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 Amendment
This action is in response to the communication filed on 03/05/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 03/05/2026 on pages 11-19, under REMARKS with respect to 35
U.S.C. 102 and 103 claim rejections to claims 1-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections to the claims have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 8,073,239 B1 and US 2010/0119143 A1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 1-2, 6-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 § U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over US 8,073,239 B1 to BAHRAMI et al (hereinafter “BAHRAMI”) in view of US 2010/0119143 A1 to PREIL et al. (hereinafter “PREIL”).
As per claim 1, BAHRAMI discloses an image processing apparatus comprising: one or more processors (an image processing system and corresponding method of image processing wherein the system includes a computing processor and memory component to execute programs, data and instructions; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, lines 53-65); and one or more memories storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors (the system includes a computing processor and memory component to store and execute programs, data and instructions; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, line 66 – column 9, line 38), the one or more programs including instructions for: matching a spatial frequency component of a first texture pattern taken to be a reference with a spatial frequency component of a second texture pattern included in a target image (the instructions and programs instruct the system to provide an illumination source to illuminate the selected box on the conveyor line, a control and conditioning module for: receiving an image of the illuminated box blank from at least one optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line by determining a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines, the second pattern of lines printed to overlay the first pattern of lines along the same registration vector as the first pattern of lines to create a constructive interference pattern where the lines of the second pattern interleave with the lines of the first pattern; determining a location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector using an optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line, and comparing the location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector to a predicted location; and a user display for displaying the selected box and identifying to a user if the selected box matches values stored for the input target box; column 4, line 49-column 5, line 6). BAHRAMI fails to disclose and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching.
PREIL discloses and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching (the spatial frequency is reduced in order to help identify wafer level defects and to apply masks that are good and scrap those that don’t minimize said defects; figs 2A, 4A-B; paragraphs [0044], [0058-0059], [0066-0067], [0073-0079], [0088-0089]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAHRAMI to have reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching of PREIL reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide the ability to rework masks to improve them based on the pattern applied to the frame/image and to minimize overall defects of the wafer as suggested by PREIL paragraph [0070]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine PREIL with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
As per claim 2, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein, by rotating the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern or the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (conditioning module 700 is adapted to rotate the blanks in order to rotate the patterns being projected onto them via the light source which in turn rotates the spatial frequency component of the related pattern on the rotation location band; fig 17b; column 9, line 33-column 10, line 5; column 21, lines 57-column 22, line 17), the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern is matched with the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (the system includes a display for displaying the selected box blank and related pattern and identifying to a user if the selected box and pattern matches values stored for a reference pattern of the input target box and associated projected pattern comprising a spatial frequency component; column 9, line 33-column 10, line 5; claim 24).
As per claim 6, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: obtaining information on the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern, information on the spatial frequency distribution in the target image, and information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (searching the image for registration marks, then analyzing the registration marks to determine moire band comprising a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines, the second pattern of lines printed to overlay the first pattern of lines along the same registration vector (information relating to the spatial frequency) as the first pattern of lines to create a constructive interference pattern where the lines of the second pattern interleave with the lines of the first pattern, and determining if misregistration has occurred when said moire band is out of tolerance from its predicted position; column 3, line 58-column 4 line 3); and generating a reduced target image by reducing the second texture pattern included in the target image based on the spatial frequency distribution after the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern is reduced (conditioning module 700 of the system is adapted to for very wide box bands generate an image including higher resolution is required in at least one scan direction resulting in reducing/making smaller the pixel sizes 112 and the narrow bands 114 in order to reduce the spatial frequency component produced by the pattern by decreasing the size of said patterns bands; column 9, line 32-column 10, line 45; column 17, line 1- column 18, line 14).
As per claim 7, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern includes information indicating an intensity of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (the table of column 12 provides an example of the wavelengths and the corresponding intensity settings of light emitters for a selection of glue and substrate pairs. The intensity settings provided corresponds to the relative optical power between the two light emitters, the actual intensity depends on the distance of the camera 202 and illumination source 204 from the substrate, their relative angle, the sensitivity of the camera 202 to the specific wavelengths, etc; column 12, lines 20-60).
As per claim 8, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 7. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: determining whether or not the intensity of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value (the intensity of the light is to illuminate the glue and substrate to maximize the contrast between the glue and the substrate material of the box blank 30, while still providing a human-recognizable image of glue applied to the substrate which can be displayed on user display 800, and by doing so, and not just displaying images of a glue line on a black background using a thresholded binary image, the operator is better able to determine the cause of a gluing error and employs thresholding algorithms adapted to determine greater than or less than in relation to a threshold set by the user; column 12, lines 6-60; column 18, lines 2-8); and in a case where the intensity is less than the threshold value, a series processing to generate the reduced target image is performed (and based on the threshold being met conditioning module 700 of the system is adapted to for very wide box bands generate an image including higher resolution is required in at least one scan direction resulting in reducing/making smaller the pixel sizes 112 and the narrow bands 114 in order to reduce the spatial frequency component produced by the pattern by decreasing the size of said patterns bands; column 9, line 32-column 10, line 45; column 17, line 1- column 18, line 14; column 12, lines 6-60).
As per claim 9, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: obtaining data of the target image (the system is adapted to obtain a first image having a first pattern and related spatial frequency component; abstract; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, lines 53-65); and based on the target image data, the information on the spatial frequency distribution of the target image and the information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern are obtained (determining a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines, the second pattern of lines printed to overlay the first pattern of lines along the same registration vector as the first pattern of lines to create a constructive interference pattern where the lines of the second pattern interleave with the lines of the first pattern in the generated image; abstract; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, lines 53-65).
As per claim 10, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: setting an image area of the target image, which is used to obtain the information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (conditioning module 700 defines box blank 112 by an area of pixels and this would comprise a set area and would be imaged and used to determine spatial frequency using a first or second pattern; column 17, lines 1-47); and the information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the set image area of the target image is obtained (the information is used and relates to a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 17, lines 1-47).
As per claim 11, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: obtaining data of a reference image including the first texture pattern (; column 15, lines 9-57); and based on the reference image data, the information on the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern is obtained (column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 15, lines 9-57; column 17, lines 1-47).
As per claim 12, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 11. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: setting an image area of the reference image, which is used to obtain the information on the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern (conditioning module 700 defines box blank 112 by an area of pixels and this would comprise a set area and would be imaged and used to determine spatial frequency using a first or second pattern; column 17, lines 1-47); and the information on the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern included in the set image area of the reference image is obtained (the information is used and relates to a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 17, lines 1-47).
As per claim 13, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: performing control to cause a display device to display the reduced target image (the computing system is adapted to display information and data related to the method over display 800; column 23, lines 8-54).
As per claim 14, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 13. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein control to cause the display device to display the reference image including the first texture pattern is performed (the computing system is adapted to display information and data related to the method over display 800 and would include displaying the patterns applied to the images; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 23, lines 8-54).
As per claim 15, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 13. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein control to cause the display device to display the information on the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern and the information on the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern is performed (the computing system is adapted to display information and data related to the method over display 800 and would include displaying the patterns applied to the images and the resulting spatial frequency components; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 23, lines 8-54).
As per claim 16, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 13. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein control to cause the display device to display results of the matching of the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern with the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern is performed (the computing system is adapted to display information and data related to the method over display 800 and would include displaying the patterns applied to the images and the resulting spatial frequency components and would further display the matching and combination of the two patterns; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 23, lines 8-54).
As per claim 17, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 13. Modified BAHRAMI further discloses wherein control to cause the display device to display a parameter used for the matching of the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern with the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern and a graphical user interface used to set the parameter is performed (the computing system is adapted to display information and data related to the method over display 800 and would include displaying the patterns applied to the images and the resulting spatial frequency components and would further display the matching and combination of the two patterns and lastly include a parameter such as rotation; column 3, line 50- column 4 line 50; column 22, lines 1-17; column 23, lines 8-54).
As per claim 19, BAHRAMI discloses an image processing method comprising the steps of (an image processing system and corresponding method of image processing wherein the system includes a computing processor and memory component to execute programs, data and instructions; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, lines 53-65): matching a spatial frequency component of a first texture pattern taken to be a reference with a spatial frequency component of a second texture pattern included in a target image (the instructions and programs instruct the system to provide an illumination source to illuminate the selected box on the conveyor line, a control and conditioning module for: receiving an image of the illuminated box blank from at least one optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line by determining a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines, the second pattern of lines printed to overlay the first pattern of lines along the same registration vector as the first pattern of lines to create a constructive interference pattern where the lines of the second pattern interleave with the lines of the first pattern; determining a location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector using an optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line, and comparing the location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector to a predicted location; and a user display for displaying the selected box and identifying to a user if the selected box matches values stored for the input target box; column 4, line 49-column 5, line 6). BAHRAMI fails to disclose and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching.
PREIL discloses and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching (the spatial frequency is reduced in order to help identify wafer level defects and to apply masks that are good and scrap those that don’t minimize said defects; figs 2A, 4A-B; paragraphs [0044], [0058-0059], [0066-0067], [0073-0079], [0088-0089]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAHRAMI to have reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching of PREIL reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide the ability to rework masks to improve them based on the pattern applied to the frame/image and to minimize overall defects of the wafer as suggested by PREIL paragraph [0070]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine PREIL with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 19.
As per claim 20, BAHRAMI discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a control method of an image processing apparatus (an image processing system and corresponding method of image processing wherein the system includes a computing processor and memory component to execute programs, data and instructions; figs 6-7; column 7, lines 33-38; column 8, lines 53-65), the control method comprising the steps of: matching a spatial frequency component of a first texture pattern taken to be a reference with a spatial frequency component of a second texture pattern included in a target image (the instructions and programs instruct the system to provide an illumination source to illuminate the selected box on the conveyor line, a control and conditioning module for: receiving an image of the illuminated box blank from at least one optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line by determining a first pattern of lines with consistent spatial frequency along a registration vector and a second pattern of lines with a similar shape to the first pattern of lines and a second consistent spatial frequency different from the spatial frequency of the first pattern of lines, the second pattern of lines printed to overlay the first pattern of lines along the same registration vector as the first pattern of lines to create a constructive interference pattern where the lines of the second pattern interleave with the lines of the first pattern; determining a location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector using an optical sensor positioned to view the box blank on the conveyor line, and comparing the location of the constructive interference pattern along the registration vector to a predicted location; and a user display for displaying the selected box and identifying to a user if the selected box matches values stored for the input target box; column 4, line 49-column 5, line 6). BAHRAMI fails to disclose and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching.
PREIL discloses and reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching (the spatial frequency is reduced in order to help identify wafer level defects and to apply masks that are good and scrap those that don’t minimize said defects; figs 2A, 4A-B; paragraphs [0044], [0058-0059], [0066-0067], [0073-0079], [0088-0089]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAHRAMI to have reducing the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image based on results of the matching of PREIL reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide the ability to rework masks to improve them based on the pattern applied to the frame/image and to minimize overall defects of the wafer as suggested by PREIL paragraph [0070]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine PREIL with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 20.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 § U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over US 8,073,239 B1 to BAHRAMI et al (hereinafter “BAHRAMI”) in view of US 2010/0119143 A1 to PREIL et al. (hereinafter “PREIL”) in view of US 2011/0096981 A1 to ARNISON et al. (hereinafter “ARNISON”).
As per claim 3, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Modified BAHRAMI fails to disclose wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: generating a spatial frequency mask masking the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern; identifying a misalignment amount in angle between the mask area in the spatial frequency mask and a component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern; and generating a corrected spatial frequency mask masking the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern in a spatial frequency distribution in the target image based on the spatial frequency mask and the misalignment amount; and by using the corrected spatial frequency mask, the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image is reduced.
ARNISON discloses wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: generating a spatial frequency mask masking the spatial frequency component of the first texture pattern (the mask that is applied is based off of a point spread function in the image plane has two peaks which rotate based on focus position, the mask is applied so that accuracy and SNR is high due to the high spatial frequency bandwidth of the test pattern; paragraphs [0012], [0054], [0077-0079]); identifying a misalignment amount in angle between the mask area in the spatial frequency mask and a component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (the system is adapted to include accuracy measurements of the alignment of the overlay of the image using a test chart of a test pattern; paragraphs [0048-0050], [0052]); and generating a corrected spatial frequency mask masking the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern in a spatial frequency distribution in the target image based on the spatial frequency mask and the misalignment amount (the SLP pupil mask is applied and corrects thew pattern into focus as seen in examples 3A-E of a plurality of texture patterns including a second pattern based on an alignment amount made by rotation of the mask; figs 3a-e, 5b; paragraphs [0077-0079], [0136], [0150]); and by using the corrected spatial frequency mask (pupil mask configuration may be adjusted to have four regions with different linear phase ramp slopes and orientations; figs 3a-e, 5b; paragraphs [0077-0079], [0128], [0150-0152]), the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern included in the target image is reduced (the test chart is chosen to be a chart with high spatial frequency bandwidth in fig 19 at step 1720, the captured image of the second test chart 1920 is correlated with the captured image of the first test chart 1510 correlation image will have three peaks two side peaks correspond to the two peaks in the SLP PSF, the middle peak corresponds to the offset between the alignment of the two test charts relative to the image sensor, at step 1730 the peak positions are measured using interpolation and peak fitting, at step 1930 the relative transverse alignment between the first test chart and the second test chart is calculated the middle peak could be selected from the three peaks in the correlation image, position of the middle peak relative to the image center is an estimate of the relative alignment in pixels which would be a reduction in the high spatial frequency bandwidth of the initial test chart that was selected; fig 19; paragraph [0152]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify BAHRAMI to have generating a spatial frequency mask masking the spatial frequency component of the patterns of ARNISON reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to combine the positions of all three peaks in order to increase the accuracy of the relative alignment as suggested by ARNISON at paragraph [0152]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine ARNISON with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
As per claim 4, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL in view of ARNISON discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 3. Modified BAHRAMI fails to disclose wherein the misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the spatial frequency mask, by which the mask area in the spatial frequency mask matches with the component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern, by rotating the spatial frequency mask.
ARNISON discloses wherein the misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the spatial frequency mask (each image is applied a mask which has a scale, rotation, and degradation, and further includes a sharp autocorrelation, high spatial frequency bandwidth, and rotational diversity; figs 16, 19; paragraphs [0122], [0136-0138], [0148-0149], [0153]), by which the mask area in the spatial frequency mask matches with the component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (illustrated in FIG. 10B, in which the pupil mask PM is formed in the alignment detection system AD in the wafer stage WS a focus parameter of the reticle R may be determined by capturing an image of the test chart with an image sensor; fig 10b; paragraphs [0124]), by rotating the spatial frequency mask (and includes a rotational diversity of the mask affecting the spatial frequency; paragraph [0122]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify BAHRAMI to have misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the spatial frequency mask of ARNISON reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to produce a test chart in which the test chart desirably has a sharp autocorrelation, high spatial frequency bandwidth, and rotational diversity as suggested by ARNISON paragraph [0122]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine ARNISON with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 4.
As per claim 5, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL in view of ARNISON discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 3. BAHRAMI fails to disclose wherein the misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the component area, by which the mask area in the spatial frequency mask matches with the rotated component area, by rotating the component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern.
ARNISON discloses wherein the misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the component area, by which the mask area in the spatial frequency mask matches with the rotated component area (an image of the test chart is captured in order to use an alignment system comprising an alignment microscope for testing focus and alignment of the system by identifying a rotational diversity and spatial frequency and to align the wafer sample acting as the component area being image and masked and is rotated to alignment measurement accuracy; fig 5C, 15; paragraph [0122], [0125], [0133-0136]), by rotating the component area of the spatial frequency component of the second texture pattern (the sample wafer is rotated into alignment measurement accuracy and includes a spatial frequency bandwidth found using the test pattern and the pupil mask component; fig 9, 16; paragraph [0136-0138]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify BAHRAMI to have misalignment amount is identified by identifying a rotation amount of the component area of ARNISON reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide correlation of a captured image of an LRHF pattern with an image of an ideal LRHF test chart should also be robust to scale and rotation changes, which is important for the alignment detection methods, to be described with reference to FIG. 16. The robustness to scale changes also means that LRHF test patterns and images could be useful for coarse focus finding and coarse alignment as suggested by ARNISON fig 16 and paragraph [0138]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine ARNISON with BAHRAMI A to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 § U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over US 2016/0028940 A1 to IZAWA (hereinafter “IZAWA”) in view of US 2023/0033553 A1 to GENDA (hereinafter “GENDA”).
As per claim 18, BAHRAMI in view of PREIL discloses the image processing apparatus according to claim 6. Modified BAHRAMI fails to disclose wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: inspecting the presence/absence of a defect in an inspection-target object based on data of the reduced target image; and the target image is the image obtained by capturing the inspection target object.
GENDA discloses wherein the one or more programs further include an instruction for: inspecting the presence/absence of a defect in an inspection-target object based on data of the reduced target image (an image inspection system adapted to determine if image defects are present in the captured image data based on load of arithmetic processing performed by the image
forming apparatus can be reduced, and the image defect can be detected with high accuracy; abstract; fig 1, 6; paragraphs [0042-0043], [0086]); and the target image is the image obtained by capturing the inspection target object (the target image is captured/obtained via the computing system comprising an information processing apparatus 50 and one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 which captures images of the target object in the example a sheet being fed in a system; paragraphs [0033], [0035-0038]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify BAHRAMI to have inspecting the presence/absence of a defect in an inspection-target object based on data of the reduced target image of GENDA reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to detect image defects and reduce the load of arithmetic processing performed by the image forming apparatus, and the image defect can be detected with high accuracy as suggested by paragraph [0086]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine GENDA with BAHRAMI to obtain the invention as specified in claim 18.
Conclusion
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited figures, and paragraphs in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested for the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Examiner has also cited references in PTO892 but not relied on, which are relevant and pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure, and may also be reading (anticipatory/obvious) on the claims and claimed limitations. Applicant is advised to consider the references in preparing the response/amendments in-order to expedite the prosecution.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVIN JACOB DHOOGE whose telephone number is (571) 270-0999. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-5:00.
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/Devin Dhooge/
USPTO Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2677
/ANDREW W BEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2677
Prosecution Insights