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, 6, 8-10, 14, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lu et al. (US 7,595,631).
Regarding claim 1, Lu teaches an alignment card (figs. 1 and 2) comprising: a card-shaped substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a perimeter edge (12); test chip on the card-shaped substrate, the test chip is connected to contact pads that are exposed at the first surface (area 16 receiving test chip 23 of fig. 2); and alignment indicators on the first substrate, the alignment indicators intersect the contact pads (lines intersecting pads, fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Lu further teaches wherein the test chip is programmable (the chip is inherent to be programmable), and the contact pads are electrical contacts that are electrically connected to the test chip (col. 2, lines 30-38).
Regarding claim 3, Lu further teaches wherein the perimeter edge includes first and second side edges, and first and second end edges; the alignment indicators comprise vertical alignment indicators and horizontal alignment indicators, the vertical alignment indicators are parallel to the first and second end edges, and the horizontal alignment indicators are parallel to the first and second side edges (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Lu further teaches wherein the vertical alignment indicators comprise alignment lines that are visible to the naked eye, and wherein the horizontal alignment indicators comprise alignment lines that are visible to the naked eye (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Lu further teaches a method comprising using the alignment card of claim 1 to align contact pins of a chip programming head (col. 4, lines 28-53).
Regarding claim 9, Lu teaches an alignment substrate comprising: a substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, first and second side edges, and first and second end edges (12, fig. 1); a programmable test chip on the substrate, the programmable test chip is electrically connected to electrical contact pads that are exposed at the first surface (area 16 receiving chip 23, fig. 2 and col. 2, lines 49-55); and alignment lines on the first surface, the alignment lines are visible to the naked eye and intersect the electrical contact pads (lines intersecting pads, fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, Lu further teaches wherein the alignment lines comprise vertical alignment lines and horizontal alignment lines, the vertical alignment lines are parallel to the first and second end edges, and the horizontal alignment lines are parallel to the first and second side edges (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, Lu further teaches a method comprising using the alignment substrate of claim 9 to align contact pins of a chip programming head (col. 4, lines 28-53).
Regarding claim 17, Lu teaches an alignment card comprising a card-shaped substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a perimeter edge (12, fig. 1); a programmable test chip on the card-shaped substrate (area 16 receiving chip 23, fig. 2), the programmable test chip is electrically connected to electrical contact pads that are exposed on the card-shaped substrate (col. 2, lines 49-55).
Regarding claim 18, Lu further teaches alignment indicators on the card-shaped substrate adjacent to the electrical contact pads (lines intersecting pads, fig. 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 7 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu in view of Kragtorp (US 2023/0018699).
Regarding claims 7 and 13, Lu teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above except for the card-shape substrate or the substrate is 85.60 mm by 53.98 mm with rounded corners.
However, Kragtorp teaches the card-shape substrate or the substrate is 85.60 mm by 53.98 mm with rounded corners ([0019]).
In view of Kragtorp’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Lu by incorporating the teaching as taught by Kragtorp since it is just a matter of design option for the dimensions of the card-shaped substrate or the substrate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 11 and 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.
Claims 15 are16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to further teach or fairly suggest wherein the vertical alignment indicators extend from the first side edge and extend from the second side edge as recited in claims 4 and 11 or wherein the horizontal alignment indicators extend from the first end edge and extend from the second end edge as recited in claims 5 and 12.
The prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest a method of aligning contact pins of a chip programming head for programming a programmable chip on a card, comprising: positioning an alignment substrate under the chip programming head; the alignment substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, first and second side edges, first and second end edges, a programmable test chip that is electrically connected to electrical contact pads that are exposed at the first surface, and alignment lines on the first surface that are visible to the naked eye and intersect the electrical contact pads; bringing the chip programming head and the alignment substrate toward each other until the contact pins are near or in contact with the electrical contact pads; determining whether the contact pins are aligned with the electrical contact pads; if the contact pins are not aligned with the electrical contact pads, adjusting the position of the contact pins until the contact pins are aligned with the electrical contact pads; and removing the alignment substrate and transporting the card to a position under the chip programming head and thereafter using the contact pins of the chip programming head to communicate with the programmable chip on the card as recited in claim 15 and further limitations of the dependent claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References: Lou (US 2024/0096716); Appinger et al. (US 9,927,463); Lu et al. (US 2008/0169831) and Fredrickson et al. (US 6,292,003) are cited because they are related to alignment method and device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUYEN K VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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