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 claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 3/31/26 is acknowledged.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1,2,10,11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Zhao JP2013058536.
Regarding claim 1, Zhao shows in FIG. 1-7, and discloses a wafer dicing device (see FIG. 5), comprising: a bearing platform (30)[0020](holding the wafer to be diced), a first dicing sub device (41)[0023](device that will apply a laser to cut the wafer) and a second dicing sub device (42)(second device that will apply a laser to cut the wafer), wherein: the bearing platform (30) is configured to bear a wafer (1)[0020] to be diced; the first dicing sub device (41) is configured to dice the wafer (1) to be diced from a first side (top side of 1); and the second dicing sub device (42) is configured to dice the wafer (1) to be diced from a second side (bottom side of 1), the first side and the second side being opposite sides (see FIG. 5) of the bearing platform in a first direction, and the first direction being a direction of a thickness of the bearing platform (30).
Regarding claim 2, Zhao shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device, wherein both of the first dicing sub device (41) and the second dicing sub device (42) are configured to perform laser dicing [0023] (both devices will apply a laser beam L1, L2 respectively).
Regarding claim 10, Zhao shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device, wherein the bearing platform (30,11,12,32)[0020, 0021] has an opening disposed therein (the second laser beam is applied and form and opening in 11, thus exposes the bearing platform 11)[0026]), and the opening exposes a dicing street of the wafer to be diced when the wafer to be diced is placed on the bearing platform (11)[0025](the laser goes through the opening to dice the wafer 1).
Regarding claim 11, Zhao shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device, wherein a position of the bearing platform (30,11,12,32) [0020, 0021] in the wafer dicing device is movable (devices 41,42 are movable)[0026], and the wafer to be diced is diced at different positions by moving the bear platform when dicing the wafer to be diced [0027]( the dicing devices 41,42 can be moved and apply a laser at different postions)[0027,0028].
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao as applied to claims 1,2,10,11, and further in view of Cai et al., (Cai) US 2022/0314369
Regarding claim 3, Zhao shows in FIG. 1-7, a first and second dicing device (41,42); the first and second dicing device being aligned in the first direction when dicing the wafer to be diced (see FIG. 5).
Zhao differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a device wherein the first dicing sub device comprises a first focusing lens located on the first side, and the second dicing sub device comprises a second focusing lens located on the second side, the first focusing lens and the second lens being aligned in the first direction when dicing the wafer to be diced.
Cai shows in FIG. 1, a device wherein the first dicing sub device comprises a first focusing lens (108) [0023] located on the first side, and the second dicing sub device comprises a second focusing lens (108) located on the second side, the first focusing lens and the second lens (108) being aligned in the first direction when dicing the wafer to be diced.
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Regarding claims 4,5, Zhao in view of Cai shows in FIG. 1-7, a first and second dicing device (41,42), the devices (41,42) can move or stay steady [0026]
Cai discloses a device wherein positions of the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens (108)(a lens can be incorporated in Zhao’s first and second dicing device) in the wafer dicing device are unmovable (104)[0029](104 controls the movement of the lens, thus the lens could be unmovable), and the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens (108) are aligned in the first direction (lens can be incorporated in Zhao’s first and second dicing device); wherein positions of the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens (108) in the wafer dicing device are movable (104 controls the movement of the lens, thus the lens could be unmovable), and the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens (108) are aligned in the first direction by adjusting the positions of the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens (108 can be adjusted) when dicing the wafer to be diced.
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Regarding claim 6, Zhao in view of Cai shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device wherein the first dicing sub device (41) further comprises a first laser configured to supply a first laser beam (L1) to the first focusing lens; and the second dicing sub device (42) further comprises a second laser (L2) configured to supply a second laser beam to the second focusing lens (Cai shows the focusing lens 108 that could be incorporated in 41,42).
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Regarding claim 7, Zhao in view of Cai shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device wherein the first dicing sub device (41) and the second dicing sub device (42) each further comprise a first laser (in 41) that is configured to supply a first laser beam (L1) to the first focusing lens (108 in Cai) and a second laser beam (L2) to the second focusing lens (108 lens incorporated in 41,42).
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Regarding claim 8, Zhao in view of Cai shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device wherein the first laser(41 comprising the laser) is located on the first side and the second laser (42 comprising a laser) is located on the second side; wherein the first laser (in 41) is aligned with the first focusing lens (108 of Cai incorporated in 41) in the first direction and the second laser (42) is aligned with the second focusing lens (108 of Cai incorporated in 42) in the first direction (41 and 42 are aligned)(see FIG. 5).
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Regarding claim 9, Zhao in view of Cai shows in FIG. 1-7, a wafer dicing device, wherein both the first laser (in 41)and the second laser (in 42) are located on the first side, or the second side; the first dicing sub device (41) further comprises at least one first mirror (108 of Cai has a mirror [0025]) configured to direct the first laser beam generated by the first laser into the first focusing lens (108 of Cai); and the second dicing sub device (42) further comprises at least one second mirror (108 of Cai has a mirror [0025]) configured to direct the second laser beam generated by the second laser into the second focusing lens (108 of Cai that can be incorporated in 41,42).
Cai is evidence that ordinary workers skilled in the art would find reasons, suggestions or motivations to modify the device of Zhao. Therefore, at the time the invention was made; It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Cai in the device of Zhao to have a first and second focus lens in both dicing devices because it will help prevent damages [0023].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARC-ANTHONY ARMAND whose telephone number is (571)272-5178. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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MARC - ANTHONY ARMAND
Examiner
Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
Prosecution Insights