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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 08 January 2025 and 23 October 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-9 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,214,591. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because of the following:
Instant application: 19/013,959
US Patent 12,214,591
1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a substrate stage configured to move while holding a substrate;
a discharge unit including a nozzle for discharging a liquid;
a control unit configured to control the discharge unit to discharge the liquid from the discharge unit; and
a position acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a movement target object at a predetermined timing while the substrate stage or the discharge unit is moved as the movement target object,
wherein the control unit controls a discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on vibration information of the movement target object obtained from a difference between the position of the movement target object acquired by the position acquisition unit at the predetermined timing and a target position of the movement target object at the predetermined timing.
2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the difference is a deviation amount of the movement target object in a moving direction thereof.
3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a distance between the discharge unit and the substrate on the substrate stage,
wherein the control unit controls the discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on the position acquired in advance at a timing by the position acquisition unit while the movement target object is moved, and the distance acquired by the distance acquisition unit at a same timing as the timing.
4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the position acquisition unit is an image capturing unit, and
wherein the liquid is discharged from the discharge unit to the substrate on the substrate stage while the movement target object is moved at a fixed target speed, an image of droplets of the liquid on the substrate is captured by the image capturing unit, and the position is acquired from the captured image.
5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stores information for discharging the liquid at a discharge timing determined based on the position, and controls the discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on the stored information.
6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a plurality of shot regions is set on the substrate held by the substrate stage, and
wherein, based on the difference calculated for each of the plurality of shot regions, the control unit controls the discharge timing for each of the plurality of shot regions.
7. A molding apparatus comprising:
the liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1;
a mold holding unit configured to hold a mold; and
a curing unit configured to cure a curable composition,
wherein the liquid discharged from the discharge unit is the curable composition, and
wherein the control unit controls the curing unit to cure the curable composition in a state where the substrate and the mold are in contact with each other with the curable composition interposed therebetween.
An article manufacturing method comprising:
forming a film on the substrate using the molding apparatus according to claim 7;
processing the substrate on which the film is formed; and
manufacturing an article from the processed substrate.
A liquid discharge method comprising:
acquiring a position of a movement target object at a predetermined timing while a substrate stage holding a substrate or a discharge unit including nozzles for discharging a liquid is moved as the movement target object; and
controlling a discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on vibration information of the movement target object obtained from a difference between the acquired position of the movement target object and a target position of the movement target object at the predetermined timing.
A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a substrate stage configured to move while holding a substrate;
a discharge unit including a nozzle for discharging a liquid;
a control unit configured to control the discharge unit to discharge the liquid from the discharge unit; and
a position acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a movement target object at a predetermined timing while the substrate stage or the discharge unit is moved as the movement target object,
wherein the control unit controls a discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on an approximate expression relating to damping vibration [if the discharge timing is “based on an approximate expression relating to damping vibration”, then it is “based on vibration information”; the broader limitation is anticipated/obvious over the narrower one] of the movement target object obtained from a difference between the position of the movement target object acquired by the position acquisition unit at the predetermined timing and a target position of the movement target object at the predetermined timing.
2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the difference is a deviation amount of the movement target object in a moving direction thereof.
3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a distance between the discharge unit and the substrate on the substrate stage,
wherein the control unit controls the discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on the position acquired in advance at a timing by the position acquisition unit while the movement target object is moved, and the distance acquired by the distance acquisition unit at a same timing as the timing.
4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the position acquisition unit is an image capturing unit, and
wherein the liquid is discharged from the discharge unit to the substrate on the substrate stage while the movement target object is moved at a fixed target speed, an image of droplets of the liquid on the substrate is captured by the image capturing unit, and the position is acquired from the captured image.
5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stores information for discharging the liquid at a discharge timing determined based on the position, and controls the discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on the stored information.
6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a plurality of shot regions is set on the substrate held by the substrate stage, and
wherein, based on the difference calculated for each of the plurality of shot regions, the control unit controls the discharge timing for each of the plurality of shot regions.
7. A molding apparatus comprising:
the liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1;
a mold holding unit configured to hold a mold; and
a curing unit configured to cure a curable composition,
wherein the liquid discharged from the discharge unit is the curable composition, and
wherein the control unit controls the curing unit to cure the curable composition in a state where the substrate and the mold are in contact with each other with the curable composition interposed therebetween.
8. An article manufacturing method comprising:
forming a film on the substrate using the molding apparatus according to claim 7;
processing the substrate on which the film is formed; and
manufacturing an article from the processed substrate.
9. A liquid discharge method comprising:
acquiring a position of a movement target object at a predetermined timing while a substrate stage holding a substrate or a discharge unit including nozzles for discharging a liquid is moved as the movement target object; and
controlling a discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on an approximate expression relating to damping vibration [if the discharge timing is “based on an approximate expression relating to damping vibration”, then it is “based on vibration information”; the broader limitation is anticipated/obvious over the narrower one] of the movement target object obtained from a difference between the acquired position of the movement target object and a target position of the movement target object at the predetermined timing.
Communication with the USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANNELLE M LEBRON whose telephone number is (571)272-2729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JANNELLE M LEBRON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights