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 1-16 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.
Regarding claim 1, it is not clear if “The method of claim 1, wherein a lock-in amplifier and a current source are in contact with the contact pads to perform the 3 omega method” recited in lines 12-13 is supposed to be part of claim 1 or a different claim. For purpose of examination, Examiner will consider the limitation as a separate claim.
Claims 2-16 are rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, Fisher et al (WO 2004108852 A1) disclose providing a polymeric hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive, melt-blending the polymer with at least 25 weight percent of a thermally conductive filler to form a mixture; and forming the mixture of hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive and thermally conductive filler into a thermal interface material.
The prior art fails to explicitly disclose a method comprising: providing a sensor, the sensor comprising: a polymer film, and a metal line disposed on the polymer film, each end of the metal line being a contact pad; depositing a thermal interface material on a first sample, the thermal interface material operable to decrease a contact resistance between the first sample and the sensor; placing the sensor on the thermal interface material; applying a pressure to the sensor; and measuring, with the sensor, thermal conductivity of the first sample or thermal resistance of an interface between the first sample and a second sample using a 3 omega method.
The remaining claims are allowable due to their dependency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIREILLE SANDRA SADATE-MOUALEU whose telephone number is (571)272-2862. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 0730-1700.
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/MIREILLE S SADATE-MOUALEU/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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