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 .
This office action is a response to the restriction requirement filed on 5/18/2026.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1-15, in the reply filed on 5/18/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that it would not place an unnecessary burden on the Examiner to search and examine the groups together, as a search for the Group I claims will certainly encompass references for the Group II claims. This is not found persuasive because Group I and II are distinct and have acquired a separate status in the art as shown by their different classification with diverse subject matter. In addition, Group II does not sufficiently recite positive processing steps to support collecting components from a carrier that is arranged on a source supporting unit and for placing the collected components on a substrate that is arranged on a target supporting unit. There are numerous phrases and clauses that are naming the claimed invention method by other descriptive words other than what is used in the disclosure that are vague, indefinite, and/or awkwardly and confusingly worded, and therefore, are not fully understood. Further, it is extremely difficult to decipher and pin point each claimed invention process and causing confusion.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 16 and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 5/18/2026.
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because numbers in the Figure 1 are not proper to examination. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “102A” has been used to designate both the substrate and placement pattern in paragraph [0054] in the specification and in the Fig. 3. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show “102A’ “ as described in paragraph [0054] in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: the reference numbers “403” and “403” does not sufficiently describe in the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 9-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re. claim 2: The phrase “wherein the plurality of components comprises” as recited in line 2 appears to be --wherein the plurality of components comprise--.
The phrase “wherein the plurality of components is” as recited in line 4 appears to be --wherein the plurality of components are--.
The phrase “wherein the plurality of components comprises” as recited in line 5 appears to be --wherein the plurality of components comprise--.
Re. claim 3: The phrase “which positions the components are” as recited in line 3 appears to be --which positions of the components are --.
The phrase “which positions the components are” as recited in line 5 appears to be --which positions of the components are --.
Re. claim 9: The phrase “which positions the components are” as recited in line 3 appears to be --which positions of the components are --.
The phrase “which positions the components are” as recited in line 5 appears to be --which positions of the components are --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Re. claim 7: The phrase “the performance and/or characteristics of the components” as recited in lines 3-4 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the throughput of the pick-and- place apparatus” as recited in lines 10-11 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the predefined combination” as recited in line 11 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the determined values” as recited in line 15 lacks antecedent basis.
Re. claim 13: The phrase “the performance and/or characteristics of the components” as recited in lines 3-4 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the throughput of the pick-and- place apparatus” as recited in lines 10-11 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the predefined combination” as recited in line 11 lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the determined values” as recited in line 15 lacks antecedent basis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6, 8-12 and 14-16 are allowed.
Claims 7 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Maenishi et al. (US PAT. 7,603,193), Maenishi et al. (US PAT. 6,842,974), and Vos (US PAT. 5,680,699) are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to a pick-and-place apparatus.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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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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/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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