DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a foreign matter removing unit”, “a preparing unit”, “a fixing unit”, “a removing unit”, “a first holding unit”, “a second holding unit”, “a pressing unit”, “a depressurizing unit”, in claim 1-13.
Because these claim limitation(s) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, they are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by US Publication 2010/0294418 to Yura et al.
In regards to claims 1 and 13, Yura discloses and shows in Figures 1-8, a sheet fixing apparatus and method for fixing to a target surface of a workpiece (F1, F2) a sheet (W) that is commensurate in shape with the target surface, comprising:
an image capturing unit having a first camera (14, 24) for capturing images of the target surface before the sheet is fixed thereto (par. 125-127, 137, 206, 212); and
a controller (1) for controlling the image capturing unit, wherein the controller determines whether foreign matter is attached to the target surface or not on a basis of a first image captured of the target surface by the first camera by controlling the image capturing unit to capture the first image before the sheet is fixed to the target surface (par. 127, 137, 140-141, 185);
[claim 2] further comprising: a polishing and cleaning apparatus (10, 11) (applicant’s foreign matter removing unit) for removing foreign matter from the target surface, wherein the controller controls the foreign matter removing unit to remove foreign matter from the target surface if the controller determines that the foreign matter is attached to the target surface (par. 132, 208, 219);
[claim 3] wherein the image capturing unit further has a second camera (30) for capturing images of the sheet after the sheet has been fixed to the target surface, and the controller determines whether foreign matter is attached to the sheet or not on a basis of a second image captured of the sheet by the second camera by controlling the image capturing unit to capture the second image after the sheet has been fixed to the target surface (par. 140-141); wherein a CCD inspection apparatus determines through image processing, if the manufactured panel contains defects, and determines if the panel needs to be reworked or discarded);
[claim 4] further comprising: a polishing and cleaning apparatus (10, 11) as well as a first rejection apparatus (19) and a second rejection apparatus (29) (applicant’s a foreign matter removing unit) for removing foreign matter from the target surface and/or the sheet, wherein the controller controls the foreign matter removing unit to remove foreign matter from the target surface if the controller determines that the foreign matter is attached to the target surface, and controls the foreign matter removing unit to remove foreign matter from the sheet if the controller determines that the foreign matter is attached to the sheet (par. 206, 208, 219-220, 231-232; wherein a panel is cleaned by various cleaning apparatuses and a defective portion of a sheet may be rejected by a cutting and peeling rejection apparatus);
[claim 5] wherein an inspection apparatus (30) (applicant’s the first camera) is capable of capturing images of the sheet after the sheet has been fixed to the target surface, and the controller determines whether foreign matter is attached to the sheet or not on a basis of a second image captured of the sheet by the first camera by controlling the image capturing unit to capture the second image after the sheet has been fixed to the target surface (par. 140-141); wherein a CCD inspection apparatus determines through image processing, if the manufactured panel contains defects, and determines if the panel needs to be reworked or discarded;
[claim 6] further comprising: a polishing and cleaning apparatus (10, 11) as well as a first rejection apparatus (19) and a second rejection apparatus (29) (applicant’s a foreign matter removing unit) for removing foreign matter from the target surface and/or the sheet, wherein the controller controls the foreign matter removing unit to remove foreign matter from the target surface if the controller determines that the foreign matter is attached to the target surface, and controls the foreign matter removing unit to remove foreign matter from the sheet if the controller determines that the foreign matter is attached to the sheet (par. 206, 208, 219-220, 231-232; wherein a panel is cleaned by various cleaning apparatuses and a defective portion of a sheet may be rejected by a cutting and peeling rejection apparatus);
[claim 9] further comprising:
a preparing unit (12) for preparing an individual sheet including a to-be-fixed region that is of a shape commensurate with the target surface and an excess region surrounding the to-be-fixed region (par. 124);
a fixing unit (18) for fixing the to-be-fixed region of the individual sheet prepared by the preparing unit to the target surface of the workpiece (par. 131, 217, 219); and
a removing unit (19) for removing the excess region from the individual sheet after the to-be-fixed region has been fixed to the target surface by the fixing unit (par. 206, 220; wherein portions of the laminate film with defects are removed by a cutting apparatus),
wherein the fixing unit includes
a first holding unit (R) for holding the workpiece (par. 217, 219),
a second holding unit (181) for holding the individual sheet (par. 217, 219), and
a pressing unit (182) for pressing the to-be-fixed region of the individual sheet against the target surface of the workpiece (par. 217, 219), and
the controller controls the fixing unit to cause the pressing unit to press the to-be-fixed region against the target surface while the first holding unit is holding the workpiece with the target surface being exposed and the second holding unit is holding the individual sheet with the to-be-fixed region being exposed and facing the target surface (par. 217, 219);
[claim 10] wherein the pressing unit includes a roller (181) positioned to grip the individual sheet held by the second holding unit in coaction with the workpiece held by the first holding unit, and the controller controls the pressing unit to cause the roller to roll, thereby pressing the to-be-fixed region against the target surface (par. 217, 219);
[claim 12] further comprising:
a housing (Figures 5-8) that houses therein the preparing unit, the fixing unit, and the removing unit (par. 123, 142, 207);
a fan (40) for developing a downflow of air in the housing (par. 207); and
a counter for counting fine particles in the housing, wherein the controller controls the fan to change operating conditions depending on the number of fine particles counted by the counter (par. 185-187; wherein a computer controller issues an alarm warning when the number of defects and errors become too large);
[claim 13] a method of manufacturing a combination of a workpiece and a sheet fixed to a target surface of the workpiece, the sheet being commensurate in shape with the target surface, comprising: fixing the sheet to the workpiece after it has been determined that no foreign matter is attached to the target surface on a basis of a first image captured of the target surface (par. 127, 137, 140-141, 185).
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.
Claim(s) 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yura, in view of US Patent 5,274,434 to Morioka et al.
In regards to claim 7, Yura differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the sheet fixing apparatus, wherein the workpiece includes a wafer having a notch or an orientation flat defined in an outer edge thereof, and the controller specifies a position of the notch or the orientation flat on a basis of a third image captured of the target surface by the first camera by controlling the image capturing unit to capture the third image before the sheet is fixed to the target surface while the workpiece is being irradiated with light applied to a side of the workpiece that is opposite the target surface.
However, Morioka teaches and shows in Figures 1-22, an apparatus and method for monitoring foreign particles in a semiconductor production line, wherein an orientation flat of a wafer is detected by a wafer rotating direction detector (201) (col. 7, ll. 17-41), and the coordinates of foreign particles for the wafer are determined (col. 8, ll. 3-39) (Figures 5-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Yura to include the wafer orientation flat and rotation sensor discussed above for the advantage of orienting every wafer in a similar direction and determining coordinates for every foreign particle, with a reasonable expectation of success.
In regards to claim 8, Yura differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the sheet fixing apparatus, further comprising:
a cassette table supporting thereon a cassette with the workpiece housed therein; and
an unloading and loading robot for unloading the workpiece from the cassette supported on the cassette table before the sheet is attached to the target surface and/or loading the workpiece into the cassette supported on the cassette table after the sheet has been attached to the target surface,
the unloading and loading robot including a holding unit for holding the workpiece and a light emitter for irradiating the workpiece held by the holding unit with light,
wherein the controller controls the image capturing unit to capture the third image of the target surface before the sheet is fixed to the target surface while controlling the unloading and loading robot to cause the holding unit to hold the workpiece with the target surface being exposed and to cause the light emitter to irradiate the workpiece with light applied to the side of the workpiece that is opposite the target surface.
However, Morioka teaches and shows in Figures 1 and 22, a semiconductor factory automation system, wherein a plurality of foreign particle monitors (101) are utilized at various stations throughout the production line (col. 12, ll. 30-49), wherein the stations are connected by “a transfer system inside a clean tunnel” (applicant’s loading robot and holding unit), wherein wafers are transferred from a loader cassette (109), and each foreign particle monitor includes a wafer rotating direction detector (201) to consistently orient a wafer for processing and obtain foreign particle coordinates (col. 7, ll. 17-41; col. 8, ll. 3-25).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Yura to include the semiconductor factory automation system discussed above for the advantages of simplifying a production line and reducing production costs (col. 12, ll. 50-58), with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yura, in view of US Publication 2006/0207314 to Kitazawa et al.
In regards to claim 11, Yura discloses and shows the sheet fixing apparatus further comprising:
a housing (Figures 5-8) that houses therein the preparing unit, the fixing unit, and the removing unit (par. 123, 142, 207);
a fan (40) for developing a downflow of air in the housing (par. 207); and
a computer controller to control all of the various systems of the manufacturing assembly line (par. 185).
Yura differs from the limitations in that it is silent to the sheet fixing apparatus, wherein the fixing unit further includes a depressurizing unit for depressurizing a space to a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure when the to-be-fixed region is fixed to the target surface in the space, and a pump for depressurizing an internal space in the chamber.
However, Kitazawa teaches and shows in Figures 1 and 5-7, a semiconductor manufacturing system which utilizes a vacuum chamber and a pump to obtain adaptive pressure control of the chamber environment (par. 1-10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Yura to include the chamber and vacuum pump discussed above for the advantage of obtaining a desired vacuum chamber environment to reduce wafer defects and errors, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN M HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1736. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
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JONATHAN M. HANSEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2877
/JONATHAN M HANSEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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