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 .
Priority
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because claim 16 combines description of a storage medium apparatus with the heating apparatus and method for using the heating apparatus, thus violating second paragraph of 35 USC 112 (see MPEP 2173.05(p)). The purpose of that paragraph is to require patentee to provide others with notice of boundaries of protection provided by patent, since manufacturer or seller, at time of making or selling the apparatus set forth in claim, would have no indication whether it might later be sued for contributory infringement if apparatus is used in accordance with claimed method, and since claim is thus not sufficiently precise that possibility of infringement may be determined with reasonable degree of certainty.
The claim is directed to neither a “process” nor a “machine”, but rather embraces or overlaps two different statutory classes of invention set forth in 35 U.S.C. 101 which is drafted so as to set forth the classes of invention in the alternative only (see MPEP 2173.05(p)).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 5, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) / (a)(2) as being anticipated by Inagawa (US 2004/0065656).
With respect to the limitations of claim 1, Inagawa teaches an apparatus for controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate (title, abstract, substrates 102, 0026), the apparatus comprising: a carrier having a carrier surface (Figs 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, support assemblies 120, 0025-0027) for carrying the substrate at a carried surface opposite the target surface, the carrier having a plurality of laterally distributed heating zones (Fig 5, thermally regulated zones 502i, 0035) that are thermally insulated (thermal isolators 504i, 0035, air gaps, thermally insulative material) from each other, and the respective heating zones comprise respective resistive heating elements (resistive heaters 506i, 0036) that are thermally coupled to a heat sink (Fig 8, shows heating elements 808 thermally coupled to stainless steel bottom plate 814, 0040, which is equivalent to a heat sink), and a controller configured to control a selective supply of electric energy (Fig 5, controller 510, multiple-output power source 508, 0036, controller 510 that facilitates thermal regulation of each zone 502i by controlling the power applied to each resistive heater 506i) to at least one of the respective resistive heating elements comprised in at least one of the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones, the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones are thermally insulated from each other in that the carrier defines slits that at least extend along portions of boundaries between mutually neighboring heating zones (Figs 4, 8, shows slots 2121-3 extending along boundaries of heat zones 2021-3), and the slits are in communication with an evacuation channel (Fig 4, top and bottom opening of slots 2121-3 are in communication with atmosphere in heating chamber 100, 0024, which is in a vacuum environment, 0030, vacuum environment each slot 2121-3; see fig 1 bottom pump).
With respect to the limitations of claim 5, Inagawa teaches respective resistive heating elements are coupled to an electric power supply switched by respective switching elements that are controlled by the controller (Fig 5, controller 510, multiple-output power source 508, 0036, controller 510 that facilitates thermal regulation of each zone 502i by controlling the power applied to each resistive heater 506i, thermal regulation of each zone requires switching elements).
With respect to claim 13, Inagawa teaches a manufacturing method for controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate (title, abstract, substrates 102, 0026), the method comprising: providing a carrier (Figs 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, support assemblies 120, 0025-0027) with a plurality of laterally distributed heating zones (Fig 5, thermally regulated zones 502i, 0035) that are thermally insulated (thermal isolators 504i, 0035, air gaps, thermally insulative material) from each other, the respective heating zones comprise respective resistive heating elements (resistive heaters 506i, 0036) that are thermally coupled to a heat sink (Fig 8, shows heating elements 808 thermally coupled to stainless steel bottom plate 814, 0040, which is equivalent to a heat sink), and the carrier includes a carrier surface (support assemblies 120) for carrying the substrate at a carried surface (substrates 102) opposite the target surface, and selectively providing electric energy to at least one of the respective resistive heating elements comprised in at least one of the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones (Fig 5, controller 510, multiple-output power source 508, 0036, controller 510 that facilitates thermal regulation of each zone 502i by controlling the power applied to each resistive heater 506i), the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones are thermally insulated from each other in that the carrier defines slits that at least extend along portions of boundaries between mutually neighboring heating zones (Figs 4, 8, shows slots 2121-3 extending along boundaries of heat zones 2021-3), and the slits are in communication with an evacuation channel (Fig 4, top and bottom opening of slots 2121-3 are in communication with atmosphere in heating chamber 100, 0024, which is in a vacuum environment, 0030, vacuum environment each slot 2121-3; see fig 1 bottom pump).
With respect to claim 14, Inagawa teaches comprising: providing the substrate with a heat sensitive material, and applying the method to change a state of the heat sensitive material (a plurality of large area substrates 102 may be heated or thermally regulated while being stored thereon).
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.
Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Ogawa (US 2016/0111331).
With respect to the limitations of claim 2, Inagawa discloses the claimed invention except for the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an adhesive layer. However, Ogawa discloses the carrier surface of the carrier (Figs 3-5, chuck table 51, 0041) is provided with an adhesive layer support (protective tape 3, 0041) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa having a carrier with a carrier surface silent to an adhesive support layer with the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an adhesive layer of Ogawa for the purpose of providing a known adhesive support layer that allows for wafer dicing to be suitably performed (0041).
With respect to the limitations of claim 4, Inagawa in view of Ogawa discloses the claimed invention except for the heating zones of the carrier are supported by respective protrusions of the heat sink. However, Ogawa disclose using protrusions to support the substrate (Figs 1-4, spacers 206, 0028) and has the advantage of providing a known spaced-apart configuration the helps to limit or eliminate scratching to the substrate (0029). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa in view of Ogawa having heating zones of the carrier supported by the heat sink silent to protrusions with the protrusion configuration of Ogawa for the purpose of providing a known spaced-apart configuration the helps to limit or eliminate scratching or damage to the heating zones of the carrier.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Moslehi (US 2011/0021006).
With respect to the limitations of claim 3, Inagawa discloses the claimed invention except for the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an anti-stick layer. However, Moslehi discloses the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an anti-stick layer (0148, there may be an optional surface coating, such as a thin Teflon layer, on the vacuum chuck surface to prevent the surface damage to the wafer surface) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa having a carrier with a carrier surface silent to an anti-stick layer with the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an anti-stick layer of Moslehi for the purpose of providing a known thin layer material that prevents surface damage to the wafer surface (0148).
Claims 5, 7, 9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151).
With respect to the limitations of claim 5, Inagawa discloses the claimed invention except for explicitly showing respective resistive heating elements are coupled to an electric power supply switched by respective switching elements that are controlled by the controller. However, Volfovski discloses respective resistive heating elements (Figs 1, 4, resistive heating elements 110, heater segment 410, 0032, 0033) are coupled to an electric power supply (power source 404, 0032) switched by respective switching elements (transistor switches 408, 0032) that are controlled by the controller (controller 402, 0032) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa having respective heating elements connected to a power supply and controller silent to switches with the respective resistive heating elements are coupled to an electric power supply switched by respective switching elements that are controlled by the controller of Volfovski for the purpose of providing a known switching configuration that the allows for turning power from the power source on and off to the resistive heating elements (0032), thereby enabling independent control of the individual resistive heating elements.
With respect to the limitations of claim 7, Inagawa discloses the claimed invention except for further comprising a sensing unit configured to provide a sense signal indicative for an observed process temperature; a feedback unit cooperating with the controller, causing the controller to provide control signals so as to minimize a deviation between the observed process temperature as indicated by the sense signal and a desired value of the process temperature as indicated by a target signal.
However, Volfovski discloses further comprising a sensing unit (Figs 1A, 4, temperature monitoring devices 112, 0032) configured to provide a sense signal indicative for an observed process temperature; a feedback unit (inputs 420, 0034) cooperating with the controller (controller 402, 0034), causing the controller to provide control signals so as to minimize a deviation between the observed process temperature as indicated by the sense signal and a desired value of the process temperature as indicated by a target signal (0034, based at least in part on those inputs, the controller 402 controls the power source 404 and the multiplexor 406; 0037, maintaining the temperature of a substrate, or uniformly distributing heat to a substrate) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa having a controller silent to a sensing unit with the further comprising a sensing unit configured to provide a sense signal indicative for an observed process temperature; a feedback unit cooperating with the controller, causing the controller to provide control signals so as to minimize a deviation between the observed process temperature as indicated by the sense signal and a desired value of the process temperature as indicated by a target signal of Volfovski for the purpose of providing a known temperature sensing unit that works in conjunction with the controller that allows for maintaining the temperature of a substrate, or uniformly distributing heat to a substrate.
With respect to the limitations of claims 9 and 12, Inagawa in view of Volfovski discloses the sensing unit comprises a respective temperature sensor (Volfovski, Figs 1A, 4, temperature monitoring devices 112, 0032) for each resistive heating element (Volfovski, heating elements 110, 0022) configured to provide a sense signal indicative for the temperature of the resistive heating elements;
further comprising a substrate transport device (Volfovski, Figs 1A, 1C, lift pins 138, 0031) to transport the substrate over the carrier surface.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151) as applied to claims 1 and 5, further in view of Parkhe (US 2016/0329231).
With respect to the limitations of claim 6, Inagawa in view of Volfovski discloses the claimed invention except for the respective switching elements are accommodated in the heat sink. However, Parkhe discloses locating the switching elements in the electrical controller, on the control board or any other suitable location (0084) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa in view of Volfovski having a heat sink and respective switching elements silent to locating the switching elements in the heat sink with the locating the switching elements in heat sink of Parkhe for the purpose of locating the switching elements in another suitable location.
Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151) as applied to claims 1 and 7, further in view of Erickson (US 2018/0148835).
With respect to the limitations of claim 8, Inagawa in view of Volfovski discloses the claimed invention except for the sensing unit comprises a thermal camera arranged to determine a temperature distribution at the target surface of the substrate. However, Erickson discloses the sensing unit comprises a thermal camera arranged to determine a temperature distribution (0048, an in-chamber infrared camera may be used to detect temperatures and provide the temperature distribution data under an applied heat load) at the target surface of the substrate (0048, estimate a temperature distribution pattern of a substrate) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa in view of Volfovski having a sensing unit silent to a thermal camera with the sensing unit comprises a thermal camera arranged to determine a temperature distribution at the target surface of the substrate of Erickson for the purpose of providing a known alternative sensing unit configuration that is suitable for estimating a temperature distribution pattern of a substrate.
Claim 18 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 9 above.
Claims 10, 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151) as applied to claims 1, 7, 13 and 14, further in view of Ramanan (US 2002/0186967).
With respect to the limitations of claims 10 and 11, Inagawa in view of Volfovski discloses the claimed invention except for the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in a pulse width modulated (PWM) manner; the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in an interleaved pulse width modulated (IPWM) manner. However, Ramanan discloses the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in a pulse width modulated (PWM) manner (0136-0138); the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in an interleaved pulse width modulated (IPWM) manner is known in the art (0136-0138) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus of Inagawa in view of Volfovski having a controller providing control signals to the heating elements silent to pulse width modulation with the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in a pulse width modulated (PWM) manner; the controller is configured to provide control signals for providing electric energy in an interleaved pulse width modulated (IPWM) manner of Ramanan for the purpose of a known heating control method that allows the temperatures of a heating element to be controlled with agility and precision over a wide dynamic range (0136).
With respect to the limitations of claim 15, Ramanan discloses the providing electric energy is carried out in a pulse width modulated (PWM) manner (0136-0138).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) in view of Yamada (US 2019/0371634).
With respect to the limitations of claim 16, Inagawa teaches the apparatus comprises: a carrier having a carrier surface for carrying the substrate at a carried surface opposite the target surface, the carrier having a plurality of laterally distributed heating zones that are thermally insulated from each other, and the respective heating zones comprise respective resistive heating elements that are thermally coupled to a heat sink, and a controller configured to control a selective supply of electric energy to at least one of the respective resistive heating elements comprised in at least one of the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones, the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones are thermally insulated from each other in that the carrier defines slits that at least extend along portions of boundaries between mutually neighboring heating zones, and the slits are in communication with an evacuation channel (see rejection of claim 1); and the method comprises: selectively providing electric energy to at least one of the respective resistive heating elements comprised in at least one of the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones (see rejection of claim 13).
Inagawa discloses the claimed invention except for explicitly showing a non-volatile storage medium comprising a computer program, which when executed by a programmable processor causes an apparatus to carry out a method for controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate.
However, Yamada discloses a non-volatile storage medium (Fig 4, RAM 92, ROM 93, 0047) comprising a computer program (program, 0047), which when executed by a programmable processor (CPU 91, 0047, 0048) causes an apparatus to carry out a method for controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the heating apparatus and method of Inagawa silent to the recited storage medium and computer program with the non-volatile storage medium comprising a computer program, which when executed by a programmable processor causes an apparatus to carry out a method for controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate of Yamada for the purpose of providing known storage medium and computer program for allowing the heating apparatus to perform the recited method.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) further in view of Ogawa (US 2016/0111331) as applied to claims 1 and 4, further in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151).
Claim 17 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 5 above.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Inagawa (US 2004/0065656) in view of Volfovski (US 2014/0197151) and Erickson (US 2018/0148835) as applied to claims 1, 7 and 8, further in view of Ramanan (US 2002/0186967).
Claims 19 and 20 are similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 10 above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN S TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7745. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday [8:00-4:00].
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached at 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/THIEN S TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 1/7/2025