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 .
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ser (Patent Pub. No. KR 20200016059 A).
Regarding claim 1, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 an improved inspection system for objects ([0001]) characterized by the fact that it comprises: a lighting apparatus (100) adapted to light up an inspection area (110) where an object (MT) to be inspected can be located ([0014]) and comprising: a plurality of groups of emitters (120), each provided with one or more emitters (LS) configured to emit, sequentially, a light radiation towards the inspection area (110) ([0007]), and a diffusion element (DF) positioned between the plurality of groups of emitters (120) and the inspection area (110) and provided with a concavity (OP) facing the inspection area (110), the diffusion element (DF) being configured to be at least partly traversed by the light radiation and to diffuse the light radiation passing through it ([0060]); control means (140) operatively connected to the lighting apparatus and configured to activate/deactivate the groups of emitters ([0068]); an acquisition device (130) adapted to acquire a plurality of sequentially images of the object (MT) ([0065]); a processor (140) operatively connected to the acquisition device (130) and configured to receive the plurality of acquired images to combine them with each other in order to return at least one individual processed image of the object (MT) ([0128]).
Regarding claim 2, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the processor performs a fusion algorithm adapted to combine the plurality of images to obtain the individual processed image ([0132]).
Regarding claim 3, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that: the plurality of groups of emitters comprises at least a first group of emitters and a second group of emitters, the control means are adapted to achieve a plurality of lighting conditions wherein: in a first lighting condition the first group of emitters is activated and the second group of emitters is deactivated, and in a second lighting condition the second group of emitters is activated and the first group of emitters is deactivated ([0007]).
Regarding claim 4, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the acquisition device acquires at least one image of the object (MT) for each of said lighting conditions ([0065]).
Regarding claim 5, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the acquisition device is configured to acquire a first image when the first lighting condition is achieved, and a second image when the second lighting condition is achieved ([0065]).
Regarding claim 6, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the control means are operatively connected to the acquisition device and are configured to activate/deactivate the acquisition device in order to synchronize the acquisition of the plurality of images with each lighting condition ([0007]).
Regarding claim 7, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the diffusion element has a spherical dome shape, the diffusion surface of which defines a concavity axially facing the inspection area ([0076]).
Regarding claim 10, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each of the groups of emitters comprises a plurality of emitters arranged substantially aligned and equidistant from each other along at least one arc of circumference ([0007]).
Regarding claim 11, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 10, wherein each group of emitters is equidistant from an adjacent group of emitters by an angle (α) of between 8° and 12°, preferably of about 10° ([0007]).
Regarding claim 12, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, wherein, taken as a reference a Cartesian system whose center of axes corresponds to the center, the inspection area is arranged substantially where the IV quadrant is located ([0076]).
Regarding claim 13, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, wherein the groups of emitters are activated sequentially one at a time, preferably activated starting from the group of emitters arranged in the lower position up to the one arranged in the upper position ([0007]).
Regarding claim 14, Ser shows in Figs. 1-3 the system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to fuse the acquired images together to return a high-contrast and high-dynamic range image ([0032]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Noji et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2005/0194535 A1) discloses an inspection system or apparatus for inspecting a defect of a pattern formed on a surface of an object to be inspected, using electronic beams.
Borgert et al. (Patent No. US 5,519,496) discloses an illumination system and method for generating an image of an object for use by inspection systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEUNG C SOHN whose telephone number is (571)272-4123. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 8 - 5.
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/SEUNG C SOHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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