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 .
Response to Amendment
In view of the amendment, filed on September 2nd, 2025, the following are withdrawn from the previous office action, mailed on June 2nd, 2025.
Rejections of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 are withdrawn in light of the amendments
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments in view of the amendments, see remarks filed September 2nd, 2025, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of a newly found prior art reference and is provided below.
New Grounds of Rejection
Claim Interpretation
Examiner wishes to point out to Applicant that the claims are directed to an apparatus/a system and therefore are only limited by positively recited elements. A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. See MPEP 2114 (II) and 2115 for further details.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3 and 5-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sercel et al. (US 20140217071 A1; hereafter Sercel), in view of Düenzkofer et al. (WO 2018219860 A1; hereafter Düenzkofer; paragraph numbers correspond to attached English machine translation) and Izumi (US 20190219522 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sercel discloses a laser processing apparatus ([0023]; laser machining system 100) comprising:
a laser light source (Fig. 6; [0044]; laser source 602) configured to generate a laser beam (Fig. 6; [0044]; laser beam 606);
a plurality of scanners (Fig. 6; [0044-0045]; optical head 610 splits laser beam 606 into multiple beamlets 616a-616d on laser scanning stage), wherein each of the plurality of scanners is configured to move the laser beam along a processing path (Fig. 6; [0051]; beamlets 616a-616d scribe lines onto workpiece 601) so that the laser beam is irradiated onto a corresponding workpiece (Fig. 6; [0044]; workpiece 601) of a plurality of workpieces (Fig. 6; [0021-0022]; can scribe one or more lines in plural workpieces, such that one beamlet can scribe a line in one workpiece and another beamlet can scribe a line in a second workpiece), respectively;
a plurality of lenses ([0067]; beamlets can each comprise a focusing or imaging lens) respectively disposed between the plurality of scanners and the plurality of workpieces (Fig. 6, 8; [0067]; lens 824 is disposed between beamlet 816 and workpiece 801, same configuration applies for multiple beamlets);
and a measuring circuit (Fig. 6; [0054]; one or more monitoring devices 660) spaced apart from the plurality of lenses with the plurality of workpieces interposed between the measuring circuit and the plurality of lenses (Fig. 6, 8; [0054]; monitoring device 660 is spaced apart from the plural lens for the multiple beamlets with the workpieces 601, 801 disposed therebetween), wherein:
the measuring circuit moves along a measuring path (Fig. 6; [0052-0054]; one or more monitoring devices 660 are movable and therefore monitor along a path) and measures a characteristic of the laser beam ([0052-0054]; monitoring devices can measure power of the beamlets);
and the measuring path overlaps the processing path of each of the plurality of scanners (Fig. 6; [0053-0054]; monitoring devices can move for monitoring as optical head 610 with the beamlets is scanning).
Sercel does not explicitly disclose a position of the laser beam, which is transmitted by one of the plurality of scanners, along the processing path is synchronized with a position of the measuring circuit along the measuring path, wherein the measuring circuit measures the characteristic of the laser beam while moving in synchronization with movement of the laser beam, a protective window disposed between the plurality of workpieces and the plurality of scanners and wherein the protective window is configured to collect and remove foreign particles formed when the plurality of workpieces is processed.
However, Düenzkofer teaches a laser processing apparatus (Fig. 3; [0057]; laser processing machine) comprising a laser beam transmitted by a scanner ([0030, 0068]; laser cutting head 4; 5 provide a scanning laser beam) moving along a processing path ([0068]; laser cutting head 4; 5, providing the scanning laser beam, moves longitudinally) and a measuring sensor (Fig. 3; [0068]; scattered light sensor 39) moving along a measuring path ([0068]; scattered light sensor 39 moves longitudinally), wherein the measuring sensor measures a characteristic of the laser beam ([0068-0069]; 39 measures laser power). The position and movement speed of the laser beam and the measuring sensor are synchronized (Fig. 3; [0068]; 39 is always synchronized with 4;5 both in terms of the longitudinal position and the speed of the longitudinal movement) as the laser beam and the measuring sensor move along the processing path and the measuring path respectively.
Sercel and Düenzkofer are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of laser processing apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Sercel with the teachings of Düenzkofer to provide a position of the laser beam, which is transmitted by one of the plurality of scanners, along the processing path is synchronized with a position of the measuring circuit along the measuring path, wherein the measuring circuit measures the characteristic of the laser beam while moving in synchronization with movement of the laser beam. Doing so would allow the laser power to be measured while reducing limitations due to size, measuring distance, contamination and temperature, which can result in a favorable signal-to-noise ratio for the measurement (Düenzkofer [0024]).
Sercel, in view of Düenzkofer, does not disclose a protective window disposed between the plurality of workpieces and the plurality of scanners and wherein the protective window is configured to collect and remove foreign particles formed when the plurality of workpieces is processed.
However, Izumi teaches a laser processing apparatus (Fig. 1; [0020]; laser processing device) comprising a laser light source (Fig. 1; [0020]; laser oscillator 11) configured to generate a laser beam (Fig. 1; [0020]; 11 outputs laser light beam), a scanner (Fig. 1; [0020]; external optical system 12) configured to move the laser beam along a processing path (Fig. 1; [0020]; drive controller 14 moves position of focusing lens 22 and work table 16) so that the laser beam is irradiated onto a workpiece (Fig. 1; [0020]; laser beam is irradiated onto workpiece W on work table 16), and a protective window (Fig. 1; [0020]; protective window 24) disposed between the scanner and the workpiece (Fig. 1; [0020]; protective window 24 is disposed between external optical system 12 and workpiece W on work table 16). The laser beam passes through the protective window and the protective window is configured to collect and remove foreign particles formed when the plurality of workpieces is processed (Fig. 1; [0008]; the protective window 24 easily gets contaminated during laser processing and needs to be cleaned or replaced when contaminated).
Sercel and Izumi are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of laser processing apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Sercel, in view of Düenzkofer, with the teachings of Izumi to provide a protective window disposed between the plurality of workpieces and the plurality of scanners and wherein the protective window is configured to collect and remove foreign particles formed when the plurality of workpieces is processed. Doing so would protect the plurality of scanners from contamination and prevent the quality of laser processing to significantly deteriorate (Izumi [0008]).
Regarding claim 3, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 1. As the modification of Sercel by Izumi introduces a protective window in between the plurality of workpieces and the plurality of scanners, the protective window in modified Sercel would necessarily have the laser beam pass through the protective window to reach the measuring circuit as the measuring circuit of Sercel is located on the opposite side of the workpieces from the laser beamlets and the workpieces are located between the laser beamlets and measuring circuit.
Regarding claim 5, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller (Sercel [0028, 0052-0054]; laser beam is controlled in shape, size, uniformity and/or strength based on data from monitoring devices) configured to calculate measurement data based on the characteristic of the laser beam, to calculate compensation data based on the measurement data, and control an output of the laser beam based on the compensation data (Sercel [0028, 0052-0054]; data from monitoring devices is used to adjustment processing parameters, such as shape, size, uniformity and/or strength of the laser beam).
Regarding claim 6, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the compensation data comprises a compensation value of each of the plurality of scanners (Sercel [0028, 0052-0054]; data from monitoring devices is used to adjustment processing parameters, such as shape, size, uniformity and/or strength of the beamlets of the laser beam).
Regarding claim 7, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein Sercel further discloses a plurality of reflection mirrors ([0047]; beam delivery system 612 including reflectors) including a first reflection mirror configured to modify a path of the laser beam to provide a first laser beam ([0047]; beam delivery system 612 including reflectors for routing the beamlets 616a-616d), and a second reflection mirror configured to modify the path of the laser beam to provide a second laser beam ([0047]; beam delivery system 612 including reflectors for routing the beamlets 616a-616d) and the plurality of scanners include a first scanner (Fig. 6; [0044-0045]; optical head 610 splits laser beam 606 into beamlet 616a of multiple beamlets 616a-616d on laser scanning stage) and a second scanner (Fig. 6; [0044-0045]; optical head 610 splits laser beam 606 into beamlet 616b of multiple beamlets 616a-616d on laser scanning stage) spaced apart from the first scanner (Fig. 6; [0044-0045]; beamlets 616a and 616b are spaced apart).
Modified Sercel does not explicitly disclose the controller turns off the laser beam when the measuring circuit does not overlap the first scanner and when the measuring circuit does not overlap the second scanner.
However, when the monitoring device of Sercel is in position to receive the beamlets of the laser beam and monitor the power level of the beamlets ([0054]) the monitoring device would necessarily need to be turned on. And when the monitoring device is not in position of the receive the beamlets there would be no beamlets to measure the power for and the monitoring would not need to be turned on. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify modified Sercel to provide the controller turns off the laser beam when the measuring circuit does not overlap the first scanner and when the measuring circuit does not overlap the second scanner. Doing so would reduce power costs for the laser processing apparatus by only monitoring the laser beam when the laser beam can be monitored.
Regarding claim 8, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 5.
As to claim 8, Düenzkofer further teaches a controller ([0040, 0042]; machine control unit for process control of the laser processing machine) controls the measuring path of the measuring sensor ([0042]; scattered light sensor is connected to the control unit) and the processing path of the laser beam ([0040]; process control of the position and movement speed of the laser beam). Sercel and Düenzkofer are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of laser processing apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify modified Sercel with the teachings of Düenzkofer to provide the controller controls the measuring path and the processing path of each of the plurality of scanners. Doing so would allow the laser power to be measured while reducing limitations due to size, measuring distance, contamination and temperature, which can result in a favorable signal-to-noise ratio for the measurement (Düenzkofer [0024]).
Regarding claim 9, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 5.
As to claim 9, Düenzkofer further teaches a controller synchronizes a position of the laser beam with a position of the measuring sensor ([0064, 0068]; 39 is always synchronized with 4;5 both in terms of the longitudinal position and the speed of the longitudinal movement, wherein the position and movement speed of the laser beam are controlled and therefore the position and movement speed of the scatter light sensor is also controlled). Sercel and Düenzkofer are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of laser processing apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify modified Sercel with the teachings of Düenzkofer to provide the controller synchronizes the position of the laser beam transmitted by one of the plurality of scanners with the position of the measuring circuit. Doing so would allow the laser power to be measured while reducing limitations due to size, measuring distance, contamination and temperature, which can result in a favorable signal-to-noise ratio for the measurement (Düenzkofer [0024]).
Regarding claim 10, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring circuit moves in a first direction (Sercel Fig. 6; [0054]; monitoring device 660 can move in the x-direction) and a second direction crossing the first direction (Sercel [0046, 0053-0054]; optical head 610 can move in the y-direction and the monitoring device 660 can move with the optical head 610, therefore monitoring device 660 can move in the y-direction) and measures an optical power of the laser beam (Sercel [0054]; monitoring device 660 can measure power of the beamlets).
Regarding claim 11, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the plurality of lenses include a first lens and a second lens (Sercel [0067]; beamlets can each comprise a focusing or imaging lens, so there can be a first lens for beamlet 616a and a second lens for beamlet 616b), wherein the first lens faces the first scanner (Sercel Fig. 6, 8; [0067]; beamlet 616a can have a focusing or imaging lens facing it), and the second lens faces the second scanner (Sercel Fig. 6, 8; [0067]; beamlet 616b can have a focusing or imaging lens facing it).
Regarding claim 12, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the measuring path overlaps the first scanner and the second scanner (Sercel Fig. 6; [0046, 0053-0054]; movable monitoring device 660 faces beamlets 616a and 616b and monitors power of the beamlets as scribe lines, therefore the monitoring path of monitoring device 660 overlaps the scanning of beamlets 616a and 616b).
Claims 4 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sercel et al. (US 20140217071 A1; hereafter Sercel), in view of Düenzkofer et al. (WO 2018219860 A1; hereafter Düenzkofer; paragraph numbers correspond to attached English machine translation) and Izumi (US 20190219522 A1) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Doemer et al. (US 20130057874 A1; hereafter Doemer).
Regarding claim 4, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 1.
Modified Sercel does not disclose a chamber configured to accommodate the plurality of workpieces and the protective window in a vacuum.
However, Doemer teaches a laser processing apparatus (Fig. 1; [0027]; laser processing system 1) comprising a laser light source (Fig. 1; [0037]; laser 71) configured to generate a laser beam (Fig. 1; [0037]; laser beam 17), a scanner (Fig. 1; [0032]; laser scanner 74) configured to move the laser beam along a processing path (Fig. 1; [0032]; laser scanner 74 scans laser beam 17 in scanning range 13) so that the laser beam is irradiated onto a workpiece (Fig. 1; [0032]; laser beam 17 is irradiated onto object to remove material), a protective window (Fig. 1; [0041]; window 81) disposed between the scanner and the workpiece (Fig. 1; [0032, 0042]; window 81 is disposed between laser scanner 74 and object mounted on object holder 101), and a chamber (Fig. 1; [0035]; vacuum chamber wall 53) configured to accommodate the workpiece and the protective window in a vacuum (Fig. 1; [0035, 0041-0042]; vacuum chamber wall 53 accommodates the object mounted on object holder 101 and window 81 in a vacuum space).
Sercel and Doemer are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of laser processing apparatuses. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify modified Sercel with the teachings of Doemer to provide a chamber configured to accommodate the plurality of workpieces and the protective window in a vacuum. Using a vacuum environment is well-known in the art of laser processing as reduced pressure in the vacuum environment dissipates a plasma cloud generated by the laser scribing faster, therefore allowing the use of high pulse repetition rate and ultra-short pulses for the laser and in turn scribing the workpieces faster, as evidenced by Suutarinen (WO 2008033135 A1; Pg. 2, Ln. 16-23).
Regarding claim 21, modified Sercel discloses the laser processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein Izumi further teaches the protective window is configured to move ([0037]; the position of protective window 24 can be adjusted).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Vipul Malik whose telephone number is (571)272-0976. 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, Susan Leong can be reached on (571)270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/V.M./Examiner, Art Unit 1754 /SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754