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 .
Miscellaneous
The Applicant has cancelled claims 1-20 and added new claims 21-40; therefore, only claims 21-40 remain for this Office Action.
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.
Claims 21-30 and 36-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Solomon (US 2009/0070721).
In regards to claim 21, Solomon discloses of a system on chip (SoC) comprising: a first device layer (for example L layer 3 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more first components; a second device layer (for example L layer 5 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more second components; a first network layer (for example M layer 4 of 900 in Fig 9) disposed between the first device layer and the second device layer (see Fig 9); a third device layer (for example L layer 7 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more third components; a second network layer (for example M layer 6 of 900 in Fig 9) disposed between the second device layer (5) and the third device layer (7); and a fourth device layer (for example L layer 8 of 900 in Fig 9) directly bonded to the third device layer (7), the fourth device layer (8) comprising one or more fourth components in direct electrical communication with the one or more third components (see Fig 9), wherein the first network layer (4) and the second network layer (6) route electrical communications between at least one first component and at least one fourth component (for example see at least Figs 1-9, 15, 19-24, 31-33 and Paragraphs 0085, 0107-0108, 0182).
In regards to claim 22, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein the second (5) and third (7) device layers each comprise one or more vertical structures that with the first (4) and second (6) network layers collectively provide one or more electrical communication pathways between the at least one first component and the at least one fourth component (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 23, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein the one or more third components and the one or more fourth components are in direct electrical communication via hybrid bonds formed between the third (7) and fourth (8) device layers (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 24, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein: the first network layer (4) is directly bonded to each of the first (3) and second device layers (4); and the second network layer (6) is directly bonded to each of the second (5) and third (7) device layers (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 25, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 22, wherein: a shortest physical distance between the at least one first component and the at least one fourth components is blocked by a second or third component (see Fig 9); and the first network layer (4), the second network layer (6), or both determine an electrical communication pathway between the at least one first component and the at least one fourth component, wherein: the electrical communication pathway is determined based on relative physical locations of the one or more components of each of the first (3), second (5), third (7), and fourth (8) device layers; and the relative physical locations are stored in a look-up table (for example see Paragraph 0112) of the first (4) or second (6) network layers (for example see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 26, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 25, wherein: each of the first (4) and second (6) network layers independently determine a respective portion of the electrical communication pathway; and the first (4) and second (6) network layers collectively determine the electrical communication pathway (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 27, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein the first network layer (4) and the second network layer (6) are arranged in a master/slave relationship (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 28, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein each of the one or more first and fourth components of the respective first and fourth device layers (3, 5, 7-8) comprises a network interface to packetize and depacketize data for communication via an electrical communication pathway (see Paragraphs 0064, 0093-0097).
In regards to claim 29, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein the first network layer (4) is directly bonded to an active surface of the first device layer (3, see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 30, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein one or more routers in the first network layer (4) are in communication with the one or more first components via interconnects formed between the first network layer (4) and the first device layer (3) by hybrid bonding (see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 36, Solomon discloses of the system of claim 21, wherein: the electrical communications between the first and fourth components are routed between the first (4) and second (6) network layers via a second or third component; and the electrical communications comprise data and the second or third component transfers the data to the first or second network layers via a routing interface (see Figs 1-9, 15, 19-24, 31-33).
In regards to claim 37, Solomon discloses of a method comprising: providing a first network layer (for example M layer 4 of 900 in Fig 9) and a second network layer (for example M layer 6 of 900 in Fig 9), each network layer including one or more routers (see Paragraphs 0085, 0107-0108); providing a first device layer (for example L layer 5 of 900 in Fig 9) including one or more components, the first device layer (5) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; bonding the first surface of the first device layer (5) to the second network layer (6); and bonding the second surface of the first device layer (5) to the first network layer (4, see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 38, Solomon discloses of the method of claim 37, further comprising: providing a second device layer (for example L layer 3 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more components; providing a third device layer (for example L layer 7 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more components; bonding the second device layer (3) to the first network layer (4); and bonding the third device layer (7) to the second network layer (6, see Fig 9).
In regards to claim 39, Solomon discloses of a method of claim 38, further comprising: providing a fourth device layer (for example L layer 8 of 900 in Fig 9) comprising one or more components; and directly bonding the fourth device layer (8) to the third device layer (7) such that the one or more components of the fourth device layer (8) are in direct electrical communication with the one or more components of the third device layer (7, see Fig 9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 40 is allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
In regards to claim 40, the closest relevant prior art of 2009/0070721 to Solomon discloses of a vast majority of the claimed method subject matter, however, Solomon does not disclose of nor render obvious the method comprising a fourth device layer situated with the rest of the claimed subject matter structure, such that the method comprises bonding the second surface of the second network layer to the fourth device layer, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so.
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.”
Claims 31-35 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regards to claim 31, the prior art does disclose of the system of claim 21, further comprising a third network layer disposed between the fourth device layer and a fifth device layer comprising one or more memory components, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claims 32-33 are also objected to as being dependent on claim 31.
In regards to claim 34, the prior art does not disclose of the system of claim 21, wherein one of the device layers comprises at least two singulated die disposed in a side-by-side arrangement and an insulating material disposed in a space between the at least two singulated die, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claim 35 is also objected to as being dependent on claim 34.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason M Crawford whose telephone number is (571)272-6004. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 6:30am-3:00pm.
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/JASON M CRAWFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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