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 § 103
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 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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20160370404 to Quadrat in view of US 20130094148 to Sloane.
Regarding Claim 1, Quadrat discloses an electronics system (Figs. 1-5, main circuit board 24 carrying electronic components of drone; ¶¶ [0043]-[0050]) comprising: a board that includes: a structural material (Figs. 1-5, main circuit board 24; ¶¶ [0043]-[0050]); a thermal conduit on the structural material, the thermal conduit having a thermal conductivity that is higher than a thermal conductivity of the structural material (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30 on main circuit board 24 comprising FR4 (025 W/mK) or Thermount (0.7 W/mK); ¶¶ [0008] & [0014] referring to Petriccia et al., [0043]-[0050]); and having a first region, a second region, and a connecting portion connecting the first region to the second region (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 with areas extending from under IMU 26 to under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]); a thermal interface on the structural material, the thermal interface having a thermal heat transfer capacity that is higher than the thermal heat transfer capacity of the structural material and being attached to the first region of the thermal conduit (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]); and an electronics device mounted to the board at the second region of the thermal conduit (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 with area extending under IMU 26; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]), the thermal conduit forming a thermal path between the surface of the thermal interface and the electronics device (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 extending from under IMU 26 to under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]); wherein the thermal conduit includes: a metal conductor partially located below the electronics device (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30; ¶¶ [0008], [0014], [0043]-[0050]).
However, Quadrat does not explicitly disclose the metal conductor made of at least two metal layers, the at least two metal layers being separated by a layer of the structural material; and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device. Sloane discloses the thermal conduit includes at least two metal layers that are separated by a layer of the structural material (Figs. 3-6, first dielectric layer 31 between the heater 28 and solder layers 26 connected by vias or castellations 65 which extend through dielectric layer 31 and through holes 66; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045]); and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device (Figs. 3-6, first dielectric layer 31 between the heater 28 and solder layers 26 connected by vias or castellations 65 which extend through dielectric layer 31 and through holes 66; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing of the application to modify the invention of Quadrat by providing the metal conductor made of at least two metal layers, the at least two metal layers being separated by a layer of the structural material; and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device as in Sloane in order to provide for greater efficiency.
Regarding Claim 2, Quadrat discloses the metal conductor is made of a metal that is more thermally conductive than the structural material (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30 on main circuit board 24 comprising FR4 (025 W/mK) or Thermount (0.7 W/mK); ¶¶ [0008], [0014], [0043]-[0050]).
Regarding Claim 3, Sloane discloses the board has at least one metal layer having an inner portion and an outer portion and the structural material forms a barrier between the inner portion and the outer portion, the inner portion forming the thermal conduit, and the thermal interface and the electronics device being located over the inner portion (Figs. 3-6 and 9-10, multilayer carrier board with heater layer 54 located only in heater zone 52 beneath module 50; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045], [0050]-[0054]).
Regarding Claim 4, Quadrat discloses the metal layer is more electrically conductive than the structural material (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30 on main circuit board 24 comprising FR4 (025 W/mK) or Thermount (0.7 W/mK); ¶¶ [0008], [0014], [0043]-[0050]).
Regarding Claim 5, Sloane discloses the structural material forms a plurality of barriers
between the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the barriers are alternated with portions
of the metal layer that connect the inner portion to one another (Figs. 3-6 and 9-10, multilayer
carrier board with heater layers 54 located in multiple heater zones 52 beneath modules 50; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045], [0050]-[0054]).
Regarding Claim 6, Quadrat discloses a movement detection device in the electronics device (Figs. 1-5 IMU 26; ¶¶ [0045]-[0050]); a system storage (Figs. 1-5, θ°.sub.chip (temperature of the IMU 26, measured by the sensor 34) and reference temperature θ°.sub.ref memorized in 48/PWM register 62; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]); and calibration data on the system storage (Figs. 1-5, θ°.sub.chip (temperature of the IMU 26, measured by the sensor 34) and reference temperature θ°.sub.ref memorized in 48/PWM register 62; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]), the calibration data including a first temperature of the movement detection device (Figs. 1-5, θ°.sub.chip; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]); a first output from the movement detection device recorded against the first temperature (Figs. 1-5, bias/temperature input/output data in file 78 at first sample of θ°.sub.chip; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]); and a second temperature of the movement detection device that is different than the first temperature (Figs. 1-5, θ°.sub.chip; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]); and a second output from the movement detection device recorded against the second temperature (Figs. 1-5, bias/temperature input/output data in file 78 at second sample of θ°.sub.chip; ¶¶ [0053]-[0071]).
Regarding Claim 7, Quadrat discloses the movement detection device is an accelerometer (Fig. 2, inertial unit (IMU) 26 with three-axis gyrometer and three-axis accelerometer ¶ [0045]).
Regarding Claim 8, Quadrat discloses the movement detection device is a gyroscope (Fig. 2, inertial unit (IMU) 26 with three-axis gyrometer and three-axis accelerometer; ¶ [0045]).
Regarding Claim 9, Quadrat discloses a temperature detector in the electronics device (Fig. 2, inertial unit (IMU) 26 with temperature sensor 34; ¶ [0047]).
Regarding Claim 11, Quadrat discloses a method of constructing an electronics system (Figs. 1-5, main circuit board 24 carrying electronic components of drone; ¶¶ [0043]-[0050]) comprising: constructing a board (Figs. 1-5, main circuit board 24; ¶¶ [0043]-[0050]) including: forming a thermal conduit on the structural material, the thermal conduit having a thermal heat transfer capacity that is higher than a thermal heat transfer capacity of the structural material (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30 on main circuit board 24 comprising FR4 (025 W/mK) or Thermount (0.7 W/mK); ¶¶ [0008] & [0014] referring to Petriccia et al., [0043]-[0050]) and having a first region, a second region, and a connecting portion connecting the first region to the second region (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 with areas extending from under IMU 26 to under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]); forming a thermal interface on the structural material, the thermal interface having a thermal heat transfer capacity conductivity that is higher than the thermal heat transfer capacity of the structural material and being attached to the first region of the thermal conduit (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]); and mounting an electronics device to the board at the second region of the thermal conduit (Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 with area extending under IMU 26; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]), the thermal conduit forming a thermal path between the surface of the thermal interface and the electronics device(Figs. 1-5, conductive thermal element 30 extending from under IMU 26 to under heating component 28; ¶¶ [0046]-[0050]), wherein the thermal conduit includes: a metal conductor partially located below the electronics device (Figs. 1-5, Copper (391.0 W/mK) conductive thermal element 30; ¶¶ [0008], [0014], [0043]-[0050]).
However, Quadrat does not explicitly disclose the metal conductor made of at least two metal layers, the at least two metal layers being separated by a layer of the structural material; and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device. Sloane discloses the thermal conduit includes at least two metal layers that are separated by a layer of the structural material (Figs. 3-6, first dielectric layer 31 between the heater 28 and solder layers 26 connected by vias or castellations 65 which extend through dielectric layer 31 and through holes 66; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045]); and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device (Figs. 3-6, first dielectric layer 31 between the heater 28 and solder layers 26 connected by vias or castellations 65 which extend through dielectric layer 31 and through holes 66; ¶¶ [0040]-[0045]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing of the application to modify the invention of Quadrat by providing the metal conductor made of at least two metal layers, the at least two metal layers being separated by a layer of the structural material; and a plurality of metal vias connecting the layers to one another, at least one of the plurality of metal vias located below the electronics device as in Sloane in order to provide for greater efficiency.
Regarding Claims 12-14, the method of the claims appears to be met by the operation of the electronics device of claims 1 and 6.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quadrat in view of Sloane as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of US 20070204672 to Huang.
Regarding Claim 10, Quadrat in view of Sloane discloses the electronics system of claim 9, but is silent regarding a field computer; an interface connecting the field computer to the movement detection device and the temperature detector; and a controlled system connected to the field computer. Huang discloses a field computer (Figs. 1-5, testers 102 / 401 embodied using micro-controllers, microprocessors, digital signal processors, programmable logic arrays, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) storing offset temperature coefficient (OTC) and calibration settings of UUTs 112; ¶¶ [0025]-[0040]), an interface connecting the field computer to the movement detection device and the temperature detector (Figs. 1-5, testers 102 / 401 connected to temperature controller 104; ¶¶ [0025]-[0040]); and a controlled system connected to the field computer (Figs. 1-5, testers 102 / 401 embodied using micro-controllers, microprocessors, digital signal processors, programmable logic arrays; ¶¶ [0025]-[0040]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing of the application to modify the invention of Quadrat in view of Sloane by providing a field computer; an interface connecting the field computer to the movement detection device and the temperature detector; and a controlled system connected to the field computer as in Huang in order to provide for remote use of the device/drone.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID J BOLDUC whose telephone number is (571)270-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 10am-6pm.
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/DAVID J BOLDUC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
