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 § 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 25 is 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 25 recites the limitation “the cathode through conductor” and “the anode through conductor” in lines 19-20. It is unclear if the cathode through conductor is intended to be the first cathode through conductor or the second cathode through conductor. It is also unclear if the anode through conductor is intended to be first anode through conductor or the fifth anode through conductor. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 25 recites the limitation “the conductive interconnect layer is electrically connected to either the cathode through conductor or the anode through conductor” in lines 19-20, however, a similar limitation was already recited in lines 14-16. Therefore the limitations in lines 19-20 fail to further limit the claim and make it unclear as to the proper scope of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-24 are allowed.
Claim 25 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: claims 1-25 are considered to contain allowable subject matter due to the inclusion of the following claim limitations in the claims as a whole: “at least a single fifth cathode through conductor…each of the first cathode through conductor, the second cathode through conductor, and the first anode through conductor is a direct through conductor that penetrates the sealing layer and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes an end portion connected to the conductive interconnect layer, the fifth cathode through conductor is an indirect through conductor that penetrates the outer insulating layer, the sealing layer, and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes a side surface connected to the conductive interconnect layer” as recited in claim 1; “at least a single fifth anode through conductor…each of the first cathode through conductor, the second cathode through conductor, the first anode through conductor, and the second anode through conductor is a direct through conductor that penetrates the sealing layer and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes an end portion connected to the conductive interconnect layer, the fifth anode through conductor is an indirect through conductor that penetrates the outer insulating layer, the sealing layer, and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes a side surface connected to the conductive interconnect layer” in claim 22; “at least a single fifth cathode through conductor…each of the first cathode through conductor and the first anode through conductor is a direct through conductor that penetrates the sealing layer and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes an end portion connected to the conductive interconnect layer, the fifth cathode through conductor is an indirect through conductor that penetrates the outer insulating layer, the sealing layer, and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes a side surface connected to the conductive interconnect layer” as recited in claim 24; and “at least a single fifth anode through conductor…each of the first cathode through conductor and the first anode through conductor is a direct through conductor that penetrates the sealing layer and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes an end portion connected to the conductive interconnect layer, the fifth anode through conductor is an indirect through conductor that penetrates the outer insulating layer, the sealing layer, and the capacitor portion in the thickness direction and that includes a side surface connected to the conductive interconnect layer” in claim 25. Claims 2-21 and 23 are considered to contain allowable subject matter due to their dependence on claims 1 and 22, respectively.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Timothy J Dole whose telephone number is (571)272-2229. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-2:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrea Wellington can be reached at (571)272-4483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Timothy J. Dole/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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