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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments on pages 10 – 21 have been fully considered but are moot due to the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 2, 5 – 8 and 11 - 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto (US Pub No: 2021/0043487 A1, hereinafter Goto) in view of Hsu et al. (US Pub No: 2019/0163170 A1, hereinafter Hsu) and Tanaka (US Pub No: 2019/0241415 A1, hereinafter Tanaka).
Regarding Claim 1:
Goto discloses:
A logistics system in a fabrication facility, the logistics system comprising. Paragraph [0065] and figures 1 and 2 describe a manufacturing factory for semiconductor devices.
a stocker equipment that is adjacent to a central passage and store an article when viewed in a plan view, and a rack that provides a space for storing the article. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
wherein the rack is disposed in a space between the central passage and the load port when viewed in the plan view. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
and a rail that provides a travel path of a transport vehicle that loads and unloads the article to the stocker equipment, wherein the rail includes a central rail formed along the central passage, and a branch rail that is branched from the central passage and formed along a periphery of the load port. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
and wherein opposite ends of the branch rail are connected to the central rail so that the branch rail and the central rail form a closed loop. Figure 2 shows a main rail 20 that has loops that form a closed loop.
Goto does not disclose a stocker equipment including a load port placed on a side opposite to the central passage.
Hsu, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
the stocker equipment including a load port displaced on a side opposite to the central passage. Figure 1A shows a transport to a loadport of a process tool 110. It is arranged between the rails 107 and 112.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Hsu to show a stocker equipment including a load port placed on a side opposite to the central passage. One would have been motivated to do so to include separate loading and unloading ports to expedite wafer carrier switchover between the rail ([0034] of Hsu).
Goto does not disclose a load port being connected to a rack such that the rack receives the article through the load part.
Tanaka, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
and wherein the load port is connected to the rack such that the rack receives the article through the load port. Paragraph [0026] and figures 4A and 4B describe a load port in a processing machine 32 that is connected to a storage shelf 31 arranged in a stocker on the machine.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Tanaka to show a load port being connected to a rack such that the rack receives the article through the load part. One would have been motivated to do so to provide automatic transfer of products from an incoming item to a load port.
Claim 7 is substantially similar to claim 1 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Regarding Claim 2:
Goto discloses:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 1, wherein the branch rail is configured to be branched from the central passage, form along the periphery of the load port, and be joined to the central passage. Figure 2 shows a main rail 20 that has loops that form a closed loop.
Claim 8 is substantially similar to claim 2 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Regarding Claim 5:
Goto discloses the above limitations in claim 1. Goto does not disclose a central rail and branch rail configured by multi-layer lines along a vertical direction.
Hsu, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 1, wherein the central rail and the branch rail are configured by multi-layer lines along a vertical direction. Paragraph [0033] and figure 1B describes multiple rails along rail system 154.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Hsu to show a central rail and branch rail configured by multi-layer lines along a vertical direction. One would have been motivated to do so because generally multiple bays are provided on a floor of a FAB ([0034] of Hsu).
Claim 11 is substantially similar to claim 5 and are rejected on the same grounds.
Regarding Claim 6:
Goto discloses:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 5, wherein the load port is formed under a lower layer line of the branch rail configured by the multi-layer lines. Paragraph [0109] describes load ports LP are disposed below the lateral circulating ceiling track 30A.
Claim 12 and is substantially similar to claim 6 and are rejected on the same grounds.
Claim(s) 3 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto in view of Hsu and Tanaka and further in view of Ishiguro (JP 2003267518 A, hereinafter Ishiguro).
Regarding Claim 3:
Goto, Hsu and Tanaka teach the above limitations in claim 1. Goto, Hsu and Tanaka do not teach a transport vehicle traveling from a central rail to a branch rail to load and unload an article.
Ishiguro teaches:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle travels from the central rail to the branch rail to load and unload the article to the load port. Paragraph [0023] describes guide rails traveling on a ceiling. Paragraph [0024] describes a traveling vehicle body 2 that can move to a designated traveling position to transfer articles.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto, Hsu and Tanaka to incorporate the teachings of Ishiguro to show a transport vehicle traveling from a central rail to a branch rail to load and unload an article. One would have been motivated to do so goods can be loaded and unloaded so that each stacker does not interfere or contact each other ([0002] of Ishiguro).
Claim 9 is substantially similar to claim 3 and are rejected on the same grounds.
Claim(s) 4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto in view of Hsu and Tanaka and further in view of Fujimoto et al. (WO 03088350 A1, hereinafter Fujimoto).
Regarding Claim 4:
Goto, Hsu and Tanaka teach the above limitations in claim 1. Goto, Hsu and Tanaka do not teach multiple central rails in a horizontal direction.
Fujimoto teaches:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 1, wherein the central rail is configured by a plurality of lines in a horizontal direction. Paragraph [0027] and figure 8 describes two fixed guide rails 14 in a horizontal direction.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto, Hsu and Tanaka to incorporate the teachings of Ishiguro to show a multiple central rails in a horizontal direction. One would have been motivated to do so that the system can carry more articles than a single rail.
Claim 10 is substantially similar to claim 4 and are rejected on the same grounds.
Claim(s) 13 – 14 and 17 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto in view of Hsu and Tanaka and further in view of Bufano et al. (US Pub No: 2008/0107507 A1, hereinafter Bufano).
Regarding Claim 13:
Goto discloses:
A logistics system in a fabrication facility, the logistics system comprising. Paragraph [0065] and figures 1 and 2 describe a manufacturing factory for semiconductor devices.
a plurality of pieces of stocker equipment arranged on opposite sides of a central passage. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
a rail that provides a travel path of a transport vehicle that loads and unloads an article to each piece of the plurality of pieces of stocker equipment. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of stocker equipment includes a load port displaced on a side opposite to the central passage, and a rack that provides a space for storing the article. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
wherein the rack is disposed in a space between the central passage and the load port when viewed in the plan view. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
wherein the rail includes a central rail formed along the central passage, and a branch rail that is branched from the central passage and formed along a periphery of the load port. Figure 2 and paragraph [0066] describes a stocker 100 that includes a plurality of shelves 10 within the circulating ceiling track 30. This stocker is adjacent to the central passage. Paragraph [0089] describes load ports LP that are opposed to each other on opposite sides of the track. Paragraph [0108] and figure 12 describes a plan view illustrating an example of a stocker system.
Goto does not disclose a stocker equipment including a load port placed on a side opposite to the central passage.
Hsu, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of stocker equipment is adjacent to the central passage when viewed in a plan view. Figure 1A shows a transport to a loadport of a process tool 110. It is arranged between the rails 107 and 112.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Hsu to show a stocker equipment including a load port placed on a side opposite to the central passage. One would have been motivated to do so to include separate loading and unloading ports to expedite wafer carrier switchover between the rail ([0034] of Hsu).
Goto does not disclose a load port being connected to a rack such that the rack receives the article through the load part.
Tanaka, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
and wherein the load port is connected to the rack such that the rack receives the article through the load port. Paragraph [0026] and figures 4A and 4B describe a load port in a processing machine 32 that is connected to a storage shelf 31 arranged in a stocker on the machine.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Tanaka to show a load port being connected to a rack such that the rack receives the article through the load part. One would have been motivated to do so to provide automatic transfer of products from an incoming item to a load port.
Bufano, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
and an interface module that is formed across the central passage to convey the article between the stocker equipment. Paragraph [0091] and figure 20 describes an interface that can affect routing changes of the transport path and the tool stations.
and the interface module is configured to convey the article put into the load port of the stocker equipment to an opposite stocker equipment. Paragraph [0091] and figure 20 describes an interface that can affect routing changes of the transport path and the tool stations.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Goto to incorporate the teachings of Bufano to show an interface module to convey articles between the stock equipment and to convey stocker equipment to an opposite stocker equipment. One would have been motivated to do so in order to aid in workpiece processing (Abstract of Bufano).
Regarding Claim 17:
Bufano teaches:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 13, wherein the interface module includes a pair of conveyors that convey the article in opposite directions. Paragraph [0091] and figure 20 describes an interface that can affect routing changes of the transport path and the tool stations.
The reason to combine Wada with Bufano is the same as in claim 13.
Regarding Claim 20:
Bufano teaches:
The logistics system in the fabrication facility according to claim 18, wherein the interface module is formed under a lower layer line of the branch rail. Paragraph [0091] and figure 20 describes an interface that can affect routing changes of the transport path and the tool stations.
The reason to combine Wada with Bufano is the same as in claim 13.
Regarding Claim 14:
Claim 14 is substantially similar to claim 2 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Regarding Claim 18:
Claim 18 is substantially similar to claim 5 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Regarding Claim 19:
Claim 19 is substantially similar to claim 6 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto in view of Hsu, Tanaka and Bufano and further in view of Ishiguro.
Regarding Claim 15:
Claim 15 is substantially similar to claim 3 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto in view of Hsu, Tanaka and Bufano and further in view of Fujimoto.
Regarding Claim 16:
Claim 16 is substantially similar to claim 4 and is rejected on the same grounds.
Conclusion
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/JAY KHANDPUR/Examiner, Art Unit 3658