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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 02/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner has augmented the prior art rejections in light of Applicant's amendments and/or arguments, as indicated below.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant argues that Yamaguchi fails to teach an imager configured to successively photograph the substrate which is being moved by the transfer mechanism during substrate transfer; and an image processor configured to perform image-processing of images of the substrate being moved that are captured by the imager. Examiner respectfully disagrees with this assertion. Examiner would like to point out that the imaging of wafer is performed while the position of the wafer is corrected (i.e. the wafer is in the process of being moved to desired position) during the process of wafer transfer (Yamaguchi, para 0022-0023, 0095-0098 wherein “[0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured (step 122). Thereafter, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected as in the above-described sequence”; “drive the support arm to position the edge of the target object within an area where the measurement accuracy is assured, obtain a position of the target object again by capturing an image of an arc shape corresponding to the edge of the target object by the image pickup device, compare the two positions of the target object, and recognize the newly obtained position of the target object as a position of the target object when both coincide with each other within an allowable range of error”). Imaging and correcting the position of the wafer during the process of wafer transfer can be reasonably interpreted as successively photographing the substrate which is being moved by the transfer mechanism during substrate transfer.
Claim Objections
Claims 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 11, the claim recites “correcting the control operation such that a position of the substrate becomes a position obtained by calculation based on image information obtained in the image-processing the image of the substrate being moved….”. Based on the claim language, the claim should read, “correcting the control operation such that a position of the substrate becomes a position obtained by calculation based on image information obtained by image-processing the image of the substrate being moved….” or similar language to eliminate ambiguity.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-3, 5-6, 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 20100080444 A1) in view of Shindo (US 20200094399 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamaguchi teaches a substrate transfer unit that transfers a substrate to a target transfer position (Fig 3, 0014 wherein “a controller for receiving the information on positional displacement calculated by the calculation unit and controlling the transfer unit to correct the position of the target object so that the target object is loaded to a predetermined position in the processing unit”), the substrate transfer unit comprising:
a transfer mechanism having a portion where two arms are connected to each other by a shaft, the transfer mechanism being configured to hold and transfer the substrate (Fig 3, para 0059-0061 wherein “transfer units 12 and 16 are provided which hold and transfer the wafer W; “The transfer unit 12 includes a rotatable and extensible/contractible portion 13 arranged substantially at the center of the transfer chamber 5 and two support arms 14a and 14b for supporting the semiconductor wafer W, the support arms 14a and 14b being attached to the leading end of the rotatable and extensible/contractible portion 13 while being oriented in opposite directions”);
a drive mechanism configured to drive the transfer mechanism (091-0091 wherein the arm 14 is driven during the operation; “[0090] Next, the displacement direction of the semiconductor wafer is found out from the detection result, and the support arm 14a or 14b supporting the semiconductor wafer W is driven at a low speed”);
an imager configured to successively photograph the substrate which is being moved by the transfer mechanism during substrate transfer (Fig 10-15, para 0022-0023, 0095-0098 wherein the wafer image is captured during the process of correcting the position of the wafer that is in the process of being moved; “[0096] Thus, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected …[0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W… Thereafter, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected as in the above-described sequence…; ““drive the support arm to position the edge of the target object within an area where the measurement accuracy is assured, obtain a position of the target object again by capturing an image of an arc shape corresponding to the edge of the target object by the image pickup device, compare the two positions of the target object, and recognize the newly obtained position of the target object as a position of the target object when both coincide with each other within an allowable range of error”);
an image processor configured to perform image-processing of images of the substrate being moved that are captured by the imager (Fig 5, para 0068 wherein “[0068] In the calculation unit 40, the image data of the arc shape of the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer W captured by the CCD detector 30 is received; the positional data on multiple positions of the arc shape of the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer W are detected from the captured image data”); and
a transfer controller (Fig 5, para 0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit”) configured to:
perform correction of a control operation of the feedback control based on image information obtained by image-processing the images of the substrate being moved that are captured by the imager by the image processor (Fig 0096-0098 wherein the position of the wafer is corrected based on image information; “[0096] Thus, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected by capturing the image of the arc shaped edge of the semiconductor wafer W in that position by the CCD detector 30 in the above-described sequence (step 121). [0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured (step 122). Thereafter, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected as in the above-described sequence. [0098] Then, the position of the semiconductor wafer W detected in step 121 is compared with the position of the semiconductor wafer W detected in the step 122 (step 123). When both coincide with each other within the allowable error range, the measured position is recognized as the position of the semiconductor wafer (step 124)”,
wherein the transfer controller is further configured to:
perform the feedback control periodically (para 0069 and 0078 wherein the control is performed periodically; “0069 Next, the information is sent to the controller 50 of the transfer unit 12 at a predetermined timing”; “0079 To be specific, while considering the accuracy of the "information on positional displacement" required for each of the processing apparatuses, the number of times (N times) of performing the sampling process is controlled such that there will be allowed appropriate time for the processing time”);
perform the correction of the control operation based on the image information whenever the feedback control is performed (0069, 0096-0098 wherein when feedback control is performed, the position of wafer is corrected based on the image information; “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”; “[0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured”).
However, Yamaguchi fails to teach to perform feedback control of the drive mechanism such that, when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism, the shaft angle detected by the shaft angle detector reaches a target value obtained by calculation; and cause the imager and the image processor to perform the photographing and the image- processing in real time concurrently with the feedback control at least once for each feedback control.
As discussed earlier, Yamaguchi teaches perform feedback control of the drive mechanism when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism (0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”).
Yamaguchi teaches to cause the imager and the image processor to perform the photographing and the image-processing in real time (Fig 5, 9-15, para 0069, 0096-0098 wherein “[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates a side cross sectional view of a transfer chamber shown in FIG. 3 and a position correction control unit. A position correction control unit 60 includes: a calculation unit 40 for calculating the information on positional displacement and position information of the semiconductor wafer W”) and feedback control (0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”).
Shindo teaches perform feedback control of the drive mechanism such that, when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism, the shaft angle detected by the shaft angle detector reaches a target value obtained by calculation (para 0027 wherein “[0027] The controller 100 performs a feedback-control of a control amount for controlling the drive motor 68 (a value corresponding to a motor current value) such that the detected current rotation angle θ.sub.I3C becomes the target rotation angle θ.sub.I3T”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of having a substrate transfer unit with a drive mechanism and perform the feedback control to incorporate Yamaguchi’s teachings to cause the imager and the image processor to perform the photographing and the image-processing in real time and Shindo’s teachings to perform feedback control of the drive mechanism such that, when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism, the shaft angle detected by the shaft angle detector reaches a target value obtained by calculation in order to perform feedback control of the drive mechanism such that, when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism, the shaft angle detected by the shaft angle detector reaches a target value obtained by calculation; and cause the imager and the image processor to perform the photographing and the image- processing in real time concurrently with the feedback control at least once for each feedback control. Doing so would allow the arm to achieve desired angular position based on feedback from encoders. Furthermore, doing so would allow the imager and image processor to generate updated data for each feedback control to adjust the control instruction accordingly.
Regarding claim 2, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 1 including drive mechanism.
However, Yamaguchi fails to explicitly teach wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor, and the shaft angle detector includes an encoder configured to detect a rotation angle of the motor.
Shindo further teaches wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor (0020 wherein “The joints 65, 66, and 67 are connected to be rotatable by drive motors installed at the respective joints”), and the shaft angle detector includes an encoder configured to detect a rotation angle of the motor (0039 wherein “[0039] The rotation angle θ.sub.I3C detected by the input shaft side encoder 69 is an example of a first sensor value, and the input shaft side encoder 69 is an example of a first detector that detects the first sensor value corresponding to the rotation angle θ.sub.I3C of the input shaft I”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of having a substrate transfer unit with a drive mechanism to incorporate Shindo’s teachings that the drive mechanism includes a motor, and the shaft angle detector includes an encoder configured to detect a rotation angle of the motor. Doing so would allow the arm to be driven according to the desired arm position according to the control program.
Regarding claim 3, modified Yamaguchi teaches wherein the imager is fixedly provided such that the substrate placed on the transfer mechanism passes above the imager when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism (Yamaguchi, Fig 5, para 0065 wherein the camera 30 is positioned on the bottom wall facing the substrate).
Regarding claim 5, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 1 including the transfer controller is configured to perform the feedback control (0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”).
However, Yamaguchi fails to explicitly teach performing the feedback control by PID control.
Shindo further teaches performing the feedback control by PID control (0027-0028 wherein “Then, the controller 100 calculates the control amount for controlling the drive motor 68 via a proportional controller 101a, an integral controller 101b, and a differential controller 101c that perform a PID control, and outputs the control amount to the drive motor 68 as a command value. [0028] In the PID control, a proportional gain K.sub.P, an integral gain K.sub.I, and a differential gain K.sub.D, all of which are constants, are used”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of having a transfer controller configured to perform the feedback control to incorporate Shindo’s teachings performing the feedback control by PID control. Doing so would constitute combining prior art elements according to known methods of using PID control parameters for feedback control to yield predictable results controlling operation as desired.
Regarding claim 6, modified Yamaguchi teaches wherein the transfer controller corrects a control amount of a control parameter as the correction of the control operation (0069, 0096-0098 wherein the position of wafer is corrected based on the image information using feedback control; “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”; “[0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured”).
Regarding claim 11, Yamaguchi teaches a method of transferring a substrate to a target transfer position (Fig 3, 0014 wherein “a controller for receiving the information on positional displacement calculated by the calculation unit and controlling the transfer unit to correct the position of the target object so that the target object is loaded to a predetermined position in the processing unit”), the method comprising:
driving a transfer mechanism having a portion where two arms are connected by a shaft and holding the substrate (Fig 3, para 0059-0061, 0090 wherein the arm 14 is driven during the operation; “transfer units 12 and 16 are provided which hold and transfer the wafer W; “The transfer unit 12 includes a rotatable and extensible/contractible portion 13 arranged substantially at the center of the transfer chamber 5 and two support arms 14a and 14b for supporting the semiconductor wafer W, the support arms 14a and 14b being attached to the leading end of the rotatable and extensible/contractible portion 13 while being oriented in opposite directions”; “[0090] Next, the displacement direction of the semiconductor wafer is found out from the detection result, and the support arm 14a or 14b supporting the semiconductor wafer W is driven at a low speed”) while performing a control operation of controlling the transfer mechanism being controlled by feedback control (0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”),
photographing the substrate being moved by the transfer mechanism during substrate transfer in real time with the driving of the transfer mechanism (Fig 5, 9-15, para 0069, 0096-0098 wherein “[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates a side cross sectional view of a transfer chamber shown in FIG. 3 and a position correction control unit. A position correction control unit 60 includes: a calculation unit 40 for calculating the information on positional displacement and position information of the semiconductor wafer W”);
image-processing an image of the substrate being moved that is captured in the photographing by an image processor, continuously with the photographing (Fig 5, para 0068 wherein as the image data is received, the calculation unit processes the image; “[0068] In the calculation unit 40, the image data of the arc shape of the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer W captured by the CCD detector 30 is received; the positional data on multiple positions of the arc shape of the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer W are detected from the captured image data”); and
correcting the control operation such that a position of the substrate becomes a position obtained by calculation based on image information obtained in the image-processing the image of the substrate being moved (Fig 0096-0098 wherein the position of the wafer is corrected and becomes the position where the measurement accuracy can be assured, based on image information; “[0096] Thus, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected by capturing the image of the arc shaped edge of the semiconductor wafer W in that position by the CCD detector 30 in the above-described sequence (step 121). [0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured (step 122). Thereafter, the position of the semiconductor wafer W on the support arm 14a (or 14b) is detected as in the above-described sequence. [0098] Then, the position of the semiconductor wafer W detected in step 121 is compared with the position of the semiconductor wafer W detected in the step 122 (step 123). When both coincide with each other within the allowable error range, the measured position is recognized as the position of the semiconductor wafer (step 124)”,
wherein the feedback control is performed periodically (para 0069 and 0078 wherein the control is performed periodically; “0069 Next, the information is sent to the controller 50 of the transfer unit 12 at a predetermined timing”; “0079 To be specific, while considering the accuracy of the "information on positional displacement" required for each of the processing apparatuses, the number of times (N times) of performing the sampling process is controlled such that there will be allowed appropriate time for the processing time”),
and correcting of the control operation based on the image information whenever the feedback control is performed (0069, 0096-0098 wherein when feedback control is performed, the position of wafer is corrected based on the image information; “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”; “[0097] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the position of the support arm 14a (or 14b) is driven to correct the edge of the semiconductor wafer W to be positioned in the area within the detection range where the measurement accuracy can be assured”).
However, Yamaguchi fails to explicitly teach to perform feedback control such that a shaft angle of the shaft reaches a target value obtained by calculation, photographing the substrate concurrently with the driving and the photographing and the image-processing are performed in real time concurrently with the feedback control at least once for each feedback control.
As discussed earlier, Yamaguchi teaches perform feedback control of the drive mechanism when the substrate is transferred by the transfer mechanism (0069 wherein “In other words, the controller 50 performs a feedback control on the transfer unit 12 to transfer the semiconductor wafer W to a predetermined position in the processing unit based on the "information on positional displacement”).
Shindo teaches perform feedback control such that a shaft angle of the shaft reaches a target value obtained by calculation (para 0027 wherein “[0027] The controller 100 performs a feedback-control of a control amount for controlling the drive motor 68 (a value corresponding to a motor current value) such that the detected current rotation angle θ.sub.I3C becomes the target rotation angle θ.sub.I3T”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of having a substrate transfer unit with a drive mechanism and perform the photographing and the image-processing in real time to incorporate Yamaguchi’s teachings to perform feedback control of the drive mechanism when the substrate is transferred and Shindo’s teachings to perform feedback control such that a shaft angle of the shaft reaches a target value obtained by calculation in order to perform feedback control such that a shaft angle of the shaft reaches a target value obtained by calculation, photographing the substrate concurrently with the driving and the photographing and the image-processing are performed in real time concurrently with the feedback control at least once for each feedback control. Doing so would allow the arm to achieve desired angular position based on feedback from encoders. Furthermore, doing so would allow the imager and image processor to generate updated data for each feedback control to adjust the control instruction accordingly.
Regarding claim 12, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 2
mutandis mutatis.
Regarding claim 13, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 3
mutandis mutatis.
Regarding claim 14, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 5
mutandis mutatis.
Regarding claim 15, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 6
mutandis mutatis.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 20100080444 A1) and Shindo (US 20200094399 A1) in view of Hashimoto (WO 2021054101 A1).
Regarding claim 4, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 3 including the imager. Yamaguchi also teaches the imager is a line camera capable of photographing the substrate when the substrate is being transferred (Yamaguchi, Fig 5, para 0065 wherein the camera 30 is positioned on the bottom wall facing the substrate).
However, Yamaguchi fails to explicitly teach wherein the imager is capable of photographing an entire width of the substrate.
Hashimoto teaches wherein the imager is capable of photographing an entire width of the substrate (page 9 7th para wherein “The imaging region may include the entire substrate W”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings that the imager is a line camera capable of photographing the substrate when the substrate is being transferred to incorporate Hashimoto’s teachings the imager is capable of photographing an entire width of the substrate. Doing so would constitute combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claim(s) 7-8, 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 20100080444 A1) and Shindo (US 20200094399 A1) in view of Jordil (US 20150241203 A1).
Regarding claim 7, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 1 including the transfer controller causes the photographing and the image-processing to be performed (Fig 0096-0098 wherein the position of the wafer is corrected based on image information) and performing feedback control (para 0069 and 0078).
However, Yamaguchi fails to explicitly teach photographing and the image-processing is performed 3 times for 1 feedback control.
Yamaguchi further teaches photographing and the image-processing is performed multiple times for the feedback control (0026 wherein “[0026] Further, said detecting positional data on multiple positions by capturing the image of the arc shape of the outer periphery of the target object and said calculating the central coordinates of the phantom circle of the target object may be set as a single sampling process, and the sampling process is performed multiple times”).
Jordil teaches having high image sensor sample rate associated with control loop (para 0084-87 wherein “[0084] The control unit 38 in the embodiment is configured as a high-performance servo control system with an extremely high control rate typically much more than 1 kHz and up to 200 kHz and the possibility of dual-loop control or state variables control loops. 0086 The axis servo-controls enable an axis control with extremely high control clock rate of up to 200 kHz associated with a high stiffness of the controller loop”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of photographing and the image-processing is performed multiple times for the feedback control to incorporate Jordil’s teachings of having high image sensor sample rate associated with control loop in order to have photographing and the image-processing is performed 3 times for 1 feedback control. Doing so would allow the controller to gather necessary sensor data for each control iteration.
Regarding claim 8, modified Yamaguchi teaches wherein the feedback control is performed 8,000 times per second, and the photographing and the image-processing are performed 26,000 times per second (Yamaguchi para 0026; Jordil, para 0084-87 wherein control is performed at least 8000 times and image data is collected at least 26000 times; “[0084] The control unit 38 in the embodiment is configured as a high-performance servo control system with an extremely high control rate typically much more than 1 kHz and up to 200 kHz and the possibility of dual-loop control or state variables control loops. 0086 The axis servo-controls enable an axis control with extremely high control clock rate of up to 200 kHz associated with a high stiffness of the controller loop”).
Regarding claim 16, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 7
mutandis mutatis.
Regarding claim 17, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 8
mutandis mutatis.
Claim(s) 9-10, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 20100080444 A1) and Shindo (US 20200094399 A1) in view of Nakagawa (US 20190160664 A1) and Murao (US 20170197795 A1).
Regarding claim 9, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 1 including control of transfer mechanism.
However, Yamaguchi fails to teach to determine shaking of the transfer mechanism in a horizontal direction based on the image information, and to control the transfer mechanism to suppress the shaking.
Nakagawa teaches to determine shaking based on the image information (para 0029 wherein “Alternatively, an imaging device, etc. may be adopted as the sensor 60, and a moving image captured by the imaging device may be analyzed to detect vibration”), and to control the device to suppress the shaking (0031 wherein “[0031] In addition, the vibration suppression device 1 adjusts a parameter related to acceleration and deceleration of each axis of the robot 2, etc. based on a value output from the machine learning device 100”).
Murao teaches suppressing vibration in horizontal direction (0036 wherein “[0036] In the present embodiment, the controller device 80 performs a first oscillation damping control and a second oscillation damping control as the oscillation damping control. Here, the first oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the path width direction X.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of controlling the transfer mechanism to incorporate Nakagawa’s teachings to determine shaking based on the image information and Murao’s teachings of suppressing vibration in horizontal direction. Doing so would allow the vibration in horizontal direction to be controlled based on image information.
Regarding claim 10, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 9 including control of transfer mechanism. However, modified Yamaguchi fails to teach a vibration sensor configured to detect shaking of the transfer mechanism in a height direction, wherein the transfer controller is further configured to determine the shaking of the transfer mechanism in the height direction by the vibration sensor, and to control the transfer mechanism to suppress the shaking.
Murao teaches a vibration sensor configured to detect shaking of the transfer mechanism in a height direction, wherein the transfer controller is further configured to determine the shaking of the transfer mechanism in the height direction by the vibration sensor, and to control the transfer mechanism to suppress the shaking (0036 wherein “And the second oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z… When transferring an article 3 between the article transport device 2 and the transport target location 91, the first distance sensor 41 is moved to the aforementioned out-of-the-way position if needed. In addition, the controller device 80 performs the second oscillation damping control when the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z is detected”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of controlling the transfer mechanism to incorporate Murao’s teachings of a vibration sensor configured to detect shaking of the transfer mechanism in a height direction, wherein the transfer controller is further configured to determine the shaking of the transfer mechanism in the height direction by the vibration sensor, and to control the transfer mechanism to suppress the shaking. Doing so would allow the vibration in vertical direction to be controlled and improve efficiency.
Regarding claim 19, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 18 including suppressing the shaking when the shaking is detected. However, Yamaguchi fails to teach wherein the detection of shaking is performed by detecting the shaking in a horizontal direction from the image information.
Murao also teaches detecting the shaking in a horizontal direction (0036 wherein “[0036] In the present embodiment, the controller device 80 performs a first oscillation damping control and a second oscillation damping control as the oscillation damping control. Here, the first oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the path width direction X.”).
Nakagawa teaches the detection of shaking is performed by detecting the shaking from the image information (para 0029 wherein “Alternatively, an imaging device, etc. may be adopted as the sensor 60, and a moving image captured by the imaging device may be analyzed to detect vibration”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of controlling the transfer mechanism and suppressing the shaking when the shaking is detected to incorporate Nakagawa’s teachings to determine shaking based on the image information and Murao’s teachings of detecting the shaking in a horizontal direction. Doing so would allow the vibration in horizontal direction to be controlled based on image information.
Claim(s) 18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 20100080444 A1) and Shindo (US 20200094399 A1) in view of Murao (US 20170197795 A1).
Regarding claim 18, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 11 including feedback control of transfer mechanism. However, Yamaguchi fails to teach performing detection of shaking of the transfer mechanism concurrently with the feedback control, wherein, in the correcting of the control operation, the control operation is corrected to suppress the shaking when the shaking is detected.
Murao teaches performing detection of shaking of the transfer mechanism, wherein, in the correcting of the control operation, the control operation is corrected to suppress the shaking when the shaking is detected (0036 wherein “Here, the first oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the path width direction X. And the second oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z … When transferring an article 3 between the article transport device 2 and the transport target location 91, the first distance sensor 41 is moved to the aforementioned out-of-the-way position if needed. In addition, the controller device 80 performs the second oscillation damping control when the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z is detected”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of feedback control of the transfer mechanism to incorporate Murao’s teachings of performing detection of shaking and suppress the shaking when the shaking is detected in order to perform detection of shaking of the transfer mechanism concurrently with the feedback control, wherein, in the correcting of the control operation, the control operation is corrected to suppress the shaking when the shaking is detected. Doing so would allow the vibration to be controlled in real time as the feedback control is executed and improve efficiency.
Regarding claim 20, modified Yamaguchi teaches all the limitations of claim 18 including suppressing the shaking when the shaking is detected. However, Yamaguchi fails to teach wherein the detection of the shaking is performed by detecting the shaking in a height direction by a vibration sensor.
Murao teaches a vibration sensor configured to detect shaking of the transfer mechanism in a height direction (0036 wherein “And the second oscillation damping control is a control for reducing the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z… When transferring an article 3 between the article transport device 2 and the transport target location 91, the first distance sensor 41 is moved to the aforementioned out-of-the-way position if needed. In addition, the controller device 80 performs the second oscillation damping control when the oscillation of the article 3 along the vertical direction Z is detected”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have further modified Yamaguchi’s teachings of controlling the transfer mechanism and suppressing the shaking when the shaking is detected to incorporate Murao’s teachings of a vibration sensor configured to detect shaking of the transfer mechanism in a height direction. Doing so would allow the vibration in vertical direction to be controlled and improve efficiency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Fairbairn (US 20140340509 A1) teaches correcting position of the wafer in real time by imaging the wafer during the wafer transfer process using feedback control (para 0092-0094 wherein “0092 The downward facing sensors 20 can be used to provide real time positional feedback on the actually position of the robot end effector assembly 10 for corrective control action”; “[0094] An additional benefit to this invention is that the method of using the wafer facing sensor 12 can be modified to continuously measure and monitor the position of the wafer 14 on the end effector assembly 10 to ensure that no wafer slippage is occurring”).
Asada (US 20120226382 A1) teaches correcting position of a robot transferring workpiece while the robot is in motion (para 0021 wherein “As explained above, the position of the robot detected by the robot-position detecting unit is a position detected while the robot is being moved. As such, the accuracy of the position determination is improved. In other words, it is unnecessary to stop the robot in order to correct the target position”).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAGAR KC whose telephone number is (571)272-7337. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm.
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, Adam Mott can be reached at (571) 270-5376. 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.
/SAGAR KC/Examiner, Art Unit 3657
/ADAM R MOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657