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 .
This Office Action is in response to the election filed September 10, 2026.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 and 13-20 in the reply filed on September 10, 2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 second outer circuit carrier layer, second outer layer and three layers of material of the one or more circuit carriers 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: POWER MODULE BRIDGE INCLUDING THREE LAYER CIRCUIT LAYERS.
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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the first and second outer layers" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-7 and 13-20 are rejected as being dependent upon rejected claim 1.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the circuit carrier layer" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
As best understood, claim(s) 1-7 and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Siepe et al. (US 8,164,176 B2).
In regard to claim 1, Siepe et al. teach a power module bridge (See Figure 1), comprising: one or more power modules, wherein each of the one or more power modules (of Figure 3) includes: i. one or more circuit carriers 15/16 which each include at least three layers of material, wherein a middle circuit carrier layer 15 includes an insulating material, a first outer circuit carrier layer 16 and a second outer circuit carrier layer 16 include an electrically conductive material, wherein the first and second outer layers 16 are configured as one or more conductor structures (See Figure 2), ii. one or more bonding wires 12, wherein the one or more bonding wires 12 include a connection from semiconductor switch (11 in 10) to semiconductor switch (11 in 10) and semiconductor switch (11 in 10) to press-in pins 22, and iii. one or more semiconductor switches (11 in 10), wherein each semiconductor switch (11 in 10) includes a first semiconductor layer (in 11) and a second semiconductor layer (in 11); a cooling surface 17; a frame 20 with lateral boundaries and with an upwardly and/or downwardly exposed region, wherein a volume enclosed by the frame 20 is filled with a gel (See column 3, lines 30-45); one or more connecting elements (horizontal elements under 21 and 22 in Figure 3); and one or more press-in pins 21/22; wherein one or more of the circuit carriers 15/16, one or more of the first semiconductor layers (in 11), and one or more of the second semiconductor layers (in 11) are connected to one another via a sintered connection (See Figure 3) (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 2, Siepe et al. teach the one or more power modules positioned inside the frame 20 (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 3, Siepe et al. teach at least one of the first outer circuit carrier layers 16 includes one or more conductor structures, wherein the conductor structures are configured such that they have a symmetrical arrangement and/or a shape that is mirrored with respect to a centerline of the circuit carrier layer 16 (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively). Reply to Office Action of July 10, 2026
In regard to claim 4, Siepe et al. teach the bonding wires 12 that include a connection from semiconductor switch (11 in 10) to semiconductor switch (11 in 10) include a copper material (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 5, Siepe et al. teach the bonding wires 12 that include a connection from semiconductor switches (11 in 10) to press-in pins 21/22 include an aluminum material (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 6, change only in form, proportions, or degree or substitution of equivalent, doing substantially the same thing in the same way by substantially the same means with better results is not such an invention as will sustain a patent. Higley v. Brenner, 387 F.2d 855, 128 U.S. App. D.C. 290 (1967).
In regard to claim 7, Siepe et al. teach the gel (See column 3, lines 30-45) in the frame 20 completely covering one or more of the power modules (of Figure 3) (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 13, Siepe et al. teach the power module bridge (of Figure 1) situated in a vehicle (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively). In regard to the power module bridge being used to convert current from direct current to alternating current, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ F.2d 1647 (1987).
In regard to claim 14, Siepe et al. teach the one or more connecting elements (horizontal elements under 21 and 22 in Figure 3) mounted on the one or more power modules, and wherein each of the one or more connecting elements (horizontal elements under 21 and 22 in Figure 3) is secured via the frame 20 and/or to the frame 20 (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 15, Siepe et al. teach the one or more power modules are attached to the cooling surface 17, and wherein the frame 20 is attached to the cooling surface 17 around the one or more power modules (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 16, Siepe et al. teach the one or more power modules joined to the cooling surface 17 by a material-locking connection (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 17, Siepe et al. teach the material- locking connection (junction of 17 and 20) comprising an adhesive joint or a solder joint (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 18, Siepe et al. teach the frame 20 joined to the cooling surface 17 by an adhesive joint or a solder joint (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 19, Siepe et al. teach the one or more press-in pins 21/22 providing a signal connection (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
In regard to claim 20, Siepe et al. teach for each of the one or more semiconductor switches (11 in 10), the first semiconductor layer (in 11) is connected to a respective one of the one or more circuit carriers 15/16 by a first sintered connection (See Figure 3), and the second semiconductor layer (in 11) is connected to the first semiconductor layer (in 11) by a second sintered connection (See Figure 3) (Figures 1-4, columns 2-4, lines 42-67, 1-67 and 1-18, respectively).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to power modules:
Mari Curbelo et al. (US 2022/0240376 A1) Masaki (DE 112017004390 T5) Meyrath et al. (US 11,282,822 B2) Tschirbs et al. (US 2009/0213553 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IDA M SOWARD whose telephone number is (571)272-1845. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 7am to 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IMS
October 6, 2026
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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