. 1; para. 0014) and further comprising a fan (fan in fig. 1; para. 0014) configured to ventilate the surface of the circuit board on which the heat-generating electronic component is mounted (fig. 1; paras. 0014-0015: the fan abuts the first heat dissipation module disposed on the CPU and provides cooling airflow across the mounting surface) . Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit board of Silva to further comprise a fan configured to ventilate the first mounting surface as taught by Chen, in order to enhance heat removal from the first mounting surface and thereby further increase the heat dissipation differential between the first and second mounting surfaces that Silva already establishes through the heat pad and heat sink arrangement of fig. 7 . 07-21-aia AIA Claims 8- 10 and 12-14 are re jected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Si lva (US 5,682,297) in view of EOM (US 2013/0223868). Re claim 8: Silva does not explicitly disclose the image forming apparatus comprising the circuit board and an image forming part configured to be controlled by one of the first electronic part and the second electronic part, which is mounted on the circuit board. EOM discloses the image forming apparatus (everything in fig. 3; para. 0041) comprising the circuit board (420 in fig. 3) and an image forming part (200 in fig. 3) configured to be controlled by one of the first electronic part (421 in fig. 3; para. 0064) and the second electronic part, which is mounted on the circuit board (fig. 3) . Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention the image forming apparatus comprising the circuit board and an image forming part configured to be controlled by one of the first electronic part and the second electronic part, which is mounted on the circuit board taught by EOM, in order to provide manufacturing flexibility in the supply and selection of the controlling microprocessor for the image forming apparatus. Re claim 9: Silva discloses a circuit board (PC board 22 in figs. 3-7) including: a first mounting area (TCP footprint in figs. 3, 5(a)) to which a first electronic part having at least a first function (TCP type microprocessor package 40 in fig. 7) is mountable; and a second mounting area (PGA footprint in figs. 3, 5(a)) to which a second electronic part having at least the first function ( PGA type microprocessor package 38 in fig. 6; both packages service the same microprocessor function — col. 1, lines 20-30) is mountable, wherein the first mounting area is provided on a first mounting surface of the circuit board (fig. 6, 7; col. 4, lines 1-10) , wherein the second mounting area is provided on a second mounting surface of the circuit board, the second mounting surface being different from the first mounting surface (fig. 6, 7; col. 4, lines 1-10) , and wherein an area of the first mounting area is smaller than an area of the second mounting area (figs. 3, 5(a); col. 3, lines 30-45: "the TCP portion of the dual footprint 14 is contained within a perimeter region of the PGA portion of the dual footprint 14") . Silva does not explicitly disclose an image forming apparatus comprising the circuit board and a support member configured to support the circuit board, wherein the circuit board is supported by the support member so that the second mounting surface faces the support member. EOM discloses an image forming apparatus ( everything in fig. 3; para. 0041) comprising a circuit board (420 in fig. 3) and a support member (300 in fig. 3) configured to support the circuit board (fig. 3) , wherein the circuit board is supported by the support member so that the mounting surface of the circuit board faces the support member (420 is supported by 300 so that the top surface of 420 faces 300 in fig. 3) . Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Silva such that the image forming apparatus comprising the circuit board and a support member configured to support the circuit board, wherein the circuit board is supported by the support member so that the second mounting surface faces the support member as taught by EOM, in order to provide structural support to the circuit board. Re claim 10: The combination of Silva and EOM further teaches wherein a package size of the first electronic part is smaller than a package size of the second electronic part (Silva, fig. 7 vs. fig. 6; the TCP package 40 is thinner and smaller than the PGA package 38) . Re claim 12: The combination of Silva and EOM further discloses wherein the image forming apparatus has a via connecting an output signal line of the first electronic part to an output signal line of the second electronic part (Silva, figs. 3-4, 5(a)-(b); col. 3, lines 5-20: "selected ones of the pin receptors 16 and conductor trace segments 24 are interconnected by a plurality of conductor traces (or etches) 26 and vias 20") . Re claim 13: The combination of Silva and EOM further discloses wherein a connector to which the output signal line of the first electronic part is connected is provided on the first mounting surface (Silva, figs. 3, 5(a); the conductor trace segments 24 of the TCP footprint on the first mounting surface serve as connectors to which the output signal lines of the TCP package are connected) . Re claim 14: The combination of Silva and EOM further discloses wherein the circuit board has a multilayer structure (Silva, figs. 3-4 and 5(a)-(b), described as "two distinct board layers within a single PC board 22" — col. 3, lines 10-25) , and the first mounting area is provided on one outermost layer and the second mounting area is provided on the other outermost layer (Silva, col. 4, lines 1-10) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Silva (US 5,682,297) in view of EOM (US 2013/0223868) and further in view of Chen (US 2006/0256520). Re claim 11: Silva and EOM does not explicitly disclose a fan configured to ventilate the first mounting surface. Chen discloses a fan (7 in fig. 1) configured to ventilate the first mounting surface (surface of 2 in fig. 1) . Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the image forming apparatus of Silva and EOM to disclose a fan configured to ventilate the first mounting surface as taught by Chen, in order to enhance heat removal from the first mounting surface and improve operational reliability of the microprocessor controlling the image forming apparatus . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : US 11,251,571 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes an image forming apparatus having a control board attached to a support member. US 11,672,075 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 900am-530pm EST. 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, JAYPRAKASH GANDHI can be reached at (571) 272-3740. 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. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ZHENGFU J FENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 May 23, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 2 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 3 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 4 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 5 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 6 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 7 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 8 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 9 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 10 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 11 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/769,818 Page 12 Art Unit: 2841
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