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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I: claims 1-14 and 21-24 in the reply filed on 12/3/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims drawn to the non-elected invention were canceled in the amendments field 12/3/2025.
Prior Art of Record
The applicant's attention is directed to additional pertinent prior art cited in the accompanying PTO-892 Notice of References Cited, which, however, may not be currently applied as a basis for the following rejections. While these references were considered during the examination of this application and are deemed relevant to the claimed subject matter, they are not presently being applied as a basis for rejection in this Office action. The pertinence of these documents, however, may be revisited, and they may be applied in subsequent Office actions, particularly in light of any amendments or further clarification of the claimed invention.
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) 1-11, 14 and 21-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 6,516,238) in view of Chang et al. (US 2004/0118980).
Claim 1: Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method comprising: receiving, by a control module of a wafer transport system, an indication of wafer transporting (Kim et al. discloses a control system that receives a "cassette transportation request" from processing equipment to initiate the movement of a wafer carrier. See Abstract & Col. 2 lines 4-30.)
calculating, by the control module (e.g. computer controlled – Col. 2 lines 46+), a route for transporting a first wafer carrier according to the indication (Kim et al. discloses the generation of a transportation instruction that includes a specific path for the vehicle to follow. Generating is synonymous with calculating.);
moving, by a control unit of a wafer transport device of the wafer transport system, the wafer transport device to a first stocker storing the first wafer carrier along the route (Kim et al. discloses an automated guided vehicle (AGV) moving along a programmed route to reach a storage stocker. See Kim et al. Abstract and Col. 2 lines 31-65);
performing, by the control unit, a safety monitoring process during a movement of the wafer transport device (While Kim et al. describes movement, Kim et al. may not explicitly detail a dedicated "safety monitoring process" during transit. However, Chang et al. teaches a safety system for overhead transport [Abstract] that performs constant monitoring during movement to detect human presence or obstacles [Chang ¶1-13]. Note: See below for rational for combination/modification.);
stopping, by the control unit, the wafer transport device in front of the first stocker (Kim et al. is silent on the act of “stopping” however it is inferred as the vehicle (AGV) must stop at its destination (in front of the stocker and/or equipment) to facilitate the transfer of the wafer cassette.).
Kim et al. is silent upon identifying, by an identification device of the wafer transport device, the first wafer carrier loaded on a rack of the wafer transport device after stopping. However, Chang et al. discloses the known capability of further providing an tag (e.g. RFID or barcode) directly on the transport vehicle used to identify and verify the carrier during the handling process by tag readers mounted on guard rails. Chang et al. discloses AGVs/OHTs are “normally labeled” for identification during transport and handling and are “read automatically by a tag reader”. See Chang et al. ¶[0004].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the transportation method of Kim et al. to include the safety monitoring and the on-vehicle identification device taught by Chang et al.. A person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention (POSITA) would have been motivated to include these features to improve the operational safety and data integrity of the system.
Specifically, integrating the safety monitoring of the Chang et al. reference ensures the automated movement in the Kim et al. reference does not cause collisions, and utilizing the on-vehicle tag reader of the Chang reference allows the system to perform a verification and identification of the AGV/OHT transporting cassettes of wafers. This combination prevents the delivery of the wrong material to a stocker/equipment, which is a known and critical in semiconductor fabrication. The result is a predictable combination of known elements to achieve a more reliable automated transport system and manufacturing processes.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Kim et al. with the safety monitoring and the on-vehicle identification device of Chang et al., since applying a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results is considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.-, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Claim 2. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 1, further comprising: after identifying the first wafer carrier loaded on the rack of the wafer transport device, moving the wafer transport device to a second stocker along the route (Kim et al. Fig. 12 -Step S1208-1210)
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Claim 3. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 2, further comprising: after moving the wafer transport device to the second stocker, performing a scan process, by the identification device, to confirm if the first wafer carrier is absent (Chang et al. discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32). A person skilled in the art would recognize that using such a sensor to verify that an area is clear (i.e., confirming absence after a move) is a standard, inherent safety and inventory verification step (¶32-33). The system flow fig. 6 shows a signal changing state once an obstruction is removed, confirming this functionality (Chang et al fig. 6 & ¶32-33).).
Claim 4. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 2, further comprising: displaying a signal on a display panel of the rack of the wafer transport device corresponding to the first wafer carrier when the wafer transport device s stopped in front of the second stocker (Kim et al. Col. 4 line 60 – Col. 5 line28 – Kim et al. teaches display for displaying AGV position, status, information, etc.. throughout the transferring operations.).
Claim 5. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying a signal on a display panel of the rack of the wafer transport device corresponding to the first wafer carrier when the wafer transport device s stopped in front of the first stocker (Kim et al. Col. 4 line 60 – Col. 5 line28 – Kim et al. teaches display for displaying AGV position, status, information, etc.. throughout the transferring operations.).
Claim 6. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 1, further comprising: adjusting, by the control unit, a speed of the wafer transport device according to an environment along the route (While the cited prior art may not explicitly state that the control unit adjusts the speed of the wafer transport device, it is well-understood by those of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of semiconductor logistics (including AGV, OHT, and FOUP transfer) that speed modulation is a fundamental and implicit functional requirement of any automated transport controller. ).
Claim 7. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 1, wherein the route is calculated based on an urgent degree of the first wafer carrier (Kim et al. – This further language as best understood merely recites a functional result or an intended use of the calculation, and does not provide a novel structural or specific algorithmic distinction over the prior art, which already teaches methods of calculating a route.
Claim 8. (Original) A method comprising: receiving, by a control module of a wafer transport system, a first indication corresponding to a first wafer carrier and a second indication corresponding to a second wafer carrier, wherein the first wafer carrier is stored in a stocker and the second wafer carrier is placed in a wafer transport device of the wafer transport system (Kim et al. discloses a control system that receives a "cassette transportation request" from processing equipment to initiate the movement of a wafer carrier. See Abstract & Col. 2 lines 4-45 and second AGV Col. 8 lines 32-35. The system as disclosed in Kim transfers cassettes of wafers from stockers to various EQs. At any given time it is understood a first wafer carrier may be in a stocker while a second wafer carrier is placed in a transport device of the transport system. );
calculating, by the control module, a route of the wafer transport device according to the first indication and the second indication; moving, by a control unit of the wafer transport device, the wafer transport device to the stocker along the route (Kim et al. discloses an automated guided vehicle (AGV) moving along a programmed route to reach a storage stocker. See Kim et al. Abstract and Col. 2 lines 31-65);
performing, by a first identification device of the wafer transport device, a first scan process to confirm if the first wafer carrier is loaded on the wafer transport device; and performing, by a second identification device of the wafer transport device, a second scan process to confirm if the second wafer carrier is unloaded from the wafer transport device (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32). A person skilled in the art would recognize that using such a sensor to verify that an area is clear (i.e., confirming absence after a move) is a standard, inherent safety and inventory verification step (¶32-33). The system flow fig. 6 shows a signal changing state once an obstruction is removed, confirming this functionality (Chang et al fig. 6 & ¶32-33). Note: See regarding claims 1 & 2)).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the transportation method of Kim et al. to include the safety/loaded/unloaded monitoring and the on-vehicle identification device taught by Chang et al.. A person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention (POSITA) would have been motivated to include these features to improve the operational safety and data integrity of the system.
Specifically, integrating the safety monitoring of the Chang et al. reference ensures the automated movement in the Kim et al. reference does not cause collisions, and utilizing the on-vehicle tag reader of the Chang reference allows the system to perform a verification and identification of the AGV/OHT. This combination prevents the delivery of the wrong material to a stocker, which is a known and critical failure mode in semiconductor fabrication. The result is a predictable combination of known elements to achieve a more reliable automated transport system.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Kim et al. with the safety monitoring and the on-vehicle identification device of Chang et al., since applying a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results is considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.-, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Claim 9. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: after performing the first scan process and the second scan process (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32)), moving, by the control unit, the wafer transport device to another stocker (Chang et al. ¶5-12 – plurality of scans are repeated performed between and during transport between stockers and equipment and at loading and unloading.)
Claim 10. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: emitting, by an optical detector of the wafer transport device, a light beam on a rack of the wafer transport device to detect if the second wafer carrier is moving when moving the wafer transport device to the stocker (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32)).
Claim 11. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: detecting, by a sensor of the wafer transport device, objects around a perimeter of the wafer transport device when moving the wafer transport device to the stocker (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32)),
Claim 14. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: assigning, by the control module, an accommodation position in the wafer transport device for the first wafer carrier according to a level of the stocker for storing the first wafer carrier (This limitation that the control module must assign an accommodation position based on a "level of the stocker" describes a predictable outcome of combining known automation principles, described throughout Kim et al., with a conventional stocker design, disclosed in both Kim and Chang, making it an obvious design choice for a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA). Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) routinely use control logic to manage specific physical storage locations, or "levels," within multi-shelf stockers. Incorporating this basic inventory management functionality is a standard application of MPEP § 2143(A) principles, which deal with combining prior art elements to yield predictable results, and is an obvious substitution under MPEP § 2143(C).).
Claim 21. (New) A method comprising: moving a wafer transport device to a first position in front of a first stocker, wherein the wafer transport device comprises a shelf board configured to support a wafer carrier, and the first stocker comprises a first floor configured to support the wafer carrier, wherein when the wafer transport device is at the first position in front of the first stocker, the shelf board of the wafer transport device is substantially level with the first floor of the first stocker (The implied method step of moving the wafer transport device so that its shelf is substantially level with the stocker floor is an understood and conventional operational necessity. Kim et al. describes an automated transport system where Automatic Guide Vehicles (AGVs) are known to load and unload wafer cassettes from equipment and stockers. This requires a physical alignment that a POSITA would understand as a basic engineering requirement for material transfer, thus in the cited prior art event tough it may not be explicitly stated.);
after moving the wafer transport device in front of the first stocker, moving the wafer carrier supported by the first floor of the first stocker to a second position over the shelf board of the wafer transport device (Kim et al. – understood process of loading and unloading described in Kim et al. Col. 1-2.);
transporting the wafer carrier, by using the wafer transport device, to a third position in front of a second stocker, wherein the second stocker comprises a second floor configured to support the wafer carrier, and when the wafer transport device is at the third position in front of the second stocker, the shelf board of the wafer transport device is substantially level with the second floor of the second stocker; and transferring the wafer carrier from the shelf board of the wafer transport device to a fourth position over the second floor of the second stocker (The entire recited sequence describes the conventional and recognized process of unloading a wafer carrier from a transport vehicle to a second stocker. This process is taught and understood by a POSITA from the Kim et al. document, which describes automatic guide vehicles (AGVs) transporting semiconductor wafers between stockers as standard prior art in Columns 1-2. The required physical alignment and subsequent transfer action are basic engineering requirements, representing predictable results of combining known elements as described in MPEP § 2143(A).).
Claim 22. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 21, further comprising: during moving the wafer carrier to the second position over the shelf board of the wafer transport device, emitting a light beam from an optical detector of the wafer transport device to detect a movement of the wafer carrier (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32)),
Claim 23. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 21, further comprising: during transporting the wafer carrier, emitting a light beam from an optical detector of the wafer transport device to detect a movement of the wafer carrier (Chang et al discloses identification devices (overhead sensors 46/62, light curtains 48/92) explicitly used to detect the presence or absence of obstructions during wafer handling (¶11, 32)),
Claim 24. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 21, wherein an angle is defined between a top surface of the shelf board and an inner surface of a rear panel assembly of the wafer transport device, and the angle is in a range from about 83 degrees to about 85 degrees (As recited, this structural limitation if not under stood to provide a manipulative distinction in the process. To carry patentable weight, the recited structural limitation must manipulatively distinguish the claimed method from the prior art by fundamentally altering the execution of the procedural steps rather than merely serving as the environment or object of a known process.)
Claim 25. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 21, further comprising: displaying a signal on a display panel of the wafer transport device prior to moving the wafer carrier to the second position over the shelf board of the wafer transport device (Kim et al. Col. 4 line 60 – Col. 5 line28 – Kim et al. teaches display for displaying AGV position, status, information, etc.. throughout the transferring operations.).
Claim 26. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 21, adjusting a speed of the wafer transport device according to an environment of a route from the first stocker to the second stocker during transporting the wafer carrier (While the cited prior art may not explicitly state that the control unit adjusts the speed of the wafer transport device, it is well-understood by those of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) of semiconductor logistics (including AGV, OHT, and FOUP transfer) that speed modulation is a fundamental and implicit functional requirement of any automated transport controller. ).
Claim(s)12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 6,516,238) in view of Chang et al. (US 2004/0118980) in view of Nettles (WO 2006055143 A2)
Claim 12. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: recalculating, by the control module, the route of the wafer transport device when a fire alarm is received by the control module (Kim et al. teaches methods for calculating routes, while Chang et al. discloses systems for detecting obstructions and preventing collisions. Although Kim and Chang do not explicitly mention fire alarms, the inclusion of such safety mechanisms (like fire alarms and emergency off systems) in conventional transport systems is well-established in the prior art, as demonstrated by Wehrung et al. (¶s 13, 177). Wehrung further teaches that control systems use status information from various error conditions to "formulate strategy" (¶s 14-16), a process analogous to the route calculation and obstruction avoidance methods described in the other references. Therefore, for a POSITA, the application of this known "formulating strategy" to include rerouting a new path upon receiving a fire alarm or detecting an obstruction would be an obvious and logical combination of the existing knowledge to prevent damage and injury.)
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 6,516,238) in view of Chang et al. (US 2004/0118980) in view of Gorman (US 20200324974 A1)
Claim 13. Kim et al. in view of Chang et al. disclose a method of claim 8, further comprising: displaying information of the first wafer carrier on a touch panel of the wafer transport device prior to moving the wafer transport device to the stocker (The specific use of a touch panel interface does not render the process non-obvious. As touch panels are merely a well-known combination of a display and a user input device, they represent an "obvious design choice" or the "simple substitution of one known element for another" under guidance of MPEP § 2143(B) and (C). Gorman (¶91) confirms the known use of touch panels in analogous automated transport systems. Thus, modernizing the equipment of Kim et al. with a touch panel as taught by Gorman would be a predictable improvement well within the technical grasp of a POSITA.)
Conclusion
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JARRETT J. STARK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2822
12/19/2025
/JARRETT J STARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898