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 .
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 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.
In addressing the rejection ground, each claim may not have been separately discussed to the extent the claimed features are the same as or similar to the previously-discussed features; the previous discussion is construed to apply for the other claims in the same or similar way.
In the office action, “/” should be read as and/or as generally understood. For example, “A/B” means A and B, or A or B.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-15, 17-23, and 25-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hosokai et al. (US 2008/0237501).
Regarding claim 1, Hosokai discloses an ultraviolet light source [see at least fig. 9/10, abstract, para. 0004] with direct feed gas injection, the light source comprising: a) a chamber [e.g. 1] comprising a plasma confinement region [e.g. 1a/1c/1b; or the region between 20 and 25] and defining an aperture adjacent [e.g. the opening near 1c; or see 3, para. 0671] to the plasma confinement region that passes light generated by the plasma; b) a magnetic core [e.g. Tr1/8] positioned around the plasma confinement region and configured to generate a plurality of plasma current loops that converges in the plasma confinement region during operation; c) a feed gas injector [e.g. 13/14] coupled to a gas port [e.g. 13a/ see 14] in the chamber and having an output [e.g. 4/5] positioned proximate to a boundary [see the figure] of the plasma confinement region, the feed gas injector providing a feed gas to the plasma confinement region that creates a differential pressure in the plasma confinement region; d) a high voltage region [e.g. the region related to 11c] coupled to the plasma confinement region; and e) an exhaust port [e.g. the port of 5/4] that is configured to be coupled to a pump [the device to provide vacuum] that controls a pressure [see at least paras. 0327-0330, 0341] in the chamber.
Regarding claim 4, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the output of the feed gas injector is positioned between a low voltage region [e.g. the region related to 12c] and the high voltage region of the chamber.
Regarding claim 5, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the feed gas injector comprises a gas tube having an output that is positioned proximate to the boundary of the plasma confinement region [see at least fig. 9/10].
Regarding claim 6, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the feed gas injector is formed in the chamber [see at least fig. 9/10].
Regarding claim 8, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the feed gas injector is positioned so that substantially all feed gas flows through the plasma confinement region before passing into the exhaust port [see at least fig. 9/10].
Regarding claim 9, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the feed gas injector is positioned and configured so that a desired ratio of pressure [see at least paras. 0327-0330, 0341] in the plasma confinement region to pressure in the chamber proximate to the exhaust port is maintained during operation.
Regarding claim 10, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 further comprising a second gas injection port [e.g. 14/13].
Regarding claim 11, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 wherein the second gas injection port is positioned proximate to the high voltage region.
Regarding claim 12, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 wherein the second gas injection port is positioned proximate to a low voltage portion of the chamber [e.g. see 12c].
Regarding claim 13, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 wherein the second gas injection port is configured to introduce a second type of feed gas [see at least paras. 0321, 0325].
Regarding claim 14, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 wherein the second gas injection port comprises an output that is positioned proximate to a second boundary [e.g. the left/top boundary] of the plasma confinement region.
Regarding claim 15, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 further comprising a second feed gas injector coupled to the second gas injection port and having an output [e.g. 5/4] positioned in the second boundary of the plasma confinement region.
Regarding claim 17, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 10 wherein the second gas injection port is positioned to inject gas into the chamber so as to reduce self-absorption of the feed gas outside of the plasma confinement region [having the claimed structure, , also having continuously steady supply].
Regarding claim 18, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 wherein the feed gas injector comprises a pulsed gas injector configured to inject gas into the plasma confinement region at times that refill the plasma confinement region after pinch expansion [stead supply, so it injects gas into the plasma confinement region even at times that refill the plasma confinement region after pinch expansion; see at least paras. 0180-0181, 0211, 0286, 0573, 0576, 0592].
Regarding claim 19 this claim is merely methods to operate the circuit having structure recited in claim 1. Since Hosokai et al. teaches the structure, the methods to operate such a circuit are similarly disclosed.
Regarding claim 20, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 wherein the controlling the pressure in the plasma confinement region relative to the chamber comprises controlling a flow of the feed gas with a mass flow controller.
Regarding claim 21, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 further comprising injecting a feed gas in the chamber [e.g. 14].
Regarding claim 22, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 21 wherein the feed gas injected into the chamber is injected proximate to the high voltage region.
Regarding claim 23, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 21 wherein the feed gas injected into the chamber is injected proximate to a low voltage region [e.g. the region related to 12c].
Regarding claim 25, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 further comprising injecting a second feed gas [see 14/13] directly into a second boundary [see fig. 9] of the plasma confinement region [e.g. 1].
Regarding claim 26, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 wherein the directly injecting the feed gas into the boundary of the plasma confinement region comprises injecting the feed gas through a tube [see tube of 13] having an output positioned inside of the boundary of the plasma confinement region.
Regarding claim 27, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 wherein the directly injecting the feed gas into the boundary of the plasma confinement region comprises injecting the feed gas in a plurality of locations [e.g. 13,14] inside of the boundary of the plasma confinement region.
Regarding claim 28, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 further comprising configuring the chamber so that substantially all the feed gas flows through the plasma confinement region before passing into the exhaust port [see the figure].
Regarding claim 29, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 further comprising pumping the chamber through an exhaust port to provide a desired ratio of pressure in the plasma confinement region to pressure in the chamber proximate to the exhaust port [having the claimed structure, also see at least paras. 0327-0330, 0341].
Regarding claim 30, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 further comprising adjusting a flow of the feed gas directly injected into the boundary of the plasma confinement region so as to provide a desired ratio of pressure in the plasma confinement region to pressure in the chamber proximate to an exhaust port [e.g. 5/4, having the claimed structure, also see at least paras. 0327-0330, 0341].
Regarding claim 31, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 wherein the directly injecting the feed gas into the boundary of the plasma confinement region comprises injecting gas into the plasma confinement region at times that refill the plasma confinement region after pinch expansion [stead supply, so it injects gas into the plasma confinement region even at times that refill the plasma confinement region after pinch expansion; see at least paras. 0180-0181, 0211, 0286, 0573, 0576, 0592].
Regarding claim 32, Hosokai discloses the method of claim 19 wherein the directly injecting the feed gas into the boundary of the plasma confinement region comprises injecting the feed gas at a flow rate that reduces self-absorption of the feed gas outside of the plasma confinement region [having the claimed structure, also having continuously steady supply].
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.
Claims 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosokai et al. (US 2008/0237501).
Regarding claim 2, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 except wherein the output of the feed gas injector is positioned within 1 cm of the boundary of the plasma confinement region. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the output of the feed gas injector is positioned within 1 cm of the boundary of the plasma confinement region, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum of working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 3, Hosokai discloses the light source of claim 1 except wherein the output of the feed gas injector is positioned within 1/2 cm of the boundary of the plasma confinement region. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the output of the feed gas injector is positioned within 1/2 cm of the boundary of the plasma confinement region, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum of working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16 and 24 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK C CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7207. The examiner can normally be reached M-F Flexible 9:00-5:30.
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/PATRICK C CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842