DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to an application that was filed on 10/01/2024. Claims 1-18 are presented for examination consideration.
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 § 102
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, 2, 4, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (TWI760272B and Huang hereinafter, cited in the 04/29/2025 Taiwan Search Report).
Regarding claim 1, Huang discloses a carrier structure (item 2 of Fig. 2 and ¶[0048 & 0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates carrier structure 2 {electronic package 2}), comprising: a substrate body having a plurality of bonding pads (items 20, 200 of Fig. 2 & item 200 of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0049-0050_0052 & 0054] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates substrate body 20 having the plurality of bonding pads 200); and an insulating protective layer formed on the substrate body and having a plurality of openings correspondingly exposing the plurality of bonding pads and a slot communicating the plurality of openings (items 23, 230 of Fig. 2 & items 23, 230, 231 of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0050-0051_0054-0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where insulating protective layer 23 formed on substrate body 20 and having the plurality of openings 230 correspondingly exposing the plurality of bonding pads 200; and where slot 231 is communicating with the plurality of openings 230 {slot 231 of the opening 230}), wherein the slot comprises a first slot connecting two adjacent ones of the plurality of openings and a second slot intersecting with the first slot, and the second slot is spaced apart from the bonding pads by a distance (item 24 of Figs. 2 & 2-1 & W of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048_0050-0051 & 0054-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where slot 231 comprises first slot 231_200_230 {slot/groove 231 that defines the two adjacent pad 200 along the opening 230} connecting two adjacent ones of the plurality of openings 230; and where and second slot 231_24 {slot/groove 231 that defines the outline perimeter of the filler 24} intersecting with first slot 231_200_230; and where second slot 231_24 is spaced apart from bonding pads 200 by distance W {width W}).
Regarding claim 2, Huang discloses a carrier structure, wherein the slot is in a cross shape and comprises the first slot and the second slot intersecting with the first slot (item A of Fig. 2-1 and claim 1 & ¶[0011_0051 & 0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where slot 231 is in a cross shape and is comprised of first slot 231_200_230 and second slot 231_24 intersecting with first slot 231_200_230).
Regarding claim 4, Huang discloses a carrier structure, wherein a portion of the insulating protective layer is disposed between the second slot and the bonding pads (Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where a portion of insulating protective layer 23 is disposed between second slot 231_24 and bonding pads 200).
Regarding claim 5, Huang discloses a carrier structure, wherein the plurality of bonding pads are arranged in pairs in a row, and the slots located between the pairs of the bonding pads are also connected to each other in a row (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0049-0052_0054-0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where the plurality of bonding pads 200 are arranged in pairs in a row; and where slot 231 located between the pairs of bonding pads 200 are also connected to each other in a row).
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang, as detailed in the rejection of claim 1 above, in view of Yuan et al. (US20040099716A1 and Yuan hereinafter).
Regarding claim 6, Huang discloses a carrier structure, wherein the bonding pads are in a shape, and outer portions of a pair of the bonding pads are opposite to each other (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0049-0050_0052 & 0054] from the Espacenet Translation shows where bonding pads 200 are in a shape; and where the outer portions of the pair of bonding pads 200 are opposite to each other).
However, Huang does not disclose wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape.
Yuan disclose wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape (Figs. 2-4 and ¶[0028] shows and indicates where the bonding pad is in a convex shape; therefore, Huang will have the carrier structure have the bonding pads in a convex shape, and where the outer convex portions of the pair of the bonding pads are opposite to each other by incorporating the convex solder pad of Yuan).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape into the structure of Huang. One would have been motivated in the carrier structure of Huang and have the bonding pad be in a convex shape, in order to avoid stress concentration at the corner of the solder to pad interface, as indicated by Yuan in ¶[0028], in the carrier structure of Huang.
Claims 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang.
Regarding claim 7, Huang discloses an electronic package (item 2 of Fig. 2 and ¶[0048 & 0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates electronic package of Fig. 2 {Fig. 2 of the electronic package 2}), comprising: a carrier structure (item 2 of Fig. 2 and ¶[0048 & 0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates carrier structure 2 {electronic package 2}) comprising a substrate body and an insulating protective layer formed on the substrate body (items 20, 23 of Figs. 2 & Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0049-0050_0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates substrate body 20 and insulating protective layer 23 formed on substrate body 20), wherein the substrate body has a plurality of bonding pads (item 200 of Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0049-0050_0052 & 0054] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates substrate body 20 having the plurality of bonding pads 200), the insulating protective layer is formed with a plurality of openings for correspondingly exposing the plurality of bonding pads and a slot communicating the plurality of openings (item 230 of Fig. 2 & items 230, 231 of Fig.2-1 and ¶[0050-0051_0054-0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where insulating protective layer 23 formed with the plurality of openings 230 correspondingly exposing the plurality of bonding pads 200; and where slot 231 is communicating with the plurality of openings 230 {slot 231 of the opening 230}), wherein the slot comprises a first slot connecting two adjacent ones of the plurality of openings and a second slot intersecting with the first slot, and the second slot is spaced apart from the bonding pads by a distance (item 24 of Figs. 2 & 2-1 & W of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048_0050-0051 & 0054-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where comprises first slot 231_200_230 {slot/groove 231 that defines the two adjacent pad 200 along the opening 230} connecting two adjacent ones of the plurality of openings 230; and where and second slot 231_24 {slot/groove 231 that defines the outline perimeter of the filler 24} intersecting with first slot 231_200_230; and where second slot 231_24 is spaced apart from bonding pads 200 by distance W {width W}); a filler formed in the slot and comprising a first section corresponding to the first slot and a second section corresponding to the second slot (item 24 of Figs. 2 & 2-1 & items 231a, 231b of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048 & 0051-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where filler 24 is formed in slot 231 and comprising first section 231a corresponding to first slot 231_200_230; and where filler 24 is formed in slot 231 and comprising second section 231b corresponding to second slot 231_24), wherein the second section and the bonding pads are spaced by a distance therebetween (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0048 & 0051-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where second section 231b and bonding pads 200 are spaced by distance W in between); and an electronic element disposed on the filler and electrically connected to two adjacent ones of the bonding pads via a solder material (items 21, 22 of Fig. 2 & item 21 of Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048_0051-0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates electronic element 21 {electronic component 21} disposed on filler 24 and electrically connected to two adjacent ones of bonding pads 200 via solder material 22).
Regarding claim 8, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the filler is in contact with and bonded to the electronic element and the substrate body (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0048-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where filler 24 is in contact with and bonded to electronic element 21 and substrate body 20).
Regarding claim 9, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the electronic element is disposed on the first slot and two adjacent ones of the openings communicated by the first slot (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0048-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where electronic element 21 is disposed on first slot 231_200_230 and two adjacent ones of openings 230 communicated by first slot 231_200_230).
Regarding claim 10, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the filler is in a cross shape or in a serially-connected convex shape (Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where the filler is in a cross shape).
Regarding claim 11, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the first section of the filler corresponds to the first slot and a portion of the opening (Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048 & 0051-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where first section 231a of filler 24 corresponds to first slot 231_200_230 and a portion of openings 230).
Regarding claim 13, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the plurality of bonding pads are arranged in pairs in a row, and the fillers located between the pairs of the bonding pads are also connected to each other in a row (Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0048-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where the plurality of bonding pads 200 are arranged in pairs in a row; and where and fillers 24 located between the pairs of the bonding pads are also connected to each other in an up-down row).
Regarding claim 14, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the slot is in a cross shape and comprises the first slot and the second slot intersecting with the first slot (item A of Fig. 2-1 and claim 1 & ¶[0011_0051 & 0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where slot 231 is in a cross shape and is comprised of first slot 231_200_230 and second slot 231_24 intersecting with first slot 231_200_230).
Regarding claim 16, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein a portion of the insulating protective layer is disposed between the second slot and the bonding pads (Fig. 2-1 and ¶[0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where a portion of insulating protective layer 23 is disposed between second slot 231_24 and bonding pads 200).
Regarding claim 17, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the plurality of bonding pads are arranged in pairs in a row, and the slots located between the pairs of the bonding pads are also connected to each other in a row (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0049-0052_0054-0055 & 0057-0058] from the Espacenet Translation shows where the plurality of bonding pads 200 are arranged in pairs in a row; and where slot 231 located between the pairs of bonding pads 200 are also connected to each other in a row).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang, as detailed in the rejection of claim 7 above, in view of Yuan.
Regarding claim 18, Huang discloses an electronic package, wherein the bonding pads are in a shape, and outer portions of a pair of the bonding pads are opposite to each other (Figs. 2 & 2-1 and ¶[0049-0050_0052 & 0054] from the Espacenet Translation shows where bonding pads 200 are in a shape; and where the outer portions of the pair of bonding pads 200 are opposite to each other).
However, Huang does not disclose wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape.
Yuan disclose wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape (Figs. 2-4 and ¶[0028] shows and indicates where the bonding pad is in a convex shape; therefore, Huang will have the electronic package have the bonding pads in a convex shape, and where the outer convex portions of the pair of the bonding pads are opposite to each other by incorporating the convex solder pad of Yuan).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the bonding pad is in a convex shape into the structure of Huang. One would have been motivated in the electronic package of Huang and have the bonding pad be in a convex shape, in order to avoid stress concentration at the corner of the solder to pad interface, as indicated by Yuan in ¶[0028], in the electronic package of Huang.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 12, and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 3, the primary reason for allowance is due to a carrier structure, wherein the slot is in a serially-connected convex shape and comprises two of the first slots and the second slot intersecting with the two of the first slots.
Regarding claim 12, the primary reason for allowance is due to an electronic package, wherein a portion of the insulating protective layer remains between a bottom of the filler and the bonding pad.
Regarding claim 15, the primary reason for allowance is due to an electronic package, wherein the slot is in a serially-connected convex shape and comprises two of the first slots and the second slot intersecting with the two of the first slots.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1325. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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