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 .
The amendment filed 01/27/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending in this Office action.
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.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Osaka et al (U.S. Pat. 6,368,049) hereinafter Osaka in view of Shimomura et al (US 2024/0017752) hereinafter Shimomura, Shinozaki et al (US 2006/0169208) hereinafter Shinozaki.
Regarding claim 17, Osaka discloses semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: non-contact communication devices that transmit and receive, in a non-contact manner, information obtained by the sensor (see Figs. 15, 31; col. 8, line 64 to col. 9, lines 3; col. 11, lines 35-48). Osaka fails to explicitly disclose transmitting and receiving, in a non-contact manner, information obtained by the sensor.
Shimomura discloses transmitting and receiving, in a non-contact manner, information obtained by the sensor (see [0028]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to transmit and receive, in a non-contact manner, information obtained by the sensor as taught by Osaka in order to performs transmission and reception of various signals between the power supply unit 40E and the traveling vehicle controller 35 in a non-contact manner. Osaka and Shimomura fail to explicitly disclose a wafer conveyance robot; and a chamber.
Shinozaki discloses a sensor (see [0183], [0187]); a wafer conveyance robot; and a chamber (see Abstract, [0007], [0015], [0041]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to include a wafer conveyance robot, and a chamber in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus taught by Shinozaki into teachings of Osaka in order to prevent the size of the reduced pressure atmosphere conveyance chamber 70 from increasing.
Regarding claim 18, Shinozaki discloses a box including an electrical device (see Figs. 1 and 2), and a conveyance module including a wafer conveyance robot (see [275]) and a chamber (see Abstract, [0004], [0007], wherein the non-contact communication devices are arranged to transmit and receive data in a non-contact manner between the box and the conveyance module (see Abstract, [0011], [0015]).
Regarding claim 19, Osaka discloses wherein the box and the conveyance module are screwed into and fixed to each other (see col. 37, lines 47-62).
Regarding claim 20, Osaka discloses wherein the electrical device is a module controller or a programmable logic controller (see Fig. 2, [0133], [0135]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art discloses or suggests that a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a first housing; at least one first communication device fixed to the first housing and having a first non- contact communication surface exposed from the first housing; a second housing fixed to the first housing; and at least one second communication device fixed to the second housing and having a second non-contact communication surface exposed from the second housing, wherein the at least one first communication device and the at least one second communication device are configured to transmit and receive data or supply power in a non-contact manner, and wherein the first non-contact communication surface and the second non-contact communication surface oppose each other without contacting each other
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshida et al (US 2025/0002045) disclose a power receiving device, wireless power supply system, transport system, and autonomous driving system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAI TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3019. The examiner can normally be reached until 4:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chieh Fan can be reached at 571-272-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KHAI TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632
March 30, 2026
KT
Prosecution Insights