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 .
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 1-3, 6, and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomaru et al (K.R. Patent Application Publication 20150050357 A), and further in view of Hiroi et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20130152366 A1) herein after Hiroi.
Regarding claim 1, Nomaru discloses an exposure head (Title: Laser Machining Apparatus) for irradiating a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction with an exposure beam while scanning the substrate with the exposure beam in a one-dimensional manner (p. 3, ll. 3-4, “the stationary base 2 and holding the workpiece and a laser beam irradiating unit 4 as a laser beam irradiating means”), comprising:
a polygon mirror that has multiple reflecting surfaces and is provided in a rotatable manner (polygon mirror means 56 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 22);
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an optical element that is configured to cause the beam emitted from the light source and shaped into a beam shape to enter the polygon mirror (output adjustment means 52 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31);
an imaging optical system that is configured to image the beam reflected by the polygon mirror onto an exposure surface of the substrate (lens 531 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 38);
a reflecting mirror that is provided insertably into or removably from an optical path of the beam shaped into the beam shape entering the optical element, the reflecting mirror being configured to reflect the beam in a direction different from the optical path while being inserted into the optical path (acousto-optical element 551 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 17-18, “the laser beam deflected by the acousto-optical element 551 is deflected in the indexing feeding direction (Y-axis direction)”);
and a light-receiving element that is arranged at a position where the beam reflected by the reflecting mirror can enter the light-receiving element (Y-axis direction scanning means 55 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 1-9).
However, Nomaru fails to teach or suggest a light-receiving element that is capable of detecting an intensity of the beam emitted.
Hiroi teaches an apparatus (Title: Method for Manufacturing an Optical Unit) that is capable of detecting an intensity of the beam (aperture mirror 603 in FIG. 16, ¶62, “On the base member 607, the aperture mirror 603, etc., is arranged for detecting beam intensity from a surface emitting laser array in the surface-emitting laser module 10”).
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Thus, it would have been obvious by one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date that applying the detecting beam intensity means taught by Hiroi to the exposure head from Nomaru’s disclosure would have yielded predictable results, allowing for adjustment of accuracy and power of the laser impingement upon the intended workpiece surface, and therefore predictably decrease manufacturing cost and time due to rework or ineffectual laser transmission. Moreover, there is no indication in the disclosure that any special light detecting device within an exposure was devised or that any surprising results were derived from simply using the old system of Nomaru with the well-known system of Hiroi. This combination would have been easily performed with the knowledge of the commonly understood advantages and with reasonable expectations of success.
Regarding claim 2, Nomaru further discloses the exposure head according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting mirror is provided insertably or removably just before the optical element in the optical path (acousto-optical element 551 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 17-18). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 3, Nomaru further discloses the exposure head according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light source (pulse laser beam oscillation means 51 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31); and
a beam-shaping optical system that is configured to shape light output from the light source into a beam shape (output adjustment means 52 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
The limitations of claim 6 that are identical to those to claim 1 are discussed in the rejection of claim 1. The remaining limitations are addressed below.
Regarding claim 6, Nomaru further discloses a calibration system (control means 8, p. 6 ll. 48-49 to p. 7 ll. 1- 10, Nomaru discloses that the control means comprises a central processing unit, read only memory, and an input/output interface to read/adjust indexing deflected by acousto-optical element 551), the exposure head including: a polygon mirror (polygon mirror means 56 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 22) for calibrating an intensity of an exposure beam that is emitted from an exposure head (Title: Laser Machining Apparatus) and irradiated onto a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction while the exposure beam is scanned in a one-dimensional manner that has multiple reflecting surfaces and is provided in a rotatable manner; an optical element (output adjustment means 52 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31) that is configured to cause the beam emitted from a light source and shaped into a beam shape to enter the polygon mirror; and an imaging optical system (lens 531 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 38) that is configured to image the beam reflected by the polygon mirror onto an exposure surface of the substrate, comprising:
a reflecting mirror (acousto-optical element 551 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 17-18) that is provided, in the exposure head, insertably into or removably from an optical path of the beam shaped into the beam shape entering the optical element, the reflecting mirror being configured to reflect the beam in a direction different from the optical path while being inserted into the optical path;
a light-receiving element that is arranged, in the exposure head, at a position where the beam reflected by the reflecting mirror can enter the light-receiving element, and that is capable detecting an intensity of the beam (Y-axis direction scanning means 55 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 1-9);
a control part that is configured to generate data representing the intensity of the beam based on a detection signal output from the light-receiving element (computer and central processing unit (CPU) 81, p. 6 ll. 48-49 to p. 7 ll. 1- 2, “The control means 8 is constituted by a computer and includes a central processing unit (CPU) 81 for performing arithmetic processing according to a control program”); and
a storage part that is configured to store the data as calibration data (random access memory (RAM) 83, p. 7 ll. 2, “A random access memory (RAM) 83 for storing and reading data”). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 8, Nomaru further discloses the calibration system according to claim 6, wherein the storage part is configured to further store reference data representing a reference intensity of the beam (p. 5, ll. 1-9, Nomaru discloses the Y-axis direction scanning means 55 has the laser beam deflected into the indexing feeding direction indicated that laser beam’s index is measured), and
wherein the control part includes a determination part that is configured to determine, based on the calibration data and the reference data, whether an intensity of a beam that has entered the light-receiving element falls within a predetermined range (computer and central processing unit (CPU) 81, p. 6 ll. 48-49 to p. 7 ll. 1- 2; random access memory (RAM) 83, p. 7 ll. 2; RAM and CPU configured to calibrate data via storing/reading data and for performing arithmetic processing of the control program). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 9, Nomaru further discloses the calibration system according to claim 8, wherein the control part further includes a correction part that is configured to generate correction data for correcting an output of the light source if the intensity of the beam that has entered the light-receiving element fails to fall within the predetermined range based on the determination result by the determination part (output interface 85, p. 7, ll. 5-8 , “The processing transfer means 37, the indexing transfer means 38, the pulsed laser beam emission means 51 of the laser beam irradiation means 5 are connected to the output interface 85 of the control means 8”). (See supra rejection of claim 1).
The limitations of claim 10 that are identical to those to claim 1 and 6 are discussed in the rejection of claims 1 and 6. The remaining limitations are addressed below.
Regarding claim 10, Nomaru further discloses a drawing device (laser machining apparatus, p. 3, ll. 1-4), comprising:
a calibration system (control means 8, p. 6 ll. 48-49 to p. 7 ll. 1- 10) for calibrating an intensity of an exposure beam that is emitted from an exposure head and irradiated onto a substrate conveyed in a predetermined direction while the exposure beam is scanned in a one-dimensional manner; and
conveying means that is configured to convey the substrate (conveying means 37, p. 3, ll. 19-21, “The chuck table mechanism 3 in the illustrated embodiment includes processing transfer means 37 for moving the first sliding block 32 in the X axis direction along the pair of guide rails 31”),
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wherein the exposure head includes: a polygon mirror (polygon mirror means 56 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 22) that has multiple reflecting surfaces and is provided in a rotatable manner; an optical element (output adjustment means 52 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31) that is configured to cause the beam emitted from a light source (pulse laser beam oscillation means 51 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 31)and shaped into a beam shape to enter the polygon mirror; and an imaging optical system (lens 531 in FIG. 2, p. 4, ll. 38) that is configured to image the beam reflected by the polygon mirror onto an exposure surface of the substrate,
wherein the calibration system includes:
a reflecting mirror (acousto-optical element 551 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 17-18) that is provided, in the exposure head, insertably into or removably from an optical path of the beam shaped into the beam shape entering the optical element, the reflecting mirror being configured to reflect the beam in a direction different from the optical path while being inserted into the optical path;
a light-receiving element that is arranged, in the exposure head, at a position where the beam reflected by the reflecting mirror can enter the light-receiving element, and that is capable of detecting an intensity of the beam (Y-axis direction scanning means 55 in FIG. 2, p. 5, ll. 1-9);
a control part that is configured to generate data representing the intensity of the beam based on a detection signal output from the light-receiving element (computer and central processing unit (CPU) 81, p. 6 ll. 48-49 to p. 7 ll. 1- 2); and
a storage part that is configured to store the data as calibration data (random access memory (RAM) 83, p. 7 ll. 2), and
wherein the exposure head is arranged such that the beam is scanned in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the substrate is conveyed. (See supra rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 11, Nomaru further discloses the drawing device according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of the exposure heads are provided in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the substrate is conveyed.
It would have been obvious to modify Nomaru’s drawing device to include a second or a plurality of exposure heads within a drawing device as duplicating the known component to perform the function is an obvious design choice wherein the results are predictable. The result of including a plurality of exposure heads would have increased the processing of a substrate and to obtain a more controlled process over a chosen and area.
Claims 4-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomaru and Hiroi, and further in view of Liu et al (C.N. Patent Application Publication 111600191 A) herein after Liu.
Regarding claim 4, Nomaru further discloses the exposure head according to claim 1.
However, Nomaru fails to teach or suggest a mirror support part and a rotary drive mechanism that is configured to insert or remove the reflecting mirror by rotation.
Liu teaches an apparatus (Title: Laser Optical Shutter and Laser) comprising:
A mirror support part that supports the reflecting mirror (rotating shaft 302 in FIG. 1, p. 7, ll. 6-8, “the rotating shaft 302 of the rotating mirror 3 is connected to the rotating driving mechanism; the rotating driving mechanism is used for driving the rotating mirror 3 to switch between the light path conducting position and the light path cutting position”); and
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a rotary drive mechanism that is configured to insert or remove the reflecting mirror into or from the optical path by rotating the mirror support part (rotating driving mechanism, p. 7, ll. 6-8).
Thus, it would have been obvious by one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date that applying the rotary mechanism containing the mirror taught by Liu to the exposure head from Nomaru’s disclosure would have yielded predictable results, allowing for deflection of the laser and reducing the adjusting difficulty (Liu Abstract).
Regarding claim 5, Nomaru further discloses the exposure head according to claim 4, wherein the rotary drive mechanism is configured to rotate the mirror support part in a plane parallel to a plane containing the optical path and a second optical path along which the beam reflected by the reflecting mirror is directed towards the light-receiving element (rotating shaft 302 in FIG. 1, p. 7, ll. 6-8). (See supra rejection of claim 4).
Regarding claim 7, Nomaru further discloses the calibration system according to claim 6, further comprising:
an inserting/removing mechanism that is configured to insert or remove the reflecting mirror into or from the optical path (rotating driving mechanism, p. 7, ll. 6-8, Liu FIG. 1 depicts the reflecting mirror being inserted/removed from the laser path to redirect),
wherein the control part is further configured to control operations of the inserting/removing mechanism. (See supra rejection of claim 4 and 6).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE REY D LEGASPI whose telephone number is (571)272-2956. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/E.D.L./ Examiner, Art Unit 3729 /THOMAS J HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3729