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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/24/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zbinden et al. (U.S. 2023/0393355 A1) in view of Bottoms et al. (U.S. 2010/0066393 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zbinden et al. disclose a connector assembly comprising: an electrical connector having a connector conductor (interconnect module 10-1 or transceiver 12 includes module connector 14 configured to mate with ring connector 16, wherein a signal connection is established by mating electrically conductive ring contact 24 with electrically conductive module contact 26, paragraph [0071]); a connector housing, the connector housing being substantially rigid and supporting the electrical connector, the connector housing having a housing conductor that is electrically connected to the connector conductor (module connector housing 34 holds the module contacts 26, provides mechanical support, protects the optical engine, provides mechanical support for cable 22 or optical connector 64, and supports electrically conductive module contacts 26, paragraph [0079]); a printed-circuit-board (PCB) substrate bonded to a base, the PCB substrate being brittle (module substrate 32 may be an organic substrate, a glass substrate, or a ceramic substrate including Al2O3, and may route power, low-speed signals, and high-speed signals, paragraph [0082]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, glass and ceramic substrates correspond to a brittle PCB substrate because the instant specification identifies fused silica quartz and alumina ceramic as brittle PCB substrate examples); the housing conductor contacting an electrical signal path on the PCB substrate at an oblique angle (ring contact 24 includes a first contact end 92A that deflects and a second contact end 94A that is soldered onto host substrate 20, with the electrically conductive ring contact 24 bent upward about ninety degrees to allow mating with a corresponding module contact 26, paragraph [0107]).
Zbinden et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance, the positioning pads contacting a mounting face of the connector housing and keeping the mounting face of the connector housing away from the PCB substrate at the standoff distance; and metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps contacting the mounting face of the connector housing, the metallic bumps being malleable and configured to provide an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and the mounting face of the connector housing.
Bottoms et al. disclose positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance, the positioning pads contacting a mounting face of the connector housing and keeping the mounting face of the connector housing away from the PCB substrate at the standoff distance (lower substrate 166 and upper substrate 188 are latchably connected between standoffs 332 extending from the secondary connector structure 184 and alignment guides 198 extending from the contactor structure 162, wherein the standoffs 332 function as travel stops for the latched assembly, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. further disclose metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps contacting the mounting face of the connector housing, the metallic bumps being malleable and configured to provide an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and the mounting face of the connector housing (solder balls 164 are located on electrically conductive pads 64 on the rear bonding surface 48b of a probe spring substrate 30 and are aligned with electrically conductive contact pads 170 located on a mating structure 166, paragraph [0095]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, solder balls are metallic bumps and are malleable because Bottoms teaches that contact may deform solder balls during connection, paragraph [0127]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to modify Zbinden et al. by incorporating Bottoms et al.’s standoff/travel-stop and solder-ball/metallic-bump connector interface because Bottoms et al. teach that such structures provide high planarity, compliance, and robust advanced interconnection structures using solder ball connections and controlled positioning (see Bottoms’ paragraph [0097]), and further teach that Z-compliance compensates for lack of coplanarity while X-Y compliance compensates for thermal coefficient mismatch in high-density connectors (see Bottoms’ paragraph [0142]). Such modification would improve Zbinden et al.’s high-speed interconnect assembly by maintaining a controlled separation between the connector housing and brittle glass or ceramic substrate while providing a compliant metallic electrical connection (see Bottoms’ paragraphs [0123] & [0143]).
As to claim 2, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the electrical connector is a radio-frequency (RF) connector (module connector 14 and ring connector 16 support high-speed differential signals and are capable of carrying differential signal pairs suited for transmitting data between 1 and 112 Gbps or more, paragraph [0077]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, such high-speed electrical connector structure corresponds to an RF/high-frequency connector).
As to claim 3, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 2, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the RF connector is a direct current (DC)-to-110 GHz connector (module connector 14 and ring connector 16 support high-speed differential signals and are capable of carrying differential signal pairs suited for transmitting data between 1 and 112 Gbps or more, paragraph [0077]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, a connector configured for high-speed differential signaling would have been understood as suitable for high-frequency signal transmission; also see a connector bandwidth suitable for the required high-speed signal environment because Zbinden et al. teach that the connector is used for high-speed differential signals at 112 Gbps or more in paragraph [0077]).
As to claim 4, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the electrical signal path of the PCB substrate electrically connects the housing conductor to an application-specific integrated circuit (the module substrate 32 supports electrical traces and vias and can support microchip packages, bare die chips, and high-speed signal routing, paragraph [0082]).
As to claim 5, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the PCB substrate is fused silica quartz (substrate 168 may comprise ceramic, multi-layer ceramic, glass ceramic, glass, quartz, glass epoxy, FR-4, polyimide, silicon, a printed circuit board, and other structures, paragraph [0094]).
As to claim 6, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the PCB substrate is alumina ceramic (module substrate 32 can be a ceramic substrate including BeO, AlN, Al2O3, or LTCC, paragraph [0082]; wherein alumina ceramic as the brittle PCB substrate because Zbinden et al. expressly identifies Al2O3 as a suitable ceramic module substrate for routing power and high-speed signals, see paragraph [0082]).
As to claim 7, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the positioning pads are polymer pads (substrates used in the high-density connector may comprise polyimide, glass epoxy, FR-4, and printed circuit board materials, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose that the standoffs 332 are polymer pads. It would have been obvious to form the standoffs or positioning pads from polymer material because Bottoms et al. teach polyimide and other polymer-containing materials as suitable materials for the substrate-to-substrate connector assembly (paragraph [0134]; and polymer standoff pads would provide controlled spacing while reducing mechanical stress in the modified high-speed connector assembly).
As to claim 8, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 7, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the polymer pads are polyimide pads (lower and upper substrates may comprise polyimide as one of the suitable materials in the substrate-to-substrate connector, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose polyimide positioning pads. It would have been obvious to use polyimide for the positioning pads because Bottoms et al. expressly identifies polyimide as a suitable material in the connector substrate environment (paragraph [0134]).
As to claim 9, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the positioning pads are solder mask dams (standoffs 332 extend from the secondary connector structure 184 and function as travel stops for a latched assembly, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose solder mask dams. It would have been obvious to implement the standoffs/travel stops as solder mask dams on a printed circuit board because Bottoms et al. teaches using standoffs to function as travel stops for controlling the final latched position, see paragraph [0134], wherein solder mask dams are a predictable printed-circuit-board structure for defining controlled height and spacing on a PCB surface).
As to claim 10, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the base is a metal housing (module connector housing 34 may be machined and soldered or welded to the module substrate 32, paragraph [0090]).
As to claim 11, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the metallic bumps are gold bumps (a seed layer such as a gold layer is preferably formed over the composite layers and remains on lifted fingers to reduce sheet resistance, paragraph [0091]).
As to claim 12, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the housing conductor comprises a flat strip at an end of the housing conductor that contacts the electrical signal path on the PCB substrate (each ring contact 24 includes a horizontal section 96 retained in the ring connector housing 50 and first and second contact ends 92A, 94A protruding from the housing, paragraph [0107]; wherein a flat contact end would provide predictable surface-area contact and stable electrical engagement with a signal path).
As to claim 13, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose further comprising additional metallic bumps extending away from the electrical signal path on the PCB substrate, the additional metallic bumps contacting the housing conductor of the connector housing, the additional metallic bumps being malleable and configured to provide an electrical connection between the electrical signal path on the PCB substrate and the housing conductor (an array 254 of solder balls 255 are optionally located on the lower surface of electrically conductive pads 190 located directly on the lower surface 187a adjacent to electrical connection terminals 191, paragraph [0120]).
Regarding claim 14, Zbinden et al. disclose a method of assembling a connector assembly comprising: bonding a brittle printed-circuit-board (PCB) substrate to a base (module substrate 32 can be glass or ceramic and supports electrical traces, vias, surface mount components, microchip packages, and bare die chips, paragraph [0082]); positioning a connector housing on the positioning pads, the connector housing being substantially rigid and supporting an electrical connector, the connector housing having a housing conductor that is electrically connected to a connector conductor of the electrical connector (module connector housing 34 holds module contacts 26, provides mechanical support, protects the optical engine, and supports the electrically conductive module contacts 26, paragraph [0079]).
Zbinden et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose affixing positioning pads on at least two sides of the PCB substrate, the positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance; affixing metallic bumps to the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate a distance greater than the standoff distance; and partially compressing the metallic bumps with the connector housing, the metallic bumps providing an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and a mounting face of the connector housing.
Bottoms et al. disclose affixing positioning pads on at least two sides of the PCB substrate, the positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance (lower substrate 166 and upper substrate 188 are latchably connected between standoffs 332 extending from the secondary connector structure 184 and alignment guides 198 extending from the contactor structure 162, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. disclose affixing metallic bumps to the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate a distance greater than the standoff distance (solder balls 164 are located on electrically conductive pads 64 and aligned with electrically conductive contact pads 170 on a mating structure 166, paragraph [0095]). Bottoms et al. disclose partially compressing the metallic bumps with the connector housing, the metallic bumps providing an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and a mounting face of the connector housing (compliant spring 40 makes an electrical connection with an opposing electrically conductive pad 190, and an electrically conductive solder ball 255 is located on the electrically conductive pad 190, paragraph [0124]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to modify Zbinden et al.’s method of assembling a high-speed interconnect module by using Bottoms et al.’s standoffs/travel stops and metallic solder-ball connections because Bottoms et al. teach that standoffs may function as travel stops for a latched assembly (paragraph [0134]) and that Z-compliance compensates for lack of coplanarity in high-density connectors (see paragraph [0142]). Such modification would improve Zbinden et al.’s connector assembly by controlling connector travel, maintaining a predictable standoff, and forming reliable compliant electrical connections to a brittle glass or ceramic substrate (see Bottoms’ paragraphs [0123] & [0143]).
As to claim 15, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the method of claim 14, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which bonding the PCB substrate to the base includes applying a soft epoxy between the PCB substrate and the base, pressing the PCB substrate into the base, squeezing out excess soft epoxy from between the PCB substrate and the base, and curing the soft epoxy to bond the PCB substrate to the base (custom ferrule 236 can be permanently attached to ferrule mate 80 using adhesive, epoxy, sonic welding, or other joining methods to create a sealed cavity 238, paragraph [0147]).
As to claim 16, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the method of claim 14, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which positioning the connector housing on the positioning pads includes positioning the connector housing on the positioning pads using a thermocompression bonder (the probe spring assembly 18 and mating structure 166 are movably positioned together within an appropriate fixture 178, and heat is applied to reflow solder balls 164 to form solder joints 112, paragraph [0096]); wherein a thermocompression bonder (see paragraph [0096], wherein thermocompression bonding was a predictable technique for controlled placement, compression, and heated bonding of high-density interconnect structures).
Regarding claim 17, Zbinden et al. disclose a test and measurement instrument, comprising: an electrical connector accessible to a user at a housing surface of the test and measurement instrument and structured to receive a signal from a device under test (DUT), the electrical connector having a connector conductor (interconnect module 10-1 or transceiver 12 includes module connector 14 configured to mate with ring connector 16, and the interconnect module may be an electrical transceiver or optical transceiver that transmits and/or receives signals from a cable and directs signals from or to the host substrate 20, paragraph [0071]); a signal conditioning circuit having an input to receive the signal from the DUT (optical engine 28 includes TIA 66, VCSEL driver 70, photodiodes 68, and VCSELs 72, paragraph [0078]); a connector housing, the connector housing being substantially rigid and supporting the electrical connector, the connector housing having a housing conductor that is electrically connected to the connector conductor (module connector housing 34 holds module contacts 26, provides mechanical support, protects the optical engine, and supports electrically conductive module contacts 26, paragraph [0079]); a printed-circuit-board (PCB) substrate bonded to a base, the PCB substrate being brittle, the housing conductor contacting an electrical signal path on the PCB substrate at an oblique angle, in which the electrical signal path of the PCB substrate electrically connects the housing conductor to the input of the signal conditioning circuit (module substrate 32 may be glass or ceramic and supports electrical traces, vias, microchip packages, bare die chips, and high-speed signal routing, paragraph [0082]).
Zbinden et al. are not understood to explicitly disclose positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance, the positioning pads contacting a mounting face of the connector housing and keeping the mounting face of the connector housing away from the PCB substrate at the standoff distance; and metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps contacting the mounting face of the connector housing, the metallic bumps being malleable and configured to provide an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and the mounting face of the connector housing.
Bottoms et al. disclose positioning pads extending away from the PCB substrate to a standoff distance, the positioning pads contacting a mounting face of the connector housing and keeping the mounting face of the connector housing away from the PCB substrate at the standoff distance (standoffs 332 extend from the secondary connector structure 184 and function as travel stops for a latched assembly, paragraph [0134]). Bottoms et al. disclose metallic bumps extending away from the PCB substrate, the metallic bumps contacting the mounting face of the connector housing, the metallic bumps being malleable and configured to provide an electrical connection between the PCB substrate and the mounting face of the connector housing (solder balls 164 are located on electrically conductive pads 64 on the rear bonding surface 48b and aligned with electrically conductive contact pads 170 on a mating structure 166, paragraph [0095]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to modify Zbinden et al.’s high-speed signal receiving interconnect assembly with Bottoms et al.’s standoff-controlled metallic bump connector interface because Bottoms et al. teach that solder ball connections provide highly controllable planarity for advanced interconnection structures (see paragraph [0097]) and that compliant high-density connectors compensate for lack of coplanarity and thermal coefficient mismatch (see paragraph [0142]). Such modification would improve the signal-receiving connector interface by providing controlled spacing and reliable electrical connection to a brittle glass or ceramic substrate (see Bottoms’ paragraphs [0123] & [0143]).
As to claim 18, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the test and measurement instrument of claim 17, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the signal conditioning circuit comprises an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (the electrical-type interconnect module may contain active components including transistors and integrated circuits, see paragraph [0072]; wherein active integrated circuits in the interconnect module for signal transmission and reception (paragraph [0072], and an ASIC would have been a predictable integrated circuit implementation for high-speed signal conditioning).
As to claim 19, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the test and measurement instrument of claim 18, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the ASIC is mounted on the PCB substrate (surface mount components, microchip packages, and bare die chips can be soldered, flip-chip mounted, wire bonded, or epoxied to the module substrate 32, paragraph [0082]).
As to claim 20, Zbinden et al. & Bottoms et al. disclose the test and measurement instrument of claim 17, wherein Zbinden et al. further disclose in which the signal conditioning circuit comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA)(the electrical-type interconnect module may contain active components including transistors and integrated circuits, paragraph [0072]; wherein an FPGA was a known programmable integrated circuit alternative for implementing high-speed signal processing and conditioning functions).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. 8,157,591 B2 A1 to Fedder et al. disclose an electrical connector system may include a center housing that defines a plurality of first electrical contact channels on a first side face of the center housing and a plurality of second electrical contact channels on a second side face of the center housing. A first array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of first electrical contact channels on the first side face of the center housing. A second array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of second electrical contact channels on the second side face of the center housing. The first array of electrical contacts is paired with a third array of electrical contacts to form a first plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts. The second array of electrical contacts is paired with a fourth array of electrical contacts to form a second plurality of differential pairs of electrical contacts.
U.S. 9,293,848 B2 to Zantout discloses an electrical connector has one or more body portions in which is disposed an electrical terminal having at least one contact pad interface for coupling to a contact pad of at least one printed circuit board (PCB). The body has an associated fastening device which is used to mechanically and electrically couple the electrical connector to the at least one PCB. The electrical connector may be provided with a full or partial hourglass-like shape, when viewed from the side and/or from above, to facilitate its use with a PCB that carries a source of light, such as an LED.
U.S. 2010/0144204 A1 to Knaub et al. discloses an electrical connector system may include a plurality wafer assemblies that engage with a substrate. Each wafer assembly includes a housing that defines a plurality of projections extending from an edge of the housing at a mounting end of the wafer assembly. At least a portion of a projection of the plurality of projections of the housing is dimensioned to fit into a corresponding hole in a substrate when the housing is engaged with the substrate. In some implementations, the projection is positioned on the housing to block a line-of-sight between a first signal substrate engagement element of an array of electrical contacts associated with the housing and a second signal substrate engagement element of the array of electrical contacts.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUNG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1966. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon- Friday 8AM - 4:00PM Eastern Time. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on 571-272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Examiner: /Trung Q. Nguyen/- Art 2858
May 14, 2026
/HUY Q PHAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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