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(s) (IDS) submitted on 07/25/2025 have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a phrase “the aperture of a grounding guide hole”. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “an aperture of a grounding guide hole” to restore clarity.
Claim 16 recites a phrase “deformation resistance”. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “a deformation resistance” to restore clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 14 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 14, a limitation "the first material has a relative dielectric constant not greater than 6; and the first material has a relative dielectric constant not greater than 4" renders the claim(s) indefinite because a nested and redundant range has been provided, thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by MAGGIONI et al. (US 20220034966).
Regarding claim 1, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 a probe head, comprising:
a probe pair (21; figs. 6A,6B), each of the two probes comprising a head portion (24A,24B), a tail portion (opposite end to head of 21), and a body portion (21A,21B) extending between the head portion and the tail portion along a longitudinal development axis (along length of 21), the body portion of each probe being able to arcuately deflect and deform (para. 6 - possible deformation of the contact probes) along the longitudinal development axis when a load is applied to the respective probe (para. 7 - pressure of the probe head onto the device itself, the contact probes, which are movable within the guide holes realized in the upper and lower dies);
a first guide plate (27), comprising a first enlarged guide hole (29B,29C; fig. 6B),
wherein the two probes (21B,21C) of the probe pair both pass through the first enlarged guide hole, and an aperture of each enlarged guide hole (29B,29C) is larger than the aperture of a grounding guide hole (29A) adjacent to the same enlarged guide hole; and
a first insulating spacer (para. 37 - conductive portions of the guides may be separated by the passing through guide holes of the contact probes by diaphragms that guarantee the insulation of the contact probes from the conductive portions; 22,27, 33, air gap), arranged between the two probes and coupled with the two probes, thereby maintaining a relative position between the two probes (para. 73 - support 22 is a lower support, i.e., it is a support positioned near a wafer comprising the device to be tested 23).
Regarding claim 2, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein at least a part of the first insulating spacer (22,33, air gap fig. 2C) is arranged within the first enlarged guide hole (29B,29C).
Regarding claim 3, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, further comprising a second guide plate (26), wherein: the second guide plate is spaced a distance (H3) from the first guide plate (27) along the longitudinal development axis (probe length); and the second guide plate comprises two non-enlarged guide holes (28A,29A), and the two probes of the probe pair pass through the two non-enlarged guide holes, respectively.
Regarding claim 4, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, further comprising a second guide plate (26; fig. 6B ) and a second insulating spacer (26, 37, air spce), wherein: the second guide plate (26) is spaced a distance from the first guide plate (27) along the longitudinal development axis; the second guide plate comprises a second enlarged guide hole (28A,B,C), and the two probes of the probe pair both pass through the first enlarged guide hole (29A,B,C) and the second enlarged guide hole (28A,B,C); the first guide plate is an upper guide plate, and at least a part of the tail portion (21 tail) of each of the two probes is arranged within the first enlarged guide hole (29A,B,C); the second guide plate (26) is a lower guide plate, and at least a part of the head portion (21 tips) of each of the two probes is arranged within the second enlarged guide hole (28A,B,C); and the second insulating spacer is arranged between the two probes and coupled with the two probes, and at least a part of the second insulating spacer (26, 37, air space) is arranged within the second enlarged guide hole (28A,B,C).
Regarding claim 5, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein: the first insulating spacer (22,33, air gap figs. 2C,6B) is arranged between the two head portions of the two probes or between the two tail portions of the two probes (21); the body portion of each of the two probes has a long side and a short side on a transverse cross-section of the body portion; and the first insulating spacer is coupled with the two probes on a side corresponding to the short side of the head portion of each probe, or is coupled with the two probes on a side corresponding to the short side (along length of 22) of the tail portion of each probe.
Regarding claim 6, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 4, wherein a width formed by the two body portions of the two probes and a gap between the two body portions (span of 21B to 21C ) outside the second enlarged guide hole is greater than a width of the second enlarged guide hole (28A,B,C ) on the second guide plate, such that the two probes press against an upper surface of the second guide plate (upper surface of 26 ) in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal development axis.
Regarding claim 7, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein: the first enlarged guide hole (29A,B,C; fig. 6B) in the first guide plate has a depth (Sp1) corresponding to the longitudinal development axis; and the first insulating spacer (27,37, air gap) has a thickness corresponding to the longitudinal development axis, and the thickness of the first insulating spacer (27 ) is less than or equal to the depth of the first enlarged guide hole (29A,B,C).
Regarding claim 8, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein a width of the first insulating spacer (33) between the two probes is smaller than a center-to-center distance between the first enlarged guide hole and other guide hole adjacent to the first enlarged guide hole (25A to 25B).
Regarding claim 9, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein: the first insulating spacer (22,33) has a plurality of holes; a relative dielectric constant of a material of the first insulating spacer is not greater than a relative dielectric constant of a material of the first guide plate (27); and a cross-section of the first enlarged guide hole (29B) is circular, elliptical, rectangular, or a combination thereof.
Regarding claim 10, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein the probe device further comprises at least one ground probe (21A; fig. 6B), and a distance between the two probes is less than a distance between each of the two probes (21B,21C) and the at least one ground probe (21A).
Regarding claim 11, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein a width of the head portion (wider 21 tips) of each of the two probes is greater than a width of the tail portion (21 tails).
Regarding claim 12, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein the two probes correspond to two contact points (23A,B) on an electronic device under test (23), and a distance between the head portions (21 tips) of the two probes is smaller than a center-to-center distance of the two contact points (23A,B).
Regarding claim 13, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 11, wherein: the head portion (21 triangular tips) of each of the two probes comprises a plating layer, such that the width of the head portion (base of 21 tips) of each of the two probes is greater than the width of the tail portion; and the body portion of each of the two probes (21) comprises a flat structure, and the width of the flat structure (21) is greater than the width of the head portion of its respective probe (21 pointed tip).
Regarding claim 14, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein: the first enlarged guide hole is filled with a first material, and the first material has a relative dielectric constant not greater than 6; and the first material has a relative dielectric constant not greater than 4 (para. 74 - 22, in particular its plate-shaped core 22C, is realized in a glass or silicon-based material, or in a polyamide material, or in any other suitable dielectric material).
Regarding claim 15, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein the first insulating spacer (22, 33, air gap) surrounds and covers a part of each of the two probes of the probe pair (21).
Regarding claim 16, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein the probe device further comprises a fastening member, the fastening member (22Aw,27Aw,26Aw) covering the first insulating spacer (22,27,33,air gap), and is configured to enhance the deformation resistance of the first insulating spacer (para. 78 - 22Aw that at least partially coats an inner wall of such housing guide holes).
Regarding claim 17, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the probe head according to Claim 1, wherein a leaning direction of the probe pair with the first guide plate is substantially perpendicular to a direction of a line (22) connecting the two probes of the probe pair (21).
Regarding claim 18, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 a probe card, comprising:
a circuit board (circuit board 5; fig. 1);
a space transformer (4), arranged on the circuit board; and the probe head (2) according to Claim 1, being arranged on the opposite side of the space transformer relative to the circuit board, and the tail portion of each of the probes in the probe head is configured to be electrically connected (@6) to the space transformer (4).
Regarding claim 20, MAGGIONI discloses in figure(s) 1-7 a method for manufacturing a probe head, comprising the following steps:
placing, among a plurality of probes, the probes in pairs (21,2; fig. 6A,6B,1) such that each pair is placed parallel to each other, thereby forming a plurality of probe pairs;
aligning, for each probe pair, two head portions (24A,24B) and two tail portions (opposite end to head of 21) of the two probes contained within the probe pair;
forming, for each probe pair, an insulating spacer (para. 37 - conductive portions of the guides may be separated by the passing through guide holes of the contact probes by diaphragms that guarantee the insulation of the contact probes from the conductive portions; 22,27, 33, air gap) between the two probes in the same probe pair, such that the insulating spacer is coupled with the two probes; and
passing the plurality of tail portions and a plurality of head portions of the plurality of probe pairs through an upper guide plate (27) and a lower guide plate (26), thereby positioning the plurality of probe pairs between the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate,
wherein:
at least one of the upper guide plate or the lower guide plate contains a plurality of enlarged guide holes (29A,B,C 28A,B,C), each enlarged guide hole accommodating a part of the two probes contained in one of the probe pairs and at least a part of the insulating spacer (22,27,33, airgap) between the two probes, and an aperture of each enlarged guide hole (29B,C) is larger than an aperture of a grounding guide hole (29A) adjacent to the same enlarged guide hole; and
at least one of the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate also contains a plurality of non-enlarged guide holes (28B,C), each non-enlarged guide hole accommodating a part of one of the probes, so that the head portion or tail portion of each probe pair that is not coupled by the insulating spacer (33) therebetween passes through individually.
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.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MAGGIONI in view of Miller et al. (US 20050225382).
Regarding claim 19, MAGGIONI teaches in figure(s) 1-7 An electronic device under test, wherein the electronic device under test undergoes a high- frequency testing procedure via the probe card according to Claim 18,
MAGGIONI does not teach explicitly wherein the high-frequency test procedure uses a high- frequency signal for testing, and the high-frequency test procedure is a loopback test procedure.
However, Miller teaches in figure(s) 1-10 wherein the high-frequency test procedure uses a high- frequency signal for testing, and the high-frequency test procedure is a loopback test procedure (para. 15 - a DC path is provided from a “loop-back” connection between pads of an IC to test circuitry without substantially degrading the high frequency characteristics of the interconnect between the IC pads; figs. 1,6-7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of MAGGIONI by having wherein the high-frequency test procedure uses a high- frequency signal for testing, and the high-frequency test procedure is a loopback test procedure as taught by Miller in order to provide appropriate usecase for the probe as evidenced by "circuitry enabling transmission of high frequency signals through a connection, while simultaneously providing a DC path from the connection to an attached circuit with the high frequency AC signals to the attached circuit blocked." (abstract).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lou et al. (US 12467954) discloses "Probe Card Device".
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. 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.
/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights