DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-17 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. 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.
5. Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Per claim 15, the limitation “the supporting vacuum surface” in lines 4-5 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, said limitation is interpreted as implying “the supporting surface” which is recited in independent claim 12. Claims 16-17 are consequently rejected due to their dependence on claim 15.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. 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.
7. Claims 1-3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Akaike et al. (US 2010/0001751 – hereinafter “Akaike”)
Per claim 1, Akaike teaches an electrical testing equipment, comprising:
a machine (Fig. 5A; combination of XY table 30, mounting table main body 21, mounting body 22, and elevation driving mechanism 23; ¶28) having a supporting surface (Fig. 5A; bottom surface of mounting body 22; ¶52), the supporting surface being configured to support a fixture assembly (Fig. 5A; fixed members 14; ¶52);
a pair of conveyor rails (Fig. 1C; two wire materials 11; ¶30) configured to deliver a device under test (Fig. 5B; semiconductor wafer W; ¶55), the conveyor rails being separated from the supporting surface by a distance (The two wire materials 11 are separated from the bottom surface of the mounting body 22 by a distance in the vertical direction (Fig. 5B)); and
a first moving device (Figs. 5A and 5B; combination of cylinder mechanisms 17 and supporting bodies 12; ¶52) disposed on the machine and connected with the conveyor rails, the first moving device being configured to move the conveyor rails relative to the machine to change the distance (The cylinder mechanisms 17 are coupled to the mounting body 22 via fixed members 14 and the two wire materials 11 via supporting bodies 12. The cylinder mechanisms 17 are configured to move the two wire materials 11 relative to the mounting body 22 to change the distance (Figs. 5A and 5B; ¶52 and 53)).
Per claim 2, Akaike teaches the electrical testing equipment of claim 1, wherein the first moving device comprises two subsidiary moving devices, the subsidiary moving devices are connected with two opposite ends of each of the conveyor rails and configured to move the conveyor rails relative to the machine to change the distance (The cylinder mechanisms 17 and supporting bodies 12 are provided at opposite ends of the two wire materials 11 (Fig. 5A; ¶52)).
Per claim 3, Akaike teaches the electrical testing equipment of claim 2, wherein each of the subsidiary moving devices comprises: a supporting portion, the conveyor rails are disposed on the supporting portion; a driving portion connected with the machine; and a moving rod connected between the driving portion and the supporting portion, the driving portion is configured to move the moving rod, such that the supporting portion is moved close to or away from the supporting surface (Each cylinder mechanism 17 is connected to a supporting body 12 that supports an end of a wire material 11. Each cylinder mechanism 17 also includes a rod 17A connected to a lower end of the supporting body 12. The rod 17A extends or contracts under the control of a control unit that is also configured to drive the elevation driving mechanism 23 (Fig. 5A; ¶31 and 53)).
Per claim 10, Akaike teaches the electrical testing equipment of claim 1, wherein the first moving device is configured to move the conveyor rails perpendicularly relative to the supporting surface (The two wire materials 11 move vertically which is in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surface of the mounting body 22 (Figs. 5A-5B)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claims 6-9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Akaike and Washio et al. (US 2008/0224723 – hereinafter “Washio”).
Per claim 6, Akaike does not explicitly teach the electrical testing equipment of claim 1, wherein the fixture assembly has a height, a maximum value of the distance is larger than the height.
In contrast, Washio teaches an apparatus for testing a semiconductor wafer 12 comprising a wafer chuck 14 configured to support a semiconductor wafer 12 wherein the wafer chuck 14 is fixed to a chuck fixing unit 58. A distance between a supporting surface of the chuck fixing unit 58 and a top surface of the semiconductor wafer 12 is greater than a height of the wafer chuck 14 (Fig. 4(a); ¶42).
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 electrical testing equipment of Akaike such that the top surface of the mounting body 22 is the supporting surface supporting a fixture assembly configured to hold the semiconductor wafer W wherein a height of the fixture assembly is smaller than a maximum distance between the supporting surface and the two wire materials 11. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of the disposing a semiconductor wafer W on a wafer chuck (Washio; ¶42).
Per claim 7, Akaike does not explicitly teach the electrical testing equipment of claim 1, wherein the fixture assembly comprises an upper fixture and a lower fixture, the upper fixture is detachably connected with the lower fixture, the lower fixture is located between the upper fixture and the supporting surface, the upper fixture and the lower fixture are configured to sandwich the device under test therebetween.
In contrast, Washio teaches an apparatus for testing a semiconductor wafer 12 comprising a cartridge 16 having a lower cartridge portion 16a and an upper cartridge portion 16b configured to sandwich the semiconductor wafer 12 therebetween. A wafer chuck 14 of the lower cartridge portion 16a is fixed to a chuck fixing unit 58 (Fig. 4(a); ¶27 and 42).
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 electrical testing equipment of Akaike such that the top surface of the mounting body 22 is the supporting surface supporting a fixture assembly configured to hold the semiconductor wafer W between a lower fixture and an upper fixture. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of the disposing a semiconductor wafer W in a contact with testing probes (Washio; ¶29).
Per claim 8, Akaike in view of Washio teaches the electrical testing equipment of claim 7, further comprising: a clamping device configured to clamp the upper fixture; and a second moving device connected with the machine and the clamping device, the second moving device being configured to move the clamping device relative to the machine, such that the clamping device is moved close to or away from the lower fixture (In the electrical testing equipment of Akaike in view of Washio, a fixing mechanism 66 provided on a top plate 60 is configured to releasably hold a knob 26 of the upper cartridge portion 16b. The top plate 60 is movable in the vertical direction (Figs. 3 and 4a-b; ¶39-40)).
Per claim 9, Akaike in view of Washio teaches the electrical testing equipment of claim 8, wherein the upper fixture comprises a fixture body and a plurality of first snapping portions, the first snapping portions are disposed on the fixture body, the clamping device comprises a device body and a plurality of second snapping portions, the second snapping portions are movably connected with the device body and configured to snap with the first snapping portions (In the electrical testing equipment of Akaike in view of Washio, the upper cartridge portion 16b includes a connection board 22 on which the knob 26 resides. The knob 26 includes contact portions that interface with engagement portions of the fixing mechanism 66 provided on the movable top plate 60 that releasably hold the knob 26 (Figs. 3 and 4a-b; ¶30 and 40)).
Claim Objections
10. Claims 4-5 and 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Per claim 4, the prior art of record is silent on the electrical testing equipment of claim 3, wherein each of the subsidiary moving devices comprises, in particular: at least one guiding rod connected with the supporting portion and slidably connected with the fixing portion, the guiding rod is parallel with the moving rod. Claim 5 is consequently objected to due to its dependence on claim 4.
Per claim 11, the prior art of record is silent on the electrical testing equipment of claim 1, wherein the machine has at least one through hole, the through hole is located on the supporting surface, the electrical testing equipment further comprises: at least one roller assembly comprising a base and a plurality of rollers, the rollers are rotatably connected with the base respectively; and a third moving device disposed on the machine and connected with the base, the third moving device is configured to move the base relative to the machine, such that the rollers at least partially pass through the through hole and protrude out of the supporting surface.
Allowable Subject Matter
11. Claims 12-14 are deemed allowable.
In particular, the following subject matter disclosed in independent claim 12 and inherited by dependent claims 13-14 is not believed to be taught or suggested by the prior art of record: “at least one roller assembly comprising a base and a plurality of rollers, each of the rollers being connected with the base and configured to rotate about an axis relative to the base, the base being movably connected with the machine such that the rollers can be at least partially protruded out of the supporting surface or retracted into the supporting surface through the through hole; and a pair of conveyor rails configured to deliver a device under test, the conveyor rails being movable relative to the supporting surface, each of the conveyor rails extending along a direction parallel with the axes.”
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WALTER LINDSAY can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852