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
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.
Claims 1-5 and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagamochi (US20090109501A1) in view of Jin (US20080030731A1).
Regarding claim 1, Nagamochi teaches an optical path defining element (3) ([0031]), which is configured to define a detection optical path, the optical path defining element comprising a mounting base (8) ([0034]), a first reflective structure (9), and a second reflective structure(9), wherein the mounting base has an obliquely arranged mounting surface ([0035], fig. 4) and an elongated hole (7), the elongated hole runs through the mounting base from the mounting surface and divides the mounting surface into a first mounting surface (fig. 4: left surface of 8) and a second mounting surface (fig. 4: right surface of 8), the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are respectively configured to mount the first reflective structure (9) and the second reflective structure (9) (fig. 4, [0035]), the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure reflect light incident from an incident light source to the object to be detected ([0035]), and the light passes through the elongated hole to a detection camera after being reflected by the object to be detected ([0035]), but fails to disclose an optical path defining element, which is configured to define a detection optical path on a side edge of an object to be detected.
However, Jin teaches an optical path defining element, which is configured to define a detection optical path on a side edge of an object to be detected ([0032], [0041]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi by incorporating an optical path defining element, which is configured to define a detection optical path on a side edge of an object to be detected in order to provide a compact and efficient structure for inspecting an object.
Regarding claim 2, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, wherein reflective surfaces of the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are flat surfaces (Nagamochi: [0037] the member 8 is flat and the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are installed on the flat member 8, and fig. 5 shows that the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are be flat too).
Regarding claim 3, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the elongated hole has a width of 0.8-2 mm.
However, the hole must be wide enough to allow light transmission, and a width of 0.8-2 mm is consistent with this function.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi and Jin by incorporating wherein the elongated hole has a width of 0.8-2 mm for optimal detection.
Regarding claim 4, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein an included angle between the obliquely arranged mounting surface and a horizontal plane is α, 35°≤α≤55°.
However, Nagamochi teaches the inclined mounting surface must be angled to reflect light to the object to be detected ([0035]). Thus, the angle parameter was known to be result-effective variable, and the applicant does not provide any criticality about the angle range.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi and Jin by incorporating wherein an included angle between the obliquely arranged mounting surface and a horizontal plane is α, 35°≤α≤55° for an optimal detection.
Regarding claim 5, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein an included angle between the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure is β, and 150°≤β≤180°.
However, Nagamochi teaches that the two inclined surfaces 9 are angled to reflect light to the object to be detected, and that the conical shape of the aperture angle regulation member determines the angle between those surfaces ([0035], [0037]). Thus, the angle parameter was known to be result-effective variable, and the applicant does not provide any criticality about the angle range.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi and Jin by incorporating wherein an included angle between the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure is β, and 150°≤β≤180° for optimal reflection and detection.
Regarding claim 8, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, wherein the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are reflective mirrors or reflective films ([0037]).
Regarding claim 9, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 1, wherein an inner cavity of the optical path defining element is blackened, and the inner cavity comprises an inner wall of the elongated hole; and/or a non-mounting surface of the mounting base is blackened ([0037] member 8 is composed of, for example, a metallic flat plate haying a black-alumite-treated surface, the slit portion 7 is formed in this member. Thus, the inner wall of the slit portion is black -alumite-treated or blackened).
Regarding claim 10, Nagamochi teaches a detection method ([0002]), comprising: directing light onto an optical path defining element, wherein the optical path defining element is configured to define a detection optical path of an object to be detected ([0031]), the optical path defining element comprising a mounting base (8) ([0034]), a first reflective structure (9), and a second reflective structure (9), wherein the mounting base has an obliquely arranged mounting surface ([0035], fig. 4) and an elongated hole (7), the elongated hole runs through the mounting base from the mounting surface and divides the mounting surface into a first mounting surface (fig. 4: left surface of 8) and a second mounting surface (fig. 4: right surface of 8), the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are respectively configured to mount the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure (fig. 4, [0035]), the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure reflect light incident from an incident light source to the object to be detected ([0035]), and the light passes through the elongated hole to a detection camera after being reflected by the side edge of the object to be detected ([0035]), but fails to disclose a silicon wafer side edge detection method, reflecting the light by the optical path defining element to a side edge of a silicon wafer; and reflecting the light by the side edge of the silicon wafer and passing the light through the optical path defining element to a detection camera.
However, Nagamochi teaches reflecting the light by the optical path defining element to an object ([0035]); and reflecting the light by the object and passing the light through the optical path defining element to a detection camera ([0033]-[0036]), and Jin teaches a silicon wafer side edge detection method (Abstract, [0002], [0032], [0041]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi by incorporating a silicon wafer side edge detection method, reflecting the light by the optical path defining element to a side edge of a silicon wafer; and reflecting the light by the side edge of the silicon wafer and passing the light through the optical path defining element to a detection camera in order to provide a compact and efficient structure for inspecting an object.
Regarding claim 11, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the silicon wafer side edge detection method according to claim 10, wherein reflecting the light by the optical path defining element to the side edge of the silicon wafer comprises: reflecting part of the light to the side edge of the silicon wafer by the first reflective structure and/or reflecting part of the light to the side edge of the silicon wafer by the second reflective structure (Nagamochi: [0035]).
Regarding claim 12, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches silicon wafer side edge detection method according to claim 10, wherein reflecting the light by the optical path defining element to the side edge of the silicon wafer comprises: reflecting an overlap between part of the light reflected by the first reflective structure and part of the light reflected by the second reflective structure to the side edge of the silicon wafer (Nagamochi: [0035] both inclined surfaces 9 reflect light to the same position A so there is an overlap).
Regarding claim 13, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches silicon wafer side edge detection method according to claim 10, wherein reflecting the light by the side edge of the silicon wafer and passing the light through the optical path defining element to the detection camera comprises: reflecting the light by the side edge of the silicon wafer and passing the light through the elongated hole to the detection camera (Nagamochi: [0039]-[0040]), .
Regarding claim 14, Nagamochi teaches a detection device, comprising an illumination unit (40 and 41) ([0031]), an optical path defining element, wherein the optical path defining element is configured to define a detection optical path (3) ([0031]), the optical path defining element comprising a mounting base (8) ([0034]), a first reflective structure (9), and a second reflective structure (9), wherein the mounting base has an obliquely arranged mounting surface ([0035], fig. 4) and an elongated hole (7), the elongated hole runs through the mounting base from the mounting surface and divides the mounting surface into a first mounting surface (fig. 4: left surface of 8) and a second mounting surface (fig. 4: right surface of 8), the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are respectively configured to mount the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure (fig. 4, [0035]), the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure reflect light incident from an incident light source to the object to be detected ([0035]), and the light passes through the elongated hole to a detection camera after being reflected by the object to be detected ([0035]); and wherein the detection device further comprises an image acquisition unit (11) ([0033]) and an analysis (signal processing) unit ([0041]); the illumination unit is configured to provide illumination ([0031]); the optical path defining element is configured to reflect light emitted by the illumination unit, and provide a channel for the light reflected to enter the image acquisition unit ([0035], [0049]); the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire an image ([0033]); and the analysis unit is configured to analyze the image ([0035], [0041], [0049]), but fails to disclose a silicon wafer detection device, comprising a conveying unit, wherein the conveying unit is configured to convey a silicon wafer to be detected to a photographing area and convey the silicon wafer that has been subjected to photographing to a subsequent area, the illumination unit is configured to provide illumination to the silicon wafer to be detected, the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire an image of the side edge of the silicon wafer to be detected, and the analysis unit is configured to analyze the image of the side edge.
However, Jin teaches a silicon wafer detection device ([0002]), comprising a conveying unit (a rotatable chuck), wherein the conveying unit is configured to convey a silicon wafer to be detected to a photographing area and convey the silicon wafer that has been subjected to photographing to a subsequent area ([0041]), the illumination unit is configured to provide illumination to the silicon wafer to be detected, the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire an image of the side edge of the silicon wafer to be detected ([0041]), and the analysis unit is configured to analyze the image of the side edge ([0035]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi by incorporating wherein a silicon wafer detection device, comprising a conveying unit, wherein the conveying unit is configured to convey a silicon wafer to be detected to a photographing area and convey the silicon wafer that has been subjected to photographing to a subsequent area, the illumination unit is configured to provide illumination to the silicon wafer to be detected, the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire an image of the side edge of the silicon wafer to be detected, and the analysis unit is configured to analyze the image of the side edge in order to provide a compact and efficient structure for inspecting an object.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagamochi (US20090109501A1) in view of Jin (US20080030731A1), further in view of Hayashi (US20100066998A1).
Regarding claim 7, Nagamochi, when modified by Jin, teaches the optical path defining element according to claim 5, but fails to disclose wherein the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are respectively mounted on the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface in an angle adjustable manner.
However, Hayashi which is related to a detection optical path on a side edge of an object to be detected, thus from the same field of endeavor as Nagamochi, teaches the first reflective structure (12) and the second reflective structure (14) are respectively mounted in an angle adjustable manner ([0069], [0086]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagamochi and Jin by incorporating wherein the first reflective structure and the second reflective structure are respectively mounted on the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface in an angle adjustable manner in order to allow optimizing the reflection angles for different objects.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 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.
The prior art of record, whether considered individually or in combination, do not render obvious the claim subject matter: “wherein one end of the first mounting surface away from the elongated hole is higher than the other end of the first mounting surface close to the elongated hole, one end of the second mounting surface away from the elongated hole is higher than the other end of the second mounting surface close to the elongated hole, and an included angle between the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface is consistent with the angle”
Nagamochi teaches the opposite of claim 6 as disclosed in fig. 5, wherein the slit is at the top of the conical shape, and the inclined surfaces slope downward and outward from the top, the end of each inclined surface close to the slit is higher than the end away from the slit.
Conclusion
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/MOHAMED DOUMBIA/Examiner, Art Unit 2877 /MICHELLE M IACOLETTI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877
