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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. The action is responsive to the communications filed on 7/15/2026. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-22 are pending in the case. Claims 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 19, 20 are amended. Claims 5, 7 are cancelled. Claims 21-22 are newly added. Claims 1, 19, 20 are independent claims. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-22 are rejected.
Summary of claims
3. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-22 are pending,
Claims 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 19, 20 are amended,
Claims 5, 7 are cancelled,
Claims 21-22 are newly added,
Claims 1, 19, 20 are independent claims,
Claims 1-13 are rejected.
Remarks
4. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 7/15/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-22 under 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive in view of new rejection ground(s).
Applicant argued the cited references including Seki and Willis did not teach “wherein the calculator is configured to change an execution order of the at least one step from an execution order set in the recipe in conformity with an actual operation of processing the substrate,” as recited in the amended claim 1. Examiner respectfully submits that an analogous art of managing substrate processing data, Yamamoto (US Publication 20180267512 A1) is cited to teach the route setting screen for the system recipe is updated in real time according to changes in set conditions, that is, when changes are made to the receipt settings and the parameter settings, the execution order display process is started to update the execution order based on changed settings, and the screen is updated (Yamamoto: [0080]). Seki and Yamamoto are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, editing operations in a substrate manufacturing process. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Seki using the teachings of Yamamoto to include updating the display screen upon the execution order changes. It would provide Seki’s apparatus with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to acknowledge real time execution settings and manage the operation data easily in user interface.
Applicant argued that the cited references including Seki and Willis did not teach a first display region and a second display region are arranged such that the second display region is arranged below the first display region, and that the information displayed in the respective display region is synchronized in conformity with a rearranged execution order of the steps. Examiner respectfully disagrees and submits that Seki discloses an example of the recipe editing screen in Fig. 6, specifically, the recipe editing screen includes a step editing screen area A for editing steps that constitute a recipe to be edited, a selection screen area B for selecting parameters, and a parameter editing screen area C for editing the selected parameters (Fig. 6, [0058]), please note area A is displayed below area C, and area A displays steps information and area C displays time-series parameters. When the steps information in area A is changed, the parameters associated with the steps in area C is updated, that is, area A, B and C are synchronized. In addition, Yamamoto teaches updating the display screen upon the execution order changes, accordingly, Seki and Yamamoto teach synchronizing the steps information based on the changed execution order and the associated parameters.
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
5. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatoshi Seki (US Publication 20220004172 A1, hereinafter Seki), and in view of James Willis (US Publication 20060079983 A1, hereinafter Willis), and Satoko Yamamoto (US Publication 20180267512 A1, hereinafter Yamamoto).
As for independent claim 1, Seki discloses: A substrate processing apparatus (Seki: Abstract, displaying a recipe editing screen including at least a selection screen area that displays a parameter list for selection of parameters included in a recipe of a substrate processing apparatus), comprising: a substrate processor configured to process a substrate according to a recipe including at least one step defining a substrate processing condition (Seki: [0008], the term “recipe” refers to a record of process conditions for a substrate such as a combination of commands, settings, and parameters for a substrate processing apparatus); an operator configured to receive an editing operation for at least one setting item included in the substrate processing condition (Seki: Abstract, displaying a recipe editing screen including at least a selection screen area that displays a parameter list for selection of parameters included in a recipe of a substrate processing apparatus); [a calculator configured to calculate] a control value for a setting value of the at least one setting item in conformity with an edited substrate processing condition obtained by the editing operation (Seki: [0067], The parameters include a parameter indicating a set value (analog value) such as, for example, a temperature set value, a flow rate set value or the like, for setting a target value targeted by the substrate processing performed in the substrate processing apparatus device; please note the target value is a control value for a setting value); and a controller configured to be capable of controlling a displayer to display time-series data of the control value [calculated by the calculator] together with information about the at least one step (Seki: Abstract, editing the editing target parameter by receiving an operation instruction to edit the timing chart displayed on the parameter editing screen area and changing the timing chart according to the operation instruction) … wherein the displayer includes a screen configured to display the time-series data of the control value, wherein the screen includes at least one selected from the group of: a first display region configured to display the time-series data of the control value; and a second display region arranged below the first display region and configured to display the information about the at least one step in conformity with the execution order of the at least one step (Seki: Fig. 6, [0058], Seki discloses an example of the recipe editing screen in Fig. 6, specifically, the recipe editing screen includes a step editing screen area A for editing steps that constitute a recipe to be edited, a selection screen area B for selecting parameters, and a parameter editing screen area C for editing the selected parameters, please note area A is displayed below area C, and area A displays steps information and area C displays time-series parameters. When the steps information in area A is changed, the parameters associated with the steps in area C is updated, that is, area A, B and C are synchronized),
Seki discloses editing a target value for a setting value but does not clearly disclose calculating a control value for a setting value, in an analogous art of editing operations in a substrate manufacturing process, Willis discloses: a calculator configured to calculate a control value for a setting value of the at least one setting item in conformity with an edited substrate processing condition obtained by the editing operation (Willis: [0113], a recipe parameter solver component that produces recipe parameters according to the appropriate DOE process model, process model constraints, process targets, and process parameter constraints; [0185], A new target value can be a variable that is calculated at or before run time, and an equation can be used to calculate the target value);
Seki and Willis are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, editing operations in a substrate manufacturing process. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Seki using the teachings of Willis to include calculating a target value for a setting parameter. It would provide Seki’s apparatus with enhanced capabilities of managing the operation data easily in user interface.
Further, Seki does not expressly disclose updating the display screen upon an execution order is changed, Yamamoto discloses: wherein the calculator is configured to change an execution order of the at least one step from an execution order set in the recipe in conformity with an actual operation of processing the substrate … and wherein the displayer is configured to display the time-series data of the control value on the screen in conformity with the execution order of the at least one step (Yamamoto: [0080], the route setting screen for the system recipe is updated in real time according to changes in set conditions, that is, when changes are made to the receipt settings and the parameter settings, the execution order display process is started to update the execution order based on changed settings, and the screen is updated).
Seki and Yamamoto are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, editing operations in a substrate manufacturing process. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Seki using the teachings of Yamamoto to include updating the display screen upon the execution order changes. It would provide Seki’s apparatus with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to acknowledge real time execution settings and manage the operation data easily in user interface.
As for claim 2, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the operator is configured to instruct the controller to calculate the control value during the editing operation for the at least one setting item (Willis: [0113], a recipe parameter solver component that produces recipe parameters according to the appropriate DOE process model, process model constraints, process targets, and process parameter constraints; [0185], A new target value can be a variable that is calculated at or before run time, and an equation can be used to calculate the target value).
As for claim 3, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the operator is configured to receive a selection of type information for which the control value is calculated (Seki: [0093], displays a list of selectable types of transfer processes).
As for claim 4, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the type information includes at least one of a temperature, a gas flow rate, a pressure, and transporter information (Seki: [0045], The parts constituting the substrate processing apparatus 100, such as the temperature controller 12, the gas flow rate controller 13, the pressure controller 14, the transfer controller 15, an operator 31 for receiving instructions from an operation person, a display 32 for displaying information such as an operation screen and various data).
claim 5, canceled
As for claim 6, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: a memory configured to store the recipe, wherein the calculator is configured to store the time-series data of the control value in the memory in association with the execution order of the at least one step changed in conformity with the actual operation of processing the substrate (Seki: [0045], a storage 20 for storing a recipe which is a substrate processing sequence of the substrate processing apparatus).
claim 7, canceled
As for claim 8, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the screen further includes a third display region configured to display the substrate processing condition (Seki: Fig. 6, area A, area B, area C, [0053], process condition management information).
As for claim 9, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the third display region is configured to display at least one of a selected setting item among the at least one setting item and a control value for a setting value of the selected setting item (Seki: Fig. 6, display Temperature values).
As for claim 10, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the displayer is configured to display the time-series data of the control value in conjunction with a recipe execution result obtained by processing the substrate according to the recipe such that the time-series data of the control value is capable of being compared with the recipe execution result (Seki: [0071], When editing the recipe, in order to facilitate comparison between the parameters selected as editing targets, the operation person may display, side by side, the compared timing charts T of the parameters among the timing charts T displayed in the parameter editing screen area C, or may hide the timing charts T of the parameters which are not comparison targets).
As for claim 11, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the displayer is configured to display the time-series data of the control value calculated according to the recipe in conjunction with time-series data of a control value of another recipe calculated according to the another recipe (Seki: [0071], When editing the recipe, in order to facilitate comparison between the parameters selected as editing targets, the operation person may display, side by side, the compared timing charts T of the parameters among the timing charts T displayed in the parameter editing screen area C, or may hide the timing charts T of the parameters which are not comparison targets).
As for claim 12, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the displayer is configured to display the time-series data of the control value calculated by the substrate processing apparatus in a time-series order in conjunction with time-series data of a control value calculated by another apparatus (Seki: [0071], When editing the recipe, in order to facilitate comparison between the parameters selected as editing targets, the operation person may display, side by side, the compared timing charts T of the parameters among the timing charts T displayed in the parameter editing screen area C, or may hide the timing charts T of the parameters which are not comparison targets).
As for claim 13, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the displayer is configured to display the time-series data of the control value and state information indicating a state of at least one of a gas pipe and a valve side by side, and display time-series data of a control value for a designated step among the at least one step and the state information on one screen (Seki: Fig. 6).
As for claim 14, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: a determinator configured to determine whether the control value is correct or not, wherein the determinator determines whether the control value is correct or not for each of the at least one setting item of the recipe according to a predetermined determination condition (Willis: [0185], the additional compensation factor can be used to correct for processing that occurs in another step, such as a gate stack etch step. A new target value can be a variable that is calculated at or before run time, and an equation can be used to calculate the target value; [0191], The pre-model adjustment can allow the re-expression of the desired process result (usually t1) into the correct units that are used in a model equation (resulting in a value of y), and the model equation can be an expression that calculates the predicted process result as a function of one manipulated variable (x); [0243], The computer-implemented method can determine if the collected data is correct, and determine if a sufficient amount of data has been collected for solution of the coefficients).
As for claim 15, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein, in the editing operation received by the operator, either a predetermined setting value or a variable setting value different from the predetermined setting value is capable of being set as the setting value for the at least one setting item, and wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a control value for the variable setting value when the variable setting value is set for the at least one setting item (Willis: [0064], The controller 120 can use the difference between a measured critical dimension of the incoming material (input state) and a target critical dimension (desired state) to predict, select, or calculate a set of process parameters to achieve the desired result of changing the state of the wafer from the input state to the desired state).
As for claim 16, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a control value for the predetermined setting value and the control value for the variable setting value when the variable setting value is set for the at least one setting item, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the displayer to simultaneously or selectively display time-series data of the control value for the predetermined setting value and time-series data of the control value for the variable setting value together with the information about the at least one step (Willis: [0055], Variable parameters can include final critical dimension (CD) targets, limits, offsets, and variables in the tool level system that need to be adjustable by lot. Also, factory litho CD metrology data can be feed-forwarded to the controller 120).
As for claim 17, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein, in the editing operation received by the operator, either a predetermined setting value or a conditional setting value selected according to a value of a condition parameter set in the recipe is capable of being set as the setting value for the at least one setting item, and wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a control value for the conditional setting value when the conditional setting value is set for the at least one setting item (Willis: [0113], a recipe parameter solver component that produces recipe parameters according to the appropriate DOE process model, process model constraints, process targets, and process parameter constraints; [0185], A new target value can be a variable that is calculated at or before run time, and an equation can be used to calculate the target value).
As for claim 18, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a control value for the predetermined setting value and the control value for the conditional setting value when the conditional setting value is set for the at least one setting item, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the displayer to simultaneously or selectively display time-series data of the control value for the predetermined setting value and time-series data of the control value for the conditional setting value together with the information about the at least one step (Seki: Fig. 6, display setting values and target values).
As per claim 19, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As per claim 20, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As per claim 21, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As for claim 22, Seki-Willis-Yamamoto discloses: wherein the screen includes a button to calculate the control value during the editing operation, and wherein the controller is configured to be capable of controlling the calculator to calculate a control value when the button is operated (Seki: [0057], a recipe editing button is selected; Willis: [0164], A System Recipe Update button 472 can be used as a refresh function, and can be used to obtain the current recipe information from the processing tool; please note user may use a button to get the current control value during the editing).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Lu whose telephone number is 571-270-1410 and fax number is 571-270-2410. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman can be reached on 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-273-8300.
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/Hua Lu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118
Prosecution Insights