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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 19 October 2023, 08 May 2024 and 07 January 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In the first paragraph, insert ---now US Pat.No.11,964,831,--- after “February 12, 2020,”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claim 1 of prior U.S. Patent No. 11,964,831 (‘the Patent’). This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Claim 1 of the Application
An apparatus comprising:
a first device configured to support a substrate thereon;
a first transport having the first device connected thereto, where the first transport is configured to support the first device for movement along a horizontal path, where the first transport comprises:
at least two guides;
a magnetic system configured to vertically space the first device over the at least two guides with a gap between the first device and the at least two guides, where the magnetic system comprises a first electromagnetic actuator at a first corner of a first side of the first device, a second electromagnetic actuator at a second corner of the first side of the first device, and a third electromagnetic actuator at a second opposite side of the first device, where the third electromagnetic actuator is not located proximate a corner of three sides of the first device; and
a linear actuator configured to move the first device in the path along the at least two guides.
Claim 1 of the Patent
An apparatus comprising:
a first device configured to support a substrate thereon;
a first transport having the first device connected thereto, where the first transport is configured to support the first device for movement along a horizontal path, where the first transport comprises:
at least two guides;
a magnetic system configured to vertically space the first device over the at least two guides with a gap between the first device and the at least two guides, where the magnetic system comprises a first electromagnetic actuator at a first corner of a first side of the first device, a second electromagnetic actuator at a second corner of the first side of the first device, and a third electromagnetic actuator at a second opposite side of the first device, where the third electromagnetic actuator is not located proximate a corner of three sides of the first device; and
a linear actuator configured to move the first device in the path along the at least two guides….
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 & 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Korenaga (US 7,383,929).
Regarding claim 1, Korenaga teaches an apparatus comprising:
a first device (worktable) 200 configured to support a substrate (on stage 703) thereon;
a first transport having the first device 200 connected thereto, where the first transport is configured to support the first device for movement along a horizontal path (Y-direction), where the first transport comprises:
at least two guides 660;
a magnetic system configured to vertically space the first device 200 over the at least two guides with a gap between the first device and the at least two guides (Fig.6A),
where the magnetic system comprises a first electromagnetic actuator (variable support unit) 380-2 at a first corner of a first side of the first device,
a second electromagnetic actuator 380-3 at a second corner of the first side of the first device, and
a third electromagnetic actuator 380-1 at a second opposite side of the first device, where the third electromagnetic actuator is not located proximate a corner of three sides of the first device (Fig.9); and
a linear actuator (Y-fine linear motor) 500 configured to move the first device in the path along the at least two guides (i.e., in y-direction; Figs.7-9).
PNG
media_image1.png
631
434
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
452
581
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, Korenaga teaches explicitly teaches first sensors 550 at the first electromagnetic actuator, second sensors 550 at the second electromagnetic actuator and third sensors 570 at the electromagnetic actuator configured to measure a position of the first device with respect to the first and second guides (Fig.9).
Claims 1 & 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Williams (US 6,777,833).
Regarding claim 1, Williams teaches an apparatus comprising:
a first device (platen) 20 configured to support a substrate (workpiece) W thereon;
a first transport having the first device 20 connected thereto, where the first transport is configured to support the first device for movement along a horizontal path (X-direction), where the first transport comprises:
at least two guides (surfaces) 54, 56;
a magnetic system configured to vertically space the first device 20 over the at least two guides with a gap 74 between the first device and the at least two guides,
where the magnetic system comprises a first electromagnetic actuator 36a at a first corner of a first side of the first device,
a second electromagnetic actuator 36c at a second corner of the first side of the first device, and
a third electromagnetic actuator 36b at a second opposite side of the first device, where the third electromagnetic actuator is not located proximate a corner of three sides of the first device; and
a linear actuator configured to move the first device in the path along the at least two guides (Figs.1&4).
PNG
media_image3.png
429
597
media_image3.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
391
406
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, Williams explicitly teaches first sensors (interferometer system) 130 at the first electromagnetic actuator…configured to measure a position of the first device with respect to the first and second guides (i.e., accurately measure the state (e.g., position and velocity) of platen 20 relative to a reference position; c.8:1-10; Fig.7). Regarding second sensors at the second electromagnetic actuator and third sensors at the electromagnetic actuator, Williams teaches more than one interferometer may be used to measure the state of platen 20 along other axes so that the state of the platen over multiple degrees of freedom can be determined (c.8:10-13). This implies second and third sensors at second and third actuators to measure the state of the platen.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 & 4-7 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.
The prior art does not appear to further teach “the first device comprises a robot enclosure having a robot motor therein, and a robot arm connected to the robot motor, where the robot arm is located outside of the robot enclosure, where the robot arm comprises an end effector configured to support the substate thereon, where the first side is a first lateral side of the robot enclosure and the second side is a second opposite lateral side of the robot enclosure” (claim 2) or
“a controller and a wireless communication device in communication with the first device, where the wireless communication device is configured to send to the controller positions of all axes of motion periodically from motor amplifiers of the apparatus, status of digital and analog inputs from input/output modules of the apparatus, and timing of digital input changes from the input/output modules of the apparatus” (claim 4).
These determinations are based on keyword and citation searches performed in a limited number of subclasses. Artificial intelligence search tools were employed. Nomenclature in the art is inconsistent. Keyword searches in the foreign art was limited to the text of the abstract. For these reasons, the scope of the search was necessarily truncated and relevant art classified outside the subclasses searched and/or using different terminology or keywords may not have been reviewed. See the Search Notes for details. Regarding claim 2, Korenaga and Williams teaches the substrate/wafer is carried by a worktable or platen. Regarding claim 4, neither Korenaga nor Williams teach the controller with claimed control functions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BURTON S MULLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2029. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5. 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, Tulsidas C Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. 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.
/BURTON S MULLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834