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)(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.
(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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Doi et al. [US2006/0007297].
Doi discloses a transfer device configured to irradiate a transfer substrate with active energy rays to transfer an element held by the transfer substrate to a receiving substrate, the transfer device comprising: an energy emission unit (laser light source 10) configured to intenmittently emit the active energy rays (laser light source can have an on/off switch as well as being pulsed; paragraphs 0007, 0027, 0029, 0037, 0050); and an irradiation position control unit (reflection section or scanning mechanism) configured to control irradiation position of the active energy rays emitted from the energy emission unit on the transfer substrate (paragraphs 0007, 0009, 0027, 0032, 0038); a time interval for irradiation of the active energy rays onto the transfer substrate being adjusted in accordance with a movement speed of the irradiation position of the active energy rays on the transfer substrate, as controlled by the irradiation position control unit (it is noted the claim is directed toward a device and not the method of operation, and Doi discloses a control section that works with a shutter mechanism to adjust a time interval by selectively irradiating based upon the location and movement speed; Figures 3 and 4; paragraphs 0029, 0032-33).
With respect to claim 2, a movement direction of the irradiation position of the active energy rays is changed, the time interval for the irradiation of the active energy rays onto the transfer substrate is adjusted to be relatively long (it is noted the subject matter of the claim is directed toward the manner of operation, the device of Doi would be capable of operating in the manner disclosed and Doi discloses changing the movement direction and adjusting the time interval; Figures 3, 4; paragraphs 0029, 0032-33).
With respect to claim 3, Doi discloses a holding area of the element held by the transfer substrate is irradiated with the active energy rays a plurality of times while changing the irradiation position to transfer the element onto the receiving substrate (Doi discloses a holding area of the element, and the device of Doi is capable of performing in the manner disclosed by the claim; Figure 1).
With respect to claim 4, Doi discloses an emission time interval of the active energy rays by the energy emission unit is adjustable, and the emission time interval is adjusted to adjust the time interval for the irradiation of the active energy rays onto the transfer substrate (the device of Doi would be capable of operating in the manner disclosed; Figures 3, 4; paragraphs 0029, 0032-33).
With respect to claim 5, Doi discloses an irradiation prevention unit (shutters) configured to prevent the active energy rays emitted from the energy emission unit from being irradiated onto the transfer substrate, the irradiation prevention unit being operated to prevent a portion of the active energy rays emitted from the energy emission unit from reaching the transfer substrate to increase the time interval for the irradiation of the active energy rays onto the transfer substrate (Figures 3, 4; paragraphs 0029, 0032-33).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi in view of Yamashita [WO2021/131711, machine translation provided].
Doi discloses a transfer device. Applicant is referred to paragraph 3 for a detailed discussion of Doi. Doi discloses a shutter as an irradiation prevention unit but fails to disclose an acousto-optic material.
Yamashita discloses a device. Yamashita discloses irradiating a laser beam, wherein the device includes an optical system (112) including an acousto-optic modulator (131) that controls both the intensity and position of the laser light at high speeds.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the device of Doi by including an acousto-optic modulator as taught by Yamashita in order to provide control over location and intensity of the laser at high processing speeds thereby improving the efficiency of the device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
September 29, 2026
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