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 (IDS) submitted on 03/24/2025 was considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1-20 recites the limitation "printed circuit board" throughout the claims respectfully. It is unclear, to the examiner of record, which printed circuit board (the first printed circuit board 310 or the second printed circuit board 320) that is relied upon in the claims. This clarification is necessary because of the claimed orientation of the printed circuit board being perpendicular to the first plane (see claims 3 and 14). It is also noted that the processor appears to only be disposed over printed circuit board 310, which is orientated parallel to the first plane 319. Printed circuit board 310 cannot be orientated parallel and perpendicular to the first plane 319.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-8, 10-13, and 15-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Michael (6778390). With respect to claim 1, Michael (6778390) discloses a processing subsystem (300), comprising: a processor (119) disposed over a printed circuit board (101); a heat sink (305, 307) thermally coupled to the processor (119), wherein the heat sink (305, 307) includes a plurality of cooling fins (see figures 3, 5, 7A, and 7B) that are oriented parallel to a first plane; and at least one cooling fan (303) that is positioned to allow a cooling fluid to flow through the heat sink (305, 307) in a direction parallel to the first plane, wherein at least a portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) in the direction parallel to the first plane flows out of the heat sink (305, 307) unobstructed by the printed circuit board (101). With respect to claim 2, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein the portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) in the direction parallel to the first plane flows out of the processing subsystem (300) unobstructed by the printed circuit board (101). With respect to claim 4, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board (101) couples the processing subsystem (300) to a card edge connector. With respect to claim 5, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein the portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) exits the processing subsystem (300) without substantially changing direction. With respect to claim 6, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling fan (303) is positioned in a side region of the processing subsystem (300). With respect to claim 7, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling fan (303) has a diameter that is equal to or greater than a height of the heat sink (305, 307). With respect to claim 8, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the processing subsystem (300) is equal to or less than at least one of a single chassis expansion slot, two chassis expansion slots, or three chassis expansion slots. With respect to claim 10, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 1, further comprising a frame (313) within which the printed circuit board (101), the at least one cooling fan (303), and the heat sink (305, 307) are disposed (see figures 3, 5, 7A, 7B, 8, 9). With respect to claim 11, Michael discloses the processing subsystem (300) of claim 10, further comprising at least one connection port that is disposed on a wall of the frame. With respect to claim 12, Michael discloses a computer system (see for example the background of the invention), comprising: a chassis; a power supply disposed within the chassis; a motherboard disposed within the chassis and electrically coupled to the power supply; and a processing subsystem (300) within the chassis that is communicatively coupled to the motherboard and includes: a processor (119) disposed over a printed circuit board (101); a heat sink (305, 307) thermally coupled to the processor (119), wherein the heat sink (305, 307) includes a plurality of cooling fins (see figures 3, 5, 7A, and 7B) that are oriented parallel to a first plane; and at least one cooling fan (303) that is positioned to allow a cooling fluid to flow through the heat sink (305, 307) in a direction parallel to the first plane, wherein at least a portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) in the direction parallel to the first plane flows out of the heat sink (305, 307) unobstructed by the printed circuit board (101). With respect to claim 13, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein the portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) in the direction parallel to the first plane flows out of the processing subsystem (300) unobstructed by the printed circuit board (101). With respect to claim 15, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board (101) couples the processing subsystem to a card edge connector. With respect to claim 16, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein the portion of the cooling fluid that flows through the heat sink (305, 307) exits the processing subsystem (300) without substantially changing direction. With respect to claim 17, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein the at least one cooling fan (303) is positioned in a side region of the processing subsystem (300). With respect to claim 18, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein the at least one cooling fan (101) has a diameter that is equal to or greater than a height of the heat sink (305, 307). With respect to claim 19, Michael discloses the computer system of claim 12, wherein a thickness of the processing subsystem (300) is equal to or less than at least one of a single chassis expansion slot, two chassis expansion slots, or three chassis expansion slots.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 20 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. Claims 9 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA LEA-EDMONDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2043. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at 571-272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LISA LEA-EDMONDS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/LISA LEA-EDMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847 2026-06-17
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