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
1. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/07/2024 and is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. According, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Examiner Notes
2. Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Winter et al. (US. Pub. 20030218472 ; hereinafter “Winter”).
Regarding claim 1, Winter discloses a test fixture assembly (an IC test apparatus, in Fig. 3, testing electrical devices such as ICs), for performing a test of a DUT (Device under Test) (an IC package 16), the DUT (16) comprising a plurality of pins (pins 17 in Figs. 3 and 9) exposed on a surface of the DUT (see Fig. 3), the test fixture assembly comprising: a circuit board (a DUT board 14) comprising a plurality of test pads (such as 22f and 22u, in Figs. 13-14, are formed as contact portions exposed on the DUT board and considered as contact points for contact probes, see [0031, 65]), which are exposed on a surface of the circuit board (see Figs. 12 and 15); and a socket unit (a test socket) comprising a socket base (12b) and a plurality of socket probes (socket pin assemblies 20 in Figs. 5-7), which are inserted through the socket base, wherein a first end and a second end of each of the socket probes are respectively exposed on two opposite surfaces of the socket base (see Figs. 7-8), the first ends are configured to be electrically connected to the pins, respectively, and the second ends are electrically connected to the test pads, respectively (see Figs. 7-8); wherein each of the test pads (22), a corresponding one of the socket probes (20) and a corresponding one of the pins are configured to be linearly arranged along a socket probe direction (see Figs. 7-8).
Regarding claim 2, Winter discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 1, wherein the socket base (12b) comprises a base member (13, 15) and a cover member (13, 15), each of the socket probes is sequentially inserted in a base opening of the base member and a cover opening of the cover member along the socket probe direction, and each of the socket probes is an elastic probe (see Figs. 4-7).
Regarding claim 3, Winter discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 2, wherein the cover member is accommodated in a groove of the base member, and a surface of the cover member facing the circuit board is aligned with a surface of the base member facing the circuit board (see Figs. 4-7).
5. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (US 20030218472 ; hereinafter “Hsu”).
Regarding claim 1, Hsu discloses a test fixture assembly (a test apparatus 100, in Fig. 1A, comprising a contactor assembly for automated testing a device under test (DUT)140), for performing a test of a DUT (Device under Test), the DUT (140) comprising a plurality of pins (131-132 in Figs. 1A-B; 265 in Fig. 2B) exposed on a surface of the DUT (see Fig. 1A), the test fixture assembly comprising: a circuit board (a tester load board 116) comprising a plurality of test pads (test pads 151, 152) , which are exposed on a surface of the circuit board (see Fig. 1A); and a socket unit (a socket 114 in Fig. 1A, also see [0014]) comprising a socket base (see annotated Fig. 1A) and a plurality of socket probes (socket probes 121-123), which are inserted through the socket base, wherein a first end and a second end of each of the socket probes (121-123) are respectively exposed on two opposite surfaces of the socket base (see the annotated Fig. 1A), the first ends are configured to be electrically connected to the pins, respectively, and the second ends are electrically connected to the test pads, respectively (see Fig. 1A); wherein each of the test pads (131-132), a corresponding one of the socket probes (121-123) and a corresponding one of the pins are configured to be linearly arranged along a socket probe direction (see Fig. 1A).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Jeong (US 20190018045; hereinafter “Jeong”).
Regarding claim 2, Hsu discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 1, except for explicitly specifying that wherein the socket base comprises a base member and a cover member, each of the socket probes is sequentially inserted in a base opening of the base member and a cover opening of the cover member along the socket probe direction, and each of the socket probes is an elastic probe.
Jeong discloses a test socket (1 in Fig. 1) comprising the socket base comprises a base member (600) and a cover member (200), each of the socket probes is sequentially inserted in a base opening of the base member (see annotated Fig. 2) and a cover opening of the cover member along the socket probe direction, and each of the socket probes is an elastic probe (see annotated Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the test socket of Hsu by having the socket comprises a base member and a cover member, each of the socket probes is sequentially inserted in a base opening of the base member and a cover opening of the cover member along the socket probe direction, and each of the socket probes is an elastic probe, as taught by Jeong for purposes of providing the test socket assembly reduces the maintenance costs. The test socket assembly can accurately and reliably test the electric properties of the test object. The test socket assembly improves an isolation characteristic of terminals of the test object, so that the cross-talk between the terminals to be tested is decreased.
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Regarding claim 3, Hsu and Jeong disclose the test fixture assembly of claim 2, Jeong further teaches wherein the cover member is accommodated in a groove of the base member, and a surface of the cover member facing the circuit board is aligned with a surface of the base member facing the circuit board (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Hsu and Jeong disclose the test fixture assembly of claim 3, except for explicitly specifying wherein a ratio of a maximum thickness of the base member to a thickness of the cover member is between 1.5 and 2.5.
However selecting a ratio of a maximum thickness of the base member to a thickness of the cover member in a preferred range is a known practice in the art and in the preferred range would simply be a matter of inventor design choice.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the test socket of Hsu and Jeong by having a maximum thickness of the base member to a thickness of the cover member is between 1.5 and 2.5, in order to meet the system design and specification requirement.
8. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Chao et al. (US 20190128955; hereinafter “Chao”).
Regarding claim 6, Hsu disclose the test fixture assembly of claim 1, except for specifying further comprising: a gasket configured for being connected between the DUT and the socket unit and comprising a plurality of openings, wherein the socket probes are inserted through the openings, respectively, and the openings are configured for the first ends being in contact with the pins, respectively. Chao discloses a test socket assembly (100 in Fig. 1) comprising a gasket (130 in Figs. 1-2 and 5) configured for being connected between the DUT(110) and the socket unit (150) and comprising a plurality of openings, wherein the socket probes are inserted through the openings, respectively, and the openings are configured for the first ends being in contact with the pins, respectively (see Figs. 1-2 and 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the test socket of Hsu by having a gasket configured for being connected between the DUT and the socket unit and comprising a plurality of openings, wherein the socket probes are inserted through the openings, respectively, and the openings are configured for the first ends being in contact with the pins, respectively, as taught by Jeong for purposes of improving parallelism between the holes reduces the propensity of the spring pins to bind within the holes, thus allowing for more reliable electrical contact and longer spring pin service life. The modular construction reduces the probability of the spring pin binding, thus providing a more robust and reliable test connection (see the summary).
9. Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Lei et al. (US20210302467; hereinafter “Lei”).
Regarding claim 9, Hsu discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 1, except for specifying further comprising: a guide plate comprising a groove configured for accommodating the DUT, wherein the pins face an outward direction of the guide plate.
Lei discloses, Figs. 1-3, a test kit for testing device under test (DUT) comprising a guide plate (120 in Figs. 2-3) comprising a groove (121) configured for accommodating the DUT, wherein the pins face an outward direction of the guide plate (see Figs. 1-3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the test socket of Hsu by having a guide plate comprising a groove configured for accommodating the DUT, wherein the pins face an outward direction of the guide plate, as taught by Lei for purposes of providing reliable and cost effective test system for testing mmW devices in high volumes. The kit allows a user to easily and quickly test the device under test (DUT) in a cost-effective manner. The reflector is made of metal, so that the reflector can be made of any material that is strong, durable, and resistant to corrosion, and can withstand high temperatures and high pressures. The test kit allows the user to test the DUT in an easy and quick manner, thus reducing test time and physical size of the test system. The DUT is stably electrically connected to a test apparatus to inspect the electrical properties of the device-under-test in an efficient manner (see the summary). Regarding claim 8, Hsu discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 1, except for explicitly specifying that wherein the DUT further comprises a plurality of antenna elements electrically connected to the pins and have an operating frequency between 20 GHz and 100 GHz.
Lei discloses, Figs. 1-3, a test kit for testing device under test (DUT) comprising the DUT further comprises a plurality of antenna elements electrically connected to the pins and have an operating frequency between 20 GHz and 100 GHz (see at least in [0006, 57] ).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the test socket of Hsu by having the DUT further comprises a plurality of antenna elements electrically connected to the pins and have an operating frequency between 20 GHz and 100 GHz., as taught by Lei for purposes of providing reliable and cost effective test system for testing mmW devices in high volumes. The kit allows a user to easily and quickly test the device under test (DUT) in a cost-effective manner. The reflector is made of metal, so that the reflector can be made of any material that is strong, durable, and resistant to corrosion, and can withstand high temperatures and high pressures. The test kit allows the user to test the DUT in an easy and quick manner, thus reducing test time and physical size of the test system. The DUT is stably electrically connected to a test apparatus to inspect the electrical properties of the device-under-test in an efficient manner (see the summary). Regarding claim 10, Hsu discloses the test fixture assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the antenna elements is a dielectric resonator antenna and is electrically connected to two of the pins (see Figs. 6-8).
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claims 5 and 7 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
8/1/2026
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