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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2022-153878, filed on 09/27/2022.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 01/07/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
1. Claims 8 and 12 are objected to because they are the method claims, whereas the independent one is a system claim. Applicant should clarify the issue to expedite patent prosecution in the amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 –
(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.
Claims 1, and 13–15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoshida (CN109554662B).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshida discloses a substrate transfer system comprising:
a transfer device including a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; (Per Fig. 6, Yoshida’s apparatus includes a transfer chamber 31, where a substrate W is transferred with inlet and outlet cavity 32. Yoshida para. ¶0075. The transfer chamber 31 is equipped with a transfer robot for transferring substrates W and W0.)
a lower line camera (a lower line camera construed as a load camera) provided in a transfer path of the substrate to capture an image of a rear surface of the substrate which is being transferred and an image of the substrate holder; (Per Fig. 1, Yoshida discloses a load camera 12 to capture the back surface of the substrate W. Id. para. ¶0045. Each load camera 12 is positioned opposite the back surface WR of the substrates W and W0, and captures images of different parts of each substrate (back-side imaging).)
an upper line camera (an upper line camera construed as a marking camera) provided in the transfer path of the substrate to capture an image of a front surface of the substrate which is being transferred; and (Per Fig. 1, Yoshida discloses a marking camera 11 is fixed to capture front-facing pictures of the substrate W. Id. para. ¶0044. Each marking camera 11 is positioned opposite the front side WF of substrates W and W0, and takes pictures of their respective different substrate markings Wm (front-facing pictures).)
a controller (a controller construed as an image processing unit) that generates a rear-surface image based on the image captured by the lower line camera (Per Fig. 1, Yoshida’s imaging processing unit 20 analyzes a back image IM2. Id. para. ¶0046. The image processing unit 20 uses the first back image IM2 of the calibration substrate WO for calibration processing.) and generates a front-surface image based on the image captured by the upper line camera. (Per Fig. 1, Yoshida’s imaging processing unit 20 analyzes a front image IM1. Id. para. ¶0044. [t]he image processing unit 20 uses the front image IM1 of the processing substrate W for front position determination processing.)
Regarding claim 13, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the lower line camera and the upper line camera include a plurality of detection elements arranged in a direction crossing the transfer path. (Yoshida’s control device 30 align a marking camera 11 and a load camera 12 to capture images of the substrate. Yoshida para. ¶0102. Next, the control device 30C causes each marking camera 11 to capture an image IM1 of the front side containing the substrate marking Wm. In addition, the control device 30C causes each load camera 12 to capture a first back image IM2, including a transmission image of the substrate mark Wm.)
Regarding claim 14, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the substrate holder includes: a base portion; and two extension portions extending from the base portion. (Per Fig. 4, Yoshida discloses a flat portion Sp1, which extends from the substrate W, and a beveled portion Wp2. Yoshida para. ¶0063. The flat portion Wp1 is a planar portion extending along the front side WF of the processing substrate W)
Regarding claim 15, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the transfer path is provided in an ambient environment. (Per Fig. 4, Yoshida discloses an illuminating environment where the substrate W is lit through a transfer path. Yoshida para. ¶0064. The light illuminating the outer peripheral portion Wp can be either parallel light that travels along the optical axis 2A of the load camera 12 from the load camera 12 side (back side) relative to the processing substrate W,)
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 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 2–7, and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida in view of Wang (WO2020061882A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yoshida fails to specifically disclose the substrate transfer system, wherein the substrate holder has a linear portion that extends in a transfer direction of the substrate, and wherein the controller is configured to: detect the linear portion of the substrate holder from the rear-surface image; and detect a tilt of the substrate holder and a first amount of zig-zag movement in a transfer trajectory of the substrate from a shape of the detected linear portion of the rear-surface image.
In related art, Wang discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the substrate holder has a linear portion that extends in a transfer direction of the substrate, and wherein the controller is configured to:
detect the linear portion of the substrate holder from the rear-surface image; and (Per Fig. 3, Wang’s scanning device 20 detects cross section of a layered material in linear movement. Wang para. ¶0088. [i]t scans multiple sampling points on the cross section during linear movement.)
detect a tilt of the substrate holder and a first amount of zig-zag movement in a transfer trajectory of the substrate from a shape of the detected linear portion of the rear-surface image. (Per Fig. 1, Wang’s scanning device 20 discloses inclination angles of the surface of the layered material with light sources. Id. para. ¶0104. [w]hich can converge the parallel coherent light emitted by the coherent light source 10 and irradiate the surface of the layered sample perpendicularly. This generates a set of incident beams with different inclination angles.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Yoshida to accurately detect thickness defects in layered materials. Id. para. ¶0007.
Regarding claim 3, Yoshida as modified by Wang, discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the controller is configured to correct the front-surface image based on the tilt of the substrate holder and the first amount of zig-zag movement in the transfer trajectory of the substrate. (Wang discloses upper surfaces of the material film to analyze images thereof in different directions. Wang para. ¶0103. This causes the interference images produced by the parallel thin film interference of light rays emitted from the light source S in different directions.)
Regarding claim 4, it has been rejected in the same manner as claim 2.
Regarding claim 5, Yoshida as modified by Wang, discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the controller is configured to detect a thickness of a film formed on the front surface of the substrate based on the corrected front- surface image. (Wang’s processor 40 calculates material thickness to determine whether there are defects on the material layer. Wang para. ¶0106. [t]o calculate the material thickness information corresponding to the sampling point position based on the interference image information, and to determine the defects of the layered sample based on the material thickness information.)
Regarding claim 6, Yoshida as modified by Wang, discloses the method, wherein the controller is configured to detect a discharge mark formed on the front surface of the substrate based on the corrected front-surface image. (Wang discloses marking the point position after calculating material thickness. Wang para. ¶0144. [f]ind the sampling point position where the corresponding material thickness information deviates from the mean by a greater than or equal to the second threshold, and mark the sampling point position.)
Regarding claim 7, it has been rejected in the same manner as claim 6.
Regarding claim 9, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the lower line camera and the upper line camera include a plurality of detection elements arranged in a direction crossing the transfer path. (Yoshida’s control device 30 align a marking camera 11 and a load camera 12 to capture images of the substrate. Yoshida para. ¶0102. Next, the control device 30C causes each marking camera 11 to capture an image IM1 of the front side containing the substrate marking Wm. In addition, the control device 30C causes each load camera 12 to capture a first back image IM2, including a transmission image of the substrate mark Wm.)
Regarding claim 10, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the substrate holder includes: a base portion; and two extension portions extending from the base portion. (Per Fig. 4, Yoshida discloses a flat portion Sp1, which extends from the substrate W, and a beveled portion Wp2. Yoshida para. ¶0063. The flat portion Wp1 is a planar portion extending along the front side WF of the processing substrate W)
Regarding claim 11, Yoshida discloses the substrate transfer system, wherein the transfer path is provided in an ambient environment. (Per Fig. 4, Yoshida discloses an illuminating environment where the substrate W is lit through a transfer path. Yoshida para. ¶0064. The light illuminating the outer peripheral portion Wp can be either parallel light that travels along the optical axis 2A of the load camera 12 from the load camera 12 side (back side) relative to the processing substrate W,)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 12 are 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hiroki (U.S. 2012/0315113 A1) discloses an invention for holding a target substrate on a transfer arm.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENEDICT LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-0390. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-16:00 (EST).
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/BENEDICT E LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2665
/Stephen R Koziol/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2665