DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-9, 11-12 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1).
Claim(s) 3-4, 10, 13-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 5-9, 11-12 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by US Publication 2019/0043182 to Wang et al.
In regards to claims 1-2, 5-9, 11-12 and 15-19, Wang discloses and shows in Figures 1-7, an inspection device and method (par. 3-5, comprising:
a first light source (123, 323) (par. 35, 89);
a second light source (124, 324) (par. 35, 89);
a light source controller (140, 340), configured to enable the first light source to irradiate an object under inspection (160, 360) in a first period of an inspection phase, and to enable the second light source to irradiate the object under inspection in a second period of the inspection phase (par. 17, 35-36, 39, 89-90, 97-98; wherein a bright-field imaging mode is performed by a bright-field light source for a first portion of a object inspection period, and a dark-field imaging mode is performed by a dark-field light source for a second portion of an object inspection period); and
a sensor (111, 112, 311), configured to continuously sense a reflected light of the object under inspection in an exposure period of the inspection phase so as to obtain image data of the object under inspection, wherein the exposure period comprises at least a part of the first period and at least a part of the second period (par. 12, 15, 39, 91-92, 97-98; wherein at least one detector is utilized to obtain first and second imaging information from an object under test during an object inspection period);
[claims 2 and 12] further comprising a movement platform (130) configured to carry the object under inspection and move the object under inspection during the exposure period of the sensor (par. 35, 38-39, 89);
[claims 5 and 15] wherein a light emitted by the first light source in the first period and a light emitted by the second light source in the second period correspond to different wavebands (par. 36-37, 40, 90, 92; wherein a computer controls the light source illuminators to adjust “one or more of a propagation direction, intensity, wavelength range, polarization and other parameters” of the light sources);
[claims 6 and 16] wherein a light intensity emitted by the first light source in the first period is different from a light intensity emitted by the second light source in the second period (par. 36-37, 40, 90, 92; wherein a computer controls the illuminators to adjust “one or more of a propagation direction, intensity, wavelength range, polarization and other parameters” of the light sources);
[claims 7 and 17] wherein a light emitted by the first light source in the first period and a light emitted by the second light source in the second period have different polarization states (par. 36-37, 40, 90, 92; wherein a computer controls the illuminators to adjust “one or more of a propagation direction, intensity, wavelength range, polarization and other parameters” of the light sources);
[claims 8 and 18] wherein the first light source is a bright-field light source, a dark-field light source or a backlight light source, and the second light source is a bright-field light source, a dark-field light source or a backlight light source (par. 4, 17, 35-37, 89-90);
[claim 9 and 19] wherein the first light source (221) and the second light source (223) are bright-field light sources, and the inspection device further comprises at least one dark-field light source (224), wherein the light source controller is further configured to enable the at least one dark-field light source to irradiate the object under inspection in at least one third period of the inspection phase, and the exposure period of the sensor in the inspection phase further comprises the at least one third period (Figure 4) (par. 68-72, 81; wherein a third light source is included as a bright-field IR source, and is utilized to obtain third imaging information during a third portion of the object inspection period).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, in view of US Publication 2011/0310244 to Schweitzer et al.
In regards to claims 3 and 13, Wang differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the inspection device and method, wherein the movement platform moves the object under inspection along a straight line.
However, Schweitzer teaches and shows in Figures 1-9, system and method for detecting a defect of a substrate, wherein a linear stage (130), conveyor belt, tracks, or other conventional method may be utilized to provide scanning of a sample under test (par. 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Wang to include the linear stage discussed above for the advantage of utilizing a well-known method to provide stable transportation of a substrate, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim(s) 4, 10, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, in view of US Publication 2024/0118218 to Hu et al.
In regards to claims 4 and 14, Wang differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the inspection device and method, wherein the first period is partially overlapping with the second period.
However, Hu teaches and shows in Figures 1-6, a stroboscopic stepped illumination defect detection system, wherein a plurality of light sources are utilized to collaboratively image an object under test, wherein each of the light sources may have a variable timing, pulse width and current values, and wherein all of the light sources may be active at the same time (Figure 6), in order to allow the light sources to collaboratively operate and improve defect detection and overall system efficiency (par. 75, 162-163).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Wang to include the partially overlapped light source timing as discussed above for the advantage of improving defect detection and overall system efficiency, with a reasonable expectation of success.
In regards to claims 10 and 20, Wang differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the inspection device and method, wherein the first light source and the second light source are dark-field light sources irradiating the object under inspection at different angles.
However, Hu teaches and shows in Figures 1-6, a stroboscopic stepped illumination defect detection system, wherein a plurality of light sources and cameras are utilized to collaboratively image an object under test (par. 75, 77-78), wherein the plurality of light sources and cameras provide a plurality of dark-field measurements from different angles (par. 22, 26-29, 131, 155-159).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Wang to include the plurality of dark-field light sources as discussed above for the advantage of improving defect detection and overall system efficiency, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
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JONATHAN M. HANSEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2877
/JONATHAN M HANSEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877