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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities: The claims recite “a frequency of the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is between 1011Hz and 1013Hz” which should read “a frequency of the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is between 1011 Hz and 1013 Hz”. Appropriate correction is required.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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 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.
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) 1-3, 5-12, 14-16 and 18-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over US 20240011902 to Choi.
Regarding Claim 1, Choi discloses a residual stress detection method (Figs. 1-4 and 7, residual stress estimation apparatus 1 with inspection unit 100 and controller 200 and method; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]) comprising: generating a terahertz emission electromagnetic wave, and emitting the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave to a test specimen through a first polarizer (Figs. 1-4 and 7, generator 110 with polarizer 140a and subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); detecting, through a second polarizer, a plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves reflected, transmitted or scattered after the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is incident on the test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, detectors 120a/120b with polarizers 140b; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); measuring a plurality of characteristic signals according to the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave and the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves (Figs. 1-4 and 7, signal collection unit 210 collecting signals detected by detectors 120a/120b; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); analyzing the plurality of characteristic signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, calculation unit 220 configured to analyze collected signals to estimate residual stress of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); and determining residual stress of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics (Figs. 1-4 and 7, calculation unit 220 configured to analyze collected signals to estimate residual stress of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]).
Regarding Claim 2, Choi discloses a frequency of the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is between 1011 Hz and 1013 Hz (¶ [0028]).
Regarding Claim 3, Choi discloses the plurality of characteristic signals comprise an electric field intensity, an electric field phase and an electric field frequency of each of the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves (¶¶ [0028]-[0031]).
Regarding Claim 5, Choi discloses the plurality of characteristics comprise at least one of a thickness, an interface geometry, an optical coefficient and an electrical coefficient of the test specimen (¶¶ [0029], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 6, Choi discloses the electrical coefficient is at least one of a phase change, a conductivity, a resistivity, a doping concentration, dielectric constant and a charge carrier mobility (¶ [0029]), and the optical coefficient is at least one of a photoelastic coefficient, an absorptance, a refractive index, a reflectivity, and a transmittance (¶¶ [0025], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 7, Choi discloses the step of determining the residual stress of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics comprises determining residual stress variation of the test specimen according to a change of the refractive index and the photoelastic coefficient (¶¶ [0025], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 8, Choi discloses determining the change of the refractive index according to the phase change and the thickness of the test specimen (¶¶ [0029], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 9, Choi discloses determining at least a defect of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics (¶ [0005]).
Regarding Claim 10, Choi discloses the at least a defect is at least one of a dislocation, a deformation, a change in molecular chain arrangement, and a variation in impurity proportions (¶ [0005]).
Regarding Claim 11, Choi discloses adjusting the first polarizer and the second polarizer to allow the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave to pass through the test specimen along an optical axis (Figs. 1-4 and 7, detectors 120a/120b with each polarizer 140 rotated by polarizer rotator 160; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]), and detect the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves at a 90-degree angle apart from the optical axis (Figs. 1-4 and 7, detector 120a with optical splitter 130 for 90 degree split; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]).
Regarding Claim 12, Choi discloses adjusting the first polarizer and the second polarizer to have a maximum variation in the plurality of characteristic signals (Figs. 1-4 and 7, maximum intensity detected by detectors 120a/120b with each polarizer 140 rotated by polarizer rotator 160; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]).
Regarding Claim 14, Choi discloses a residual stress detection system (Figs. 1-4 and 7, residual stress estimation apparatus 1 with inspection unit 100 and controller 200 and method; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]), comprising: a first polarizer positioned in front of a test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, polarizer 140a in front of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); a second polarizer, positioned behind the test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, polarizer 140b behind of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); a terahertz electromagnetic wave generator, positioned in front of the first polarizer, configured to generate a terahertz emission electromagnetic wave, and emit the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave to a test specimen through the first polarizer (Figs. 1-4 and 7, generator 110 with polarizer 140a and subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); a terahertz electromagnetic wave receiver, positioned behind the second polarizer, configured to detect, through the second polarizer, a plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves reflected, transmitted or scattered after the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is incident on the test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, polarizer 140b between detector 120b and subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]); and a detection device, coupled to the terahertz electromagnetic wave generator and the terahertz electromagnetic wave receiver, configured to measure a plurality of characteristic signals according to the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave and the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves (Figs. 1-4 and 7, signal collection unit 210 collecting signals detected by detectors 120a/120b; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]), analyze the plurality of characteristic signals to determine a plurality of characteristics of the test specimen (Figs. 1-4 and 7, calculation unit 220 configured to analyze collected signals to estimate residual stress of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]), and determine residual stress of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics (Figs. 1-4 and 7, calculation unit 220 configured to analyze collected signals to estimate residual stress of subject S; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0056]-[0063]).
Regarding Claim 15, Choi discloses a frequency of the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave is between 1011 Hz and 1013 Hz (¶ [0028]).
Regarding Claim 16, Choi discloses the plurality of characteristic signals comprise an electric field intensity, an electric field phase and an electric field frequency of each of the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves (¶¶ [0028]-[0031]).
Regarding Claim 18, Choi discloses the plurality of characteristics comprise at least one of a thickness, an interface geometry, an optical coefficient and an electrical coefficient of the test specimen (¶¶ [0029], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 19, Choi discloses the electrical coefficient is at least one of a phase change, a conductivity, a resistivity, a doping concentration, dielectric constant and a charge carrier mobility (¶ [0029]), and the optical coefficient is at least one of a photoelastic coefficient, an absorptance, a refractive index, a reflectivity, and a transmittance (¶¶ [0025], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 20, Choi discloses the step of determining the residual stress of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics comprises determining residual stress variation of the test specimen according to a change of the refractive index and the photoelastic coefficient (¶¶ [0025], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 21, Choi discloses the detection device is further configured to determine the change of the refractive index according to the phase change and the thickness of the test specimen (¶¶ [0029], [0044]-[0046]).
Regarding Claim 22, Choi discloses the detection device is further configured to determine at least a defect of the test specimen according to the plurality of characteristics (¶ [0005]).
Regarding Claim 23, Choi discloses the at least a defect is at least one of a dislocation, a deformation, a change in molecular chain arrangement, and a variation in impurity proportions (¶ [0005]).
Regarding Claim 24, Choi discloses the first polarizer and the second polarizer are capable of being adjusted to allow the terahertz emission electromagnetic wave to pass through the test specimen along an optical axis, (Figs. 1-4 and 7, detectors 120a/120b with each polarizer 140 rotated by polarizer rotator 160; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]), and detect the plurality of terahertz reception electromagnetic waves at a 90-degree angle apart from the optical axis (Figs. 1-4 and 7, detector 120a with optical splitter 130 for 90 degree split; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]).
Regarding Claim 25, Choi discloses the first polarizer and the second polarizer are capable of being adjusted to have a maximum variation in the plurality of characteristic signals. (Figs. 1-4 and 7, maximum intensity detected by detectors 120a/120b with each polarizer 140 rotated by polarizer rotator 160; ¶¶ [0028]-[0043], [0055]-[0063]).
Claim(s) 13 and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claims 1 and 14 above, and further in view of US 20040008348 to Kishikawa.
Regarding Claims 13 and 26, Choi discloses the residual stress detection method of claim 1 and the residual stress detection system of claim 14. However, Choi is silent regarding the first polarizer and the second polarizer are composition of linear polarization or elliptical polarization. Kishikawa discloses the first polarizer and the second polarizer are composition of linear polarization or elliptical polarization (Fig. 1, polarization elements 102, 106 and 108; ¶¶ [0069]-[0071], [0108]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the application to modify the invention of Choi by providing the first polarizer and the second polarizer are composition of linear polarization or elliptical polarization as in Kishikawa in order to provide for well-known alternate types of polarizers. See, e.g., "substitution of art-recognized equivalents" as discussed in MPEP 2144.06II "An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982)."
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 17 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID J BOLDUC whose telephone number is (571)270-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 10am-6pm.
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/DAVID J BOLDUC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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