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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 20 February 2026 has been entered.
Claim Interpretation
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: horizontal/vertical movement module (Claims 1-19), index module (Claims 15-16 and 18-21), and a module that transfers semiconductor substrates between load port modules (Claim 17). The term “module” is construed to be a generic placeholder.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-13, 15-20, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by van der Meulen (US 8434989) (“Meulen”).
Claim 1: a plurality of robot arms, each of the plurality of robot arms comprises a plurality of transfer hands and each of the plurality of robot arms transfers semiconductor substrates using the plurality of transfer hands (Fig. 106/107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; 10700/10612 are SCARA robots; FIG. 45, 44014 part of substrate transport robot as shown; nothing in Meulen precludes 44014 from being part of one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot);
a base to which the plurality of robot arms are coupled (column 3, lines 19-61); arm driving module (“independent robot drives 4004”);
a horizontal/vertical movement module that controls a horizontal/vertical position movement of the base and of the plurality of robot arms coupled to the base (column 3, lines 19-61; rail in Fig. 106 at 10612); and
one or more obstacle detection sensors that are directly attached to one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot (FIG. 45, 44010 on 44014), the one or more obstacle detection sensors being configured to be used by at least one of the plurality of transfer hands to perform avoidance motions while at least another one of the plurality of transfer hand is moving while transferring one of the semiconductor substrates (col. 19, line 34 to col. 20 line 33; one or more obstacle detection sensors are able to be used with environments used in Meulen as disclosed therein; Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them);
Claim 2: wherein the plurality of robot arms are arranged in a height direction of the substrate transport robot (Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 3: wherein the plurality of robot arms comprises at least a first robot arm and a second robot arm, and the first and second robot arms serve different purposes (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; move semiconductor substrates to different places);
Claim 4: wherein the plurality of robot arms are used to transport semiconductor substrates that have different processing statuses (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; move semiconductor substrates to different places which are different statuses);
Claim 5: wherein the plurality of transfer hands are arranged in a height direction of the substrate transport robot (Fig. 107A/107B; at least 10706/etc.);
Claim 6: wherein the plurality of transfer hands comprise a first transfer hand that operates independently from other ones of the plurality of transfer hands, and a plurality of second transfer hands that operate simultaneously with one another (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61);
Claim 7: wherein a first robot arm, among the plurality of robot arms, having the plurality of second transfer hands is disposed either above or below at least one other robot arm among the plurality of robot arms (Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 8: wherein the first transfer hand is disposed above the other ones of the plurality of transfer hands if the first robot arm having the plurality of second transfer hands is disposed above the at least one other robot arm (Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 9: wherein the first transfer hand is disposed below the other ones of the plurality of transfer hands if the first robot arm having the plurality of second transfer hands is disposed below the at least one other robot arm (Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 10: wherein each of the plurality of robot arms comprises a same number of the plurality of transfer hands (one for 10704 and one for 10708 at 10702/etc. in Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 11: wherein a position of a single transfer hand, among the plurality of transfer hands associated with a single robot arm among the plurality of robot arms, that operates independently from other ones of the plurality of transfer hands varies between each of the plurality of robot arms (Fig. 107A/107B);
Claim 12: wherein the plurality of transfer hands comprise first transfer hands that are used in pick-and-place operations for the semiconductor substrates and second transfer hands that are not used in the pick-and-place operations (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61);
Claim 13: wherein the second transfer hands not used in the pick-and-place operations rotate in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61);
Claim 15: wherein the one or more obstacle detection sensors that are attached to the one or more surfaces of the transport robot measure:
a first distance between the substrate transport robot and a first sidewall of an index module in which the substrate transport robot is disposed, and
a second distance between the substrate transport robot and a second sidewall of the index module, the second sidewall being opposite to the first sidewall (column 20, lines 24-33), and
wherein whether the second transfer hands not used in the pick-and-place operations rotate in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction is based on the first distance and the second distance measured by the one or more obstacle detection sensors (column 20, lines 24-33; FIG. 47);
Claim 16: wherein the one or more obstacle detection sensors comprise a first obstacle detection sensor that is attached to the substrate transport robot on a first surface of the substrate transport robot and a second obstacle detection sensor that is attached to the substrate transport robot on a second surface of the substrate transport robot,
the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and
the first obstacle detection sensor measures the first distance while the second obstacle detection sensor measures the second distance (FIG. 44, 44010 on two surfaces on either side of 4004/4002/etc.);
Claim 17: wherein the substrate transport robot is provided within a module (at least 10608) that transfers semiconductor substrates between load port modules (10614) and process chambers (10602), the load port modules are modules on which containers loaded with a plurality of semiconductor substrates are mounted, and the process chambers are chambers in which the semiconductor substrates are processed (Fig. 106);
Claim 18: a plurality of robot arms, each of the plurality of robot arms comprises a plurality of transfer hands and each of the plurality of robot arms transfers semiconductor substrates using the plurality of transfer hands (Fig. 106/107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; 10700/10612 are SCARA robots; nothing in Meulen precludes 44014 from being part of one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot);
a base to which the plurality of robot arms are coupled (column 3, lines 19-61); arm driving module (“independent robot drives 4004”);
a horizontal/vertical movement module that controls a horizontal/vertical position movement of the base and of the plurality of robot arms coupled to the base (column 3, lines 19-61; rail in Fig. 106 at 10612),
wherein the substrate transport robot is disposed within and partially surrounded by an index module (Fig. 106, module with 10612) in which the semiconductor substrates are transferred between containers,
a first robot arm among the plurality of robot arms comprises a first transfer hand, among the plurality of transfer hands of the first robot arm (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61), that is used during a pick-and-place operations to transfer the semiconductor substrates between the containers and a second transfer hand, among the plurality of transfer hands of the first robot arm (Fig. 107A/107B), that is not used to transfer the semiconductor substrates during a same one of the pick-and-place operation where the first robot arm is used to transfer the semiconductor substrates, while the first transfer hand is moving around within the index module to transfer the semiconductor substrates between the containers during the pick and place operation (Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; move semiconductor substrates to different places),
the second transfer hand that is not used to transfer the semiconductor substrates performs avoidance motions to avoid colliding with inner sidewalls of the index module and with the containers, the avoidance motions comprising rotating in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them; clearly, the interior of the chamber has inner sidewalls), and
whether the second transfer hand rotates in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction while the first transfer hand is transferring the semiconductor substrates is based on:
a first distance between the substrate transport robot and a first sidewall of the inner sidewalls of the index module, and
a second distance between the substrate transport robot and a second inner sidewall of the inner sidewalls of the index module, the second sidewall being opposite to the first sidewall (FIG. 45, 44010 on substrate transport robot as shown; col. 19, line 34 to col. 20 line 33; one or more obstacle detection sensors are able to be used with environments used in Meulen as disclosed therein; Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them; clearly, the interior of the chamber has inner sidewalls);
Claim 19: load port modules providing mounting surfaces for containers loaded with semiconductor substrates (10614);
load lock chambers (10604) temporarily storing the semiconductor substrates and switching into one of an atmospheric environment and a vacuum environment depending on whether the semiconductor substrates are being loaded or unloaded (10604; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28);
process chambers processing the semiconductor substrates (10602);
an index module operating at the atmospheric environment and transferring the semiconductor substrates between the load port modules and the load lock chambers (at 10612); and
a transfer chamber operating at the vacuum environment and transferring the semiconductor substrates between the load lock chambers and the process chambers (at 10610/etc.),
wherein a substrate transport robot (at 10612; Fig. 107A/107B; nothing in Meulen precludes 44014 from being part of one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot) is provided within the index module and comprises a plurality of robot arms (Fig. 106/107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; 10700/10612 are SCARA robots), each of the plurality of robot arms comprising a plurality of transfer hands (column 3, lines 19-61; FIG. 45, 44014 part of substrate transport robot as shown),
the substrate transport robot transfers the semiconductor substrates within the index module using the plurality of transfer hands (Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61);
the substrate transport robot further comprises a base to which the plurality of robot arms are coupled, a horizontal/vertical movement module that controls a horizontal/vertical position movement of the base and of the plurality of robot arms coupled to the base (column 3, lines 19-61; rail in Fig. 106 at 10612), and one or more obstacle detection sensors that are attached to one or more surfaces of the substrate transport robot (FIG. 45, 44010 on 44014; col. 19, line 34 to col. 20 line 33; one or more obstacle detection sensors are able to be used with environments used in Meulen as disclosed therein; Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them);
Claim 20: wherein the plurality of robot arms are arranged in a height direction of the substrate transport robot (Fig. 107A/107B), and
the plurality of robot arms comprises at least a first robot arm and a second robot arm, and the first and second robot arms serve different purposes (column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; move semiconductor substrates to different places);
Claim 22: one or more obstacle detection sensors (FIG. 45, 44010 on 44014) that are directly attached to one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot (nothing in Meulen precludes 44014 from being part of one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot),
wherein the one or more obstacle detection sensors measure, while the first transfer hand is moving around within the index module to transfer the semiconductor substrates between the containers during the pick and place operation:
the first distance between the substrate transport robot and the first inner sidewall of the inner sidewalls of the index module, and
the second distance between the substrate transport robot and the second inner sidewall of the inner sidewalls of the index module (col. 19, line 34 to col. 20 line 33; one or more obstacle detection sensors are able to be used with environments used in Meulen as disclosed therein; Fig. 107A/107B; column 45, line 3 to column 46, line 28; column 3, lines 19-61; col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them; clearly, the interior of the chamber has inner sidewalls).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 20 February 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive except for the objection that is fully withdrawn.
Re. the area, directly, and avoidance limitations for the one or more obstacle detection sensors, nothing in Meulen precludes 44014 from being part of one or more direct surfaces of the substrate transport robot. Further, col. 17, lines 29-43 suggest that physically touching the robot for obstacle risk is not desired; col. 20, lines 24-33 suggest that the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates are configured not to contact objects and/or surfaces around them; further, col. 20, lines 6-23 suggest that radio frequency sensor signal 44016 may be transmitted to an antenna 46002 within a vacuum in order to not have the plurality of transfer hands and semiconductor substrates contact objects and/or surfaces around them. Meulen is not silent re. avoidance motions. Clearly, the interior of the chamber has inner sidewalls
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Gerald McClain whose telephone number is (571)272-7803. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and at gerald.mcclain@uspto.gov (see MPEP 502.03 (II)).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Saul Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Gerald McClain/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652