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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
Matching circuit to the ignition power as claimed in claims 2, 16 are not shown in the drawings,
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 6, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Referring to claims 2. 16 the impedance matching device claimed in the claim limitations is not a shown in drawings but a resonator was shown. Also, specification has failed to discuss the circuitry of the matching supply and It is not clear how a matching device can be accommodated whereas in the disclosure it was termed as a resonator. Therefore, It is not clear to the examiner on how to interpret this limitation as both different circuitry. Hence, examiner rejecting claim 2, and depending claims 6, 8, 11 and independent claim 16 and depending claims 17-20 on indefiniteness. However, examiner suggests to remove this limitation and suggest to keep the resonator limitation as there is support for resonator in the specification as well as drawings.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 12-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Referring to claim 1, the closest prior art of record fails to teach or reasonably suggest a plasma source comprising: an ignition power supply port disposed in the housing to supply a radio-frequency (RF) power for igniting the plasma in the plasma generation space; and a maintenance power supply port disposed in the housing to supply the RF power for maintaining the plasma ignited in the plasma generation space. It is non-obvious to a person with ordinary skill. Hence, claim 1 and depending claims 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 12-14 are allowed.
Referring to claim 15, the closest prior art of record fails to teach or reasonably suggest a plasma source comprising: A plasma processing apparatus comprising: an ignition power supply port disposed in the housing to supply an RF power for igniting the plasma in the plasma generation space; and a maintenance power supply port disposed in the housing to supply an RF power for maintaining the plasma ignited in the plasma generation space. Hence, claim 15 is allowed.
Conclusion
Claims 1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 12-15 are allowed.
Claims 2, 6, 8, 11, 16-20 are rejected.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SRINIVAS SATHIRAJU whose telephone number is (571)272-4250. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5.30 PM.
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/SRINIVAS SATHIRAJU/Examiner, Art Unit 2844 02/07/2026