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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group II, claims 6-20 in the reply filed on 4/7/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 6-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 contains several grammatically incorrect phrases (e.g., “plasma is generated at the treating space at the treating the substrate” or “whether a pulse distance matching a predetermined distance data according to a pulse valve of a driving unit which pulse-moves a moving body which moves the support unit in a top/down direction, matches a movement distance of the moving body is determined.”). These phrases are confusing as written. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 6-20 are 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 6 contains the limitation “whether the support unit moves normally”, but the word “normally” is subjective and unclear. What is considered normal?
Claim 6 contains the limitations “plasma is generated at the treating space at the treating the substrate” and “whether a pulse distance matching a predetermined distance data according to a pulse valve of a driving unit which pulse-moves a moving body which moves the support unit in a top/down direction, matches a movement distance of the moving body is determined”. These phrases are confusing and unclear - is the plasma is generated at the treating space or at the treating the substrate? Furthermore, the claimed limitations regarding movement are confusing because it is unclear which parts are moving which other parts. Furthermore, the claim requires comparing “a pulse distance” and “predetermined distance data according to a pulse value of a driving unit” and matching this to a movement distance of the moving body. However, these limitations are unclear and it is confusing what is actually required in the claim as a “pulse distance” is not clearly defined.
The dependent claims are likewise rejected as failing to cure the deficiencies of claim 6.
Relevant Prior Art
Lee et al US 2022/0051922 is considered particularly relevant to the claimed invention, but it is unclear if and how the prior art should be applied to the claim in view of the 112 rejection above. Lee teaches an apparatus and method for processing a substrate including plasma treatment (abstract, [0003]), wherein the apparatus is configured to generate an interlock when a certain gap is smaller than an upper limit [0021].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN T. LEONG whose telephone number is (571)270-5352. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00-6:00pm.
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/NATHAN T LEONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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