CTNF 18/192,204 CTNF 74962 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. DETAILED ACTION This office action is in response to response to application 18/192204 filed on 03/29/23. Summary of claims Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1-2, 7-10 and 15-17 are rejected. Claims 3-6, 11-14 and 18-20 are objected. Oath/Declaration The oath/declaration filed on March 29, 2023 is acceptable. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-2, 7-10 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Biswas et al. (U.S Pub. No. 2018/0151496) . As to claims 1, the prior art teaches a method for shifting layouts of electronic circuit vias during optical proximity corrections (OPC), the method comprising: identifying a first metal line (see fig 1a, 1b element 110A-110H), of an electronic circuit, drawn at a first position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0025-0029); identifying a second metal line, of the electronic circuit (see fig 1a, 1b element 120A-120H), drawn at a second position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0030-0033); identifying a via, of the electronic circuit, drawn at a third position extending between the first metal line and the second metal line (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0040-0045); determining a fourth position to which the first metal line is to move from the first position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0043-0047); determining a fifth position to which the second metal line is to move from the second position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0046-0050); determining, based on the fourth position and the fifth position, a sixth position to which the via is to move from third position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0052-0057); and generating a layout associated with generating a photomask for the via at the sixth position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0055-0060). As to claim 2, 10 and 17 the prior art teaches further comprising: determining, based on the first position, a first distance between the first metal line at the fourth position and a third metal line of the electronic circuit (see fig 2-4 paragraph 0060-0063); and determining, based on the first position, a second distance between the first metal line at the fourth position and a fourth metal line of the electronic circuit, wherein determining the sixth position is further based on the first distance and the second distance (see fig 2-4 paragraph 0063-0067). As to claim 7 and 15, the prior art teaches wherein determining the fourth position and determining the fifth position are based on a pitch awareness correction identification layer (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0042-0049). As to claims 8 and 19, the prior art teaches further comprising: determining that the sixth position is within a distance from an edge of the first metal line at the fourth position (see fig 2-4 paragraph 0073-0077); and extending the edge of the first metal line at the fourth position based on the determination that the sixth position is within the distance from the edge of the first metal line at the fourth position (see fig 2-4 paragraph 0076-0080). As to claim 9, the prior art teaches a device for shifting layouts of electronic circuit vias during optical proximity corrections (OPC), the device comprising at least one processor coupled to memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the device to: identify a first metal line, of an electronic circuit, drawn at a first position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0025-0029); identify a second metal line, of the electronic circuit, drawn at a second position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0030-0033); identify a via, of the electronic circuit, drawn at a third position extending between the first metal line and the second metal line (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0040-0045); determine a fourth position to which the first metal line is to move from the first position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0043-0047); determine a fifth position to which the second metal line is to move from the second position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0046-0050); determine, based on the fourth position and the fifth position, a sixth position to which the via is to move from third position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0052-0057); and generate a layout associated with generating a photomask for the via at the sixth position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0055-0060). As to claim 16 the prior art teaches an apparatus of a device for shifting layouts of electronic circuit vias during optical proximity corrections (OPC), the apparatus comprising at least one processor coupled to memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the device to: identify a first metal line, of an electronic circuit, drawn at a first position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0025-0029); identify a second metal line, of the electronic circuit, drawn at a second position position (see fig 1A-1C paragraph 0030-0033); identify a via, of the electronic circuit, drawn at a third position extending between the first metal line and the second metal line (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0040-0045); determine a fourth position to which the first metal line is to move from the first position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0043-0047); determine a fifth position to which the second metal line is to move from the second position (see fig 1-2 paragraph 0046-0050); determine, based on the fourth position and the fifth position, a sixth position to which the via is to move from third position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0052-0057); and generate a layout associated with generating a photomask for the via at the sixth position (see fig 1-3 paragraph 0055-0060) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 3-6, 11-14 and 18-20 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 BINH C TAT whose telephone number is 571 272-1908. The examiner can normally be reached on flex 7:00Am-8PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jack Chiang can be reached on 571 272-7483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BINH C TAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851 Application/Control Number: 18/192,204 Page 2 Art Unit: 2851 Application/Control Number: 18/192,204 Page 3 Art Unit: 2851 Application/Control Number: 18/192,204 Page 4 Art Unit: 2851 Application/Control Number: 18/192,204 Page 6 Art Unit: 2851
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