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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 10-2016-0124965A) in view of Jung (KR101717380B1).
Re claims 1,9,10, Kim teaches a semiconductor production apparatus system (100, figure 1) or at least one of conveyance of substrates (wafers) into and out of a semiconductor production apparatus for performing at least one of conveyance of the substrates (summary of the invention), application of processing to the substrates and storing the substrates (200,300), the semiconductor production apparatus system comprising: a substrate-holding hand (figure 2, fixing member 117, plurality of blades 115) including a blade supports (figure 2, fixing member 117) for supporting a proximal end of a blade on which one of the substrates is placed, an image capturer 120 for capturing an image of an inspection target including at least one of the substrates, a component of the semiconductor production apparatus and the substrate-holding hand; and a controller (130,etc.) for detecting a state of the inspection target based on the captured image captured by the image capturer, wherein the image capturer is arranged in the blade support 117.
Jung teaches a semiconductor production apparatus system (1, figure 1) that transfers substrates S between process chambers and storage cassettes with first and second (figure 1,5) hands (2,21;3,31), blade supports (5,6), imaging unit 4 on one of the blade supports (figures ,15, etc.), independent transfer routes for first and second transports and controller for detecting states of targets and resulting movements.
Further making items integral/ separate, singular or multiple as well as rearrangement of parts are known to be obvious modifications (MPEP 2144, In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965) ; In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349 (CCPA 1961); In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) ; In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)) to allow the best configurations for optimizing varied situational needs and process system arrangements.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill prior to filing to have modified Kim in view of Jung as claimed in order to allow the best configurations for optimizing varied situational needs and process system arrangements.
Re claim 2, Kim & Kim as already modified teaches the image capturer is moved together with the second blade support.
Re claim 3, Kim (see figure 2, etc.) & Kim as already modified teaches the image capturer is arranged in the second blade support with being spaced away from a connection part between the second blade support and the second blade.
Re claim 4, Kim (figure 2) & Kim as already modified teaches the image capturer is arranged in a lateral part of the second blade support on an outside with respect to an edge of the second blade as viewed in a movement direction of the second blade in the conveyance of the substrates into and out of the semiconductor production apparatus with being spaced away from the connection part.
Re claim 5, Kim & Kim as already modified teaches the image capturer captures the image of the inspection target that includes at least the substrates with being stored in a storage included in the semiconductor production apparatus; and the controller (130,132) detects, based on the captured image of the substrates captured with the substrates being stored in the storage, placement states of the substrates in the storage.
Re claim 6, Kim & Kim as already modified teaches the substrate-holding hand includes a plurality of first blades 115 (see Kim figure 2) that are supported by the first blade support as the first blade, and one second blade (see Jung, MPEP 2144 as discussed above), which is the second blade supported by the second blade support; and the image capturer (see Jung figures 1,5,etc.) is arranged in the second blade support, which supports the proximal end of the one second blade.
Re claim 7, Kim as already modified by Jung [0035,0037,0043,0045] teaches a linear mover for linearly moving the substrate-holding hand, wherein the linear mover linearly moves the second blade support independently of the first blade support along their own transfer routes.
Re claim 8, Kim as already modified by Jung teaches an upward/downward mover (Jung 7,8, [0060, etc.], see figures) for moving the linear mover upward/downward, wherein the upward/downward mover moves the substrate holding hand upward/downward by moving the linear mover upward/downward.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tabrizi teaches linear moving bales, group of multiple blades on one support and a single blade on a different support (see figures, abstract).
Caveney teaches linear moving substrate robots (see figures, abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL S LOWE whose telephone number is (571)272-6929. The examiner can normally be reached Hoteling M,Th,F & alternating W 6:30am-6:30pm.
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MICHAEL S. LOWE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3652
/MICHAEL S LOWE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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