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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jin et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0011967).
As to claim 1, Jin discloses a test pad 200 (figs. 4-6) arranged on a substrate 110 with at least one circuit line 120 (fig. 4) and configured for contacting of a contact portion of a probe 2000, characterized in that the test pad comprises at least one groove A2, the at least one groove is configured to restrict the contact portion of the probe from sliding out the test pad, and an edge of the at least one groove is configured for contacting of the contact portion of the probe (fig 6).
As to claim 3, Jin discloses a body (fig. 6, see center portion A1) and a restriction portion (fig. 6, see left and right portions A1), wherein the at least one groove is located between the body and the restriction portion.
As to claim 4, Jin discloses that the body is surrounded by the at least one groove (fig. 5).
As to claim 5, Jin discloses that the at least one groove is surrounded by the restriction portion (figs. 5-6).
As to claim 6, Jin discloses that an area of the body is greater than or equal to that of the at least one groove (figs. 4-6).
As to claim 7, Jin discloses that the body is connected to the at least one circuit line, and an end of the restriction portion is connected to the at least one circuit line (figs. 4-6).
As to claim 8, Jin discloses that the body is connected to the at least one circuit line, and an end of the restriction portion is connected to the body (fig. 4).
As to claim 13, Jin discloses a body (figs. 5-6, see middle portion A1), wherein an area of the body is greater than or equal to that of the at least one groove (figs. 4-6).
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki (JP 2013170885A).
As to claim 1, Sasaki discloses a test pad 7 (fig. 4) arranged on a substrate 1 with at least one circuit line (fig. 4) and configured for contacting of a contact portion of a probe 2, characterized in that the test pad comprises at least one groove 10, the at least one groove is configured to restrict the contact portion of the probe from sliding out the test pad, and an edge of the at least one groove is configured for contacting of the contact portion of the probe (fig. 5).
As to claim 2, Sasaki discloses that a width of the at least one groove is less than or equal to an outer diameter of the contact portion of the probe (fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-12 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.
Regarding dependent claim 9, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1 and 3, a combination of limitations that discloses a connection portion, wherein both ends of the connection portion are connected to the body and the restriction portion, respectively, an end of the restriction portion is connected to the at least one circuit line, wherein the restriction portion, the connection portion and the body are passed by a first imaginary line, the restriction portion, the at least one groove and the body are passed by a second imaginary line, and there is an included angle between the first and second imaginary lines. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 10, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1 and 3, a combination of limitations that discloses a connection portion, wherein both ends of the connection portion are connected to the body and the restriction portion, respectively, an end of the restriction portion is connected to the at least one circuit line, wherein the restriction portion, the connection portion and the body are passed by a first imaginary line, the restriction portion, the at least one groove and the body are passed by a second imaginary line, and the first imaginary line is parallel to the second imaginary line. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 11, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1 and 3, a combination of limitations that discloses a plurality of grooves, wherein the plurality of grooves are not connected to one another, there is at least one connection portion between the adjacent grooves, and both ends of the at least one connection portion are connected to the body and the restriction portion, respectively. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMOL H PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-7833. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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/AMOL H PATEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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