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 present Office Action is in response to Applicants’ filing of July 10, 2026. Claims 1-12 are presented for examination, with Claims 1 and 12 being in independent form.
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.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0351012 (“Onuma”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0286714 (“Kubota”).
Regarding Claim 1, Onuma discloses a frequency-variable power supply that outputs radio-frequency waves of a set frequency (16 in Fig. 1; [0036]; [0046]), comprising an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputtable frequency range (correction unit 102 of controller 100 in Fig. 7; [0091]).
Although Onuma discloses an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputabble frequency range, Onuma fails to specifically disclose the newly added limitation “wherein the operation part calculates the correction value based on an amplitude and a phase of travelling waves at each of the plurality of frequencies and an amplitude and a phase of reflected waves at each of the plurality of frequencies.”
However, Kubota, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the operation part calculates the correction value based on an amplitude and a phase of travelling waves at each of the plurality of frequencies and an amplitude and a phase of reflected waves at each of the plurality of frequencies (See, Fig. 2, correction signal generator 70, correction signal CS, travelling waves having and amplitude and phase HF, reflected waves having an amplitude and phase MS; [0016]; [0047]-[0052]; See also, Figs. 3-4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the frequency-variable power supply as disclosed by Onuma and replaced its correction signal generator with the correction signal generator as taught by Kubota, in order to reduce reflected waves, as evidenced by Kubota ([0007]; [0009]).
Regarding Claim 2, Onuma further discloses wherein the correction value is at least one of an amplifier distortion correction value, a reflection correction value, or a power correction value ([0030]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 3, Onuma further discloses wherein the correction value is a correction value for at least one of an amplitude or a phase of the RF waves ([0030]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 4, Onuma further discloses a directional coupler provided between the frequency-variable power supply and a load (16f, 16h in Fig. 2; [0072]-[0073]),
wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the amplifier distortion correction value based on a comparison between traveling waves output from the directional coupler and set waveform data ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 5, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the amplifier distortion correction value based on an amplification factor and an amplification phase difference of the traveling waves with respect to the set waveform data ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 6, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the reflection correction value based on a comparison between the traveling waves and reflected waves output from the directional coupler ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 7, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the reflection correction value based on a reflectance and a reflection phase difference of the reflected waves ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 8, Onuma further discloses wherein the reflection correction value has a phase obtained by inverting a phase of the reflected waves by 180 degrees (Fig. 3; [0065]-[0066]; [0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 9, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the power correction value based on the traveling waves when controlling an input power to be constant, and calculate the power correction value based on a difference between the traveling waves and the reflected waves when controlling an effective power to be constant ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 10, Onuma further discloses a first demodulator configured to demodulate the traveling waves; and a second demodulator configured to demodulate the reflected waves (29, 161, Fig. 1-3; [0028]-[0030]),
wherein the traveling waves are traveling waves corrected with a correction value corresponding to the first demodulator, and wherein the reflected waves are reflected waves corrected with a correction value corresponding to the second demodulator (Fig. 3; [0061]-[0066]; [0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 11, Onuma further discloses a modulator configured to generate the RF waves; an amplifier configured to amplify the generated RF waves (Fig. 3; [0064]-[0066]; Fig. 2; [0061]-[0063]); and
a directional coupler provided between the amplifier and a load (16f, 16h in Fig. 2; [0072]-[0073]),
wherein the operation part is configured to: correct set waveform data with the correction value; input the corrected set waveform data to the modulator; and update the correction value based on traveling waves and reflected waves output from the directional coupler ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 12, Onuma discloses a plasma processing apparatus (1 in Fig. 1; [0036]) comprising:
a processing container (12);
an electrode provided in the processing container (14d; [0043]); and
a frequency-variable power supply configured to output RF waves of a set frequency to the electrode (16 in Fig. 1; [0036]; [0046]),
wherein the frequency-variable power supply comprises an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputtable frequency range (correction unit 102 of controller 100 in Fig. 7; [0091]).
Although Onuma discloses an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputabble frequency range, Onuma fails to specifically disclose the newly added limitation “wherein the operation part calculates the correction value based on an amplitude and a phase of travelling waves at each of the plurality of frequencies and an amplitude and a phase of reflected waves at each of the plurality of frequencies.”
However, Kubota, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the operation part calculates the correction value based on an amplitude and a phase of travelling waves at each of the plurality of frequencies and an amplitude and a phase of reflected waves at each of the plurality of frequencies (See, Fig. 2, correction signal generator 70, correction signal CS, travelling waves having and amplitude and phase HF, reflected waves having an amplitude and phase MS; [0016]; [0047]-[0052]; See also, Figs. 3-4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the frequency-variable power supply as disclosed by Onuma and replaced its correction signal generator with the correction signal generator as taught by Kubota, in order to reduce reflected waves, as evidenced by Kubota ([0007]; [0009]).
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments, see REMARKS pages 1-3, filed July 10, 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-12 under Sec. 102 over Onuma have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made under Sec. 103 over Onuma in view of Kubota, newly cited for the newly added limitations.
Conclusion
Applicants’ amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PEDRO C FERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST.
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, Alexander H Taningco can be reached at 1-(571) 272-8048. 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.
/PEDRO C FERNANDEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ALEXANDER H TANINGCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights