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 with respect to claims 1, 3-11, 13-18, and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "a/the fourth reference line" in lines 3 and 9, respectively. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Please note that there is no “third reference line” found in the claims before it as amended. Also, “a first refence line” and “a second reference line” are first introduced in claim 7, but claim 16 does not directly or indirectly depend on it.
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)(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 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hyun et al. (US 2023/0094912 – hereinafter Hyun.)
Regarding claim 1,
Hyun discloses a droplet application device [1000 in fig. 1] comprising:
an inkjet system [500 in figs. 1 and 3] including an ink pack assembly [400 in fig. 1] having inkjet heads [410 in fig. 1], a pack transfer part [420 in fig. 1] and a substrate transfer part [511 / 512 in fig. 3], the inkjet system being configured to and discharge ink from each of the inkjet heads onto a substrate [‘FL’ in fig. 3] to print a test pattern [‘IP’ in fig. 5 / ‘IP-A’ in fig. 6], the pack transfer part being configured to transfer the ink pack assembly, and the substrate transfer part being configured to transfer the substrate [paragraphs 0059 and 0083-0084]; and
a vision inspector [600 in figs. 1 and 3] configured to determine an alignment state of the inkjet heads by inspecting direction information of the test pattern printed on the substrate, the direction information identifying two or more directions [paragraphs 0061, 0077-0078, and 0099-0101],
wherein the test pattern includes
a forward pattern formed when the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate in a first direction [‘DR4’ in fig. 3], the two or more directions including the first direction [paragraphs 0095 and 0106; S10 in fig. 4]; and
a reverse pattern formed when the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate in an opposite direction to the first direction, the two or more directions including the opposite direction to the first direction [paragraphs 0096 and 0106; S20 in fig. 4.]
Regarding claim 13,
Hyun further discloses wherein the forward pattern is formed when the substrate is transferred forward by the substrate transfer part, and
the reverse pattern is formed when the substrate is transferred in reverse by the substrate transfer part [paragraphs 0095-0106.]
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 3-11, 14-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hyun in view of Takeuchi (WO 2010/090080.)
Regarding claim 3,
Hyun discloses the claimed limitations as set forth above and further teaches a first inspection pattern [‘IP1’ in fig. 7] including a plurality of dots arranged in two directions [‘DR2’ and ‘DR4’ in fig. 7] that is formed and spaced from a second inspection pattern [‘IP2’ in fig. 7] in the first direction] but fails to expressly disclose wherein the forward pattern includes a first print direction information pattern formed in the first direction.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Takeuchi discloses a droplet application device [1 in fig. 1] comprising:
an inkjet system including an ink pack assembly [2 in fig. 1] having inkjet heads [as seen in fig. 1] and discharging ink from each of the inkjet heads onto a substrate [film 3 in figs. 1-2] to print a test pattern [7 in fig. 2; paragraphs 0029 and 0038], a pack transfer part which transfers the ink pack assembly [implicit that there must be a transfer/support mechanism that allows the head assembly to move “between the testable area and the actual print area”, as recited in paragraph 0029; also see “head driving direction” in paragraph 0030, and “head scan operation” in paragraph 0038], and a substrate transfer part [10 in fig. 2] which transfers the substrate [paragraphs 0034-0035]; and
a vision inspector [4 / 5 in fig. 1] configured to determine an alignment state of the inkjet heads by inspecting print direction information of the test pattern printed on the substrate [paragraphs 0029 and 0039-0044; as seen in figs. 2-3], wherein
the test pattern includes a forward pattern formed when the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate in a first direction [paragraph 0038], and
the forward pattern includes a first print direction information pattern formed in the first direction [paragraphs 0038-0044; as seen in figs. 1 and 3.]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Hyun invention to include means for forming the forward pattern so that it includes a first print direction information pattern formed in the first direction as taught by Takeuchi for the purpose correcting alignment issues, improving registration, and enhancing efficiency in the apparatus.
Regarding claim 4,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the first print direction information pattern is formed by aligning dots in a row in the first direction [as seen in fig. 3.]
Regarding claim 5,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the forward pattern further includes a second print direction information pattern formed in a second direction in which the pack transfer part transfers the ink pack assembly, the two or more directions including the second direction [paragraph 0043.]
Regarding claim 6,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the second print direction information pattern is formed by aligning dots in a row in a third direction in which the ink pack assembly is transferred, the two or more directions including the third direction [as seen in fig. 3.]
Regarding claim 7,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses Hyun further discloses wherein the vision inspector is configured to form a first reference line for a movement direction of the ink pack assembly and a second reference line for a movement direction of the substrate transfer part to be perpendicular to the first reference line, the vision inspector being configured to calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of dots forming the first print direction information pattern with the first reference line, and calculates a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of dots forming the second print direction information pattern with the second reference line to inspect deviation of each of the inkjet heads [as seen in fig. 3.]
Regarding claim 8,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the forward pattern further includes a first substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the first direction, and is formed on one side of the first print direction information pattern [please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.]
Regarding claim 9,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the forward pattern further includes a second substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the first direction, and is formed on one side of the second print direction information pattern [please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.]
Regarding claim 10,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein
the first print direction information pattern is formed by arranging the dots in at least two rows, and
the forward pattern further includes a first head information pattern formed between the first print direction information pattern [as seen in fig. 3; as applied to Hyun.]
Regarding claim 11,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein a total length of dots forming the first head information pattern is formed to be less than a total length of dots forming the first print direction information pattern [please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim; also note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this.)]
Regarding claim 14,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses Hyun further discloses wherein the reverse pattern includes a third print direction information pattern that is formed toward an opposite direction to the first direction in which the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate, and formed by aligning dots in a row in the first direction [please note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this.)]
Regarding claim 15,
In the obvious combination, Hyun further discloses wherein the reverse pattern further includes a fourth print direction information pattern [‘IP2’ in fig. 7] that is formed toward the second direction in which the pack transfer part transfers the ink pack assembly and formed by aligning dots in a row in the direction in which the ink pack assembly is transferred, the two or more directions including the second direction [as seen in fig. 7; paragraph 0117; also, please note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this.)]
Regarding claim 16,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses Hyun further discloses wherein the vision inspector is configured to form a first reference line for a movement direction of the ink pack assembly and a fourth reference line for a movement direction of the substrate transfer part to be perpendicular to the first reference line, the vision inspector being configured to calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of dots forming a third print direction information pattern with the first reference line, and calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of dots forming the fourth print direction information pattern with the fourth reference line to inspect deviation of each of the inkjet heads [as seen in fig. 3; also, please note 112 Rejection above.]
Regarding claim 17,
In the obvious combination, Takeuchi further discloses wherein the reverse pattern further includes a third substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the opposite direction to the first direction and is formed on one side of a third print direction information pattern, and a fourth substrate orientation pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the opposite direction to the first direction and is formed on one side of the fourth print direction information pattern [please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim; also note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this); also, please note 112 Rejection above.]
Regarding claim 18,
In the obvious combination, Hyun further discloses wherein a third print direction information pattern is formed by arranging the dots in at least two rows, and
the reverse pattern further includes a second head information pattern formed between the third print direction information pattern [as seen in fig. 6; also, please note that that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this.)]
Regarding claim 20,
In the obvious combination, Hyun discloses a droplet application device [1000 in fig. 1] comprising:
an inkjet system [500 in figs. 1 and 3] including an ink pack assembly [400 in fig. 1] having inkjet heads [410 in fig. 1], a pack transfer part [420 in fig. 1] and a substrate transfer part [511 / 512 in fig. 3], the inkjet system being configured to and discharge ink from each of the inkjet heads onto a substrate [‘FL’ in fig. 3] to print a test pattern [‘IP’ in fig. 5 / ‘IP-A’ in fig. 6], the pack transfer part being configured to transfer the ink pack assembly, and the substrate transfer part being configured to transfer the substrate [paragraphs 0059 and 0083-0084]; and
a vision inspector [600 in figs. 1 and 3] configured to determine an alignment state of the inkjet heads by inspecting direction information of the test pattern printed on the substrate, the direction information identifying two or more directions [paragraphs 0061, 0077-0078, and 0099-0101],
wherein the test pattern includes
a forward pattern formed when the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate in a first direction [‘DR4’ in fig. 3], the two or more directions including the first direction [paragraphs 0095 and 0106; S10 in fig. 4]; and
a reverse pattern formed when the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate in an opposite direction to the first direction, the two or more directions including the opposite direction to the first direction [paragraphs 0096 and 0106; S20 in fig. 4],
whereas Takeuchi discloses wherein the forward pattern includes
a first print direction information pattern formed in a direction in which the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate and formed by aligning dots in a row in a first direction in which the substrate is transferred [paragraphs 0038-0044; as seen in fig. 2], a second print direction information pattern formed in a second direction in which the pack transfer part transfers the ink pack assembly and formed by aligning dots in a row in the direction in which the ink pack assembly is transferred [paragraph 0043; as seen in fig. 3], a first substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the first direction, and is formed on one side of the first print direction information pattern, a second substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the first direction, and is formed on one side of the second print direction information pattern, and a first head information pattern formed between two rows of dots of the first print direction information pattern, in which a total length of dots forming the first head information pattern is formed to be less than a total length of dots forming the first print direction information pattern [please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim; also note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this)],
the reverse pattern includes a third print direction information pattern that is formed toward the opposite direction to the first direction in which the substrate transfer part transfers the substrate, and formed by aligning dots in two rows in the direction in which the substrate is transferred, a fourth print direction information pattern that is formed toward the second direction in which the pack transfer part transfers the ink pack assembly and formed by aligning dots in a row in the direction in which the ink pack assembly is transferred, a third substrate direction pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the opposite direction to the first direction and is formed on one side of the third print direction information pattern, a fourth substrate orientation pattern that includes information about a movement direction of the substrate when the substrate is transferred in the opposite direction to the first direction and is formed on one side of the fourth print direction information pattern, and a second head information pattern formed between two rows of dots of the third print direction information pattern, in which a total length of dots forming the second head information pattern is formed to be less than a total length of dots forming the third print direction information pattern [as seen in fig. 3; as applied to the Hyun reference; please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim; also note that since the printed matter is not functionally or structurally related to the associated physical substrate, the printed matter (in this case the calibration pattern) is owed no patentable weight, and cannot distinguish the claims over any particular piece of prior art. (See In re DiStefano, 808 F.3d 845, 848, 117 USPQ2d 1265, 1267 (Fed. Cir. 2015) for examples of this)],
the vision inspector being configured to form a first reference line for the movement direction of the ink pack assembly and a second reference line for the movement direction of the substrate transfer part to be perpendicular to the first reference line, and the vision inspector being configured to calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of the dots forming the first print direction information pattern with the first reference line, and calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting centers of the dots forming the second print direction information pattern with the second reference line to inspect deviation of each of the inkjet heads [paragraphs 0038-0044; please note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim], and
the vision inspector forms a third reference line for the movement direction of the ink pack assembly and a fourth reference line for the movement direction of the substrate transfer part to be perpendicular to the third reference line, and the vision inspector is configured to calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting the centers of the dots forming the third print direction information pattern with the third reference line, and calculate a deviation amount by comparing a line connecting the centers of the dots forming the fourth print direction information pattern with the fourth reference line to inspect deviation of each of the inkjet heads [note that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.]
Conclusion
Applicant's 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.
Communication with the USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANNELLE M LEBRON whose telephone number is (571)272-2729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JANNELLE M LEBRON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853