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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 9/16/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed.
The information disclosure statement filed 9/16/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language.
As best understood, no document has been submitted that is entitled “International Search Report and Written Opinion” as cited in the non-patent literature section of the IDS. The Examiner acknowledges that a search report and translation thereof that is 7 pages was submitted, but neither the written opinion nor any explanation of relevance in English was submitted. Because both are listed together as part of the 7 page document, this document is not considered.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tega (WO 2022/025128 A1).
Note: US 2023/0266363 to Tega is being used as an English translation of the above document. All cited paragraphs come from this document.
As to Claim 1,
Tega discloses A probe card, comprising:
a substrate (10) having a flat surface that faces an object under inspection (Paragraph [0016]), (Figure 1 / note upper surface is the flat surface);
a flexible wiring board (30) made of an insulating film (polyimide) and having an adhesive surface (bottom surface) adhered to the substrate via an adhesive (52) and a probe mounting surface (top surface) where two or more electrode pads (48) are aligned and arranged at predetermined intervals (Figures 1A,1C), (Paragraphs [0017]-[0020],[0025]); and
two or more probes (61), each disposed on a corresponding one of the two or more electrode pads (Figure 1A), (Paragraph [0026]),
wherein two or more first anchor pads (two of the 51 pads, such as the outer or second to outer pads for connection pads (21) in Figures 1A,1C), each corresponding to one of the two or more electrode pads, are formed at predetermined intervals on the adhesive surface (Figures 1A,1C), (Paragraph [0025] / note these pads are formed on the adhesive surface and respectively correspond to the electrode pads because they are electrically connected to respective ones of the pads as seen via conductors (40, and note electrical terminals are formed by way of two different pads 49,51, each of which can reasonable be considered an anchor pad because each anchors within the adhesive layer similar to that of applicant).)).
As to Claim 2,
Tega wherein the substrate is a ceramic substrate (Paragraph [0017]).
As to Claim 3,
Tega discloses the electrode pads and the first anchor pads are integrally formed through first through-holes in the insulating film (Figure 1C / note both pads are in the insulating film forming (30) and the through-holes are reasonably the hole that pad (48), pad (49), and conductor (40) are all located in), and the first through-holes are enclosed within outer edges of the electrode pads and the first anchor pads (Figure 1C / note the through-holes are enclosed by the actual pads and thus the respective outer surfaces/edges of the pads).
As to Claim 4,
Tega discloses the first anchor pads have a shape corresponding to the electrode pads (Figures 1A,1C / note both pads have a corresponding shape of being rectangular).
As to Claim 5,
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Tega discloses two or more connection pins (22), wherein two or more through-holes are aligned and arranged at predetermined intervals in the substrate (Figure 1A / note the through-holes for any of the connection pins (22) are aligned for each layer that the pin goes through), each for inserting a corresponding one of the two or more connection pins (Figure 1A), two or more second through-holes are formed on the flexible wiring board closer to a peripheral side than the electrode pads (Figure 1A / note that the outer two through-holes can be the second through-holes, and these holes are closer to a peripheral side than the electrode pads), each for inserting a corresponding one of the two or more connection pins (Figures 1A,1C), and the electrode pads are electrically connected to the connection pins (Figures 1A,1C).
As to Claim 6,
Tega discloses two or more electrode terminals (49,51) are formed on the flexible wiring board (Figures 1A,1C), each surrounding an opening of the two or more second through-holes on the probe mounting surface (Figure 1C), the connection pins are connected to the electrode terminals (Figures 1A,1C), the electrode terminals are connected to the electrode pads on the flexible wiring board (Figures 1A,1C), and second anchor pads (51) are formed at positions on the adhesive surface corresponding to the electrode terminals (Figures 1A, 1C / note the terminals are formed by way of two different pads 49,51, each of which can reasonable be considered an anchor pad because each anchors within the adhesive layer similar to that of applicant).
As to Claim 7,
Tega discloses the electrode terminals and the second anchor pads are integrally formed through the second through-holes (Figures 1A,1C / note the terminals/pads are in and cap the through-holes, including those closest to the periphery of layers 10,30), and the second through-holes are enclosed within outer edges of the electrode terminals and the second anchor pads (Figures 1A,1C).
As to Claim 8,
Tega discloses two or more third anchor pads, which do not correspond to either the electrode pads or the electrode terminals, are aligned and arranged at predetermined intervals on the adhesive surface of the flexible wiring board (Figures 1A,1C / note that there are six total sets of terminals with pads 49,51, and the inner two pads 49 for the inner two terminals (21) can be the two or more third anchor pads as claimed).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 1) US 2024/0044942 to Nakamura et al. which discloses a probe card having probe pins, a wiring board with through-holes, and an epoxy substrate, and 2) US 2014/0266275 to Kimura et al. which discloses a probe card with a substrate, probes, and wiring substrate with through-holes.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M. SCHINDLER whose telephone number is (571)272-2112. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DAVID M. SCHINDLER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2858
/DAVID M SCHINDLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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